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A big week for the Wranglers as they upend the defending champs and remain unbeaten. Equally big for the Monarchs, who topple Tampa Bay and join the Bandits atop the Southeast Division at 4-1. Not so great for the Machine, Generals, Showboats, and Breakers, who all have dropped to 0-5 and are doing some deep soul searching as the season quickly gets away from them. Add in big wins by the Renegades, Stags, and Express and we have some interesting races to follow across the USFL. We will cover these stories and give those of you playing Fantasy Football an update on who is emerging as must haves, and who are looking like must drops after 5 weeks. It's all right here, so let's get to it. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 28   ORLANDO RENEGADES 31 A really intriguing interdivisional matchup that was a regional broadcast on Saturday, meaning that much of the country did not get to watch rookie Cam Newton and veteran Eli Manning go head to head for the first time.  While there is little history between these two clubs, the drama was still there as Birmingham, surprises at 3-1 after the season’s first quarter, were in Orlando to face a 2-2 Orlando squad that believes they can be legitimate contenders in the Southeast. Orlando would have to survive 3 turnovers, all of them Manning picks, to come from behind, but Manning, when the pressure was on, delivered a drive to remember.  Meanwhile one of the league’s rising stars, Cam Newton threw for 3 scores and impressed with his ability to absorb, deflect, and avoid sacks  from one of the league’s most ferocious pass rushes.  Yes, Calais Campbell did get to Newton 3 times on the day, to raise his league leading total to 10 sacks this year, but Newton stymied the big man on several occasions as well. As many games between unfamiliar foes do, this one started slow.  The only scoring in the first quarter was a long Bill Grammatica field goal.  After probing the defenses in the first quarter, both offenses started to make plays in the 2nd.  Birmingham had its first touchdown drive as the second quarter began, with Newton avoiding the rush, then hitting Julian Edelman for a 22-yard connection that took the ball to Orlando’s 5 yard line.  From their he put up a perfect jump ball for veteran Terrell Owens, and the big receiver came down with the ball and the Birmingham lead. It was a short-lived lead as Orlando would score twice in the rest of the quarter to take a 17-7 lead into the half.  The first score was a Dwayne Bowe connection with Manning, the second a Knowshon Moreno run, as the Renegades’ line was winning the day early on.  After the half, that would change and Eli Manning would find his time in the pocket, as well as Moreno’s rushing lanes, significantly decreased. Birmingham got the opening kick of the second half, and again Newton eventually found Terrell Owens in the endzone, pulling the Stallions back to within 3 at 17-14.  After one drive ended with a Manning pick, Orlando got a second chance and this time they found their rhythm again, putting together a 73-yard drive that concluded with Jacob Hester pounding the ball in from the 1.  After 3 quarters it was a 10-point lead for the Renegades, 24-14. As the fourth quarter opened, Birmingham struggled to move the ball, but after punting to Orlando, they would catch a break. Manning would mistime a throw, putting the ball behind Justin McCaerins and into the hands of cornerback Antonio Cromartie.  The free agent acquisition for Birmingham returned the ball all the way to the 1-yard line before being bumped out of bounds.  He insisted he had reached the endzone, but Birmingham lost the coach’s challenge and the ball was placed at the 1.  Only one play later Ben Tate put Birmingham on the board again.  Stallions again trailed by only 3. Manning had been seeing more pressure since the half, and that continued on their next drive. The combination of Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves got help from a blitzing DeMeco Ryans, and, after only 4 plays, Manning again had a near fatal miscue.  Trying to throw the ball away as he was being hit, he misjudged the distance to the sideline and his fluttering pass was picked off by safety Shiloh Keo.  Birmingham again would have a short field to work with.  With only 3:43 left in the game, this looked like a chance for the Stallions to take the lead and kill the clock at the same time.  They moved the ball methodically, but perhaps too well.  When Jerrel Jernigan caught the go ahead score from Newton, there was still 1:55 on the clock. That remaining time would be enough for Orlando, down 4, to put together a drive at the end to steal back the lead and the win.  Manning would need to avoid the poor decisions that had produced 2 Birmingham scores, but he would have time to turn from the game’s goat to its hero. Orlando got the ball on the 25 after a touchback on the kick and Manning went to work. On his first play, Manning dumped the ball to Greg Olsen for what could have been a 3-yard gain, but Olsen slipped the tackle and rumbled for 12 before being brought down.  Manning clocked the ball, and on 2nd down connected with DeSean Jackson, the club’s new slot receiver.  15-yards later Jackson slipped out of bounds.  In 4 more plays, Manning had the Renegades in Birmingham territory, using mostly short slant and out routes. He still had 1 time out left, and with 47 seconds left he had a first and 10 on the Birmingham 33.  Rather than go for another short route, Renegade receiver Justin McCaerins used a double move and Manning hit him on a deep ball.  McCaerins initially thought he had scored, but a review showed that in tiptoeing down the sideline he had stepped out at the 6. With 36 seconds left, and one timeout, Manning would bring the Renegades to the line on the six.  Once again he turned to the quick route, this time with a bit of a rub from McCaerins.  The rub play freed up Dwayne Bowe and Manning hit him at the front of the endzone for the game-winning score. Orlando would escape with a 31-28 win, moving to 3-2 and sending Birmingham to the same record.  And while fans were certainly relieved to see Manning lead the game-winning drive, the general consensus is that Orlando escaped with no shortage of luck, while Birmingham proved that they were a team to be reckoned with. OAKLAND 12  ATLANTA 3 Sitting at 1-3 and with an offense that has just not been able to get much going, Oakland traveled cross-country and put together a defensive gem to nab their second win on the year. The defense was helped by a heavy dose of the run game as rookie Ryan Williams and veteran Jerious Norwood combined for 32 carries and 169 yards rushing against a Fire defense that had played well against the run this year.  Meanwhile, Atlanta struggled, with 8 offensive penalties and only 57 yards from McFadden, the Fire just could not put points on the board and fell to 2-3. NEW JERSEY 16   BALTIMORE 31 New Jersey’s woes continue to mount as Baltimore built up a 31-9 lead thanks to a pick-six and two TD passes from backup Tyrod Taylor.  Sam Bradford looked shaky, throwing two picks and throwing for only 188 yards despite being in catch-up mode most of the game.  Ron Dayne was fed the ball and ended the day with 28 carries for 120 yards and a score as Baltimore survived without Big Ben able to go. MEMPHIS 7   WASHINGTON 10 Poor footing on a wet field and a mid-game injury to David Garrard made this one appear closer than it was.  Memphis could do nothing, with Cadillac Williams rushing for only 17 yards to lead all Showboat ballcarriers. Meanwhile, Deuce McCallister slogged his way to 106 yards and the combo of Garrard and Webb did enough to garner a 3-point win for the Feds, and keep Memphis winless at 0-5. JACKSONVILLE 16   LAS VEGAS 35 The up and down Bulls were down again as Jake Plummer showed Tim Tebow how it was done, bootlegging for a 50-yard TD run in the opening quarter.  Vegas added a Marshawn Lynch TD run to double the advantage and never looked back.  Tim Tebow would throw for 286 as Jacksonville tried to come back, but also tossed 2 picks, while Plummer had a clean game, adding two touchdown tosses to his “vintage Plummer” run. HOUSTON 9   ARIZONA 17 The defending champs drop their third in a row, raising all sorts of alarms in Houston, but they also faced an unbeaten Wrangler squad who now sit at 5-0. WR Antonio Bryant went for 117 on only 3 catches for the home squad, while the Wrangler D picked off Matt Hasselbeck twice as Houston falls to 2-3.  Coach Tomsula praised his defense after the game for an all-out effort as Arizona sits securely atop the SW Division after 5 weeks. TAMPA BAY 13   CHARLOTTE 20 The Monarchs avenged an early season loss in Tampa and in so doing evened their record with the Bandits atop the SE Division. A 20-0 run in the 2nd quarter proved to be the difference as Charlotte got 2 touchdowns from HB Fred Jackson and a third on a Rolando McClain pick-six of Culpepper. Tampa Bay had a chance to equalize late, but Culpepper could not connect with Chris Doering on a 4th and goal from the 11 as time expired, giving Charlotte the exciting home win and a share of first place. NEW ORLEANS 7   PHILADELPHIA 23 The post-Summer Bowl hangover of the Stars seems to be fully dissipated as they win their third in a row, knocking off the winless Breakers in front of 41,505 at the Linc.  While Steve Slaton had double the carries, it was change of pace back Leon Washington who made the big plays, including a 33-yard TD run on his way to a game best 91 yards rushing.  Washington also caught the only Warner TD pass to win Game MVP. NASHVILLE 21   ST. LOUIS 17 The Knights struggled with the much-improved Skyhawks, but Jay Cutler was able to connect with impressive rookie wideout Denarius Moore for the game winner in the final 2 minutes as the Knights escape St. Louis with a win.  The Skyhawks continue to play well but have lost three in a row after a 2-0 start to the year. Troy Smith started for St. Louis after it was deemed that Josh Freeman could not go in pregame warmups. PORTLAND 26   MICHIGAN 12 Portland improves to 3-2 by knocking Michigan to 1-4 in front of 44,211 at Ford Field.   Give the credit to Portland’s defense, which accounted for 16 of their 26 points.  The Stag D picked off Brian Griese three times, returning two for scores as both DeAngelo Hall and Marquand Manuel scored pick-sixes in the game.  HB Thomas Jones also fumbled a ball in the endzone only to fall on it for a safety as Michigan made too many mistakes to overcome. SEATTLE 16   LOS ANGELES 23 Is LA a contender?  They seem to think so as Kevin Kolb leads them to another win.  Kolb threw for 2 scores and Ray Rice had his first 100-yard game of the year as the homestanding Express knocked off Byron Leftwich and the Dragons. The LA defense, even without rookie LB Akeem Ayers, shut down the run game of Seattle and picked off Leftwich twice to preserve their third win of the season. OHIO 7   TEXAS 40 Is this the game that pushes Ohio to start Vince Young?  Maybe, maybe not.  The big loss in San Antonio was not so much Anderson’s fault, though he did complete only 17 of 30, but that of the defense, which gave up 427 yards of offense to the Outlaws, including 100-yard games by both Marques Colston and Brandon Marshall as Texas rolls to a 3-2 record, chasing Arizona in the SW Division. BOSTON 14   DENVER 24 Denver also wants to stay in the race in the Southwest, and while their offense has been spotty all season, the Gold D has been one of the league’s best.  They limit Jake Locker to 17 of 37 passing and Rashard Mendenhall to a miserable 19 total yards rushing.  Meanwhile Matt Leinart, despite throwing 3 picks in the game, managed to connect with James Hardy for 144 yards and the go-ahead TD to secure the win and keep pace with Texas at 3-2, two games behind unbeaten Arizona. PITTSBURGH 24   CHICAGO 10 Rumors are flying that Marty Mornhinweg could be out by midseason as the Machine lose their fifth in a row to start the season. The Machine simply could not get anything going against Pittsburgh, while the Maulers got 2 scores from NFL import Ronnie Brown and a third from Pickett to Vince Jackson as they win by 14 and stay atop the Central at 4-1. World Turned Upside Down A look at the standings and it is easy to understand why many are calling 2011 the Season Turned Upside Down.  At the bottom of the 6 divisions we have the defending Champs (Houston at 2-3), and the defending division champs of the Pacific (Oakland 2-3) and Southeast (Atlanta 2-3) as well as playoff regulars Chicago (0-5) and New Orleans (0-5).  Add in an 0-5 New Jersey squad and you have a lot of teams sitting in the basement after five weeks who many pegged as playoff if not Summer Bowl contenders. Meanwhile, atop the 6 divisions we find at least two teams not expected to be there in Charlotte (4-1) and Arizona, the last remaining unbeaten at 5-0.  So, what can be said about this season?  Well, first off, there is a cluster of teams between 3-2 and 2-3, including Houston, Atlanta, and Oakland, and by no means are they locked into the basement for the season.  More questions exist for Chicago, New Orleans and New Jersey as their lofty aspirations for this year have come crashing down.  As for the top of the standings, it seems fair to say that many expected Arizona to be more competitive this year, but not this good, while Charlotte was very much a team viewed as on the rise, and maybe they are just rising a bit faster than anticipated.  This is the joy of the USFL.  It is not predictable, tends not to develop dynasties, and has more upward and downward mobility than the NFL typically sees. We could be looking at a shifting of power, especially if Michigan and Chicago’s decline is for real or if teams like Arizona, Birmingham, or St. Louis are truly ready to step forward.  All part of the game, and all part of why fans should be tuning in each week. Fred Jackson Finds His Happy Place Has Fred Jackson finally found his groove? In his 9thyear in the league it seems he may have finally found a system and a team that allows him to show his full potential.  Jackson came into the league with Jacksonville in 2003, and for the better part of his career served in halfback-by-committee systems, first with the Bulls and then in New Orleans. His best year before moving to Charlotte was a 689-yard output in 2009 with the Breakers. Since coming to Charlotte, he has been handed the reins and given the choice to stay in or come out on pretty much every play.  No rotation, no shared load.  The results?  Last season we saw Jackson’s first 1,000 yard season, racking up 1,016 yards over 12 games (4 lost to injury).  This year, 5 weeks in, he is on pace to break 1,500 yards. He is sitting at 463 yards in 5 games and has become a focal point for the Monarch offense.  Having Jake Delhomme providing a viable passing attack has certainly helped, but it also seems that Jackson is feeling at home in Charlotte and with the offense that Jim Mora Jr. wants to run.  Add to that a 4-1 start and this is feeling very much like a happy home for the back out of tiny Coe College in Iowa. Calais Campbell Has Another Beast of a Game For the second time in 3 this season, Calais Campbell has shown us why he is the most feared pass rusher in the USFL.  Back in Week 3 he lit up Memphis for 4 sacks and this week, against Birmingham, he took celebrated rookie to the woodshed with 3 more sacks.  Maybe we have gotten complacent because Campbell’s 2010 looked a lot more like a typical good year for a top flight DE, but nothing like the ridiculous 2009 numbers Campbell put up.  Well, if the games against the Boats and Stallions shows us anything it is that Campbell has the potential each week to go wild and put up nasty numbers. What we are seeing from teams that have success against Campbell, teams like Nashville (1 sack, 4 tackles) or Portland (1 sacks, 3 tackles) is that you need to do two things, chip him with a back or TE to alter his initial plan of attack, and then get the ball out of your QB’s hands as quickly as possible.  Both Portland and Nashville used the run game to slow Campbell down.  Both also used quick inside routes to the slot and to the tight end to get the ball out of the hands of Jay Cutler and Ryan Fitzpatrick.  That seems to be the best strategy.  Oh, and don’t have a rookie at QB.  Both of Campbell’s big days have come against rookies who held the ball way too long (Mallett and Newton).  This may be good news for Jake Locker, since he can look ahead at the rest of the schedule and see that Orlando is not on it. Sanchez Expected Back for Surprising Express in Week 6 Coach Williams revealed this week that the Express are hopeful that Mark Sanchez is on schedule to return to action for Week 6 against the Thunder.  It is a huge game for the 3-2 Express as they try to keep pace with 4-1 Las Vegas.  They will be at home for a 2nd straight week, and after knocking off Oakland and Sattle in successive weeks, with Kevin Kolb under center, there are hopes that they could be in play this year for a pretty wide open Pacific Division. As you recall, Sanchez suffered a fracture in his jaw when he took friendly fire from the elbow of one of his own linemen.  It was a bizarre injury, but one that has caused LA to go with journeyman Kevin Kolb for the past 4 games.  Kolb struggled at first, but has looked better in the two divisional wins for the Express. But, as solid as Kolb may have been, there is clearly a desire to get Sanchez back at the helm.  LA has an intriguing set of weapons, including Randy Moss, of course, and the hope is that they have done enough to bolster the defense that they can be a real threat in the division.  If Sanchez is able to return this week (he is still listed as “questionable” on the injury report) and if LA can win a third straight divisional game, it could put the Pacific Division on notice. Let’s start this week’s report on a positive note.  There are several players expected back on the field after recovery from a variety of injuries, so let’s first mention who should be back in action.  We already referenced that the Express are hoping that Mark Sanchez will return to action for the first time since his bizarre jaw fracture in Week 2.  Also back on the field we should see another key Express player in LB Lofa Tatupu returning from a pinched nerve.  Jason Pierre-Paul should be back from a strained knee for Tampa Bay, as should Las Vegas cornerback Will Allen.  Ohio plans to have Steve Smith back in the lineup this week and Orlando wideout Michael Jenkins is as well.  Mike Doss returns from his rib injury for the Breakers and Pittsburgh is happy that recently acquired DE Aaron Schobel is coming off the injury list as well. News was not all good this week, however, as injuries continue to be a factor for many teams. Baltimore learned this week that TE Jacob Tamme will miss as much as 2 weeks after suffering a significant fracture in the radial on his right arm.  Michigan, already struggling with pass rush, will be without Jevon Kearse for as much as 6 weeks due to a strained knee.  Jacksonville’s defensive captain, Mike Vrabel, could also miss a month or more after suffering a broken wrist.  Finally, Washington center Austin King could miss the rest of the regular season with a broken leg suffered not in this week’s game, but on the drive home as he was the victim of a car accident that produced significant but not life-threatening injuries. Time to reevaluate your USFL Fantasy Rosters Five weeks seems enough time to get a good sense of who is hot and who is not, and that goes particularly for fantasy players, looking to add that one piece that will make their team unstoppable.  Well, this USFL season has been one to rattle the rosters as some players have outperformed all expectations while others have not shown the way we expected.  We are going to look at 4 key fantasy positions and make our case for players to pick up if they are not already rostered and others to trade away or cut if they are on your team.  We will evaluate QBs, running backs, receivers, and defensive stars to give you the edge moving forward. QUARTERBACKS TO KEEP OR SIGN 1.  Joe Flacco (TEX): A no brainer, right?  Well, not before this season.  Flacco has been a QB2 or a marginal player in past seasons, but with 1,359 yards and 10 TD passes already this year, with only 1 pick, if he is on your team you are very happy and have him at QB1 now, if he is somehow still available, add him now. 2.  David Carr (ARZ): The rise of the Wranglers has coincided with David Carr finding an offense that suits his skills.  He may not lead the league in TDs and his 1,195 yards is not lighting the league on fire, but he is consistently getting yards and opportunities to put points on the board.  He may not be an All-USFL QB1, but if you can get him on your team, he will make a difference for you. 3.  Tim Tebow (JAX): The Bulls are a very up & down team but Tebow has been pretty consistent.  His 8 picks in 5 games is an issue, but he has 10 passing TDs and he is always a threat to run one in as well. If your current QB is on our disappointing list, perhaps try to swing a deal to bring Tebow in to replace him. QUARTERBACKS TO BENCH OR CUT 1.  Matt Leinart (DEN): Sure, the Gold are winning games, but it is almost in spite of Leinart and the anemic pass game.  The Denver QB has only 4 TDs in 5 games and has 7 nasty interceptions on his sheet as well.  He will get you some yards but you are never going to get a high fantasy score from him or this Denver offense. 2.  Joey Harrington (OAK): We hate to say it, but Harrington does not look like the same QB after coming back from injury this year.  He has only 3 TDs in 5 games, and has yet to crack 1,000 yards.  The Oakland Invaders are relying on defense to win games as Harrington is just not putting fear into defenses. 3.  A. J. Feeley (POR): If you took a risk that Feeley would win the QB competition in Portland I think it is now safe to say that it is time to cut him lose and nab Fitzpatrick if you can.  The former Harvard QB has locked down the position with 3 wins and has also put hup better numbers. RUNNING BACKS TO ADD 1.  Joseph Addai (BIR): We expect that those who are dual USFL-NFL fans already took a shot at Addai, but if by some miracle he is still out there, see if you can catch him on the waiver wire.  He has been a major revelation for a Birmingham club that has struggled to put together a run game ever since Joe Cribbs retired in the early 90’s. 2.  Jerious Norwood (OAK): Ryan Williams may be the official starter in Oakland, but Norwood is the more reliable start for fantasy. His ball skills and role in the pass game make him a more valuable fantasy player.  He also tends to vulture a lot of touchdowns, something he did with Ricky Williams and is continuing with Ryan. 3.  Ronnie Brown (PIT): Fantasy owners may have shied away from Brown after some rough time in Miami and because Kenny Watson looked very good in relief of DeShaun Foster last year, but what we are seeing is that Coach Rivera wants to feature Brown, particularly in the red zone, so the scoring chances are there for the taking. RECIEVERS TO START OR SIGN 1.  Reche Caldwell (PHI): There is a very good chance Caldwell went undrafted in your league, and if none of the owners have picked him up yet, well, you are in a league with a group of morons.  Sure, he has no touchdowns yet, but he is leading the league with 536 yards in only 5 games.  That is steady and very valuable production. 2. Marques Colston (TEX): A guy who was viewed as a late round add, if he is available you should sign him. If he is on your roster, you should start him. The rise of Joe Flacco has meant a parallel rise for Colston, who has nearly 500 yards and 3 TDs already this  year. 3.  Victor Cruz (PIT): A bit of a sleeper, Cruz has been seeing more and more snaps in Pittsburgh.  Yes, Vincent Jackson is still the clear #1, but Cruz is showing he can be a valuable option both outside and in the slot.  With 3 TDs already this year, we think he has a chance to be a double-digit TD guy. RECEIVERS TO DROP OR BENCH 1.  Greg Jennings (OAK): Joey Harrington’s dip in performance directly impacts Jennings.  But he is also getting the yips, with 9 drops already.  He is talented, we know that, but this offense is not going to give him enough opportunities to have big games.  He is a bench player or maybe a flex at best right now. 2.  James Whalen (BOS):  Once a premier TE on a premier offense, Whalen is now not only dealing with a struggling rookie QB (Locker) but seems to be phased out of the offensive plan as well.  More often than not we are seeing him adding extra protection for Locker, not servings as a safety valve at receiver. 3. Danny Amendola (WSH): The Federals have looked good this year, but our expectation that Amendola would be the clear #2 behind Deion Branch have not panned out.  He has only 1 catch in 5 games.  Far behind Darnerien McCants or either TE for the Feds. Rookie Dontrelle Inman is coming on as well, so Amendola is simply not getting the snaps to be a fantasy option. DEFENSES TO SIGN OR PROMOTE 1.  Arizona D:  Most leagues use team defense, so we will focus on that here.  And we fully expect that no one picked Arizona as a D to keep in this year’s draft.  Well, they currently sit as the league leader in takeaways, always key for big fantasy points, and they are also Top 5 against the run.  A good combo to have. 2.  Charlotte D: They have been hit or miss the past 2 years, but this season they are looking like a far more consistent bunch.  It would be nice to see more picks from this squad, but in all other ways they are playing lock down defense, so they are worth a roster spot. 3.  Atlanta D: Probably drafted by someone, so maybe you trade for them.  Why?  How about 10 picks in 5 games, including 2 players in the top 3 for interceptions.  They also are getting good sack numbers, which tend to lead to fumbles, another key point gainer for you. DEFENSES TO DROP 1.  Seattle D: Usually pretty stout, the problem for the Dragons this year is that they simply are not taking the ball away.  They have great corners but that impacts receptions more than interceptions, at least this year.  Four total takeaways in 5 games is not enough to merit a spot on your roster. 2.  Michigan D: The Panthers simply have no pass rush, only 5 sacks so far, and we all know that it is pressure in the passing game that produces takeaways, pick-sixes and other big numbers for your fantasy team.  With Jevon Kearse now on the injured list, it is not going to get better soon either. Michigan used to be a solid D for regular points, but this year’s squad is not that. 3.  Chicago D: We know, we know.  They have been one of the best fantasy defenses for forever, but again, that was then and this was now.  Chicago’s secondary is way too soft.  This is a team you drafted with high hopes, and if there is an owner in your league who tends to not pay attention very closely, maybe you trade Chicago on name recognition alone.  Because this year it is just not the same D we have seen in the past. Week six offers us a really intriguing starter, with Washington headed to Houston.  The Gamblers have lost 3 straight and are looking like a shadow of their championship squad, but no one seems to know why. Hosting Washington on Friday’s NBC Friday Night Lights could be the perfect launching point for a rebound. Saturday our attention will be on the Orlando-Jacksonville game in the 12:00 pm slot.  Both clubs have shown flashes of quality, but have been inconsistent.  If Orlando can win, they move to 4-2, which would be a big step towards being part of the mix in a very balanced division.  At 4pm we want to check out the Texas-Portland game between two up and comers, but we also want to pop in on the Express-Thunder game, especially if Mark Sanchez is back on the field for the Express.  Finally, Saturday Night gives us Atlanta, a surprising 2-3, against Tampa Bay, who lost their first game this past week.  If the Fire can win this road game, they could be right back in the hunt, but if Tampa Bay wins to go to 5-1, Atlanta could be in real trouble. Finally, on Sunday, we have two 0-5 squads at home at 12:00pm with New Jersey hosting Philly and New Orleans hosting Pittsburgh.  Those are tough asks for two clubs that have not shown much yet, but if they cannot get a win now, their seasons may well be over before we hit midseason.  At 4pm we have Arizona at St. Louis, a battle of upstarts, and we also have Charlotte, fresh off their win against Tampa Bay, headed to Oakland, where Joey Harrington is still trying to find his pre-injury form.  We end the week with Nashville at Memphis for an in-state rivalry game.  The Showboats have yet to win a game, but they sure would love to get that first W against the Knights. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET                    Washington(4-1) @ Houston(2-3)                  NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET          Denver (3-2) @ Michigan (1-4)                                   ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET         Birmingham (3-2) @ Chicago (0-5)                            ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET         Orlando (3-2) @ Jacksonville (2-3)                            FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET            Texas (3-2) @ Portland (3-2)                                        ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET           Las Vegas (4-1) @ Los Angeles (3-2)                         FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET             Atlanta (2-3) @ Tampa Bay (4-1)                                 ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET               Philadelphia (3-2) @ New Jersey (0-5)                     ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET               Pittsburgh (4-1) @ New Orleans (0-5)                      FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm ET              Boston (1-4) @ Baltimore (3-2)                                  FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                 Ohio (3-2) @ Oakland (2-3)                                         ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                 Charlotte (4-1) @ Seattle (2-3)                                   ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                 Arizona (5-0) @ St. Louis (2-3)                                    FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET                 Nashville (4-1) @ Memphis (0-5)                               EFN

Player of the Week: Wide Receiver Stevie Johnson needed nearly a month with the Stars before he had a breakout game, but man, when he did. Johnson put up 139 yards and three touchdowns in a vital game for the Stars as they reached .500 after their 0-2 start.

(Hey USFL fans. A quick update that the Teams page has been revised with all uniform updates through 2011 and new histories for many clubs. And don't forget to use the comment feature to vote for your preferred New Orleans Breakers' color scheme.) Philadelphia gets in the win column, but it was not easy.  Tampa Bay, Nashville, and Arizona remain unbeaten, while Birmingham and St. Louis taste defeat for the first time this season.  We had overtime in DC, a blowout in St. Louis, and concern galore Chicago, New Jersey, and New Orleans as each club drops to 0-3 on the season.  There was also a tough injury to a promising rookie, and we will take a look at three coaches, all of them with long tenures, who may well be at the end of their rope after stumbling out of the gate this year.  Stay tuned, it is only going to get more exciting as we move through Week 3 and look at Week 4 in the USFL. JACKSONVILLE BULLS 29   ATLANTA FIRE 28 We finally get out of the NE Division and get a Game of the Week that does not involve Philly (though we could have made it 3 for 3 had we wanted to.).  We knew the Southeast Division would be a really interesting battle all year, with a lot of balance from top to bottom in the division.  Right now Tampa Bay, thanks to a quick start, is out to a 3-0 lead in the division, but the winner of this matchup between the Bulls and the Fire would be right there with them, a game back at 2-1.  Both clubs have reasons to be optimistic about 2012, Jacksonville with their fan-favorite QB, Tim Tebow, and Atlanta coming off of their first division title as a franchise last season. The matchup had a lot of storylines, but the one that emerged at the end was the maturation of Tim Tebow as a passer.  He has always been an outstanding athlete and a strong character guy, but this week against a pretty fierce Atlanta pass rush, Tebow showed that he could be an effective passer.  He would finish the game 24 of 32, an even 75% rate, and would throw for 340 yards.  Now, it was not all glitter and magic, while he did throw three touchdowns, he also threw three picks, including one returned by Tra Battle for a touchdown in the 4th that put Atlanta up by 11.  But, following that pick, Tebow pulled off one of the greatest comebacks not only in Bulls history, but in league history as well. The first three quarters saw a very even matchup, with the two teams trading scores back and forth.  Jacksonville got on the board first at the end of the first quarter when the corner jumped on a double move and left Rashaun Woods with a 2-yard advantage on the left sideline.  Tebow hit him with the pass in stride and just like that the Bulls had a 70-yard touchdown and the early lead. Atlanta came right back and on their next drive marched 77 yards down the field with Darren McFadden taking in the equalizer for the Fire.  Looking very much like a game that would go into the half at 7-7, Jacksonville caught a break when Jay Cutler tried to force a ball to Josh Reed.  Tramon Williams nabbed it instead and Jacksonville went into the half up 14-7 on the pick six late in the quarter. Atlanta would get the only score of the third quarter, a second McFadden TD run to knot things up at 14.  Early in the 4th it looked like that drive had been a momentum changer as the Fire scored on their next drive, just as the final period began, a 12-yard Orton to Marcus Robinson strike.  After a Bulls field goal and  back to back 3-and-outs by both teams, Atlanta struck again when Battle picked off Tebow, his third of the day, and clearly the costliest, as it put Atlanta up by 11 at 28-17 with only 2:06 left to play.  Jacksonville needed 2 scores, including a 2-point PAT to tie.  Two touchdowns to take the win. They would need only 1:02 of game time to get the first.  Moving quickly, Jacksonville stayed mostly in 4-and 5-manreceover sets as Tebow first found Whitten for 11, and then got another big play, connecting with Johnny Knox to take the ball all the way to the Atlanta 10 yard line.  2 plays later it was Tebow hitting Jerrico Cotchery as he bootlegged to his left.  The PAT failed, which meant that Jacksonville trailed by 5 with only 54 seconds left. They would need a touchdown, in less than a minute, and with only 1 time out left. Josh Scobee set up for the onside kick, and he nailed it, getting the perfect big 3rd hop that all kickers want.  No Fire player touched the ball. Before it could hit the turf a 4th time, it was pulled out of the air by CB Ricky Manning and Jacksonville would have their shot to pull off the miracle. The drive did not start well, a holding penalty on the first play brought the ball back to the Bulls’ 44.  They would get 6 yards back on 1st and 20 as Jason Whitten caught a quick out and ran out of bounds to stop the clock.  Second and 14 with just over 30 seconds to play.  Tebow lined up with 4 wide, including Whitten.  Three were lined up on the right side, Woods, Whitten and Knox, while Cotchery was alone on the left side and Spiller lined up split to the left of Tebow.  The QB received the shotgun snap, faked a toss to Spiller, and looked deep. Both Woods and Knox had gone straight down the line, while Cotchery made for the endzone corner.  Whitten, trailed behind, going 20 yards up the field and then into the middle before Tebow released the ball.  He found Whitten, and suddenly the three remaining Bulls receivers turned into blockers, cutting down the angles of the safeties and helping Whitten find a clear path to the endzone.  Fifty yards flew by and the big tight end dove into the endzone with 23 seconds on the clock, pulling off a 12-point swing in less than a minute for the Bulls. Atlanta was stunned. They thought they had this one in the bag, but big plays and a poorly defended onside kick did them in. When they got back on the field after the score, they were clearly not in a mindset to race downfield for a field goal.  Orton misfired on both 2nd and 3rd down and the game ended with a Hail Mary that had no shot. Jacksonville moved to 2-1 and Atlanta would fall to 1-2 after 3 weeks. TAMPA BAY 30   WASHINGTON 24    OVERTIME The Bandits continue to impress as they survive a late Washington surge and take the win in overtime on a Culpepper TD to David Tyree.  Culpepper would throw for 3 scores, while McGahee’s strong season continues with 128 yards rushing.  McCallister was right there with him at 104 yards and 2 Federals TD in a game that was an early season gem. NEW JERSEY 10  BOSTON 20 The Cannons get their first win of the year and send rival New Jersey to an unwanted 0-3.  Rashard Mendenhall was the star on offense, rushing for 130 yards, while rookie QB Jake Locker gets his first start and his first pro win, despite pretty midling numbers (15 of 33 for 155 yards and 1 TD). PHILADELPHIA 17   BALTIMORE 16 The Stars get one in the win column as they travel to Baltimore and escape with a 1-point victory.  Steve Slaton scored both Star touchdowns and the Philadelphia defense came alive, limiting Ron Dayne to only 66 yards on 22 carries.   Baltimore drove late, but could not get in field goal range and Big Ben’s Hail Mary attempt was swatted to the ground, securing the Stars their first victory of the season. SEATTLE 23   LAS VEGAS 10 Las Vegas cannot get the run & shoot going as Jake Plummer is held to 18 of 35 passing and throws 2 picks, including one returned for a score by Seattle’s Paris Lenon.  Both defenses played well, but in the end it was Dave Rayner’s leg that helps boost the Dragons to the W and knocks the Thunder from the unbeatens. PORTLAND 25   DENVER 21 The Stags get a much-needed win as Denver trailed throughout and could not mount a final drive for the W at home.  In his first start for Portland, Ryan Fitzpatrick put up 249 yards and 2 scores, including the game winner as he connects with Koren Robinson in the 4th to give Portland the win.  Denver gets TDs from Daniel Graham and James Hardy but cannot muster a drive when they need one as the game winds down. HOUSTON 14   TEXAS 30 A huge statement game for the Outlaws as they give Houston their first loss in 16 games.  Joe Flacco continues to impress and T. J. Duckett busts out with 122 yards and 2 scores as the Outlaws race to a 14-0 lead in the opening quarter and never look back.  Matt Hasselbeck was chased, sacked, hit, and picked off twice as the Outlaws stake their claim to the state of Texas. OAKLAND 10    CHARLOTTE 20 The Invader offense continues to struggle despite 70 yards rushing from Ryan Williams.  Charlotte’s D holds them to only 1 third down conversion in 12 attempts, and scores on a Rolando McClain Pick-6.  It was close at the half, but a 2nd half Fred Jackson TD run gives Charlotte the cushion they need, holding Oakland scoreless in the 2nd half. OHIO 24   MEMPHIS 17 Ohio moves to a surprising 2-1 while Memphis drops to 0-3 with a home loss. The Glory use the run game, rushing for 217 yards between Kevin Smith (88), James Jackson (70), and DeMarco Murray (59) as they rush the ball 39 times against the Showboats.  Smith also caught the lone TD toss for Dereck Anderson as Ohio gets the win on a final drive that broke a 17-17 tie. BIRMINGHAM 6   NASHVILLE 10 A defensive slugfest in a driving spring rain in Nashville as the Knights give Birmingham their first loss and win the battle of unbeatens on a Frank Gore TD run through the mudpuddle that was Adelphia Stadium.  Splashing and sliding was the theme of the day, but Gore appears to be a mudder as he rushed for 143 yards and the key score on a day when most others seemed waterlogged. ARIZONA 25   LOS ANGELES 13 The Wranglers take care of business in LA and move to 3-0 thanks in large part to LaDainian Tomlinson’s 91 yards rushing.  Add in 243 from David Carr and TDs from both LT and Larry Fitzgerald and the Wranglers are looking like true contenders after 3 weeks.  Kevin Kolb got the start for LA with Sanchez injured and he struggled with 2 picks and 4 sacks on his box score line. PITTSBURGH 39   ST. LOUIS 6 Reality came crashing down on the 2-0 Skyhawks, reality in the form of Pittsburgh’s nasty defense.  Cody Pickett also had a big game, throwing for 3 scores and completing 21 of 28 passes.  St. Louis struggled largely due to an injury to Josh Freeman that put an unprepared Troy Smith under center.  Smith would be sacked 3 times and throw for only 88 yards on the day, handcuffing any chances St. Louis had. ORLANDO 21   NEW ORLEANS 18 The Breakers were game, but still dropped to 0-3 with a home loss in the Battle of the Swapped QBs.  Drew Brees threw for more yards and more TDs than Eli, but Manning got the win, and that is what matters.  He also got help from Knowshon Moreno’s 74 yards and rushing TD.  Brees, who connected with Doucet and Moss for TDs just ran out of time as they tried to get into field goal range late. MICHIGAN 21   CHICAGO 19 Sunday night’s week finale was a good one between two teams trying to avoid 0-3 starts.  The Panthers got scores from Manningham, Ward, and Mike Hart to upend the Machine, who had to settle for field goals far too often in this one.  Former NFL back Thomas Jones had his best game as a Panther, rushing for 127 on 17 carries and Hines Ward was huge, catching 8 passes for 143 yards and a score against a Chicago secondary that has been an issue for them in all 3 losses. Is Flacco an Early MVP Nominee? Look, we know it is only Week 3, and that is way too early to truly get a sense of where the season is heading, but you have to admit that Joe Flacco has started this season on a tear.  He has a 135 QBR, nearly 30 points ahead of the number two passer, Eli Manning (106.5). He has 6 TD passes and no picks, and he has Texas at 2-1 having just knocked off the defending champion Houston Gamblers, their first loss in nearly a full year.  The man is on fire. Will it last?  Not likely, not in this form.  Flacco’s best season prior to this one had him with a QBR of 84.2, that is a far cry from 135.  His highest TD total was 16.  He is on pace for 32 this year.  That is an impressive leap, and it is a leap being made without major infusions of talent around him.  It is still Marques Colston, Brandon Marshall, and Reggie Brown, as it was last year.  Yes, he has Chris Cooley at TE along with Jermichael Finley, but between the two of them they have 6 catches.  No, this is something else.  This may well be a QB maturing into the player he can be, the best version of himself.  Will it last?  We don’t think he finishes the season with a QB Rating above 130, but that does not mean that this cannot be a special season for Flacco, and by extension, for the whole Outlaw team. Wranglers Rolling As impressive as Joe Flacco’s start has been, the Wranglers have impressed even more.  After opening the season with a convincing 14-point win against the Panthers, they go on the road and beat Portland by 17, then LA by 12.  They are dominating.  Well, this week they will get Texas in a game that will go a long way to setting up the early SW Division race.  Arizona is 3-0, Texas 2-1, and there will be a lot on the line in Glendale for this one.  Arizona currently has the top rated scoring offense, they are averaging nearly 110 yards per game on the ground, and their defense is allowing just 14 points per game.  It is all working for them. Credit Coach Tomsula for building this team from the ground up. He brought in veterans in key places, including HB LaDainian Tomlinson, DT Kimo Von Oelhoffen, OT Wade Smith, and this year’s huge catch, safety Troy Polamalu.  He builit himself an offense that complements what QB David Carr does well, deep balls coming off of run fakes.  Carr, like Flacco, has 6 TDs and no picks this season.  He is not throwing the ball as much, but when he does, it is big, averaging 17.4 yards per completion, a ridiculous number.  Tomlinson is not exploding out of the line like he did in the NFL, but he is a savvy runner who comes up big when it matters most.  Rookie Stevan Ridley has also been a good addition, averaging over 5 yards per carry when he spells LT. Of course, Arizona has a stud at wideout in Larry Fitzgerald, and young TE Rob Gronkowski is developing into a real weapon in the middle of the field.  Add to this combo, a defense that is opportunistic and hits hard and you have a nice formula, one that may just shed off some of Arizona’s recent history.  The Wranglers last made the playoffs in 2006, and last won a playoff game in 2004, so it has been a while.  This year’s team is hoping to turn the page on that history and hope to make some noise.  They have been pretty loud so far, and a 4th win, against Flacco and the Outlaws, could be just the firecracker they need to wake everyone up to what is happening in the desert. What is Wrong in Chicago? Everything positive we have to say about the Wranglers could be reversed for Chicago’s 0-3 start.  Chicago, long the home of one of the best defenses in the league, is just not stopping anyone.  They are giving up 25 points per game (25th of 28 teams) and 415 yards per game, including nearly 300 per game passing (299.7 to be exact.)  While the offense has been merely mediocre (14th in scoring, 16th in yards), the defense has been unwatchable.  This is a squad that still has Urlacher in the middle and Weaver threatening from the edge but they don’t seem to be able to make the big play, or stop the big play, depending how you look at it. And the thing is, every week it is different.  This past week it was the run defense unable to contain Panther HB Thomas Jones.  In Week 1 it was the pass defense giving up nearly 400 yards to Josh Freeman and the Skyhawks.  In between the two, They had their best outing, losing to Pittsburgh by only 1, but giving up the late drive that put the Maulers on top when they desperately needed a stop.  Unless Chicago can figure out what is wrong with their defense, and quick, this could be a very tough season, and a potential last year for Marty Mornhinweg, who already had rumors swirling about his status during the offseason.  This start to the year is certainly not going to improve that situation. Brees Unflapped by 0-3 Start Despite starting the year 0-3 and recently losing to the other half of the trade that brought Brees to the Big Easy, Eli Manning, the Breakers’ new starter is unflappable.  When asked about the issues with New Orleans’s offens, Brees acknowledged that the Breakers are not where they want to do, but added “You don’t build a dynasty in three weeks.”   We are not sure how much of a dynasty New Orleans thinks they can be, but at present they are not looking like they are any nearer to any form of dominance. Now, we are not saying this is all on Brees, not by a long shot.  The former Renegade and Panther QB has started relatively well, throwing for 671 yards and an early 4:1 TD:INT ratio.  But, that said, his 54.7% completion rate is the lowest we have seen from Brees in years, and has him sitting at a QBR of 86.8 after 3 weeks.  He has never dipped below a QBR of 91 at any point in his career before.  He has a new group of receivers to work with, that is true, and perhaps Coach Nolan has not fully figured out what works best for Brees at this point, but what is certain is that upcoming games against Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh are not going to leave a lot of room for Brees and the Breakers to improve on their slow start.  This is a club that could very well be 0-6 before they know what hit them. Seattle will be without one of their top rookie picks as UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers is out for the year after a nasty tear of the quad muscle in this week's win over Las Vegas. Ayers came up lame mid-play without contact, which is never a good sign. He was placed on IR as soon as doctors were able to confirm that the quad muscle had significant tears and had dislodged from it mooring to the femur. Ayers was the only new addition to IR this week, but hardly the only player who will be missing significant time. Pittsburgh will be without corner Will Poole at least 4 weeks after an abdominal tear. It is a similar timeline for LA's top corner, Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, who suffered a vaguely-described leg injury. Another Dragon, WR Nate Burleson could be out a month or longer after a dislocated elbow was shown to have come with ligament damage as well. For Oakland DE Aaron Schobel, it is his hip which placed him on the injury list. He is expected to miss 2-4 weeks. In the short term "out" list we find Thunder CB Will Allen (collarbone), Nashville primary wideout, Robert Meachem (shoulder), Memphis SS Coy Wire (miniscus), Houston SS Patrick Chung (retina), and New Orleans FS Mike Doss (ribs). Doubtful for this week we find new Ohio #1 reciever Steve Smith (concussion protocols), Atlanta QB Charles Woodson (tendinitis), and St. Louis QB Josh Freeman (concussion), though Coach Arians is still hopeful that Freeman can clear protocols and be active for this weekend's game. Coaches Feeling the Heat As we look around the league after 3 weeks, the questions start to be asked about which coaches may be fighting for their positions over the rest of the season.  It is not hard to see who may be in trouble already.  All you have to do is look at the 0-3 teams and ask ourselves “who did not expect to be here?”. Three teams and three coaches certainly fit that bill. Tom Nolan (NOR): The Breakers’ head coach has taken the Breakers to the playoffs in 7 of the past 9 years, but just like Bill Arnsparger in the 90’s playoff failure has worn on Breaker fans, and an inability to beat Nashville when it counts seems like a major issue for Nolan’s squad.  An 0-3 start this year has the Breakers looking very vulnerable, and after a risky move like the Manning-Brees trade, a sub-.500 season could very well be enough to send Nolan packing. Jim Haslett (MEM):  Memphis has been very patient with Jim Mora Sr.’s hand-chosen successor.  Of course it helps that Haslett started his career with Memphis with a playoff run, then won the club a title in 2007 and a repeat trip to the Summer Bowl in 2007.  But, here is the thing.  Brett Favre is not here any longer, and since he left, Haslett has had back to back 10-loss seasons.  This year they start over at QB, so the fans are going to be patient, but they are going to want to see Ryan Mallett looking better by mid-year.  If he continues to struggle (43.1% completion rate, 1 TD to 4 picks, and a QB Rating of 44.9 which is about as low as we see any starter get), the Showboats may feel that someone else is needed to bring Mallett and the Showboats back to winning form. Marty Mornhinweg (CHI):  We heard the rumors last year, that despite his success getting the Machine to the playoffs (9 times in 10 years, the inability to win the big postseason games, and the frustration of always being a bridesmaid has been wearing on the franchise.  Mornhinweg is facing a battle with expectations, and a growing narrative that he can build a team, but he cannot get them to the promised land.  An 0-3 start, and a defense that seems to have lost all coherence, is not the way Mornhinweg needed to start this season.  If Chicago cannot turn things around, Mornhinweg’s stay of execution last fall may not carry over to 2012. Cuban Statements Concern USFL Leadership Never shy of a camera or a microphone, Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA Dallas Mavericks and one of the chief investors in Destination Dallas, the investment group hoping to bring USFL football to the DFW, was on the radio this week and his message to the USFL was clear, “If you don’t add a Dallas franchise one way, we will add one another”.  The obvious implication is that with the recent vote of the league to postpone discussion of expansion practically into the 2020’s, Destination Dallas and their deep-pocketed investors would find another way to act on a shorter timeframe to bring about a Dallas-based USFL club. This attitude certainly is not a surprise to USFL owners, many of whom specifically mentioned Cuban in their negotiations about an expansion timeline.  They all seem to comprehend that the delayed expansion decision will almost certainly lead to feelers being sent out to some of the USFL franchises that are struggling to keep pace with league attendance and revenue growth.  In fact, there may be some owners who are very much interested in swapping a middling franchise for a well-funded relocated team in one of the nation’s largest cities. For Cuban and his co-investors, the die is already cast.  Funds are already going towards major renovations and modernization of the Cotton Bowl, the anticipated home of a Dallas franchise, particularly with Jerry Jones and Dallas’s new “Jerry’s World” stadium strictly off limits to the league.  Money is already at play, and in the case of Cuban, and his partners, the sooner a franchise can start playing games in Dallas, the faster their initial investment starts to produce dividends. As for league owners, we know from the vote last year that there are some who favor quick expansion, to bring the league up to 30 teams and rebalance the divisions, but there are others who fear a dilution of talent and would, quite frankly, rather see some of the teams with sticky stadium deals or limited revenue streams shift their attention to potential new markets like Dallas or Miami, where both stadium deals and revenue streams are viewed as more lucrative options.  We should also recognize that while no one will say it publicly, particularly at this early stage of discussions, there are certainly a few owners in the league who may well be looking to cash out, sell their franchise and take that money in pocket.  After all, an investment is only really an investment when you cash it out. Week 4 marks the ¼ mark of the 16-week spring season, and it looks like it could be a week to make or break the year for several clubs who are not where they expected to be.  Chicago, New Jersey, and New Orleans absolutely have to find a win or they could be long gone from playoff contention before the midway point of the year.  Denver cannot be happy at 1-2, sitting in the basement of the SW Division and 2 games back of unbeaten Arizona.  Portland and Oakland are hoping a Week 4 win can put them at .500 and give them momentum heading into the next quarter.  Here are the games that will be finishing up the first month of the 2011 season. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET                           Los Angeles (1-2) @ Oakland (1-2)            NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                   Baltimore (1-2) @ Memphis (0-3)             ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                   Atlanta (1-2) @ Boston (1-2)                               ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                   Washington (2-1) @ New Jersey (0-3)           FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET                     Texas (2-1) @ Arizona (3-0)                              ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET                     Denver (1-2) @ Seattle (2-1)                            FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET                     Charlotte (2-1) @ Jacksonville (2-1)            ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                       St. Louis (2-1) @ Birmingham (2-1)                  ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                       New Orleans (0-3) @ Tampa Bay (3-0)               FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                       Philadelphia (1-2) @ Nashville (3-0)                 FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                         Chicago (0-3) @ Ohio (2-1)                                ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                         Orlando (2-1) @ Portland (1-2)                        ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                         Las Vegas (2-1) @ Houston (2-1)                       FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET                         Michigan (1-2) @ Pittsburgh (2-1)                    EFN

Player of the Week: A tough call this week, but we have to give it to Frank Gore over T. J. Duckett. Gore may have had 1 fewer TD than Duckett, but his 143 yards, and simply the way he took over the game in the 4th quarter are a huge reason for the Nashville win and the fact that they remain unbeaten.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been following me on this crazy dream of an alternate world of USFL football. Hard to believe I started this project 3 years ago, in the depths of the lockdown, and nearly 5,000 pages of text and over 1,000 articles later, we are creeping up on 30 seasons simulated. It has been a lot of work, too many hours to count, but it has also been one of the most enjoyable things I have every done, and whether you have been following this imagined world since the first kickoff in our fictional 1983 or have just discovered the site, I want to thank you for being a part of this journey with me. In the next few months we will be celebrating 30 simulated seasons, looking at yet another potential growth for the league, and plenty of exciting developments as we march into the 2010's and fast on our way to 40 years of alternate history. There will be more polls and comment-surveys so that you can be a part of some of the decisions to come, and a lot of great players who could find themselves landing in the little spring league that could. I am also always happy to get comments, suggestions, and corrections when my sleep-deprived mind makes a major goof, so please, keep connecting and, I hope, keep enjoying this site. As the real world new USFL seems about to become something very different, I look back fondly once again to the league that cemented my love of football back in the 80's and wonder what could have been. My simulation is absolutely an imperfect imagining of possibilities, but I hope it has kept going for you a love for possibilities, for alternative football, and for the original USFL. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Yule, or any of this season's holidays, even Festivus, which I always enjoy, I hope the season finds you and yours healthy, happy, and loving life. May the new year bring joy and love to all. Your humble USFL Imagineer, Allen

Player of the Week: Beast Mode was in effect this week as Marshawn Lynch simply went off. He rushed for 219 yards on 24 attempts and proved to be simply untackleable as the Thunder dominated division rival Oakland, winning by 24 points.

A surprising start to the year as the range of 2-0 teams and 0-2 teams across the league is not what many preseason picks would have us expect. Following a week of close games and revelations about who is ready for the spotlight, we find Philadelphia, Chicago, Michigan, Portland, and New Orleans all sitting at 0-2 and wondering what has gone wrong, while Birmingham, Arizona, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis, all predicted to struggle this year, are sitting pretty at 2-0.  The Skyhawks win their 2nd divisional game in two weeks, this time on defense.  Birmingham proves that Legion Field still has some home cooking to it as they upset the Baltimore Blitz, and Arizona takes the early lead in the Southwest thanks to a big offensive outburst against Portland.  If the first two weeks of the season are any indication, we are in for a roller coaster this year.  Let’s get right to the action and see what we see in a topsy turvy Week 2. WASHINGTON FEDERALS 28   PHILADELPHIA STARS 24 Two weeks into the season and we have featured the Philadelphia Stars twice.  Those who accuse us of East Coast bias are going to love this, but with Washington in town, and having already dropped a game to the Houston Gamblers, the Stars were already feeling pressure to come out strong in their second home game, while the Federals, fresh off a Week One win over Texas, were looking at the  very real possibility that they could go up 2 games on the defending division champs after only 2 weeks of play. The game started off with both clubs a bit tenuous, which led to two quick three-and-outs.  Philadelphia got their initial first down on their second drive, but the drive soon fizzled as Washington got the first of what would be seven sacks on the day.  Following the Stars’ punt, and a nice return from Sheldon Brown, Washington had the ball at their own 36 yard line.  It would take them only 1 play to put the first points on the board.  On a perfectly executed play action pass, the safeties bit on the fake to McCallister, leaving them out of position when Darnerian McCants, the former Blitz, Dragon, and Monarch wideout, got past the corner.  David Garrard, rolling to McCants’s side of the field, hit the receiver in stride and 64-yards later he went untouched into the endzone for the first score of the game. The crowd in Philadelphia was stunned, a huge play given up by a secondary that had looked a bit shaky against Houston, but which now had to be a concern.  The Stars’ offense, however, had looked very dangerous against the Gamblers and in the 2nd quarter they would prove to be a handful, even with Washington sending a wide array of blitz packages against Kurt Warner.  Philadelphia would score twice in the quarter, securing both of Warner’s TD tosses on the day.  The first came only 1:31 into the period, when the Philly QB found receiving back Leon Washington on a swing pass that took the ball into the endzone from the 7.  Just 5 mnutes later, following a good defensive stop, the Stars again were on offense and again moved the ball well before Warner found Stevie Johnon, his new number one receiver, on a fade route for the second Star touchdown of the day.   The lead would hold and Philadelphia would go to the break up 7. In the third, both defenses came after the quarterbacks.  Kurt Warner saw two drives end with sacks, and David Garrard found himself scrambling or tossing the ball away.  However, midway through the period, the Federals caught a break when  a tipped ball found its way surprisingly into the hands of Heath Miller, who took it 14 yards on a key 3rd and 11 play.  That play plucked up the Feds, and they moved the ball down to the 3 before Garrard connected on his second TD toss, a quick hitch to Kellen Davis for the equalizer.  The game would go to the final period tied up at 14 apiece. In the 4th, Philadelphia again retook the lead just 41 seconds in as Mike Nugent connected on a 53-yard field goal to give the home team a slight advantage.  It would take Washington 5 minutes to wipe that advantage out.  Garrard connected on his third TD of the game, a 31-yard strike to Deion Branch to swing the score towards the Federals, 21-17. Philadelphia would respond, driving the length of the field on their next possession, with Leon Washington again getting the score, this time on a pitch to the left that got him in from the 1.  Philadelphia was back on top at 24-21 with 5:01 left to play. In a game that heated up late, five minutes was an eternity for Washington to put together another drive, and that is exactly what they did, marching 72 yards on 11 plays, and putting the ball in the endzone from the 9 when Garrard, having a career day, found Deion Branch once again, this time from the 9.  Washington, right at the 2-minute warning, had again flipped the scoreboard, Feds up 28-24. That 4-point margin was to be key, because it meant that the Stars could not position themselves for a game-tying field goal.  They would need to go for 7 and the win.  Following the Graham kickoff and a touchback, they would have 2 minutes, 2 timeouts, and 75 yards to go to snatch the win. Warner, initially facing only a 4-man rush, would find early success on the drive.  He connected with TE Eddie Williams for 15, then rookie Daniel Fells for 8.  After hitting Stevie Johnson for an 11-yard gain, Washington would change strategies.  They again returned to the high risk, high pressure plays that had worked for them earlier in the game. On first and 10 from the Washington 27, the Feds brought that pressure, and it paid off.  LB Cameron Wake got to Warner, tripping him up and sending him to the ground for a 6-yard loss.  On 2nd down, it was DT Corey Liuget, the top rookie prospect on the Feds’ defense, who got immediate pressure up the middle, forcing Warner to go to his outlet, Washington.  The play gained back 4 of the 6 yards lost, but forced Philadelphia to use their last time out.  Third and 12.  The Stars would again be under pressure, but would go for it all on a deep ball to Stevie Johnson.  Corner Brandon Flowers was ready for it and had position over Johnson.  The Washington corner would time his jump well and come down with the ball in the endzone for a touchback and a game-ending pick. Philadelphia drops to 0-2, and with their first road game of the year next week at Baltimore, could be staring at 0-3 unless they find a way to tighten up both the defense and the pass protection for Warner.  Washington, feeling very differently about their prospects, moves to 2-0, but will have a tough task of their own as they head home to host the Bandits, also sitting at 2-0, in Week 3. NASHVILLE 17   NEW ORLEANS 10 The first of two annual battles between these two Southern rivals goes to the Knights.  Nashville rookie Demarius Moore continues to impress, adding a 3rd TD to his total.  Jay Cutler also connects with Jake Ballard as the Knights move to 2-0 and send New Orleans to a shaky 0-2 start.  Breaker rookie Patrick Peterson landed his first pro interception, while Knight Mario Addison got his first USFL sack. LOS ANGELES 24   JACKSONVILLE 34 The Bulls showed some explosiveness as Tim Tebow connected on 21 of 32 and threw three touchdowns, two to veteran Rashaun Woods. Kevin Kolb was benched after 3 quarters.   Brodie Croyle came in, hit Keyshawn with a 70-yard TD but also threw a pick-6 to Jacksonville’s Eric Weddle. DENVER 19   OHIO 3 Denver’s defense comes up big against Dereck Anderson and the Glory.  Ohio was held to 174 total yards on the day in their home opener, with Anderson picked off twice.  The Gold also ran the Glory into the ground, with Javon Ringer getting 18 carries for 111 yards and Maurice Hicks another 20 carries for 82 yards as Denver ran the ball 41 times in total on a rainy day in Columbus. NEW JERSEY 16   HOUSTON 27 Houston’s consecutive win streak hits 15 as they win the home opener thanks to a 21 of 27 day for Matt Hasselbeck, highlighted with 3 TD passes.  Shaun Alexander added 86 yards rushing and the Houston defense, kept Sam Bradford in check, completing only 19 of 36 passes and taking 3 sacks.  Houston has now not lost since Week 6 of the 2010 season. ST. LOUIS 10   MICHIGAN 6 Last week it was the offense, this week the defense as St. Louis wins another divisional game to open the season.  Josh Freeman struggled, completing only 9 of 22 passes, but the Skyhawk defense was there, holding Michigan to only 4 of 14 on third down and 0-3 on fourth down attempts.  The star on offense for the Hawks was Antowain Smith, whose 131 yards and 20-yard TD run were huge in this close game. LAS VEGAS 34   OAKLAND 10 Marshawn Lynch went medieval on the Invaders, rushing for a nasty 219 yards on 24 carries, a 9.1 YPC average.  He and Rashard Jennings combined for 3 rushing TDs and Jake Plummer added a 4th as the Oaklannd defense just had no answers at all.  Invader rookie Ryan Williams had a much better second outing, rushing for 60 carries on 11 attempts (5.5 YPC) but was dwarfed by the clinic Beast Mode put on. CHARLOTTE 17   TAMPA BAY 35 The game was close at the half (7-7), but the Bandits had a monster 3rd quarter, with a Culpepper to Galloway TD pass, the combo’s 2nd of the year, and a Philip Buchanon pick-six, as Tampa Bay pulled away and assured themselves a 2-0 start to the year.  Charlotte ran the ball well, with Fred Jackson and Taiwan Jones combining for 139 yards, but 2 picks of Delhomme and 11 penalties did them in during the second half. MEMPHIS 9   ORLANDO 34 Eli Manning threw for 3 scores against a well-known foe, and Knowshon Moreno got 27 carries and added 107 yards as the Renegades rolled to their first win of the year.  Rookie QB Ryan Mallett looked a bit frantic, throwing 3 picks and taking 8 sacks, including 4 from a riled up Calais Campbell as the Orlando D dominated this game from kickoff to final whistle. BALTIMORE 21   BIRMINGHAM 24 Watch out for the Stallions!  Birmingham moves to 2-0 after edging the Blitz at Legion Field. NFL signee Joseph Addai rushed for 103 yards and a score while rookie QB Cam Newton threw for 189 but connected on 2 scoring tosses, including one to fellow rookie Julius Thomas.  Birmingham is 2-0 and the defense limited Ron Dayne to only 9 carries, a feat in itself. BOSTON 14   TEXAS 21 The Outlaws get a nice win at home as Joe Flacco goes 14 of 17 and Marques Colston collects 5 balls for 134 yards against the Boston D.  McPherson went 26 of 49 for the Cannons but could not find the endzone.  Texas CB Michael Boulware was the defensive star with 10 tackles and 2 pass breakups on the day. ATLANTA 27   SEATTLE 20 Atlanta made the long flight out to Seattle and flew home with a W.  Kyle Orton went 17 of 25 and threw 3 scoring tosses, two of them to Demaryious Thomas.  Rookie Anthony Allen had a big day, rushing for 84 yards and outgaining Darren McFadden by nearly 60 yards on the day.  Seattle got 2 TDs from Nate Burleson, but a late drive to tie the game fell short when Chris Chambers dropped a 4th and goal pass as time ran out. ARIZONA 34   PORTLAND 17 Portland drops to 0-2 under A. J. Feeley as the Stags’ QB was sacked 5 times.  David Carr had a better day, throwing 3 TDs while LT rushed for 104 on 23 carries as Arizona moves to 2-0 in the young season.  MLB Pat Angerer had a big game for the Wranglers, leading the club with 9 tackles and adding a sack. CHICAGO 28   PITTSBURGH 29 The Sunday Night closer was a beauty of a game, with the two Central Division foes going back and forth on the scoreboard.  Both Vincent Jackson and Victor Cruz both went over 100 yards on the day, Cruz helped by a 37-yard TD strike from Pickett in the 3rd quarter.  Michael Turner rushed for 109, but it was not enough as a late Ryan Succop field goal was enough for Pittsburgh to escape with a win, while Chicago falls to 0-2. Stars, Panthers, Breakers, Stags,  Machine, and Generals Fear 0-3 Start Hard to believe there are desperation games in early April, but for the 0-2 clubs, particularly those that were expected to do much more, a drop to 0-3 will be a huge hit.  That is what 6 playoff contenders are facing as they dropped both their opening two games and now have to stare the potential for 0-3 in the face. Philadelphia has played well, but back to back games against Houston and Washington have not been an easy way to kick off the season.  It does not get a lot easier in Week 3 as the Stars have to travel down I-95 to face the Baltimore Blitz. Michigan was hoping for a quick and conclusive bounce back after a bad 2010. They have Brian Griese back, but so far this season they have looked nothing like the 11-3 Panthers from 2009, much less the 2008 league champions.  They face another desperate team, the 0-3 Machine, in what may be the most important early season divisional game we have seen in a decade. Chicago is right there with Michigan, praying they don’t come out of Week 3 without their first win.  The Machine have given up 28 and 29 points in their first two games and rank dead last, allowing 418 points per game after 2 weeks.  That is not a winning formula to be sure. Portland’s issue has been offense, though, giving up 34 to Arizona also seems an issue.  The Stags have only averaged 63 yards rushing per game, which, for a team that bases its offense on the run game, is not a good start.  They have to travel to Denver this week, never an easy place to steal a win, but they will do it with a new QB under center as Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the starter in Week 3. New Orleans was hoping for more from Drew Brees in their opening games, but the Breakers have only managed 20 points over 2 games, scoring 10 each game, while giving up 47 points over that same span.  They will host Orlando this week in the much-anticipated Manning-Brees reunion, but so far Manning has had the better time of the season. Finally, we have New Jersey, who had hoped to make an immediate impact with games against Baltimore and Houston, but they fell in both games.  They now head to 0-2 Boston, before a huge game against the Federals.  The Generals need to get this road win or risk falling very far behind as this Boston game is the first of 5 consecutive divisional games. No time to find themselves, they need to find wins now or drop so far out of the race as to be irrelevant by midseason. Free Agent Arrivals Help Spark Their Teams Last week we focused on the rookies making first impressions on their USFL clubs, this week we look at some of the free agents who are making an impact on their new teams.  Two weeks are in the books and we are already seeing signs that some of the big name players who have relocated are finding success in adapting and contributing to their new clubs, while others may need more time to make the fit work.  Here are 8 of the most talked about free agents (and 2 players traded, you can guess who) and how their first 2 games have gone. INSTANT IMPACT Troy Polamalu (ARZ): No surprise here.  Polamalu has come to the Wranglers and helped inspire a new spirit of competitiveness and aggressiveness on the Arizona defense.  The Wranglers have started the year 2-0 and while we cannot give Troy the credit for the club averaging 30 points per game over their first two outings, we absolutely should look to him as a big reason they have also given up only 15 points per game.  With Karlos Dansby down to injury, Polamalu now takes on an even more prominent role in the defense, both in his on-field contributions and his ability to motivate and energize the team. Steve Smith (OHI): To look at his catch totals (9) and yards (95) over 2 weeks you would not think that we would call Steve Smith’s arrival in Ohio a clear immediate impact, but when we add in the 2 touchdowns already, and the attention he is drawing from defenders, allowing Dereck Anderson to find other receivers open, the game film shows us a player who is having an impact.  With Ohio expected to switch from Anderson to Young within the next couple of weeks, we think that Smith’s numbers will improve, but for now he is creating space for others like Aurelious Benn, Javon Walker, and rookie Randall Cobb to get favorable matchups. Joey Galloway (TBY): Brought in on a short-term deal, Galloway is already providing the type of top tier impact that you would expect of the future hall of famer.  He leads the 2-0 Bandits with 12 receptions for 178 yards and 2 touchdowns, and, as with Smith, the need to account for him on every play has made life a lot easier for Chris Doering (10 catches for 173) and rookie TE Luke Stocker.  The Bandits boast the league’s 6th best passing game and are averaging over 27 points per game.  Galloway’s presence is a big reason for that. Antonio Cromartie (BIR):  While all the hype has been about Cam Newton and the Stallion offense, we should not ignore the fact that the Stallions now have a Top 10 defense in both yards and points allowed, and that cornerback Antonio Cromartie has been a big piece of that newly stiffened defense.  He leads the team with 17 tackles, and has been effective both against Tory Holt and Early Doucet in his first two games.  He comes up to help on the run, and is helping to shape the attitude of the Stallion secondary. Joseph Addai (BIR): Another Stallion helping to contribute to their surprising 2-0 start is NFL signee Addai.  After a modest 53 yard opening day, Addai is adapting to his new team and they to him, evident in the 103 yard, 1 TD performance this week against Baltimore.  Addai is providing the bulk of the carries for the Stallion run game (34 compared to Danny Woodhead’s 7 or Ben Tate’s 6) and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry.  The threat of the run has made it possible for Cam Newton to see better protection, and Addai has also served as an outlet on early downs when he is in on play action passing plays. Eli Manning (ORL): While not huge numbers in terms of yardage (391 in 2 games), the key to Manning’s early success with the Renegades is his 5:1 touchdown:interception ratio and his ability to guide the Orlando offense.  Manning has effectively taken the lead with the offense, is making calls at the line, and is helping Knowshon Moreno be more effective as well.  Now, could we say that the same would not be true with Drew Brees under center?  Hard to make that case, but what we can say is that the rest of the Renegade offense seems to be listening and following a QB who has, in the past, been criticized for his leadership style. NOT THERE YET Jake Delhomme (CHA): Not to say that Delhomme has been a flop so far, he has helped Charlotte to the 7th best passing game in the league after 2 weeks, but the Monarchs have only scored 26 points in 2 weeks.  They got their first touchdowns this week after only 3 field goals in a 9-3 in over Memphis in Week 1, and the 1:3 ratio of touchdowns to picks is not exactly what Coach Mora was hoping for.  But, with a new team, new receivers and new coaches, we should expect that it will take time for Delhomme to feel fully comfortable and for everyone to be on the same page. Darren Sharper (PHI): The Stars, defending Eastern Champions, are 0-2, and have the 28th ranked scoring defense in the league. That is dead last.  Admitedly, starting the year with Houston and Washington is no easy task, but fans have expected better out of this squad, and out of Sharper.  The former Machine safety is currently 4th on the team in tackles with 12, but has also made some gaffs, particularly in covering Ike Hilliard week one.  If Philadelphia, whose offense has been lights out so far, hopes to return to the Summer Bowl, they are going to have to get more out of Sharper and the defense as a whole. Mark Simoneau (POR): Another team and another defense that was expected to get off to a better start Is in Portland.  The Stags currently rank 27th in scoring defense, just above Philly.  They have lost to Seattle and Arizona and given up 57 points in their first two games, nearly 30 a game.  Simoneau, who was brought in to replace Mike Maslowski (now in Oakland) was seen as a lateral move, and while he does lead the team with 10 tackles, the results have not been what Stag fans wanted to see.  The defense seems indecisive and out of position far too often, and that often points to a MLB who is not making calls to put them in position. Drew Brees (NOR): while Brees has more yards than Manning at this point, and his 70.8% completion rate is also quite strong, what we are not seeing from the former Purdue QB is a connection to his receivers or an ability to raise the performances of those around him.  Brees has a younger receiver corps than Manning, and there is certainly some adaptation to a new QB needed, but we have not seen in two games much ability to put together a string of positive plays, or to take command of a game. New Orleans ranks 25th in points, having scored 10 in each of their first 2 games, and don’t seem to have an offensive identity yet.  We won’t put all of that on Brees, but if the Breakers are going to get into the mix in the Southern Division, the personality of this offense is going to have to gel soon, and Brees should be at the center of that. Fitzpatrick, and Locker to Get A Shot In Week 3 With both Portland and Boston sitting at 0-2, it is not a surprise that Coach Brooks and Coach Fox want to get a look at their new QB talent.  Both coaches announced this week that their new acquisitions would get the start this week.  In Portland there has been a duel between Feeley and NJ import Ryan Fitzpatrick all through camp, and it was familiarity with the offense that helped Feeley get the initial starts, but it seems that Coach Brooks is ready to see what Fitz-Magic can do. In Boston it was just a matter of time, and an 0-2 start with Adrian McPherson at the helm was all Coach Fox needed to pull the trigger and put in rookie star Jake Locker.  Locker was the number 1 pick in the draft, traded to Boston by the Stallions and Cannon fans have been asking for him to play ever since.  He will get his shot in Week 3 when the Cannons take on New Jersey at Alumni Stadium. No pressure, Jake, just a potential to go 0-3, and to lose to the rival Generals at the same time. Flacco Atop QB Ratings With 545 yards and a 5:0 TD:INT ratio after two games, it is Joe Flacco sitting atop the league’s QB Ratings, not something even Texas fans could have anticipated.  Flacco, who usually spends more time handing off to T. J. Duckett than throwing dimes is doing a bit more this year, at least so far, in the Texas offense. The 1-1 Outlaws currently rank 3rd in the league in passing yards, while Duckett is averaging only 62 yards per game.  Is this a shift of philosophy for Coach Landry, or is this just the reality that teams are going to stack the box against the run until Flacco shows he can beat them through the air?  If the latter, it seems Flacco is making a good argument that defenses may need to respect the pass a bit more. The former Delaware Blue Hen currently sits with a ridiculous 145.1 QB Rating ,and while we do not expect that lofty number to hold over a full 16-week season, it is a good indicator that he is getting time to throw, and finding open receivers to throw to.  And Flacco has not been picky this season, connecting with 10 different receivers over 2 games.  Marques Colston and Brandon Marshall have gotten the majority of targets, but Flacco is also using both tight ends, with Cooley and Jermichael Finley also getting attention.  Roscoe Parrish, the 3rd receiver, is also in the mix.  Flacco’s success may very well force defenses to play a bit deeper and with an eye towards the pass, a dangerous situation when a club has a top tier running back like Duckett as well.  The Outlaws will be tested this week, hosting the Gamblers, and the ability of Joe Flacco to keep defenses honest could be a huge factor in that pivotal game. A tough blow for the Maulers as CB Will Poole could be out up to 2 months after a tear in his abdominal lining.  That is a pretty rare injury, but it is one that takes time to heal, and time without any physical training either as there are few muscle groups that don’t impact the core. Others who could miss a month or longer include Washington OT Ryan Considine (knee), Boston FB Sean Smith (leg), New Orleans guard Sean  Mathis (bicepts) and Michigan guard Lennie Friedman (back).  Less severe, but potentially a 1-3 week concern is Oakland FS Chris Conte (arm), Breaker HB Matt Forte (toe), Denver DE Bryce Fisher (concussion) and rookie DE Sam Acho of Memphis (finger). USFL Rosters Continue to Evolve as NFL Transfer Window Closes With two weeks down in the USFL season some clubs are still making moves to add talent, either for injury replacement, or just a desire to improve a weak facet of their team.  We saw a flurry of last second signings from the NFL pool of free agents as the window closed this week, including three defensive backs coming to the USFL to shore up what have been shaky secondaries over the season’s first two weeks.  We also saw LA grab an emergency QB and Oakland try to add some inside power to their run game.  We start, however, with the 4 late NFL signings. Philadelphia and Chicago have both seen a lot of issues with their pass defense in the season’s opening weeks, so they both reached into the NFL talent pool to try to find an option at cornerback.  For Philadelphia the answer was former Buffalo Bill Drayton Florence, signed to a 2-year deal on the final day of the window. For Chicago it was former Lion Danieal Manning.  Both corners start their time in the USFL on the practice squad, but both are expected to join the active roster by Week 4.  For Chicago the need was pressing after starting CB Marlin Jackson was lost for up to 2 months with a fractured fibula.  For Philadelphia, the addition of Florence should help add depth behind Shields and Jammer, giving the Stars a better option in nickel and dime packages. For Oakland, the issue has not been at cornerback, but at safety, where Chris Conte has struggled over the first two weeks.  The rookie has made some bad choices and cost the Invaders a few tough third downs. He also suffered an injury this week, putting doubts in Oakland's collective mind about a full 16-game season for the rookie.  The solution, at least in the short term, appears to be former New Orleans Saint safety Roman Harper.  Harper was signed to a 1-year deal and will join the team this week.  Expect to see him on the field at free safety by Week 4. Las Vegas was the other club to address a need, for them a need at Wide Receiver.  The Run & Shoot June Jones wants to operate requires a lot of receivers and particularly smaller receivers with quick moves.  The Thunder hope they have found just what they need with the addition of Legedu Naanee, a small but speedy receiver with quick moves off the line.  He is on the Thunder practice squad after coming over from the NFL Panthers, but expect to see him work his way into the 3,4, and 5-receiver sets Jones likes to implement. Beyond the NFL window, we did see three signings this week from within the USFL player pool, primarily to deal with injury.  Los Angeles added long time Ohio backup QB and 2010 starter Chris Redman as an emergency QB behind Kevin Kolb and Brody Croyle.  Mark Sanchez is expected to miss several weeks with a broken jaw, so having a 3rd QB was a priority for the Express. Nashville also filled an injury-void in their lineup, adding fullback James Meyers to sub for the injured Peyton Hillis.  Meyers was last with Houston, where he appeared in 3 games over the past 2 years. Finally, in a move that makes sense but cannot build confidence for their top rookie pick, Oakland has dipped into the free agent pool to sign halfback BenJarvis Green-Ellis.  The big back is expected to take on some short yardage and goalline duties for rookie Ryan Williams as Oakland tries to cope with the retirement of Ricky Williams.  Green-Ellis was on the roster of Nashville in 2008-2009 but did not have a team in 2010. The key for Week three are the teams hoping to reach 3-0 and those hoping to avoid 0-3.  We have a matchup of unexpected 0-2 teams as Chicago and Michigan face off on Sunday night.  One of them is going to have a very unpleasant slog to get back into contention if they drop to 0-3.  Philadelphia is hoping to avoid that issue, but with a road game at Baltimore, it will not be easy.  Boston and New Jersey are also both 0-2, and they will clash at Alumni Stadium to see who gets their first win. On the other end of the spectrum, the surprising Birmingham Stallions face their first road test and it is a huge one, traveling to Nashville to take on the 2-0 Knights in a key early season divisional game.  Tampa Bay and Washington are also both 2-0 and one will emerge from their Saturday game still unbeaten.  Houston hopes to hit 3-0 but will be in San Antonio for the always tough Texas Tussle.  Finally, the St. Louis Knights get a third straight divisional game and hope to make it a 3-0 sweep as they host the Pittsburgh Maulers on Sunday. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET            JACKSONVILLE (1-1) @ ATLANTA (1-1)                    NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET   TAMPA BAY (2-0) @ WASHINGTON (2-0)               ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET   NEW JERSEY (0-2) @ BOSTON (0-2)                      FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm ET   PHILADELPHIA (0-2) BALTIMORE (1-1)                     FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET     SEATTLE (1-1) @ LAS VEGAS (2-0)                        ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET     PORTLAND (0-2) @ DENVER (1-1)                            FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET     HOUSTON (2-0) @ TEXAS (1-1)                            ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET        OAKLAND (1-1) @ CHARLOTTE (1-1)                    ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET        OHIO (1-1) @ MEMPHIS (0-2)                              ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET       BIRMINGHAM (2-0) @ NASHVILLE (2-0)                FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET          ARIZONA (2-0) @ LOS ANGELES (1-1)                     ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET          PITTSBURGH (1-1) @ ST. LOUIS (2-0)                        FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET          ORLANDO (1-1) @ NEW ORLEANS (0-2)              FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET          MICHIGAN (0-2) @ CHICAGO (0-3)                     EFN

Tampa Bay and Arizona continue to impress as the league’s only 4-0 teams, Philadelphia and Portland claw back to 2-2 with two consecutive wins, while St. Louis and Houston drop to 2-2 with their second straight loss.  Meanwhile, with even bigger problems, we have New Jersey, Memphis, New Orleans, and Chicago, all of whom have dropped every game in the first month of action and now have to do some soul searching about their plans for the year.  We saw the first trade of the regular season this week as backup QB appears to be a volatile position.  We hear from the Hall of Fame with the list of this year’s semifinalists, and we ask the question on everyone’s mind, “ How are the Bandits and Wranglers doing it?”. WASHINGTON FEDERALS 33   NEW JERSEY GENERALS 27   OVERTIME Two teams going in very different directions met in Week 4.  Both were expected to compete for the division, one has started the year looking very much like a contender and sitting atop the division standings, the other has yet to muster a win in 3 weeks and is looking altogether out of synch.  That was the situation in the Meadowlands when the 2-1 Federals matched up with the 0-3 Generals. New Jersey was expected to be a major factor in 2011 after a very solid 8-8 campaign the past year, but so far they had managed to lose all three games, playing well at times but never well enough to get a win.  A loss to Washington would not only put them at 0-4, but would be their third divisional loss in 4 weeks.  As for Washington, they had just come off their first defeat, a 6-point loss at home to the unbeaten Tampa Bay Bandits. They wanted a rebound game and they did not much care that defeating the Generals would be disastrous for New Jersey.  That was not their concern. New Jersey came out fired up, evident in Washington’s first possession, when the Generals pressured Davide Garrard with blitzers on all 3 pass plays, the third resulting in a poorly thrown ball that was easily grabbed by General DB Tony Driver, returned 65 yards for a score to not only rile up the Generals, but the 44,302 fans in attendance. Washington would recover on the next drive, a 13-play slow march that ended with Garrard hitting rookie Dontrelle Inman with a scoring toss from the 6.  This would be a theme for the day, New Jersey trying to hit big plays and Washington content to build drives piece by piece.  New Jersey would take back the league on a Leigh Tiffin field goal, but Washington would again march down the field, and for the second time on the day it would be rookie WR Dontrelle Inman making a play, this time a 14-yard score on a perfectly executed fade route.  The two teams would trade field goals and by the half they would hit the locker rooms with Washington holding a 17-13 advantage thanks to Inman’s 2nd score. That lead would be bolstered to 20-13 after Shayne Graham opened the third quarter with a 42-yard kick.  New Jersey would need to equalize or risk falling behind in yet another contest.  Their first drive happened in fits and starts, but 3 Washington penalties, including a roughing the passer call that seemed iffy to any neutral observers, helped the Generals get into the red zone.  They would get a 1-yard TD run from a rookie of their own, HB Delone Carter, and the score was knotted up after 3, 20-20. The 4th quarter saw Washington once again put together a long drive, 81 yards on 13 plays, ending with Rod Smart taking a pitch and cutting back against the flow of the tacklers to reach the endzone.  New Jersey was now down 7, but with nearly 9 minutes left to play.  They would need to mount another drive to equalize the score. Sam Bradford, who had played relatively well (completing 66% of his throws, would be called upon to lead the drive, but he would be smart about the ball, using draw plays to Jones-Drew to keep the Federal defense honest.  MJD would finish the day with 92 yards, nowhere near the 134 Deuce McCallister provided Washington, but enough to force the Federal D to consider the run and not mount an all out pass rush in the final minutes of the game.  That strategy worked, and with just under 2 minutes to play, New Jersey was getting close to scoring range.  Washington assumed that they would continue to use short to medium passes to try to work their way into range for a short TD pass or run.  But the Generals surprised them with a deep ball to Houshmandzadeh.  The corner was a step behind, the safety too preoccupied with TE Anthony Becht, and too slow to switch his coverage, and Housh made the leaping catch to give New Jersey the score they needed. The crowd chanted for Coach Edwards to go for 2 and take a 1-point lead, but Edwards is a conservative coach, and there was no way he was going to march all the way down the field only to blow the tie by going for 2.  He sent out Tiffin and contentedly settled for overtime.  Whether that was the right call or not will be debated, but what happened in overtime certainly gave voice to the fan’s frustration with Herm Edwards’ conservative approach. The Feds won the coin toss and chose to take the ball first.  New Jersey’s kick went out of the endzone, so no time ran off the clock.  Fifteen minutes exactly on the clock for the Federals’ offense.  They would need only 8 seconds of it.  On 1st and 10 from their 25 yard line, David Garrard took the shotgun snap, looked right, pumping slightly to pull the safety towards slot receiver Inman, then shifted to the left, spotted TE Kellen Davis wide open down the left side, and tossed the ball towards the Generals’ side of the field.  Davis caught the ball in stride, 3 yards ahead of the linebacker assigned to cover him.  He stuck to the sideline as safety Bob Sanders tried to set the angle, but just as Sanders arrived, Davis took a slight step to his right, throwing off the tackle of Sanders and freeing the receiver to head to the endzone.  One play, 75 yards, and the game was over.  The stunned General fans paused for what felt like a solid 30 seconds and then rained boos down on the field.  The Feds celebrated briefly then rushed off to the lockerroom, but it was not the visitors the NJ crowd was booing, it was clearly their own club. The Generals now sit at 0-4, and 0-3 in division.  It is not a good position to be in by any stretch, and, from the looks of it, the fans are turning on a team that had given them hope in the offseason, and on the coach who was being blamed for squandering a talented roster.  Things will not get any easier for New Jersey, who face Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington again, and then Charlotte and Denver before their next match against a club with a losing record as of right now.  It may very well be Week 10 against New Orleans before they get the W that all seem to want but no one knows how to acquire. For Washington, they will head home to face an 0-4 Memphis squad, sitting at 3-1 atop the NE Division and with hopes that they can build a lead over the other contenders in the division. LOS ANGELES 17   OAKLAND 13 The LA Express trailed nearly the entire way, having only scored 3 points on offense (with 7 more from a pick-6 of Joey Harrington in the 2nd quarter), but on a late drive, Kevin Kolb finally found a connection, tossing a 21-yard TD to rookie Ronald Johnson to give the Express a road win against in-state rival Oakland, sending the Invaders to 1-3.  With Mark Sanchez expected to miss at least one more game, a win by Kolb has to be a welcome site for longsuffering Express fans. BALTIMORE 36   MEMPHIS 10 Memphis rookie QB Ryan Mallett continues to struggle, completing only 13 of 31 passes as Memphis falls to 0-4 on the season.  Baltimore raced out to a 26-7 lead, but then Big Ben got dinged and rookie Travis Taylor finished up the game, throwing for a score as the Blitz ran away with this one at the Liberty Bowl.  Ron Dayne again went over 100 yards and Tory Holt joined him with 111 through the air. ATLANTA 27   BOSTON 7 Atlanta’s offense was humming, including 177 yards rushing for the Fire as McFadden went for 116 and rookie Anthony Allen had 55 in relief duty.  Jake Locker struggled again, throwing 3 picks and completing only 22 of 48 pass attempts as Boston drops to 1-3 on the season. TEXAS 25   ARIZONA 27 A nip and tuck game between these two SW Division foes as Arizona gets the W thanks to LT’s 116 yards and 2 scoring runs.  Texas got a late Brandon Marshall TD to pull within a point, but never got the ball back as Arizona used the run game to run out the clock. DENVER 15   SEATTLE 10 Ugly wins seem to be the recipe for Denver this year, but they will take it as the win in the rain of Seattle got them to .500 after 4 weeks.  It was a messy turf, but Ringer and Hicks managed to combine for 96 yards, while Best and Betts could only muster 66.  Kicker Graham Gano proved to be the major weapon for Denver, hitting on 5 field goals, including a 56-yarder as the Gold escape with a win. CHARLOTTE 20   JACKSONVILLE 14 The Up and Down Bulls drop a home game to a pretty feisty Monarchs squad.  Jake Delhomme connected with Dereck Mason and Brandon Pettigrew for scores and Fred Jackson added 91 yards on the ground as the Monarchs ground out a win against the Bulls.  C. J. Spiller had no room to run, rushing for only 31 yards on the day, and Tim Tebow actually ran for negative yards as the Monarchs’ Jerrod Mayo proved to be a very effective spy for the big QB. ST. LOUIS 24   BIRMINGHAM 31 Two up & comers clashed in Legion Field and the 51,020 who came to cheer on Cam Newton and the Stallions left happy.  Birmingham had a 14-6 lead at the half and never relinquished it as former NFL halfback Joseph Addai had another 100-yard game, racking up 103 on 24 carries. Cam Newton threw for 2 scores and finished 19 of 29, and that refurbished Stallion D held tough despite a pretty good game from Ricki Stanzi in relief of an injured Josh Freeman.  Stanzi threw for 256 yards and rallied the Skyhawks in the 4th with two straight scoring drives, but it was still too little to recover and get the win. NEW ORLEANS 13   TAMPA BAY 16       OVERTIME The Breakers fought hard for Coach Nolan, but Tampa Bay got both the game tying score at the end of regulation and then the game winner in overtime to stay unbeaten.  Drew Brees had his best game as a member of the Breakers, throwing for 341 yards, but attempted 58 passes as the Breaker run game again was a disappointment.  For Tampa Bay, it was a tough slog, but they found the yards they needed to get Nate Kaeding into position at two key moments and he came through both times. PHILADELPHIA 52   NASHVILLE 10 After getting their first win last week, many were saying that the Stars could upset the unbeaten Knights in Nashville, but  no one saw this coming.  It was a true Broad Street Beatdown as the Stars just overwhelmed a proud Knights defense. Kurt Warner threw for 366 yards and 4 touchdowns, and backup Matt Gutierrez even got a rare TD toss in as well.  The star of the day was Stevie Johnson, whose monster game was a month in the making.  He finished the day with 139 yards and 3 scores, including an acrobatic one-handed grab that even made the Nashville crowd ooh and ah during the replay.  An ugly loss for the Knights but a statement game for Philadelphia as the get back to .500. CHICAGO 9   OHIO 20 Chicago’s woes continue, as does Ohio’s strong 3-1 start.  Derek Anderson kept Vince Young on the bench one more week by throwing for 2 scores and helping Ohio control the ball for nearly 35 minutes.  Brady Quinn attempted 41 passes but could not put one in the endzone as Chicago was held to 3 field goals, not enough to get a road division win against a surprisingly solid Ohio squad. ORLANDO 13   PORTLAND 17 The flight to Portland was a long one for Orlando, but the flight back will be even longer, especially for wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who was wide open late in the game but dropped a perfect pass that would have put Orlando up 20-17.  It was one of several miscues for the Renegades, who also struggled to stop the run, with Portland’s Jonathan Stewart racking up 120 yards on only 20 carries. LAS VEGAS 17   HOUSTON 13 Houston drops their 2nd in a row as both QBs spent much of the day on the run from two solid fronts.  Jake Plummer found time to connect with both Kahlil Hill and Willie Ponder for scores, while Matt Hasselbeck seemed out of synch with Roy Williams and Ike Hilliard on the day, relying heavily on Vernon Davis as a dump off option. Not enough for the defending champs as they drop to 2-2, a full 2 games behind Arizona. MICHIGAN 3   PITTSBURGH 10 Another early season bad weather game as Pittsburgh survived the winds and rain at Heinz Field to secure a hard-fought win.  The only TD of the day was a very short 3-yarder to Victor Cruz as the wind made passing beyond 5 yards a real challenge.  Both offenses also struggled to run the ball, with Pittsburgh’s Ronnie Brown leading all backs with only 38 yards.  An ugly game in ugly weather but it got Pittsburgh to 3-1, which is fine with them. Bandits & Wranglers:  How Are They Doing It? Two teams left at 4-0 and neither one is a club we had pegged as a preseason favorite to make the playoffs.  So just how are Tampa Bay and Arizona doing it.  As you might expect, there are some common denominators.  They are not defeating themselves.  Both have positive takeaway/turnover ratios, both are near the bottom in penalties, but so are several other teams that are not sitting so pretty at 4-0.  So what else is going right for these two clubs?  Let’s take a look at each. Tampa Bay:  The Bandits’ 4-0 start includes a division win over Charlotte (who they face again this week), and a top tier win over a 3-1 Washington Federals club.  While Tampa Bay’s wins have been closer in most cases than those of Arizona, for both clubs the key seems to be a defense that is simply not allowing big plays and high scores.  So far this season, only Washington has been able to score more than 20 points against the Bandits.  That is a good start when your offense averages over 25 points per game.  Willis McGahee has again started the season fast, much as he did last year, and it seems clear that Joey Galloway still has gas in the tank as he has started strong with his new team, with 29 receptions and 363 yards in only 4 games.  Another key addition, TE Luke Stocker, is also starting well, with 14 receptions in his first 4 USFL games. On defense, Jonathan Goff, acquired in free agency from Boston, has had a great start, leading the team with 33 tackles so far.  Marcellus Wiley is not lighting up the league with 2 sacks, but is drawing a lot of attention, making it easier for Jason Pierre-Paul and DT Andre Neblitt to get one-on-one blocking.  Finally, the LB group, which has been the strength of the Bandit D for a while, is looking even stronger. Alongside Goff, you  have Jonathan Vilma and Zeke Moreno who are both playing some of their best ball right now. Arizona:  The Wranglers four win may be even more impressive, having knocked off potential playoff clubs in Michigan, Portland, and Texas in three of their 4 wins.  What is more, only 1 of the games, this week’s 2-point win over the Outlaws, was by fewer than 12 points.  They have been blowing past teams with wins by 14, 17, and 12 in their first 3 weeks.  And that may be the key.  The Arizona offense has been balanced, with Carr’s passing complementing a solid run game led by LaDainian Tomlinson, but the key has been a defense that is giving up only 62.2 yards per game rushing and only 17 points per game.  They will be tested this week by Houston, but if they can maintain that formula, this is a team that could win a lot of games. The key for Arizona’s defense seems to be the emergence of DE Adam Carriker as a legitimate threat on the edge.  Carriker already has 5 sacks this year, more than his season total from 2010 or any other year since he came into the league in 2007.  He is supported by Larry English on the other side, and Kimo Von Oelhoffen in the middle.  The LB group, led by 2nd year MLB Pat Angerer, is playing above expectations, with Orlando Huff and Lance Briggs helping to make life tough for backs.  Meanwhile, on offense, the presence of Rob Gronkowski as not only a possession guy but a deep ball threat in the middle, has opened up the passing game for the Wranglers.  Larry Fitzgerald is seeing more single coverage and is supported by Mike Williams and Antonio Bryant.  It is a formula that is working and producing good offensive numbers, enough for Arizona to be 2nd in the league in scoring behind only the Stars (after their 52 point outburst this week.) So, two pretty similar formulas: defenses that stop the run, offenses that can beat you in multiple ways, and a core of veterans who provide leadership.  For teams looking to improve their chances this year, with ¾ of the season left to play, that seems to be something to try to emulate. Reche Caldwell’s Wild Month Reche Caldwell is not exactly a new face in the USFL, playing in his 10th season in the league, but the former Glory receiver is off to a start that no one would have expected.  Always considered a viable 2nd option, Caldwell had his best year in 2010 with Philly, catching 71 balls for 826 yards and 8 scores for the Eastern Conference Champions, but he was clearly also the 2nd option behind Steve Smith.  But, this year, with Stevie Johnson still working to pick up the offense for his new club, Caldwell has turned into a big play dynamo the likes of which Philly has not seen in a long time.  Yes, he has only 14 receptions over 4 games, 3 less than Johnson, but his 449 yards lead the league. He is averaging over 33 yards per reception. That is a number that seems absolutely unsustainable for a receiver whose career average hovers around 12 YPC.  And yet, as huge as Caldwell has been this year, he has yet to bring in his first touchdown.  That is surprising for a receiver with his yards per catch average. Compared with Stevie Johnson’s 5 TDs’ the question has to be what is holding Caldwell back? A quick look at his 14 receptions shows us the answer.  Other than 1-2 possession catches, every single big play for Caldwell has come on what many would consider a running down, a 2nd and 3 or 3rd and 2, and each has been the result of effective play action.  Kurt Warner has always been a good play action QB, and this year, with teams focused on Johnson, it seems Caldwell has been able to make hay off of single coverage.  But, with 4 games of gaudy numbers, expect defenses to start anticipating Caldwell’s deep routes on short yardage plays.  They have to, or Caldwell will continue to burn them, and eventually find the endzone as well. Anderson keeping Young On the Bench, But For How Long? We are 4 weeks into the season, and the Ohio Glory have surprised many with their 3-1 record, with wins over Pittsburgh and Chicago in the division.  What has been even more surprising is that they have done this with NFL import Vince Young still on the bench.   All thoughts when Young was signed was that the former Texas Longhorn hero would be in the starting lineup as soon as he picked up even a fraction of the offense, perhaps as early as Week 2.  But, the steady play of Dereck Anderson and the success of the Glory with Anderson at the helm has kept Young watching and waiting. Look, Anderson is not exactly lighting up the league.  He is currently outside the Top 20 in passing yards with only 587 yards in 4 games, not even 200 per game.  And his 5:2  TD:INT ratio is fine, but hardly staggering.  His rating is only 76, which puts him 20th of the league’s 28 starters.  But he is winning, and that seems to be enough for Coach Andrus, whose focus all offseason was to put together a team that could win with defense, a solid run game, and a QB who managed the offense without self-inflicted wounds.  Anderson is doing that, and he is getting help.  The combination of rookie DeMarco Murray and veteran Kevin Smith has accounted for 302 yards rushing, with James Jackson adding another 75 on limited carries.  He has gotten balanced help from Steve Smith, Aurelious Benn, and Javon Walker.  Now, we do think eventually Steve Smith, who has quite a bit of “prima donna” in him, will start to ask for more than just 6 targets per game, and he certainly would love to take advantage of Young’s cannon arm over Anderson’s more dink & dunk sensibility, but for now the safe path of short routes has been working. It has also helped that Andrus’s defense is keeping Ohio in every game.  They have held all 4 foes to 19 points or fewer, keeping them pretty much in every game until the end.  Can they keep this up?  We are not sure.  They have some tough matchups in the weeks ahead, starting with a road trip to Texas and early MVP candidate Joe Flacco.  But until they start showing signs of fading, we may not get to see Vince Young doing much more than holding a clipboard and cheering on the offense each week. Three Way Trade Moves 2 QBs We knew that the trade wire would start to see some action around this time.  It always takes 3-4 weeks for teams to assess where they stand and to make a decision to make some moves to fix issues.  It seem that an 0-4 start for Memphis, and some offensive concerns for Okland have kickstarted that willingness to deal.  Add in Pittsburgh’s 3-headed QB situation, with Cody Pickett the clear starter and rookie Andy Dalton impressing in camp.  That made former 1st round pick Pat White a third wheel, and one the Maulers were hoping to move to acquire some depth in other areas.  It seems the Maulers found their deal, bringing in both the Invaders and Showboats to cobble together a 3-team deal. Here are the basics.   Pat White leaves Pittsburgh for Oakland. The Maulers also part with FB John Kuhn, who goes to Memphis along with a 4th round pick in the 2012 draft.  In return Pittsburgh gets Oakland DE Aaron Schobel, Memphis FB Patrick DeMarco and a 5th round pick from the Showboats.  The Maulers would then add free agent QB Tee Martin, the former Seattle Dragon, to fill the emergency QB spot. For Oakland, they get White, who is a QB in the mold of Joey Harrington and who would likely move right into the #2 spot.  They also pick up a 3rd rounder from Memphis in the deal.  To replace Schobel, Oakland also picks up free agent DE Jamaal Anderson. Finally, Memphis comes away with former Oakland backup Bob Volek, Mauler FB John Kuhn, and Pittsburgh’s 4th rounder.  Sitting with 4 QBs, the Showboats opt to cut veteran Kelly Holcomb. So, who wins in this deal?  Well, we like DeMarco as an upgrade for Pittsburgh’s run game.  He is not much of a receiver out of the backfield, but he is outstanding at the point of attack, something the Mauler run game could use.  Memphis gets a veteran backup who could help mentor young Ryan Mallett, and whose pocket passing style is a good model for Mallett.  Oakland gets a QB to back up Harrington who also emulates the style of the former Oregon Duck. Pat White had the talent to be a legitimate #1 pick, but never was able to work past Cody Pickett in Pittsburgh.  With Dennis Green and the Invaders, he is going to be able to show how his pass-run duality can help the team.  He is unlikely to unseat Harrington as the starter this year, but could see some action as Harrington has had injury issues in recent seasons.  So, can we really call this a win-win-win?  Maybe, just maybe. A big hit for the Thunder as #1 receiver Marty Booker is out for at least 6-8 weeks after breaking a bone in the ball of his right foot.  The receiver made a catch and immediately fell to the ground, eventually hoping off the field without putting the foot down.  X-rays confirmed that it was a clean break, but one that essentially forces Booker to spend at least a month without putting weight on the foot. Michigan got mixed news, good that DE Jevon Kearse’s knee injury was not an ACL or MCL tear, but bad that it was significant enough for doctors to set a 4-6 week recovery period.  Jacksonville is in a similar situation, with star LB Mike Vrabel expected to miss at least a month with a broken wrist suffered in their loss to Charlotte.  Nashville is concerned about WR Robert Meachem, whose dislocated shoulder came out of joint again in practice this week, prompting doctors to recommend at least a 2-week hiatus. Others who look to be out this week or are listed as Doubtful include Baltimore C Melvin Fowler,  Atlanta CB Ricky Manning, NJ linebacker Donterrious Thomas, St. Louis safety Kendrick Lewis, and Ohio WR Steve Smith.  QB Ben Roethlisberger is listed as Questionable after suffering a concussion, but he has stated to the media that he expects to play. Class of 2011 Hall of Fame Nominees Named The Pro Football Hall of Fame has announced the semifinalists for the Class of 2011 Hall of Fame.  Once again there will be as many as 6 entrants in this year’s class, with up to 5 selected from the current pool of 2001-2006 retirees, while the Legacy Committee will put forward one nominee from earlier periods of the USFL as their Legacy Hall of Famer.  While we will not know who that legacy candidate will be until the announcement of the Class of 2011 in about 2 months, we do know the 10 candidates for the 5 open slots this year.  As is pretty typical, the pool is split between 1st year nominees who retired in 2006 and those in their 2nd-5th year of eligibility. So, who are the favorites this year?  Well, we have a 3-time Champion head coach, a record-holding QB, and a controversial player still trying to get recognized in his third year of eligibility.  Here, in the order of the chances we believe each candidate has, are the 10 Semifinalists Head Coach Jim Mora Sr (PHI 83-89, OAK 96-97, MEM 98-06):  We think the former leader of the Philadelphia Stars, Oakland Invaders, and Memphis Showboats is about as close to a shoe-in as any non-player can be.  Mora is certainly on a par with current Hall of Famers Steve Spurrier, Jim Stanley, Dick Vermeil and Sam Rutigliano.  With two titles in Philly and then another with the Showboats, there is no doubt that Mora has had a huge impact on the league and on the franchises he has led.  In a career that spanned 18 seasons, Jim Mora Sr amassed 153 wins to go with his three rings.  If that does not qualify him as a first ballot HOF Coach, we are not sure what does. QB Heath Shuler (MEM 94-06): Twelve seasons with the Showboats included a title in 1999, a season that also won him the league MVP and the Playoff MVP for a very nice trifecta.  But Shuler was not a one year wonder.  Over his 13 seasons in the league, the former Tennessee Volunteer, playing in the state where he first attained fame, would throw for nearly 42,000 yards, and retired with a whopping 309 touchdowns to his name.  He was an All-USFL selection 6 times and remains tied to the game as an announcer for ABC broadcasts, though there are rumors he is looking at a run for Congress as well. LB Mo Lewis (JAX 91-94, ATL 95-01, LA 02-05):  The first of the returning candidates and the one we think to be most deserving.  Mo Lewis struggled to place in a field last year that included DeMetrius Dubose, Pat Swilling, and Lamar Lathon, but that does not mean that the 16-year veteran is not worthy of a place in the Hall.  Lewis was a 5-time All-USFL selection, retiring with over 1,200 tackles in his long and illustrious career.  The biggest knock on Lewis is that he played on some pretty bad teams, but, in his defense, he was often the one diamond found in the rough, especially in those brutal years of the first Atlanta Fire expansion franchise.  We think that in this year’s less-LB heavy pool, Lewis will get the recognition he deserves. QB Mark Brunell (DEN 95-05): We are still not sure how Brunell did not get in last year.  Yes, an 11-year tenure is somewhat shorter than several other HOF QB’s but it is hardly a flash in the pan.  He did, after all, bring Denver their first and only title to date after years of futility.  Healso threw for nearly 38,000 yards and had 269 TDs while being one of the most accurate passers in the game year in and year out. CB Philippi Sparks (ARZ 92-06): Another really good player who was often on really bad teams.  Sparks’s 15 year career saw him make the All-USFL team twice, garner 32 career picks, and 5 defensive TDs.  Known as a ballhawk who had great after-the-pick instincts, Sparks was also a very solid tackler, amassing 1,067 career tackles for the Wranglers.  He may not be the first name you think of when you picture USFL corners in the 90’s and early 00’s, but he should be in the conversation. LB Kevin Hardy (STL 96-04, ARZ 05):  A 3-time All-USFL selection, we don’t see Hardy getting in over Mo Lewis, but we could imagine both getting the nod.  Hardy played nearly his entire career for St. Louis, helping the Knights develop a repuation as one of the most consistent and aggressive defenses in the league.  He retired in 2004 only to revoke the papers and play one more year in Arizona.  When he retired after that extra season he had 823 tackles and 35 sacks to his name. DE John Copeland (BIR 93-97, SEA 98, OHI 99-01, TBY 02-06): For a player with his talent, it is surprising how much Copeland moved around, playing with 4 different franchises over his 14 year career.  He obtained a ring in his first year in the league, helping Birmingham win a title.  He would never attain that level of success again, but his long career was not without its highlights.  He retired with 102 career sacks, including 5 seasons with double digit sack totals.  And check this out, he appeared in 208 USFL games, starting every single one.  That is rare for an edge rusher, as they so often end up either starting or ending their careers in a platoon system. WR Cedric Tillman (STL 92-94, BIR 95-98, MGN 99, OHI 00, JAX 01, HOU 02, WSH 03-05, NOR 06) If we thought John Copeland moved around, he has nothing on Cedric Tillman.  The lanky deep route specialist played with 8 teams in 15 seasons, including a stretch from 1998-2003 when he played with a different team each year.  Retiring with 632 catches and 9,742 yards in 2006, Tillman was an All-USFL selection in 2006, his final year in the league and his only year with New Orleans. HB Rashaan Salaam (DEN 95-01, OAK 03-04):  On pure talent alone, or on offensive production, Salaam should be a Hall of Famer.  The numbers are there.  3-time All-USFL, 2000 Playoff MVP and Champion, five 1,000 yard seasons, 72 touchdowns and nearly 9,000 yards rushing.  But, as we have seen the past 2 seasons, the voters are not yet over the issues that surrounded his post championship “celebration’ and the subsequent 1-year suspension.  That lost year, and the utterly ridiculous actions that caused it are likely to still hang around him as voters take a third look at the halfback, because if they did not, he would be in the Hall already. P Chris Mohr (JAX 89-03): If there were a punter Hall of Fame, Mohr would be in without question, and could even be on the punter Mt. Rushmore, but in a football Hall of Fame it is just so hard for any specialist, much less a punter, to get the attention his skills merit.  Could Mohr become the first punter to make the Hall?  We have to say that it seems unlikely.  It is just such a hard position to rank over the other stars who come up each year as eligible. So, form this pool we think Mora and Shuler are almost assured a spot, we would take Lewis, Brunell and Sparks next, but there may be some movement towards Hardy as well.  Whether any of the others, including Salaam, can work their way into more votes, well, that remains to be seen. LATE NFL SIGNEES SHOULD SEE ACTION IN WEEK 5 If news out of each team’s facilities are to be believed, then this may be the week that we see the last few NFL players make their USFL debuts.  The later NFL-USFL Transfer Window signees have been with their teams 2-3 weeks now and we expect them to be activated from the practice squad, and very possibly moved into key rotational positions or even given the start.  Of the 4 big-name players signed late, we do expect Philadelphia to work Drayton Florence in as the Nickel this week.  Very much the same could happen with Danieal Manning in Chicago.  We think Oakland will mix Roman Harper in at Free Safety, but he could have limited snaps in his first game with the club.  The final member of the quartet is wideout Legedu Naanee, whose role with the Thunder could be expanded quickly due to the injury to Marty Booker, an injury which will cause Las Vegas to shift its receivers and their roles. Finally, the one NFL import we are all still waiting for, QB Vince Young, has been active the past 2 weeks, but has not seen game action.  It seems that Ohio is going to stick with Dereck Anderson, who has led them to a 3-1 start.  What that means for Young as he awaits his shot is pretty clear, 2nd man up until and unless Anderson starts to falter or the team stops producing results. Week five may well be a week of desperation for some clubs.  New Jersey, Memphis, and New Orleans are all on the road and all trying to get their first win.  At least Chicago is at home, where they face the division-leading Maulers in what will be a tough matchup.  The week opens with Oakland and Atlanta facing off, both hoping a win gets them on track to make some noise. Maybe the best matchup in the week is Tampa Bay visiting Charlotte. The Bandits knocked off 3-1 Charlotte earlier this year, so now the Monarchs are hoping to even the score at home and knock Tampa Bay from the list of unbeatens.  The league’s other unbeaten, Arizona, is at home again, and this time they have the defending league champions, Houston on the docket.  That will be a real test for the Wranglers, especially because Houston certainly does not want to drop below .500.  One more game to catch is Seattle at LA.  Both are sitting at 2-2 and both feel they can make a run at Las Vegas for the Pacific Division, so this game could help us decide which of the two to take seriously. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET                    Oakland (1-3) @ Atlanta (2-2)                     NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET           New Jersey (0-4) @ Baltimore (2-2)          ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET            Memphis (0-4) @ Washington (3-1)         FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm ET          Birmingham (3-1) @ Orlando (2-2)           FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET           Jacksonville (2-2) @ Las Vegas (3-1)          ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET           Houston (2-2) @ Arizona (4-0)                    FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET             Tampa Bay (4-0) @ Charlotte (3-1)            ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET            New Orleans (0-4) @ Philadelphia (2-2)  ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET            Nashville (3-1) @ St Louis (2-2)                  ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET               Portland (2-2) @ Michigan (1-3)                 FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET             Seattle (2-2) @ Los Angeles (2-2)               ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET               Ohio (3-1) @ Texas (2-2)                                 FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                 Boston (1-3) @ Denver (2-2)                     FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET             Pittsburgh (3-1) @ Chicago (0-4)            EFN

Week one brings with it hopes, dreams, and surprises.  That was certainly the case this week as the prognosticators and Las Vegas books had a miserable time trying to look smart. Upset after upset, and surprise performances galore.  We had a barn burner to open the year as the Gamblers and Stars went to overtime in a Summer Bowl rematch, and we had a rookie shine in their debut as Cam Newton made believers out of a rabid Stallion fanbase.  All that, plus an injury that is just bizarre.  This Week in the USFL. HOUSTON GAMBLERS 38    PHILADELPHIA STARS 35    OVERTIME What a way to kick off the new season.  Friday night saw a rematch of the Summer Bowl and this game may have been even better than July’s championship bout.  This game had everything, but what it had mostly was scoring, and lots of it.  Over 900 yards of offense and big plays galore were the story as the Stars and Gamblers resumed where they left off in the Summer Bowl, back and forth, showing each other up whenever they could, and taking the action into an extra period before this game was decided. And it was wall to wall.  We saw 19 points scored in the first quarter, 15 in the second, 14 in the third, and 22 in the fourth.  Never a dull moment.  It began with Philadelphia driving the ball on the opening possession, following the usual pomp, flyover, anthems, and honorees.  Troy Williamson caught a 37-yard pass on the drive for the Stars, and while it would be his only catch on the day, it helped set up the opening score, a 44-yard Mike Nugent field goal to put Philadelphia on the board. Houston would answer, scoring first on a 73-yard bomb to Ike Hilliard that shook the Philadelphia defense.  The PAT was no good, so Houston took a 6-3 lead, but they would get the ball right back as Kurt Warner threw the first of 3 picks on the day. This one set up the Gamblers in Philly territory and 5 plays later Shaun Alexander expanded the lead to 13-3. The quarter would end with Philadelphia again moving the ball well and adding another Nugent field goal to pull within 7. The second quarter was largely a Houston show as they added two more field goals and a safety, with Kavika Pitmann showing he still has it by wrapping up Warner in the endzone, building the Houston advantage to 21-6.  But, Kurt Warner, who would throw for over 450 yards on the day against the Gambler pressure, found his halfback, Steve Slaton, with 1:03 left in the half to pull Philadelphia right back in the game at 21-13. On their opening drive of the second half, Houston would have to settle for another field goal, their 3rd on the day, and went up 24-13, but Philadelphia answered with a long drive that produced a Slaton TD run, and when they tacked on the 2-point conversion (a Warner throw to Brent Celek), they were only down 3, 24-21.  Houston finished the 3rd with another field goal and built the lead back up to 6 at 27-21, but it seemed obvious that the lead would not hold. It did not.  On their first possession of the 4th quarter, Kurt Warner hit 3rd down back Leon Washington with a perfectly timed screen and Washington took it 31 yards to the house to give Philadelphia its first lead since the opening field goal drive.  Up 28-27, the crowd in the Linc was in full voice and Houston heard it on their next drive.  Matt Hasselbeck, being the veteran he is, ignored the crowd noise and drove the Gamblers down the field, but as they got close to the redzone, Seth Payne tipped a pass intended for Vernon Davis, and it was pulled out of the air by Quentin Jammer.  The Stars had the ball back, up by 1, but It would not last.  In the rare back-to-back play scenario, Kurt Warner’s next pass saw Ronde Barber jump the hook route, snatch the ball away from Stevie Johnson, and race 19  yards to paydirt, putting Houston up 33-28, and silencing the crowd.  Hasselbeck would convert the 2-pointer and Houston had a 7 point lead with 5:59 left to play. Philadelphia did not go into hurry up mode, but moved efficiently down the field, taking what Houston’s D would give them.  It took the Stars nearly the full 5 minutes, but when Warner connected on his third TD pass of the game, a 5-yard crossing route to his new number 1 receiver, Johnson, the game was tied. The Gamblers settled for a shot at overtime and won the toss to get the ball first.  For the next 8 minutes both teams would get a shot.  Houston did not reach midfield on their first drive. Philadelphia got closer, close enough to send out Mike Nugent to attempt a 55-yarder.  Nugent could not get enough leg into the kick and it fell short, meaning Houston got the ball back in great field position.  With time running down, Hasselbeck connected with Ike Hilliard again, this time a 22-yarder, then found Mike Sims-Walker for 11, and with time winding down in overtime, they sent out Dan Carpenter for an attempt at another 50+ yarder, this one from 52.  Carpenter got his full body behind the kick and it soared true, ending the game with another Houston victory.   The defending champs had defended their Summer Bowl win with a second defeat of Philadelphia, this time in Philly.   A great game to kick of the season and a great display of what USFL football is all about. TAMPA BAY 20   BOSTON 14 A cold, windy and overcast day in Beantown, but the weather was just fine for the Bandits, who raced out to a 17-0 lead on Boston before the Cannons made it interesting.  Willis McGahee was the star for the Bandits, rushing for 140 yards on only 14 carries, including a 44-yard TD.  Adrian McPherson got the start for Boston but struggled to a 24/43 day with a pick. Joey Galloway topped 100 yards (112) in his first game as a Bandit. TEXAS 21   WASHINGTON 22 A nail biter in DC as the Feds needed two 4th quarter TDs to upend the Outlaws.  With 2:43 left to play, Washington went for 2 and secured the win instead of heading to overtime.  A gutsy call to be sure.  Joe Flacco played well for Texas, throwing for 247 and 3 scores, while Washington got 122 yards rushing from Deuce McCallister but both 4th quarter scores came from understudy Rod Smart. LAS VEGAS 13   ATLANTA 0 The Fire were doused as Atlanta came out as flat as a roadkill possum on opening day.  Las Vegas held them to only 32 yards rushing and only 10 first down.  The Thunder offense was not exactly explosive, but a lone Marshawn Lynch TD and two field goals from Jeff Reed would be all they needed in the game. ORLANDO 17   NASHVILLE 20 A good one in Music City as Nashville trailed 14-10 after 3, but fought back and got a TD catch from rookie Demarius Moore to secure the home opening win over the ‘Gades.  Eli Manning, in his first action for Orlando, threw for 249 and2 scores against a well-known foe, but in the end it was Jay Cutler’s 2nd TD pass that gave Nashville the win. MICHIGAN 13   ARIZONA 27 Brian Griese threw for 318, with 107 and a score to Hines Ward, but it was not enough as Arizona got TDs from Tomlinson, Gronkowski, and Domenic Hixon ina dynamic first half that saw them go up 21-7. From there it was Tomlinson and rookie Stevan Ridley rushing to grind down the clock and take the opener. NEW ORLEANS 10   BIRMINGHAM 30 A stellar debut for Cam Newton as he throws for 2 scores and runs for another in a huge divisional win to open the season.  Down 10-0 after 1, Birmingham scored the next 30 points and ran away with a game they were expected to lose. The new-look Stallion defense produced 4 sacks of Drew Brees and held the former MVP to only 16 of 33 through the air. OHIO 19   PITTSBURGH 16 A nice rivalry game that also led to an upset as Ohio got just enough, including 10 points in the final frame, to upend the Maulers in front of nearly 52,000 fans for the home opener. It was Steve Smith catching the game winner from Dereck Anderson as the former backup got the W after being chosen over Vince Young to start the season opener.  Cody Pickett was sacked 4 times and thew a costly pick late in the game that protected the Ohio lead and the eventual win. CHICAGO 10  ST. LOUIS 28 Is it trouble for the Machine or have the Skyhawks finally put it all together?  Whatever the interpretation, this was a welcome site for over 43,000 at the Dome as the Skyhawks, scored a huge opening week win over a divisional foe and a rival.  Josh Freeman threw for 362 and 3 scores as both Jordy Nelson and Tyler Jacobs surpassed the 100-yard mark. CHARLOTTE 9   MEMPHIS 3 A real snoozer in Memphis as the two defenses dominated this game.  Memphis amassed only 169 total yards as Ryan Mallett started his USFL career with a 17 of 36 day, sacked 4 times and with a pick.  Jake Delhomme’s first game in teal and purple did not go much better, though he did throw for 286 yards.  The star of the game was Monarch kicker Brandon Coutu, who got all the scoring for Charlotte. SEATTLE 23   PORTLAND 13 The Cascade Clash was a pretty decent game, A.J. Feeley got the start for Portland and went 31 of 53 as the Stags tried to exploit Seattle’s secondary.  Seattle responded with TDs from Ladell Betts and David Boston, enough to take the upset win on the road and spoil the Stags’ home debut. LOS ANGELES 10   DENVER 0 A cold fog and occasional snow flurries made for a tough surface for this game, but not as rough as Denver’s offense in this game.  Matt Leinart threw 3 picks,  including one that set up the only touchdown of the game, a short Keyshawn Johnson TD catch.  Mark Sanchez got hurt in a bizarre incident that saw him catch a stray elbow from his own tackle, sending him to the turf and cracking his jaw.  A weird end to a weird game in the snow. JACKSONVILLE 13   OAKLAND 14 The Bulls gave Oakland a fight and rookie Ryan Williams struggled in his first action, gaining only 22 yards on 1.4 yards per carry, but the Invaders found a way to win, with Joey Harrington hitting Pierre Garçon in the 4th with the game winner.  Tim Tebow threw 2 picks, but also completed 23 of 34 for 230 yards in the loss. BALTIMORE 28   NEW JERSEY 14 New Jersey held the lead for 3 quarters, but the Blitz scored 22 points in the final 15 minutes to take advantage of a fading General defense.  Ron Dayne was the star on offense with 134 rushing yards and 3 total touchdowns.  New Jersey was hurt by Sam Bradford’s departure in the 2nd quarter with a concussion.  Jeff Blake, on in relief, just could not generate any offense and Baltimore eventually broke through in a big way to win the early divisional matchup. Oddsmakers Get Week 1 All Kinds of Wrong It seems like Las Vegas bookmakers, just like players and refs, need to shake the rust off when the new season begins.  They simply missed on so many games this week that it created chaos as underdog after underdog either covered the spread or won their games outright.  The biggest upset of the week was St. Louis taking it to Chicago despite being a 9-point underdog, but the sports books also missed on the Breakers-Stallions game, on Panthers-Wranglers, Express-Gold, Dragons-Stags, Glory-Maulers, and Thunder-Fire.  Add to that the missed spreads in the Knights-Renegades, Bulls-Invaders, and Outlaws-Federals games and it was a bad week to be the money man at Caesar’s or Bally’s. Now, the books can be forgiven for missing the Stallions’ scoring explosion.  No one saw that coming.  And the LA-Denver game was severely impacted by weather in the Front Range.  But some of the other games tell us that we may have to reevaluate who is ready for the year to begin or who we may have over- or underrated.  It is only week 1, but this could be an early sign that times are changing, and the league may be ready for a shift in power.  If that is the case, this could be a very exciting season for fans and a very rough one for Las Vegas. Rookies Make First Impression The first week of the season is always an exciting time for rookies and the fans who are hoping their club got a gem in the draft.  Not all the big name players got into action this week.  Jake Locker watched as Adrian McPherson got the start in Boston, for example, but there were several top name players who not only got into action, but started to show their stuff. The star of the week from the rookie class had to be Cam Newton, who looked very comfortable in Stallion scarlet and gold.  He picked up right where he had left off at Auburn.  Not only did he lead Birmingham to an upset victory in the season-opening division game against New Orleans, but he did it with style, connecting on 23 of 33 passing with 2 scoring tosses.  He hit new TE target Julius Thomas with an 18-yarder and then followed that up by finding Terrell Owens with a second scoring toss. He also added a 16-yard TD run, one of 6 carries on the day.  It was the type of performance that will get Stallion Nation excited and sell a lot of number 10 jerseys. Opening day was not as rewarding for Oakland’s top pick, halfback Ryan Williams.  Williams got plenty of touches, carrying the ball 16 times and catching 2 of 3 passes tossed his way, but he averaged only 1.4 yards per carry for a rough 22 yards on the ground and added only 19 yards receiving.  Not the kind of opening day that will have fans forgetting about Ricky Williams.  Oakland pulled out the win against Jacksonville, but they have to be concerned that their run game, once a dominant piece of their arsenal, has not yet found its way. Williams was not alone in struggling as a rookie back.  Ohio’s DeMarco Murray was also held under 2 yards per carry, gaining only 19 yards on 12 carries for the Glory.  Arizona draftee Stevan Ridley had only 5 carries, but managed a respectable 3.4 yards per carry on his way to 17 total yards, Charlotte’s Taiwan Jones had only 5 rushing yards for the Monarchs.  Perhaps the best HB day went to New Jersey’s Delone Carter, who spelled MJD for 8 carries, rushing for 34 yards and showing a burst on a 15-yard sprint. Among receivers, we got a good look at Jerrel Jennigan with the Stallions.  The rookie caught 4 Newton throws for 37 yards.  In Atlanta, Thunder WR Aldrick Robinson also started off strong with 4 catches and 40 yards for the visiting Thunder.  Chicago’s Austin Pettis caught 2 of 4 balls thrown his way, picking up 28 yards, including one 18-yard catch that caught our eye.  But the biggest eye-popping performance was from former Tennessee star Denarius Moore, who started his career in Nashville with 5 catches on 6 throws, for 60 yards and 2 scores, showing some break away speed and a penchant for the sideline catch. Among the defenders chosen in this year’s draft, we saw Adrian Clayborn pick up his first career sack for the Skyhawks, who hope it is one of many.  Cameron Jordan led all Breakers with 4 tackles in their game against the Stallions, Baltimore’s Robert Quinn picked up 3 tackles, but was also called for offsides twice in the Blitz victory over New Jersey.   Among the linebackers, the best day was had by Texas’s Jonathan Mouton, who had 7 tackles and 2 passes defended for the Outlaws.  Akeem Ayers had 5 tackles for the Dragons in their upset of Portland and St. Louis saw a second rookie come up big as LB Aldon Smith finished the day with 5 tackles, two of them for a loss as he burst into the backfield to disrupt the run game. It was not a huge week for secondary starters among the rookies.  Patrick Peterson had 4 tackles for the Breakers but no real chances for a pick.  Chimdi Onekwa for Ohio did him a bit better with 6 tackles, but that was also due to giving up several receptions in the Glory game against Pittsburgh.  LA safety Rahim Moore saw 25 plays but did not find his way onto the boxscore, while Jacksonville’s Jaiquawn Jarrett and Chicago’s Da’Norris Searcy were largely on the field only for kick returns and kick coverage. Ron Dayne Burst Out of the Gate A big day for Baltimore, and a bigger one for Ron Dayne as his 134 yards and 3 totat touchdowns were the engine that helped Baltimore pull off a 14-point win on the road in New Jersey.  Dayne averaged 5.4 yards per carry on the day had several runs in which he looked untackleable.  He also saw some action in the passing game, something we generally don’t associate with the big guy. Dayne was thrown to three times, caught two, and turned one into a 40-yard TD.  A very good day for the 12-year veteran who says his goals this year are to add a 11th 1,000-yard season to his HOF resume and to take home the rushing title.  He is certainly off to a good start on both accounts, and that could also help Baltimore find team success as any time Dayne is the focus of the defense, it makes life that much easier for Ben Roethlisberger and the Blitz passing attack. St. Louis Receivers Fly High in Week 1 If Ron Dayne was the story on the ground this week, the St. Louis Skyhawks were our aerial story of the week, with Josh Freeman throwing for over 360 yards and both Jordy Nelson and Tyler Jacobs making big play after big play on their way to twin 100+ yard games.  Nelson had a 48-yard catch among his 4 receptions for 132, a whopping 33-yard average. Not to be outdone, veteran Tyler Jacobs had three catches for 116 and two scores, averaging 38.7 yards.  Even TE Fred Baxter put up big numbers against the Chicago secondary, catching 2 balls for 49 yards. Fans of the Skyhawks have been waiting for their passing attack to click, and this game seems like everything they could have hoped for.  Yes. Freeman was sacked 5 times by the Machine, but he also completed long ball after long ball, including a 43-yard Nelson TD and a 77-yard backbreaker to Jacobs.  If this is a sign of the offense St. Louis will put out there each week, this may well be a club ready to shed its reputation as a struggling expansion club. Dansby Out 4-6 Weeks with Knee Injury All the Week One news was not positive as injuries again marred an otherwise celebratory atmosphere.  Among the most impactful injuries this week was Karlos Dansby, the athletic Wrangler LB, who went down with a dislocated knee, an ugly injury to see on the field.  There was tendon damage, and that is likely to keep Dansby out of the Wrangler defense for at least 4 weeks, perhaps longer.  Arizona will sub in Orlando Huff, with Travis Goethel helping out, but the loss is a big one for a Wrangler defense that is not considered one of the league’s deepest. Mark Sanchez Breaks Jaw in Wild Blooper, Will Miss 2-4 Weeks One of the weirder injuries this week, but one which will still negatively impact the team, was LA Express QB Mark Sanchez, who took some friendly fire and now could miss 2-4 weeks.  Sanchez was trying to escape pressure by moving up in the pocket, but slipped, lowering his head just as newly-acquired center Chris Spencer was setting up a power move on a defender.  Spencer’s elbow caught Sanchez right under the facemask, cracking against the QB’s chin. The blow sent Sanchez to the turf, where he spent the next few minutes apparently unconscious from the uppercut.  He was able to walk off the field, but was sent immediately to the locker room for x-rays. The tests confirmed what Coach Williams feared, a broken jaw.  It won’t need to be wired shut, but will require a few weeks before it is safe for Sanchez to return to action. Sanchez will give way to free agent acquisition Kevin Kolb at least for the next 2 weeks, and perhaps longer.  The good news, if there is any from this bizarre incident, is that it occurred late in the game against Denver and the 10-0 score at the time held up for the rest of the game, starting LA off 1-0 on the season.  But, they will now head to Jacksonville for a cross-country showdown with Kolb at the helm before getting their home opener in Week 3 against the Wranglers. After highlighting two impactful injuries from week 1, we can now review some of the others, including two players who will miss at least 2 months after suffering broken bones this week.  Chicago will lose CB Marlin Jackson from a secondary that struggled against St. Louis.  Jackson suffered a fracture in his fibula in the game and will need to be in a boot for at least 6 weeks, meaning a return in fewer than 8 weeks is very unlikely. For Nashville the issue is at fullback, where Peyton Hillis broke his wrist in a dogpile after a fumble.  Hillis will miss at least 8 weeks as well and Nashville will now need to seek out a backup as they only had Hillis at the position on their roster.  For next week, expect TE Jake Ballard to fill in, but the Knights will try to find a more suitable long-term answer in the free agent pool. Other significant injuries this week include New Orleans guard Evan Mathis (biceps), Michigan guard Lennie Freeman (back), Oakland FS Chris Conte (arm), LV corner Will Allen (neck), and LA halfback Ray Rice, who could miss 1-2 weeks with a hyperextended knee.  Sam Bradford was knocked out of the game against Baltimore with a concussion but is expected to play in Week 2.  The same is true for Willis McGahee, who pulled up with a hamstring issue at the end of his 140-yard day, but is back at practice and expected to suit up this week. League to Celebrate 30 Seasons in 2012 Only one week into the 2011 season and we are already talking about 2012. Why?  Well, it is not every year that the USFL can celebrate a milestone and 30 seasons is certainly a milestone worth recognizing.  The 2012 will be the USFL’s 30th and this week they announced some plans to commemorate the momentous achievement. The league has announced three commemorations of the anniversary season.  The first will be a patch to be worn on the jerseys of all 28 USFL clubs, taking the place of the standard USFL “U” logo. The logo features the years of the first and 30th season, the number 30 and the “U” all as one design. The second commemoration will be limited to the 12 franchises which started in the league in its inaugural year.  All 12 clubs (Arizona, Baltimore [Chicago], Birmingham, Denver, Michigan, New Jersey, New Orleans [Boston], Oakland, Philadelphia, Nashville [as LA Express], Tampa Bay, and Washington) will wear 1983 throwback uniforms whenever they face another 1983 club.  So, expect to see Breaker Blue, the Blitz in red jerseys, and the Knights wearing “LA” monograms on their helmets. Recognizing that three of the original 12 teams have relocated, and wanting to recognize the league’s commitment to their original cities, the 2012 schedule will feature a “Once and Present Kings of the Spring” event in Week 1 of the 2012 season.  The Blitz will play at Chicago, the Breakers in Boston, and the Nashville Knights will visit LA to play the new Express.  In those three games, the visiting “relocated” teams will wear their retro 1983 uniforms, while the three home teams, the Machine, Express, and Cannons, will wear the uniforms from their inaugural year in the USFL—1987 for Chicago, 1995 for LA, and 2002 for Boston. Expect a lot more from the USFL as they gear up for the big anniversary season.  It will be a season-long celebration of the little league that could and did take on the NFL and continues to be a major player in American sports culture. New Orleans Goes a Step Further in Celebrating their 30th It appears that the Breakers, not content with occasionally breaking out the original 1983 wave pattern helmets and Breaker Blue uniforms, are going to go a step further.  Beginning next week, New Orleans, through their website as well as USFLFootball.com will start a contest to decide whether the 2012 Adidas redesign should maintain the current color scheme, a scheme the Breakers have used since 1994, or if the team should return to the Breaker Blue, Navy, and silver colors they wore in both Boston and New Orleans for their first 12 seasons. The team has already committed to keeping the current breaking wave logo as part of the Adidas redesign, but now fans get to vote on the color scheme.  The voting will run from Week 2 of the USFL season through week 8, with results revealed at the Breakers’ Week 10 game against the New Jersey Generals. It will be a tough call, as there is a lot of nostalgia for the old blue-on-blue look, while many love the current teal version, which also has a lot of history behind it.  Both looks are iconic, largely due to the forward-thinking design of crashing waves the Breakers have always had as part of their look.  But, we will see if it is old school blues or new school aqua that wins the day for the Breakers as they suit up with a new design in 2012. The Breaker Vote can be reached on our poll site. Find it at the top of the screen. The poll will stay open through Week 8's recap with the results revealed in Week 10. Feds, Bulls, Outlaws to Join New Orleans in Getting New Looks for 2012 The Breakers will not be the only clubs sporting new looks in 2012.  Texas, Jacksonville, and Washington will also be on the docket for an Adidas overhaul.  We already know that Washington will have a 1983 retro look for a good part of the season (including all games against their 4 division rivals), but they may just add a twist to their other games with a new design.  Don’t expect them to move away from the iconic white helmet, after all, no one in Washington wants the Federals to look too much like the hated NFL Philadelphia Eagles. Texas tried to shift up their logo a few years ago, but the “active” Outlaw was just not accepted and was quickly dropped to a secondary logo.  Fans love the ornery outlaw logo that the club has used since the merger of the Oklahoma Outlaws and San Antonio Gunslingers prior to the 1988 season.  Don’t expect to see a change there, but many fans are hoping that the club will return to the “snakeskin” striping they wore in the 1990’s a popular and very distinctive look. Finally, the Jacksonville Bulls are unlikely to make major shifts. Their helmet has been regularly called one of the best in the league in fan polls, and the maroon over pewter color combo has been with the Bulls since the beginning.  Expect some tweaking, as always, and perhaps a secondary logo for the Bulls, something they have never really had in their 28 year history.  We should find out the new Bulls’ look as well as all the Adidas updates within the current season as most clubs want to reveal the look before fans wander off in August. Week one had surprises and some great opening games. So, what does Week 2 hold for us?  How about another huge NE Battle as Washington heads to Philadelphia.  Or a Southern Division clash between the two teams that have been neck and neck for the division title, the Breakers and Knights?  We have Chicago at Pittsburgh, both Central contenders trying to avoid an 0-2 start, and we have the surprising Birmingham Stallions at home against a good Baltimore squad.  The league champions are at home for the first time as they host the Generals, and St. Louis has a chance to surprise another division foe as they travel to Michigan to take on the Panthers.  Looks like another good week of football ahead of us. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET                            Nashville (1-0) @ New Orleans (0-1)       NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                   Los Angeles (1-0) @ Jacksonville (0-1)     ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                   Denver (0-1) @ Ohio (1-0)                     ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                   Washington (1-0) @ Philadelphia (0-1)  FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET                     New Jersey (0-1) @ Houston (1-0)           ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET                     St. Louis (1-0) @ Michigan (0-1)                FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET                     Las Vegas (1-0) @ Oakland (1-0)               ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                       Charlotte (1-0) @ Tampa Bay (1-0)           ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                        Memphis (0-1) @ Orlando (0-1)                 FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                        Baltimore (1-0) @ Birmingham (1-0)        FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                          Boston (0-1) @ Texas (0-1)                    ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                          Atlanta (0-1) @ Seattle (1-0)                    ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                          Arizona (1-0) @ Portland (0-1)                  FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET                          Chicago (0-1) @ Pittsburgh (0-1)        EFN

Player of the Week: The opening POTW goes to Ron Dayne, who almost singlehandedly won the big matchup against New Jersey this week. His 3 touchdowns were the difference and his 134 rushing yards were second in the league. A big day for the big back.

We’ve talked about the big stories of the USFL offseason, now it is time to make our picks, look at each team’s chances, and preview Week 1 of the 2011 USFL season.  We will go team by team to discuss the biggest offseason move, the rookie with the biggest potential impact, and our assessment of where they stand this year and what we might expect from them.  Before that we put together a 3-man panel of experts to answer some of the pressing questions of the year, and we wrap it all up with a look at the Week 1 slate of games.  Let’s get to it. TEN BIG QUESTIONS FOR 2011 Every season starts with a lot of unknowns. Which teams are rising and which are in decline?  Who will break out this year?  Which offseason moves will prove instrumental to change their team’s fortunes?  Will any rookies become instant sensations?   To answer these questions, we brought together three men who are well-known to USFL fans and who know the league as well as anyone.  We put the 10 biggest questions of the offseason to each of them, and here is what they said we should expect in 2011.  The Panel is: Lee Corso:  Former Head Coach of the Orlando Renegades, and one of the stars of USFL Today on ESPN for over 2 decades. Bobby Hebert: Former MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, USFL Champion, and one of the greatest QBs in USFL history, now a member of the FOX USFL pregame studio team. Lynn Swan: Former NFL Hall of Fame Wide Receiver and a broadcaster who has covered the USFL for ABC since its inception in 1983. And the questions are: Who Won the Manning-Brees Trade? CORSO: It has to be New Orleans.  Every season it seems we debate whether Eli Manning is an elite QB or not, but we don’t argue about Brees.  We know what he can do and  what kind of leader he is.  That is an upgrade for the Breakers and a downgrade for Orlando, despite what the Renegades would say. HEBERT: Honestly, it is a win for both QBs.  It may not be for both teams, but for the players themselves, this is a good move.  It allows Brees to get out of a situation where he just did not gel with the head coach, and for Eli, it gives him a chance to reinvent himself with a new fanbase and a new team. SWANN: While I agree with my colleague Lee about Brees being the better quarterback, I am going to remind everyone that Dwayne Bowe was also part of the deal and I think he has a lot to offer Orlando, so for me the 2-for-1 deal helps Orlando more. Which Free Agent Makes the Biggest Impact With Their New Team? SWANN: It has to be Troy Polamalu.  He is a difference maker.  Arizona still has some holes on defense, but you watch what Troy does each week.  He will impact games and that defense will cause issues for their opponents because he is on the field. CORSO:  I am going to say Jake Delhomme with the Monarchs.  Charlotte already had some pretty good pieces in place.  Chris Weinke was not getting the job done.  Delhomme may  not be an MVP candidate but he knows how to run an offense.  Between him and the new receivers that Charlotte brought in, I see them as a potential darkhorse. HEBERT: As much as I would love to go with the QB and agree with Lee on this one, I have to agree with Swanny.  Troy Polamalu is such a disruptive force.  He will be the difference for that Arizona D this year. Which Team Had the Worst Offseason? HEBERT: I have to go with the Philadelphia Stars.  You lose playmakers on offense like Steve Smith, Dallas Clark, and Darren Sproles, but also defensive talent like Cromartie, Schulters and Ryan Nece. Those are hits that are going to impact that team.  I like Stevie Johnson, but he is not going to be able to replace Steve Smith, and no one can really replace Sproles. SWANN: I am going with Oakland, for one reason, Ricky Williams.  The timing of Williams’s announcement, the lack of free agent options for the Invaders, and now they find their entire offense having to recalibrate because you just cannot plug in a rookie with a totally different running style like Ryan Williams and expect to get the same results.  I see Oakland struggling to overcome Williams’s departure. CORSO: I did not pick Troy Polamalu with Arizona as my biggest offseason win, but I am going to say that his departure from the Express is the biggest offseason loss.  I just don’t see how LA can make up everything he gave to that defense, and unless they can redesign a defense around others on that team, they will struggle without Polamalu back there at safety. Lots of New QB’s Under Center in 2011, Who Excels and Who Will Struggle? CORSO: Excel seems pretty clear.  I think New Orleans with Drew Brees will be a lot more dangerous.  As for struggling, I am looking at Ohio and they are taking a real chance with Vince Young.  I like the kid, he was outstanding at Texas, but we saw what his career was like in the NFL and I am not sure he suddenly gets it all right with a shaky Ohio squad this year. HEBERT: I really like the situation that Ryan Fitzpatrick is in with the Stags.  Yes, he has to battle with Feeley to win the job, but I think that he will win that battle and Portland is in a very good position to improve this year. As for struggling, I think Ryan Mallett, despite the talent around him in Memphis, has the biggest leap to make to be a successful USFL quarterback, and I just think this year could be tough for him. SWANN:  I know everyone is in love with Cam Newton, but he goes from a very talented Auburn team to a 2-win Birmingham squad as a rookie QB with really only 1 full year of top level college ball behind him.  That is a very steep learning curve.   As for the best situation, I really like where Jake Delhomme finds himself with Charlotte.  There is a lot of upside to his move from Memphis to the Monarchs. Which Rookie or Rookies Will Shine in Their First Year? SWANN: I really like what I am seeing from Patrick Peterson in that New Orleans defense.  He has great skills and can really fly around the field.  I think he moves quickly to the #1 CB slot and he makes a real impact on a pretty good team. HEBERT: I am looking at the three rookie QB’s likely to start by season’s end and the one in the best situation is clearly Jake Locker.  He has Chad Johnson as a primary target and a coach who knows what he is doing.  I think it may take him half the season to get used to the pace of the league, but by the end of the season watch out for what Locker can do in that offense. CORSO: Not so fast, my friends.  You are both missing out on the most obvious choice.  Aldon Smith is a beast, and he will be in a defensive scheme with St. Louis that allows him to blitz, to make plays in the run game, and to show off his talent.  St. Louis and Coach Arians got themselves an instant impact player in Smith and I see him causing all sorts of chaos this year. Who Do You See Winning the MVP in 2011? HEBERT: It would be easy to say either Warner or Hasselbeck again, but I am going to throw a curveball and say Joey Harrington.  He wants to prove he is back, he is on a team that may have to recalibrate their offense to be much more passing focused, and he is not a newbie, he is a veteran passer who knows what to do and what to avoid.  I see a big statistical year for him even if Oakland is not as good as a team. CORSO: Bobby, I just don’t see an MVP coming out of a team that could be 8-8.  It has to be a winning team, and I am going to go with a non-QB.  Frank Gore has been an elite back and the focal point for Nashville’s offense forever, and I think this year he finally gets the attention he deserves.  I am saying he tops 1,600 yards, more than 100 per game, and runs away with the MVP. SWANN: I love you, Lee, but I don’t see it.  MVP is almost always a QB and I think this year will be no different.  My pick is going to be Brees. New Orleans was a playoff team last year.  I think they are even better this year, and I think Brees uses that young receiver group to put up some superstar numbers.  He wanted out of Orlando. He got it. And I think he proves he is worth everything the Breakers can afford to give him. Which Non-Playoff Team from 2010 Will Not Only Get In but Could Go Deep into the Postseason? CORSO:  I really like what New Jersey is building.  I love Sam Bradford.  I think the defense is better this year, and I expect New Jersey to make a run that gets them above Baltimore and maybe even Philadelphia to finish 2nd behind Washington and get a Wild Card. SWANN: I like the New Jersey pick, but I am going with Portland.  They were close last year, and the Pacific feels like a division without a clear favorite. Oakland could be down.  Las Vegas seems weaker, and the void means a team like Portland has a clear path to a potential division title. HEBERT:  I know it will make me sound like a homer, but I am going with the Michigan Panthers.  Brian Griese is back and that makes all the difference.  This is a team that could win the division if Griese can return to his MVP numbers, and I have faith that he can. And Which 2010 Playoff Team Drops Out of the Hunt? SWANN:  I think it is Oakland.  The Ricky Williams retirement is killer for them. Harrington is still not 100% back from injury, and the team is just not looking ready to run the gauntlet this year. HEBERT:  I agree about Oakland, but Las Vegas also looks like a team that is slipping instead of rising. That receiving group is not good. I don’t know how Jake Plummer is expected to progress without more around him, and Marshawn Lynch has just too much being asked of him. CORSO: Two good picks, but kind of safe picks if you ask me.  I am going to go with the Stars. They lost a lot this offseason, and they are in what could be the toughest division in football. If they cannot recover fast and find some new stars, I could see Washington, Baltimore, even New Jersey jumping over them in that division. Can Houston Become Only the Second Team in League History to Repeat? HEBERT: No. simple answer.  It is so tough to do, and Houston is not a juggernaut like that Ohio squad in 2003.  They are good, but there are plenty of teams that are as good or maybe better. CORSO: Not so fast, Bobby. Houston has the best shot I have seen since that Ohio squad. They are stacked on both sides of the ball, and if you look at their conference, the biggest challenge may be Pittsburgh, who I just don’t see being able to stop them if it comes down to it.  Who do you see in the league that has the balance that Houston has?   No one. SWANN: They have a shot, that is true.  But it is so hard to repeat.  Every single game you get the other team’s best effort.  And on top of that you have to motivate your guys to do it again, when they already have had a taste of the title buzz.  It is hard to stay focused.  I think they have the talent, but is the hunger going  to be there? Who Takes Home the John Bassett Trophy When All is Said and Done? CORSO: I am going to double down from the last question.  I love what Coach Phillips has there in Houston. He has a run game. He has a veteran QB who can carry the team if needed. He has edge rushers, and he has a veteran leader at MLB with Farrior.  This team is stacked and I say they repeat. HEBERT: I am going to steal your trademark, Lee. Not so fast, my friend.  I don’t see Houston repeating, though I think they are the best team in the West.  I am going to go with a team that is hungry and on the rise.  I say it goes to Pittsburgh this year.  They find a way to beat Houston and move on to the Summer Bowl, and I think they are better than pretty much every team in the East. SWANN: I can do this too.  Not so fast, both of you.  You are all acting like the Eastern Conference has no contenders. I still say whichever team can win out in the Northeast Division has an advantage because they will be used to fighting wars every single week. For me, the team that is set up to do that is Washington.  I know that not everyone is on the David Garrard bandwagon, but I believe.  They have improved their receiver group, they have an underrated defense, and they have Deuce McCallister, who everyone wants to see get a ring.  I am going with Washington. TEAM AND LEAGUE PREVIEWS There you have it.  We have heard from our expert panel. So now it is our turn.  We pulled together all the bullpen picks and once again made our picks for each division.  As we review each division, we will give you our picks and then look over each team, finishing with our pick to win it all. This is, as our panel said, the toughest division in the league once again.  We could see 4 of these 5 clubs all finishing at 8-8 or better, and they very well could have 3 playoff teams once again.  Boston is still rebuilding, but with Jake Locker under center, we think they too are improved.  Within our bullpen the consensus is that Washington overtakes Philadelphia for the division title, followed by the Stars, Generals, Blitz and Cannons, with both Philly and Jersey getting into the dance. 2010 Record: 10-6, Lost in Wild Card Round Head Coach: Tom Coughlin (8th Season) Biggest Offseason Move: Signing DE Joe Tafoya.  If you think that does not sound like a major coup, you would be right. Baltimore was not a major player in free agency, working mostly to add depth. Impact Rookie: DE Robert Quinn. Lined up opposite Tafoya, Quinn will get every chance to be an immediate impact player for the Blitz defense. Offense: Expect the 2011 Blitz to look a lot like the 2010 version, focusing on the run game with Ron Dayne as the bellcow, then play action and the occasional deep ball from Ben Roethlisberger. The receiving group is good with Hot, Heyward-Bey, and Antonio Gates starring.  Expect to see more of Doug Gabriel this year as he has supplanted Craphonso Thorpe as the #3 receiver. Defense: This is where we should expect to see some adjustments.  Quinn and Tafoya join Zgonina on the 3-man line. Brandon Spikes is at the center and we will now see a full season with Jason Taylor on the weak side, blitzing often.  The secondary is solid with Asomugha and Lucas outside and Adam Archuleta roaming the middle. Outlook: Baltimore was a solid playoff contender in 2010 and they expect to be again in 2011.  But can they do more? Is this a team able to take the next step and take the division and more?  We are not so sure.  We think 10 wins is a likely outcome and that could mean once again a Wild Card role. 2010 Record: 7-9, 5th in Division Head Coach: John Fox (10th Season) Biggest Offseason Move: All about the defense.  Boston signed 5 quality free agents and 4 of them were on defense, including FS Will Allen, DE Chuckie Nwokorie and LBs Corey Miller and Dat Nguyen.  All four should start for the Cannons. Impact Rookie: You know we have to say Jake Locker, right?  I mean, you don’t make the deal Boston did without expecting Locker to be your guy for the next decade.  Adrian McPherson will start the season under center, but we all know that it will be Locker’s team before long. Offense: We expect the Cannons to rely heavily on their RBs (Mendenhall, Hunt and free agent Tatum Bell) to set the stage, hoping to use play action to give Jake Locker some easy throws to Chad Johnson.  Boston still lacks a true #2, with Cedric Wilson in that spot at the moment.  We do like the role that Percy Harvin is taking on in the slot, but a lot will depend on Locker and his growth into the pro game. Defense: All new, and largely unknown.  That is what we would say about this defense.  Two new linebacker, a new DE opposite Jason Babin, and a reshuffled secondary still anchored in CB Fred Smoot.  Can this group gel, and if so, how good can they be? Outlook: Boston is a team in transition, and that could go smoothly or be a bumpy ride.  They will likely be uneven, and need time to grow together, so an 8-win season would be a very good result for this year. 2010 Record: 8-8, 4th In Division Head Coach: Herm Edwards, 3rd Season Biggest Offseason Move:  Signing Aaron Kampman away from the Outlaws is likely the most impactful move.  Putting him opposite Shaun Ellis will make life tough for D-Coordinators, especially with both Raji and Ian Scott inside. Impact Rookie: No immediate starters in the 2011 draft, but we expect Delone Carter and TE Virgil Green to contribute. Offense: Will Bradford have a sophomore slump or will he grow into an elite QB? He has good weapons around him, including veterans catching the ball in Clayton, Houshmanzadeh, Holmes, and TE Anthony Becht.  The line still looks a bit shaky for our taste, but the skill positions are there. Defense: New Jersey is hoping to get pressure with their front 4, allowing Tinoisamoa, Fujita, and Donterrious Thomas to focus on the run and coverage.  The starting corners (Nate Clements and Devin McCourty) are solid, but we are not sure about depth there.  Bob Sanders and Tony Driver are a solid duo at safety. Outlook: New Jersey was one game away from a playoff spot last year.  To get over the hump they need more from Maurice Jones-Drew, they need their defense to take a step towards the Top 10, and they need Bradford to improve on a Rookie of the Year season.  We think all three are pretty likely.  We project New Jersey as a potential Wild Card in this division. 2010 Record: 11-5, Lost in Summer Bowl Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (7th Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  Replacing Steve Smith with Stevie Johnson.  They did not want Smith to leave, but in Johnson they have found a younger player who may be just as fast, just as brash, and just as effective. Impact Rookie: The Stars were only able to sign 3 of their draft picks, with a lot of defections to the NFL.  None of those three is slated to start this week.  We think OT Anthony Castonzo from BC is the player most likely to see significant snaps, but we just don’t see a lot coming from this draft class. Offense: A new #1 receiver in Johnson, a new #1 TE in Daniel Fells, and a QB who is still among the most accurate in football.  Add to that perhaps the best line from LT all the way across to RT and the Stars’ offense should be just fine this year.  The key may well be how #2 and #3 receivers Reche Caldwell and Troy Williamson step up to help Stevie Johnson adjust. Defense: The D was the key for Philadelphia last year, and they could be again.  Sean Lee could be even better with another year of experience and Robert Mathis is just starting to get the hang of how to be an effective edge rusher.  Signing Darren Sharper was a good option for the Stars and should help the secondary avoid a let down after a very good 2010. Outlook: The Stars came oh so close to a 4th title and we think they will be inspired to go that extra step this year, but in a very tough division, that could be a challenge.  Lots of teams are gunning for them, so a #1 seed may be a tough feat to repeat, much less a conference and league title. 2010 Record: 10-6, Lost in Divisional Round Head Coach: Sean Payton (5th Season) Biggest Offseason Move: The Feds kind of silently upgraded their receiving corps in a big way.  The nabbed McCants from Charlotte in free agency and then made a deal with Texas to bring slot receiver Danny Amendola to town.  There will be no excuses for Garrard if he does not continue his upward trajectory in 2011. Impact Rookie: Impact Rookie: Another shrewd WR pickup in Dontrelle Inman from Uva, but we have to say DT Corey Liuget is the big get (see what we did there?) for the Feds.  He will be an athletic presence in the line for the Feds, something they sorely needed. Offense: A lot depends on if Garrard can continue to produce at the level he did last year.  We know Deuce will continue to be a focal point, but now the Feds have a much deeper, much shiftier receiver group for Garrard to work with, and that could be bad news for the rest of the division. Defense: Liuget and Atkins inside, Chris Long and Kiawanuka outside.  Lots of potential, but little proven track record. That is what we see.  The LB group will still be Antonio Pierce’s to shape, but we are not seeing a lot of depth there.  Ed Reed is the lynchpin for the entire defense. If he can shape up that secondary, the D could surprise some folks. Outlook: We are putting Washington up there with New Jersey as potential contenders to knock off Philadelphia, but a lot of that is contingent on how the D-line gels and if Garrard is for real after a shaky start to his career.  Could be 11 wins, could be 6. If the NE Division is the toughest, the SE Division may well be the most balanced. You could make an argument for pretty much each and every team to finish first or to finish last.  We had all kinds of disagreement on this one, although most thought that it would come down to the two non-Floridian teams, Atlanta and Charlotte in the end.  After our polling we had Atlanta first, Charlotte second, followed by Tampa Bay, Orlando, and Jacksonville, but all of them within 1-2 games of .500. 2010 Record: 9-7, Lost in Divisional Round Head Coach: Tom Ramsey (3rd Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  A pretty quiet offseason for the Fire, though we do like them bringing in Ryan Nece from Philly as a MLB option. Impact Rookie: The Fire did better than most, signing 7 of their 10 picks, including Georgia LB Justin Houston.  He will rotate with Nece inside, likely playing more passing downs to make use of his speed. Offense: Josh Reed set the league on fire last year.  He needs more help from Demaryius Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr, because this year every team will be doubling up on the 2010 yardage leader.  We like the signing of rookie HB Anthony Allen because McFadden just had too many carries last year.  The Fire will also keep using J. J. Arrington on third down, and that seems like a good plan to us. Defense: The front 4 of Atlanta Is just getting started.  Kelsay, Mosley, Jason Ferguson and Robaire Smith could develop into an elite squad.  That would be helpful as both the LB group and the secondary can be hit or miss a times, even with Charles Woodson still locking up the #1 receiver each and every game. Outlook: Atlanta was a surprise division champion in 2010.  We think it may be an even bigger surprise if they can repeat. They have talent, to be sure, but they are not a juggernaut by any stretch of the imagination. We think 10 wins could be a ceiling for them. 2010 Record: 7-9, 5th in Division Head Coach: Jim Mora Jr (4th Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  The Monarchs were not shy about wanting a change at QB. They traded Chris Weinke to Seattle well before they had Jake Delhomme signed.  But, Delhomme is the man now, and he will want to make an impact for his 3rd team in 3 years.  He will get 2 shots at Jacksonville now that he is back in the division with the Bulls, and that should be fun. Impact Rookie: Center Mike Pouncey will be a Day One starter for the Monarchs.  He is big, but agile, and whip smart.  We like this pick and signing a lot.  We just wish they Monarchs had also been able to add some impact players in the skill positions. Offense: Delhomme will throw to a revamped, but somewhat long in the tooth, receiving corps.  D. J. Hackett is joined by Derick Mason and Anquon Boldin.  Only Hakeem Nicks is on an ascending track in his career.  Even HB Fred Jackson may be on the downside, so you have a relatively new team with a very old offensive roster. Defense: Julius Peppers has found second life in Charlotte, but he is not doing it alone.  We like the Monarch LB group quite a bit, led by MLB Rolando McClain, with young talent in Jerrod Mayo and Rey Mauluaga.  A nice trio that can cover, chase down backs, and blitz. Outlook: Charlotte came on strong at the end of 2010 and we think that momentum can continue into 2011.  Now, we say that even with a pretty questionable offensive core.  We think the defense will be key.  Keep teams under 20 points and we think the Monarchs win those games. 2010 Record: 7-9, 4th in Division Head Coach: Leslie Frazier (2nd Season) Biggest Offseason Move: Trading to get G Damien Woody was a smart move, and our pick for the most impactful this offseason for the Bulls. Impact Rookie: While we are somewhat luke warm about 1st round signee, safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, we do love LBK. J. Wright, who they picked up laterin the draft. DE Da’Quan Bowers could see a lot of snaps as well. Offense: Year 2 for Tim Tebow and Tebowmania in Florida.  He returns with pretty much the same hands group.  C. J. Spiller behind him. Jason Whitten in close, and Rashaun Woods out wide. Beyond Woods, however, we are not as impressed with the receiver group, so Tebow may find himself scrambling quite a bit once again. Defense: Mike Vrabel cannot do it all on his own, so the pick of K. J. Wright was a good one.  The Bulls also want to see Marcus Stroud continue to develop and are hoping that Tim Crowder lining up on one end, will free up David Bowens on the other. Outlook: Leslie Frazier’s club never quit last season, and 7-9 was at one point not looking very likely.  Can they take another step? It is absolutely possible in a division that is very balanced top to bottom. 2010 Record: 8-8, 2nd in Division Head Coach: Emmitt Thomas (6th Season) Biggest Offseason Move: The Trade. That is all we have to say. Orlando sent off 2x MVP Drew Brees and brought in Eli Manning. They are either geniuses or morons, and this season will be the litmus test. Impact Rookie: Impact may be a lot to ask for from this group.  James Carpenter, the Alabama OT, will get snaps.  WR Leonard Hankerson will too, but we don’t see this as a very dynamic draft class for Orlando. Offense: Manning will work with receivers Michael Jenkins, Justin McCaerins and free agent acquisition DeSean Jackson, but his best friend, as he was for Brees, will be Greg Olsen at TE.  None of Mannings skills will matter if Knowshon Moreno cannot become the 1,000-1,200 yard rusher that Orlando keeps insisting he is meant to be. Defense: The combo of Hayensworth inside and Calais Campbell outside is still nasty, but what else is there on this defense?  The LB group looks a bit slow and a bit sloppy.  Cortland Finnegan led the league in interceptions but that seems to be a byproduct of the pressure Campbell creates so can it be counted on again?  We have our doubts. Outlook: Orlando feels a bit desperate.  We get that Brees was unhappy, but to shop him around just felt like a team that simply did not know where it wanted to go.  So now they start over and hope they can find themselves.  That sounds like the perfect formula for an underachieving year. 2010 Record: 7-9, 4th in Division Head Coach: Mike Shula (1st Season) Biggest Offseason Move: The Bandits were very active in free agency, signing 6 USFL free agents. The best of the new Bandits is WR Joey Galloway, but we all know he is a short term addition.  DE Marcellus Wiley also fits that bill, so what we are seeing is a team that wants to win now, before their window completely closes. Impact Rookie: Tampa took a shot at finding an heir apparent to Daunte Culpepper, but with Christian Gabbert jetting off to the NFL, the best rookie they actually have on the roster is TE Luke Stocker, who still feels like a big downgrade from Jeremy Shockey (off to the NFL). Offense: Joey Galloway joins the Bandits as the #1, but how much is left in the tank for the former All-USFL receiver?  The same could be said for so many Bandits.  Culpepper.  McGahee.  Doering.  This is a team that feels tired to us, and that is before the season even starts. Defense: While perhaps in better shape than the offense, there is a lot of potential downward movement on the Bandit defense as well.  Jonathan Vilma and Zeke Moreno are one year older.  Bringing in Marcellus Wiley feels like a move they should have made 5 seasons ago.  There is just not the burst of energy here that a team needs to make an impact. Outlook: While the Southeastern Division is pretty balanced, we have to say that we think that Tampa Bay may be the team bringing up the rear.  They just don’t excite us and seem to be clinging to a generation of players who are not what they once were. For the past 3 years it has come down to the Breakers and the Knights clashing in Week 16 to determine the division winner, with both making the playoffs. We honestly don’t think Memphis or Birmingham are ready to change that dynamic.  Our one alteration is that most believe that New Orleans, now with Drew Brees at the helm, find a way to win that Week 16 clash and take home the Division title. We see the Breakers at 1, Nashville in the playoffs at #2 with Memphis and Birmingham better but still under .500. 2010 Record: 2-14, 4th in Division Head Coach: Mike Shanahan (3rd Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  Which of Birmingham’s 8 major offseason signings do we pick?  As much as we want to praise the additions of CB Antonio Cromartie, DE Kamerion Wemberley, and LB Nate Webster, the biggest impact could come from NFL halfback Joseph Addai.  While something of a reclamation project after a couple of nasty injuries with the NFL Colts, Addai has the potential to bring back something Birmingham has not seen in a long time, a 1,000 yard rusher. Impact Rookie: In so many ways Cam Newton has already made a huge impact.  His emergence in the 2010 Auburn championship season turned the USFL draft upside down.  His signing with Birmingham over the NFL Panthers was a huge win for the Stallions.  But now comes the hard part, living up to the hype that Newton is getting, particularly in Birmingham, but all across the league. Offense: The Stallions could not land A. J. Green, so Newton will be working with Terrell Owens, Julian Edelman and rookie Jerrel Jerrigan.  Addai will likely be the key to keeping pressure off of the rookie QB.  If he rebounds well and teams are forced to respect the Stallion run game (for a change), it could make Newton’s transition to the pro game a lot smoother. Defense: A largely reinvented group with Derrick Harvey coming over in trade, Ernie Sims signed from the NFL, Nate Webster and Antonio Cromartie in free agency, and rookie Shiloh Keo named the starter at SS, this will be a defense that will need to come together, learn who they are, and hopefully play as a unit if Birmingham wants to avoid another 10 loss season. Outlook: We like the pieces Birmingham has put together, and the aggressiveness of their offseason plan, but this is a team that has to learn who they are.  That could take most of the season before it becomes a factor, and that may mean that wins are hard to come by in March and April.  Getting to .500 would be a major step for Coach Shanahan’s squad. 2010 Record: 6-10, 3rd in Division Head Coach: Jim Haslett (7th Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  The Showboats sent LB Keith Bullock to Pittsburgh for WR Matt Jones and CB Kareem Larrimore.  That has been a highly criticized move in local circles. Both new players are deep down the depth chart right now, so the coaches seem to be agreeing that perhaps a mistake was made. Impact Rookie: As much as we like the picks of DE Sam Acho (Texas) and Patrick DiMarco (So. Carolina), we have to say that Ryan Mallett’s development as a pro QB will be the key to whether or not the Showboats improve in 2011 or suffer another rough season as they rebuild their roster. Offense: Mallett will have two solid backs to hand off to in Cadillac Williams and Shonn Greene.  He also has a solid receiver group, particularly after Lee Evans resigned and rejoined Robert Ferguson, Sidney Rice and TE Jim Kleinsasser.  There is talent here, but is the line good enough to help Mallet make use of it?  They are solid at tackle and center with Gandy, Maurice Williams and Casey Rabach, but we are not so sure about the guards, Santucci and Alford, and about depth. Defense: Sam Acho steps in at RE on day one.  He and linemates Reggie Torbor and Dan Williams will have a lot on their plates as the hope to protect and free up a pretty good LB group (Kirk Morrison, Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman and Spencer Larsen).  The secondary is talented at safety (Tebucky Jones and Coy Wire) but pretty thin and inexperienced at cornerback. Outlook: Similar to Birmingham, a lot rides on how quickly and how well Ryan Mallett develops into a viable starting QB in the pro game.  If Memphis can support him with a solid defense and a good run game, the Showboats could surprise some folks. 2010 Record: 10-6, Lost in Eastern Finals Head Coach: Jim Johnson (17th Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  The Knights only brought in two new vets in CB Duane Starks (FA from Arizona) and NFL DE Cullen Jenkins, but both could contribute right away.  Jenkins is currently the swing end on the D-line, behind Gary Stills and Mario Addison, but we expect he will see his snaps increase each week.  Starks, who has been with the team longer, is already set up as the #2 CB behind only Willie Middlebrooks. Impact Rookie: Mario Addison, the midround pick out of Troy State is already slated as a starter on the Nashville D-line, quite a surprise honestly.  His physical skills will be tested as he faces much tougher competition in the USFL than he ever did at Troy. Offense: Frank Gore remains the heart and soul of this offense.  The only major new arrival is rookie WR Denarious Moore, already set up as a starter opposite Robert Meachem. Honestly, the depth of talent on the Knight offense is a bit dubious, but they are strong across the entire O-line and that can hide a lot of deficiencies elsewhere. Defense: Shaun Rogers anchors a questionable D-line, something we rarely see in a Jim Johnson team.  But, if either Addison or Jenkins emerges, the group could be better than anticipated.  Terrell Suggs will be a regular blitzer, to be sure, and Hunter Hillenmeyer will keep the LB group focused. We still love safety LaRon Landry, and the acquisition of Duane Starks is a definite upgrade.  The D, as usual with Johnson-led teams, will be the focal point for the Knights once again. Outlook: As much as we trust Jim Johnson to put together a competitive squad that will battle each week, we are wondering if Nashville has enough to once again make a deep playoff run.  So much depends on if Jay Cutler can finally take the next step. 2010 Record: 9-7, Lost in Wild Card Round Head Coach: Mike Nolan (12th Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  As with Orlando, the big story of the offseason was the QB swap that brought Drew Brees to the Bayou.  Brees is a proven commodity, but one who will need to learn about a whole new roster around him. Impact Rookie: The Breakers signed only 3 players out of 9 picks, but in DE Cameron Jordan and CB Patrick Peterson they may have landed two of the best defenders available in this year’s class. Both are already solidly among the starting 11 on defense, with Peterson competing with Randall Gay to be the #1 corner while Jordan is expected to balance the D-line opposite Ty Warren. Offense: Drew Brees has a very young, very fast WR group in Santana Moss, Early Doucet, Donnie Avery, Brandon LaFell and DeMetrius Byrd.  He will also hope that the combo of Matt Forte and Michael Robinson can take the pressure off, because the clear issue with the Breaker offense is the line.  No standouts and a couple of question marks on the line mean that Brees may need to improvise a bit more than he would like. Defense: Peterson and Jordan jump into a defense that already had strong credentials with the likes of Jason Peters, Ty Warren, Hannibal Navies, and Mike Doss as leaders.  Navies may be in the toughest position, because the rest of the LB group (Calvin Pace, Daryl Smith, and Bradie James) have not been as consistent as New Orleans needs them to be. Outlook: While the focal point will be on Brees this year, in our minds the key to New Orleans finally getting past Nashville and taking the division is the defense. If Jordan and Peterson deliver on their potential, this squad should improve, and that could be enough to finally get New Orleans over the hump. Is Michigan back now that Griese is?  Is Pittsburgh truly ascendant?  Is Chicago on the decline or ready to rebound?  And what do we make of St. Louis and Ohio’s chances? The answer, at least within our group, is that we believe in a Panthers revival.  We see Michigan and Pittsburgh battling for the Division, Chicago barely missing out on the playoffs.  St. Louis improving within the division but finishing 4th, and Ohio still in rebuild mode at the bottom of the group. 2010 Record: 9-7, Lost in Divisional Round Head Coach: Marty Mornhinweg (13th Season) Biggest Offseason Move: Two big moves to try to keep the secondary intact after Darren Sharper signed with Philly.  The first was at the same position, bringing in veteran Reggie Tongue.  Chicago then added a quality veteran corner from the NFL, a player who may also see some time at safety, former Lions DB James Joseph. Impact Rookie: Safety remained a focus with UNC’s Da’Norris Searcy and Nebraska’s Dejon Gomes both selected and signed.  Both start the year as backups behind Tongue and Corey Hall, but we expect to see both contributing in dime packages and potentially on special teams. Offense: For a supposed offensive guru, Marty Mornhinweg seems less likely than most to try something new.  The Machine offense will very likely still be focused on Michael Turner and the play action opportunities he can provide to brady Quinn.  Rookie Austin Pettis will be the new target in the slot, along with TE’s Anthony Fasano and Ben Hartsook, but as in the past 3 years, expect a lot of balls to be thrown towards Donald Driver once again. Defense: Chicago’s defense is getting older and possibly slower. They still have some younger talent like Ellis Wyms and Kendrell Bell, but Urlacher, Weaver, and Tommy Polley are slowing down a bit, which has to be a concern for the Machine and their faithful fans. Outlook: Chicago is solid.  Not flashy, but solid.  The question becomes whether or not solid is good enough.  Two years ago it was good enough for 2nd place behind a flashy Michigan squad.  Last year, by a half game, they were again in 2nd place, this time behind a young and hungry Pitttsburgh squad.  If both the Maulers and Panthers are back to their winning ways, we could see Chicago in 3rd, not 2nd, but if the Machine can just add a bit of innovation, then 1st place may be an option for them. 2010 Record: 8-8, 3rd in Division Head Coach: Dick LeBeau (8th Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  Honestly nothing earthshaking came out of the offseason for Michigan.  They signed some backups at DE and HB, and traded for guard Elroy Wells, but none of those moves feel like they impact the overall quality of the roster for the Panthers. Impact Rookie: OT Gabe Carimi from Wisconsin is expected to fit right in at left tackle right away, which is both promising and somewhat scary for Brian Griese, who lost nearly all of the 2010 season to injury.  If Carimi lives up to the promise he showed as a Badger, then Griese may have a franchise LT for the rest of his career, but if he has typical rookie issues, then Griese may spend this season running for his life. Offense: If Carimi works out, then Michigan could have one of the best lines in the game.  They have two outstanding guards in Andy Levitre and Lennie Friedman, and Jeff Faine at Center is a rock, but those tackles, we just don’t know.  Griese returns and he still has an outstanding trio in Ward, Coles, and Manningham.  He also hopes that former NFL back Thomas Jones finds his 2nd speed this year and can help alleviate the pressure to throw the ball.  We shall see. Defense: There is concern in Michigan that too many pieces have wandered off the roster in recent years.  The strength of the D remains the LB group of Katzenmoyer, Odell Thurman and DeMarcus Ware, but the front line looks less than intimidating.  The secondary has talent in Deltha O’Neal, Chris Canty, and Tyrone Carter, but they still give up far too many deep balls.  Watch this group to see if they remain exposed to the big play or if they change things up and can force teams to play small ball. Outlook:  We think the Panthers can bounce back after last year’s drop.  If Griese is back to form, and that is the big ‘if’ this year, then we see Michigan competing for the division and maybe more. 2010 Record: 4-11-1, 5th in Central Head Coach: Bart Andrus (1st Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  The Collins-George-Galloway era is now definitively gone.  Enter Steve Smith, a very different type of receiver, but a very dynamic and dangerous one too.  He was electric for the Stars last year, and Ohio wasted no time in free agency bringing in the firebrand.  He will either torch the opposition or burn the house down in Columubus.  But, hey, no pressure to get this right. Impact Rookie: Ohio wanted Jake Locker badly.  Birmingham and Boston outmanuevered them, but the consolation prize, DT Marcell Dareus, is a pretty good one.  Dareus will eat up space in the middle, making life easier for both DE’s Chauncey Davis and Isaac Hilton, and for MLB James Laurinaitis, already one of the league’s best. Offense: If Vince can return to form after a couple of rough years with injuries in the NFL, he could be another 10-year starter for the Glory. His skill set is very different from Kerry Collins, as he is just as likely to bowl you over on a scramble than throw the perfect pass.  He has a good receiver group in TE Stephen Alexander, Steve Smith, Aurelious Benn and resigned slot man Javon Walker. The big question is at tailback, where rookie DeMarco Murray is expected to get the the lead role with Kevin Smith and James Jackson also getting carries. Defense: Coach Andrus wants this team to be known for its defense, but we are not sure they are there yet.  Getting Dareus certainly helps.  Laurinaitis leads a smart, but somewhat slow LB group with Nick Greisen and Glenn Cadrez.  The secondary is led by CB Joe Haden, but beyond him we are not so sure they are a Top 10 group.  We see this defense as perhaps 1 more offseason away from being what Andrus wants to see. Outlook:  The rebuild has begun in earnest, and some pieces are in place, but in this tough division, that may not translate to more wins this year.  All 4 other Central clubs feel like they are slightly ahead of the curve in comparison with the Glory.  So, spend the season looking for areas of growth and signs of future potential. 2010 Record: 9-6-1, Lost in Western Finals Head Coach: Ron Rivera (6th Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  The Maulers wanted one more thumper in the LB group to intimidate rushers and receivers over the middle. Their trade with Memphis absolutely landed them what they craved in the form of Keith Bullock.  The former Showboat will likely alternate between Strong Side and MLB in the Mauler system, alternating with Barrett Green depending on down and distance. Impact Rookie: All the buzz in the Iron City is about the 3-headed monster Coach Rivers created by drafting and signing Andy Dalton from TCU.  Now Dalton shares the QB room with former #1 pick Pat White, and starter Cody Pickett.  That could be the best QB room in the league, or it could be a recipe for disaster.  We would not be shocked to see 1 of the 3 traded before midseason just to reduce the pressure. Offense: For now this is Cody Pickett’s team, and well it should be after a solid season and a deep playoff run that took the Maulers to a division title and the Conference Final. The Maulers tried to address the departure of DeShaun Foster as best they could, bringing in NFL back Ronnie Brown to compete with Kenny Watson for carries.  They have promoted speedy WR Victor Cruz to the #2 spot, putting Kevin Johnson in the slot, and they have a solid 1-2 combo at TE with Jimmie Graham and Owen Daniels.  This is an offense which could be even better in 2011, and that should scare folks in this division. Defense: As much as we are impressed by the potential of the Mauler offense, the defense remains the star.  DE Jared Allen, the reinforced LB group, and a 4 man defensive backfield that could be the league’s best, with Surtain and Dunta Robinson outside and Sean Taylor and Scott Shields inside. This is likely to be a top 5, possibly top 1-2 defense in the league. Outlook: The Maulers look primed to take another shot at a Summer Bowl appearance.  If Pickett can repeat last year’s success, and if the defense is as good on the field as they appear on paper, this will be a team that is hard to stop.  We see them going far, perhaps all the way. 2010 Record: 5-11, 4th in Division Head Coach: Bruce Arians (2nd Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  A lot of depth moves for the Skyhawks in the offseason.  They brought in role players in LB Brandon Siler (NFL Chiefs), and DT Kendrick Clancy. The biggest signing has to be guard Leonard Davis, who could still have 5-6 solid All-USFL years left in him.  If he can help spur a run game, the Skyhawks could be on their way to winning records in the future. Impact Rookie: The ‘Hawks failed to land CB Prince Amukamara, but they did find success in other avenues, particularly in the T-Draft, where they landed all 3 selections, including Missouri LB Aldon Smith, a potential Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate. Offense: Continued development by Josh Freeman is the key.  The Skyhawks have shown they can run the ball with Antowain Smith. Taylor Jacobs leads a pretty decent receiver group along with Jordy Nelson and Sinorice Moss.  We are still waiting for Tony Moeaki to show the potential he had in college, so the TE group is still a question, but with the addition of Davis, the line does look better than the slapshot version we have seen in recent years. Davis, along with LT Brian Bulaga and C Shaun O’Hara make the left side of the line a potential force.  The right side, well, they try hard. Defense: Richard Seymour is the heart of the defense, and the best player on it.  The pass rush combo of Eddie Freeman and Antonio Smith still feels a bit undermanned, so expect the Skyhawks to blitz with players like rookie Aldon Smith, ROLB Wali Rainier, and safeties Antuan Edwards and Kendrick Lewis. Outlook: Still very much a work in progress, but we see what Coach Arians is building and we think he is moving into an area where a 2-4 win season should no longer be an option.  An 8-8 record, or even better should be the goal, it is an ambitious one in a division this tough, but it is a realistic ambition. Houston was the consensus division winner, without much debate.  After that it gets pretty interesting.  Folks in our bullpen thought that all three of the remaining teams were capable of surprising us.  Denver got the most votes for 2nd, but there was a lot of support for both Arizona and Texas rising up and possibly displacing the Gold for 2nd place.  Can any of them challenge Houston?  For us at least the answer was no. 2010 Record: 7-9, 4th in Division Head Coach: Jim Tomsula (3rd Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  The Wranglers limited their offseason moves to the draft and free agency within the USFL pool, signing 4 veterans, including QB Dave Dickerson, OT Wade Smith, and DE Andre Wadsworth, but the clear “big move” was their ability to pull Troy Polamalu away from the LA Express.  Polamalu is a generational talent who can transform a defense not just with his play but with his attitude.  We think Coach Tomsula is going to love crafting the defensive scheme around Polamalu’s 150% effort and pirate mentality. Impact Rookie: The Wrangler lacked the big name signing, with 1st round pick Ryan Kerrigan opting to go to the NFL Redskins instead of the USFL.  We think HB Stevan Ridley can certainly help the run game, spelling Tomlinson as needed, and we like the potential of OT John Moffitt and OG Keith Williams, but we don’t see any 1st year stars in the pool of new arrivals. Offense: David Carr had a nice jump in year two with the Wranglers.  His QBR went from a miserable 58.3 in 2009 to a respectable 85.0 in 2010, but to really be competitive, Arizona will want to see that number up in the 90’s which means a stronger TD:INT ratio and a better completion rate than his 2010 number of 53.8%.  In Larry Fitzgerald he has an elite receiver.  His 2nd target is often TE Rob Gronkowski, a mismatch nightmare for defenses.  Antonio Bryant and Mike Williams will round out the receiver group, and, of course, you have future HOF back LaDainian Tomlinson as the lead back.  If the reinforced line (Moffit and Wade Smith are now both starters) can provide basic protection and running lanes, Arizona’s offense has all the potential in the world to take another step up. Defense: We all know that Polamalu’s presence is going to help CB’s Jimmy Williams and Mike Mickens, as well as the entire LB corps.  We are still a little underwhelmed by free safety Nate Allen, and the edge rush combo of Adam Carriker and Larry English is not elite, and may not even be good. Polamalu cannot do it all on his own, so we see Arizona again struggling on defense but with a higher takeaway potential with Polamalu on the field. Outlook:  Arizona could struggle to escape the basement of a pretty tough division.  Denver is solid, Texas is on the precipice of being a playoff team, and then you have the Gamblers, league champions and still looking like a very solid contender.  Arizona should be better this year, but will that help at all? 2010 Record: 12-4, Lost in Divisional Round Head Coach: Dick Jauron (14th Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  Denver rarely dives into the pricey free agent market, and they barely dipped their toes in this year, signing only punter Brad Costello and LB Will Overstreet.  That is it. No NFL guys, no trades, a very “stay the line” offseason. That may not be enough in this division. Impact Rookie: While we are down on the Gold’s free agent strategy, we are not going to complain about their draft.  For a “build through the draft” team, they have proven time and again that they excel at finding young talent.  In both OT Nate Solder, down from Boulder, and center Stefen Wisniewski from Penn State, Denver believes they have found two immediate starters and two potential 10-year locks on their line. That would be huge. Offense: Coach Jauron does not ask Matt Leinart to do a lot, preferring a defensive/run game focus, but last year Leinart’s numbers had him among the league leaders.  If he can do that again, once again focusing on WR Peerless Price, and slot receiver Keary Colbert as his two main targets, the Gold can be solid.  Javon Ringer and Maurice Hicks will continue to share carries, and this year they will run behind a line that has two top tier rookie linemen as well as veterans Ryan Clady, Travis Claridge and Elton Brown.  They won’t win a shootout game, but they rarely find themselves in that situation, which is fine with them. Defense: Denver expects to see 2nd year DT Ndamukon Suh take another big step, from very good to dominant in 2011.  He will need to as we don’t see another clear “big time” player either on the line or in the LB group.  Shawne Merriman has moments but he also seems to fade from games at times.  The secondary is solid, with the Williamses (Roy and Jamel) locking down the middle while Tory James and Jamar Fletcher hold down the outside. Outlook:  Denver will be right there all season, but right there could end up meaning 2nd or 3rd place in the division.  We have trouble seeing them outpacing Houston, and Texas is coming on. The Gold will need another efficient year from Leinart and more from the defense to stay in the title hunt in the SW Division. 2010 Record: 12-4, League Champion Head Coach: Wade Phillips (11th Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  Defending champs often see their rosters picked clean in the ensuing offseason, and there was some of that this year, but Houston did sign 4 free agents, including DT Kenard Lang, who could be a great addition to their D-Line.  But  overall our favorite move was signing Willie Colon away from the NFL Steelers.  He has played at guard and RT, but Houston believes he can be the answer at LT.  He is a talented guy, but that is a big leap. Impact Rookie: The Gamblers only signed 3 of 8 picks this year, but we do like DT Phil Taylor out of Baylor, especially because he can watch and learn from Lang this year. WR Jeremy Kerley may see some snaps in the slot and should have a role on special teams. Offense: Pretty much the same crew that helped Houston win 12 in a row and win their 4th league title, so that cannot be bad.  Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, Roy Williams, Ike Hilliard,Mike Sims-Walker, and Vernon Davis.  The offensive line took some hits in free agency, but adding Willie Colon could be the remedy to those concerns.  This will still be a formidable offense that can hurt you in a variety of ways. Defense: Kenard Lang and John McCargo will anchor a 4-3 defense that still features two nasty edge rushers in Pitmann and Umenyiura.  That group helps cover up what is largely a solid, but not game-changing LB group.  Though we should cite that James Farrior is a natural leader and one of the smartest players on the field in any game.  The secondary is elite at CB with Springs and Barber, and we like Patrick Chung as well, but free safety Willie Andrews may be the key.  He had a breakout season last year, and if he can repeat that, this secondary could be tough to beat. Outlook: Houston looks as likely to repeat as any champion since the unbeaten Ohio Glory in 2002.  They have offensive weapons, defensive muscle, and an attitude that their work is not yet done.  We expect them to be among the 4 clubs in the Conference title games when this is all said and done. 2010 Record: 8-8, 3rd in Division Head Coach: Greg Landry (2nd Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  The Outlaws signed more free agents than any other team, including WR Roscoe Parrish, TE Chris Cooley, LB Rocky Boiman, and Guard Solomon Page.   Of all of these, we believe Chris Cooley may be the biggest add.  He is exactly the kind of safety valve that Joe Flacco needs to be productive when the deep routes are not there. Impact Rookie: The Outlaws did all they could to attract DE Cameron Heyward to San Antonio, but in the end the NFL Steelers got the upper hand.  So who did Texas sign?  How about T-Draft selections HB Jay Finley and G Danny Watkins, both from Baylor, along with Open Draft picks Jonas Mouton and Casey Matthews, both linebackers.  Mouton has looked the best in camp and should rotate in with Bart Scott at MLB in Texas’s LB group. Offense: The additions of Roscoe Parrish and Chris Cooley should provide Joe Flacco more options on short to mid routes, which is a nice addition to the arsenal.  But, let’s be honest, this is still T. J. Duckett carrying the load.  Joe Flacco has a great arm, but is not all that mobile, so the key is to fool the defense into going after Duckett, then having the time to get the ball deep to Colston or Brandon Marshall.  If that fails, at least now Flacco can dump it to his TE or slot guy and still salvage a play. Defense: Luis Castillo and Reynaldo Wynn need to play up to the hype that Outlaw fans have about them.  We have just not seen the numbers wee need to see from them.  The same could also be said about LB Chad Greenway, who has largely vanished after a couple of very strong early years.  We love the pair of Michael Boulware and Nathan Vasher at corner, but we are unsold that Terrance Holt and Clyde Adams are consistent enough at safety to make this an elite secondary. Outlook: Texas feels like a team overdue to bust out, but they just don’t.  We had folks in our bullpen thinking they would win 11 games, and others saying 5 or 6.  What that tells us is that there is potential, but not yet production to warrant a major run.  Is this the year they can actually convert that potential into wins? Much like the Southeast Division, the conversation here was all about who wants it most.  It was a close vote, but we had Portland first, Las Vegas second, Oakland slipping to third, with LA and Seattle battling not to finish last.  We could envision no team in this division losing more than 10 games, but we also struggle to see any team winning more than 10 games.  This could be another division where the eventual champion is 9-7 and wins on tiebreakers. 2010 Record: 9-7, Lost in Wild Card Round Head Coach: June Jones (2nd Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  The Thunder, after years of big signings, took 2010-2011 off and looked a lot like the Denver Gold, hoping to build through the draft. They found a backup QB in Ingle Martin (POR) and added some quality at DE with Adewale Ogunleye, who should start opposite Erasmus James this year, but overall a very quiet offseason in the desert. Impact Rookie: Another team that struggled with NFL teams snapping up their draft picks.  They did land #1 pick, OT Marcus Gilbert, a big road grater out of Florida.  He is already slated to serve as Jake Plummer’s RT, which is key for both the run game and protection of the older QB. Offense: Plummer will again be under center and again will focus a lot of snaps on Marshawn Lynch.  No other back has had the same snapcount as Lynch in the past 5 years. That is not ideal, so Las Vegas needs to make more use of the pass game.  The problem is their receiver group may well be the weekest in the league.  Led by Marty Booker, with Kahlil Hill and Aldrick Robinson in the slot, there are few defenses that fear this group, and that could be trouble for the Thunder. Defense: The Las Vegas defense dropped precipitously last year in nearly every ranking.  James and Flowers could not get pressure on QB’s, Will Allen and Antoine Winfield are solid but got little help from safeties Chad Scott and Sean Jones, and outside of the ageless Joey Porter, the LB group was underwhelming.  And, if that is still what we see this year, with very few additions, then Las Vegas will struggle to compete with some of the more offensively-capable teams. Outlook:  We are somewhat underwhelmed by the Thunder’s offseason, and that may well lead to the club taking a step back rather than stepping up.  Oakland seems to be in decline, but Las Vegas does not seem to be in a position to fill the void they will leave. 2010 Record: 5-11, 5th in Division Head Coach: Gregg Williams (2nd Season) Biggest Offseason Move: No big trade, and landing NFL back La’Ron McClain is not really a big step up for LA, but they were very active in free agency, signing 5 players, including SS Lance Schulters, who will have huge shoes to fill after the Express saw Troy Polamalu depart.  We like Schulters, as well as center Chris Spencer, but we are not sure that is enough for the Express to step into contention. Impact Rookie: LA’s strategy with OT Tyron Smith backfired.  Rather than protect him in the T-Draft they used a #1 pick on him, but he signed with the NFL anyway.  Maybe the extra time and attention a T-Draft selection provides would not have been enough in the end, but it was worth a shot, rather than losing out on a first round pick in the open draft.  LA signed only 3 draftees, but one of them, UCLA’s Rahim Moore could be a potential solution, in tandem with Schulters for the departed Polamalu. Offense: Fans still question if Mark Sanchez has the potential to ever be elite, but his solid year in 2010 meant that LA did not pursue other options, signing only Kevin Kolb, a clear  number 2. With Randy Moss, Keyshawn Johnson and rookie draftee Ronald Johnson, Sanchez will have targets.  The question remains whether or not he will have a run game. Ray Rice keeps showing flashes, but never puts together a streak of solid games. Part of that may be on the line, which is uneven and quite weak at tackle. Defense: The key to the LA defense is how their LB group plays.  Clay Matthews is inside, with Keith Rivers and Lofa Tatupu outside.  That is a talented group and yet we are not seeing the production we expect from them.  Keneche Udeze is still a beast as an edge rusher, and he gets help inside from Anthony McFarland, but behind them we often see misalignments and missed tackles, and that is never a good thing.  The secondary right now is a huge question.  Other than CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, we just don’t know what we are going to get. Outlook: LA looks and feels like a team that has not found out yet what they do well, and maybe it is not something big enough or good enough to help them win games.  They are competitive in a lot of games, but they seem to find a way to fail.  That is an issue that will not be solved by losing your most engaged and enthusiastic player. 2010 Record: 9-7, Lost in Wild Card Round Head Coach: Dennis Green (9th Season) Biggest Offseason Move: While NFL receiver Dereck Hagan has potential to be a good move, Oakland’s best moves were on defense, resigning Pearson Prioleau at safety and adding both Mike Maslowski and Nick Koutavides to the LB group.  But is it enough? Impact Rookie: HB Ryan Williams has to be the answer to this question if Oakland has any shot to retain their perch atop the Pacific Division.  The departure of Ricky Williams was a shock to the Invader Nation and to the plans for 2011.  As much as the club’s selection of Colin Kaepernick (now a 49er) meant they were concerned about the future, the Williams pick is their best hope for a fruitful present season. Offense: Williams will have every opportunity to be the main man in the Oakland run game.  He is a very different back from Ricky, but he can be effective behind a very good line.  Joey Harrington says he is back to 100%, but only game action will show us if that is the case.  The offense will still run through the halfback, and if Williams is overwhelmed by the speed of the USFL game, it could be a problem for Oakland. Defense: The defense remains very solid, and with the addition of two new inside backers, they may even be better against the run.  Sedrick Ellis is solid in the middle, and we expect to see even more out of DE Justin Smith this year as he matures into a legitimate edge threat. Prioleau and Eric Wright are quality players in the secondary, but as with several other teams, free safety seems a huge hole.  Will it be rookie Chris Conte or veteran backup Fred Cline?  Or, will Oakland need to make a midseason deal if both have difficulty? Outlook: As we said in the first half of our preseason report, we see Oakland as a team that may have peaked, and may be dropping down the standings this year.  Both Las Vegas and Portland seem to have more happening, and Seattle is still a possible threat.  Could 8-8 and a dip out of playoffs be the result? 2010 Record: 8-8, 3rd in Division Head Coach: Rich Brooks (4th Season) Biggest Offseason Move: The trade with New Jersey to bring Ryan Fitzpatrick to the Stags has the potential to either set this team up for greater success or blow the whole team dynamic up.  Fitzpatrick has been competing with A. J. Feeley in camp, and while Feeley is getting the Week 1 start, largely due to his familiarity with the system, there are many observers, including local press, who have been saying that the newcomer may be the better option in the long run. Impact Rookie: We are not entirely sure what Portland got from the draft.  They failed to sign CB Jimmie Smith, their first round choice, and are another club that landed only 3 of their top picks (T-Draft and Top 5 rounds).  TE Jordan Cameron from USC looks like a keeper and may well start this week, but neither safety Mark LeGree from App State or DT Stephen Paea seem like immediate impact players. Offense: Regardless of which QB eventually gets the permanent starting gig, the Stags will continue to rely on the run game provided by Jonathan Stewart.  They brought in Michael Bush to spell him occasionally, but we still see 300 carries or more for Stewart in the future.  The other offensive signing is in the slot, where Antwan Randle-El has made his career. Defense: Portland will shift to a 4-3 this year, with Jason Fisk andKedrick Gholston inside, hopefully allowing more options for Elvis Dumervil to pressure the QB.  That means only 3 LBs will be o the field.  Newly arrived Mark Simoneau takes over the MLB spot from Mike Maslowski, and will likely be flanked by Channing Crowder and Justin Durant.  Darnell Bing joins Terrell Bierria and corners Mike Rumph and Marquand Manuel to form the primary secondary, though we expect to see a lot of DeAngelo Hall as the nickel as well.  It is a solid group, but not a defense that can carry the entire team.  They will need a coherent offense to be able to pull out games even if the D does their part. Outlook: If any team is going to break through in the division this year and upend the status quo, it is likely to be Portland.  They have been knocking on the door for a couple of seasons but need to find the right formula to escape the middle of the pack if they want a shot at the division. 2010 Record: 7-9, 4th in Division Head Coach: Marvin Lewis (9th Season) Biggest Offseason Move:  Honestly the biggest move might be the one that backfired, trading several picks to St. Louis to move up and select Von Miller in the 1st round of the Open Draft. Miller opted to sign with the NFL Broncos, leaving Seattle with nothing to show for their investment.  In other player moves, they brought in Chris Weinke to back up Leftwich and signed free agent LB T. J. Slaughter and guard Bill Ferrario, but none of those deals really moves the needle much. Impact Rookie: The Von Miller pick did not work out, but Seattle did sign 6 of their remaining 8 picks.  They were smart to double dip at LB by also drafting (and signing) UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers, a likely week one starter.  We also like the look of mid-round pick Richard Sherman, a plucky cornerback out of Stanford.  DE Christian Ballard and OG Stephen Shilling should also see significant snaps. Offense: It is still Leftwich to Boston for the win in Seattle.  The Jahvid Best-Ladell Betts duo has just not done what the Dragons had hoped, but they are giving it one more shot.  And while Nate Burleson has proven to be a decent possession receiver, he is not a threat to most secondaries when it comes to big plays.  The line is still anchored by LT Kenyatta Jones, and RT Chad Clifton is solid as well, but between those two we are just not confident in the inside strength of this group. Defense: We love the trio being put out there on passing downs with rookie Sherman joining Marques Truffant and Leodis McKelvin as primary coverage DBs.  That allows Paris Lenon and Shaun Schillinger to focus on covering gaps and stuffing run plays.  The LB group will benefit from Ayers signing on, and the acquisition of Slaughter means both outside positions look good. Just how long Jamie Winborn will hold up is a question, as is the D-line with older players at all 3 positions (Noble, Abraham,and LaBoy).  This could be a team that needs to start thinking youth and fast. Outlook: Seattle feels like a club trying to hold on with the older gang when what they need is a transfusion of new blood.  Can they win games this year?  Of course.  But do they have a long term plan to return to a position to take another title?  It does not feel like it. So, who do we pick to win it all.  A lot of theories. A lot of debate. But in the end, the vote went to Houston for the repeat, winning out over Washington in the Summer Bowl.  That said, there were votes within our team for New Orleans, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Michigan, and even Arizona, but when we got deep into the voting process, we ended up with a repeat win for the Gamblers.  Take that for what you will. Week One, a new start, and every team is 0-0 with a chance to put a W on the board and start the season right.  The schedule for Week 1 is stacked, and it all kicks off with a Summer Bowl rematch on Friday Night.  Here is your Week 1 USFL Schedule.  Enjoy the games, everyone.  As always, national broadcasts are in bold font and divisional matchups in blue. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET                          Houston @ Philadelphia                      NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                  Tampa Bay @ Boston                                ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                  Texas @ Washington                                 FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                  Las Vegas @ Atlanta                                  FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET                    Orlando @ Nashville                                ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET                    Michigan @ Arizona                                 FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET                    New Orleans @ Birmingham                  ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                      Ohio @ Pittsburgh                                     ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                      Chicago @ St. Louis                                   ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                      Charlotte @ Memphis                               FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                        Seattle @ Portland                                  ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                      Los Angeles @ Denver                            FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                         Jacksonville @ Oakland                           FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET                        Baltimore @ New Jersey                           EFN

March 14, 2011 One week away from the 29th season of USFL football and the excitement is palpable.  There have been a lot of changes this offseason, from one of the wildest drafts we have seen in years to a trade that sent two All-USFL quarterbacks to new homes. The NFL-USFL transfer window has had some results already, and it will remain open another two weeks, so there is still potential for more.  As camps turn to preseason and now to the regular season, there is a lot to look forward to in the 2011 season.  We start with our cover story, the Art of Winning.  Just what does it take to bring home the John Bassett Trophy?  In 28 prior seasons 14 franchises have held aloft the trophy, including the Houston Gamblers who won their 4th title in 2010.  But what was the common denominator among them that helped them to that glorious moment? THE ART OF WINNING Winning.  It is what the game is all about, it’s not everything, it is the only thing (to quote either UCLA coach Bob Sanders or Vince Lombardi, depending on who you believe.)  It is the key to longevity, fame, and everything from endorsement deals to Hall of Fame jackets.  But how do you do it?  Every fall there are 32 teams trying to figure that out on  a 100 yard football field, and every spring another 28 ask the same question and try to get the right answer.  But here is the thing, the formula is not the same in both the NFL and the USFL  It has not been since the early 80’s when the USFL first appeared on the scene, a wide open, fun-loving, unconventional league that promised more action and more excitement, and has been delivering ever since. So, in the USFL what is the formula?  What does the Art of Winning look like?  We looked over the full history of the USFL, from that first title for Bandit Ball in 1983 to this August’s trophy held high by Matt Hasselbeck and the Houston Gamblers, the first team in the league to win a fourth title.  We looked at what worked and what didn’t, and we think we now know the recipe for a winner in the USFL.   Want to know it? Here goes. 1.   Good QB Play.  This is an area where the USFL and NFL do not diverge, though the definition of what good QB play is does vary league to league.  The key it seems is not so much that you have the league’s highest QB rating, or even that you lead the league in yardage.  It is about leadership, efficiency, and enough big plays to throw defenses off.  In the early years of the USFL that meant the deep ball, then the Run & Shoot, and then play-action, but these days it is all about a QB who can read a defense, find the right man at the right time, and especially about accuracy.  Complete 45%, 50%, 55%, even 60% of your passes and you are not going to get there, not like in the early days.  You want a 65% completion rate, and if you can get higher, all the better.  So, first step towards a run, consistent, quality, QB play and that means accuracy and decision making. 2.   A “Take Away” Defense.  What do we mean by this?  We mean a defense that can take one of three things away.  You don’t need all three, but you have to have one of them.  That can be taking away the ball, winning turnover battles consistently.  Or taking away the big play, forcing teams to move the ball slowly and over long drivers. Or, the third option, a defense that can take away the run game.  Over the years, pretty much every title-winning team has had a defense that can do one of those things.  Typically with the high-flying offensive teams, that has been a takeover magnet defense, even if they give up a lot of yards.  With teams that have won the title with lesser offenses, it was usually because the defense could either force team to be one dimensional by stuffing the run, or a team that would just not give up the big play and would force offenses to go 12, 13, 14 plays without a mistake in order to score.  So, a quality QB and defense that can force takeaways, long drives, or one dimensional offensive schemes. 3.  Veteran leaders across the roster.  It cannot just be the QB.  You need veterans on defense, on the line, in the receiver group.  You need calming influences, respected voices in the locker room, and folks who have seen a thing or two.  Take Houston last year, not only did you have Hasselbeck under center, but you had Ike Hilliard keeping the receivers on task.  You had Kavika Pittman riling up the young guys while James Farrior called out the plays and spotted the audible adjustments of the Stars.  Even halfback Shaun Alexander is a wizened vet by halfback standards. Veterans recognize patterns, demand respect of the young guys, and avoid the rambunctious mistakes of youth. 4.  Speed.  Plain and simple, the USFL game is a game of speed.  That can be speed at the receiver and running back position, but it can equally be speed among linemen, defenders, or between the snap and the release of the ball.  The average USFL game is 17 minutes shorter than the average NFL game, despite both using a 60 minute clock.  The average down time between plays is 7 second shorter in the USFL, and the average scoring drive is nearly 3 plays shorter than in the NFL.  Speed between plays, speed at the line, speed on defense, and speed in adapting to change is the key to the USFL game, and speed kills. 5.  Confidence.  The last, and maybe the most important, factor in building a winner is building a culture of confidence.  Go into a game knowing you will win, believing that you are the better team, and wanting to prove it each and every play.  That is how you overcome adversity, how you wear down the opposition.  Now, we need to be careful here.  Bravado is not the same as confidence.  Bravado is boastful and covers up a deep insecurity. True confidence is quiet.  It is about doing your job, holding others responsible to do theirs, and not letting a bad game or a bad play shake you. Winning is an art.  Some teams have it, some don’t.  You cannot buy it, you have to build that talent, hone it, cultivate it, and learn it every day.  The USFL is about to enter its 29th season, and there are many clubs who have played every season without ever lifting the Bassett Trophy, while others have won 2, 3, and now 4 titles.  What we can learn from that latter group is what it takes to win, and now that we have made the recipe public, who is ready to make it happen in 2011? NOTE: The main image on the cover of the Kickoff magazine was my first dabbling into an AI generated design. I opted to go for the Bing AI Image Generator's impression of a "cubist" image related to the topic. Each week of the 2011 season you will find a similar image related to the focus city for that week. Just an interesting item for right now. I am still going to be generating most new images from either photos or my own designs.) USFL & NFL Spar for Top Rookies Once Again Difference year, but the same story.  The USFL and NFL talent war was well on display this year, particularly because there were so many highly touted quarterbacks in this year’s draft.  Once again, the USFL saw many of their top draft choices sign with the NFL, or I guess you could say both leagues saw the same phenomenon.  In the end, 13 of the 28 picks in the USFL first round did not sign with the spring league but took NFL offers.  When we look at the NFL Draft, 17 of the 32 first round NFL picks ended up in the USFL, so in both cases the USFL got the slightly better deal. Of course, try telling that to the 13 clubs who spent first round draft capital on players only to see them opt for the fall.  In fact, there was a run, from pick 3 through pick 10 in which the NFL signed 7 of 8 picks, with only Charlotte’s selection of center Mike Pouncy proving the exception.  The USFL started strong, with Jake Locker agreeing to a deal with Boston and Marcel Dareus signing with Ohio, but then it got ugly.  Von Miller opted for the Denver Broncos, Tyron Smith was next, then J. J. Watt to the Oilers, and Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan to the NFL Redskins.  Birmingham got Cam Newton but lost out on A. J. Green.  St. Louis’s pick, Prince Amukamara headed off to the NY Giants, and QB Christian Ponder opted not to go to nearby Tampa Bay, but heads off to chilly Minnesota to suit up for the Vikings. Among the QB’s, both players selected earlier by the USFL in the territorial draft, Cam Newton by Birmingham and Ryan Mallett by Memphis, did sign with the spring league, as did TCU’s Andy Dalton with Pittsburgh, but Blaine Gabbert (Ohio), Christian Ponder (TBY), and Colin Kaepernick (OAK) all opted for deals with the NFL.  Other first round talent that headed off to the NFL included WR Julio Jones (Falcons), DT Nick Fairley (Lions), HB Mark Ingram II (Saints), WR Jonathan Baldwin (Chiefs) and CB Jimmy Smith (Ravens). All in all, over all 10 rounds of USFL drafting (3 Territorial Rounds and 7 Open Draft rounds), 196 players signed with the USFL from their 280 picks, which is not a bad percentage at all, but when we consider that only 107 of the 196 signees were also NFL draft picks, from the 224 players selected in the NFL Draft, it means that the USFL signed 107 shared picks and the NFL 117.  The 47.7% signing rate  is a slight dip from the usual 50/50 split, but well within the range of 45%-52% we have seen over the past 15 years. Overall, the USFL has to be happy with that competitive balance, but, of course, for a team like Ohio, which  hoped it had landed its QB of the future in Blaine Gabbert, or for Seattle, which traded up to get a shot at Von Miller, the inability to sign top draft picks is a constant frustration across the USFL.  The same is true of the NFL, who cannot be happy that they lost out on 5 of their top 8 picks, including the Cam Newton, a #1 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers, and Jake Locker, chosen 8th by the Copperheads.  Three of the top 4 defensive players in the NFL Draft (Dareus, Patrick Peterson, and Aldon Smith, also opted to join the USFL.  And what remains abundantly clear is that the presence of the Territorial Draft provides the USFL with one of its best avenues for acquiring talent.  Of the 32 picks the NFL made in its first round, they lost out on 17 of those choices, and of those 17, seven were T-Draft selections, including Newton, Patrick Peterson, Aldon Smith, and DE Muhammad Wilkerson. After nearly 30 years of USFL football, it is a pattern we are all accustomed to, the annual battle to bring in the best of the outgoing college class, but every year it brings a mix of pain and pleasure, depending which team you root for, and which players fill the gaps on your club’s roster.  The mad scramble once a top draft pick signs with the rival league is also part of the cycle of the spring.  Examples like Boston rushing to sign NFL castoff Vince Young, or Tampa Bay signing Mark Cassel when they lost out on Ponder, are typical each February, just a part of the cycle of the year, one exacerbated by the proximity between the end of College Bowl season and the start of the USFL’s spring season.  All part of the formula that coaches and GM’s must account for as they build their rosters each offseason. Roster Moves Continue as Season Ready to Start With so much going on during training camps and preseason, with late Free Agency, the 2nd NFL-USFL Transfer Window, a couple of training camp retirements of note, and all the movement on depth charts, we decided the best thing to do in each of our reports is to give you what we saw as the three biggest stories available and then a quick breakdown of other notable moves.  Since we will break down each team in the second half of our season preview, we won’t hit every move here, but we should touch the moves that are creating buzz. Once again, the transfer window, pushed back in the annual calendar last year, is proving an interesting challenge for USFL teams.  Just as the NFL deals with in August and September, USFL teams must figure out if adding a player after teams are in camp is beneficial, and, in some cases, they must take the chance of going into the season with a position knowingly unsettled as their NFL import stays inactive until they can pick up enough of the scheme to effectively play.  Teams that have a clear gap in their rosters try to sign NFL players quickly, to get them to camp and possibly have them available earlier, while others simply do what they can to get someone signed, even if it means that they won’t start in Week 1 or even Week 3.   With that reality in place, here are the three biggest stories out of the Transfer Window so far (It still has 10 more days for late stories to develop): OHIO PUTS THEIR FAITH IN VINCE YOUNG Going into the Transfer Window, one of the more intriguing free agents within the NFL was QB Vince Young. The former Heisman winner had spent 5 turbulent seasons in Tennessee with the NFL Copperheads, starting 47 games and amassing a 30-17 record, but injuries impacted his game, and in 2010 he was demoted from the starting position in favor of unheralded Rusty Smith, despite having a 98.6 QBR.  It was a bizarre move, made worse when team ownership announced that he would not be with the team in 2011. Meanwhile, Ohio, still trying to find an answer after the retirement of Kerry Collins after the 2009 season, had made every effort to put themselves in position to draft Jake Locker, only to have Birmingham select the Washington QB and basically auction him off to the highest bidder, who turned out to be the Boston Cannons.  Ohio had traded away significant draft capital to move back into the first round after selecting DE Marcell Dareus with their first pick.  They drafted Blaine Gabbert out of Missouri, but within 3 weeks, Gabbert was happily holding aloft a Jacksonville Jaguars jersey for his new NFL team, and Ohio was staring at the same 3 QB’s they had for last year’s tumultuous 4-win season, Chris Redman, Derek Anderson, and 2nd year prospect Tony Pike. It was clear that Ohio would make a play for a QB, and with Young available, he seemed the obvious target.  It took only 2 days for the Glory to have Young to the team facilities in Columbus, and the very next day he was standing at a podium holding up his new Glory jersey.  The move made all kinds of sense.  Ohio gets a known commodity, though the injury issues are a concern, and they have a shot at having him start in Week 1 if he can pick up Coach Andrus’s system, a system the rest of the team was still trying to learn after over a decade with Al Luginbill at the helm.  What added some drama to the situation was that this meant the Glory would have 5 quarterbacks in camp, having also drafted and signed late-round prospect Terrelle Pryor. Young would get 1 series of action in Ohio’s preseason game against Texas, completing 3 of 7 passes before giving way to Dereck Anderson.  And by that Wednesday Chris Redman was let go after over a decade as backup to Kerry Collins.  Dereck Anderson and Tony Pike would be the backups and Pryor would be added to the practice squad.  It is a rare move for teams to hold 4 quarterbacks, and the situation may change once the season gets underway, but for now, that is Ohio’s  move.  Coach Andrus has been mum over whether or not Young is ready to start in Week 1 at Pittsburgh.  We well could see Anderson start at least this one game, with Young making his debut in the home opener against Denver.  But, given the struggles last season, it will not be long before the Glory have Young under center and a new era begins for a team in major transition. PITTSBURGH GIVES BROWN A SECOND CHANCE Ohio’s opponent this upcoming week for the season opener, the Pittsburgh Maulers, had an issue of their own that was unresolved following most of free agency and the USFL Draft.  The offseason retirement of lead rusher DeShaun Foster following injury issues in 2010 had left a pretty sizeable hole in the Mauler roster.  Kenny Watson had done quite well filling in during Foster’s injuries, but few believed he could bear the full load of the Mauler’s run-heavy offense.  Pittsburgh had failed to find a back in the draft, and while they had flirted with both Houston’s Tatum Bell and Tampa Bay’s LaBrandon Toefield in free agency, both would go on to sign elsewhere.  It looked like the Maulers would have to go with Watson and short yardage back Brandon Jacobs. Enter Ronnie Brown.  The former standout at Auburn and backfield mate to Cadillac Williams, has had a turbulent 5 years with the Miami Dolphins.  He rushed for 907 yards his rookie year and had his only 1,000 season the year after, but a combination of injuries and run-ins with the coaches have cut down his season averages ever since.  He was cut loose by Miami at the conclusion of his rookie contract this past January.  Pittsburgh swooped in and signed the former Dolphin, buoyed by his nearly 4.4 YPC average over his 5 years.  Brown will almost certainly split time with Watson in the early season, and with the grind of playing in back to back seasons (Brown did appear in all 16 games and had 200 carries for the Dolphins in 2010), he may stay in a platoon situation, but he provides what Coach Rivera was hoping for, a way to keep defenses off balance and keep Watson from carrying the entire load for the Mauler’s run-heavy offense. HOUSTON BEEFS UP LINE The third USFL signing of former NFL talent to date remains on offense, as league champion Houston reloads after losing starting left tackle Mike Pearson in free agency. The Gamblers went big and it paid off as they land Pittsburgh Steeler LT Willie Colon to be Matt Hasselbeck’s personal bodyguard.  Colon, who played 5 seasons with the Steelers, alternating between guard and tackle, came into his own in 2009, when he took on the LT duties and did not give up a sack in 16 starts.  His 2010 season was cut short by an Achilles injury, but recovery has gone well and the former Hofstra lineman now looks ready to jump right in and help Houston make a run for a 5th title. Other players who have signed and who you may see on the field for the USFL in the next 2-3 weeks include former Lions’ center Rudy Niswanger, expected to get some action with the Blitz as soon as this week; CB Jarrad Page, slated to start for Charlotte in Week 1; DE Brandon Mbane and TE Zach Miller with Seattle, former Raider wideout Derek Hagan, now with the Invaders, and Jacksonville’s new kicker, former Charger David Akers.   We still have almost 2 weeks left of potential transfers, and there have been both visits to USFL teams and rumors of deals for several more NFL starters, including OT Tyson Clabo, LB Justin Durant, and HB Joseph Addai, who is rumored to be close to cutting a deal with the Birmingham Stallions. Headed off to the NFL in the late transfer window (late for the USFL, nice and early for the NFL) we have several well-known names, including guard Ruben Brown, center Mike Flanagan, DE Craig Powell, HB’s Travis Minor and Ahmad Galloway, and QB’s Henry Burris and Jeff Garcia. The past 6 weeks have not only seen teams enter camp and begin prepping for the year ahead, but they have also seen a flurry of last minute signings as clubs evaluate their needs after signing, or failing to sign key draft picks. Lots of new faces across the league.  Here are the three top signings from the past month that we see having an impact in the 2011 season. Atlanta Finds Veteran Leadership on the Line The Fire had a better-than-anticipated 2010 and they are hoping to expand on that success in 2011, but one of their glaring issues was consistency on the front line.  That may have been greatly helped this past month when the Fire came to a deal with All-USFL guard Leonard Davis.  The 30-year-old former Outlaw is one of the league’s best and a leader on the o-line, beefing up not only the blocking for Atlanta, but the veteran presence in the O-line group.  Expect the Fire to start Davis at RG to push a more balanced rushing attack left to right, but we would not be surprised if they, from time to time, moved Davis over to the left to help protect Kyle Orton’s blind side. Charlotte Revamps Receiving Group with 2 “Senior” Signings The Charlotte Knights wasted no time finding weapons for new QB Jake Delhomme.  With D. J. Hackett still coming back from injury, Stevie Johnson now in Philadelphia, and Hakeem Nicks developing in his 2nd year, Charlotte went out and added two veteran receivers to the Monarch WR room, signing both former Thunder wideout Dereck Mason and the somewhat enigmatic Anquon Boldin. Both receviers have had something of an “almost but not quite” situation in the past, with Boldin toying with 1,000 yards on several occasions ever since he left Jacksonville, where his career had started with back to back 1,000 yard seasons in 03 and 04.  Mason, who has been in the league since 1997 and will now spend his 14th season in the league with Charlotte, spent only 1 year in Las Vegas, but had a pretty good season, catching 80 balls for 888 yards and 4 TDs.  We are not sure how Charlotte hopes to fit these two in alongside Hackett, Nicks, and Ashle Lelie, though we expect a lot of substitions and a lot of multiple receiver sets out of Jim Mora’s offense as he tries to make a push from 7-9 in 2010 to a playoff position in 2011. Tampa Bay Hopes to Boost Pass Rush with Veteran Wiley The Bandits surprised quite a few folks, adding a third bona fide pass rusher to a line that already included veteran Derrick Burgess and 2nd year player Jason Pierre-Paul.  Adding 35-year old Marcellus Wiley, formerly of Denver and Memphis seems a short-term answer, but it is an answer to one of Tampa Bay’s biggest questions.  The Bandits did not have a very formidable pass rush last year, with Burgess leading the team with only 6 sacks and Pierre-Paul seeing only spot duty in his rookie year.  The hope had been that Pierre-Paul would step in immediately and add some youthful speed and power, but that just did not happen in 2010, so you bring in the veteran and hope that he can both mentor the young edge rusher and provide solid production this season.  The record seems to indicate that he can produce, recording 10+ sacks each of his three years in Memphis.  If he can do that, it may help Burgess increase his value, and may well provide Pierre-Paul with a model to follow.  After all, in Wiley you have a player with over 100 sacks to his name as a mentor. Other notable free agent moves over the past month include Orlando snapping up former Gambler LT Mike Pearson and LA jumping on Center Chris Spencer, both hoping their lines will be more formidable in 2011.  Chicago solved their problem at safety by landing veteran Reggie Tongue, who had a solid year for Charlotte in 2010.  The other prominent safety in the pool, Lance Schulters is now with the Express, who are trying to make up for Troy Polamalu’s departure.  Washington resigned their All-USFL fullback Chris Massey.  Oakland resigned safety Pearson Prioleau. And CB Antonio Cromartie finally committed to a USFL club, landing with Birmingham, the team with the most cap room available and the most they could throw his way. Looking at who is still hoping to find a team, the big story seems to be at halfback, where several veteran backs remain unsigned, including Kevin Faulk, Cedric Benson, Chris Perry, and R. J. Redmond.  We expect some will find homes in the NFL, others perhaps will sign in the opening weeks of the USFL season, but we may also see some late retirements. Top 10 New Faces in New Places Here is our look at the veterans who have changed teams and, very possibly, can provide a spark to their new club.  These are players who are perfect fits for a new system, up and comers who could shine, or veterans with All-USFL pedigrees who are sure to add quality and leadership to their new squads.  In other words, these are the players we think will have an impact in their new homes. QB Vince Young (NFL to OHIO):  The only NFL to USFL transfer to make our list.  How could Young’s arrival not make an impact?  After a very rough year in which they trotted out all 3 QB’s trying to find one who could produce consistent offense, the Glory bring in Young, who, when healthy, can be a player who can single-handedly lift up an offense.  But he won’t need to do it alone, as you will see later in our list. DE Marcellus Wiley (MEM to TBY): Wiley’s arrival by the Bay was outlined just above, but the key here is that the former Gold All-USFL DE, while not in his prime any longer, is not only going to contribute on the field, but hopefully will help the Bandits develop young Jason Pierre-Paul into a true force to be reckoned with when he is ready to step up and take on the starting spot on the left side. SS Darren Sharper (CHI to PHI): The Stars lost a lot of players from their Eastern Title squad, but they got a solid one in Sharper.  The former Machine standout will be a difference maker in the secondary for the Stars. He is great in coverage and not afraid to take on a big back for the needed tackle. We see Coach Harbaugh trying to bring him into run schemes as well as playing centerfield on occasion. LB Mark Simoneau (WSH to POR): Portland’s defense had been led by Mike Maslowski (now with Oakland), so they went shopping for a MLB who could not only make plays, but help structure and lead the entire LB group. In Simoneau they get a veteran presence and strong leadership, honed in the NE Division battles that are among the league’s toughest. WR Stevie Johnson (CHA to PHI):  We spoke above about Charlotte’s revamped wide receiver corps. One of the reasons they needed to bring in some veterans was because of the loss of their top receiver from 2010, brash, outspoken Stevie Johnson.  In Philadelphia, brash and outspoken is nothing new.  After having both Steve Smith and Terrell Owens on their squad over the past few years, Stars fans are going to have no trouble adjusting to Johnson’s style. Now, if his production can come even close to Steve Smith’s from 2010, the folks in Philly will be more than happy to deal with some Diva attitude. QB Jake Delhomme (MEM to CHA): No single move makes more of a difference to an offense than a QB change.  After struggling with Chris Weinke at the helm (he remains on the roster), the Monarchs hope to make a jump up the standings by bringing in a proven veteran in Delhomme.  He is not a flashy QB, not a gunslinger, but Delhomme can give Charlotte what they have not had in the past, poised, confident leadership. CB Antonio Cromartie (PHI to BIR): The Stallions needed help on defense, lots of it.  They had money to spend, and they spent it, and from that spending spree they brought in all kinds of talent, but the player we see as having the biggest potential impact is Cromartie.  He has the potential to be a true shut down corner.  He was dynamic for the Stars in their Summer Bowl run last season, and in Birmingham he will bring some swagger to a defense that has sorely lacked it over the past few years. WR Steve Smith (PHI to OHI): We mentioned Smith’s departure from Philly in our discussion of Stevie Johnson.  Now we need to recognize one more transition, from Joey Galloway to Steve Smith in Ohio.  Galloway has been an icon in Columbus for a decade, helping make the Glory one of the hottest tickets in the league and leaving the club with 2 well-deserved championship rings.  As with the departures of Collins and George, Galloway’s departure left a huge hole.  Steve Smith is now tasked with helping Ohio fans move on. He is a very different player than the often silent, always professional Galloway.  Expect Ohio fans to have to adjust to the louder, more demanding, more exuberant Smith.  But, his on field performance will speak volumes for the Glory, especially if Vince  Young’s arrival is all that Glory fans hope it will be. SS Troy Polamalu (LA to ARZ): No player in free agency was more coveted, and for better reason, than LA Express strong safety Troy Polamalu.  The 2-time All-USFL selection is one of the most intimidating and game-altering players in the league, and now the Arizona Wranglers get to set him loose on their opposition.  Expect Coach Tomsula, a defensive-minded coach, to tailor the defense to best suit the close-to-the-line impact of Polamalu.  From stuffing the run to blitzing the QB and intimidating receivers over the middle, the key to Polamalu’s game is that offenses can never be sure what his role will be on any given play and when he will just devastate a play with a huge hit or a key takeaway.  Watching him play for the Wranglers, who tend to be an aggressive defense under Tomsula, should be some of the best viewing of the season. QB Drew Brees & QB Eli Manning (Swapped between Orlando & New Orleans): No story is bigger this season than the stunning QB swap we saw with the Brees-Manning trade. It seemed to us somewhat unfair to focus on one of these two QBs more than the other so we are putting both together, after all, they will now be forever linked in the minds of fans.  Which of the two will have more immediate success? Which can take their club farther? And who will win their Week 3 clash?  Both clubs have weapons around their QB’s, but both also have questions, so this should be a story we will be watching with anticipation each week all year long. TOP 10 ROOKIES TO WATCH We are not going to highlight veteran additions to teams and then skip over the rookie class of 2011.  This was one of the most hyped draft groups in the history of the league, largely due to the potential for 6 starting QB’s to come out of the first round, and while the USFL was only able to secure the services of 3 of the 6 top line QB prospects, the fact that they did that well is amazing in and of itself, and that the league was able to secure both of the top-rated, highest-profile QBs, Auburn’s Cam Newton and Washington’s Jake Locker, means the spring league is going to have our attention.  But QB was not the only key position where the USFL did well and where rookies may make a big impact.  We see these 10 players as potential break out stars from the 2011 Draft signings of the past month. DE Cameron Jordan (NOR):  Expected to plug in as the starting left end from day one, Jordan is an explosive speed rusher who will need to develop better instincts in the run game, but who could be an impact player on passing downs.  He lines up opposite Ty Warren, so offensive lines are going to have to find ways to defend both edge rushers on every pass play. OT Nate Solder (DEN):  Solder and center Stefen Wisniewski are both expected to start on Denver’s rebuilt offensive line.  Both will have to prove that they can hold up against talented USFL defensive lines.  Expect Solder to begin the year on the right side, with Ryan Clady as the left tackle. C Mike Pouncey (CHA):  One of the highest touted linemen in the draft, Pouncey is already slated to be the starting pivot for the Monarchs.  He joins a shaken-up line that now features Tyson Clabo at LT and Sean Bubin on the right side.  Expect Pouncey to have immediate impact in the run game, good news for Fred Jackson. DE Robert Quinn (BAL): The Blitz continue to reload on defense.  Last year they brought in DE Joe Tafoya, and now they give him a young, energetic partner across the line.  Quinn is more of a pure pass rusher, while Tafoya is stronger against the run, so it is no surprise that we have seen more of Quinn on the left side of the line in practice and in Baltimore’s one preseason game. LB Aldon Smith (STL):  Between Antowain, Aldon, and Antonio Smith, the St. Louis equipment team is going to have to develop a system.  Coach Arians needs to see improvement on defense, and Aldon Smith is expected to make a quick impact as the weakside linebacker, chasing down backs with his sideline to sideline aggressive speed. CB Patrick Peterson (NOR): The best corner in the draft will start this year as the #2 behind Randall Gay, but don’t be surprised to see Peterson start to get matched up with the deep ball threat on each offense as we get into the season.  His speed and ball skills could lead to quite a few chances for picks as QB’s test this rookie out. DT Marcell Dareus (OHI):  A big man in the middle, someone who can hold the line and allow the edge rushers to work against single blocks, that is what Ohio is getting with Marcell Dareus.  Coach Andrus has said he hopes to build up Ohio as a defensive-minded team, a new direction for the Glory, and it may start with Dareus holding down the middle of the line. QB Jake Locker (BOS): It does not appear that Locker will start the opener, as Coach Fox wants to go with Adrian McPherson, but we expect that unless McPherson shines over the first few weeks, the move will get made sooner rather than later for the Cannons. Locker has the skills and the disposition to be a solid QB even in his first year. HB Ryan Williams (OAK):  A player who will get every chance from day one, Ryan Williams is replacing Ricky Williams in the Oakland backfield, and while he will not wear Ricky’s 34 the number he wore in college, out of respect for Ricky’s legacy, the new 33 will hope to have very similar success to his predecessor. QB Cam Newton (BIR): The Stallions went all in on Newton-mania in Alabama.  With only Anthony Wright left in the QB room from the 2010 team (Colt Brennan was also signed as a backup), the full weight of the Stallion offense will now fall on Newton.  Of course, Birmingham used a lot of salary cap collateral to put some weapons around Newton, including NFL import Joseph Addai at halfback and rookie picks Jerrel Jerrigan and Julius Thomas at wide out and tight end respectively.  Expect a lot of planned runs, and run-pass options in the mix for Newton, and, lest we forget, there is some real talent on the Stallion front line, with Jeff Backus at LT, Ben Grubbs next to him and John Greco on the right side.  Protection should be solid for Newton, if he can process plays quickly and make the right decisions, he could be an exciting player to watch this year. RISING, FALLING, AND PANICKING With each new season comes a chance for change.  Sometimes that change is an unexpected rise to the top, success that excites and engages the fans and brings a city together.  Other times the change is a sign of decline, the passing of an era of success and the need to refresh and rebuild a franchise.  Every team enters a new season hoping they are on an ascending path, headed towards the ultimate goal, a league title, but every year there are teams rising, falling, and a few panicking that their window for a true shot at glory is closing.  We have selected three clubs in each category, the ascending, the declining, and the worried.  Will 2011 verify these possibilities or will these clubs surprise us as some do each year. RISING It is not all that hard to pick a new division champion and say that they are a team in ascension, but in the case of the Maulers there have been questions.  Last season saw the Maulers get over the hump and post a winning record (9-6-1) for the first time since the 2004 season, but what turned out to be a career-ending injury to DeShaun Foster cast a shadow over the club’s prospects for 2011.  But we are still on board.  It is important to remember that while Foster has been a key piece of the Mauler offense, his replacement, Kenny Watson, had several strong games in relief, including a 128 yard outburst against Houston in the Western Finals. Add in former Auburn star Ronnie Brown, signed away from the NFL Dolphins, and Pittsburgh has a 1-2 punch that could prove very effective.  And, just between us, we love the pick of Andy Dalton in this year’s draft.  Yes, Cody Pickett had a solid season, throwing for 3099 yards, 22 TDs and 10 picks, but it seems clear that the Maulers did not have confidence in Pat White as a backup and may still be hoping for an eventual upgrade at the position.  With Dalton, Pittsburgh can take a patient approach, testing out the strong-armed Horned Frog to see if he can offer more than Pickett in the long run.  Add in a defense that finished 2010 third in points allowed and 2nd in yardage allowed and you have a very good formula.  The Central is a tough division, but we see Pittsburgh not as an upstart any more, but as the defending champion with a very solid club that can compete to repeat in 2011. Another division winner from 2010, but another team we think has not reached their potential yet.  Atlanta’s 9-7 season provided them the city’s first division title. They got their first ever playoff win against New Orleans before falling to Nashville in the divisional round, but in 2011 this is a team that should not just be “happy to be there”.  The Southeast very much feels like a division with a lot of evenly matched clubs all trying to find an identity, but Atlanta knows who they are.  They are a club that plays good defense, rushes the ball well with Darren McFadden, and allows Kyle Orton to work through play action and a developing receiver corp.  Josh Reed had a breakout season in 2010, leading the league in yards receiving and catching 13 touchdowns.  In 2011 he will need help from others like 2nd year receiver Demaryius Thomas, TE Will Heller, and slot receiver Ted Ginn Jr.  The defense could be even better than 2010’s 6th ranked squad with the addition of rookie LB Justin Houston and veteran MLB Ryan Nece.  We see Atlanta as the team to beat in the SE Division, something no one has ever said about the Fire before. The 8-8 Generals barely missed out on the playoffs last year, losing in Week 16 in a game that had the potential to put them in as a Wild Card.  More importantly, they found a QB who could get the job done for their offense in rookie Sam Bradford.  After 2 consecutive 10-loss seasons, an 8-8 record feels like the beginning of a new era in East Rutherford.  Bradford was everything promised, throwing for 2,797 yard sand 14 touchdowns after taking over for Ryan Fitzpatrick in midseason.  The Generals are so confident in their young QB that they traded Fitzpatrick over to Portland and replaced him with journeyman Jeff Blake. The offseason for New Jersey was very promising as they retained the core talent on offense, added some support in the form of guard Adrien Clark and DE Aaron Kampman and rookies Will Rackley (G), Virgil Green (TE) and Delone Carter (HB).  The key for 2011 will be further development of Bradford and his receivers, a deep group that includes starters Mark Clayton, T. J. Houshmandzadeh and Santonio Holmes, but which can also call on Michael Crabtree, Miles Austin, and rookie Doug Baldwin.  The Defense was one of the league’s most consistent last year and adding Kampman to the line may help improve their pass rush.  This is a team that very much looks like they could challenge Philadelphia this season. FALLING The Invaders limped into the playoffs last season, losing their last 4 games with Bob Volek at QB before being outsted in the Wild Card round by the Chicago Machine in an embarrassing 20-point loss (37-17).  While a lot of Invader fans want to point to the absence of Joey Harrington as the reason for the club’s decline in the second half of 2010, the reality is that with the retirement of Ricky Williams, with Harrington’s long term health a question, and with a defense that showed signs of slipping last year, Oakland has more on their plate than just a QB recovering from injury. Oakland tried to address the questions about Harrington, drafting Colin Kaepernick out of Nevada in the 1st round, but he signed with the NFL club across the bay and now Oakland’s QB room looks exactly like it did in 2010.  They are hoping Harrington is fully recovered, but the lingering effects of his injury could be an issue.  As for the HB position, they are putting all their faith in rookie Ryan Williams.  But, while the last name is the same, the shift from Ricky to Ryan is a major shift in style.  Ricky was a battering ram with break away speed.  Ryan is more of a shifty “mogul skier” who likes to change direction more than take on tacklers.  That will be a very different challenge for the Oakland line, which remains the strength of the team. The other problem Oakland faces is that both Las Vegas and Portland are very much looking like true competitors for the Invaders this year, so the cakewalk of the Pacific Division is beginning to look like a much tougher path in 2011. We may be a bit premature about this, but losing 7 games last year, and dropping games to teams Ohio, Seattle and St. Louis do not help us see this club as one gearing up for a title run.  Chicago looked very good against Oakland in the Wild Card round, but fell flat to Division Champ Pittsburgh a week later.  The core of the team remains the same, a defense led by Brian Urlacher and Anthony Weaver and a run game headed up by Michael Turner. But, we have to admit that all three of those stars are getting older and may have peaked.  Brady Quinn is efficient but has yet to really prove he can win a game on his own. Losing both Darren Sharper and Rocky Boiman from the defense is not a good place to start if the Machine want to retake the division.  Reggie Tongue is a good replacement for Sharper, but he too seems to be on the downward side of his career.  Chicago only signed 3 of 10 draft picks, which is not what you want to see for a club with an aging core.  We think the chance is there for the Maulers, and possibly a revived Michigan club to leapfrog the Machine and with both Ohio and St. Louis building young teams, the Machine need to think about the short-term future rather than just immediate results. We debated this one quite a bit.  The Manning-Brees trade could be viewed as a positive step towards creating a new culture within the clubhouse, or it could be seen as a sign of desperation.  We still love a D-line that features both Calais Campbell and Albert Haynesworth, but worry that the squads behind it, linebackers and DB’s may not be strong enough to ensure that Orlando can keep teams off the scoreboard.  And while we think Eli Manning can get Orlando some wins, his playoff record is not exactly stellar.  Michael Jenkins is a legitimate #1 target, but we are not as sure about the rest of the receiving corps (McCaerins, DeSean Jackson, and Dwayne Bowe).  The key to the passing game may be TE Greg Olsen and the ability for Manning to use play action with Knowshon Moreno, but to do that, Moreno is going to have to improve on back to back seasons below 4 yards per carry. With Atlanta ascending, and all three other teams in the division only 1 game back of Orlando (7-9 v. 8-8), the Renegades are facing a division where all 4 opponents could legitimately pull off wins any week they play.  There will be no rest for any SE Division club during the season, and we are not feeling confident that Orlando is the club that will come out on top when all is said and done. PANICKING Jake Plummer is no spring chicken anymore.  His style, throwing his body into the fray, has aged it further than his 34 years would anticipate, and we are not so sure that the Thunder, in their current form, can hold together for much longer.  What should worry everyone is that the defense that Coach Glanville built the Thunder with has completely fallen apart after 1 year with June Jones at the helm. Las Vegas ranked 24th in both yards and points allowed, which just feels like a bad omen for a club that built their success on defensive strength.  The other big concern right now has to be that Jones’s spread style run & shoot depends on two things, a back who can operate in a 1-back set with no tight end, which Lynch certainly fills, and a deep group of speedy, smaller receivers.  There is the problem. When we think of the Run & Shoot we think of Houston in the 90’s with Sanders, Verdin, Robert Johnson, and McNeil.  When we look at the Thunder receiver group, we see Marty Booker, Kahlil Hill, Willie Ponder, Samie Parker, and Kili Lefutu and we are just not seeing how that group delivers on the promises of a Run & Shoot.   The question for Las Vegas is not whether or not they are running out of time, but whether or not they have a roster that can actually succeed right now. Seattle is the more classic “the window is closing” squad.  Neither Byron Leftwich nor David Boston are going to be around much longer.  DE John Abraham seems to be slowing down, and we are not seeing the production from younger players like Jahvid Best and Marcus Truffant that we might hope for.  On defense, we are looking at 3 of the 4 starting linebackers having over 10 years of USFL service, so great leadership, but bad knees.  The Dragons did add a promising rookie in Akeem Ayers out of UCLA, but they have had only hit & miss luck with rookies in recent years.  In a division that has a lot of questions, Seattle could surprise us, but if they cannot make a run this year, it may well be time to consider a roster overhaul. Look, we get it.  There is a ton of talent on this Michigan team, and they very well could rise right back up and dominate the Central this year, if Griese is healthy, but their QB’s injury last year put into clear relief how fragile a team’s competitiveness can be.  Michigan struggled through a year in which their offense was just not capable of functioning without their leader, averaging only 18 points per game (24th of 28 teams0 and only able to barely scratch 200 yards passing per game.  So, here’s the thing, the Panthers did nothing to improve their depth at QB.  They are still looking at Tyler Thigpen and Drew Stanton behind Griese.  That does not build confidence that they could survive another injury. We do like the addition of Wisconsin road grater Gabe Carimi in the draft.  He slots in at LT from day one, allowing Patrick Chung to remain a force on the right side.  We are still waiting to see if putting the run game on NFL import Thomas Jones is a shrewd move or a false hope.  The receiving corps is solid, with Ward, Coles, and Manningham taking the lead, and the defense has some difference makers in Jevon Kearse, DeMarcus Ware and Deltha O’Neal, but we are just not sure that the 16th ranked squad from last year is all that much better this year.  Can getting Griese back be enough to turn mediocre results into dominant ones? EXPANSION REPORT REVEALED We finish the first part of our season preview with the news out of this week’s Owner’s Meeting.  As expected, the Expansion Task Force presented their report, and somewhat predictably, the league owners fell in line with the proposals within that report.  What many consider to be good news for clubs like St. Louis, Charlotte, and Portland, still trying to find themselves, can be read as potential bad news for cities whose clubs are struggling with tough stadium issues or lower revenue streams. As expected, the report first identified a 2-team expansion as the ideal, allowing the league to remain in a 6-divisoin format while adding 2 more teams to bring each division to a balanced 5 teams apiece. That will benefit the schedule-makers as it means all 30 clubs would have the same number of divisional games to plan for, while still requiring that at least 1 team in each division each week is playing a non-divisional game. The second piece of the report stressed the importance of talent acquisition and equity among clubs. That is where the question of rapid vs. delayed expansion came to the fore.  The arguments were made on both sides, concern over franchise relocations if the expansion was delayed too long, but also concern that the 2006-2008 expansion still has not produced a lot of balance across the league, with many feeling that the next expansion should only come after we see all 4 recent expansion clubs as competitive (looking at you St. Louis).  The report recommended a window between 2018 and 2020 for the next expansion, with 2 clubs added, preferably one in the Southwest (Dallas seems the obvious choice) and the other in the Southern Division (no obvious choice here, though we could see Miami coming into play). That timeline is unlikely to satisfy the bidding groups already working on stadium deals, including the approved stadium upgrade for the Cotton Bowl already in the works.  Will Destination Dallas, San Diego Spring Football LLC, and other groups be content to wait 7-10 years to get a team?  That seems very unlikely, particularly in the case of Dallas, and its lead owner, Mark Cuban, not known as a patient, long-term vision kind of guy. The owners approved the basic tenets of the proposal, so the timeline is in place, with plans to explore expansion beginning in 2016, two years before the earliest window permitted for new franchises to join in.  There will be, apparently, no planning for just how to format an expansion until then, which means that those bidding groups either have to start planning for a long delay in starting their main operations, or they have to look for alternatives.  The truth is that several owners in the course of discussions seemed to actually prefer a situation in which some of the clubs considered relocation instead of the league expanding again.  It seems clear that while some owners are either not pleased that some franchises are lagging behind others in revenue generation, and some simply do not care for the lead owners of other franchises, the overall consensus is that only if a sale and relocation could be proven to benefit the league as a whole, moving a team from a small market to a huge MSA, for example, would it be viewed as a positive rather than a disturbing sign of instability, one likely to scare off some sponsors. So, what comes next? Well, that is really up to the groups seeking a franchise.  They can play nice and wait their turn, but that hardly seems likely.  More possibly, one or more will start looking at current teams and trying to find the weakest gazelle in the herd.  Expect to see some wooing, some cajoling, and even some efforts to encourage clubs to pressure for a new stadium, in hopes that failed ballot initiatives or reluctant local governments will convince current owners that sale may be their best option.  Right now, we see Boston, Oakland, and Las Vegas as the toughest stadium situations in the league, but certainly not the only cases where ownership could be swayed by a convincing argument to sell and a big bag of money at the other side of the table.  For the rest of us, particularly fans of those clubs and others, it seems we are going to have a rough ride for the next few years.