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The second half of the season begins with some shocking results.  Not only does Arizona go down to defeat for the first time but are absolutely dominated by the Texas Outlaws in a game that surprised all the pundits.  We also had New Jersey pull a major upset at home over the Denver Gold, Atlanta ran roughshod over a Birmingham club that lost their star rookie in the first quarter, and Houston dropped their 7th in a row as their precipitous fall from glory continues to get deeper and deeper.  We will cover all of Week 9’s on-field action and take a look at a key trade that Charlotte hopes will help keep their playoff hopes alive.  Boston decides that Jake Locker needs to step back after a rough start to his career, and we break down all 6 division races as we enter the playoff push in the USFL. DENVER GOLD 20   NEW JERSEY GENERALS 24 Sunday’s Fox national broadcast at 12pm was not the most hyped game of the week, but the Generals certainly made it one of the most entertaining, knocking off visiting Denver thanks to a furious 4th quarter comeback that stunned the visiting Gold and provided the Generals with their second consecutive win.  Denver came into this one sky high, having won their last 5 games and coming off a convincing win over the Texas Outlaws.  But, with Arizona on the slate for Week 10, facing the 1-7 Generals between Texas and Arizona was the perfect set up for a trap game.  New Jersey had just won their first game of the season, a 3-point squeeker against Charlotte and were back at the Meadowlands ready to prove they were better than they showed in the first half of the season. The Week 9 matchup of the Gold and the Generals started off just as many would have expected, with Denver scoring on their opening drive, a Maurice Hicks TD run only 4 minutes into the game.  They then went on to add a field goal in their second drive and were starting to feel like the game was in hand. But New Jersey was not going to roll over.  They got a big play on a defensive flub for Denver and finished up the first quarter with a dramatic 65-yard pass play that pulled the score to 10-7. Becht was covered by LB Shawne Merriman, which is a bit of a mismatch, and Bradford put the ball over the arms of the defender, allowing Becht to catch the ball in stride on a seam route.  When safety Jamel Williams came in to make the tackle 14 yards down field, he did not spot Denver CB Jamar Fletcher also approaching for the hit.  The two Denver defenders essentially picked each other off, freeing Becht, with only minimal contact, to run down the field out of range of the rest of the Denver defense.  It was an uncharacteristic flub by the Gold defense, but it would not be the last. The only score of the second period would be a Leigh Tiffin field goal for New Jersey, equalizing the score at the half.  New Jersey had effectively contained the Denver offense and even picked off Matt Leinart on a ball that was tipped at the line.  They could not score off the turnover, but it did help the Generals keep Denver off the scoreboard in the period.  Going into the half, New Jersey was feeling good about where they stood, Denver was feeling the pressure of a heavy favorite not pulling away early. The third quarter helped to calm the nerves of the few Denver fans who were on hand at Met Life Stadium,  Denver started strong with a good defensive stop on New Jersey’s first possession and moved the ball well on their way to a Graham Gano field goal to retake the lead.  After another good stop, this one a forced fumble by Merriman on HB Maurice Jones-Drew, recovered by DE Bryce Fisher, Denver was in position to take advantage of the short field and extend their lead.  They did just that as Dan LeFevour, playing for the injured Matt Leinart, found Peerless Price for a short TD toss 5 plays later.  LeFevour, who would finish 23 of 38 for 240 yards looked good most of the day but would have one poorly thrown ball that would tarnish the outing. As the third quarter wound down, New Jersey was on the march. They found a rhythm with Sam Bradford connecting with receivers Miles Austin and T. J. Houshmandzadeh on consecutive third down throws to move the chains.  The Generals worked the ball down inside the 5, and after Jones-Drew pounded the ball to the 1-yard line, they used a perfect play fake to get the ball to Miles Austin in single coverage.  The ball was a bit low, but Austin dove down and scooped the ball out of the air before it hit the turf.  On the first play of the final period, New Jersey pulled back to within 3 at 17-20.  It would be up to their defense to keep them close enough for a game-winning score. The Generals defense, criticized all season for giving up leads and allowing teams to run on them late, had some issues with the run again, as Maurice Hicks and Javon Ringer had combined for 95 yards over the first 3 quarters, but in the 4th they would be held to only 20 yards on 10 carries.  Without an effective run game, Denver found themselves having to deal with long third down conversions in the final period.  With 7:11 left in the quarter, the pressure of a long 3rd and 12 caused LeFevour to force a ball towards James Hardy.  Instead of finding his receiver, he found CB Nate Clements, one of New Jersey’s best defensive players.  Clements returned the pick 14 yards and set up the Generals with a 1st and 10 at their own 36. It would take the Generals only one play to make Denver pay.  The play was a perfectly executed flea flicker.  Bradford handed off to Jones-Drew, who headed to the left, only to pitch the ball back to Bradford. The QB eyed T. J. Houshmandzadeh flying down the left sideline, with 2 steps on the corner and no safety in range.  He hit Housh perfectly with a deep ball, and the Generals’ wideout high stepped the final 15 yards into the endzone.  New Jersey was up 24-20 with just over 6 minutes left to play.  This was where their defense would have to prove the haters wrong. Denver got the ball back at the 6-minute mark and again tried to force the run game to be effective.  It was not a good strategy.  They again found themselves with a long 3rd down, this time 3rd and 8. LeFevour could not find a receiver and took his 3rd sack of the game on the play, forcing Denver to send the ball back to New Jersey.  The Generals played conservatively on offense, rushing the ball twice before trying to pick up a third down with a screen pass to Jones-Drew. The screen came up a yard short and the Generals were forced to punt.  Denver would have one more shot, now with 3:50 left on the clock. This time around, the run game was not a consideration for the Gold.  It would be up to LeFevour to pull out the win, and the Gold needed a TD, down by 4.  The drive began with LeFevour scrambling and picking up just 1 yard after initial pressure from New Jersey’s Shaun Ellis.  On 2nd down, LeFevour found TE Daniel Graham inside and moved the sticks.  Over the next 5 plays, Denver would cross the 50, finding themselves with a 1st and 10 on the New Jersey 42. On first down, LeFevour would miss on a deep shot to Peerless Price. On second he would use a short screen to Ringer, but the play was blown up by Donterrious Thomas, who brought Ringer down after only a gain of 2 yards.  Third and 8 and it was clear Denver was in 4-down mode.  LeFevour threw towards Price again, but the ball bounced just in front of the receiver.  4th and 8 and the game on the line for the Gold.  Denver went with a 3-reciever, 1 back set with Ringer.  LeFevour started in the shotgun, was quickly flushed to his right by Ellis, looked deep but saw no one open and dumped the ball to Ringer, but, clipped in the arm as he threw by a blitzing Scott Fujita, the ball fluttered and dropped before reaching Ringer.  Turned over on downs, it was the last that Denver would see the ball. New Jersey wins their second in a row after a horrific 0-7 start, Denver drops a game they could not afford to drop, now falling 2 games behind Arizona with a huge matchup against the Wranglers the next week.  A fun game, and an important step forward for New Jersey and their defense if they are going to recover any sense of pride this season. OHIO 6   MICHIGAN 24 Another good game for Brian Griese as the Panthers seem to be putting it together. Griese threw for 238 and 2 touchdowns, getting help from his run game as Thomas Jones and Mike Hart combined for 33 carries and 136 yards.  Steve Smith returned to action for Ohio, catching 4 balls for 100 yards, but little else came from the Glory offense in this one. ST. LOUIS 20   PITTSBURGH 27 Despite Josh Freeman getting knocked out of the game, the Skyhawks put a real scare into Pittsburgh.  Backup Troy Smith threw for 242 and 2 TDs as St. Louis had both Taylor Jacobs and Jordy Nelson over 100 yards each against a banged-up Mauler secondary.  But the Maulers hung in all game and at the end a Pickett to Victor Cruz TD pass gave the homestanding Maulers the W to improve to 8-1 on the year. BIRMINGHAM 13   ATLANTA 31 Cam Newton had a 75-yard TD run but pulled up gimpy afterwards and had to be replaced by Colt Brennan.  Atlanta took advantage, scoring the next 24 points on their way to an easy victory at home.  Joseph Addai had 112 yards for the Stallions, but without Newton the offense struggled to get to the red zone.  Meanwhile Josh Reed had his best game of the year, catching 8 for 102 yards. ORLANDO 23   BALTIMORE 16 The Renegades were determined and found what they needed to edge the Blitz with two 4th quarter field goals and a great defensive stand on a key 4th down play.  They held Ron Dayne to only 59 yards on the ground, and got TD runs from both Leon Johnson and Knowshon Moreno to take the win and move above .500 again. BOSTON 6   NASHVILLE 23 Jake Locker avoided throwing more picks, but also could not get anything going for Boston’s offense as Nashville dominated thanks to 2 TDs to Ahmad Merrit.  Add in 111 yards from Robert Meachem and you have a pretty solid day for Jay Cutler.  After the game, Boston Coach Jim Fox said he would be returning to Adrian McPherson at QB for Week 10. NEW ORLEANS 9   MEMPHIS 16 The Showboats win 2 in a row as they take care of the winless Breakers.  New Orleans led at the half, but a 3rd quarter TD pass from Ryan Mallett to Jim Kliensasser put Memphis up for good.  Drew Brees went 24 of 35 for 285 yards but could not convert yards into points as New Orleans continues to struggle on offense. PHILADELPHIA 28   WASHINGTON 26 A good battle in the NE Division goes to Philadelphia as the Stars hold off backup Joe Webb and the Feds.  Webb would throw for 3 scores but fell behind early and just could not fully catch up late in the game.  Deion Branch had 2 TDs for Washington, while Philadelphia got scores from 4 different players to get the win. SEATTLE 24   JACKSONVILLE 6 The Dragons look good in a big road win 3,000 miles from home.  Jahvid Best had 2 TD runs and Byron Leftwich welcomed Nate Burleson back from injury with a TD toss.  For Jacksonville, no run game at all forced Tim Tebow to throw 59 pass attempts.  He completed 25 for 267 yards but was also sacked 4 times and picked once as Seattle rolled. LAS VEGAS 30   CHARLOTTE 6 No Marshawn, no problem as the Thunder score 20 unanswered points in the second half to roll past the Monarchs in Charlotte.  Jake Delhomme is sacked 5 times by that nasty Thunder defense, and LB Shantee Orr took a Delhomme pick to the house as Las Vegas wins big and retains a share of first place. ARIZONA 7   TEXAS 30 A huge statement game for the Outlaws as they dominate unbeaten Arizona in the Alamodome.  Two first quarter TDs from Flacco to Marques Colston set the tone as Texas built up a 27-0 lead and never looked back.  Arizona’s only points came on a pick-six as the Texas D completely shut down LaDainian Tomlinson and the Arizona offense.  A huge divisional win for a rising Outlaw squad. LOS ANGELES 34   CHICAGO 13 The Express feeling disrespected by the national media, take out their frustrations against the Machine, going on a 24-point surge after falling behind 7-0 in this one.  Two Randy Moss TDs highlight a 298-yard, 3 TD game for Mark Sanchez as LA moves to 6-2 and stays tied for first place in the Pacific. TAMPA BAY 10   OAKLAND 6 An ugly game in drizzly, wet conditions by the bay as the Bandits escape with a 4-point win against Oakland.  Joey Galloway had 108 yards and the game’s only TD as Tampa Bay holds on to win in miserable conditions.  The Invaders could not get a run game going and shot themselves in the foot with 11 penalties. PORTLAND 20   HOUSTON 13 Houston’s misery continues as they drop their 7th in a row.  Portland got TDs from Visanthe Shiancoe (later injured in the game) and Andre Davis as the Portland defense completely overwhelms Houston backup Tim Rattay, in for the injured Matt Hasselbeck.  Jonathan Stewart also rushes for 110 as Portland moves to 4-5 and in the mass of teams hoping to be in Wild Card position. Outlaws Roust the Wranglers Call it a statement game, a letdown, or the eventual evening of results across the league, but the Texas Outlaws sent a shot across the bow of the league with their rout of the Arizona Wranglers.  Many had thought that Texas could give Arizona a challenge, and some did predict the upset, but no one saw the result being total domination by the folks from San Antonio.  Texas scored the first 27 points of the game begore a late pick-six by Arizona’s Jimmie Williams put Arizona on the board.  The Outlaws gained over 450 total yards against the Wrangler defense, including 98 yards rushing for T. J. Duckett, 96 for Marques Colsten, and another 87 from Brandon Marshall.  Joe Flacco had a fabulous game, racking up a 119.3 QB Rating on the day while throwing 3 TDs. Meanwhile, Arizona looked flat from the get-go.  David Carr completed only 13 of 30 passes and was sacked 8 times.  That total includes a stunning 4 sacks from Texas DE Renaldo Wynn, who Carr will be seeing in his nightmares for weeks to come.  LaDainian Tomlinson did not fare much better, averaging only 1.9 yards per carry as Texas consistently used gap blitzes to disrupt the run game.  Larry Fitzgerald was held to only 3 catches on the day as Arizona was simply overmatched up front. The question now is if other teams can mimic Texas’s high pressure, man coverage scheme to slow down Arizona and then find the same defensive weaknesses that Texas exploited. We expect that Coach Tomsula will be using this game as motivation for the Wranglers to play their best in the coming weeks.  The Wranglers don’t face Texas again, having played both games to a 1-1 draw, but the lingering impact of this drubbing by the Outlaws could certainly impact them.  Week 10 has them facing Denver, another team hot on their heels in the division.  Could the Gold repeat the model for victory that Texas provided or will Arizona bounce back with a divisional win to reestablish their position in the division? Boston Benches Rookie Jake Locker With a QB rating of only 53.7, and a 3:9 TD:INT ratio, not to mention six consecutive losses, none of which saw Boston score more than 16 points, it is not surprising that Coach Jim Fox is regretting his decision to replace Adrian McPherson with rookie Jake Locker.  He reversed that decision after this week’s 23-6 loss at Nashville and will start McPherson against Memphis in Week 10. It is not the first time that a high-profile rookie QB has struggled with the speed and sophistication of the pro game, but Locker was viewed as the most pro-ready QB in the draft, and one of the best prospects of the past few years. Boston fans are already muttering unflattering comparisons to Ryan Leaf on sports radio.  It seems very early to say that, as we have also seen many QBs struggle in their first year only to come on in their careers as the game became easier to read and their understanding of an offense improved. Sitting at 1-8, Boston is already out of playoff contention, so there is a question of whether or not Coach Fox is removing valuable snaps from a rookie QB who can only grow as he plays more, but concerns  that Locker is losing confidence in himself and becoming more rattled each week has Coach Fox offering the rookie a respite, a chance to catch his breath and watch the game develop from the sideline.  Certainly, a setback for Locker and the Cannons as a whole, but an understandable position for Fox, who has not dealt with a rookie QB in his entire tenure with the Cannons. Charlotte Trades for a Halfback We had a feeling that Charlotte would not stand pat after losing Fred Jackson to IR.  After one game where rookie HB Taiwan Jones rushed for only 2.2 yards per carry and the Monarchs got crushed 30-6 by Las Vegas, the club made a move to bring in a possible solution at halfback.  The Monarchs made a deal with the Memphis Showboats to bring HB Shonn Greene over to Charlotte.  It cost them a 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft, but Greene brings more experience and some good inside running skills to the club.  Expect him to get the bulk of the carries with Charlotte this week, but to be removed for passing downs as he will not yet have all the blocking assignments in place yet. Greene’s came to Memphis as a rookie in 2009, but only saw action in 1 game. In 2010 he became a regular contributor, even starting 3 games when Cadillac Williams was dealing with injury.  He would rush for 517 yards and 7 TDs in Memphis, used most frequently as a short-yardage and goal line back.  He will have a chance with Charlotte to have a much larger role, at least this  year with Jackson sidelines.  This is a contract year for Greene, so a good performance could lead to a nice new contract or to added value on the free agent market.  Charlotte is, of course, hoping that motivation will help Greene play to his maximum potential and provide the Monarchs with a run game they need to keep pressure off Jake Delhomme. Divisional Race Roundup As we look at the Week 9 standings and knowing that we begin our official playoff positioning reviews next week, we can see that there are going to be some tight races this year.  Five of six divisions have clusters of teams all fighting for supremacy.  As we gear up for the playoff run, here is our look at each of the 6 divisions, from closest to least competitive. NORTHEAST:  Not only is this division close, with 3 teams all within 1 game of the lead but may be the most competitive.  Philadelphia currently holds a 1-game lead over Washington and Baltimore but all three teams have looked like very real Summer Bowl contenders this year, so this is a real clash of the titans situation.  Each club currently has 1 loss in the division, but we expect that in the weeks to come the battles among these three will only produce more drama and more upheaval in the division. PACIFIC:  The surprise upswing of the LA Express, the injury to Marshawn Lynch, and the resilience of the Seattle Dragons are making the Pacific Division one of the most interesting races in the league.  The fact that all 5 clubs are within 2 games of each other means that upsets are not out of the question and any team, even 5th place Portland can make a run to the top over the final 7 weeks of the season. LA and Las Vegas are currently tied atop the division, but LA has a perfect 3-0 division record, giving them the edge. That means they still have 5 division games to go, so the infighting will be key for the Express and the whole division. SOUTHEAST:  Four of five teams are within 2 games of first place Tampa Bay, with only 2-7 Jacksonville sitting this one out. Charlotte has lost 4 in a row and may be fading, but they are still making moves to try to be competitive.  Atlanta and Orlando are right there with Tampa Bay, and, most interestingly, Orlando has only played 1 divisional game to date. In a quirk of scheduling, they have 7 divisional games in their final 7 weeks.  That is a gauntlet, but also an opportunity as they will play all the contenders twice over the next 2 months. SOUTHWEST:  Texas’s win over the Wranglers suddenly puts this division back in play.  Both Texas and Denver are still 2 games behind Arizona, but the task of catching the Wranglers now seems more viable.  Arizona plays Denver this week.  Another loss and this division could be as close as the NE or Pacific.  Houston is well out of the hunt, but 3 teams, all looking very strong, should continue to battle this one out.  We should also note that Denver is still unbeaten in the division (only 2-0) with 4 division games left to play. SOUTHERN:  We expected a 2-team race, and we got that, just not the 2 teams we expected.  New Orleans’s collapse and Cam Newton’s strong rookie year have made it possible for Birmingham to challenge Nashville in a 2-team race.  Right now the Knights hold a 1-game lead, and are still unbeaten (3-0) in division games.  Birmingham can narrow that gap with a win over the Knights in Week 14 but have to get past Washington and Pittsburgh first.  The Knights also have a tough path ahead, with the Maulers, Bandits and then Birmingham on the schedule in the next month. CENTRAL:  The one division that is just not competitive this year.  Pittsburgh has a 4-game lead on the closest challengers (Michigan and Ohio) and could wrap up the division title before June.  They are still fighting for a #1 seed in the playoffs and will have to keep pace with Arizona to do so. The chase in the division is for a possible Wild Card spot, but with both the Panthers and Glory at 4-5, they will need to string together some wins in order to get in the mix ahead of teams from other divisions. Five Under .500 Seven weeks left and while there are certainly teams who look like clear playoff contenders, there are also those on the fringe, sitting outside the current playoff positions but still with potential if they can put the pieces together.  Here is our look at 5 teams currently sitting below the .500 mark who, with a bit of focus, a bit of bit of tenacity and a bit of luck can make a run at a postseason position.  They may not be at the top of the standings right now, but they do have reasons to be optimistic. MICHIGAN (4-5, 1-3 in Division):  The Panthers actually sit in 2nd place in the Central Division, a full 4 games behind Pittsburgh, but in a possible position to garner a Wild Card if they can keep a hot hand.  The Panthers have won their last 3 games, which we take as a good sign, and Brian Griese over that span has thrown for nearly 800 yards with 4 TDs.  That is an even better sign that the Panthers may be poised for a strong second half and a possible return to playoff football. OHIO (4-5, 2-3 in Division): The Glory are by many accounts ahead of schedule.  The club is still considered to be in a rebuild mold, but the defense Coach Bart Andrus has put together has come together quickly and is keeping Ohio in most games.  Vince Young did not start the season at QB, but now is in the lineup and it is hoped that he can help spark the offense as well.  Their loss this week to Michigan kept them from being at 5-4 and they have some tough games ahead, but the Glory are certainly not out of the hunt. OAKLAND (4-5, 1-2 In Division):  The Invaders are not the division power they were 2 years ago, but they still can be a very dangerous team, and with the division as tight as it is a late run is not unimaginable.  They need better play out of their 25th ranked offense, because right now the defense is doing all the heavy lifting.  That means more consistency from the run game and more big plays out of the passing game. PORTLAND (4-5, 0-3 in Division):  Preseason picks had Portland as a favorite in the division, but after a 3-2 start, a 3-game slide did not do them any favors.  They rebounded this week with a win in Houston but will need to show more consistency and more explosiveness if they want to stay a viable playoff team this year.  They are about to run a 4-game gauntlet against Pacific Division foes, so these next 4 weeks will all but guarantee their fate. CHICAGO (3-6, 0-5 in Division):  This one is a longshot, we know.  After losing 5 straight division games to open the year, Chicago turned things around with a 3-game win streak, but it may just be too little too late.  The defense is just not what it once was, and yet, with upcoming games against Michigan, New Orleans, Memphis, Ohio, and St. Louis, the chance for a second surge still exists, but is it far too late to be of much good? A really bad week across the USFL as we had 4 players added to IR, including a very scary neck injury for Portland center Brad Meester, who collapsed on the field after a brutal head-to-head hit.  He had to be taken out on an ambulace with a neck injury.  Early reports are positive.  He has movement and feeling in all extremities, but it was a very scary moment. The other three IR placements were not as frightening to watch this weekend but are still significant.  Portland will miss veteran TE Visanthe Schianco, who ruptured his Achilles after catching a TD in this weekend’s game.  Michigan SS Tyrone Carter left the game with his arm in a sling, and it was determined that his bicep has detached from the bone and that will cost him the season to repair and rehab.  Finally, Tampa Bay FS suffered 3 broken ribs in a vicious hit and will be unable to return this season. While not nearly as significant as the injuries listed above, we have several players expected to miss at least 1-2 weeks after this week’s games.  Philadelphia CB Quentin Jammer is out 2-4 weeks with a partially torn hamstring.  Memphis wideout Lee Evans is out 1-2 with an elbow injury, while Washington could miss starting center Austin King for 1-2 weeks with an ankle injury.  Las Vegas cornerback Antoine Winfield suffered a shoulder injury this week and is expected to be out at least a week. Finally, Mike Pouncy is expected to be out this week with a stinger in his neck. One last note, QB Cam Newton left the game this week with pain in his neck and is listed as questionable for the big game this weekend against Washington.  If he cannot go, then Colt Brennan is expected to get the start. Trades We Wish Would Happen With just one week left until the trade deadline, we look around the league and wonder “what if?”  There are some clubs who are not going anywhere and are sitting on very talented individuals.  Would they be willing to give up a significant start in order to acquire more pieces or some draft capital?  There are also some teams who just don’t seem to know how to get the best out of a player.  What if they moved that player on and got someone who fits their mold a bit more?  We tried to answer these and other roster questions as we looked across the league.  In doing so we have come up with 6 trades we wish would happen, both for the teams and the individual players. 1.  St. Louis sends WR Taylor Jacobs to Las Vegas. The Thunder have been beset by WR injuries, and even with Marty Booker expected back, they just don’t have a guy who can take over a game.  St. Louis does, but they just don’t seem to ever put enough around him to allow his talent to translate into wins.  We don’t expect the Skyhawks would want to give Jacobs up, but he would be a perfect fit for Coach June Jones’s system in Vegas. 2.  HB Kenny Watson to the Dragons. Watson is beginning to look like the odd man out in Pittsburgh, where Ronnie Brown’s emergence has seriously cut into Watson’s carries.  Seattle is a club that is struggling to field a consistent run game.  Send Watson to Seattle for a pick and maybe LaDell Betts, who runs a similar style to Brown and you could benefit both run games. 3.  A. J. Feeley to Boston. What do we know about Boston?  We know that Jake Locker is struggling to pick up the pro game.  He needs a mentor, someone who can guide him and get him to see the game better.  Feeley is out as the starter in Portland and could be a perfect 1-year solution for Boston, helping the Cannons this year while also providing tutelage to the young and somewhat shaken Locker. 4.  FS Tebucky Jones to the Arizona Wranglers. Jones is having a banner year for Memphis, but he is going nowhere on a 2-win Showboat squad.  Arizona is a Summer Bowl contender despite the fact that they are giving up over 250 yards per game passing.  Putting Jones on that Arizona roster would provide immediate support and essentially a coach on the field.  We expect Memphis would want a lot in return, but if Arizona is all in this year for a title, it may be a deal worth making. 5.  DE Jason Babin to the Bandits. Babin is 2nd in the league in sacks, which makes him very unlikely trade bait, but he is also spinning his wheels with a Boston club that is so focused on offense that they are not doing what they need to for the defense to be effective.  Put Babin on a team that has a shot and let him be the disruptor that the Bandit defense sorely needs. Yes, it means giving up quite a bit to Boston to make it happen, but the Bandit defense needs to be more aggressive and Babin could be the answer. 6.  New Orleans should trade the #1 pick in the draft away. Now, this assumes that the Breakers retain that pick by finishing last in the league, which after this week’s loss to Memphis seems like a good bet.  The #1 pick is almost always going to be a QB, which is the one position we don’t think the Breakers need to address.  A healthy Drew Brees will be just fine in New Orleans.  What New Orleans needs are picks, lots of picks, so they can rebuild across the defense, the O-line, and at the HB position.  As much as we like Matt Forte, he is not getting the job done.  Maye even package him with the top pick to get even more out of a team. Texas reveals 2012 Uniforms The second of next year’s Adidas redesigns has been announced, with the very hot Texas Outlaws getting a new look, one they hope they can debut in the 2011 playoffs.  Not to worry Texas faithful, unlike Reebok, Adidas is not proposing a new logo for your beloved Outlaws.  They are retaining the traditional cowboy over a lone star design, keeping the secondary “action outlaw” logo and are adding s supplemental logo featuring a shield and the Alamo skyline to highlight the club’s San Antonio home. The main distinction fans will see with the 2011 uniform is in the use of colors.  Black will be far less present than in past years, with the new Texas look particularly emphasizing the Kelly Green and Royal Blue combo.  This is particularly evident in the new striping, which plays upon a consistent 4-stripe pattern, with four equal width stripes, with the two outer stripes the same color—white on colored backgrounds, blue on a white background, and then two distinct stripes on the inside.  On the Green helmet this produces parallel blue and green stripes within the white outer stripes, a pattern which is also found on the blue and green pant sets and on both jerseys. We have this pattern on both jerseys because Texas is one of several teams that has moved to having colored sleeves on their white jerseys.  In the case of the Outlaws it is a blue sleeve, allowing for the same stripe pattern as on the home blue jerseys.  The new wordmark is on the front of each jersey, the secondary logo on each sleeve as well, and a wide block font with some western flourishes is in green with a blue drop shadow on the white look and white with green shadow on the blue jersey. The entire look is very much in keeping with the aesthetics that the club inherited from the San Antonio Gunslingers back in 1988.  While some fans have called for the club to develop a blue alternate helmet, or even an all-black look, the Outlaws have consistently been a team with a green helmet and blue jersey, balancing the two colors.  While the three pant sets would allow the club to provide an all-blue look, the team has said that it plans to wear the blue pants primarily with the white jersey, the white pants with the blue jersey, and the green pants with either jersey for special games. We are still awaiting the reveals for New Orleans, fresh off their vote on team colors, and the Washington Federals, with rumors of a modified eagle logo already being spread around DC. Week 10 brings us a slate of action that could go a long way to determining which clubs are truly in the hunt for a playoff spot and which may be fading fast.  Saturday brings us Nashville (6-3) visiting Charlotte.  A loss by the Monarchs here and they could quickly fade from the SE Division race.  Michigan is also sitting at 4-5 and they host the 3-6 Chicago Machine.  Neither team can afford a loss at this point.  On Sunday, Ohio has a shot to revive playoff hopes but will need to pull the upset as the visiting Maulers (8-1) are heavily favored.  Birmingham sits at 5-4 and have a chance to prove their legitimacy as they host the Washington Federals. Portland (4-5) needs a win over visiting LA (6-3) to get back in the chase, but the Express are hoping to put their stamp on the division with a win on the road.  Late on Sunday we have two good battles of 5-4 and 4-5 clubs, with Seattle visiting Oakland at 4pm and then Atlanta hosting Orlando at 8pm on the ESPN Football Network. It all kicks off on Friday with an in-state rivalry game as the Texas Tussle resumes in Houston, with a spiraling Gambler team, losers of 7 in a row, hosting the hot Texas Outlaws.  Another match with huge implications is 6-3 Denver visiting 8-1 Arizona on Saturday.  On Sunday the early game between 6-3 Baltimore and 7-2 Philadelphia will also be huge. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET                  Texas (6-3) @ Houston (2-7)                               NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET        Boston (1-8) @ Memphis (2-7)                        ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET           Nashville (6-3) @ Charlotte (4-5)                      ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET           New Jersey (2-7) @ New Orleans (0-9)           FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET             Chicago (3-6) @ Michigan (4-5)                       ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET             Denver (6-3) @ Arizona (8-1)                         FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET            Jacksonville (2-7) @ Tampa Bay (6-3)               ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET             Baltimore (6-3) @ Philadelphia (7-2)                ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET             Pittsburgh (8-1) @ Ohio (4-5)                             FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm ET             Washington (6-3) @ Birmingham (5-4)            FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                 St. Louis (3-6) @ Las Vegas (6-3)                        ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET              Los Angeles (6-3) @ Portland (4-5)               ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                Seattle (5-4) @ Oakland (4-5)                          FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET               Atlanta (5-4) @ Orlando (5-4)                             EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Randy Moss had the kind of game this week that makes us remember that he is one of the truly elite receivers in the league. He finished the game, a big one for the Express, with 6 catches, 142 yards and 2 scores, but you need to check out the highlights to see just how special some of those catches were.

Midseason and a lot to decipher.  Also a lot to look forward to.  We reach midseason with an unexpected unbeaten club (Arizona), some unexpected collapses (Chicago, Houston, New Jersey, New Orleans) and a few surprising strong starts across the league (Birmingham, Los Angeles).  This is the ever-present change that we see each year in the USFL where the fortunes of any team can radically change with a few key moves, a new coaching strategy, or simply a new culture of accountability.  Week 8 itself saw some intriguing results as two of the winless clubs (New Jersey and Memphis) managed to land their first victories of the year.  We also saw a great clash in the Southwest as Texas took on Denver at Mile High.  We wondered if Oakland had finally found their formula after they knocked off Portland, and we ponder just how far the Houston Gamblers will fall this year after a title run in 2010.   All that, and all the midseason analysis is right here, right now. MICHIGAN PANTHERS 25   ORLANDO RENEGADES 20 Not the marquee matchup of the week, to be sure, but this matchup of the ‘Gades and Panthers turned out to be one of the best games of the year because both teams were giving it everything they had.  Michigan was hoping to add a 3rd win to their total and perhaps creep back into the playoff picture.  Orlando was hoping to use this game as a springboard to the Division lead.  So, what we got were two hungry teams, both motivated to win, and a game that was entertaining throughout. Early on it looked like Michigan certainly had the upper hand, but far too often they were forced to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns and that allowed Orlando to hang close enough to be a threat throughout.  It began with a quick first drive, enhanced by Michigan coming out using a no-huddle strategy.  The goal was to hit Orlando hard and fast, and to get Brian Griese into a rhythm.  His comeback from injury has been somewhat spotty, so Coach LeBeau wanted to give him full command and the ability to manipulate mismatches caused by the inability for Orlando to put in subs as Michigan went without a huddle. The strategy paid off as Michigan marched down the field in only 8 plays, capping off their drive with a Griese to Joppru 13-yard TD strike.  The strategy would pay off twice more in the quarter as Orlando, suffering from some offensive sputtering, could not gain a first down in the period, two straight 3-and-outs, while Michigan continued to use the no-huddle to add 6 more points on two consecutive field goal drives.  It could have been more but WR Mario Manningham dropped a wide open touchdown on the third drive, crashing to the ground and rolling into a cameraman at the same time.  He would leave the game with an injury caused on that play, and that would force Michigan to use different formations and largely abandon the no-huddle to allow their own substitutions. Down 13-0 at home after one quarter, Orlando also changed gears, Shifting from first down play action to more run calls.  The strategy worked, as Knowshon Moreno and Jacob Hester alternated inside runs to pretty good effect, giving Eli Manning short third downs to make.  The shift led to Orlando’s first poins, a 27-yard kick to put them on the board.  After a third Michigan field goal made it 16-3, Orlando would get their first TD of the day and pull right back within one score just as the first half wound down.  The TD, an 11-yard scamper by Moreno, came at the end of a 13-play drive that started at the Orlando 4 after a botched kick return.  Eli Manning completed 4 of 6 throws on the drive and they got an unexpected boost when a 3rd and 1 plunge play by Leon Johnson ended up going for 13 yards when the back bounced off the original tacklers. Michigan continued to struggle to turn drives into touchdowns in the 3rd quarter, and again settled for a field goal.  Their defense had played well all game, but with only a 19-10 lead, they could  not rest.  Unfortunately, on at least one play they did.  A mental mistake left Orlando WR Justin McCaerins open behind the safeties and Eli did not miss on the throw.  The scoring toss to McCaerins got Orlando back to within 2 points at 19-17 as the third quarter wound down. The final period saw both defenses scrambling to keep the offenses contained.  It worked for the first 12 minutes of the period, with both teams struggling to get past the 50.  But, after a beautiful seam route broke Greg Olsen open in the middle of the field, Orlando broke through.  Their drive bogged down thanks to a holding call, but still left them in field goal range for Bill Grammatica.  The Orlando kicker gave the ‘Gades their first lead of the game with only 1:36 left to play.  Orlando was up 20-19 and had to defend for the next 90 seconds to claim the win. As it turns out, it was 90 seconds too many.  Michigan took over on their 25 after the kickoff sailed out of the endzone.  They then proceeded to dissect the Orlando zone defense, a zone the game announcers critiqued heavily as it clearly was allowing too many 8-10 yard completions and too many outside routes that allowed receivers to get out of bounds, preserving time.  After spiking the ball on a first down inside the Orlando 20, and needing only a field goal to win, Michigan opted not to set up their kicker by plunging the ball towards his preferred hasmark. Instead they set up in a tight formation, faked the ball to Mike Hart, and Griese found Laverneus Coles on a fade route to the endzone.  The fake worked as the safeties crashed the line, leaving Coles in single coverage, perfect for the fade route to succeed.   Coles brought down the ball, and with 9 seconds left, the Orlando crowd groaned in frustration as Michigan went up 25-20.  The Panthers went for 2 to make it a 7-point lead, but failed, giving us the final score of 25-20. For the Panthers, the gritty comeback win means that they move to 3-5 and are still viable as a potential Wild Card. There is little chance that they can catch the 6-1 Maulers, but with Wild Card clubs often sitting at 9-7 or 8-8, the Panthers at least have hope.  Better yet, the game showed that Brian Griese is regaining some of his form and his swagger from the 2009 season. For Orlando, dropping to 4-4 is not a disaster, particularly not in the Southeastern Division where 4 of the 5 clubs are all clustered right around the .500 mark, but it certainly complicates their push to a leadership position. OAKLAND 24   PORTLAND 20 The Invaders even their record at 4-4 despite a run game that got nowhere against Portland (38 total yards).  Credit the defense, which not only held the Stag offense in check but also produced the game-winning points.  Down 20-17 in the 4th, Oakland got a pick six from linebacker Mike Maslowski to secure the win.  Maz snuck in front of a ball aimed for Stag TE Vicante Shiancoe and got a caravan of blockers for a 50-yard pick that crushed the Stags’ hopes for a home win. CHARLOTTE 27   NEW JERSEY 30 The Generals’ offense came alive against a pretty good Monarch D as New Jersey notched their first win of the year.  Two TDs from Maurice Jones-Drew led the way for a 30-point New Jersey output. The defense also came up big, picking off Jake Delhomme 3 times to hold Charlotte in check.  The final pick, made by Nate Clements, was the clincher as it ended a last ditch Charlotte drive in the waning seconds of the game. BOSTON 16   PHILADELPHIA 20 Jake Locker finally had a game without throwing a pick, but it was still not enough as Philadelphia edged the Cannons at home.  Not the best game for Kurt Warner as he was sacked 6 times, including 3 from Boston DE Jason Babin, but the Stars got enough out of their offense to hold off the Cannons late.  With Stevie Johnson sidelined, Reche Caldwell had another big day, catching 7 balls for 124 yards and a score. PITTSBURGH 10   LOS ANGELES 9 This one was all about defense as neither team was able to show much on offense.  LA was held to only 196 total yards, including only 24 total yards on the ground.  Pittsburgh fared better, with 101 rushing yards between Brown and Watson, but could not get the ball in the endzone for most of the day.  The game’s lone TD, a Kenny Watson run, was enough however, as LA could only muster 3 field goals. HOUSTON 19   CHICAGO 24 Chicago nabs their 3rd win of the season as they seem to have turned things around, but Houston, ooh boy, that makes 6 losses in a row for the league champion.  Matt Hasselbeck was actually pulled from the game late in favor of Tim Rattay, a humiliating development for the 2010 OPOTY.  Chicago hung on despite losing Brady Quinn in the third quarter.  Mike Kafka came in and threw a key TD to Donald Driver to secure Chicago’s 3rd win in a row. NASHVILLE 17   BALTIMORE 27 This battle of 5-2 clubs goes to the homestanding Baltimore Blitz as they get two 2nd half TD tosses from Big Ben to Tory Holt to take the W.  Add in 111 yards from Ron Dayne and a defense that held Jay Cutler to only 170 yards passing and the Blitz get their 6th victory in 8 games. Holt would finish with 3 scores on the day and led all receivers with 93 yards. MEMPHIS 20   ST. LOUIS 10 The Showboats show some spine and snag their first win in 8 tries, knocking off a sloppy St. Louis squad that could not get out of their own way.  Cadillac Williams lifted the Showboats on his back, rushing for 151 yards as St. Louis could not find a formula to slow him down.  New arrivals Antonio Smith and Kendrick Clancy made great first impressions for the Showboats, each recording a sack of Josh Freeman. NEW ORLEANS 16   OHIO 17 The Breakers played hard for Coach Lathon and almost pulled off the road win, but fall by 1 point to become the league’s only 0-8 club.  New Orleans had a 16-10 lead with 5 minutes left, but could not stop the Glory on a final drive that finished with a Zach Miller TD catch to take the win.  The Breakers outgained the Glory 300-143, but simply could not hold the lead in the end. JACKSONVILLE 24   BIRMINGHAM 31 A good one between two athletic QBs as rookie Cam Newton edged 2nd year QB Tim Tebow to help Birmingham to a 5-3 record at the halfway point.  Newton threw for 276 yards and 2 scores, while Tebow thew for 275 but also threw 3 picks.  The play of the game however came with  Newton’s legs. With the game tied at 24 with 2:10 left to play, Newton scrambled, straight-armed a safety and dashed 58 yards for the game winner, a stunning play that had all of Birmingham on their feet.  Terrell Owens also had a strong game, with 135 receiving yards and 2 scores as he and Newton are quickly becoming one of the best QB-WR combos in the league. TEXAS 17   DENVER 26 The SW Division clash at Invesco Field goes to the road team and backup QB Dan LeFevour.  The Gold QB went 16 of 24 for 236 yards, connecting for 3 TDs with TE Daniel Graham (2) and WR Peerless Price (1).  Texas had a shot, but Joe Flacco suffered a concussion in the 3rd and backup Sage Rosenfels just could not rally the Outlaws, despite 128 yards from WR Marques Colston against the Gold defense. WASHINGTON 13   ARIZONA 17 Another huge game featuring a SW Division club as the unbeaten Wranglers use a stifling defense and home field advantage to knock off the 6-1 Federals. David Garrard suffered 3 sacks and was knocked out of the game, forcing Joe Webb into action late.  The Arizona D forced 3 turnovers, including 2 picks of Webb, to secure the win despite their offense struggling to gain 238 yards on the day.  Arizona now sits a perfect 8-0 at the midway point. LAS VEGAS 7   SEATTLE 24 Everyone wondered what the Las Vegas offense would do without Marshawn Lynch, and the answer is not much. The Thunder got only 74 total yards out of their run game as Seattle limited Cedric Benson to 50 yards on 19 carries (2.6 YPC).  Meanwhile, the combo of Betts and Best combined for 172 yards rushing as the Dragons ground out a win and evened their record at 4-4 at midseason. TAMPA BAY 37   ATLANTA 20 The Bandits snap their 3-game losing streak and reach midseason with a share of first place.  They did it by forcing 3 Kyle Orton picks and by handing the ball to Willis McGahee.  Atlanta’s D seemed unable to tackle the Bandit back, who rushed for 182 yards and 2 scores on the day.  Tampa would also get a pick-6 from Antrel Rolle as Kyle Orton forced the ball in desperation in the 4th. Arizona a Surprise 8-0 Without a doubt the biggest story of the USFL season’s first half, the Arizona Wranglers, sitting at 8-0, are the surprise team of the season.  After improving a 1-15 club in 2008 to 5-9, then 7-9, there was hope in Phoenix that the Wranglers were headed in the right direction with Coach Jim Tomsula, but no one saw a start like this on the horizon for the Wranglers.  Arizona has run roughshod through the league, surviving their biggest test last week when the 6-1 Washington Federals came to town.  The Wranglers won that game, as they have won all their games, with a balanced offense and a shut down defense. The Wranglers seem to give up yardage (14th in the league) but not points (3rd in points allowed), and they have an offense that is 11th in both the run and the pass, a sign of their balance, but 4th in scoring. That combination has worked well for the club as they have already won more games this season than in any year since 2006.  Coach Tomsula is up for Coach of the Year, and LaDainian Tomlinson is back in a form we have not seen from him in several season (NFL and USFL).  They have a tough test the next two weeks, with games at Texas and then their first showdown with the Denver Gold, but this team has already proven the doubters wrong.  They will be a force to be reckoned with down the home stretch as well. Houston’s Collapse a Mystery If Arizona’s year is one of surprising success, the Houston Gamblers’ season, hot off their 4th USFL title, has been a mysterious collapse into despair.  The Gamblers started the year strong, with a Summer Bowl rematch win over Philadelphia in the season opener and an easy victory over New Jersey in Week 2.  But after that it all went downhill.  Blown out 30-14 by their in-state rivals, Houston then went on to lose 5 more games to create their current 6-game skid.  In that span, they have scored only 20 points or more once 9a 24-21 loss at Denver), and were shut out by Washington in a game few could believe. But, what is the problem for the Gamblers?  Well, there appear to be many.  They currently rank 23rd in the league against the pass, in part because their usual combination of pressure and shallow zones is being exploited by quick release passing schemes.  On offense, they have picked up yardage, averaging 338 yards per game, certainly respectable, but that has only generated 17.6 points per game, and that includes the 2 wins before the skid started.  QB Matt Hasselbeck has regressed after an excellent 2010, throwing 11 picks to only 9 TDs this season and is being sacked more often as well.  Shaun Alexander’s numbers are solid, but he is getting bottled up in the redzone, with Houston struggling to find paydirt. It is a surprising turn of events for a club that many thought could make a run at a repeat.  That goal seems well out of reach at this point, as even finishing at .500 would be a major accomplishment for this Houston squad.  With Texas, Denver, and especially Arizona having outstanding seasons, any chance Houston has to improve this year may be limited to trying not to finish in 4th place, a devastating drop from the lofty heights they accomplished in 2010. Cam Newton Revives the Stallions To say that the gamble the Stallions took on Auburn QB Cam Newton has paid off is to underplay what we have seen this year. The 1-year starter at Auburn impressed everyone with a magical run to a national title for the Tigers, but there were still a lot of doubters as to how his game would translate to the pro ranks.  Well, I think it is safe to say that Newton has adapted just fine. After 8 weeks, Cam Newton has a 2:1 TD:INT ratio (14-7), has thrown for over 1,800 yards, and has also proven dangerous as a rusher, with 105 yards so far this season, including a spellbinding 58-yard TD run just this week.  He has helped to lift Birmingham out of the basement of the Southern Division for the first time in years, and has Birmingham poised to make a playoff push at 5-3, tied with Nashville for the division lead.  When we compare his ROTY worthy numbers against the other two highly rated rookie starters (Jake Locker in Boston and Andy Dalton in Pittsburgh), there is no contest.  Dalton is spending the season on the sideline as Cody Pickett puts up strong numbers and Locker is struggling to throw the ball to the guys wearing Cannon gear instead of the opposition’s.  Well on his way to Rookie of the Year honors, Newton is looking like a gem in the Class of 2011. New Orleans in Chaos With victories by New Jersey and Memphis this weekend, New Orleans, sitting at 0-8, now enters the second half of the season as the only winless club.  Having already fired not only their head coach of 11 years, but also both coordinators, there is an air of desperation and a sense of chaos in the Crescent City.  Coach Lamar Lathon moved from a positional job as LB Coach to the big chair, and promoted two other positional coaches to help him. The franchise is looking at a permanent hire sometime in August, but before that they just want to get a W or two on the board.  Having already lost to perennial basement dwellers Birmingham and St. Louis, the Breakers may have one of their best shots this season as they head to Memphis to take on the 1-7 Showboats in Week 9.  It is the first of 3 straight games against teams with 1 win to their names, as they follow that game up with a home game against 1-7 New Jersey, and then a rematch with the Showboats in the Super Dome.  If they cannot come away with 1-2 wins in this sequence, we very well could be looking at a winless 0-16 club.  Not something we see very often, and certainly not what Breaker ownership expected when they traded for Drew Brees to be their QB. Pennsylvania is Football Central While most of the country is looking at Arizona’s surprise success, the state of Pennsylvania is trying to lock down two divisions and the crown as the center of the football world.  The Philadelphia Stars and Pittsburgh Maulers, the Keystone State’s two USFL franchises, have a combined record of 13-3 after 8 weeks, and they both lead their respective divisions.  The Maulers enjoy a 3-game lead over 2nd place Ohio, while Philly is battling both Washington and Baltimore in a top heavy Northeast Division. Sadly the two Pennsylvania powerhouses are not scheduled to meet this year, at least not in the regular season, but there is nothing that would be more welcomed from Reading to Erie than for Summer Bowl 2011 to be an all Penn matchup of Maulers and Stars.  Sure, the game is going to be played in Memphis’s Liberty Bowl, but they had better plan on bringing in major supplies of Yuengling and scrapple sandwiches if these two teams find their way to the title game. Rookies Coming on Strong We already spoke of the stellar freshman year Cam Newton is having in the USFL, and while he seems the lock-down favorite for Rookie of the Year, he is by no means alone as a first season standout.  Several other rookies are proving their worth and contributing to their teams right out of the gate. Wideout Denarius Moore has helped to keep Nashville atop the Southern Division, especially after Robert Meachem went down to injury.  The rookie receiver out of Rocky Top has surpassed 500 yards in his first 8 games and has added 4 TDs, all the while on pace for nearly 90 receptions as a rookie. Trailing Moore but not by much is Birmingham’s Jerrel Jernigan, who has gathered in 32 receptions for 429 yards and 2 TDs for the Stallions.  Third among rookie wideouts, Austin Pettis in Chicago is doing quite well, 4th on the team with 22 receptions for 225 yards and a score. In Atlanta, the surprising effectiveness of halfback Anthony Allen, a T-Draft signee out of Georgia Tech has forced Coach Ramsey to split carries with Darren McFadden, something no one saw coming this year.  McFadden’s 483 yards still leads the team, but Allen is right there with 363 as well. Tight End has been a strong position in the 2011 class, with both Birmingham’s Julius Thomas and Portland’s Jordan Cameron getting off to good starts. Thomas has 21 catches, 4 for scores as part of the new Birmingham offense, while Cameron has 31 receptions, 294 yards and 3 scores for the Stags.  Both have been huge in the red zone and will likely continue to see red zone targets in the season’s second half. On defense there have been any number of rookies making huge contributions.  In St. Louis they are loving the production they are getting from LB Aldon Smith, who is on pace for 104 tackles and also has a pick and 2 sacks.  Texas LB Jonathan Mouton has also been impressive, with 34 tackles 2 picks and a sack to his name.  Jacksonville’s K. J. Wright trails just a little with 22 tackles, a pick, and a sack after 8 games. On the D-line the breakout player from this year’s draft has been David Bowens in Jacksonville, with 6 sacks leading all Bulls defenders. Nashville has been very impressed with rookie DE Mario Addison’s 4 sacks in limited action. In New Orleans, Cameron Jordan has 4 sacks and 21 tackles, while St. Louis’s Adrian Clayborn has 4 sacks and 11 tackles so far. Baltimore’s Robert Quinn (3 sacks) and Memphis’s Sam Acho (2 sacks) are also getting significant snaps. A lot was expected of DB Patrick Peterson, and so far he is living up to the hype with 36 tackles and a pick for the  Breakers.  Ohio’s Chimdi Chekwa has not snagged his first pick yet, but already has 43 tackles in significant action. Safety Shiloh Keo has been solid for the Stallions, with 2 picks and 21 tackles so far this season. Midseason Award Favorites While it is always a bit unfair to judge players on only half a season, it is also rare that award winners come out of nowhere in the second half of the season.  So, here we are, 8 games in, and ready to declare a short list of contenders for each of the major awards this year. MVP Usually a QB award, that looks like a 2-man race at this point, with Joe Flacco and Kurt Warner looking very promising as potential MVP’s.  The 2010 OPOTY barely lost out to Matt Hasselbeck for MVP last year, and this year Kurt Warner is again in the mix.  The newcomer is Joe Flacco, who is just having a dream season in San Antonio.  Flacco is on pace for 32 TD passes, which would blow away his prior best season (16) and Texas is benefitting. OPOTY If not a QB, which we don’t see happening in back to back years, then this one could well go to one of three outstanding veterans. You have Ron Dayne and LaDainian Tomlinson, both in the Top 5 among rushers and both sustaining their offenses as the centerpiece of the attacks in Baltimore and Arizona.  But let’s not forget about Joey Galloway in Tampa Bay.  Many viewed his departure from Ohio as a swan song, well, if that is the case, he is singing an aria, on pace for over 120 receptions and 1,500 yards, he is looking every bit like the best receiver in the league. DPOTY It would not be a Defensive Player of the League vote without Calais Campbell.  Once again the big man in Orlando is racking up sacks like they are prize tickets at a Chuck E. Cheese. If, by some fluke, he tails off later in the year, something we don’t see happening, the next best candidate could be Washington LB Antonio Pierce.  Pierce in on pace for about 125 tackles, and also has 3 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles to his name this season.  Finally, if we look to the secondary you have to mention Troy Polamalu and the impact he has had in Arizona. ROTY Any conversation of Rookie of the Year begins, and appears to end, with Cam Newton.  The Auburn product has breathed new life into the Stallions and is light years ahead of the other rookie QBs taken this year.  The only real competition is coming from Moore, the Nashville wideout, and we just don’t see how a WR will outdo a QB in votes come July. COTY Our choice for Coach of the Year has to be Jim Tomsula.  The slow gradual improvement of the Wranglers year to year has kicked into a gear no one expected.  We don’t expect the Wranglers to finish the year 16-0, but if they hold on to win the division, that would be an amazing year all by itself.  We think Tomsula is the clear favorite.  The closest challengers are likely Bart Andrus in Ohio, Gregg Williams with the Express, and Birmingham’s Mike Shanahan. Voters Ask New Orleans to Retain Teal Combo The votes are in and the winner is Breaker Blue and Deep Ocean. Fans in the Breakers’ “Show Your Colors” contest voted for 6 weeks and while the vote was close between retaining the current “double teal” look of the Breakers or returning to the club’s original “double blue” look, but in the end, the look that the club has been wearing since 1994 won out over the earlier look. With nearly 50,000 votes in the books, the double teal look won by a margin of only 2,500 votes, meaning that the 2012 look for the Breakers, one of four teams getting a new design from Adidas next year, will retain the current color scheme.  But, for those who voted to return to the original bright blue, navy and gray look, they will have their day as well, since all 12 of the original 1983 USFL clubs will wear retro uniforms whenever they face fellow founding clubs during the 2012 season. While we don’t know the schedule for next year yet, we know for certain that this means at least 4 matchups for the Breakers where they will wear their original Boston/New Orleans uniforms, twice against Birmingham and twice against Nashville (the original LA Express in 1983). So, for fans of the double blue, there will be plenty of chances to see that color scheme on the Breakers, and for fans of the double teal, the future is yours as New Orleans will release their new look within the next few weeks. Charlotte gets a huge hit to the offense as veteran HB Fred Jackson will be placed on IR after suffering two broken bones in his right foot.  The injury could be career impactful depending on how it heals, but at least for this year Charlotte is going to have to rely on untested rookie Taiwan Jones unless they make a deal before the trade deadline.  Jackson, who was on pace for 1,200 yards this year will now need to wear a soft boot for several weeks and surgery is not out of the question. Houston has more of a short-term concern, as we discovered midweek that the pulling of Matt Hasselbeck from Houston’s latest loss was not purely performance based.  It turns out that Hasselbeck as complaining of chest pain, and post-game, the team physicians confirmed that the issue was in his ribs.  He will need at least a week out of the lineup, possibly longer, to recover and return to action. Memphis also lost a valued weapon with Lee Evans expected to miss as much as a month of action after suffering a hairline fracture in his right forearm.  It is not a clean break, but contact with the arm could be very detrimental to its healing, so Evans will be sidelined at least through Week 11 and possibly longer. Washington could be without starter David Garrard at least another week as his rib injury is not where doctors hoped it would be this week.  He is listed as “Out” for this week, but we are not sure how close to returning he may be.  In Chicago, TE Anthony Fasano is out at least this week and possibly longer due to a nerve issue in his back. Among those listed as “Doubtful” or “Questionable” this week we find Houston LB James Farrior (neck), Chicago DT Kris Jenkins (arm), Mauler FB Patrick DeMarco (hand), Denver QB Matt Leinart (arm), Las Vegas LB A. J. Hawk (concussion), Washington HB Deuce McCallister (abdomen), Michigan WR Mario Manningham (shoulder) and Arizona HB Stevan Ridley (arm). Expected back in action this week we have Seattle DT Brandon Noble, Arizona FS Nate Allen, LA cornerback Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, Arizona LB Karlos Dansby, Charlotte WR Derrick Mason, Tampa DE Jason Pierre-Paul, Philly WR Stevie Johnson, and Portland CB Marquand Manuel. It would not be a Week 8 report without handing out midseason grades.  And while we recognize that all teams have earned an “I” for incomplete after 8 games, we want to at least let folks know where they stand and what they need to do to bring their final grade to the best it can be.  So, without further ado, here is our team-by-team, division-by-division review of 2011 and where we think it will end. Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore are all currently locked up at 6-2, while Boston and New Jersey are pretty much out of any playoff contention at 1-7 each.  There are arguments for all three of the 6-2 clubs to make a push to capture the division title.  Our prediction is that Philadelphia will hold off the other two and will capture both the division and the #1 seed in the East, however, we also expect all three clubs to finish with 10+ wins and to qualify for the postseason. Philadelphia Stars Midseason Grade:  A – The Stars struggled at the start, dropping their opener to Houston and then Week 2 to Washington, but since then they have been one of the best teams in football, winning 6 straight and dominating in most games, including a whopping 52-10 crushing of the Southern leader, Nashville.  A lot is going right for this club, and they are focused on getting one step further than in 2010, which means a league title or bust. Break Out Star of 2011: WR Reche Caldwell. We don’t know what has clicked between Caldwell and Kurt Warner but the 10-year vet is having a breakout year as a deep ball receiver with over 700 yards already.  If he can get more endzone shots, he could easily be an OPOTY candidate. Area of Concern:  While the run defense has been stellar (#1 in the league at only 58.8 YPG) the pass defense has given up some big plays. With both Washington and Baltimore coming up the next two weeks, they are going to want to lock down the big plays and force both clubs to drive slowly down the field. What We Expect: We see Philly on a mission this year.  They believed they were better than Houston and they still believe in themselves.  This is a club that wants that 4th title and has the talent on both sides of the ball to get it.  We see them as the odds on favorite to win the division and very possibly the #1 seed in the East. Washington Federals Midseason Grade:  A – Just as with Philadelphia, the Federals have come out looking like a serious Summer Bowl contender.  Their two losses have come against other division leaders, Tampa Bay and Arizona, and they were right in those two games.  They face Philly in Week 9, and that game could determine the tie breaker that will decide the division. Break Out Star of 2011: CB Brandon Flowers.  In his 4 prior seasons he has a total of 4 picks, a number he has already met this season.  He is playing lights out after being upgraded to the #1 corner and could soon be assigned to defend the top receiver of opposing offenses instead of being assigned a side of the field. Area of Concern:  David Garrard could be out at least 2 weeks with rib issues, 2 weeks that could be the difference between winning the division and getting a Wild Card.  With Philly up this week, backup Joe Webb had better shine or the Feds could already be in trouble in their hunt for the NE Division. What We Expect: We think the Feds could make a deep playoff run, but if they are a Wild Card team that means road games and that is never easy.  We see them as perhaps the top Wild Card club, but is that enough for their goal of reaching the Summer Bowl? Baltimore Blitz Midseason Grade:  A – We cannot give the other NE contenders an A and not do so for this Baltimore squad.  They lost back to back games against Birmingham and Philly, but by a combined 4 points.  They have since dominated the opposition, but their toughest stretch of games is still to come with 2 games against Washington and a rematch with Philly still on the slate. Break Out Star of 2011: Rookie Robert Quinn is tied with Jason Taylor and Jeff Zgonina with 3 sacks, but the rookie is showing better grasp of his role each week and could surpass both veterans by season’s end. Area of Concern: Both offense and defense are looking very solid indeed, but Big Ben is still getting hit too often. If the Blitz lose him to injury due to shoddy blocking, that could put an end to their divisional aspirations very quickly. What We Expect: The Blitz are right there with Washington and Philadelphia, and yet, there are nagging doubts about this team.  They have won 5 in a row after a 1-point loss to Philadelphia, so perhaps we are just not yet ready to see how close they are to their division rivals.  Week 10 at Philly should show us more. Boston Cannons Midseason Grade:  D – We get it, a rookie QB means time is needed, but you would hope that the rest of the team would rally to support the rookie and make the game as slow as possible for them.  We have not seen that in Boston, where neither the defense nor the run game has been strong enough to help Boston win games while Jake Locker gets up to speed. Break Out Star of 2011: Everyone in Boston was hoping this would be Jake Locker, but the rookie has struggled.  The best “newish” face may be that of slot receiver Percy Harvin, who is getting more looks in the short range passing game and is averaging a very solid 10.3 yards per catch despite Locker’s troubles. Area of Concern:  It is all about the development of Locker.  Three TDs and 9 picks in his first 6 games is very concerning, so what Boston wants to see is growth and that the game is slowing down for their rookie as the season progresses.  They don’t expect a lot of W’s on the board, but when you look at what Cam Newton is doing in Birmingham, patience for Locker’s development is not going to be too abundant. What We Expect:  This is a rebuilding year, no doubt, but the Cannons need to see more from Locker or they risk ostracizing their veterans, particularly Chad Johnson, who is not going to suffer too many seasons of sub-par QB play before he seeks greener pastures. New Jersey Generals Midseason Grade:  F – This was a team that many expected to be at or near the top of the division.  What we got instead is chaos.  Sam Bradford is getting hit a lot, the run game is nowhere to be found, and the defense is giving up big plays on a regular basis.  They got their first win this week, but we don’t see many more on the horizon. Break Out Star of 2011: Cornerback Nate Clements is one of only a few players on the Generals who is getting any positive press.  He is outplaying Devin McCourty and getting more shadow assignments to top receivers.  Not afraid to tackle backs, he is also playing a bigger role than expected in run defense. Area of Concern: Pretty much everything. Sam Bradford is not getting enough protection, and that is forcing him to make decisions on the run, which is not his strong suit.  The line is also struggling to make holes for MJD, who is averaging only 3.4 yards per carry largely because he is getting hit early and often. What We Expect:  This was supposed to be a breakthrough season for the Generals, but that seems to have been very premature.  This club has some talented players but they need to improve at several positions, so their goal for the year needs to be one of development and survival. We knew this would be a tight division, but right now we have 4 of 5 teams all within 1 game of the lead (or of 4th place, depending how you look at it.  With Tampa Bay at 5-3 and Atlanta, Charlotte, and Orlando all sitting at 4-4, there is a lot of room for this division to shift and change shape over the second half.  Honestly, we think Orlando may be the best of the group, but can they be consistent enough to pull ahead?  This could be a division that 9-7 wins, or maybe 10-6 at best, as we see them continuing to beat each other unless one team can simply put the pieces together and start dominating the others, which feels unlikely at this point. Tampa Bay Bandits Midseason Grade:  B+ - While not the most statistically dominant team in the division, what we see from the Bandits is a fire we have not seen in a while.  The arrival of Joey Galloway has been huge (see below) and the offense is looking scary again.  What Tampa needs, however, is for the defense to start making as many big plays as the offense does. Break Out Star of 2011: He is not break out for the league, but what Joey Galloway has allowed the Bandits to do has been a revelation.  Not since Randy Moss left has Tampa Bay had a true deep threat, and a receiver with great routes as well.  Galloway is opening up the offense for Daunte Culpepper and forcing teams to keep safeties back, which is making Willis McGahee much more dangerous. Area of Concern: The Bandits’ defense is mediocre at best.  They don’t get enough pass rush and struggle against the league’s better runners.  That is a bad combination for a team trying to win a division, no matter what their offense can achieve. What We Expect:  The Bandits will not pull away from the pack in the South, but we do think they might have the right formula to hold on to the division, especially if their big name offensive weapons can stay healthy. Atlanta Fire Midseason Grade:  B – A solid B for the Fire.  As expected their defense is holding the team together.  We like the new HB duo of McFadden and Allen, but there are concerns that Kyle Orton has not been able to replicate his strong 2010 season.  If he can get into form, Atlanta has a real shot to repeat as division champs. Break Out Star of 2011: Rookie HB Anthony Allen has been all Atlanta could ask for and more.  He is garnering more and more carries each week and is allowing Darren McFadden to take a breather without killing drives.  The 1-2 punch is working well for Atlanta’s offense. Area of Concern:  Last year Kyle Orton had a career season.  The hope was that he was ascending as a player, but this year he has dropped back to earth. His completion rate, yards per completion, and TD:INT ratio have all taken a dive.  Add to that a big drop in production from Josh Reed and last season is beginning to look like an aberration, not a trend. What We Expect: Atlanta’s defense remains solid, their offense has potential, but that potential has to change to results.  If not, this is a team that could go from 1st to 5th in the division in the span of one year.  They need to win the close games, something that has eluded them this year. Charlotte Monarchs Midseason Grade:  B – We are also giving a B to the Monarchs.  They have had some very impressive games, particularly their wins over Oakland, and Tampa Bay, but then they go out and lose to the 0-7 Generals last week.  Consistency is a huge issue, and Jake Delhomme is not providing the steady leadership that Charlotte was hoping for.  Not yet at least. Break Out Star of 2011: Second year LB Rolando McClain is showing no signs of a sophomore slump.  He leads the club with 66 tackles, on pace for over 120 this year.  He has also been able to cause big turnovers, 2 picks and 2 forced fumbles, all of which help Charlotte play on short fields and get easy points. Area of Concern: It has to be Jake Delhomme.  Delhomme was brought in to replace Chris Weinke, but his game is looking far too much like the former QB’s for comfort in Charlotte.  A 7:13 ratio of TDs to Interceptions is not what you expect from a veteran like Delhomme, but it is what Charlotte has gotten so far. What We Expect: The defense will carry Charlotte as far as they can, but in the end, they need Jake Delhomme to turn things around.  He should be relying on Fred Jackson more than he does, and he should be spreading the ball around as well.  If Charlotte can just get to about 20 PPG, they could win a lot of these closer matches. Orlando Renegades Midseason Grade: B-  - We downgrade Orlando not because their record is worse than the other 4-4 clubs, but because we think they are more talented than the others and should have done more with their game to date. Back to back losses to Baltimore and Michigan, both at home, have put a real tarnish on what could and should be a 5 or 6 win club at this point. Break Out Star of 2011: He is not a new player, but the version of Knowshon Moreno we are seeing this year is certainly new.  He is finally trusting his instincts, making one cut and heading up field, and his career-best 4.1 YPC and 722 yards this year are evidence of a new back with newfound confidence in himself. Area of Concern:  Orlando is having no issues with pass rush, as expected, but they are giving up nearly 100 yards per game on the ground, which means that teams are not forced into long 3rd downs, where Calais Campbell can make them pay. What We Expect: Orlando may be a mirage. That is what worries us. Of their 4 wins, three have come against some pretty bad teams (Memphis, New Orleans and Jacksonville).  Can they hold their own against the better teams in the league?  They will have to as they have the Blitz upcoming and then the Bandits and Monarchs twice each in the final half of the season. Jacksonville Bulls Midseason Grade:  C-  - The Bulls are a pretty good team for a 2-6 club, but that is just another way of saying that they are underperforming.  They have had some close losses (1 point at Oakland, 6 points to Charlotte) but they have also been blown out by some of the better teams in the league.  Their run game is a shambles, and Tim Tebow is hit or miss right now, and that is not enough to win consistently in this division. Break Out Star of 2011: We are loving what David Bowens is bringing to the Bulls’ pass rush.  The rookie has 6 sacks already and seems to be improving each week.  While the injury to Mike Vrabel has shaken the Bulls D overall, Bowens is doing his part to make life tough for opposing QBs. Area of Concern:  The run game in Jacksonville is a shambles.  More and more we are beginning to think that C. J. Spiller, for all his potential, is a bust.  When LaBrandon Toefield went out with a season-ending injury in his first week as the starter it all fell back to Spiller, and we are just not seeing from him what you want from a lead back. What We Expect:  The Bulls just don’t have enough to compete in a very tough division.  Tim Tebow is making too many mistakes, the run game is not helping, and the defense is without its leader in Vrabel.  Expect a rough second half of the year if you are a Bulls fan. We predicted a 2-club race this year in the South, but we thought it would be Nashville and New Orleans, not the Knights and the Birmingham Stallions.  The Breakers are in a death spiral, Memphis has not seen the improvement they hoped for, but Birmingham has become a totally new team this year.  A lot of that is Cam Newton, but others also deserve praise for their play.  That said, this still feels like another Nashville division title to us. Nashville Knights Midseason Grade: A- -As much as we would like to give Nashville an A, when we look at their wins, we are not all that impressed.  Of their 5 wins, only Birmingham has a winning record.  And when Nashville faced Philadelphia and Baltimore, they were blown out by both.  That tells us that they are taking advantage of a weak division rather than being a true juggernaut. Break Out Star of 2011: Rookie wideout Denarius Moore is the hottest ticket in Nashville these days. He is getting open, making tough catches, and getting downfield in a way we rarely see from a Knight wideout.  Could Nashville finally be ready to use speed instead of power as an offensive tool? Area of Concern:  As much as we love the Nashville defense’s aggressive nature, they are giving up too many big plays.  Yes, they pressure the QB, and yes, they are solid against the run, but when the pass rush does not get home, offenses are finding guys open deep down field, and that is not something you want teams trying against you. What We Expect:  We still think Nashville is the class of the division.  As exciting as Birmingham has been, we just trust Coach Johnson and the Knights to get the job done when crunch time comes. Birmingham Stallions Midseason Grade:  A - The Stallions are this year’s Cinderella story.  They are playing fast, playing loose, and playing with a lot of energy.  They are not a perfect club, as is evident by their 23rd ranked scoring defense, but they are a lot of fun to watch and have already proven they can win a lot of games on sheer bravado. Break Out Star of 2011: We have talked a lot about Cam Newton, so here we are going to highlight another new face in Birmingham, DB Antonio Cromartie.  For all the excitement about the Stallion offense, we need to recognize that they also have the #2 rush defense in the league and believe it or not, Cromartie is a part of that.  How?  Well, when you have a shutdown corner on the outside, you can creep those safeties up and jump on the run game.  That is a very valuable change to Birmingham’s defense. Area of Concern:  We love the 1-2 punch of Newton and Addai both running the ball, but how much risk do you want your QB to take running the ball?  Newton is a big, strong, young QB, we get that, but all it takes is 1 bad cut, 1 big hit, and your new star is down for the count. What We Expect: If the Stallions can keep the fire in their bellies, this club looks poised to make life very difficult for the Nashville Knights.  They have some pretty easy games on the slate ahead (NJ, New Orleans, Memphis) so if they can win the games they will be favored to win, they could be right there at the end of the year. Memphis Showboats Midseason Grade: D – We did not expect Memphis to be a contender this year, so we cannot knock them for losing more than they have won, but they have been worse than expected, going 0-7 before finally notching a W this past weekend.  They went all in on Ryan Mallett and now they don’t seem to have a plan B to turn to. Break Out Star of 2011: CB Tebucky Jones has taken more chances this year, and while it does not always work out for him, when it does it produces big plays, picks, big returns, big hits.  All of those help Memphis, but it is clearly not enough right now. Area of Concern:  The 28th scoring offense and the 27th passing attack are easy issues to spot with the Showboats.  Ryan Mallett does not look ready for prime time, and Memphis does not have a plan B.  So, they suffer through a rough year and hope Mallett learns from it and returns in 2012 a better prepared sophomore. What We Expect: Memphis may well be in the battle for the #1 pick this year.  It will be tough, since they have New Orleans playing as badly as they are in the division, but it seems that the Showboats will be lucky to avoid 13 or 14 losses this year. New Orleans Breakers Midseason Grade:  F – What other grade could we give the 0-8 Breakers.  This was a team that was supposed to challenge Nashville, with a newly signed MVP quarterback.  So, what do we get, chaos and ineptitude.  We now have a club with a raw and unprepared coaching staff, a QB who does not seem to fit the system, and not much else you can point to for the second half of the season.  The only reason we see them getting wins at all is that they face Memphis twice in the next month. Break Out Star of 2011: How do you have a breakout star with an 0-8 start?  Rookie Patrick Peterson is playing well, but with so many issues on defense, it is hard to even spotlight his quality on a team that is just not playing well at all. Area of Concern: The roster, the plan, the culture, you name it.  It is all concern in New Orleans.  We feel for Coach Lathon, who is taking this on with little hope of winning the permanent job for 2012.  Anything he can do will just boost his resume for the next gig. What We Expect: We think they will win a game. Maybe just one, but at least one.  They have potential wins on the schedule, but only if they can get out of their own way and play complementary football instead of the mess we have seen so far. The Maulers look like the class of the division as neither Chicago nor Michigan are what we expected and both Ohio and St. Louis look like 8-8 clubs hoping to catch a break.  The Maulers have a shot at a #1 seed if they can continue to dominate the divisional games.  Chicago has won 3 in a row after a horrid 0-5 start, so they may be a spoiler, as could Michigan if their recent wins over Ohio and Orlando are a sign that they have turned the corner.  Can either catch the Maulers?  Can Ohio or St. Louis put the pieces together to make a run?  We are going to guess no and stick with Pittsburgh as the winner of this division, one which may only produce 1 playoff club. Pittsburgh Maulers Midseason Grade:  A+  - The Maulers have shown us a lot in their 7-1 first half.  They lost a shocker on opening day to Ohio, but have since then been playing some lights out, complementary football.  Their defense is #1 in both scoring and yards allowed and they now have a Top 5 offense as well.  That is one impressive combo. Break Out Star of 2011: HB Ronnie Brown has been exactly what the Maulers hoped for when they signed the NFL cast off.  He has been hungry, and running angry.  His pairing with Kenny Watson is giving the Maulers the ability to pummel defenses into submission, and the threat of that duo has made life much easier for Cody Pickett, who can use play action to great effect against run-stuffing defenses. Area of Concern: Not much is troubling Coach Rivera these days.  Looking across the stat lines, it is hard to find a real concerning issue.  If there is one thing we think Pittsburgh lacks, it is a true slot receiver to complement Vincent Jackson and Victor Cruz.  But, with the Maulers using so many 2-TE formations, maybe that is OK. What We Expect:  We think the Maulers win this division by 2 or 3 games and spend the rest of the year trying to stay in range of Arizona for the possible #1 seed. Too bad they don’t face the Wranglers this season. That would be a heck of a game. Ohio Glory Midseason Grade:  A- - We are awarding Ohio because they are clearly exceeding expectations.  Even with Vince Young on the bench for most of the season’s first half, the Glory have emerged as a solid team.  They need more explosiveness on offense (they average only 15.1 PPG) but the defense that Coach Andrus has put in place is living up to his hopes.  Our only concern is that 3 of their 4 wins have come against sub-500 clubs.  Can they beat any of the big boys to make a statement? Break Out Star of 2011: Strong Safety Jermaine Phillips has been the biggest positive surprise for the Glory.  Not only is he a solid tackler, but a bit of a ball hawk as well, with 4 picks to his name already this year.  The defense needs more playmakers but in Phillips they have a good start. Area of Concern:  While the 2-headed run game of Kevin Smith and DeMarco Murray has decent totals the fact that they combine for a 3.4 YPC average means they are not getting the type of chunk plays they need to take the pressure off the Ohio QB.  Will that change with Vince Young now starting?  We shall see, but it seems to us that Ohio have not yet found their next Eddie George. What We Expect:  We think 8-8 is a good goal for this club. They still need to see what they will look like with Young at the helm, so it could be 9-7 or 7-9.  We think there is a growing core of talent here, but more big game players are needed if Ohio is going to become a player again in the Central Division. St Louis Skyhawks Midseason Grade:  B  --We all liked the changes in St. Louis with Coach Arians, but we did not see them knocking off Chicago and Michigan to open the season.  That was the high point so far, but since then reality has set in.  They faced a gauntlet of Pittsburgh, Birmingham, Nashville and Arizona and lost all 4.  It won’t get much easier in the 2nd half. Break Out Star of 2011:  He was coming on last year, but this season’s version of Jordy Nelson is by far the best we have seen in his career.  He already has 4 TDs and has become the preferred deep threat for Josh Freeman.  We want to see a higher catch-to-target ratio (19 of 45 right now), but if he keeps making big plays, St. Louis may not care. Area of Concern:  The problems for St. Louis continue to be on the defensive side, where they are in the bottom third of the league almost across the board.  Not enough pressure up front, moments of confusion in the secondary, you name it, St. Louis is just not a coherent defensive squad yet. What We Expect:  The elation of their two opening wins has died down and we think fans now see that the Skyhawks will again be battling to not finish in the basement.  A 3rd place finish would be a step up, as would a season with fewer than 10 losses. Michigan Panthers Midseason Grade:  C- -Maybe we expected too much of Brian Griese coming off a lost year to injury, but what we have seen from the Michigan offense, as well as the whole team, has to have everyone in Detroit worried.  The club is giving up nearly 300 yards per game, and Griese’s 2011 numbers are so far behind 2009 that it is hard to believe it is the same QB.  Nine picks to only 7 TDs is not what anyone expected this year. Break Out Star of 2011: Rookie D’Aundre Reed has had a good start to his career.  He is tied with Tim Jameson as sack leaders, though a total of 3 in 8 games is not exactly a Rookie of the Year number. That said, his 21 tackles from the edge show that he has potential to be a 3-down player. Area of Concern:  As much as we want to dump on Brian Griese for his lackluster return to action, we need to acknowledge that the Panther’s are not helping him much with a solid run game. Michigan’s duo of Thomas Jones and Mike Hart are just not scaring anyone, and with only 87 yard per game on average, that makes sense. What We Expect:  Unless the Panthers can rekindle the 2009 offense, this could be a long year for folks in Detroit. They thought Griese’s return meant another division title, but it seems that this Panther squad is just not the same animal as the 2009 Panthers. Chicago Machine Midseason Grade:  C – We love the 3-game win streak, especially a big win at Nashville, but that 5-game skid to start the season?  What was that?  Chicago lost all 5 games in the division as well, meaning that they are solidly screwed when it comes to tiebreakers even if they can stay hot in the second half.  The team seems to have found its way, but is it too little, too late? Break Out Star of 2011: As rough as the start of the season has been in Chicago, we can point to one player who seems to be raising his game, wideout Golden Tate.  The 2nd year receiver has caught 43 of 62 targets, and is responsible for 4 touchdowns so far this season.  He seems to be running crisper routes, and that is taking a lot of pressure off of Donald Driver. Area of Concern: Chicago’s usually staunch defense was anything but during their 5-game skid.  They still rank dead last in pass defense, and that is never a good thing in the pass happy USFL.  Anthony Weaver is a one man show on the D-line, and that is not enough, and the secondary is still trying to find itself.  They had better soon or Chicago could fade right out of any playoff chances. What We Expect: Of all the first half underperformers, we think the Machine have the best shot to turn it around.  They will need to get to at least 9, maybe 10 wins to qualify for the playoffs, and that is a lot to ask of a 3-5 club, but not so impossible that the Machine cannot focus on it as a target. The most surprising division in football without a doubt. Not only do we have Arizona sitting at 8-0, but the defending league champion Houston Gamblers have lost 6 in a row and are looking like a complete disaster.  Add to that very strong first halves by both Denver and Texas, and the emergence of Joe Flacco as a potentially elite QB in 2011 and you have a lot of excitement here.  Do not be shocked to see this division produce both the #1 seed and the top 2 seeded Wild Card teams.  This is a killer division this year. Arizona Wranglers Midseason Grade:  A+ - No doubt about it, the Wranglers are the feel good story of 2011.  They have spent so much time in the SW Division basement in recent years we are not sure they even remembered that there was a penthouse in the division.  Now they sit at 8-0 and look every bit like a team of destiny. Break Out Star of 2011:  As much as we want to highlight the great years being had by players like LT, Larry Fitzgerald, or even David Carr, we have to recognize that DE Adam Carriker is exploding as a real threat from the edge.  The former Cornhusker has 7 sacks and is beginning to draw double teams on nearly any passing down.  That is a sign of respect he has never gotten before. Area of Concern:  Honestly, right now, injury feels like the only thing that will slow this team down.  That is true of any team, but that does feel like the key, keep a healthy squad and keep winning. What We Expect:  With 2 big games coming up against Denver in the 2nd half, and another showdown with Texas as well, we don’t see Arizona going 16-0.  Add in a huge game at Philadelphia, a possible Summer Bowl preview, and we think 14-2 is reasonable, and almost certainly good enough to win that #1 seed.  Get ready for playoff football, Glendale!! Denver Gold Midseason Grade:  A – We cannot penalize Denver just because of Arizona’s huge success. The Gold will still get 2 shots at Arizona, so maybe they prove to us that the Wranglers are a mirage.  Even a split with Arizona would be strong for the Gold.  They have looked very good all year, aside from a weird opening day shut out at home, and with 3 straight divisional games to end the season, they could be a club in control of their own destiny down the stretch. Break Out Star of 2011:  We know it has only been 6 quarters, but we love what we are seeing form backup QB Dan LeFevour.  Four TDs, only 1 pick, and a QB Rating of 108.9.  Having that kind of quality in the backup role is something few teams can boast.  The hope for Denver is that his skills are not called upon, but how nice is it to know that you can put in a backup and still run the entire offense and get a W? Area of Concern:  As well as Denver has been playing, they are still hoping to get more out of the passing game.  They will never be an explosive squad like Tampa Bay or Philadelphia, but they at least want to be in the top half of the league in passing just to make life easier for their run game. What We Expect:  We think Denver will challenge Arizona, and the two face off in Week 10 so we won’t have to wait long.  If they win that game then the race is on for the division.  If not, then they will have to keep it together to try to get the best Wild Card slot they can. Texas Outlaws Midseason Grade:  A – Texas feels like a club that is due a year like this.  They have been a solid team for a while, but always seem to shoot themselves in the foot.  This year feels different.  They are getting a great season out of Joe Flacco, taking pressure off of Duckett and the run game, and the defense is finally holding up their end of the deal.  They need to improve against the run, but right now, sitting at 5-3, you have to be happy if you are an Outlaw fan. Break Out Star of 2011: It has to be Flacco.  From mid-range QB to possible MVP in one season.  It is truly amazing to watch what he is doing with a pretty inexperienced receiving corps.  And, to make it even better, he is getting a lot of guys involved.  Yes, Marques Colston is the clear #1, but he is getting the ball to TE Chris Cooley, even FB Rick Razzano is getting several targets a game.  That is a good sign for a team that needs to be diverse in its plans to be effective. Area of Concern:  With Top 10 squads in both offense and defense, there are not a lot of major concerns for Texas, but if there is one it is defensive pressure.  The Outlaws have been using the blitz to try to support the pass rush, but ideally you want to see pressure from a front 3, maybe 4 so that you can have more defenders in coverage. What We Expect:  It is still hard to put Texas in the same range as Denver or Arizona, but they may well prove us wrong.  Their recent loss in Denver perhaps is shading our view of them.  The face Arizona next week.  A win at home against the unbeaten Wranglers and we could just become believers. Houston Gamblers Midseason Grade:  F – Look, there is no way to say it other than to say it.  This may be the worst championship defense season we have ever seen.  There were no major talent defections from the Outlaws, no obvious change of generation to explain how they could dump 6 games in a row.  All we have is players not playing up to our expectations.  All across the roster we are not seeing the effort, the drive, or the talent we expected. Break Out Star of 2011: None of the players in Houston are clearly doing more than we expected, but at least a couple are playing well.  Kavika Pittman continues to be a concern for OC’s across the league as his 9 sacks will testify, and CB Shaun Springs’s 4 picks are a sign that he still has a knack for the ball. Area of Concern: Pick a card, any card.  Offensive production is way down (17.6 PPG), the run game is averaging below 100 yards a game, the defense is among the league’s worst against the pass, something Houston always used to lock down.  Just nothing is going well for them.  And all this after a very exciting opening game win in Philadelphia.  It is bizarre how quickly and how thoroughly they have fallen. What We Expect:  We honestly don’t know.  Can they rally and maybe get hot and win a few games to save face?  Maybe.  Could they also finish the year in the SW Division basement?  It sure seems that way.  Just a weird year for a team we all thought had the talent to compete for a title again. OK, Who picked LA to be atop the division at the halfway point?  Really?  No, you didn’t.  No one did.  But, that is where we stand, and with Marshawn Lynch likely out at least another month, the Express could try to wrap this up before the Thunder are back at full strength. And yet, sitting at 5-3, the Express are not at all out of the woods.  Seattle and Oakland are only 1 game back and seem to be picking up steam.  Portland is game behind there and we all thought they would be a contender, so maybe a run is within them.  This, like the SE Division, could be a dogfight and we could see a 9-7 team win on tiebreakers. Los Angeles Express Midseason Grade:  A-  - The Express are certainly better off than we expected, with a nice 4-game winning streak helping them leap into 1st place in the Pacific, but they have not fully convinced us yet.  They will finish the year with 4 straight divisional games (@ Seattle, Oakland, Portland, and @ Las Vegas).  Expect that to be a gauntlet which will require 3 wins to lock up the division. Break Out Star of 2011: Rookie Ronald Johnson out of USC has been a very pleasant surprise for the Express.  He is not going to get targets away from Moss or Johnson, but he has been a good 3rd option, catching 18 balls for 203 yards and 2 scores so far this year. Area of Concern:  The run game is still a major issue for the Express.  Ray Rice is just not producing the way they hoped when they traded for him, and the team as a whole is sitting at only 60 yards per game. That does not feel like championship caliber offense to us. What We Expect:  If Las Vegas were at full strength, we would certainly question LA’s chances to win the division, but with Lynch gone, there is a path to an Express title.  It will require solid play from Mark Sanchez and continued defensive gems, but it is possible. Las Vegas Thunder Midseason Grade: B+  - Many saw Las Vegas as a clear favorite in the division, but now, without Lynch, that impression is likely to change.  There will be a lot of pressure on the defense and on Jake Plummer to keep this club  in range of LA and hope that Lynch can return for the final few weeks. Break Out Star of 2011: WR Legedu Naanee was something of an afterthought signing by Las Vegas during the NFL-USFL window, but with both Marty Bookier and Willie Ponder sidelined by injury, Naanee has come on strong, and currently sits as the lead receiver with 25 catches and 303 yards. Area of Concern: The Thunder simply cannot absorb more hits on offense. They are already down their top 2 receivers and their All-USFL running back.  Any other injuries and this offense could be hobbled to the point of being unable to win even close defensive games. What We Expect:  We think the injury-riddled Thunder will lose a step and fall a bit behind some others in the division, but if Lynch can come back around week 13 or 14, they could make a late run for a playoff spot. Seattle Dragons Midseason Grade:  B- -A record of 4-4 may not be impressing anyone, but we are seeing some signs that Seattle is putting the pieces together.  Their run offense is improving, they still can get the ball deep to Boston, and the defense is #10 in scoring and #12 in yards, which is higher than most expected. Seattle is poised to possibly make a run if they can keep those three things improving. Break Out Star of 2011: The loss of UCLA rookie LB Akeem Ayers was a blow, but it was also an opportunity and unheralded LB Carl Ihenacho is jumping at the chance to prove he has what it takes. Currently 6th on the team with 32 tackles, Ihenacho is proving to be an instinctive player who always seems to be around the ball.  Watch out Ayers, you may have someone coming for your spot on the roster. Area of Concern:  Can we still be saying that Seattle needs a #2 receiver?  Well, with Nate Burleson hurt that has certainly been the case.  What we may actually mean is that they need a #3 option for Byron Leftwich.  TE Jeramy Stevens is not the threat he once was, and neither Chris Chambers or Dwayne Jarrett has shown enough consistency in the absence of Burleson. What We Expect:  Seattle does expect Burleson back this week, and if he is 1005 that could help spark the aerial attack.  If Seattle can be balanced on offense, they could take a step up the ladder and consider a playoff push down the stretch. Oakland Invaders Midseason Grade:  B- - While the Invaders have won 3 of the last 4, we are still concerned that they are not showing us enough on offense to take them seriously.  The D is solid, especially against the pass, but they have the 20th ranked pass attack even with Joey Harrington back, and their run game has been spotty all year.  That has to worry fans of the club. Break Out Star of 2011: DE Justin Smith has been quietly putting up solid numbers ever since he came over from Texas, but this year he is making a major push for 20 sacks on the year, and that would put him in a whole new category of respect. Area of Concern:  We already mentioned the offense, and we think we have to stay that broad.  The whole offensive scheme is questionable.  The Invaders are neither a smashmouth club nor a wide open air attack.  What they may see as balance we see as mediocrity across the board.  And it is rare that mediocre leads to big win totals. What We Expect:  The Invaders are sitting at .500 right now and we think that an 8-8 finish is just about what we would expect. Unless they can show us more on offense, we think 8-8 is a max, with the chance they finish below Portland in last by season’s end. Portland Stags Midseason Grade: C – Portland was a hot choice for a dark horse this year, but the improvement we expected to see in this club has just not materialized.  They are currently in the lower half of the league in most stats, with the lone exception being their run defense.  They made the swap from A. J. Feeley to Ryan Fitzpatrick, and we think it was the right call, but it feels very much like they have 2 fairly good options at QB, not one clear outstanding option. Break Out Star of 2011: Rookie TE Jordan Cameron has been a nice addition to the club.  He is surehanded and has shown some YAC capacity as well.  With 3 touchdowns and 294 yards in his first 8 games, we expect more to come as he continues to grow into the pro game. Area of Concern:  The Stags are simply not producing enough pressure on opposing QBs.  The DE combo of Elvis Dumervil and Antwan Odom have combined for 9 sacks, which sounds like a good number, but that means about ½ sack each every week, and that is not going to slow down most offenses. What We Expect:  Portland is not there yet.  Can they compete for .500?  Yes.  For the playoffs?  Probably not.  Unless we are way off and they are about to turn on all the bells and whistles for both sides of the ball, this feels like another good, not great season for the Stags. As we look ahead to the second half of the season and the playoff push, those divisional games are going to be of prime importance.  On Friday we have one between two regional rivals who are both hoping to make a late run and possibly get their clubs into postseason position, Ohio, sitting at 4-4 will travel up to Detroit to take on the 3-5 Michigan Panthers on Friday Night Lights. On Saturday, Pittsburgh, leaders in the Central, will be home to face the St. Louis Skyhawks, who, at 3-5, are still looking to have a break out year.  Also on Saturday we will have a battle at the bottom of the standings as the 0-7 New Orleans Breakers visit 1-7 Memphis.  Is this the game where Coach Lathon and his Breakers can earn their first win?  We finish the day with a great matchup of contenders in the NE Division as Philadelphia, riding a 6-game winning streak, takes on the Washington Federals at RFK Stadium. The divisional bouts continue on Sunday, when Arizona heads to San Antonio to take on the Texas Outlaws in a 4pm start.  We also have some really interesting interconference games with Tampa Bay out at the other by to face Oakland and Las Vegas on the East Coast to face the Charlotte Monarchs.  We end the week with the Portland Stags hoping to keep Houston’s stunning 6-game losing streak going, while the Gamblers hope this prime time game is the start of a rebound for them. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET         Ohio (4-4) @ Michigan (3-5)                             NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET   St. Louis (3-5) @ Pittsburgh (7-1)                       ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET   Birmingham (5-3) @ Atlanta (4-4)                   FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm ET   Orlando (4-4) @ Baltimore (6-2)                    FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET    Boston (1-7) @ Nashville (5-3)                       ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET    New Orleans (0-6) @ Memphis (1-7)               FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET   Philadelphia (6-2) @ Washington (6-2)         ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET     Seattle (4-4) @ Jacksonville (2-6)                  ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET            Las Vegas (5-3) @ Charlotte (4-4)                ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET            Denver (6-2) @ New Jersey (1-7)                   FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET              Arizona (8-0) @ Texas (5-3)                                ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                 Los Angeles (5-3) @ Chicago (3-5)                  FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET             Tampa Bay (5-3) @ Oakland (4-4)                    FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET                 Portland (3-5) @ Houston (2-6)                        EFN

Player of the Week: While Willis McGahee's numbers were very strong, the sheer importance of the game that QB Dan LeFevour had for Denver pushes us to make him the POTW. Facing a very tough Texas squad for sole posession of 2nd place and the best chance to catch Arizona, LeFevour went 16 of 24 and threw for 3 touchdowns as Denver defeated Texas and moved to 6-2 at the halfway point. For a backup it does not get much better than that.

Week seven saw some mid-season drama as Los Angeles made their claim as the hottest team in the West, Las Vegas got a win but at a price, all three frontrunners in the Northeast Division remain hot, and all three 0-6 teams drop to 0-7, with one of them pulling the trigger on a change, cleaning house of their head coach and both coordinators in one fell swoop.  We also saw things tighten up in the Southeast as Tampa continues to fall after their strong start and Atlanta, Orlando, and Charlotte bunch up with the Bandits at 4-3.  Texas and Denver make their case that the SW is not Arizona’s division alone, but the Wranglers just keep winning.  We will break it all down for you, along with all the league news of the week.  We start with LA’s statement game on the road in Tampa Bay. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS  30   TAMPA BAY BANDITS 27     OVERTIME The Tampa Bay Bandits started the year 4-0, but came into this game losers of 2 straight.  Los Angeles came in at 4-2 and raring to prove that they were not a fluke.  Tampa was a 5-point favorite, proving to the Express that they still have not gained the respect of the country, and they set out to earn it by knocking off the Bandits in Raymond James Stadium. It did not take the visitors long to make a statement, taking the opening kickoff 74 yards in only 9 plays, with Mark Sanchez, looking fresh off his short injury hiatus, connecting with Randy Moss on a 4-yard TD toss to open the scoring.  Sanchez would finish the day with 297 yards passing on a 31 of 45 performance, while Randy Moss would have 6 catches, but only for 46 yards. Sanchez’s counterpart, Daunte Culpepper, would struggle on the day, throwing 3 picks with no TDs to show for it, but he still managed to get the ball to Joey Galloway 8 times for 113 yards, helping the ageless wonder take the lead in the league’s receiving  yardage tally.  He also would help get the ball into position for the backs, who scored all 3 of Tampa Bay’s touchdowns on the day, the first one coming from Willis McGahee about 8 minutes into the game.  The second would come 5 minutes later as Tampa Bay’s second drive also resulted in a TD run, this time from former Stallion Felix Jones. LA would equalize the score early in the 2nd quarter, this time Keyshawn Johnson catching the Sanchez TD toss.  The two teams would then trade field goals, with LA getting the final score of the first half with only 2 seconds left on the clock, a beauty of a kick from Damon Duvall, 56 yards right down the center of the goalposts.  Halftime came and both offenses were having success, 17-17 at the half. Tampa Bay received the second half kickoff and drove deep into LA territory but a poor decision by Culpepper led to a pass in the endzone being picked off by safety Bhawoh Jue.  LA could not respond to the takeaway, returing the ball to Tampa Bay after a 3-and-out.  On their second drive, the Bandits would have more success, relying on the run game, they punched the ball in from the 1 with Willis McGahee doing the honors.  A late field goal from LA and Tampa Bay took a 24-20 lead into the final period. In the 4th, the Bandits extended their lead with a 2nd Nate Kaeding field goal, but the defense which had held LA without a TD in the second half could not hold against the no-huddle the Express employed.  Getting the ball with 4:07 left to play, the Express marched down the field on 13 plays and with 1:34 left to play, got the equalizer as Ray Rice dove in from the 2.  Tampa Bay would try to get Nate Kaeding into position for a game winner at regulation, but a holding call on a 3rd down play pushed Tampa Bay even out of Kaeding’s impressive range and they had to settle for overtime. In the extra period, LA got the ball first, but on a 2nd and 5 from their own 27, Culpepper again misfired on a throw over the middle, failing to see LB Keith Rivers bearing down on TE Jared Cook.  Rivers first tipped the ball, then picked it out of the air to give LA possession on the Tampa Bay 33.  The Express ran the ball three times, gaining 8 yards to set up a 43-yard attempt by Duvall.  The LA kicker left no doubt, drilling the ball through the uprights and giving LA a huge road win to improve to 5-2. Tampa Bay loses their third in a row and now sits in a 4-team cluster at 4-3 in the SE Division, while LA sits atop the Pacific, tied with Las Vegas at 5-2, but ahead on the tiebreaker.  The Express will return home next week for a tough game against visiting Pittsburgh, while Tampa Bay will try to snap their 3-game losing streak as they face the Atlanta Fire at the Georgia Dome with first place on the line. CHICAGO 17   NASHVILLE 14 The Machine win their second in a row, and an impressive win as they knock off the Knights in Nashville.  The new formula seems to be to let Brady Quinn throw the ball more outside.  Touchdowns to Donald Driver and Golden Tate highlight the Machine win, along with a return to sound defensive football as they hold Nashville to only 259 yards of offense (without Robert Meachem in the game). NEW JERSEY 21   WASHINGTON 24 The Generals give Washington a good scare, but in the end a Shayne Graham field goal sends New Jersey to their 7th defeat in 7 games.  Sam Bradford threw for 3 scores, but also suffered 5 sacks and 2 picks against the Federals.  Meanwhile Deuce McCallister rushed for 116 and 2 TDs to help lift Washington to 6-1 on the year. MEMPHIS 17   BIRMINGHAM 24 The Showboats also put in a strong effort, but also fell to 0-7 with a loss in their rivalry game at Birmingham. The Stallions came back from a 17-7 deficit in the 2nd half thanks to TDs from Terrell Owens and Joseph Addai.  Rookie Jerrel Jerrigan also had a big game with 108 yards receiving for the Stallions. JACKSONVILLE 3   PHILADELPHIA 34 Philadelphia was unimpressed with Tebow-mania, limiting the Jacksonville QB to only 150 yards passing, with 3 sacks and a pick.  His opposite, Kurt Warner went 13 of 23 for 216 yards and 3 TD tosses, including two to WR Marshall Newhouse, who saw a lot of snaps in the absence of a dinged up Stevie Johnson. MICHIGAN 27   OHIO 17 The Panthers get their 2nd win of the season as Mike Hart and Thomas Jones combine for 100 yards even and 3 TDs between them.  Despite expectation that Vince Young would get the start, it was Dereck Anderson in a game time decision.  Fans in Ohio were not pleased, booing Anderson after each failed 3rd down attempt (9 out of 13 were failures). BALTIMORE 28   ORLANDO 21 The Blitz keep pace with Washington, moving to 6-2 after a tough battle in Orlando.  Big Ben threw for 3 scores, including a 76-yard strike to Darius Heyward-Bey to lead Baltimore over the Renegades.  Eli Manning could not keep pace as Baltimore actually applied more pressure to him than Campbell and the ‘Gades did to Roethlisberger. HOUSTON 21   DENVER 24 No mercy for the defending champs who dropped their 5th in a row.  Denver’s Jamel Williams returned a Hasselbeck pick for a score and Dan LeFevour, subbing for an injured Matt Leinart in the 2nd quarter, threw for 121 yards and the game winning TD in relief.  Shaun Alexander had his first 100-yard game of the year, but it was in vain as Denver held off a late drive to equalize the score and took the win. OAKLAND 14    PITTSBURGH 34 It was all Maulers as Ronnie Brown had his first 100-yard USFL game and Cody Pickett went 17 of 22 with 3 TDs in a route over the Invaders. The Maulers sacked Joey Harrington 6 times and limited the combo of Norwood and Ryan Williams to 56 rushing yards as Pittsburgh dominated the game from kickoff to final whistle. ARIZONA 31   BOSTON 13 Arizona stayed spotless and LaDainian Tomlinson had a monster game against Boston, rushing for 140 yards on only 19 carries (7.4 YPC) while also bringing in 3 passes for 45, and adding 3 total touchdowns along the way.  Jake Locker was sacked 5 times by the Wrangler D and threw 2 more picks as Boston was simply overpowered by the visiting Wranglers. PORTLAND 17   LAS VEGAS 30 A costly win for Las Vegas as Marshawn Lynch fractured his tibia, likely costing him as much as 6-8 weeks of action.  Lynch went down in the first quarter and was in obvious pain as they brought out the cart to take him for x-rays. Cedric Benson subbed for him, rushing for only 46 yards, but Jake Plummer took up the slack and got the Thunder the win with TD passes to Samie Parker and Legedu Naanee. ST. LOUIS 21  NEW ORLEANS 14 Actually favored by 2 points, New Orleans could not deliver, falling behind 14-0 before starting to put together an offense.  Luke McCown, in for the injured Drew Brees, struggled to complete 23 of 45 passing, but threw two picks.  Meanwhile Josh Freeman connected with both Jordy Nelson and Taylor Jacobs to snap a 4-game losing streak and move to 3-4. SEATTLE 10   TEXAS 37 Joe Flacco was in MVP form, throwing for 317 yards and 4 touchdowns against an overmatched Seattle defense.  Chris Cooley and Marques Colston both caught 2 TDs and both Colston and Brandon Marshall went over 100 yards receiving as Texas’s passing game was on fire. T. J. Duckett also rushed for 117, most of it in the 2nd half as Texas cruised to a 27-point victory at home. ATLANTA 31   CHARLOTTE 7 The as-yet-unnamed rivalry between Atlanta and Charlotte was one sided on this day, with the visiting Fire picking off Jake Delhomme 3 times and holding Fred Jackson to only 45 yards rushing.  Atlanta also had difficulty rushing the ball (Anthony Allen led all Fire rushers with only 19 yards), but they got TDs from Allen, McFadden, Josh Reed, and Marcus Robinson to blow past the Monarchs and improve their record to 4-3, alongside Orlando and Charlotte. Mike Nolan Gets Pink Slipped by Breaker Ownership With Memphis, New Jersey and New Orleans all dropping to 0-7 there were many predicting that one or more head coach would be let go in the next week or two, but debate raged over which one might go first.  We have our answer this week as the New Orleans Breakers parted ways not only with Head Coach Mike Nolan, but with both of the team’s primary coordinators as well.  Nolan along with OC Jim Hostler and DC Greg Manusky were all let go on Monday.  With the club 27th in scoring and 24th in points allowed, it seems that both sides of the ball are being blamed for the team’s horrendous start. This was expected to be a banner year for the Breakers.  After back to back years in which they came 1 game short of winning the Southern Division, in both cases losing to Nashville on the season’s final week, the team made a big move this offseason, sending Eli Manning to Orlando in trade for 2x MVP Drew Brees.  The plan was to develop an offense that would allow New Orleans to overtake the Knights and win the division.  What happened instead was a total breakdown on both sides of the ball.  Following 3 straight Wild Card seasons, this step back was apparently too much for ownership, which made a huge investment bringing in Drew Brees’s contract. So Nolan, after 11 seasons with the club, including 8 playoff appearances and 1 Summer Bowl trip, is gone.  His coordinators are gone with him. Nolan leaves New Orleans with an 83-85 overall record and a 9-8 playoff record.  The club promoted from within to fill all three positions, but certainly a search for permanent hires will begin immediately.  Linebackers coach, and former Breaker legend Lamar Lathon takes over as the interim head coach, and very likely will be interviewed for the permanent position as well.  His coordinators will be former WR Coach, and another former Breaker player, Nolan Franz, as the OC, and DB Coach Vance Joseph as the new DC. The new coaching staff will have all of 5 days to prepare the team for a road game in Columbus, where the Breakers will take on the Ohio Glory.  Just what changes, if any this week, we see from the club is still to be discovered.  Expect a pretty similar plan this week as the new staff need time to update and adjust the team’s approach on both sides of the ball.  We do know that Lathon is fond of blitz schemes, as he was when he played, so a more aggressive blitz package is almost certain to be part of the plan.  As for the offense, how much Lathon will get involved in Coach Franz’s plans for Brees and company, that is just not known. So now we look at Herm Edwards in New Jersey and Jim Haslett in Memphis and wonder if one of them will be joining Nolan on the unemployment line before too long.  Even money has Edwards as the next departure, after all Haslett did bring a title to Memphis during the short Brett Favre period, so he should have just a bit more good will in place, but following back-to-back 10-loss seasons and now an 0-7 start, just how long Haslett has is very much up for debate. Three Way Race in Northeast as Feds, Stars, & Blitz Stay Hot On the other side of the standings we have a very interesting 3-way race going on in the Northeastern Division.  Washington currently sits alone in first place at 6-1, but they have both Philadelphia and Baltimore looking very strong at 5-2, just itching for a chance to overtake the Federals.  Both Washington and Philly are riding 4-game win streaks, while Baltimore is on a 5-game run, so there is a lot of momentum behind each of these clubs.  Washington has a brutal game at Arizona this upcoming week, and then they will face both the Stars and Blitz over the following 3 weeks (Philly in Week 9 and Baltimore in Week 11.)  Baltimore and Philadelphia face each other in the week between (Week 10), so this race to the top of the Division is just about to get very very hot. Texas & Denver Not Giving Up Southwest While Arizona’s amazing 7-0 start has been the talk of the season, both Texas and Denver are doing their best to remind us that this race is not over.  Both are 2 games back with very respectable 5-2 records.  Texas will get their shot at the Wranglers first, facing them in San Antonio in Week 9.  Denver heads to Arizona for the first of 2 games against the Wranglers a week later, in a Week 10 clash at University of Phoenix Stadium.  Texas lost their first matchup with the Wranglers back in Week 4, a 27-25 nail biter. They are hoping that their week 9 matchup will go in their favor with a rowdy Texas crowd supporting them in the dome.  Denver has yet to face the Wranglers, and has had only 1 divisional game to date, this week’s win over Houston.  They will face Texas at Invesco Field this upcoming weekend, and could be a late factor, facing Houston, Texas, and Arizona in weeks 14-16 to end the season, with both Texas games on the road. Lynch to Miss 4-6 Weeks With Fractured Fibula Las Vegas may have gotten the win over Portland this week to move to 5-2 and 2-2 in the division, but it was a very costly win.  Marshawn Lynch left the field on a cart and x-rays revealed a fracture in his fibula, an injury that will require a soft boot for at least a month, and very likely could cost Lynch at least 6 weeks of action.  The Thunder did bring in Cedric Benson as an insurance policy this offseason, but Benson is hardly the back that Lynch is.  The expectation is that more of the weight of the offense will now fall on former MVP Jake Plummer, but Plummer is working with one hand behind his back.  He has WR Willie Ponder out for the year and #1 receiver Marty Booker likely out another 2-4 weeks as he heals his broken foot.  In other words, the Las Vegas Defense is going to have to be even better if the Thunder are going to retain their share of the division lead with a surging LA Express right there with them. Right now the starting offense of the Thunder includes Cedric Benson at halfback and NFL import Legedu Naanee, Kahlil Hill and Aldrick Robinson as their starting three receivers.  This is not the personnel that Coach Jones had in mind when he started installing a run & shoot scheme a year ago.  That puts the pressure on the 3rd rated defense for yardage (4th for scoring) to do even more.  The line of Haloti Ngata, Erasmus James and Adewale Ogunleye will need to put pressure on QBs to allow Joey Porter and A. J. Hawk to focus on the run.  Corners Will Allen and Antoine Winfield have played extremely well all season, but now will have even more pressure to lock down receivers. If Las Vegas can survive the next 3-4 weeks, they will get Booker back, then possibly 2 weeks later, Lynch could be ready to return.  But with LA right there, and already having beaten Las Vegas in their first meeting, the Thunder cannot afford to slump, even with such a big loss to their offense. Matt Leinart Likely Out 2-3 Weeks with Non-Throwing Arm Injury A second injury to impact the next few weeks as QB Matt Leinart injured his non-throwing arm in a collision with a Houston defender this week.  That injury took Leinart out of the game and gave backup Dan LeFevour his first serious action.  LeFevour did enough to get Denver the win over the Gamblers, but now he will be looking at a minimum of two starts, with Texas up this week in a huge divisional match. Leinart could be seen at team facilities this week, his arm in a sling for protection, and while it is not his throwing arm, the team will need to see that he can both take hits and use the arm for support and counterbalance in order to have him back on the field.  It appears that there is no fracture in the arm, but the prospect of ligament damage could lengthen the departure for Leinart.  LeFevour, who had one substitute start in 2010, now takes the helm for at least 2 weeks, but possiblty longer. In addition to the Lynch and Leinart injuries, we also saw Jacksonville’s plans to move C. J. Spiller to a 3rd down back role upended when promoted HB LaBrandon Toefield suffered a ruptured disc in his first start for the Bulls. He is now on IR and is unlikely to be able to suit up before the 2012 season.  The good news is that there appears to be no permanent nerve damage, but Toefield is not expected to see a football field for at least 9 months. Pittsburgh’s Patrick Surtain got the news he did not want when further testing showed that his abdominal injury was, in fact, a partial tear.  That diagnosis stretches his absence from the Mauler defense to at least 4 weeks, even in a best case scenario.  In Arizona, rookie HB Stevan Ridley is likely out for 1-2 weeks after dislocating his elbow on a carry this past week.  Arizona will also be without backup FS Nate Allen, who is doubtful after turning an ankle in special teams coverage this week. Others who are questionable this week include Drew Brees in New Orleans, LB Corey Miller for Boston, Charlotte WR Derrick Mason, Nashville MLB Willie Middlebrooks, Houston DE Osi Umenyiura, and Stars WR Stevie Johnson.  Expected back in action are NJ wideout T. J. Houshmandzadeh, Seattle WR Nate Burleson, St. Louis guard Leonard Davis, Texas DT Paul Grasmanis, Baltimore DE Robert Quinn, and Memphis LB NaVorro Bowman. Full Range of 1983 Retro Jerseys Available Two pieces of news out of Adidas and the USFL this week. The first focuses on the 12 original USFL franchises and the league’s celebration of 30 seasons in 2012.  Adidas revealed that they will be producing retro jerseys, both home and away, for all 12 founding franchises.  The 24 different designs will be available exclusively at USFLStore.com and at stadia across the league (primarily the 12 cities represented by the 12 franchises as well as relocation “heritage” cities like Baltimore, Nashville, or New Orleans.)  The designs recreate the initial designs of each club, will be available with the number 83 to indicate the league’s first season, and will have small commemorative patches similar to the ones all 28 clubs will wear for the 2012 season on the left side of the chest.  On the right chest will be a retro Adidas trefoil logo, replacing the current 3-stripe logo found on all USFL jerseys. This marks the first time leaguewide commemorative jerseys have been available.  Several clubs have sold retro jerseys individually, but prior contracts (with Nike and Reebok) have not included production of a series of jerseys similar to this 30th anniversary commemoration series.  Individual team jerseys, with player numbers are still available from each club’s home store, so don’t worry, you can still get a retro Herschel Walker #34, John Reaves #7 or Anthony Carter #1. Bulls Reveal 2012 Uniform Updates Adidas also revealed the new look for 2012 for the Jacksonville Bulls, the first of the 4 revisions for next season (Washington, Texas, and New Orleans to come).  Jacksonville’s look will remain very similar to the current designs, but with a few noteworthy tweaks.  The helmet is not changed, nor is the primary logo, but Adidas and the Bulls are introducing two new logos. The first is a “JAX” monogram that features the iconic twin stripe of garnet and orange over pewter lettering.  It should be noted that the pewter grey the Bulls are using will be noticeably darker in 2012, creating an overall darker look to the uniforms. The second new logo is a rondel that highlights the Bulls as a Florida-based team (I guess for those folks who like to joke that it is actually southern Georgia).  The logo features the bull logo charging across the familiar shape of the state, surrounded by a hoop that includes lettering stating “Jacksonville Football”. The rondel logo does not appear on the uniform, while the monogram appears on one sleeve, with the standard logo on the other. The jerseys continue to feature a shoulder yoke and colored sleeves, burgundy on the white jerseys and pewter/grey on the dark jerseys.  Orange “horns” emerge from the collar on both jerseys, adding a pop of the color to the front of each jersey.  The sleeve cuffs are also orange.  Where orange does not appear is as piping on the new number font.  The thick block numbers will be either white or garnet with black piping. The pants feature the same 4-stripe pattern as the prior Reebok design, though the stripes are slightly thicker on the adidas version.  There are three pant sets, garnet, white, and the new darker pewter. NBC to Seek 2nd Weekly Game in 2012 It appears that NBC would like to double down on their USFL broadcasting, but at whose expense?  The broadcast giant has long been the host of Friday Night Lights, the opening game each weekend, but are now approaching the USFL and their other broadcast partners about turning the opening game each week of the regular season from a 1-game affair to a doubleheader, with a 6pm kickoff game and a 9pm kickoff game (all times eastern).  This would not only double the number of games offered by the network, which, it should be assumed, would come with significantly higher payments by NBC to the league, but would also double the number of teams playing on a slightly shorter week to play on Friday nights. Expectation is that NBC would negotiate with both ABC and FOX to remove one game from the Sunday slate and reallocate that game to Friday night. Presently there are 5 day games on Saturday but 6 afternoon games on Sunday.  A move down to 5 Sunday afternoon games, while a reduction in coverage for both ABC and FOX would allow both networks to do as they do on Saturday and have a nationwide broadcast in the 4pm slot rather than each network alternating regional games with one national game.  In other words, a doubleheader on Friday would provide the USFL with 10 nationally broadcast games each week instead of the current 9, reducing the regional coverage to only 4 games per week (always the 12pm slots on both weekend days).  That will certainly be welcomed by the USFL, though the alterations to all 3 network contracts will be a bit messy.  The hope, of course, is that the increased fees paid by NBC will more than account for any reduction in revenue from FOX and ABC for their lost game on Sundays. Expect this to get done.  NBC certainly has the funds ready to provide to the league, the USFL as a whole is looking at more exposure and slightly higher TV revenue, and would be happy to have both East Coast and West Coast clubs highlighted each Friday Night during the season.  As for ABC and FOX, the ability to have a showcase game each Sunday at 4pm is also a likely plus. What does Week 8 hold for us?  Well, the last week of the season’s first half has plenty of divisional matchups, including Friday night’s Oakland-Portland clash, and a few very interesting inter-divisional and inter-conference games.   We are particularly looking forward to Saturday’s 4pm match between 6-1 Pittsburgh and 5-2 Los Angeles.  The red hot Maulers should be a very good measuring stick to see just how real LA’s early success is. Another great Saturday clash is Nashville visiting Baltimore on the Saturday night ESPN game.  Both clubs come into the game at 5-2 and are looking to solidify a spot as a division leader.  On Sunday we have two of the league’s three winless teams, both on the road, as Memphis visits St. Louis and New Orleans, under new leadership, is in Ohio.  We also have a really fun SW Division clash between the two clubs vying for 2nd place behind Arizona.  Denver hosts Texas as both enter the game at 5-2.  Las Vegas, without Marshawn Lynch, has a tough road game in Seattle at 4pm on Sunday, while the nightcap on the ESPN Football Network has Tampa Bay at Atlanta in a key Southern Division match between 2 of the 4 clubs tied up at 4-3.  Can Tampa Bay snap their 3-game slide, or will Atlanta assert themselves as a potential frontrunner, hoping to repeat as division champs? As always, national broadcasts are in bold font. Divisional matchups are in blue. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET                Oakland (3-4) @ Portland (3-4)                  NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET          Charlotte (4-3) @ New Jersey (0-7)           ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET          Michigan (2-5) @ Orlando (4-3)                 ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET        Boston (1-6) @ Philadelphia (5-2)             FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET              Pittsburgh (6-1) @ Los Angeles (5-2)        ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET            Houston (2-5) @ Chicago (2-5)                   FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET             Nashville (5-2) @ Baltimore (5-2)              ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET               Memphis (0-7) @ St. Louis (3-4)                 ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET              New Orleans (0-7) @ Ohio (3-4)                 FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm ET            Jacksonville (2-5) @ Birmingham (4-3)    FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                 Texas (5-2) @ Denver (5-2)                           ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                  Washington (6-1) @ Arizona (7-0)             ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                  Las Vegas (5-2) @ Seattle (3-4)                   FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET                 Tampa Bay (4-3) @ Atlanta (4-3)                 EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: LaDainian Tomlinson did more than his part to get Arizona to 7-0, racking up 195 all purpose yards and 3 touchdowns for the Wranglers. He averaged nearly 8 yards per carry and 15 yards per reception as Arizona rolled once again.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Safety Troy Polamalu had him a game against the defending USFL champions. Polamalu, in his first year after signing with Arizona in free agency, disrupted both the Houston run game and the passing game, garnering 7 tackles, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble in the Wrangler's huge win over the Gamblers.

Is 2011 proving to be the year that broke parity as a concept in the USFL?  It depends how you look at it.  Yes, this season we have several teams with5 or more wins and either 0 or only 1 loss.  We also still have three clubs that have yet to win a game and another 3 who have only 1 win to their names.  The usual logjam at .500 is just not that crowded this year (only 6 teams sit at 3-3 and half of those are in the same division.).  So, on the one hand we could call this season a year of disparity, but when we realize that the one 6-0 club left was a basement dweller last year, or that 2010 division winners like Atlanta and Oakland are finding 2011 tough going, we could say that there is a form of parity, just not one that produces a lot of middle-of-the-pack teams, more of a mobility parity with teams rising and falling.  It seems to depend on what you view as parity and what you view as disparity among teams. In any case, we have a lot of news all across the league to get to, along with a puzzling bit of news related to USFL expansion or relocation, one to keep an eye on. DENVER GOLD 20   MICHIGAN PANTHERS 14 It was not a marquee matchup, as Denver games rarely seem to be, but the battle between the Gold and the 1-4 Michigan Panthers turned out to be one of the better games of the year so far as Michigan, desperate to right the ship, and the Gold, clinging to a hope that Arizona will start to fade, faced off at Ford Field. There was no weather to face in Detroit, but it still felt pretty chilly when the two teams took the field.  Michigan, trying to avoid dropping a fifth game so early in the season, and hoping to see Brian Griese returning to 2009 form, came out of the gate with energy and a gameplan that seemed to catch the Gold defense off guard.  Michigan used a 2-back formation with both Thomas Jones and Mike Hart on the field in a pro set for most of the first half.  They also went with 2 tight ends for nearly 60% of their plays, bringing out Jerome Felton along with Bennie Joppru to present Denver with a heavy front. The strategy paid immediate dividends, with Michigan’s first drive providing the club with a 7-point initial advantage.  Coach LeBeau mixed runs from both backs with play action throws by Griese, including a short TD pass to league receiving yards leader Hines Ward to put Michigan up.  After a quick 3-and-out by the Gold, they tried the same strategy and again it proved effective.  Michigan drove 77 yards and capped off their second long drive with an 11-yard Mike Hart TD run.  The first quarter ended with the Panthers up 14-0.  The rest of the game would be a slow slog back for the Gold. Denver made adjustments in the second quarter, first on offense, where they also pushed the run game behind Maurice Hicks and Javon Ringer.  The two would finish the day with a combined 32 carries for 125 yards.  Matt Leinart also adjusted his priorities, hitting underneath receivers against Michigan’s 2- and 3-deep zones.  On Denver’s first drive of the 2nd quarter, it was good enough to get them in field goal range and put the first Denver points on the board.  On their next drive they did that one better, with Leinart finding James Hardy in the endzone for a 9-yard TD at the end of an 11-play drive. At the same time, the Denver defense adjusted its strategy against Michigan’s larger defense.  They crashed the line, pulling Ryan Denney in closer to DT Ndamukong Suh, and on early downs swapping out DE Dennis Johnson for a 3rd DT, with Tommy Harris next to Montae Reager and Suh.  Suh even moved to the DE spot on a few occasions.  The D-line adjustments proved valuable for Denver, who got better pressure on Griese, but also limited the effectiveness of Michigan’s 2-back scheme. After going scoreless in the 2nd quarter, Michigan struggled in the 3rd, but their defense also held Denver in check.  We saw 7 punts in the period, to no one’s enjoyment, but both defenses were doing their jobs.  The lone drive of any duration ended badly for Michigan as Brian Griese was picked by Michigan LB Shawne Merriman just inside the red zone. The 4th quarter saw Denver again try to establish the run game, and with some success, as they opened the period with a 9-play drive that reached the 28 yard line before sputtering out.  Leinart missed Peerless Price on 3rd and 7, and Graham Gano was sent out to make it a 1-point game. Michigan thought it might have answered Denver’s field goal as Griese found Laverneus Coles on a deep ball that Coles brought in and then spun past the corner and into the endzone, but before the Panther faithful could celebrate, a flag in the backfield signaled the dreaded holding call that negated the play.  Instead of a TD toss, the Panthers would face a 2nd and 17, enough to kill their drive.   Still up by 1 point, Michigan was forced to punt the ball back to the Gold with just over 4 minutes left on the clock. Needing only a field goal, but also cognizant that they did not want to leave too much time on the clock for a late Michigan rally, the Gold took their time moving down the field.  They benefitted from a defensive holding call on 3rd and 8, one which gave them an automatic first down.  Creeping into the red zone, well within Graham Gano’s range, the Gold opted to go for 6 and put Michigan in a position where they would need to score a touchdown to retake the lead, not a field goal.  On a 2nd and 5 from the 13 they faked the ball to Javon Ringer, Leinart rolled slightly to the right and found WR Keary Colbert on a slant/corner route that had given him a step over the corner.  Leinart threw to the corner of the endzone and Colbert came down with the ball and the winning score, leaving only 31 seconds on the clock for a Michigan team that had not scored since the opening period of the game. Denver, with the win, moved into 2nd place in the SW Division, 2 games behind the Wranglers, solidly on the plus side of .500.  Michigan dropped to 1-5, certainly not the return they had hoped to see for Brian Griese after a lost 2010 season.  The problem is that the Griese they seem to have on the roster is not the same one that was injured back at the start of the 2010 season. WASHINGTON 27   HOUSTON 0 Gambler fans are beginning to panic, and after being shut out at home by Washington, it feels justified.  Nothing worked for the Gamblers, who have now dropped 4 in a row.  Shaun Alexander rushed for only 43 yards and 2.3 YPC, while Matt Hasselbeck was not able to put together enough plays to get Houston into scoring range, failing on 9 of their 14 third down plays.  Washington had built up their 27-0 lead before David Garrard went off with a stinger, and the Federal defense looked a solid as ever, limiting Houston to a total of only 254 yards in a convincing win for the visitors. BIRMINGHAM 14   CHICAGO 38 Chicago finally got a notch in the win column as they dominated the Stallions and rookie QB Cam Newton.  Anthony Weaver landed two of the Machine’s 3 sacks, and Brian Urlacher spent about as much time in the Stallion backfield as Birmingham rusher Joseph Addai.  The more aggressive stance of the Chicago defense paid dividends and the Machine also got much more out of Brady Quinn than we have seen this year, throwing for 3 scores on a 17 of 22 performance.  A good win for a Chicago team that needed one. ORLANDO 27   JACKSONVILLE 16 The Renegades continue to look like a solid contender, knocking off in-state rival Jacksonville at Alltell.  Knowshon Moreno was the star with 154 yards rushing against the Bulls’ Defense, but he was only 1 of 3 rushers to score as all 3 Orlando touchdowns came through the run game.  The defense was equally dominant, tormenting Jacksonville’s 2nd year QB Tim Tebow.  The result was 8 sacks by the Renegade D, including 2 each from DT Albert Haynesworth and DE Calais Campbell. TEXAS 17   PORTLAND 13 Tight End Chris Cooley proved to be Texas’s secret weapon as they edged the Portland Stags in the Rose City.  Cooley had 4 catches for 102 yards, including the game winning TD in the 4th.  Portland’s D was trouble for Joe Flacco, sacking him three times, picking him off twice, and keeping wideout Marques Colston under wraps most of the game. But, the Texas defense was equally tough on Ryan Fitzpatrick, also with 3 sacks and 2 picks.  In the end, it was one drive, and one key catch from Cooley that gave Texas the road win. LAS VEGAS 3   LOS ANGELES 20 The Express came into this game with uncertainty at QB but also with a chip on their shoulder, hoping to prove that they were a legitimate contender in the Pacific.  They exited the game feeling very good about both.  Mark Sanchez was able to return to action and looked good, going 16 of 25 for 220 yards and key TD tosses to veteran Eddie Kennison and TE Brandon Manumaleuna, along with 9 passes combined to the big name receivers, Moss and Johnson.  Las Vegas struggled against an energized LA defense, converting only 5 of 18 third down plays. ATLANTA 22   TAMPA BAY 10 Tampa Bay drops their 2nd in a row after a 4-0 start as competition in the SE Division heats up.  Atlanta got 89 yards from rookie tailback Anthony Allen to spark the road win. The defense also proved tough against Culpepper and the Bandit offense.  Despite giving up 11 catches and 121 yards to Joey Galloway, Atlanta picked off Culpepper twice and held LA to only 4 of 12 on third down conversions as the Fire evened their record at 3-3, just a game out of first. PHILADELPHIA 28   NEW JERSEY 14 New Jersey’s long season of misery continues as once again they come up short.  Philadelphia built up a 28-0 lead before New Jersey got on the board in garbage time in a game utterly dominated by Philadelphia’s defense.  New Jersey was outgained 366-221 for the game and rushed for only 37 total yards, while the Stars amassed 160 on the ground, most of it Steve Slaton’s 129 rushing yards.  This is Philadelphia’s 4th win in a row, but New Jersey’s 6th consecutive loss. PITTSBURGH 31   NEW ORLEANS 10 Another rough home game for a winless club as Pittsburgh took no mercy on the Breakers.  Cody Pickett had a ball, completing 21 of 23 throws, while Ronnie Brown and Kenny Watson combined for 119 yards.  Worse yet for the winless Breakers, Drew Brees went out of the game early and could miss up to 3 weeks.  Nothing seems to be going right for the Breakers as they drop to 0-6 in a division they had hoped to win this season. BOSTON 10    BALTIMORE 28 Boston, sitting now at 1-5, is another club looking for answers as rookie Jake Locker continues to struggle.  He threw 4 picks in this game, 2 of them just plain ugly tosses, as Baltimore dominated.  Ben Roethlisberger returned under center and went 21 of 29 for 259 yards and 2 TDs.  Add in 95  yards and a score from Ron Dayne and this game got out of hand early for the Cannons. OHIO 14   OAKLAND 17 Ohio is looking like a much improved team this year, particularly on defense, but the Oakland Invaders, and Coach Dennis Green are showing toughness as they move to .500 with the home win.   It was not easy for Oakland, but we are seeing HB Ryan Williams begin to make plays.  In this game he had 71 yards on only 14 carries, including a nice 18-yard TD run on a draw play.  Dereck Anderson got the start again for the Glory, but questions abound if we will see Vince Young in Week 7 . CHARLOTTE 13   SEATTLE 23 After a huge win over Tampa Bay last week, Charlotte fell into a trap game as they flew to the Pacific Northwest and came out flat against a Seattle Dragon squad that can still breathe fire on occasion.  With Jahvid Best’s 74 yards and Ladell Betts’s 78, the Dragons ran through and over the Monarch defense.  That made life easier for Byron Leftwich, who connected on TD tosses to David Boston and Dwayne Jarrett to help Seattle equal their record at 3-3 after 6 games. ARIZONA 27   ST. LOUIS 17 Arizona wasted no time taking it to St. Louis, with strikes from David Carr to Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant in the first quarter giving the Wranglers a 14-point buffer. They needed it as St. Louis fought back, with Josh Freeman throwing 2 TDs to Jordy Nelson.  It was not enough, however, as Carr connected with Fitzgerald a second time in the third quarter to keep a comfortable lead for the visitors.  St.  Louis has now lost 4 in a row after a 2-0 start, while Arizona remains the league’s lone unbeaten club at 6-0. NASHVILLE 14   MEMPHIS 6 Memphis’s defense made life tough for Jay Cutler, picking off the Knight QB three times, but the handcuffed Showboats simply could not muster enough of an offensive attack to steal the win.  Ryan Mallett dropped back to pass 56 times but could only complete 22 of those attempts and finished with only 198 yards and no touchdowns.  Cutler, for all his issues on the day, was able to connect for scores with Ahmad Merrit twice.  Nashville now sits atop the Southern Division at 5-1, a 2-game lead over Birmingham, and 5 games over the winless Breakers and Showboats. Ohio to Start Young in Week 7 Following back to back losses in which the offense struggled to put points on the board, Coach Andrus has made the decision to put NFL import Vince  Young under center for the Week 7 game against rival Michigan.  Young, who arrived in Columbus during the opening week of the season, was inactive for the first 3 games, and was designated the backup for the final 3 as he picked up Coach Andrus’s system.  Dereck Anderson had started the first 6 games of the season, and while Columbus started strong with a 3-1 opening month, the past two games have seen them fall to both Texas and Oakland while scoring a combined 21 points in the two games. Anderson has not played poorly, throwing for 909 yards, 7 TDs to 5 picks, but there is hope that Young can provide more dynamism to an Ohio offense that currently ranks 23rd in the league in points per game (14.5 per game) and 28th in passing yards at only 151.5 per game.  Young can also add a dimension to the run game, as he is a threat on both scheduled runs and scrambles.  The hope, of course, is that Young’s athleticism and NFL experience will help Ohio stay relevant in a Central Divisoin that is seeing traditional powers Chicago and Michigan in dire straights, creating space for Ohio to challenge Pittsburgh at the top of the division. Memphis Makes a Move In an effort to improve upon a disastrous 0-6 start, and a defense that ranks 20th in points allowed, the Memphis Showboats executed a 4 player trade with St. Louis.  The Showboats are sending starting strong safety Coy Wire as well as DE Marcus Harrison to the Skyhawks in trade for two defensive linemen, DT Kendrick Clancy and DE Antonio Smith.  The Showboats will also send a 4th rounder to St. Louis and pick up a 3rd rounder from the Skyhawks. With backup SS Jarrad Paige playing well, Wire was a commodity that had value outside of the club but was viewed as a player who could be dealt without damaging the Memphis secondary.  The hope, of course, is that the arrival of Clancy and Smith will add energy to a D-line which has failed to pruduce much pressure on opposing QBs or to effectively lock down the run game.  Both Smith and Clancy could start this week for the Showboats, who last week traded to bring in QB Bob Volek and FB John Kuhn. Fans are hoping the moves work to get Memphis into the win column, but their focus seems to be the development of QB Ryan Mallett, who has struggled to adjust to the pro game.  None of the changes made by Memphis’s front office can address that issue, not unless they club opts to put Volek in as a starter, a move that would almost certainly hurt Mallett’s development and his confidence as a pro quarterback.  But at 0-6, there are few options Memphis can turn to that will not bring some form of pain. For their part, St. Louis expects Coy Wire to start this weekend at strong safety, moving Kendrick Lewis to the 2nd option as well as a role in dime coverages.  They have signed DT Langston Moore to backfill the position vacated by Kendrick Clancy.  Larry Triplett will move up to the #2 position behind Richard Seymour, with Moore filling in behind him, just as Harrison, acquired in the trade, will serve as the swing DE behind Eddie Freeman and Adrian Clayborn. New Jersey Seeks Defensive Help Another trade as New Jersey tries to find answers for their 28th rated defense. The first move coach Edwards made was to take play calling responsibilities away from his coordinator.  Edwards, a former NFL DB, will now take on the defensive calls.  The second move was to make a trade to strengthen what is considered a weak LB group.  Edwards is moving Donterrious Thomas back outside, to the strongside LB position, benching Piso Tinoisamoa in the process.  He can do that because the Generals bit the bullet and traded away some draft capital to bring in a true MLB to stuff the run and occupy the middle.  The Generals send a 3rd and a 5th rounder in 2012 to Arizona to acquire MLB Napoleon Harris. Harris, who has been platooning along with Orlando Huff behind starter Pat Angerer is a veteran with 5 years of USFL experience in Arizona, a former starter for the Wranglers before Angerer’s arrival.  He will take over the MLB, with Thomas and Fujita outside in New Jersey’s 4-3 alignment.  For Arizona, they picked up 2 draft picks and still have Angerer backed up by Orlando Huff and Travis Goethel in the middle. Trading Harris also freed up a roster spot, one used to promote guard Jerry Perrin from the practice squad. Jacksonville Shifts Spiller to 3rd Down Role The Bulls, whose run game is 2nd worst in the league to only New Orleans, have apparently decided that C. J. Spiller is just not a 3-down option any longer.  Coach Frazier announced this week that LaBrandon Toefield, who Jacksonville acquired from Tampa Bay in the offseason, would be given the start and that Spiller, a highly touted prospect out of Clemson, would remain part of the offense in a reduced role, taking the field primarily in long yardage and passing downs. Spiller is essentially being recognized for his ball catching skills but also critiqued for a lack of consistency as the team’s lead back.  In his rookie season, Spiller averaged only 3.6 yards per carry and rushed for 645 yards despite being the designated lead back since opening week.  This season his numbers have dipped even lower, with his per carry average dropping to only 3.1 yards.  The hope is that Toefield, who averaged 4.3 yards per carry while in Tampa Bay, could step into the lead back role, take on the tough inside run game on first and second down, and give way to Spiller on obvious passing downs. John Fox Gets Vote of Confidence Despite a rough 1-5 start, and issues with highly regarded rookie QB Jake Locker, longstanding Boston coach John Fox appears to retain the full confidence of Boston ownership.  This week the team reaffirmed their commitment to Fox, whose contract is not set to expire until the 2014 season.  The former NFL player and winner of the 2009 USFL League Title with the Cannons, is dealing with a rough 1-5 start, and with a rookie QB who is struggling to adjust, but has the confidence of team ownership, who, in their statement this week noted that they anticipated that the transition from years of steady team leadership with Drew Bledsoe to a new system, and a new quarterback would be bumpy, but that they have full belief in Coach Fox, his system, and his ability to build a winner in Boston once again. Just what New Orleans does not need as their top cornerback, Randall Gay, is placed on IR for the year with a tear in his groin (it hurts just to think about it.)  Las Vegas is also looking at a gap on its roster as WR Willie Ponder is out for the year after suffering a broken scapula in his shoulder.  Add to that list Birmingham guard Ben Grubbs, whose injury was reevaluated, adding him to the IR. Not quite as long lasting, but still significant were injuries to Baltimore TE Jacob Tamme (6-8 weeks, arm), Houston DT John McCargo (2-4 weeks, back), Texas OT Roger Saffold (1-2 Weeks, quad), Arizona FS Nate Allen (1-2 weeks, toe), and Philadelphia WR Stevie Johnson (1-2 weeks, thigh bruise).  Washington will also be without OG Gennaro DiNapoli for 1-2 weeks with an ankle injury.  Charlotte WR Derrick Mason could miss 2-3 weeks with a foot issue, and New Orleans QB Drew Brees is expected to miss this week after taking a blow to the head in last week’s game. Oklahoma City Making a Bold Move to Lure USFL to Town. A very intriguing story out of Oklahoma, where an investment group led by J. Walter Duncan IV, son of former New Jersey Generals owner J. Walter Duncan Jr., has come to an agreement with both the government of the state of Oklahoma and with Oklahoma City officials to begin construction of a 50,000 seat stadium in the OKC neighborhood of Persimmon Hill, near the exchange of I-35 and I-44 on the city’s northeast side.  The open air stadium would provide Okahoma City with a professional scale venue, and while at present the only defined leases would be with the city’s and state’s high school football association, serving as a home for state championships, the clear vision of the investors is to use the facility to attract pro football to the state. Mr. Duncan, speaking at the announcement, specifically mentioned his affinity for the USFL, a league his father helped to start back in 1982-1983 as the first owner of the New Jersey Generals, and spoke to the brief history of USFL football in the state with the 1987 Oklahoma Outlaws, who played 100 miles away in Tulsa.  He also spoke to the idea of Oklahoma City having a showcase stadium, much like Birmingham, that could serve as home to the annual clash between OU and Oklahoma State, as well as to a wide variety of sporting events, concerts, and other entertainment. The stadium will apparently be a 40-60 split investment between the private investors Mr. Duncan represents, a group called OK Cityzens For the Future, which apparently also includes minority investors with more USFL ties such as former players Brian Bosworth and Thurman Thomas, and the city and state governments.  Construction permits have been cleared and work on the 50 acre site is slated to begin this Fall, with hopes for a 2014 completion.  Bond offers from the state will help to finance the stadium, while the city will be diverting funds from hotel and restaurant taxes to provide support for the project. So, what does this mean for the USFL?  Well, it almost certainly means that there is yet another player in the potential expansion/relocation conversation.  While OKC certainly lacks the cache at present that groups in Dallas, Miami, or San Diego could bring, a shiny new stadium, and the ability to be the big fish in a somewhat small, but certainly football-crazed pond could very well be an attractive opportunity for the right team, or for the USFL as a whole, which has a rich history of developing rabid fanbases in new locations such as Memphis, Birmingham, Phoenix, Orlando, and Jacksonville.  Without a doubt, we will be hearing more from this group, and from Mr. Duncan as the league looks at potential growth in the near future. Who Else is In the USFL Mix? The news out of OKC once again has fans and pundits debating both relocation and expansion. And while for most fans it is a combination of “not my team” and “maybe my hated rival will move to Anchorage” talk, for those closest to the USFL, the outlook is one of concern.  Anything that makes the league look less stable, or which  threatens the possible loss of large markets for smaller markets is a threat to USFL revenue and perception of the league as a true major league.  The USFL hopes to avoid what the NFL saw over a 12-year span that saw teams depart Oakland, Baltimore, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Cleveland.  While 4 of those cities saw the NFL return to town, just as cities like Atlanta, LA, Chicago, and St. Louis have also had 2nd franchises replace departed USFL teams, neither league wants to see that kind of migration among its franchises.  It devalues the entire league and creates a perception not only of instability, but a lack of honest connection between a city and its team, something that can drive down fan interest and buy in (both emotional and financial buy in). So, what are we looking at in the USFL?  Honestly, a problem of success in that more and more cities that are currently outside the USFL’s team distribution are hoping to cash in on the immense popularity of spring football.  Many of the potential suitors are NFL cities that see the ability to double down on the use of expensive stadia in their cities, increasing tax revenue and the perception of their city as a Major League destination.  In other cases it is new markets hoping to join the club of major league sports, just as cities like Indianapolis, Jacksonville, or Memphis have done, with one franchise raising the profile of the city and leading to additional sports franchises looking to find a home in that rising metro area. When we look at potential contenders for either USFL expansion or potential franchise relocation, we see that mix at work.  As of today, we identify 5 serious groups to keep an eye on as conversations continue and cities work with investors to try to attract the USFL.  Here is the quick rundown on all six. DESTINATION DALLAS Lead Investor: Telecom magnate Kenny Trout Other Noteworthy Investors: Tech entrepreneur Mark Cuban Situation:  While Trout remains the official CEO and lead investor in this group, it is clear to all that Mark Cuban is now the driving force behind the group and its interest in placing a USFL franchise in the Cotton Bowl.  The group is already working with city officials to refurbish the venerable stadium and could be ready to host USFL games as soon as next season.  They have been one of the most vocal groups pushing for a quick turnaround by the league between their 2008 expansion and a new round, with Cuban already hinting that a delayed expansion may force DD to look at existing franchises. Our Assessment:  If any market is going to steal away a current team it is Dallas and this group of investors. The market is huge and hugely attractive to the USFL, so unless they attempt to buy and move another huge market team like New Jersey, LA, or Chicago, we don’t see much opposition to another franchise selling out to the group and making the move to Big D. Miami USFL LLC Lead Investor: Ken Griffin, CEO of the Citadel Hedge Fund Firm Other Noteworthy Investors: Former USFL Coach Howard Schnellenberger, Former NFL Coach Jimmie Johnson, Former NFL & USFL Player Bernie Kosar, and pop music star Ricky Martin. Situation:  While the Miami group has a lot of famous names, no one is really sure how much these big names bring to the table financially.  It seems clear that Griffin is the major financial backer for the group.  Unlike Dallas, this group does not have a stadium project, or a stadium deal in place.  Rumors have them looking at the Orange Bowl as well as Joe Robbie Stadium as possible homes, but are getting pushback both from the ownership of Miami’s NFL ownership and the University of Miami. Our Assessment: If the group can get past the stadium hurdle, Miami could be an attractive market.  We expect a lot of resistance from the three existing Florida franchises, and 4 clubs in the state does seem like a lot for one league, especially one that has only 2 teams in larger states like California and Texas, with no teams actually in the state of New York.  Add to that the unpleasant prospect of mid-summer football in open air stadia in Miami and there may be some hesitation to add a club in Miami, as attractive as the city and the ownership group may be. San Diego Football Group Lead Investor: Supermarket investor Ron Burkle Other Noteworthy Investors: Daniel Pritzker (Hyatt Hotels), former NFL & USFL player Marcus Allen Situation: Any San Diego group must contend with the fact that right now the market belongs to the NFL Chargers and owner Alex Spanos, and that includes use of Qualcomm Stadium, the only suitable venue in the area.  While there has been talk about a new stadium, either for the Chargers alone or for use by SDSU as well, the issue remains that any new facility is likely to be owned in part by the Spanos family, and that would likely be a non-starter for a USFL club, with Spanos being part of the club along with Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft who see cooperation with the USFL as a bad business deal. Our Assessment:  Unless this group can get a line on Qualcomm Stadium, we do not see how they can bring a club to San Diego.  They honestly would have a better chance of getting a 2nd team for Los Angeles than for their home city at this point.  They feel very much like a long shot until and unless the stadium situation changes in the region. OK Cityzens for the Future Lead Investor: J. Walter Duncan IV Other Noteworthy Investors:  Former USFL players Brian Bosworth and Thurman Thomas, Country superstar Garth Brooks. Situation: As we outlined above, this group has come to an agreement with the state and the city to build a pro-ready facility in Oklahoma City.  Is that enough to draw a team to what is otherwise a small market, though one in a rabid football state? Our Assessment: Do we think a team in OKC would draw well?  Of course.  Do we think it offers enough TV cache for the USFL to jump at the chance to add it as a market?  Absolutely not.  Honestly, this feels like a bid and a city that might get approved for relocation if another franchise is struggling or has an ownership crisis, but a market that will struggle to make waves in any expansion discussion. Northstar Football Group Lead Investor: Glen Taylor, Owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves Other Noteworthy Investors: Former USFL QB Mike Hohensee, former USFL & NFL coach Sam Wyche, actor Kevin Sorbo Situation: Perhaps the least advanced of the five, this group, which is almost exclusively funded by Mr. Taylor, seems to be furthest from making a serious pitch for a USFL franchise.  That said, the Twin Cities are seen as a promising option for future expansion.  Adding another midwestern market, one that is not so close to others like Chicago, Michigan or St. Louis to cut into existing fan bases, a team in Minnesota is viewed as a truly new market in an underrepresented region (Upper Midwest). Our Assessment:  Two things need to happen for the Twin Cities to become a frontrunner for a USFL team.  First, the investment group needs to attract some more deep-pocketed investors.  While Glen Taylor has NBA money, that is not the same as pro football money.   Second, the region would need a new facility.  The Metrodome is getting old fast, and while the University of Minnesota recently opened a new 50,000 seat venue, they do not seem particularly eager to share that facility with a second tenant.  There are rumors that the Vikings are pushing for a new domed stadium to replace the Metrodome, and if that comes to pass, the USFL could get in early enough to make use of the facility as well, something that would make the Twin Cities a much more palatable option than an open-air college field in March and April in Minnesota’s long winters. Week Seven brings us some games that looked like potential battles between division leaders but this topsy turvy year has clearly changed the situation.  That is the case for Friday night’s game, which has a 1-win Chicago headed to the 5-1 Nashville Knights.  On Saturday 0-6 New Jersey continues its brutal run of divisional games when it heads to face 5-1 Washington.  Winless Memphis is also on the road, hoping to upset Jacksonville.  The nightcap on Saturday has a surprisingly troubled Houston Gambler squad, losers of 4 in a row, headed to Denver for a crucial divisional game against the Gold. On Sunday we have a couple of very intriguing matchups as surprising LA is in Tampa Bay, with both clubs 4-2.  New Orleans is hoping to get their first win of the season as they host a St. Louis club that has lost 4 straight.  Arizona hopes to remain unbeaten as they hit the road to play the Cannons in Boston, and the weekend concludes with a nice battle in the Southeast as Atlanta makes the short trip to Charlotte to face the 4-2 Monarchs. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET                          Chicago (1-5) @ Nashville (5-1)                 NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                     New Jersey (0-6) @ Washington (5-1)    ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                   Memphis (0-6) @ Birmingham (3-3)       FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm ET                   Jacksonville (2-4) @ Philadelphia (4-2)   FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET                      Michigan (1-5) @ Ohio (3-3)                       ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET                      Baltimore (4-2) @ Orlando (4-2)               FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET                      Houston (2-4) @ Denver (4-2)                   ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                      Oakland (3-3) @ Pittsburgh (5-1)               ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                      Arizona (6-0) @ Boston (1-5)                       ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET                        Los Angeles (4-2) @ Tampa Bay (4-2)       FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                          Portland (3-3) @ Las Vegas (4-2)                ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                          St. Louis (2-4) @ New Orleans (0-6)         FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET                          Seattle (3-3) @ Texas (4-2)                           FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET                          Atlanta (3-3) @ Charlotte (4-2)                   EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Fred Jackson has found a home in Charlotte and this week he helped the Monarchs pull off the upset over Tampa Bay with his best performance of the season. Jackson tallied 153 yards on only 20 carries and added 2 rushing touchdowns to boot.

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