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Opening week in the USFL. The usual mix of bad weather, surprising results, and lots of enthusiasm from bundled up fans. Football is back as the USFL returns to a 16-week schedule after last year’s shortened season. Only 12 teams will make the postseason this year, so a good start, and a steady hand for all 16 weeks are needed. The season opened with several teams debuting a new starting QB, and results were mixed. We open with Boston and veteran backup Adrian McPherson taking the mantle of the Summer Bowl champion Cannons. And while neither of the superstar rookie QB’s drafted this year, Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford, got into the games this week, their teams still came away with road wins, so the excitement in Jacksonville and New Jersey will just continue to grow. Good showings from Orlando and New Orleans, and a Seattle squad that definitely will not start the year 0-4 highlight a full week of action and an exciting start to a new USFL season. TAMPA BAY BANDITS 20 NEW JERSEY GENERALS 26 OVERTIME Nothing like an overtime game to start the year. The 41,030 who showed up at the Meadowlands on a cold, windy day did not get to see star rookie QB Sam Bradford, but they did watch as Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 274, a late game equalizer to send the game to overtime and then the winning TD to new acquisition Michael Crabtree. Tampa Bay trailed most of the game but scored twice in the 4th to take the lead before New Jersey rallied to send the game to overtime. The game started slowly, with both teams struggling with conditions, but a TD late in the 2nd quarter, Fitzpatrick to Crabtree, put New Jersey up by 7 at the half. The two teams exchanged field goals in the 3rd and both heated up in the 4th. Tampa Bay, trailing by 7, 13-6, got the equalizer when Daunte Culpeper hit Jared Cook with a 5-yard scoring strike, the final play in a 12-play drive. After a New Jersey punt, they got the ball back again, and again it was the TE position that provided points as Culpepper hit Jeremy Shockey with the go ahead score with 1:24 left in the game. Up 7, with under 2-minutes to go, Tampa Bay felt confident that they had broken the Generals, but that was not the case. Coach Edwards rallied the troops and Fitzpatrick (who the NY Post referred to as Fitz-Magic after the game) moved the Generals right down the field with a flawless hurry-up offense, connecting on 4 consecutive passes before finding T. J. Houshmandzadeh for the equalizer with 37 seconds left on the clock. In overtime Tampa Bay got the first try to end the game, but a dropped pass on 3rd and 11 forced the Bandits to punt. Fitz-Magic and the Generals took over on their own 32 and moved down the field once again. On a 2nd and goal, and needing only a field goal, Fitzpatrick was forced to scramble, but saw an open Crabtree and flipped him the ball underhand, almost a lateral, but into the endzone. Crabtree rolled to the ground and then got up to dance, realizing he had scored the winning TD for the Generals. New Jersey opens the year with a win, something few had predicted, while Tampa Bay let one slip away, a stinging way to start the year. The Bandits will try their luck again in their home opener, a huge matchup against Orlando, while New Jersey will head onto the road to face Denver at Invesco Field with a win already in hand. BALTIMORE 21 BOSTON 19 Cannon fans braved a cold, wet, and windy Friday night to celebrate their USFL Champions, but while the night was one of celebration, Baltimore (and the weather) decided to rain on Boston’s parade. Two Roethlisberger TD passes and a late Ron Dayne TD gave Boston a 21-13 lead. Boston got a 4th quarter TD from Rashard Mendenhall but new Cannon QB Adrian McPherson could not find a receiver on the 2-point play. Baltimore escaped with the 2-point win. ORLANDO 23 BIRMINGHAM 7 The Renegade D looked like it had found mid-season form already, holding Birmingham to only 240 total yards. The ‘Gades offense struggled at first, but scored 17 points in the final quarter to take the win. Both Michael Jenkins and Greg Olsen went over 100 yards on the day, as Drew Brees had a strong second half to finish with 386 pasisng yards. Calais Campbell got his first sack of the year, but only one as Birmingham spent the whole day chipping the league record holder. PITTSBURGH 16 ATLANTA 10 The Pittsburgh defense helped the Maulers start the year off right, sacking Kyle Orton 5 times and returning a pick for a score in the season opener. Rookie WR Victor Cruz made an impression, catching his first career TD, and Cody Pickett completed 15 of 19 passing for the Maulers. Atlanta struggled on offense, as Darren McFadden averaged only 2.6 yards per carry in the opener. PHILADELPHIA 16 DENVER 6 With hints of snow still on the field, and a cold wind in Denver, the Stars and Gold both came out cold. But, by game’s end, Kurt Warner had connected twice with Reche Caldwell to build up a 16-0 lead. Denver got a late TD from Leinart to Colbert, but missed on the 2-pointer, keeping them 10 points down with only minutes left. Neither team looked good on third down, a combined 5 for 25, as the wind and cold made offensive fireworks hard to produce. LOS ANGELES 21 PORTLAND 24 A really entertaining opening game for the Stags, who pull it out with 27 seconds to play on a toss from Feeley to Jonathan Stewart, erasing a 21-17 deficit and giving the home fans something to cheer about. Stewart was the star of the day, accounting for all three Portland TDs, while Randy Moss debuted with 108 yards and a TD for the Express. OHIO 3 MICHIGAN 13 No weather to deal with in Ford Field, but both teams played like they were slogging through mud. Neither offense looked ready for the new season, with Chris Redman’s Glory going 0-for-10 on third down and Michigan struggling to build a run game with Mike Hart and Leon Washington. The lone TD of the day was an early score from Griese to TE Marcellus Rivers, a score that held through all 60 minutes as both defenses dominated. NEW ORLEANS 17 MEMPHIS 12 Another low-scoring affair as New Orleans upended Memphis on Jake Delhomme’s debut with the club. Memphis could muster only 4 field goals on the day, which looked like enough as the Showboats took a 12-3 lead into the final period, but the Breakers eventually broke through, with Eli Manning finding rookie Brandon LaFell for one score and then connecting with another new arrival, WR Santana Moss, for the game winner with 1:12 left on the clock. NASHVILLE 23 CHARLOTTE 13 Chris Weinke went down to an injury before the half as Charlotte’s season debut went south. Seneca Wallace finished the game 10 of 24 but could not get in the endzone. Jay Cutler had a strong game, throwing for 3 scores, all 3 to #1 wideout Robert Meachem. Charlotte would get good news that Weinke should return in Week 2, but that did not help them on this day. JACKSONVILLE 26 CHICAGO 16 A surprising result as Jacksonville knocked off the Machine in Chicago. An injury to Brady Quinn (who could miss 2+ weeks) meant that Chicago was hobbled for most of the game. Jacksonville got a TD from Josh McCown and a pick-six as rookie Mike Kafka threw an ill-advised ball into coverage. No Tebow sighting for the Bulls and C. J. Spiller only rushed for 25 yards in his debut, but the Bulls will certainly take the win even if Tebow-mania has to wait a week. LAS VEGAS 10 ARIZONA 13 The Thunder and Wranglers also struggled to put drives together in a first week dominated by the defenses. Las Vegas had the lead at 10-7 late in the 4th, but David Carr found rookie TE Rob Gronkowski on a 31 yard TD pass right at the 2-minute warning to snatch the win away from Coach June Jones and the Thunder. LaDainian Tomlinson had a good first game in the league, rushing 18 times for 79 yards to lead all rushers, while Marshawn Lynch was held to 41 yards rushing by the Arizona D. ST.LOUIS 13 TEXAS 21 The Skyhawks looked good early with Josh Freeman hitting Taylor Jacobs on an 83-yard TD in the first quarter, but Texas proved the more consistent team, getting two TDs from Joe Flacco and 5 sacks from their front 7 to frustrate Freeman and the Skyhawks. T. J. Duckett got the season’s first 100-yard game, rushing for 104 on 22 carries to help Texas start the year with a win. WASHINGTON 21 HOUSTON 27 David Garrard struggled at first as Houston built up a 24-0 lead by the half on two Hasselbeck TD throws and an Alexander run, but the new Federals QB led a comeback in the second half, including a scramble that turned into a TD for Garrard. But, in the end it was not enough as Houston held on to win by 6. OAKLAND 18 SEATTLE 23 The week’s finale was a good one as the Dragons shook off the fears of another weak start with a solid win against the favored Oakland Invaders. The run game was non-existent for Seattle (33 total yards) but Byron Leftwich threw for 224 and a TD, brushing off 3 picks at the hands of the Invaders, to get the win. Joey Harrington threw 2 picks of his own as both defenses frustrated the offensive nights. Oakland struggled on third down, converting only 1 of 11 attempts and failed twice on late 4th down plays, killing drives needed to come back. Stewart Shines for Stags Week one is a time to reset expectations, to make a first impression, and get the fans excited about the year to come. Portland Stag halfback Jonathan Stewart certainly did that in front of an eager home crowd this week, scoring three times and accounting for over 155 yards of total offense. In Portland’s 24-21 comeback win over the LA Express, Stewart rushed for 75 yards on 22 carries, a modest 3.4 yards per carry, but a reliable element of the Stag offense. But, what made his day was that he caught all 7 ball targeted to him in the passing game, including a 47-yard TD catch in the final moments of the game that turned a 21-17 defeat into a 24-21 Portland opening week victory. Stewart, in his 3rd year out of Oregon, is already no stranger to fans in Portland. After an outstanding college career as an Oregon Duck, Stewart signed on with Portland’s brand new expansion club in 2008, gaining 1,105 yards with the first year club as he won the team’s MVP for the year. In his sophomore season he had 40 fewer carries, maintained the same 3.2 YPC average, and gained 981 yards. His self-appointed goal for this year is not only to expand his role in the offense, something this week’s receiving yards seem to highlight, but to reach 1,200 yards as a rusher, a lofty goal indeed. Stewart is off to a great start, with 155 yards of total offense in his first game. It is a long season ahed, but he certainly is off to a good start. New QB’s struggle to 1-4 Record in Week 1 Five teams started new quarterbacks this week and, well, the results were not ideal. Only one of the five came away with a win, Jacksonville’s Josh McCown. The others, Chris Redman (Ohio), Adrian McPherson (BOS), David Garrard (WSH), and Jake Delhomme (MEM) all struggled to put points on the board and came out of the weekend 0-1. Now, this is not entirely unexpected, and we certainly cannot judge the value of the move to these players after one week of play, after all, just learning a new system, new nomenclature, and the capabilities of new teammates can take quite a bit of time. But, for fans hoping a change at the most important position on the team would lead to immediate benefits, the weekend proved that patience is required in football as in all things. Despite the rough week, there were some highlights. David Garrard scrambled for a long TD run, a very reminiscent play to what fans in D.C. were accustomed to with Kordell Stewart at the helm. He actually finished the game only 7 yards behind Deuce McCallister in rushing. He also completed 20 of 31 passing the ball, but was knocked out of the game late. Joe Webb, the rookie out of Eastern Carolina may get the start in Week 2. For veteran Jake Delhomme, after nearly a decade at the helm of the Bulls, his first start as a Memphis Showboat was challenging. Delhomme threw the ball 40 times, completing 25 of those tosses for 227 yards, but he could not get Memphis into the endzone, with four Jeff Hall kicks the only points for the Showboats. Delhomme seemed comfortable in the pocket, hit 9 different receviers on the day, and does seem to be building a rapport with Robert Ferguson, the Showboat’s top receiver, so there is a lot to grow on after one week. Adrian McPherson showed what he can do back in 2008, when he started seven games for an injured Drewe Bledsoe and threw 13 TDs to only 3 picks. Fans had, perhaps naively, hoped he could step in this Fall and simply carry on with Boston’s success, but the first week loss to Baltimore showed that it will not be that easy. McPherson’s outing was not a bad one, completing 23 of 43 passing for 251 yards, a TD and a pick. He had Boston within a 2-point conversion of sending their game to overtime, but simply could not make that one needed play to make it happen. Coach Fox seems quite confident in McPherson moving forward, dismissing any talk of seeking another option. For Chris Redman, this week’s game was a chance to step out of the very big shadow of one of the game’s greats, 3-time USFL MVP Kerry Collins. After more than a decade backing up Collins, Redman was entrusted with the Al Luginbill offense. In his debut as the undisputed starter, Redman looked a bit nervous, missing on his first 3 throws and finishing the game 13 of 28 for 172 yards. Of course, playing the two time defending division champion also did not make things any easier. It never is when you have Odell Thurman and DeMarcus Ware blitzing you regularly. With Randy Moss now in LA, the Glory are hoping to rely more on Eddie George and are looking at rookie Aurelious Benn as a potential target for Redman. The two did combine for 4 catches on 9 targets in the game, but those numbers will need to improve if Redman hopes to win over a skeptical Glory fanbase. It is only the first week, no time to panic. Fans and pundits alike need to see how these offenses, and their new signal callers, grow to understand each other and maximize their potential. For now, we wait and see. But, with a bumper crop of high achieving QB’s expected in the 2011 draft, there is pressure for these new starters, as well as several veteran starters, to show that they are the answer for their clubs at the most important position on the field. Rookies Watching & Learning While some veterans got their shot to start this week, the two newest “blue chip” rookie QBs did not. Both Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow were suited up, but wearing baseball caps and clipboards this weekend. We expected this, to a degree, though we have to confess that at least in Tebow’s case we thought their might be a chance that he saw the field with a small package of plays, but Leslie Frazier opted to stick with Josh McCown this week, and after a road win in Chicagp, that plan is unlikely to change in Week 2. A similar situation is in place for Sam Bradford with the Generals. Whle there are certainly plenty of fans who want to see the Oklahoma product on the field, if Ryan Fitzpatrick can continue to produce exciting plays and wins, the pressure to put Bradford into the game will be minimal. If Jacksonville and New Jersey can string together some wins, their veteran QB’s could well keep both big names quarterbacks waiting. Among non-quarterbacks, we did see several rookies debut. In Seattle it was an underwhelming day for HB Jahvid Best, who only played 14 snaps, rushed the ball once and caught one pass. It appears Best has had some difficulty picking up the complex blocking schemes of the Dragons, so his time on the field is limited. Another back expected to get a lot of action this week, Birmingham’s Ben Tate, did see more of the field, getting in for 22 plays, carrying the ball 5 times fo r33 yards, and was targeted once in the passing game. His 6.6 yards per carry could mean we see more of him in weeks to come. Jacksonville’s C. J. Spiller was given the biggest role of the three rookie backs, carrying the ball 11 times and targeted twice in the passing game. Spiller struggled with the speed of the game, gaining only 32 yards with his 12 touches, but we expect his numbers, and his chances to make plays, will only increase from here out. Among receivers, we saw several start and several contribute this week. Aurelious Benn caught 4 balls for 57 yards for Ohio, leading the pack. Brandon LaFell had 3 for 42 and his first pro touchdown, helping New Orleans to a Week 1 victory, and unheralded Carlton Mitchell also caught three balls, including a touchdown in his pro debut for Jacksonville. Tight End Rob Gronkowski produced the game winning score for Arizona in his debut, and Jimmy Graham got his first catch as a Mauler. We will look into the early success of the rookie class of 2010 around Week 4 or 5, once they have had more of a chance to adjust to the pro game and find their places in each roster. Oakland-Seattle Marks First EFN Broadcast ESPN, and its subsidiary network the ESPN Football Network initiated their new dual-broadcast feature this Sunday with the Oakland and Seattle game broadcast on both networks simultaneously. This is the first time that a USFL game has been broadcast on two distinct networks, though both owned by the same parent company. This season all Sunday Night games will be dual simulcast in what is believed to be an extended market test for EFN as a potential broadcast partner outside of the ESPN contract. The goal, of course, is for EFN to gain in viewership and market viability by eventually having games exclusively contracted, something the current agreements between the USFL and its various broadcast partners will not allow. ESPN could, of course, opt to provide EFN with its own broadcast by “assigning” one of its two weekly games to the secondary network, but at present EFN does not have broad enough coverage to benefit ESPN in doing so. EFN does cover some live football, particularly college games in the fall through arrangements with Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference, and a deal is in the works with the SEC to potentially cover 1-2 games per week, but the network, which aims to parallel the growth of the NFL Network, has yet to cover any live USFL games. That all changed with Sunday’s broadcast. For fans wondering why they should switch over to the EFN broadcast rather than the ESPN version, it really came down to on-air personalities and extra features. The ESPN broadcast had the usual team of Mike Patrick and former Federals HB Craig James. EFN uses a 3-announcer team featuring two former USFL players, former Express QB Steve Young, former Philadelphia WR Cris Carter, and play-by-play announcer and host Mike Tirico. The choice to use two separate broadcast teams, along with enhanced fantasy and real-time stats on the EFN broadcast was made as a way to boost the EFN broadcast and provide an alternative, rather than simply providing 2 networks with identical products. It is too early to have accurate ratings numbers on the two different broadcasts, though initial numbers seem to indicate a 2:1 split in favor of the traditional ESPN broadcast, which is not surprising at all considering the wider distribution of the 24-hour sports network compared to the USFL and College Football network. It is always rough to start the year with injuries, but it is a part of the game. Fans in Chicago have to be concerned that their QB, Brady Quinn is out already, but is groin issue is expected to be only a matter of days, not weeks to repair. He is out for Week 2, but could be back the week after. A very similar timeline for Seattle’s Byron Leftwich who had a great game this week but took a late finger to the eye. Seattle will keep him out in Week 2, but he could be back for Week 3. A third QB could be out this week as Washington’s David Garrard is listed as Questionable with a jammed toe. If he cannot go, rookie Joe Webb could take the field for the Feds. The most serious injury of the week was for new Charlotte CB Asante Samuel, who suffered a broken collarbone and is expected to miss 6 weeks or longer. In Denver, tackle Chris Terry is out 2-4 weeks with a stress fracture in his right foot, while in LA center Ryan Kalil is likely out 2 weeks after straining his hamstring. Others expected to miss at least a week include Houston guard Manuia Saveea, new Breaker HB Michael Robinson, Denver TE Daniel Graham, Atlanta tackle Max Starks, and Birmingham’s rookie back, Ben Tate. Chris Weinke, who had to leave the game this week, is expected back in Week 2, as are many others who were forced out of games this week but diagnosed with minor concerns, including Daunte Culpepper, Rodger Saffold, DeShaun Foster, Keith Burns, and Peerless Price. Opening Week A Mixed Bag for Attendance Since its inception in 1983 the USFL has always had a love-hate relationship with its opening week. On the one hand you have the excitement and anticipation of a return to football, particularly noticeable in non-NFL markets, like Birmingham, Portland, San Antonio or Orlando, which have waited through the long offseason for their pro team to return to action. On the other hand, early season USFL games, much like late season NFL games, tend to be fraught with weather concerns, ranging from cold winds to early spring rainstorms to blizzard-like conditions in some northern cities. That duality of the spring league’s opening week was on full display this week as cold, rainy and windy weather suppressed numbers at games in Boston, New Jersey, Chicago, and Washington, while warmer, more hospitable locations, as well as several domed stadium sites, saw strong numbers. There was an outstanding crowd of over 48,000 in the Alamodome to welcome the Texas Outlaws back from their one year hiatus in Dallas, nearly 45,000 in Atlanta for the Fire’s home opener against St. Louis, and over 51,000 in Birmingham as the Stallions opened their campaign against Charlotte. Overall, the league average for this season’s first week came in at just under 44,000 per game, a very healthy number for the league, but only 3rd all time. The league has been able to maintain an average attendance over 40,000 for nearly 12 years now, but seems unable to get much higher, despite having several stadiums that do allow for 50,000 or even 60,000 in attendance. While there are occasional spikes up to the mid-50’s, particularly in late season clashes between divisional foes such as Chicago v. Michigan, Philadelphia v. New Jersey, or any of the three Florida teams clashing, the league averages tend to hover in the mid 40’s. Of course, lower capacity stadia are a portion of this, particularly in places like Las Vegas and Boston where even a mid-40’s attendance requires significant standing-room only sales, and there are some teams which simply chronically underperform, perhaps due to market (Los Angeles comes to mind), stadium issues (Oakland, for example), or poor performance on the field (Arizona and Pittsburgh have struggled with this), but overall the state of USFL attendance is very solid. League officials still set 30,000 per game as the minimum required for teams to obtain a full share of the league’s revenue sharing, and no team has failed to meet that standard in several years, but with league officials hoping to maintain pace financially with the NFL, particularly when it comes to player acquisition, a goal of attendance above 50,000 is still very much something the league would like to push. USFL Loses Two More to Late NFL Signings With the NFL-USFL Transfer window set to close in only 10 days, there is still time for some movement among unsigned players, and that is exactly what we saw this week when two unsigned USFL starters made the leap to the fall league. Denver HB Mewelde Moore, unsatisfied with offers coming from the Gold, has signed on with the Minnesota Vikings, inking a 2-year deal this week. Likewise, with a significant rift between the offer made by the St. Louis Skyhawks to remain in the Gateway City and his own counteroffers, offensive tackle Ross Verba has opted to join the Green Bay Packers for the fall 2010 season. In both cases, lukewarm interest from other USFL clubs, and low-end offers from their original clubs left the players feeling underappreciated and under-valued by the USFL, making the transition from the spring to the fall league more appetizing. Of course, the prospect of a long offseason, from August 2009 all the way until August 2010, has its appeal as well. No such appeal for currently unsigned NFL players who might consider a jump to the USFL, as they would join their new teams only 10-12 weeks after their final games with their NFL clubs. We have not seen a lot of late signings by the USFL, but there still remains interest even as the USFL season kicks off. Three players in particular seem to be garnering interest from USFL clubs as the season begins. New York Jets halfback Thomas Jones is said to be in talks with several teams representing both leagues, including both the Michigan Panthers and New Orleans Breakers in the USFL. Likewise, wide receiver Antonio Bryant has been taking calls and meetings with both NFL and USFL clubs, including Arizona and St. Louis. Finally, despite Ross Verba feeling a lack of interest from USFL clubs, the same is not true for NFL OT Tony Pashos, who has been in off-and-on conversations with both the Seattle Dragons and Atlanta Fire this past month. With little over a week left in the transfer window, any deal will have to come soon if USFL squads are to enhance their rosters with any new NFL signees. Adidas Reveals New Jersey Style, With Branding Built In Fresh off their new 7-year deal with the USFL, Adidas has revealed a new jersey template to be used by all 28 teams beginning in 2011. The jersey features reinforced stitching on both the shoulders and the side seams, but also features something that past uniform providers have not done, branding built into the uniform itself. Yes, in past years we have seen Nike and Reebok logos added to the chest of the jersey, typically either on the sleeve cuffs, shoulder seams, or the right chest, opposite the league logo. Adidas is doing that as well, with their famous 3-stripe triangular logo appearing on the chest where we have seen Nike and Reebok logos as well, but they are doing more. All 28 clubs will also feature three short vertical stripes incorporated into both the sleeve cuffs and the rear of the collar on all jerseys. This is, of course, a far cry from the prominent three-stripe pattern we see on soccer jerseys, for example, but is the first time that a jersey producer has incorporated a company-specific design across all teams. The design is not expected to impact the striping or design elements individually created or updated for each team, but does stamp each jersey as an Adidas product, something the manufacturer included in their offer to the USFL, an offer reported to be valued as between $3M-$5M more than the offer to renew provided by Reebok, a key factor in their winning the contract. It would seem that the small striping addition to the uniforms was well worth it for the league to bring in just a bit more revenue from the deal, a deal Adidas hopes will make it a household name in the football market, expanding on their work within college football and professional soccer in the U.S. Week two kicks off with a big game in the Southeast as Orlando heads to Tampa Bay in a Florida Derby. On Saturday it’s a battle of 1-0 squads as the Gamblers travel to Baltimore. Michigan is in Jacksonville, and a divisional game has Pittsburgh facing off against Chicago. On Saturday night it is another divisional battle as the Stars head down the DC to face the Washington Federals. On Sundaywe have Las Vegas going to Portland in the Pacific and it all wraps up with another ESPN and EFN dual broadcast as we have a possible preview of the Southern Division title fight with Nashville down in the Big Easy to face the New Orleans Breakers. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET Orlando (1-0) @ Tampa Bay (0-1) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Houston (1-0) @ Baltimore (1-0) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Michigan (1-0) @ Jacksonville (1-0) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Boston (0-1) @ Memphis (0-1) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET Pittsburgh (1-0) @ Chicago (0-1) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET New Jersey (1-0) @ Denver (1-0) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET Philadelphia (1-0) @ Washington (0-1) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Charlotte (0-1) @ Birmingham (0-1) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET St. Louis (0-1) @ Atlanta (0-1) FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Arizona (1-0) @ Ohio (0-1) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Las Vegas (0-1) @ Portland (1-0) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Seattle (1-0) @ Texas (1-0) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Oakland (0-1) @ Los Angeles (0-1) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET Nashville (1-0) @ New Orleans (1-0) ESPN & EFN

March 10, 2010 Season 28 of the USFL, the plucky spring football league that could, is about to kick off and It may well be one of the most exciting and unpredictable seasons in league history. No fewer than 7 of the league’s 28 teams are expected to have a new starting QB, if not Week 1, then by midseason at the latest. The USFL had one of its most successful draft seasons ever, landing not only 2008 Heisman Trophy winner, Sam Bradford, Florida legend Tim Tebow, and 2009 Outland, Lombardi, Nagurski, and Bednarik award winner Ndamukong Suh, but a total of 20 projected NFL first round selections, a bold shot across the bow of the senior fall league. With defending champion Boston starting a new era with Adrian McPherson at the helm, clubs across the league feel like the title race is wide open. Can record-smashing sack artist Calais Campbell lead Orlando to the mountaintop? Will the arrival of LaDainian Tomlinson give the Wranglers the run game they have always been lacking? Is Tim Tebow the real deal or a fullback in disguise? This season is full of questions and full of possibilities as the USFL gets ready to kick off once again for 16 weeks of spring football and a playoff race that no one feels confident in predicting. Top 5 stories of the offseason So. Where do we start? In a wild offseason that saw teams flying all over the free agency pool, franchise altering trades, some huge NFL acquisitions, and a wide-open draft, what are the stories that will most impact the 2010 campaign? We picked five that we think will make or break the season for their clubs, their divisions, and the league. 5) St. Louis Spends Big to Change their Destiny To say that the St. Louis Skyhawks have started their USFL journey poorly would be an understatement. Just 10 combined wins in four years of play have made the Gateway City’s team the worst of the four recent expansion clubs, and moving on to their third head coach in that short span has not helped the club’s image either. Now, going into their 5th season, with ticket sales beginning to wane, and another head coach starting fresh, the club is desperate to show signs of life, and to spend their way to success. New head coach Bruce Arians arrived in St. Louis with a lot of optimism, but not much talent on the roster. Ownership and the front office seemed to recognize this and started spending this offseason to build some pieces for Arians to work with. Now, the cupboard was not entirely bare. 2009 rookie QB Josh Freeman showed some signs of life in a rough first season. Wideout Taylor Jacobs has been flirting with All-USFL status since the club first arrived, and the offensive line has some quality to it. But in past years it was just not enough. So, what did the Skyhawks do this offseason to boost their chances? To start, St. Louis signed two of the top-rated free agents on the board, locking up stud defensive tackle Richard Seymour for the next 3 seasons and adding bell cow back Antowain Smith to a halfback group that has been lacking a true #1 for 4 years. These two new arrivals immediately improve two of the worst aspects of the Skyhawks’ performance, run production and defensive line play. The offense will almost certainly revolve around Smith’s run game and play action, with Freeman trying to get receivers Taylor Jacobs, Jordy Nelson, and Sinorice Moss into more 1-on-1 coverages. The defense will focus on stuffing the run and making clubs one-dimensional, led by Seymour and MLB Wali Rainier. Throw in rookie RT Bryan Bulaga, and two rookie starters on defense (CB Jordan Pugh and SS Kendrick Lewis) and you have a lot of players coming to St. Louis with a lot to prove. Will it be enough for the Skyhawks to finally work their way out of the Central Division basement and into a playoff hunt. That seems a bit optimistic, but stranger things have happened. 4) LT Brings Hope to the Desert When you are a club that has finished below .500 in five of the past seven seasons, and your franchise has had only one 1,000-yard rusher in 27 seasons, you get excited when one of the best running backs in the NFL, and a likely first-ballot Hall-of-Famer comes to town. Fans in Arizona are loopy for LT, selling out every #21 jersey available before Christmas, and then selling out another run before the season has even started. Hope is sky high in Arizona that the arrival of a legitimate superstar at halfback, even if he may be in the final years of his career, is enough to revive a moribund offense and a franchise that yearns to be among the league’s best after nearly a decade of disappointment. Tomlinson will not be alone as QB David Carr is hoping for a sophomore surge, something we have seen quite often from NFL quarterbacks who struggle with the long back-to-back NFL-USFL seasons when they first arrive, but who flourish in their second year, after a much-needed period of rest and recovery. The Wranglers have talent at wideout with Larry Fitzgerald a verified beast on one side. They also added excitement, and a lot of downstate fans from Tucson, with the drafting and signing of former Wildcat TE Rob Gronkowski. This could very well be the offense that sees the greatest change of look, scheme, and results from 2009 to 2010, and if so, the Wranglers and LT-mania may just be getting started. 3) Baltimore Takes a Hit No other way to describe it, the Blitz got blasted in free agency, losing not only defensive team captain James Farrior (now in Houston) but also their best edge rusher, Jared Allen (now a Mauler). For a team that prides itself on hard-nosed, hard-hitting defense, these two subtractions are huge, and have a lot of the Blitz Nation asking what Baltimore is trying to do. Baltimore seemed to focus on offense more than usual this offseason, signing slot receiver Craphonso Thorpe and QB Mike McMahon in free agency, and bringing in rookie HB Anthony Dixon and WR Preston Parker in the draft, but they did not totally ignore the defense. In addition to drafting DE Alex Carrington and LB Brandon Spikes with their other two open draft picks, the Blitz traded for Charlotte CB Nnambi Asomugha and signed free agent DE Tim Crowder. What we seem to have with the Blitz is an attempt to get younger on defense while also providing more weapons to Big Ben, perhaps indicating a shift towards a more offensive-minded strategy overall. This could very well be a career-impacting shift for Coach Coughlin, who has taken no small amount of heat from fans (and we suspect ownership as well) for not building up the offense over his tenure. With two of his biggest defensive leaders now gone, the defense will have to reset and the offense will certainly have to step up. 2) Randy Moss and Keyshawn Together in the Express Lane They may arguably now form the best 1-2 combo at wideout in the league, but they are certainly #1 when it comes to quotes. Keyshawn Johnson and his new BFF Randy Moss are making headlines and making waves in LA. But will those waves turn into wins for an Express team that has yet to ever taste the sweet sip of championship champagne. The trade that brought Moss to the City of Angels was not a cheap one, costing LA both its first and second round picks in this year’s draft, as well as a pick next year, but the Express needed a shot in the arm, and Moss absolutely brings them one of the most dynamic pass catchers in league history. Pairing him with Keyshawn means that LA can now disrupt almost any coverage, and the benefits of having two top end wideouts should extend to HB Maurice Jones-Drew as well, who could very well benefit from fewer stacked boxes. At the very least, we know the local news teams in LA will get plenty of quotes from the Express this season as they premier one of the most extroverted buddy movies of the season. 1) Which New QB Will Take Command? With no fewer than 7 clubs making a QB change this year, the question is not if we will see a new star rise in the USFL, but which one. You have two potential breakout stars in rookie QBs Sam Bradford of New Jersey and Tim Tebow in Jacksonville. Neither is expected to start week one, with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh McCown currently listed as the starters on both clubs’ depth charts, but it will not be long before we can expect these two big-name college players make their debuts for the USFL. In Boston, Arizona, Birmingham, and Ohio the plan was clearly to stand pat and show confidence in the players already on the roster. Boston had a good sense of what Adrian McPherson can do after he started several games in 2009 and played very well doing so. Arizona and Birmingham have stuck with David Carr and Kyle Boller respectively, hoping for a sophomore surge, while Ohio promoted longstanding backup Chris Redman to the starting position, bringing in only a developmental draft pick in Cincinnati’s Tony Pike as a new signal caller. With no one biting at NFL starter Chad Pennington during the NFL-USFL transfer window, at least not yet (there are still 10 days left in the window if someone reconsiders), and with very little available in the free agent market, it was not a great year to try to start over. That is where Washington found themselves. They explored some trade options, but balked at the prices being required to snag a suitable QB, so they opted to sign the best option available in free agency, former Fire QB David Garrard. Garrard is slated to start, with mid-round rookie prospect Joe Webb as his backup, a new feel for the Feds to be certain. Both Washington and Boston had mad early inquiries with the Jacksonville Bulls about Jake Delhomme, but the Bulls got the compensation they wanted from Memphis and Delhomme now suits up as the starter for a Memphis squad that struggled through a 2009 campaign where Brett Favre was largely unavailable. Memphis sent 3 draft picks and TE Dustin Keller to the Bulls but now feel they have a transitional QB who could help them win in the short term until they can develop a young talent. Why do we see so many clubs looking at veteran backups or transitional QB? The answer is the 2011 draft pool. Unlike this year, where there was a big gap between the top 2 QB prospects and the rest of the pool, in 2011, the QB room looks stacked. It is expected that we could see as many as 6 QBs graded as 1st round talents, including Washington’s Jake Locker, Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert, FSU’s Christian Ponder, TCU’s Andy Dalton, Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick, and darkhorse, Auburn’s Cam Newton. Beyond this top-heavy cluster of potential first year starters, teams could also find developmental options in players like Arkansas’s Ryan Mallett, Iowa’s Ricky Stanzi, or UNC’s T. J. Yates. So, it is not surprising that what we see this year is teams hoping to get decent results for a season and then quite possibly positioning themselves for a big draft in 2011. USFL Draft Class is One to Remember Every year we witness the USFL Draft, followed closely by the NFL’s, and then the real fun begins. In most years, USFL teams tend to land perhaps 35%-40% of the early round picks made, and then do significantly better in the later rounds, producing around a 50% signing rate overall. With the Territorial Draft also in play, USFL clubs hope to land enough talent rated as 1st or 2nd round grade to bring in both name recognition and actual on-field ability to compete at a level comparable to that of the NFL. In most years the results are mixed. That was not the case this year. With the anticipated dip in potential NFL transfers coming to fruition, it became clear to most clubs that the draft was where the topflight players would be found. Yes, there were some big names that came across, like Tomlinson, new Panther DE Adewale Ogunleye, Taylor (see above), and newly signed HB Thomas Jones, now a Breaker, the pool was smaller and the timing more awkward, so the draft was where the focus would turn. And that turn produced amazing results. Of the 35 players who received first round grades from ESPN in their draft analysis, 19 signed with the USFL, a stunning 54%, far higher than in past years, and among the draftees who will be joining the spring league, we find some of the biggest names in college football from 2009. It started with Heismann winner Sam Bradford and multiple award-winner Ndamukong Suh, but it did not end there. Here is our rundown of USFL signees, listed in the order they were taken (and lost) by NFL clubs in their 2010 draft. Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford—Drafted by the Rams, signed by the New Jersey Generals Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh—Drafted by the Lions, signed by the Denver Gold Tennessee S Eric Berry—Drafted by the Chiefs, signed by the Nashville Knights OK State OT Russel Okung—drafted by the Seahawks, signed by the Michigan Panthers Florida CB Joe Haden—Drafted by the Browns, signed by the Ohio Glory Alabama LB Rolando McClain—Drafted by the Raiders, signed by the Charlotte Monarchs Clemson HB C. J. Spiller—Drafted by the Bills, signed by the Jacksonville Bulls Cal DT Tyson Alualu—Drafted by the Jaguars, signed by the Oakland Invaders Texas S Earl Thomas—Drafted by the Seahawks, signed by the New Orleans Breakers USF DE Jason Pierre-Paul—Drafted by the Giants, signed by the Tampa Bay Bandits Idaho G Mike Iupati—Drafted by the 49ers, signed by the Portland Stags Ga Tech WR Demaryius Thomas—Drafted by the Broncos, signed by the Atlanta Fire Iowa OT Bryan Bulaga—Drafted by the Packers, signed by the St. Louis Skyhawks Florida QB Tim Tebow—Drafted by the Broncos, signed by the Jacksonville Bulls Rutgers CB Devin McCourty—Drafted by the Patriots, signed by the New Jersey Generals Cal HB Jahvid Best—Drafted by the Lions, signed by the Seattle Dragons TCU DE Jerry Hughes—Drafted by the Colts, signed by the Houston Gamblers FSU CB Patrick Robinson—Drafted by the Saints, signed by the Tampa Bay Bandits Indiana OT Rodger Saffold—Drafted by the Rams, signed by the Texas Outlaws That is nineteen of the top 35, and when you look at the breakdown of how the draft went, you see the value and potential advantage of the USFL’s territorial draft as many of these players were drafted to remain with clubs that are close by to the colleges where they made their name. Tim Tebow is a great example, staying in Florida where he already has a huge following, rather than heading off to Denver to start over. The same can be said for Eric Berry, C. J. Spiller, Tyson Alualu, Jason Pierre-Paul, Demaryius Thomas, Devin McCourty, Jerry Hughes, and Patrick Robinson. It is proof positive that the T-Draft not only helps teams obtain locally known talent, but also helps players stay closer to home, and closer to a fanbase that is already pre-disposed to support them, which includes supporting them with local sponsorship deals ranging from car dealerships to real estate brokers. That added opportunity to obtain supplemental income from endorsements and TV commercials, playing off their college name recognition, is clearly a factor in negotiations, and, at least this season, gave the USFL a huge advantage as they poured attention and money, let’s be honest, on the college class. They did not land everyone, with some big names like Alabama DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma OT Trent Williams, and Fresno State HB Ryan Matthews sticking with the NFL, but the certainly outperformed expectations, something the NFL cannot be pleased with, but which delights USFL fans. Late Player Acquisitions Set Up Hectic Preseason A flurry of late signings,both from the USFL free agent ranks and from the NFL transfer window have shaken up the preseason rosters across the league. While most players will likely see action in Week 1, there are a few who we expect will need a bit more time to adapt and earn a spot on the field. Looking over the transaction boards in the past few weeks, these are the most notable additions, starting with the USFL free agent ranks: Atlanta added OG Chester Pitts to help shore up the right side of the line for Kyle Orton and Darren McFadden. Birmingham added OT Marshal Yanda and HB Andre Brown for depth on their roster. Boston found a viable backup and possible competition for Adrian McPherson, landing former NJ Generals starter Kevin Kolb. They also added two more linemen in center Greg Eslinger and tackle Mario Henderson. Charlotte has added more talent to their WR group, after signing Darnerien McCants earlier this winter, they just signed Steve Breaston to the roster as well. Jacksonville traded a 2011 5th rounder to Portland to acquire Cody Glenn. LA solved their kicker vacancy, signing veteran Neil Rackers to a 2-year deal. Nashville also settled on a veteran kicker, signing Connor Barth to a 1-year trial deal. Oakland sent a 5th rounder in the 2012 draft to Jacksonville to acquire receiver and kick returner Joey Jamison. They also made a deal with Charlotte to acquire QB Curtis Painter, the 4th option in Charlotte’s QB room, now the 3rd stringer for the Invaders. Pittsburgh continues to build depth, signing journeyman QB Henry Burris and a solid TE prospect in Owen Daniels. And from the NFL ranks we have a handful of signings to report, though the window will remain open through Week 2 of the regular season. Added to USFL rosters through the transfer window we see… Memphis boosted their LB group, adding Copperheads MLB Keith Bullock on the 2nd day of the window. Bullock is expected to start this week. Tight End Ben Watson left the struggling Patriots to sign with the Orlando Renegades, where he will line up as the 2nd TE behind Greg Olsen. Pittsburgh continues to build that defense, adding former Houston Oiler cornerback Dunta Robinson. Robinson is not yet listed on the active roster, but could be ready to go by Week 2 or 3. Finally, WR Chris Chambers is the newest member of the Texas Outlaws’ posse of wideouts. A solid possession receiver, Chambers will likely play the swing position, subbing for either Marques Colston or Brandon Marshall as needed. There is still significant NFL talent out there to be signed if any USFL clubs are interested in regular season additions. With two weeks left in the window, some of the names being mentioned include Miami Dolphin edge rusher Jason Taylor, NY Jet HB Thomas Jones, Buccaneers’ WR Antonio Bryant, Vikings HB Chester Taylor, San Diego DT Jamal Williams, Tennessee corner Nick Harper, and Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark. USFL TEAM PREVIEWS: 2010 As we look at all 28 USFL squads, we will review the story of their 2009 season, the major offseasons departures and arrivals, their draftees, and an overview of each club's prospects. We will also include the starters as set for Week One, with rookies highlighted in blue and all players who EA Sports Keith Jackson USFL Football 2010 (now available for both Playstation and Xbox formats) lists as a player with a rating of 85 or higher in bold. Head Coach (Years): Tom Coughlin (7th Season) 2009 Story: Baltimore began the 2009 season as one of the hottest clubs in the league and a favorite pick as a Summer Bowl contender. They ran out to an 8-1 start and spent several weeks atop the division, but a 1-4 finish, including 3 divisional losses, put on display the weaknesses of the team, namely a defense that struggled to put together a pass rush and an offense that was too dependent on the play action game. In the playoffs, the 9-5 Blitz scored a big Wild Card win at Washington, but then fell 23-13 to the eventual champions. Departures: DE Jared Allen, LB James Farrior, CB Tyrone Bell, WR Marty Booker, HB Wasli Lundy, OT Matt Hill New Arrivals: QB Mike McMahon, WR Craphonso Thorpe, DE Tim Crowder, CB Nnambi Asomugha Draft Recap: The Blitz were not among the teams to sign the most players, and they struggled signing their T-Draft selections, but they did land two defensive players who they feel can contribute right away in Florida LB Brandon Spikes, already slated as a starter, and Arkansas State DE Alex Carrington, who could act as a swing end, rotating in as he learns the pro game. HB Anthony Dixon and WR Preston Parker will likely start the year as reserves and on special teams. Outlook: It is hard to see the losses of James Farrior and Jared Allen as anything but bad news for the Blitz. A club built on aggressive defensive pressure is now going to struggle to achieve that pressure, and rookie Brandon Spikes joins a LB group (Angelo Crowell, Tavares Gooden, and Cato June) that does not look or feel like one of the league’s elite squads. A lot will now fall on Ron Dayne, Ben Roethlisberger and the Blitz offense if Baltimore hopes to compete in the very tough NE Division. We think a Wild Card is likely the goal they should be setting for themselves. Head Coach (Years): John Fox (9th Season) 2009 Story: The league champions did not spend most of the year as a Summer Bowl favorite or a division leader. Early season losses left Boston with a 3-3 record six weeks in, but Boston finished they ear 7-1 and on the final week of the season they lept past Baltimore and Washington to claim not only the division title but the #1 seed as well. In the playoffs they knocked off Baltimore and New Orleans on their way to the Summer Bowl, where a furious comeback in the fourth quarter gave Boston their first title. Departures: SS Shane Welton, DT Henry Slay, CB Jason Bell, FB Theron Wilson, LB London Fletcher, QB Drew Bledsoe, G Chuck Johnson, DE Hugh Douglas, FS Jerome Woods New Arrivals: DE Andre Wadsworth, QB Kevin Kolb, P Frank Whalen, FS Darnell Bing, DE Chauncey Davis Draft Recap: Boston’s draft was not one to write home about. The Cannons were only able to sign 5 of their 10 selections, and most were lower round picks. Safety Taylor Mays from USC is the most likely to see the field early in the season, though Boston does hope to see DE O’Brien Schofield of Wisconsin develop into a rotational player. Outlook: The Cannons are still reveling in their first title, and good for them. It is a transition year with Adrian McPherson getting his shot to be the starter as Drew Bledsoe rides off into the sunset. He will have at his command one of the best 3-receiver groups in the league with Chad Johnson, Joe Jurevicius, and Percy Harvin, so the weapons are there. The defense has talent as well. Jason Babin has been among the sack leaders for several years now and LB Chris Clairborne has developed into a very solid defensive play caller. This is a team that could remain at or near the top of the conference even with the transition to McPherson. There is still a lot in the arsenal of the Cannons. Head Coach (Years): Herm Edwards (2nd Season) 2009 Story: The Generals came into the year expected to struggle, and that assessment was dead on accurate. New Jersey got a surprise early win against Tampa Bay, but would lose 4 of their first 5 and would win only 4 games all season, finishing in last place as most had predicted. Departures: CB Mike Rumph, K Ryan Longwell, QB Kevin Kolb, OT Marshal Yanda, LB James Harrison, LB Bobby Howard, TE Jonathan Stupar New Arrivals: LB Scott Fujita, LB Piso Tinoisamoa, OT Garrrett Reynolds Draft Recap: New Jersey swung for the fences in their T-Draft and were willing to back up picks with payouts, which enabled them to land two key targets, including Heisman Winner Sam Bradford. While Fitzpatrick is still listed as the starter for now, it seems inevitable that Bradford will be given his shot this year. The Generals also brought in Rutgers CB Devin McCourty, who is expected to start right away, and they are also very high on an early round pick from West Texas A&M, tackle J’Marcus Webb. Outlook: Fans in New Jersey are excited about Sam Bradford, and well they should be. The 2008 Heisman winner may well be the best QB they have had since Flutie, and that includes 2-time Summer Bowl Champion Tom Brady. Now, the question is, does Bradford have the weapons he needs to find success? We are very leery of a HB group led by Ray Rice and R. J. Redmond, and outside of Mark Clayton, Bradford will need more from Houshmandzadeh and slot receiver Santonio Holmes if he is going to succeed. Of course, he also has to get into the starting lineup. Right now it is Ryan Fitzpatrick still at the helm. Head Coach (Years): Jim Harbaugh (6th Season) 2009 Story: An early favorite to win the division, the season got away from the Stars. After a 4-2 start, Philadelphia found consistency an elusive goal, dropping 4 of their final 8 games to finish just over .500 and occupying a Wild Card spot. They had one of their best games of the season in the Wild Card round, stunning the Orlando Renegades with a 30-15 road victory before falling to the 7th seed New Orleans breakers at home in a bizarre playoff game. Departures: G Flozell Adams, FS Anthony Dorsett, WR Charles Lee, LB Paul Posluszny, HB Michael Robinson, WR Terrell Owens, LB Chris Gocong, G Taylor Whitley New Arrivals: WR Troy Williamson, FS Jairus Byrd Draft Recap: The Stars made a choice at LB, going for Sean Lee over NaVorro Bowman. The greater need was in the middle after the free agency departure of Paul Posluszny, and Lee fit the bill. They also signed Minnesota WR Eric Decker, hoping to recover some of the lost production from Terrell Owens’s quick exit to Birmingham. Other than that, it looks like mostly depth and practice squad fodder for the Stars. Outlook: The Stars faded pretty hard down the stretch last year, and they did not add a lot in the offseason outside of rookie LB Sean Lee. Losing Terrell Owens means that they are asking a lot of Reche Caldwell, and with Michael Robinson gone, Steve Slaton has to step up. All in all this looks like a team that has lost more than they gained this offseason, so a slide could be in the working unless Coach Harbaugh knows something we don’t. Head Coach (Years): Sean Payton (5th Season) 2009 Story: Coach Sean Payton’s Federals had one of the hottest starts in the league, opening the year 5-0 before their first loss, and were sitting pretty at 8-2 before two rough losses late in the season dropped them from the division lead to a Wild Card position. They faced a familiar foe in Baltimore during Wild Card weekend and found themselves upset at home by a team that knew them well. Departures: QB Kordell Stewart, DT Kenard Lang, CB Rashad Bauman, WR Mike Williams, WR Courtney Roby New Arrivals: QB David Garrard, WR Bryant Johnson, DT Cournelius Griffin Draft Recap: There was a lot of speculation that Washington would go after Jimmy Clausen, but they went defense with their first pick, selecting and signing Georgia DT Geno Atkins. It was not until the third round when they looked at QB, and it seems they went for a player who was as close to Kordell Stewart in style as possible, choosing UAB’s dual threat, Joe Webb. Webb will likely back up David Garrard as Washington assesses both as potential starters. Two quality players in the T-Draft also signed, Uva cornerback Chris Cook and Va Tech tackle Ed Wang. Outlook: We hate to say it, but it seems clear that the Feds were just not ready to lose Kordell Stewart. His retirement seemed to catch them off guard, and they were slow to adapt. We just don’t feel confident that Atlanta cast off David Garrard is ready to be the man in DC, and rookie Joe Webb is too raw to throw to the wolves in a very tough division. We still like the Fed’s defense, especially at LB where Pierce, Wake, and Simoneau are formidable, but the offense has to be more than just Deuce McCallister and we are not sure there is more available. Head Coach (Years): Tom Ramsey (2nd Season) 2009 Story: Early thoughts that Atlanta could be a Wild Card contender looked unfounded as the Fire struggled to come out of the gate. An 0-3 start turned into a 1-7 midseason disappointment, but then something clicked for Coach Ramsey’s team, who found their defensive footing on their way to 5 straight wins. Sitting at 6-7 and potentially looking at a Wild Card spot with 1 week to go, Atlanta watched as Philadelphia wrapped up the final Wild Card and their game against Charlotte would mean nothing. Departures: C Jim Pyne, QB David Garrard, G Gennaro DiNapoli, DE Andre Wadsworth, OT Richard Mosley, FB Mike Cox, C Edward Amador New Arrivals: C Chris Spencer, G Chester Pitts. QN Jordan Palmer Draft Recap: Atlanta got the offensive weapon they had hoped for, signing T-Draft wideout Demaryius Thomas from Ga Tech. The local star will start the year opposite Josh Reed. ECU punter Matt Dodge won the competition for that slot, and linemen Ted Larsen (NC State) and Thomas Welch (Vandy) also made the 53-man roster. Outlook: A late run at the postseason last year has made Atlanta a hot ticket in the offseason, but other than rookie Demaryius Thomas, what are we supposed to be excited about? Their defense is solid, we give them that. But what is their offensive scheme? Are they going to go to more of a vertical game? Can McFadden regain his form from a strong rookie year? There are a lot of questions. However, with 3 potential All-USFL players on the O-line in LT Zach Strief, RT Max Starks, and C Chris Spencer (new to the Fire), the line could be where the Fire find their success. And that is not an entirely bad place to start. Head Coach (Years): Jim Mora Jr. (3rd Season) 2009 Story: The Monarchs had a fast start to 2009, shocking many by going four weeks without a lose, before dropping a surprising game to the Stallions. In midseason a 4-game losing streak crashed the Monarch’s optimism, but they would go into their season finale against Atlanta hoping to sneak their way into a Wild Card spot. That would not happen, but the season-ending win over the Fire did allow Charlotte to finish the year at a very respectable 7-7 in only their 2nd year of existence. Departures: OT Wayne Gandy, HB Travis Prentice, TE Dan Campbell, WR Az-Zahir Hakeem, LB Scott Fujita, HB Antwone Womack, G Chester Pitts, WR Lance Moore, CB Nnambi Asomugha, QB Curtis Painter New Arrivals: WR Darnerien McCants, SS Shane Welton, HB Fred Jackson, LB Adalius Thomas, OT Matt Hill, TE Mike Merrit Draft Recap: The Monarchs struggled to sign their draftees and it shows. Only LB Rolando McClain is considered a top talent, while TE Mike Caussin and HB Deji Karim are the only other signees who made the active roster. They added some bodies in post-draft free agency, but overall a pretty rough year for a team hoping to build on a solid 7-7 season. Outlook: Charlotte’s fast start last year surprised many. Predicated on a Top 10 defense, the Monarchs needed to find more balance and more offensive capacity in the offseason. We are not sure they have. We like Rolando McClain and the signing of Fred Jackson certainly helps Charlotte vary their run game, but we are just not sold that Chris Weinke is the answer or that a receiver group of D.J. Hackett, Stevie Johnson, and Darnerian McCants is enough to keep Charlotte out in front of their opposition. Head Coach (Years): Leslie Frazier (1st Season) 2009 Story: To call 2009 a lost season would be an understatement for the Bulls. Jacksonville lost their first 4 games before earning a win against a Favre-less Memphis squad. They would then go on to lose their next 6 games before earning their only other win on the year. Jacksonville finished with the worst ranked defense in both points and yards allowed, a distinction no club wants to earn. Departures: HB Antowain Smith, QB Jake Delhomme, FB Madison Hedgecock, LB Rashaad Jeanty, CB Corey Graham, DE Tom Burke New Arrivals: CB Rashad Bauman, DE Carl Powell, LB Cody Glenn, TE Dustin Keller Draft Recap: Thanks to the Jake Delhomme trade, Jacksonville finished the draft with 12 total picks, but it was in the T-Draft where they made their hay, landing not only Florida superstar Tim Tebow at QB, but also locking up Clemson’s C. J. Spiller. The speedy Clemson HB is slated to start Week 1, while Tebow will likely get some snaps behind veteran backup Josh McCown at first. A surprise standout from camp was USF wideout Carlton Mitchell, who should be on the field quite a bit after impressing in the preseason. TE Andrew Quarless and CB Sam Shields may also see significant early season action. Outlook: A whole new look, a whole new team, essentially. That is what it feels like after Jacksonville’s 2-12 season and the aggressive move to trade away Jake Delhomme to Memphis. The excitement around Tim Tebow and C. J. Spiller is clearly in full effect, but will that lead to improvements on the field? Spiller has a chance to be a real weapon, and, as for Tebow, a lot will depend on how he is used by Coach Frazier. He is not a traditional pocket passer, by any stretch, but if Frazier and the offensive coaching staff can find a way to harness his athletic ability, he could be a real find. Now, as for that defense. The less we say about it the better. Head Coach (Years): Emmitt Thomas (6th Season) 2009 Story: Calais Campbells astounding run to 34 sacks in 14 games was one of the stories of the year, but the Renegades as a whole were also a great show each week. Orlando won 8 of their first 10 games, and finished the year with a 2-game lead over Charlotte for the division title. Their season-long success, paired with one of the best defenses in the league made it all the more shocking that they failed so incredibly in their opening playoff game, dropping the Wild Card matchup to the Stars and giving up 30 points in the process, Departures: C Todd McClure, HB Cedric Benson, G Scott Shaw, WR Brandon Stokely, HB Najeh Davenport, WR Donte Stallworth, QB Matt Cassel, SS Tyrone Carter, DE Chauncey Davis New Arrivals: LB Paul Posluszny, G Steve Sciulo, HB Leon Johnson, WR Karl Williams, TE Ben Watson, WR Antwan Randle-El Draft Recap: Not a lot of big names among Orlando’s 6 signees, but the Renegades are hopeful that at least 2 selections will see the field early. James Madison DE Arthur Moats is expected to rotate in opposite Calais Campbell and Baylor Center J. D. Walton has won the starting job in his first season. Beyond that, we may see some action from LB Darryl Sharpton (Miami) and TE Dedrick Epps (Miami), two solid T-Draft acquisitions. Outlook: Orlando was expected to do more in the postseason last year, and looking at this season, with the additions of Posluszny, Ben Watson, Atwan Randle-El, and Karl Williams, this team looks ready to make good on the promise of last year. This could be a runaway division for the Renegades, because we don’t see a clear competitor for the top spot. Their biggest challenges may come in the postseason against some tough teams from the NE or Southern Divisions. Head Coach (Years): Steve Spurrier (7th Season) 2009 Story: After a 14-2 season in 2008, the collapse of the Bandits was a real shock to USFL fans, many of whom saw Spurrier’s team as a Summer Bowl favorite. The formula which worked so well a year ago just did not get results in 2009 as Tampa Bay’s defense sunk to the bottom quartile of the league. The offense had moments, but was not consistent enough, leading Tampa Bay to drop an incredible 7 games from their 2008 heights, finishing only 5-9 on the year and in 4th place in the Southeast. Departures: DT La’Roi Glover, WR Karl Williams, G Lennie Friedman, DE Orpheus Roye, CB Samari Rolle, HB Maurice Hicks, WR Ernest Wilford New Arrivals: G Ben Hamilton, OT Kurt Vollers, LB Mike Triplett, WR Deverey Henderson Draft Recap: The Bandits were another team who had more success in the T-Draft than the Open Draft, landing two of their 3 territorial picks, both immediate impact players in DE Jason Pierre-Paul and CB Patrick Robinson. Of their Open Draft selections, only 3 signed with the club and all three were rounds 4 or lower. Outlook: The Bandits went from 14-2 to 5-9, so which year is the anomaly? There is a lot of talent on this club, on both sides of the ball. They just need to find ways to put their playmakers in position to make plays. McGahee should benefit from one of the better O-lines in the game, as should Culpepper. The D-line needs to improve so that Jonathan Vilma, Zeke Moreno, and the ageless Kevin Mitchell can roam sideline to sideline and end plays before they get to the secondary. Rookie Patrick Robinson will also have a lot to do as he jumps right into the #1 cornerback position. If someone is going to truly challenge Orlando this year, it may be a resurgent Bandits squad. Head Coach (Years): Mike Shanahan (2nd Year) 2009 Story: Most expected the Stallions to struggle in 2009, and they pretty much did, starting the year 0-3. Wins over Memphis and Charlotte brought some hope, but the Stallions could not find a consistent winning formula, finishing the year at 4-10 and ranked in the bottom five in scoring, yards, and points allowed. Departures: K Kris Brown, LB DeWayne Dotson, WR Joe Horn, G Steve Sciulo, TE O.J. Santiago, OT Charles Molina New Arrivals: G Solomon Page, WR Terrell Owens, TE Jabari Halloway, OT Marshal Yanda, LB Nick Koutavides Draft Recap: The Stallions hope they have found themselves a halfback who can make an impact in Auburn’s Ben Tate. They are also happy with center Matt Tenant, who could be named the starter for Week 1. Beyond that, we are not seeing a lot of quality among the 6 overall signees the Stallions landed with their 11 picks this year. Outlook: The Stallions are gambling that, given an offseason to recover and absorb the system, Kylle Boller can be a quality starter in the USFL. They gave him a top flight weapon in Terrell Owens, and the line has talent as well with Jeff Backus and Ben Grubbs two very solid pass protectors. Will the run game benefit from the arrival of Ben Tate? Will another receiver step up to be a viable option for Boller? And, perhaps more importantly, can this defense begin to show some signs of consistent quality beyond Mike Rucker? That is a lot of ifs. Head Coach (Years): Jim Haslett (6th Season) 2009 Story: After two consecutive Summer Bowl appearances, Memphis was again predicted to be a contender in 2009, but an 0-2 start to the season got even worse when in the 3rd game of the year QB Brett Favre went down with a serious injury. He would miss 9 games in the long Showboat season, and they would not recover, struggling to find offense without their superstar QB. By the time he was able to return to the field, the season was already out of control and Memphis would finish a 10-game loser at 4-10. Departures: QB Brett Favre, LB Bart Scott, QB Mike McMahon, DE Quintin Moses, HB Maurice Smith, CB Terreance Shaw, DT Leon Bender, OT Garrett Reynolds, TE Dustin Keller, LB Keith Bullock New Arrivals: CB Tyrone Bell, TE Jonathan Stupar, QB Jake Delhomme Draft Recap: Philadelphia let NaVorro Bowman pass through the T-Draft, and Memphis jumped at the chance to sign the outside backer. They also landed a quality DT in Tennessee’s Dan Williams in the Open Draft, so two good signings there. Not as flashy as some other teams, but two contributors. The rest of their picks were largely depth players as several draft choices were sent to Jacksonville to bring in QB Jake Delhomme. Outlook: The short-lived 2nd act for Brett Favre brought 2 Summer Bowls and a title to the Showboats, but the encore has ended (we believe) and Memphis has to move on. Enter Jake Delhomme, a quality starter, but one who was never able to bring Jacksonville to the title game. Can he do better as a Showboat? Well, with a WR trio to rival Boston in Ferguson, Lee Evans and Sidney Rice, he has weapons to throw to. Cadillac Williams should provide the ground game. What he needs is for the talent on defense to show up big. The D-line may be a concern, but Memphis has 4 really good linebackers in Willis, Morrison, and the two new arrivals, NFL Import Keith Bullock and rookie NaVorro Bowman. Thesafeties are also strong, and CB Tyrone Bell was a good addition as well. This could be a surprise team this year if all these new pieces make sense together. Head Coach (Years): Jim Johnson (16th Season) 2009 Story: The Knights put together a very good season, holding off New Orleans to win the division at 10-4 and earn the #2 seed in the East. They did it mostly on the shoulders of their top-rated scoring defense. In the playoffs, Nashville was expected to throttle the New Orleans Breakers, a club they had defeated the week before to clinch the division. New Orleans stunned the Knights in Nashville, locking down a problematic Knight offense and finding ways through the vaunted defense to win going away 27-3 over the homestanding Knights. Departures: K Shayne Graham, CB Chidi Iwoma, G Tre Johnson, FS Bhawoh Jue, TE Bubba Franks, DT Cornelius Griffin, WR Derrick Mason New Arrivals: C Jake Grove, WR Courtney Roby Draft Recap: More T-Draft success as Nashville was very happy to land two volunteers this year, HB Montario Hardesty and safety Eric Berry. They passed on some talent, like Dexter McCluster, now headed to the NFL, and their Open Draft was not as successful, landing only 2 prospects from the first 6 rounds, but they still seem satisfied with the draft as a whole. Outlook: The 2009 Southern Division Champion has a plan and they are sticking to it. Play aggressively on defense with KGB and Terrell Suggs making life rough for QBs, and then run the ball effectively behind the best interior line in the league (guards Max Jean-Gilles and Jeb Terry, along with center Jake Grove). Frank Gore is the key. If he can get to 1,400 yards, the Knights will be right there. Add in a true 3rd down back in rookie Montario Hardesty and Nashville could be stronger than ever on offense. That plus their already dominant defense and they will be the favorite for the division. Head Coach (Years): Mike Nolan (11th Season) 2009 Story: The Breakers were an up-and-down team all season long, hovering at the .500 mark for most of the year. They did, however, go into a Week 14 matchup in Nashville with a chance to steal the division title. They lost that game, but came back to the same stadium the next week and stunned the Knights to move on to the divisional round. Again on the road, New Orleans did it again, upending the Philadelphia Stars to punch their ticket for the Eastern Conference Championship. They could not get it done against the Boston Cannons, however, losing 27-24 in a very entertaining title game. Departures: WR Jerome Pathon, HB Fred Jackson, C Chris Spencer, SS Kenoy Kennedy, DT Josh Shaw, CB Ahmed Plummer New Arrivals: WR Santana Moss, HB Michael Robinson, TE Aaron Shea Draft Recap: New Orleans fell below .500, signing only 4 of 10 picks, but they feel they may have gotten a steal in Texas Longhorn safety Earl Thomas. From the T-Draft they managed to ink both WR Brandon LaFell and DT Al Woods out of LSU. Outlook: The Breakers flirted with a division title last year, and then dominated Nashville in the Wild Card playoff, so can they do better this year? Can they win the division and still reach another Conference Title game as well? The addition of Michael Robinson to the run game will certainly help, but the big new shiny toy has to be Santana Moss, coming over from Arizona. Paired with the two younger receivers the Breakers have developed, Dwayne Bowe and Early Doucet, Moss gives Eli Manning the best combo of receivers he has ever had. The Breakers could be another potential contender for a division that just continues to improve and now may be the best in the East. Head Coach (Years): Marty Mornhinweg (12th Season) 2009 Story: Chicago knew they would have to scrap and claw for every win in a tight Central Division that housed the 2008 league champion Panthers as well as improved Ohio and Pittsburgh clubs. A 4-game wins streak showed their potential, putting them atop the division at 5-2 at the midpoint of the season, but a 3-4 finish would drop them to a Wild Card team, and in a Western playoff bracket that saw the favorites pull out every game, Chicago got past Portland only to fall to the top seeded Oakland Invaders. Departures: FB Alan Ricard, DT Ted Washington, SS Sammy Knight, OT Kurt Vollers, QB Henry Burris, TE Aaron Shea, G Solomon Page, G Sean Mahan, CB Al Harris, FS Jairus Byrd New Arrivals: LB Kendrell Bell, TE Ben Hartsook, OT Mo Collins, SS Darren Sharper, G Taylor Whitley Draft Recap: The Machine apparently kept their scouts close to home, with their top 5 signed players all Midwestern products. That includes golden domer, wideout Golden Tate, QB Mike Kafka from Northwestern, Iowa CB Amari Spievey, and Cincinnati DT Ricardo Matthews. Outlook: How did Chicago land Kendrell Bell? It seems almost unfair. Putting him in a 4-3 trio with Urlacher and Tommy Polley will cause a lot of grey hairs on a lot of offensive coordinators this year. If Chicago can muster even a mid-range offense, they will be a tough out every week. Brady Quinn had great QB Rating numbers last year, but Chicago really needs to see more yardage and more touchdowns out of their starter. If they can increase their offensive production just a touch, they could contend with Michigan in this division. Head Coach (Years): Dick LeBeau (7th Season) 2009 Story: The 2008 League Champions cruised through what was expected to be a tough Central Division, going 11-3 on the year and 7-0 in divisional games. They boasted the league’s top offense both in scoring (28.5 PPG0 and yardage (407.6 YPG) thanks largely to an MVP season from QB Brian Griese. In the playoffs they crushed Ohio in the first round, shut down the Gold in the divisional round, but fell short against Oakland in the Conference Title Game, giving up 45 points to the Invaders in the matchup in the East Bay. Departures: HB Justin Fargas, DT Leonard Renfro, LB Shawne Merriman, WR Danny Farmer, DE Eric Flowers, OT Matt Willig, WR Antwan Randle-El New Arrivals: G Lennie Friedman, HB Antwone Womack, OT Langston Walker, DE Adewale Ogunleye, WR Ernest Wilford, SS Tyrone Carter Draft Recap: The Panthers are loving Ok State tackle Russell Okung, their first round pick, slated to start the year at right tackle. They also are feeling good about the early improvement of two LB picks, A. J. Edds from Iowa and Nathan Triplett from Minnesota. Neither break into the starting lineup, but both should be on the field in rotation and on special teams. Outlook: The 2008 Champions were just as good last year, with Griese winning MVP and the club returning to the Western Conference Final before bowing out to an inspired Oakland squad. They did not make many changes in the offseason, although adding rookie RT Russel Okung was a nice pickup. They did lose Shawne Merriman, but with Ware, Thurman, Katzenmoyer and Keith Ellison, that LB group should not lose a step. NFL arrival Adewale Ogunleye could make that defense even better as his presence will make it hard for teams to double up on Jevon Kearse. We see Michigan as one of the elite squads in the league once again, and they could be headed back to the Western Championship if everyone stays healthy. Head Coach (Years): Al Luginbill (12th Season) 2009 Story: In what would end up being Kerry Collins’s final season in the USFL, Ohio lived and died by its explosive offense. After a 3-0 start, the Glory struggled, dropping their next 3 games, including a shocking 45-17 loss to the hapless Jacksonville Bulls. They would muddle their way to an 8-6 finish, but this was not the same Ohio squad that had dominated the league earlier in the decade. They made the playoffs as a Wild Card, but were quickly bounced from the playoffs by the Panthers. They would then see two big losses as Kerry Collins retired and WR Randy Moss was shipped off to Los Angeles. Departures: QB Kerry Collins, OT Tra Thomas, OT Langston Walker, DE Vonnie Holliday, DE Carl Powell, CB DeShea Townsend, C Robert Outlaw, FB Mike Templeton, LB Chris Kriewaldt, DT Wendell Bryant, WR Randy Moss New Arrivals: DT Kenard Lang Draft Recap: Ohio added picks when they traded away Randy Moss, but they had trouble signing some of their top prospects. They did land Florida CB Joe Haden, a priority for them, and OT Jason Curtis Fox from Miami also agreed to terms. It took a while, but they did manage to wrest Illinois wideout Aurelious Benn away from the NFL, a much needed addition to a receiving corps that needs youth and size. Outlook: is it the beginning of the end for the Glory’s golden generation? Kerry Collins has retired. Randy Moss was traded away, and we just don’t know how much longer we will see Galloway or Eddie George on the field. It feels very much like the start of a new generation. It also feels like 2010 could be a holding pattern. Ohio will go with Chris Redman at QB, but many are wondering if they are essentially holding back this year in hopes of getting one of the star QB’s expected in the 2011 draft. Seems a dangerous game to play, and an unfortunate strategy if you are a veteran like Galloway or George. Ohio will need more from their defense this year, because we are just not expecting the Redman-led offense to be anything like the glory years of Kerry Collins’s best seasons. Head Coach (Years): Ron Rivera (5th Season) 2009 Story: The Maulers, in a pivotal season for Coach Rivera, started the year strong, winnin6 5 straight to momentarily lead the division at 5-1 before crashing to earth. Everything that worked for Pittsburgh in the first half of the year started to collapse In the second half. The Maulers dropped the final 5 games of the season to finish at 7-7 and out of playoff contention. Their defense was solid (4th in the league in yards allowed) but they simply could not put together enough points to win some tight games. Departures: DT Monsanto Pope, WR Jabar Gaffney, G James Rodriguez, WR MarTay Jenkins, WR Travis Taylor, OT Zach Weigert, DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, CB Dre Bly, DE Dameaion Jeffries, TE Alge Crumpler, TE Walter Rasby New Arrivals: DE Jared Allen, G Bill Ferrario, QB Henry Burris, CB Dunta Robinson, WR Matt Jones Draft Recap: The Maulers needed a TE out of the draft and they feel they found one in Hurricane Jimmy Graham. Graham starts the year behind veteran Owen Daniels, but we are not sure how long he will be #2 at the position. The Maulers may have also found a late round gem as UMass receiver Victor Cruz has impressed in camp and earned a spot as the slot receiver for Pittsburgh. Outlook: They started so strong and then collapsed. Not a good look, but that early start did show some potential, and Pittsburgh absolutely did not stand pat this offseason. We love the addition of Daniels and Jimmy Graham as targets in the passing game. We are just not sure either Cody Pickett or Pat White will be the answer at QB. Acquiring Jared Allen could make Pittsburgh very dangerous on defense, so perhaps they are going to go that route, shutting down opposing offenses and winning close games. It will likely be a formula that will need some tweaking this year, and maybe a QB answer next year. Head Coach (Years): Bruce Arians 2009 Story: Doug Williams’s 2nd year as coach of the Skyhawks did not go as planned. After a 4-win opening year, fans expected a push towards .500 ball from their Skyhawk club, but what they got instead was an 0-9 start, one win against a flailing LA Express team, and a 1-13 season that put them right were they had been in 2007. They backward step cost Williams his position as the Skyhawks try to find a path towards success after a very slow 4-season start to their franchise. Departures: HB Larry Johnson, OT Ross Verba, WR Bryant Johnson, DE Bryce Fisher, LB Nick Koutavides, SS Bobby Myers, HB Dominic Rhodes New Arrivals: DT Richard Seymour, HB Antowain Smith, HB Ahmaad Galloway Draft Recap: No fewer than 3 draft signees will be in the starting lineup for the Skyhawks as they try to bring new energy to the team. OT Bryan Bulaga was a no brainer, and will start at RT, but SS Kendrick Lewis out of Ole Miss, and LB Ryan D’Imperio from Rutgers are also slated to start the year in the starting 22. TE Tony Moeaki from Iowa also signed but has been hampered by a hamstring injury in preseason. Outlook: Coach Arians arrives in St. Louis with a lot of work to do. The Skyhawks have just never seemed to fully launch into the USFL. They go from 4 wins to 1, back to 4, and back again to 1 win. Now on their 3rd coach in 5 years, the pressure is on to make waves sooner rather than later. St. Louis certainly made waves in the offseason, landing both HB Antowain Smith and DT Richard Seymour. They have a strong offensive line, and their front 3 could be a strength as well. Now, if Josh Freeman can take advantage of an improved run game, the Skyhawks could actually look like a team headed in the right direction. Head Coach (Years): Jim Tomsula (2nd Season) 2009 Story: Signs of life, that is what we saw from an Arizona club that was simply moribund in 2008 but started to show growth and improvement in 2009. Sure, 5-9 is not where any club wants to be, but it is a nice step up from a 2-win 2008 campaign. Arizona started the year with a division win against Texas, but struggled to find their rhythm. They did seem to play their best within the division with 4 of their 5 wins coming against Texas, Houston, and Denver. That is a good sign that they have a formula that can win division games. Now they just need to learn how to win the rest. Departures: HB Ahmad Galloway, WR Santana Moss, TE Kevin Everett, FS Damien Richardson, DE Gary Walker, CB Ray Crockett, HB Sedrick Irvin New Arrivals: DT Monsanto Pope, WR Mike Williams, HB LaDainian Tomlinson Draft Recap: Arizona wins the T-Draft, signing all three of their selections, including the player many Wrangler fans are excited to see in Glendale, TE Rob Gronkowski, one of the best Wildcat products in several years. OT Shaun Lauvao and LB Travis Goethel also signed. The big name in the Open Draft for the Wranglers is LB Pat Angerer, one of several talented Iowa Hawkeyes to join the USFL this year and a starter already. Outlook: If they accomplished nothing else this offseason, the Wranglers at least found a way to sell merch, because the Tomlinson arrival has been huge for jersey sales. It hasn’t hurt ticket sales either. Pair LT’s arrival with rookie Rob Gronkowski, and the Wranglers could look very different on offense this year. A lot will depend on the sophomore play of QB David Carr. He struggled last year, in part due to the strain of playing a full NFL season and then jumping to the USFL. If he can improve this year, after a full offseason, he could find himself with a pretty solid offensive squad. The defense still worries us, even with rookie Pat Angerer looking very solid in the preseason. There just are not enough impact players on that side of the ball to feel confident about Arizona this year. Head Coach (Years): Dick Jauron (13th Season) 2009 Story: The Gold were viewed with suspicion after the 2008 season. Many predicted they were on the downward path despite the arrival of Matt Leinart at QB. Well, the Gold proved the doubters wrong, going 6-2 down the final half of the season to win the division over Houston. They had a top flight defense that led the league with the fewest yards allowed and also finished 6th in scoring defense. In the playoffs, the Gold defeated their division rival, Houston, in the Wild Card round, but struggled against the Panthers, going down 17-9 to the 2008 Champions. Departures: WR Jacquez Green, HB Mewelde Moore, G Ben Hamilton, LB Joe Odom, LB Kendrell Bell, SS Dexter Jackson, CB Chike Okeafor, WR Devery Henderson New Arrivals: WR Dez White, LB Shawne Merriman, DE Bryce Fisher, S Roy Williams, HB Maurice Hicks, C Edward Amador Draft Recap: They did it. The notoriously thrifty Denver Gold showed Ndamukong Suh the money, and he showed them the respect, signing a 4-year deal that makes him the highest paid non-QB in this year’s draft. Suh is an immediate impact player for Denver. The Gold also landed a backup for Matt Leinart, signing Central Michigan’s Dan LeFevour. A midround pick who has impressed is Florida LB Dekoda Watson, who could be in the LB rotation for the Gold from Week 1 after a strong camp. Outlook: Denver got about as far last year as anyone thought they could. To go further this year they will need to show improvement on both sides of the ball. Losing Kendrell Bell on the defense was not a good start, but signing Shawne Merriman, and then Ndamukong Suh, were two huge steps in the right direction. If Suh is everything advertised, Denver’s defense could be among the best in the league. That takes pressure off of Matt Leinart and a pretty inexperienced offense. Javon Ringer takes over as the main back, with help from Maurice Hicks, but it will still depend largely on how Leinart develops after a pretty mediocre 2009. Head Coach (Years): Wade Phillips (10th Season) 2009 Story: The Gamblers spent battling Denver but also battling themselves. Good games would be followed by flat performances. Games like a 9-7 loss to Texas or a 17-13 defeat at home to Arizona kept the Gamblers from the division title. They finished the year with a Top 5 defense in both scoring and yardage allowed, but could not defeat Denver in Denver in the Wild Card round, leading to a one-and-done situation for the second year in a row. Departures: G Chris Naole, QB Brock Huard, DT Richard Seymour, G Bill Ferrario, LB Sam Cowart, CB Tramon Williams, WR Matt Jones New Arrivals: FB Madison Hedgecock, LB James Farrior, G Manuia Saveea Draft Recap: Houston did not get any immediate starters in the draft, but feel they have good developmental talent in DE Jerry Hughes of TCU, guard Jon Asamoah of Illinois, and CB Marquis Johnson from Alabama. With Kavika Pittman practically eligible for AARP membership, the development of Hughes will be a priority for the Gamblers. Outlook: Houston’s acquisition of Shaun Alexander last year was a game changer. They went from one of the worst run games to one of the league’s best. Now, what did they add this offseason? How about LB James Farrior? That is a huge upgrade. Bringing in rookie DE Jerry Hughes could also be a great benefit as both Pittman and Umenyiura need to be spelled more often. There is a lot of talent on offense, so the time is now for Matt Hasselbeck to have a career year and help this club get over the hump. Head Coach (Years): Greg Landry (1st Season) 2009 Story: A bit of a darkhorse among pundits in the offseason, the anticipated improvements in the Outlaw squad just never materialized, leading to the firing of Coach Norv Turner. Texas started slowly, winning only 1 of their first 5 games. They would fare better in the second half of the season, but a 5-9 finish was not what most expected of them. Texas struggled to put points on the board, finishing 26th of 28 teams and averaging only 14.4 points per game. Departures: DT Chris Hovan, HB Leon Johnson, OT Mo Collins, DE Tim Crowder, WR Craphonso Thorpe, TE Matt Cushing, OT Jermaine Mayberry, WR Michael Crabtree New Arrivals: TE Dan Campbell, G Gennaro DiNapoli, WR Reggie Brown, LB Bart Scott, HB James Jackson Draft Recap: Texas needed both quality and quantity in the draft. They may have gotten the former, but with only 4 players signing with them, quantity did not happen. Texas picked and landed Indiana OT Rodger Saffold, one of the best players available from unprotected schools. They also feel good about UCF DT Torell Troup and WR Jordan Shipley, who they got from the Longhorns in the T-Draft. Of the three, only Saffold is a Day 1 starter. Outlook: Last year Texas was a trendy pick to jump into playoff contention. Not all trends work out. Joe Flacco did not have a good year, and that dragged down the entire offense. The defense was far better on paper than on Sunday. And yet, despite the disappointing results, Texas did not make a lot of moves I the offseason, which surprised us. Other than rookie RT Rodger Saffold, there is pretty much the same squad on the field this year as last. Is consistency enough to produce needed improvement this year? Hard to imagine it is. Head Coach (Years): June Jones (1st Year) 2009 Story: A 6-8 season may have caused ownership to lean towards firing Coach Jerry Glanville, but his sideline antics, both berating and physically confronting players during games, certainly made the decision easier. A 1-3 start put the pressure on Glanville from the start, and losing 4 of 6 down the home stretch certainly did not help. New QB Jake Plummer seemed adrift, and Glanville’s lack of offensive experience was more than evident. This is a club that held teams to 16.4 points per game, but could not take advantage, scoring only 15.9 points on average. Departures: WR Troy Williamson, TE Ben Hartsook, K Taylor Mehlihaff, DE Tyrone Rogers, DE Mike Jones, OT Robert Hicks, C Jake Grove New Arrivals: DE Vonnie Holliday, TE Kevin Everett, WR Marty Booker, K Shayne Graham, WR Derrick Mason Draft Recap: The June Jones era in Las Vegas did not start off well in the draft, with the Thunder only able to sign 3 players (they added some free agents later). DE Koa Misi and OT Zane Beadles both signed after being T-Draft picks from Utah, but all 4 of Las Vegas’s top Open Draft picks went to the NFL, including top pick Gerald McCoy, the big DT out of Oklahoma. Outlook: The Man in Black has left the building and left behind something of a mess for June Jones to clean up. Jones is going to want to install a spread, run & shoot style offense. That might make Jake Plummer happy, but as we look at the Thunder roster, we are not sure the pieces are in place to make that work. Marshawn Lynch will benefit from fewer 8- and 9-man fronts. Jake Plummer will need to get rid of the ball quickly, but we are not sure Hatchett, Mason, and Booker are the ideal receivers to run this kind of offense. The defense is largely unchanged from last year, which is fine, since that has been the strength of the club for several seasons. If June Jones can find the right formula on offense, Las Vegas could surprise, but if not, .500 may be a cap for them. Head Coach (Years): Gregg Williams (1st Season) 2009 Story: After a strong first season, things just kept slipping away from Coach Hue Jackson, and a 5-win season in 2009 was just too much for ownership. LA was 20th or worse in most major categories on both sides of the ball. QB Mark Sanchez struggled to put points on the board and the defense simply could not get their opponents off the field. Losing 5 of their final 6 games, only a season ending win over Las Vegas kept them from a 10-loss season. Departures: OT Jonathan Ogden, G Manuia Saveea, WR Dez White, FS Darnell Bing, K Connor Barth, LB Adalius Thomas New Arrivals: WR Lance Moore Draft Recap: The Express also struggled to sign top picks as another Sooner, OT Trent Williams joined the NFL Redskins instead of becoming the heir apparent to Jonathan Ogden in LA. No LA signees are expected to start in the season’s opening week, with the exception of punter Zoltan Mesko of Michigan. The first to potentially join the starting 22 could be DE Everson Griffen of USC, a T-Draft signee. Outlook: Randy Moss and Keyshawn Johnson on the field together should be fun. But will it produce wins? Honestly we think the more likely scenario is that the addition of Anthony McFarland and the maturation of Keth Rivers, Clay Matthews, and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie could make LA a defense-driven club. That may be ideal for Mark Sanchez as he continues to develop into the pro game. It certainly would help the Express to be able to rely on the D to pressure other teams and produce short fields, more easy scores would certainly make life easier for new head coach Gregg Williams. Head Coach (Years): Dennis Green (8th Season) 2009 Story: Five minutes. That is all it took. Oakland was within 5 minutes of bringing home the title, but two late scores from Boston condemned them to be forever known for one of the worst chokes in Summer Bowl history. It is a shame really, because the 2009 season was in many ways a magical one for the Invaders. The team was dynamic on offense, oppressive on defense, finishing in the Top 5 in both scoring and points allowed. They started the year 7-1 and never looked back, winning the Pacific Division by 4 games over 2nd place Portland and locked up the #1 seed in the West. In the playoffs they cruised past Chicago and dominated the defending champions in the Conference Championship. And in the Summer Bowl, they had it, a 12-point lead with only 5 minutes to play, but oh, those last 5 minutes. Departures: QB Ingle Martin, LB Roosevelt Colvin, FB Sean Smith, DT Joe Salave’a, SS Pearson Prioleau, WR Plaxico Burress, LB Dan Morgan New Arrivals: LB Joe Odom, QB Curtis Painter Draft Recap: Oakland selected two HBs in the T-Draft but was unable to sign either Ryan Matthews or Peyton Hillis, so their only new rusher is 5th round pick Joique Bell out of Wayne State. They did land a starter with their 3rd T-Draft selection, Cal DT Tyson Alualu, but beyond that, we don’t see a lot of immediate impact from a draft pool that was more misses than hits. Outlook: So close and yet so far. We will have to see if there is a hangover effect to the devastating Summer Bowl loss by Oakland. They remain a very talented team and a favorite to return to the Summer Bowl, but it is so hard to say how a loss like that will impact the psyche of this club. This is a team that has all 5 offensive linemen as potential All-USFL candidates, which is just scary for defenses and just hunky dorey for Ricky Williams, Jerious Norwood and the league’s most devastating rushing attack. If the run game is working, it is hard to beat this Invader squad. Head Coach (Years): Rich Brooks (3rd Season) 2009 Story: Atlanta set the tone in 2006, making the playoffs at 7-7 in their first year of action. Portland could not beat that, but in their 2nd season they became the first of the new 2006-2008 expansion clubs to post a winning record, finishing the season by winning 4 of their final 5 games to land at 8-6 and earn a Wild Card. Inexperience showed in the playoffs as they were quickly dispatched by the Chicago Machine, but a winning season in only 2 years of existence is certainly a strong start for this club. Departures: G Benji Olson, P Frank Whalen, TE Jabari Holloway, QB Ken Dorsey, G Anthony Oakley, FS Terrance Kiel, LB Cody Glenn New Arrivals: LB Roosevelt Colvin, CB Mike Rumph, QB Ingle Martin Draft Recap: The Stags got the guard they wanted in Idaho’s Mike Iupati, a Week 1 starter for them. They also like safety T. J. Ward, picked up in the T-Draft from Oregon, and another guard, Arkansas’s Mitch Petrus. Outlook: Portland became the first 2006/2008 expansion club to post a winning record, finishing 2009 as the #2 team in the Pacific. They will need to play their best ball to stay in that role or to improve to a division title contender. The Stags consolidated more than updated their roster this offseason. Not a lot of new names to brag about, but the two who should be discussed are both defenders who should have an instant impact on the Stags’ D. Roosevelt Colvin will take over the Strong Side LB position, freeing up Channing Crowder to blitz more often. Mike Rumph provides a solid #2 option behind Marquell Manuel, making it harder to pass against this team. We see Portland as a legitimate Wild Card contender, but we are not sure they are ready to catch Seattle yet. Head Coach (Years): Marvin Lewis (8th Season) 2009 Story: Finishing at .500 has to be considered a disappointment in Seattle. After 13 and 10 win seasons the past two years, the Dragons seem to be waning instead of rebounding. The defense was the biggest issue for Seattle, with the club struggling to finish 24th in scoring D and 21st in yardage allowed. The 4th ranked scoring offense tried to compensate, but even a 5-game win streak in the season’s second half could not recover from a stunningly bad 1-6 start to the year. Departures: WR Reggie Brown, LB Piso Tinoisamoa, WR Darnerien McCants, CB Jason David, HB Corey Dillon, DT Wendell Bryant New Arrivals: WR Chris Chambers, LB Chris Kriewaldt Draft Recap: Seattle succeeded where Oakland failed, landing the other big HB out of the Bay area with the signing of Cal’s Jahvid Best, a must have after the retirement of Corey Dillon. Best will begin the year rotating with Ladell Betts, but expect him to be the player they count on for big play capability while Betts is the grinder who gets those key 3rd and 1’s. Safety Shann Schillinger from Montana has impressed in camp, as has San Jose State LB Carl Ihenacho, already dubbed “The Nacho Man” by teammates. Outlook: Could Seattle just skip March and go straight into mid-April? For the second year in a row Seattle was horrible in the first month of the season. They need to start off much more focused and ready to play in March or they will again have to spend the entire season playing catch up. This is a talented team, especially on offense, but it is a team in transition with the retirement of Corey Dillon. Can Jahvid Best step in and become a bell cow back? Or, will the defense be asked to do more to keep Seattle in contention. The strength of the Dragon D is the secondary, with Truffant, McKelvin, John Keith and Paris Lenon ready to shut down the passing game, but they need help from the front four and from a linebacking group that has underperformed, especially in March. PREDICTING THE 2010 SEASON So, here we are. We have recapped the biggest moves of the offseason. Discussed the league’s draft success, and looked at the evolution of each of the league’s 28 clubs. So we come down to the toughest part of the season preview, making our picks. As you are all aware, we tend to be pretty far off on these picks, so you should never put up the mortgage with a bookie based on anything we say. We will do our best to explain why we see things going the way we predict, but there is a reason they play the games and inevitably someone will surprise us, either with an epic collapse or a meteoric rise. We will start with the six divisions and then move on to our playoff and award picks. NORTHEAST DIVISION We see the Northeast as Boston’s division to claim. Even with a change at QB we still see the defending league champions as the kings of this hill. The division seems to have taken a step back in the offseason, and may now be not quite as formidable as we saw going into 2009. Unsteady QB situations in Washington and New Jersey and some pretty big offseason departures for Philadelphia and Baltimore have us thinking that this will be a division a lot closer to .500 overall, but one that Boston could dominate if Adrian McPherson plays his best ball. PREDICTED FINISH Boston Cannons 11-5* Baltimore Blitz 8-8 Washington Federals 8-8 Philadelphia Stars 7-9 New Jersey Generals 6-10 SOUTHEAST DIVISION Orlando seems to be head and shoulders above the rest of the division, though we do expect Tampa Bay to be improved, and if either Atlanta or Charlotte can get any type of offense to complement their pretty solid defenses, they could make a Wild Card run. We still see this as Orlando’s division and expect that the Renegades will be focused on a run at the #1 seed by the later weeks of the season. PREDICTED FINISH Orlando Renegades 12-4* Atlanta Fire 9-7* Tampa Bay Bandits 8-8 Charlotte Monarchs 7-9 Jacksonville Bulls 4-12 SOUTHERN DIVISION We said it in one of our team profiles, but with significant improvements to the Memphis defense and both Nashville and New Orleans looking like solid contenders, this could be the best division in the East. We expect that to mean that the clubs will jockey for position, possibly costing their division winner a shot at a top seed and a bye. With the USFL returning to 12 playoff teams this year, there are only 6 spots to go around, but the top 2 seeds go back to having byes. The problem is, infighting in this balanced division could lead to the winner being that dreaded 3rd seed. PREDICTED FINISH New Orleans Breakers 10-6* Nashville Knights 10-6* Memphis Showboats 9-7* Birmingham Stallions 5-11 CENTRAL DIVISION We see this as a division where the cluster at the top is spreading out a bit. Michigan is the clear favorite, then Chicago, then we think there is a mid-range group of Pittsburgh and Ohio, and poor St. Louis continues to bring up the rear. The big difference from last year is that we see Michigan and Chicago as having clear advantages over Pittsburgh and Ohio, creating 2 tiers. Will that play out or can either the Glory or the Maulers take the next step up the ladder and challenge the two frontrunners? We think not, but it is something to watch. PREDICTED FINISH Michigan Panthers 11-5* Chicago Machine 10-6* Ohio Glory 8-8 Pittsburgh Maulers 7-9 St. Louis Skyhawks 4-12 SOUTHWEST DIVISION It once again looks a lot like a runoff between Denver and Houston, but we do expect Arizona to take some positive steps, and maybe we were just a year too early on Texas. The key for us is trying to see which team will put together the most consistent offense. All 4 teams can struggle with this, so if one can figure it out, they could step up and displace the Gold as the division winner. With 3 QBs all at the early stage of their careers it really comes down to which one makes the biggest leap towards elite status: Leinart, Flacco, or David Carr? PREDICTED FINISH Denver Gold 9-7* Houston Gamblers 9-7* Arizona Wranglers 7-9 Texas Outlaws 6-10 PACIFIC DIVISION Oakland looks very much like a club that can dominate the division if not the conference. They came so close last year, and that may spark a fire in them to get it done this season. Behind the Invaders it will likely be a battle between Seattle, depending on their start, and Portland. Either one could reach 10 wins if they can dominate the weaker teams in the division. Those weaker teams are the LA Express and the Las Vegas Thunder. But, and this is interesting, they are not as weak as the bottom of most divisions. They could easily finish at or near .500, so this is a division with one clearly elite club and 4 clubs who are really not all that far from each other. PREDICTED FINISH Oakland Invaders 12-4* Seattle Dragons 9-7* Portland Stags 8-8 Los Angeles Express 7-9 Las Vegas Thunder 6-10 So what about the playoffs? What do we see happening. Well, we indicated the 12 teams we think make the postseason above. In the East it is three from the South (New Orleans, Nashville, and a surprisingly strong Memphis squad), two from the Southeast (Orlando and Atlanta), and only 1 from the Northeast (Boston), a division that sent 4 teams to last year’s postseason. More balance out west, where we have Oakland and Seattle in the Pacific, Denver and Houston in the Southwest, and Michigan and Chicago joining from the Central. We think it will come down to a 3rd time matchup between the Invaders and Panthers in the West, and a battle between Orlando and New Orleans in the East. Our Summer Bowl prediction is that Orlando once again sends Oakland home frustrated with another Summer Bowl defeats. As much as we love Oakland’s O-line and run game, we just think the newly reinforced Orlando defense will be too much for them. Add in a touch of Drew Brees, and a solid run game with Knowshon Moreno in his sophomore season, and the Orlando Renegades are our pick to win it all. As for awards, well, we just don’t see another non-QB winning MVP this year, so we are going to give the title to a former MVP and a player who should benefit from a lot of short fields, Orlando’s Drew Brees. Offensive player of the year will be Randy Moss in LA, where we think he will dominate as a target for Mark Sanchez. Defensive MVP goes to Calais Campbell for the second straight year, which feels like too easy, but why go against the obvious. Rookie of the year could be a QB, Tebow or Bradford make sense, but we think both clubs will continue to struggle, so we are going to go for a HB, and we think the one in prime position for early career success is Seattle’s Jahvid Best. That Dragon team can score points, and defenses cannot load up against the run, so we see Best as having a real shot at 1,200 yards or more. There you have it, our 2010 preview. Let’s wrap this up by looking specifically at the Week 1 schedule. How will we kick things off this year? The new USFL season kicks off on Friday night with the defending league champion Boston Cannons hosting division rival Baltimore. Adrian McPherson will have his first start as the heir to Drew Bledsoe. On Saturday, we have Portland hosting LA in an early Pacific divisional game and Ohio visiting Michigan in a border war in the Central. Then on Sunday it is New Orleans headed up to Memphis to face a new look Showboat squad, Washington sending David Garrard up against that nasty Houston Gambler pass rush, and we finish off the week with a beauty of a Pacific clash as Seattle, hoping to avoid another slow start, plays host to the defending Western Conference Champs, the Oakland Invaders. Football is back in session, let’s all rise for the national anthem and play some ball!! FRIDAY @ 8pm ET Baltimore Blitz @ Boston Cannons NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Tampa Bay Bandits @ New Jersey Generals ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Orlando Renegades @ Birmingham Stallions FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Pittsburgh Maulers @ Atlanta Fire FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET Philadelphia Stars @ Denver Gold ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET Los Angeles Express @ Portland Stags FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET Ohio Glory @ Michigan Panthers ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET New Orleans Breakers @ Memphis Showboats ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Nashville Knights @ Charlotte Monarchs ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Jacksonville Bulls @ Chicago Machine FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Las Vegas Thunder @ Arizona Wranglers ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET St. Louis Skyhawks @ Texas Outlaws FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Washington Federals @ Houston Gamblers FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET Oakland Invaders @ Seattle Dragons ESPN

January 10, 2010 It has been five busy and news-packed months since our last USFL report. The NFL season has occupied most of the press over these months, and as the fall league enters the playoffs before Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, the USFL is gearing up for training camps, the preseason and its 28th spring campaign. The interplay between the two leagues has been a huge story of the offseason as the USFL snagged one of the NFL’s biggest stars in the September transfer window, while the NFL snapped up several big-name USFL players at the same time. The USFL also had a trade that shook the rafters a bit, an exciting free agency period that saw some star players find new homes, and now, as the league prepares for its Collegiate Draft, the rosters are starting to take shape. The Draft will be huge, as it always is, particularly with the USFL seemingly putting even greater emphasis on signing young talent out of the college ranks. And, with the next NFL-USFL transfer window not opening until 2 weeks before the regular season, and extending into the regular season, we can expect to see some early season signings for the first time, signings that could alter a team’s destiny by midseason. There is a lot to explore as we look at the offseason to date, what lies ahead, and as we prepare for the College Draft, so let’s get right to it with the top stories of each of the past five months AUGUST: USFL Free Agency Sees Several Big Moves It did not take long for the USFL Free Agency period to make news as three well-known and impactful players changed teams on the very first day of the open signing period. Wideout Terrell Owens, linebacker James Farrior, and Defensive End Jared Allen all signed multiple-year, multi-million dollar deals with new teams to kick off USFL Free Agency with a bang. By the end of the month there would be many more quality players moving between teams in the USFL, but let’s start with the three who signed on day one. DE Jared Allen: The disruptive Allen leaves the Blitz for a 4-year deal to take over for Kyle Vanden Bosch in Pittsburgh. Allen is known as a motor player, much like Vanden Bosch, so this will be a line that will continue to be a group without quit, a dangerous premise for any QB coming into Heinz Field. With the signing of Allen, it was clear that free agent Vanden Bosch was not returning, though that had been generally believed long before the Allen deal. WR Terrell Owens: One of the most outspoken players in the league, and no stranger to controversy, Owens jumped at the chance, after only 1 year in Philadelphia, to parlay a 1,000 yard, 11 TD season with the Stars into a #1 role as the new focal point of the attack in Birmingham. Owens will take over the role abandoned by Joe Horn (who was a free agent but has since declared his intent to retire from the game.) Owens will be the clear #1 in a receiving room short on veterans, with Dedrick Ward the only player with more than 5 years of experience. Expect Owens to not only be the face of the receiving group, but its voice as well. LB James Farrior: A lifelong member of the Blitz, Farrior was expected to resign with the club, but a 2-year deal worth nearly $4 million was just too good to turn down. Farrior will be leaving the Blitz for the Houston Gamblers, where he will take over Sam Cowart’s spot in the Gambler’s 4-3 alignment. Farrior will be the strong side LB next to MLB Zak DeOssie and across from Nick Barnett. Following the triple signings on day one, the dam was broken and the signings came quickly before petering out after 10 days. With signings all across the league, there was plenty of enthusiasm across the country as teams added players and potential. From just the first 10 days of free agency, here are 10 more players who we expect to have a major impact on their new clubs: DE Vonnie Holliday will now join Erasmus James and Haloti Ngata in Las Vegas’s 3-4, likely on the right side, creating havoc that Joey Porter can take advantage of to pressure QBs. The 31-year old Holliday signed on for 3 years. WR Santana Moss became the second big name wideout to sign, accepting an offer to join the Breakers, where he will almost certainly be the veteran mentor for youngsters Dwayne Bowe, Early Doucet, and Donnie Avery. Expect a lot of 3-wide sets from the Breakers this year as they use Moss’s speed to stretch the defense even further. LB Paul Posluszny: Philadelphia’s energetic middle linebacker now moves to Orlando, where he will be joining one of the best young defenses in the league, a defense already making waves with Calais Campbell and Albert Haynesworth up front. Poz is expected to take over the MLB spot, allowing Barrett Rud to slide to the outside with Will Overstreet. TE Dan Campbell: The best tight end in the pool lasted only 3 days in fhe market before the Texas Outlaws, led by new head coach Greg Landry, snatched him up. Landry, the former Chicago and Arizona QB, gets his first head coaching job and has stated that his goal is to make life as easy and as productive as possible for QB Joe Flacco, and a quality tight end is imperative to that plan. LB Kendrell Bell: Denver’s play-disruptor now gets to line up with the best MLB in the game, signing a 3-year deal to join the Chicago Machine. The Machine will now boast a 4-man group of Urlacher and Boiman inside, Bell and Tommy Polley outside. That is a group that will spike Maalox use by OCs across the league. LB Roosevelt Colvin: The Stags also bolstered their linebacker group by adding one of Oakland’s most productive defenders. Colvin joins a Stags defense that had some issues with run coverage, something the rangy backer knows a lot about. WR Dez White: Denver continues to provide weapons for Matt Leinart, signing the 31-year old White to a 2-year deal. White will likely take over the slot position, with Price and Colbert outside. White, who had 43 catches for 756 yards and 5 TDs with LA in 2009, will use his quicks on a range of slants, crosses, and out routes for Coach Jauron’s offense. CB Tyrone Bell: The best corner available goes to Memphis, where he will slot in as the #1 corner, ahead of Keiwan Ratliff and Antwaun Molden. Bell, an 11-year vet, becomes the third Blitz defender to leave town, causing major concern for the Blitz and their fans. LB Shawne Merriman: With Bell off to Chicago, the Gold had a huge hole in their LB group, but they feel very much that they have found their man in former Panther Shawne Merriman. It is unsure right now if Merriman will take over Bell’s spot on the strong side, or if he will occupy the MLB slot. HB Fred Jackson: The dual-threat HB from the Breakers joins his 4th club as he signs a 3-year deal with the Charlotte Monarchs. Jackson had 689 yards and 8 TDs in 2009 with New Orleans, where he split time with Matt Forte. In Charlotte it is Robert Edwards who will likely be his duo-mate. Edwards is more of a traditional 2-down back, so expect to see Jackson, whose receiving skills are solid, on a lot of 3rd downs. Other signings of note include Boston adding FB Sean Smith and QB Kevin Kolb, Jacksonville adding veteran DE Carl Powell. Kicker Shayne Graham was signed by Las Vegas, TE Aaron Shea by New Orleans, and HB Ahmaad Galloway is now a Skyhawk. Slot receiver Troy Williamson joins the Stars while Baltimore signs former Showboat QB Mike McMahon to back up Ben Roethlisberger. Orlando snags kick returner and receiver Karl Williams away from the Bandits, while Michigan landed HB Antwone Womack and OT Langston Walker. So, who were the biggest names still unsigned when September rolled around? How about this list: DT Richard Seymour, HB Antowain Smith, OT Ross Verba, LB James Harrison, HB Justin Fargas, DT Anthony McFarland, LB London Fletcher, CB Mike Rumph, FB Alan Ricard, and DE Kyle Vanden Bosch. SEPTEMBER: Tomlinson Drops the Jets to Join Arizona It was not exactly the Great Train Robbery, but All-Pro halfback LaDainian Tomlinson’s last second juke away from the New York Jets and into the USFL this past September was a huge blow for the fall league, and a huge win for the USFL. Much like Jim Kelly’s famous decision in 1983, where a phone call to the Bills organization, while he was interviewing with the club, led him to leave town and sign with the Gamblers, Tomlinson was on the verge of signing with New York when his agent and the front office of the Arizona Wranglers pulled him out and put him on a plane to Phoenix. Jets fans and the NY media was incensed, but at the end of the day, Tomlinson was all smiles, holding up a #21 Wrangler jersey and planning to set up an apartment in the Valley of the Sun. Tomlinson, a 3-time All-Pro with the San Diego Chargers, and an 8-time 1,000 yard rusher, was unhappy with changes in San Diego and looking for a new home to finish out his future Hall of Fame career. The Wranglers, following discontinued negotiations with Sedrick Irvin, and with new OC Norv Turner in tow, were looking to make a splash, and man, oh, man, did they. Tomlinson will enjoy a nice lengthy recuperative offseason, essentially not taking the field for over a year between the 2008 NFL season and the start of the 2010 UFL season in March, but that may well make him even more dangerous as his 30-year old legs could certainly use 12 months away from the game. Arizona has signed Tomlinson to a 3-year contract rumored to be worth over $7.3 million dollars. While this is always a risk with a halfback who has as many miles and as many years on his body as LT does, there is no denying the star power that the halfback will bring to a Wrangler squad that is still rebuilding after trading away Jake Plummer in the winter of 2008. LT will bring instant appeal to the Wranglers, and hopefully will bring a top flight run game to the Wranglers for perhaps the first time in club history. The Wranglers, in their entire 27-year history, have only had one 1,000 yard rusher, and it was way back in 1988, when another NFL transfer, James Wilder, rushed for 1,083 yards, still the club record for yards in a season. Tomlinson’s arrival in the desert provides hope that the Wranglers may actually be able to balance their offense and get a run game for the first time in team history. While Tomlinson was the big story in September’s NFL-USFL transfer window, he was hardly the only story. Several NFL teams enhanced their rosters after the start of the regular season by taking advantage of the transfer window. The Steelers kept Kyle Vanden Bosch in the Steel City by signing him to a 2-year deal. Another Mauler, CB Dre Bly was signed by Arizona. Chicago’s Alan Ricard, one of the best fullbacks in the game, joined the NFL Ravens. The biggest HB signing was Michigan’s Justin Fargas. The 7-year vet, who rushed for 1,100 yards in Michigan’s 2008 championship season, landed in Miami with the Dolphins. Denver’s Mewelde Moore also left for the fall league, landing with Minnesota. Sedrick Irvin signed a 1-year deal with the Cowboys and Orlando HB Najeh Davenport is off to Green Bay. The Generals took a hit when their All-USFL linebacker, James Harrison, signed with the LA Raiders, leaving a big hole in the Generals’ LB group. So, did the USFL, other than Tomlinson, land any late holdouts from the NFL? A few, but far less than we have seen in past years (actually numbers in both directions were down, which is exactly what was predicted). Among the NFL name players headed to the Spring in 2010 we have Bears’ DE Adewale Ogunleye, who will be a Michigan Panther in the spring. Former Saint safety Darren Sharper will now be in Chicago with the Machine, while another highly-regarded safety, former Bengal Roy Williams, will bein Denver with the Gold. Expect a much more dynamic transfer window, at least from the USFL arrival perspective, in February and March, when the NFL pool is much larger. Many of those players will likely not be able to see the field until Weeks 3, 4, or 5, but that won’t stop USFL clubs from signing talent if they can find it. OCTOBER: Los Angeles Finally Finds a Coach Hard to believe, but it took until mid-October for the LA Express to settle on a head coach. Many had begun to wonder if the Express were going to wait out the 2009 NFL season and sign a coach in January, but on October 17th they held a press conference at Farmers insurance Field to announce that former Bills head coach, and current Nashville DC would be their new head coach. Williams joins the Express with the goal of turning a talented defense into an effective one. He will also be charged with rebuilding an Express offense that scored only 227 points in 2009 (16 PPG). Williams quickly got to the offense, signing fired St. Louis head coach Doug Williams to be the new OC for the Express. Williams is expected to work with Mark Sanchez and receiver Keyshawn Johnson to produce a more explosive offense. More news in that direction would come later in the Winter (see below). Meanwhile, Williams promised that the defense, led by LBs Lofa Tatupu, Keith Rivers, and Clay Matthews, would be nastier, more aggressive, and focused on leading the lead in takeaways. Likely those words were music to the ears of the backers as well as CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, whose sophomore year was a dip from an outstanding 2008. Williams’s next task was to find more weapons for Sanchez, and we would say he pulled that off, as you will see. NOVEMBER: Seymour and Smith find homes in the USFL The NFL-USFL transfer window and the first two full months of free agency had passed and two of the bigger names in the free agency pool were still out there, DT Richard Seymour from Houston and HB Antowain Smith from Jacksonville. It was well known that the Gamblers were still hoping to resign Seymour, as Washington had done with Anthony McFarland, while most expected Smith not to get an offer from new Bulls’ head coach Leslie Frazier, who had his eyes on the draft and Clemson back C. J. Spiller. By November, the rumors were starting to rise that both players were frustrated with their representation, but by mid-month both seemed more than happy with their new situations and their new deals. What both Smith and Seymour discovered is that sometimes a desperate team will simply overpay. Both top targets ended up signing with the same team, the 1-13 St. Louis Skyhawks. Under the direction of new head coach Bruce Arians, the Skyhawks spent big to bring in talent at both key positions. Seymour’s deal, a 4-year agreement, makes him the highest paid DT in the league, while Smith, who had his first non-1000 yard season in 5 years in 2008, got a deal we usually see for younger, more explosive backs. Both players appeared in a press conference in St. Louis, showing off their new jerseys and talking excitedly about being in the Gateway City and working with Coach Arians to build a winner in the city. The dual signings by the Skyhawks meant that the free agent pool now lacked a lot of star power. There were a few names left worth wondering about, players like London Fletcher, Andre Wadsworth, Pearson Prioleau, and the big mystery, WR Plaxico Burress, who is now known to be serving a 6-month house arrest after his gunshot incident led to a plea in a California court. Burress could be available to play as soon as mid-May, but it seems that USFL clubs are very leery about the talented, but clearly problematic wideout. DECEMBER: Randy Moss Gets His Wish, Traded to Express We said that Coach Williams was tasked with creating a more explosive offense in LA, and on December 10th, the longsuffering Express fans got an early Christmas gift as the Express and Ohio Glory announced a deal that very few saw coming. Wideout Randy Moss would be headed out to LA to line up with Keyshawn Johnson in what may be the most extroverted WR group the league has ever seen, and that is saying something. Moss, who had been very vocal about his complaints in Al Luginbill’s offense, complaints about preferential treatment for long-time Glory wideout Joey Galloway, about QB Kerry Collins, about Luginbill’s playcalling, and about the market itself in Columbus. He now comes to LA, where the market certainly will suit his style, even if we have no idea how OC Doug Williams will use him. The hope, for Express fans particularly, is that Williams will bring back the deep ball offense that LA succeeded with when they had Tory Holt opposite Keyshawn. Moss is certainly one of the best deep ball receivers in the league, so it would make sense, and we know that Williams, himself a gunslinger of the highest order as a player, has no fear of the vertical game. For Moss this could be an ideal placement. For Coach Williams (actually for both Doug and Gregg), it could be a lot of headaches if it does not go right and quickly. LA invested heavily in bringing Moss to the Left Coast, sending both their first and second round pick in this year’s Open Draft to the Glory, along with a 2nd rounder next year. With LA holding the 6th pick in both rounds this year, that provides Ohio with a lot of draft capital to start to rebuild, which is clearly the impression we get with Collins retiring and Moss now shipped off to LA. What Ohio chooses to do with those picks is not known, but clearly a plan to bring in a 2nd receiver, one who could step in when Joey Galloway retires (which we think is not far off), has to be a top priority. The Moss-to-LA deal was not the only big trade this offseason, but it certainly was the biggest surprise of the bunch. As we have drawn closer to the draft there have been several deals cut between teams, and we expect more to come as we hit Draft Week. Here are five trades we think could have a significant impact for the 2010 USFL season. 5) Philadelphia gets a solid safety in Chicago’s Jairus Byrd, sending G Taylor Whitley to the Machine in a 1-for-1 swap. 4) Ohio and Seattle found a mutually beneficial 1-for-1 as well, with LB Craig Kriewaldt headed to Seattle and DT Wendell Bryant now a member of the Glory. 3) Charlotte and Baltimore both addressed major needs, but not without some pain as two starters were dealt, Monarch CB Nnambi Asomugha is now with the Blitz, who send RT Matt Hill to Charlotte. 2) Denver started to think about replacing Mewelde Moore by trading to get Maurice Hicks from the Tampa Bay Bandits. They sent Tampa Bay WR Devery Henderson and a 3rd rounder to get Hicks and a 4th round pick. 1) Orlando and Michigan both benefitted from a trade from positions of strength. Michigan’s deep WR corps is a bit shallower after the Panthers send Antwan Randle-El to the ‘Gades, but in return they bring in SS Tyrone Carter, who is certainly expected to compete for the starting job. For Orlando it is the slot weapon they have needed to provide to Drew Brees, opening up the Renegade offense. One big trade that has yet to happen is Jacksonville’s push to trade QB Jake Delhomme. They began the offseason seeking two #1 picks and that just does not seem to be happening. There are several teams still looking at Delhomme, but as of today’s publication of this story, no one had yet found the right formula to pull the veteran QB away from the Bulls. We have recapped the big news from August to December and now we are ready for the biggest story of January, the USFL Draft. The teams have released the three players from their territorial schools who they are "protecting" from the Open Draft and all across the league team war rooms are prepping for seven rounds of drafting to help fill their rosters. As always it will be a balancing act between assessing player talent and trying to gauge interest. With the NFL Draft less than 2 weeks away, teams have limited time to make their case to turn players selected into players signed. Each club will try to select players who will help their clubs, but the only way they get that help is if these top college prospects choose to join the spring league in the first place. For our preview, we will go team by team (in the order of the first round as it currently stands), looking at the three protected players, the team needs, and our thoughts on the best option available in the first round. With LA and Las Vegas having already traded their way out of the opening round (LA will not pick until Round 3 thanks to the Randy Moss trade), these two teams will be assessed at the end of our rundown. We start with the #1 pick in the draft, the 1-13 St. Louis Skyhawks. Territorial Picks: The ‘Hawks continue to focus on those Iowa players, picking both OT Bryan Bulaga and TE Tony Moeaki, with their third protected player K-State CB Joshua Moore. Needs Going into Open Draft: After signing Antowain Smith and Richard Seymour in free agency, the biggest gap lesft is at linebacker, so expect an early pick there. Possible 1st Round Target: How about Alabama’s Rolando McClain or Florida’s Brandon Spikes? Or would the Skyhawks trade out of the top position and still be able to get one of these two? Territorial Picks: The Bulls are all in on this season’s T-Draft, using it to attempt to rebuild their offense, selecting both Florida QB Tim Tebow and Clemson HB C. J. Spiller. They also selected another stud in center Maurkice Pouncey, giving them perhaps the best 1-2-3 lineup of any club. Now the hard part, signing them. Needs Going into Open Draft: Tight End is still a big need for the Bulls, or they could double up on one of the three positions taken in the T-Draft if they don’t think one of the three will sign. Possible 1st Round Target: Orlando did not protect TE Jimmy Graham, so that would be a very good place to start in round 1 for the Bulls. Territorial Picks: New Jersey did as we all expected and selected Sam Bradford with their first pick. They followed that up by picking OT Trent Williams, also from OU, and rounded out their 3 protected players with Rutgers CB Devin McCourty. Needs Going into Open Draft: If I were the Generals, I would not put all my eggs in the OU basket and would try to land another tackle, maybe not in the first round, but early. Possible 1st Round Target: With James Harrison still testing free agency, I would be looking long and hard at Rolando McClain if the Skyhawks don’t. Territorial Picks: It was a poor class for Memphis and we think the only one of the three selected players who is likely to stick with the club is LB Jamar Cheney, who should find work in special teams at a minimum. Needs Going into Open Draft: The Showboats still have significant concerns at DT, DE, and LB, so how is that for a trifecta of defensive issues. Oh, and they don’t have a QB either, though there are not great options in this year’s draft, so that may not happen. Possible 1st Round Target: It could be QB Jimmy Clausen if the Showboats are higher on him than we are, but if not, then D-line is the best option, and our pick would be Volunteer DT Dan Williams, who the Knights did not protect. Territorial Picks: The usual Bama/Auburn pipeline just did not have a lot to offer this year. The Stallions do think they have found a possible rotational HB in Ben Tate from Bama, and they also selected big LG Mike Johnson. Their third pick was a bit more of a longshot, Troy State’s Cameron Sheffield, a DE with some upside, but who is very raw. Needs Going into Open Draft: Center, Tackle, and Guard are all still issues, even if Johnson signs with the Stallions, so expect a draft dominated by O-linemen. Possible 1st Round Target: Saffold, the tackle from Indiana, could be a good pick, or Idaho guard Mike Iupati, who is not at a protected school, so is a prime target in the Open Draft. Territorial Picks: Another pipeline that is a little dry this year, the Buckeye Highway did not offer much. The Glory did take a shot at DE Thaddeus Gibson and LB Austin Spitler, but neither is considered a first day draft pick. Their third pick is a developmental one, Cincinnati QB Tony Pike. Needs Going into Open Draft: QB remains a question, though the Glory keep saying that they feel Chris Redman can be effective as the starter. If not QB, then why make the deal with LA to send Johnson to the Express and snag the #6 pick? Regardless, Ohio will have 4 picks in the first 2 rounds, so there are lots of options. Possible 1st Round Target: We think it could be Jimmy Clausen, but we could absolutely be reading the room wrong on this one. Territorial Picks: The Outlaws added yet another receiver in Longhorn speedster Jordan Shipley. They also signed on with Texas LB Roddrick Muckelroy and Texas Tech CB Jamar Wall. Needs Going into Open Draft: Right tackle and defensive tackle are the two obvious needs for the Outlaws. Possible 1st Round Target: Either Dan Williams or Rodger Saffold would be strong options for Texas, as would OK State’s Russel Okung to fill that RT gap. Territorial Picks: the Bandits are very high on USF DE Jason Pierre-Paul and will do what is needed to sign him. They also went heavy into CB Patrick Robinson of FSU and then spent their final pick onLB eric Norwood of South Carolina. A pretty good haul if they can land all 3. Needs Going into Open Draft: If JPP signs, that takes care of the big hole at DE, so what is next? How about an offensive tackle or perhaps a guard? Possible 1st Round Target: I feel like we keep mentioning Indiana’s Rodger Saffold. That is because there are not a lot of good OT candidates who were not already part of the T-Draft. But at pick #8 he may not be there, so how about Best Player Available, which we think would be WR Aurrelious Benn. Not an ideal fit for the Bandits, but when has Steve Spurrier ever shied away from loading up on receivers? Territorial Picks: The Wranglers did it, they went after TE Rob Gronkowski. He would be a solid get for the club, to be sure. Arizona then protected ASU OT Shawn Lauvao and LB Travis Goethel, both considered solid but mid-round prospects. Needs Going into Open Draft: A lot depends on if the Wranglers feel good about signing Gronkowski. If not, then they need to add another TE to the mix. Beyond that position, safety, halfback, and an outside LB for depth would be a good find. Possible 1st Round Target: Let’s assume Gronkowski signs, so now the Wranglers can look at someone like USF safety Nate Allen, not protected by the Bandits and considered one of the best options at the position in this year’s class. Territorial Picks: Ga Tech WR Demaryius Thomas is a wild card, but a very talented one. Atlanta also looked to add some defensive clout with DE Derrick Morgan (also Ga Tech) and UGA LB Rennie Curran. Needs Going into Open Draft: The Fire need to consolidate the line, so either a center or tackle in the first round makes sense. Possible 1st Round Target: We know who the tackle is, but is there a center worth selecting this early? The best option may be Baylor’s J. D. Walton. He would be a good get for Coach Tomsula. Territorial Picks: Not many options for Pittsburgh, so they went with the top 3 options we all, choosing both PITT tight ends, Nate Byham and Dorin Dickerson, along with West Virginia tackle Selvish Capers. Needs Going into Open Draft: DT, WR, and DE are the key positions outside of their huge TE gap. Possible 1st Round Target: If Jimmy Graham is here, the Maulers will likely jump, even after selecting the two Pitt tight ends. Territorial Picks: Seattle went defense with all three picks, selecting UW’s Donald Butler (LB) and Daniel Te’o-Nesheim (DE) along with Montana safety Shann Schillinger. Needs Going into Open Draft: Halfback is the obvious pick for the Dragons, and the obvious choice in that position is Jahvid Best, the unprotected member of Cal’s 2-back HB class. Possible 1st Round Target: We would go for Best here, but they could also look to the defense once again. Territorial Picks: The Monarchs really like UNC DE. J. Wilson, their first pick. They also went for defense with his linemate, DT Cam Thomas, and with the pick of DT Willie Young of NCState as well. Needs Going into Open Draft: The Monarchs would love to get a complement to Robert Edwards, as well as a replacement for Dan Campbell. Possible 1st Round Target: We could see Charlotte trading up if Jimmy Graham drops into range for them. Territorial Picks: Oregon safety T. J. Ward, TE Ed Dickson and CB Walter Thurmond make it a trifecta for the Ducks. Needs Going into Open Draft: Guard is the biggest need, as the Stags could really use two of them. Possible 1st Round Target: You know the Stags have been scouting Mike Iupati from Idaho, but they could also take a look at Illinois’s Jon Asamoah or wait until round 2 if there is a clearly better option in the 1st round. Territorial Picks: Can they sign him? That is the question everyone in Colorado is asking about Cornhusker DT Ndamukong Suh. If they can, it will be one of the biggest rookie signings in team history. Yes, they are also interested in LB Phillip Dillard (also a Husker) and guard Shelley Smith of CSU, but you know this is all about Suh. Needs Going into Open Draft: Linebacker remains a need area, even after signing Shawne Merriman. The Gold are also hoping to find a mid-round QB to groom behind Leinart. Possible 1st Round Target: We think that if Florida LB Brandon Spikes is still here, he will be the pick. If not, then perhaps Pat Angerer of the Hawkeyes. Territorial Picks: The Federals are clearly hoping to get help for the secondary, selecting CB Chris Cook of Uva and CB Brandon Ghee of Wake Forest, but it is their third pick, OT Ed Wang of Virginia Tech who could be the best of the bunch. Needs Going into Open Draft: is a rookie QB in the future for the Feds? They don’t have an answer yet at the position and we don’t see them holding out for a possible NFL castoff. Possible 1st Round Target: Could Jimmy Clausen fall this far? We think there is a chance, but if he is not here, the Feds could trade down and try to land someone like Colt McCoy in the 2nd round. Territorial Picks: The Renegades stuck to their usual Miami Hurricane route, selecting LB Darryl Sharpton, TE Dedrick Epps, and OT Howard Hanes from the Canes, while skipping on TE Jimmy Graham, a star but one in a position of strength for Orlando. Needs Going into Open Draft: Safety, Center, and Corner are still key need areas. Possible 1st Round Target: Lots of options here, but a great fit would be either Matt Tennant of BC or Eric Olsen of Notre Dame, both pro-ready centers. Territorial Picks: The Knights are another team that was apparently not scared off by potential early draft picks in their T-Draft. While they passed on Ole Miss HB Dexter McCluster, which surprised us, they did select Tennessee’s Montario Hardesty. They also wentfor safety Eric Berry from the Vols and CB Myron Lewis from nearby Vanderbilt. Needs Going into Open Draft: Corner, Guard, and Safety remain areas of interest, especially safety if Berry is resisting early negotiations. Possible 1st Round Target: A cornerback to consider with this pick would be Iowa’s Amari Spievey, who is likely to still be an option this late in the first round. Territorial Picks: The Gamblers may not have an immediate need at DE, but they went for TCU’s Jerry Hughes anyway. If they can land him, they could well be prepared for Kavika Pittman to retire after all. Houston also picked U. of Houston TE Fendi Onobun and TCU linebacker Daryl Washington. Needs Going into Open Draft: We would still like to see Houston improve the interior line, so guard is a priority. And, after what happened when Shaun Alexander went down last year, would a “handcuff” halfback be a bad idea? Possible 1st Round Target: We have not mentioned Ole Miss HB Dexter McCluster yet. Could he be a surprise move by the Gamblers? Kevin Faulk is not getting any younger. Territorial Picks: We wondered which Penn State LB the Stars would go after and we got our answer. Phily protected Sean Lee, the MLB, and not NaVorro Bowman, the OLB, which makes sense after the departure of Posluszny from the middle. They also protected TE Mickey Shuler and LB Josh Hull, both also Nittany Lions. Needs Going into Open Draft: Wideout, Halfback, and tackle are all offensive slots that could use some attention. Possible 1st Round Target: At WR, Minnesota’s Eric Decker would be a good fit for the Stars’ style of play, as would David Nelson of Florida. Territorial Picks: The Machine hope they have a new weapon for Brady Quinn, passing on Illini WR Aurrelious Benn, but not Notre Dame wideout Golden Tate. Tate, OT Sam Young, and punter Jake Gilliam are all positions that Chicago would like to see improve. Needs Going into Open Draft: The Machine would like to add more to their interior D-line, so DT is a priority, and while Chicago did not protect Jimmy Clausen in the T-Draft, they do need a 3rd QB. Possible 1st Round Target: With OT still a priority, Chicago should consider someone like OK State’s Okung or Miami’s Jason Curtis-Fox. Territorial Picks: Not a great year for Maryland, Kentucky or Louisville products. Baltimore went for depth in the T-Draft, selecting DT Corewy Peters (UK), CB Trevard Lindley (UK) and tackle Bruce Campbell (Maryland). Needs Going into Open Draft: After losing Jared Allen and James Farrior, a youth movement for the defense is the first priority for Baltimore. Possible 1st Round Target: There are a few options, particularly at LB. We are not sure either NaVorro Bowman or Brandon Spikes make it this deep into the first round. If they are both gone, then Iowa’s Pat Angerer or another Hawkeye, A. J. Edds could be next up. Territorial Picks: The Breakers hope they have landed a possible starter in WR Brandon Lafell from LSU. They also selected DT D’Anthony Smith and DT Al Woods, with hopes of landing one or both of the big men. Needs Going into Open Draft: Wideout and defensive tackle were two big positions for the Breakers, but so too is center and corner. Possible 1st Round Target: We haven’t talked a lot about cornerbacks yet, so how about Florida’s Joe Haden, Iowa’s Amari Spievey, or OK State’s Perrish Cox as possible options for the Breakers? Territorial Picks: A very weak year behind Wolverine DE Brandon Graham. The Panthers also selected CB Jeremy Ware and punter Jim Keviszas, but the focal point will certainly be Graham. Needs Going into Open Draft: Linebacker is a big need as Michigan starts to lose key members from their squad. They could also go for a corner or tackle early on. Possible 1st Round Target: Pat Angerer makes sense here, but Michigan is also looking at Hurricane LT Jason Curtis-Fox as a possible early target. Territorial Picks: Oakland went for big DT Tyson Alualu, which makes sense, but they also had a tough choice with both Cal HB Jahvid Best, Stanford’s Toby Gehrhart, and Fresno State’s Ryan Mathews available to them. They opted to select and protect Best and Gerhart, leaving Mathews available for the other 27 teams. Needs Going into Open Draft: Linebacker is a pretty clear need, but if the early studs are picked clean by pick 27, Oakland could also look for a safety to bolster the back end of the defense. Possible 1st Round Target: Safety Nate Allen of USF or Texas’s Earl Thomas could both be strong candidates to have an impact for Oakland this year. Territorial Picks: The newly-crowned champs opte to build depth in the WR group, selecting UConn’s Marcus Easley. They also went for size, with Wisconsin’s O’Brien Schofield, and big TE Garrett Graham. Needs Going into Open Draft: Word out of Cannons camp is that they are comfortable with QB Adrian McPherson as the heir to Drew Bledsoe. Expect them to go for a late round QB to round out the room, but their bigger needs are at safety, guard, and on the D-line. Possible 1st Round Target: When you pick last in the round, you often have a lot of similar options, lots of players with upside but some glaring hole in their game. If Boston does go QB, which would surprise us, it could be for a late riser, UAB’s Joe Webb or CMU’s Dan LeFevour. Territorial Picks: The Express nabbed two big men from Utah in DE Koa Misi and OT Zane Beadles. They then added another Ute in safety Robert Johnson as they try to keep that defense fully loaded. Needs Going into Open Draft: We expect Las Vegas to continue to focus on the defense, but they could use one more WR if they are really going to shift to more of a Run & Shoot model. By the second round, the best options at WR could be Minnesota’s Eric Decker or USF’s Carlton Mitchell. Possible 1st Round Target: No first round pick, so the question becomes what to do in the 2nd round, which could be where the receiver comes or the Thunder could look at one of the big DT’s out there. Territorial Picks: With no first round pick, the T-Draft is key for the Express, and they once again went heavy into their two big pipelines, selecting USC tackle Charles Brown, fellow Trojan, DE Everson Griffen, and UCLA DT Brian Price, three big men they hope will take up space on Sundays. Needs Going into Open Draft: Offensive and Defensive lines are both key for the Express this offseason. Which they go for first is the mystery. Possible 1st Round Target: DT is a pretty good position this year, so we could see LA get in as soon as they can, hoping that ECU’s Linval Joseph or Georgia’s Geno Atkins slides into the 3rd round, when the Express first pick. Well, not exactly next week, but coming up next month, just as the USFL preseason wraps up, we will have our full season preview, including the stories of the offseason, the full review of the USFL's successes and failures in signing their draftees, any news coming out of the first two weeks of the NFL-USFL transfer window, and a team-by-team preview of the season to come. Can Boston repeat as they start a new era with a new QB? What will the QB situation be in Ohio? Memphis? New Jersey? Washington? or Jacksonville? Can Denver land Nebraska DE Ndamukong Suh? Will any NFL stars leap right into the USFL season? A lot of questions to answer when we are back with our USFL preview.

With Boston’s victory in Summer Bowl 2009, the USFL offseason has officially kicked off. Free Agency will open in just 3 days, the NFL-USFL transfer window will be open on September 10th, and trades have already been offered and accepted. We have three of the five USFL coaching positions filled, and we have a lot of teams trying to assess needs following the usual end-of-season retirements and contract expirations. For our Offseason Preview, we will look at the wave of retirements, particularly at the QB position, that will impact the offseason, discuss the 5 coaching spots that opened up and the hires in place, take a look at the draft class of 2010, and take an early peek at NFL players who are still not under contract and available for the NFL-USFL Transfer Window in September. We will finish up with team previews, asking what each club’s top priority is and where they might find help in the Territorial Draft of protected schools. Let’s get started with the latest news on the retirement front. Quarterbacks Create Headlines But All Retirements Impact USFL Clubs The retirement of big name QBs like Drew Bledsoe, Kerry Collins, Kordell Stewart, and Brett Favre certainly get headlines and equally send fans into a panic about the future of their clubs, but all retirements have the potential to produce holes in rosters and needs for the offseason, and this year is certainly no different. The headlines may have gone to the 4 big QB retirements, but we should also acknowledge the other key contributors who will no longer be on the field for their teams. Players like CB Ray Crockett in Arizona, LB DeWayne Dotson in Birmingham, or guard Chris Naole in Houston are all going to produce some issues for their team as they either promote bench players to starting positions or seek an influx of talent. Here is our quick list of the retirements to date and the teams impacted. QB: Favre (MEM), Collins (OHI), Bledsoe (BOS), and Stewart (WSH) are well-known departures that will very much be the subject of each team’s offseason plan. Boston seems the best positions after a very good showing by Adrian McPherson in 2009. Ohio could promote Chris Redman, but we expect them to bring in another option as well. Washington and Memphis seem less prepared for the transition and neither have an obvious choice in the T-Draft, so they may be possible contenders to possibly trade with Jacksonville to acquire Jake Delhomme. HB: The departure of Corey Dillon from Seattle is a huge hole to fill. A likely HOF candidate in 2014, Dillon will be hard to replace. Less difficult is St. Louis’s situation, where Larry Johnson never filled the potential folks saw in him at Penn State. WR: No huge names here, with Donte Stallworth (ORL) and Charles Lee (PHI) only filling spot roles for both clubs. So, while free agency may cause waves in various WR groups, retirements likely do not. TE: Pittsburgh will be hunting for a replacement for Alge Crumpler, but they also lose Walter Rasby, so they have a huge hole at the position. Expect both free agents and rookies to join the Maulers at the TE spot. O-LINE: Several starting tackles are stepping away, including Robert Hicks (LV), Tra Thomas (OHI), and Wayne Gandy (CHA), so there will be a market for quality tackles in the free agent pool as well as the draft. Still a bit surprised that Jonathan Ogden of LA has not made an announcement, but perhaps he feels he has more gas in the tank. Guard is another position with several departures, including Benji Olson (POR), Chris Naole (HOU), Chuck Johnson BOS), and Flozell Adams (PH). D-LINE: Texas DT Chris Hovan and Mauler DE Dameaion Jeffries are the two biggest names in this group to hang up the cleats. Chicago’s Ted Washington could be next, and there are expectations that Tampa Bay may soon be without veteran La’Roi Glover as well. LB: Bobby Howard (NJ), DeWayne Dotson (BIR), and Dan Morgan (OAK) are the three notable retirements from among the league’s linebackers. Expect all three to be replaced by current players, though there are some strong rookies in this year’s class as well. DB: Ray Crockett (ARZ), Chike Okeafor (DEN), Anthony Dorsett (PHI), and Sammy Knight (CHI) head up the defensive back departures. Youth is likely to be the solution for these three clubs, though finding a safety in the draft is often a hit or miss proposition. COACHING CAROUSEL IN FULL ROTATION Black Monday produced 4 coaching vacancies. Texas’s later firing of Norv Turner made the number five. We have already reported on two of the spots being filled, with June Jones bringing his Run & Shoot modifications from the U. of Hawai’I to the Las Vegas Thunder and Bruce Arians taking over in St. Louis with a mandate to build an offense around Josh Freeman. We have a third hire this week as the Jacksonville Bulls look to build a defense around the coaching of USFL veteran Leslie Frazier. Frazier, who retired as a USFL DB twelve years ago, has built quite a reputation as a defensive coach. The former cornerback has helped develop not only defensive backfield play but has also become known as a master playcaller for defenses that prevent big plays and contain each opponent’s top weapon. He will be coming to Jacksonville, where the Bulls’ defense, despite strong LB play, has been very susceptible to the big play. Frazier may need some help on offense as the Bulls appear ready to trade off Jake Delhomme and could well lose their starting HB to free agency, where he is likely to find a new home. Expect a very new look for the Bulls offense, with rumors running wild that the club is very much interested in Florida QB Tim Tebow and may build an offense that caters to his skillset if they can land him. That will almost certainly depend on the offensive coordinator Frazier hires, though it seems clear that ownership is pushing in that direction. Frazier will almost certainly remain the play caller on defense even as a head coach, so the offensive coordinator position will be key. The hiring of Frazier leaves two positions available in the league, one with the Texas Outlaws, and the other with the LA Express. Texas has been interviewing, and seems intent on getting a coach who can mold and develop QB Joe Flacco. LA has also been exploring options, but they seem more intent on improving a defense that has a lot of star power, but has been underperforming the past 2 years. Based on the number of candidates both clubs have seen the past few weeks, we expect both are planning on hires in the next couple of weeks rather than taking the GM route through the offseason and then hiring when the NFL season ends in January as some clubs have done in recent years. Draft Class Has Some Strengths Looking at the 2010 USFL Draft Class, it seems once again that QB is a bit shallow, and many of the top candidates are T-Draft protected players, but that does not mean that all positions are lacking quality or depth. Here is our pick of the five strongest positions in the upcoming draft class. 5. Defensive End A deep group, but one without a sure-fire impact player. We don’t see a new Calais Campbell in this group, but there are several players who could be picked in the first three rounds of the USFL draft if not claimed in the T-Draft. At the top of the class is Michigan’s Brandon Graham, but close behind is USF’s Jason Pierre-Paul, Georgia Tech’s Derrick Morgan, and Penn State’s Jared Odrick. We would not be shocked if 25 or more DE’s were selected in the draft this year. That is how deep the pool is. 4. Wide Receiver Generally a good position each year, simply due to the talent on display across the top levels of NCAA play, this year’s crop of receivers has some interesting style clusters in it. If you are looking for a tall, strong receiver who can make the 50/50 catch, this may be the year for you. At the top of the draft we have names like Aurelius Benn from Illinois, Dez Bryant of Oklahoma State, and Brandon LaFell of LSU. For smaller, speedier receivers there is Emmanuel Sanders, Golden Tate, and Dexter McCluster, who may also be picked as a running back, an interesting “tweener” prospect. 3. Offensive Tackle There are some big-name, high-profile players here. Names like Oklahoma’s Trent Williams and OK State’s Russell Okung, but there is also depth through all 7 rounds. We could easily see 5-6 first rounders here (again, assuming most are not snatched up in the T-draft) and still find talent in the later rounds, where players from lesser-known schools could shine, like West Texas A&M’s J’Marcus Webb or Morehouse’s Ramon Harewood. 2. Tight End Good news for the Maulers, who have lost their top 2 tight ends to retirement. This is a strong pool, led by Oklahoma’s talented Jermaine Gresham. The player with the biggest buzz is Arizona’s Rob Gronkowski, who could well be a pick for Coach Tomsula and his new OC Norv Turner with the Wranglers, but he is not the only talented end in this group. We also like Iowa’s Tony Moeaki and Miami’s Jimmy Graham as receiving tight ends, with Dennis Pitta of BYU and Ed Dickson of Oregon as players who are also strong as blockers. 1. Cornerback No position has more depth than the cornerback spot in this year’s draft. We could easily see 20 or more true corners taken and several college safeties also picked to take on a nickel position as well. The SEC will play a prominent role in the draft of corners, with Tennessee’s Eric Berry, Florida’s Joe Haden, and Alabama’s Kareem Jackson expected to be early round picks. Don’t sleep on Devin McCourty from Rutgers or USC’s Taylor Mayes either. And tiny Indiana U. of Pennsylvania may have the sleeper of the group with the very talented Akwasi Owusu-Ansah likely a late round pick who could be a real steal. Will NFL-USFL Window Produce Any Big Signings? That is the question as we await the new, mid-September opening of the NFL-USFL window. With the window not opening until after the NFL season has started, we fully expect even some of the late holdouts to be gone. It is the rare player who is willing to give up on an NFL contract to sign with a USFL team even after the NFL season has begun, so, just as we expected when the two leagues agreed to the deal, we are fully anticipating a much smaller pool to be available in September, just as the USFL pool will likely be very slim for the NFL in February. So, are there any big-name players still unsigned as we look ahead several weeks? Actually yes, with one name getting a lot of attention. The player everyone is holding their breath over is a big one. The rift between San Diego and Ladanian Tomlinson has appeared to only grow over the offseason, and he has not yet accepted an offer from another NFL team. The Jets appear to be the frontrunner among NFL teams, but even with NFL camps opening and teams soon to open the regular season, Tomlinson seems adamant about seeking a deal that suits him, and he has not ruled out a switch to the USFL as an option. If his statements about the USFL are legitimate, Tomlinson, an NFL rushing champion and genuine future hall of famer, could be a huge focal point for several USFL clubs. With the retirement of Sedrick Irvin, and with Antowain Smith and Fred Jackson now free agents, we see at least 3 teams that are very much looking for a back. Arizona and Jacksonville have to be salivating over the prospect of signing Tomlinson, while New Orleans can be a bit more canny with Matt Forte developing over the course of this past season. But these three clubs may not be alone in looking very hard at Tomlinson. Yes, he is a veteran with a lot of miles on him, but he is also a top tier talent who would be an upgrade for many clubs in the league. Once we get past LT, the list of available NFL free agents gets a bit slimmer. There are some talented players, but not true superstars in the pool, including QB Chad Pennington of Miami, WR Antonio Bryant of the Bucs, Chicago DE Adewale Ogunleye, Minnesota HB Chester Taylor, Chicago safety Darren Sharper, and Bengals’ safety Roy Williams, but how many of these players will still be free agents in September remains to be seen. What we are more likely to see are several USFL free agents joining NFL teams after 2-3 weeks of the fall season. The same would be true in February and March when NFL players will be free agents after the 2010 season. The Window reopens 2 weeks before the USFL season starts (February 28) and will run through the first 2 weeks of the regular season. If USFL teams are able to sign any big-name NFL talent, they likely would not see the field until Week 4 or later, but the same is true for any NFL signings this fall. The goal of the agreement seems to have been fewer inter-league swaps, and that may well be what we are seeing. When we report back before the USFL Draft, we will see if any of the bigger named NFL players have crossed to the USFL or if it was a one-way transfer in September. TEAM PREVIEWS As we prepare for free agency and, beyond that, the draft, the key for each club is to address glaring needs, upgrade where position groups are weaker, and mold a roster to match the style of play that the coaches believe give the team its best chance to win games. Some teams may just tweak around the edges, feeling that they already have the core pieces in place. Others may seek a complete overhaul, top to bottom, to create a new culture and a new trajectory. Every team has questions, and every team is hoping to find the answers through a combination of trades, signings, and draft selections. Will it happen for everyone? Absolutely not, but we thought we would at least try to help each club out by identifying what we see as the best options for each team, starting at the top, with the newly-crowned champion, Boston, and working our way down to the team with the worst 2009 record and the #1 pick in the draft, St. Louis. BOSTON CANNONS Biggest Offseason Question: We are working from the premise that the Cannons are happy with the prospect of putting Adrian McPherson under center. He played very well in 2009 and is the heir apparent, so what other position is one to be concerned about? How about DE, where Hugh Douglas has retired, leaving a pretty good hole in the roster? If Boston wants to stay on top, they will need to replace both Douglas and LB London Fletcher, who we expect to sign elsewhere in free agency. Positions of Need: SS, DE, FS, FB, G Best T-Draft Prospect: DE O’Brien Schofield of Wisconsin may be a good pickup in the T-Draft, where Boston has no true Blue Chip options. Player to Target: To solve a gap at strong safety, Boston should consider either Oakland free agent Pearson Prioleau or a rookie like Texas’s Earl Thomas. OAKLAND INVADERS Biggest Offseason Question: While many fans might think the potential loss of Plaxico Burress to NFL suspension (or jail time) is the biggest issue for Oakland, we think it is the potential loss of two key defenders to free agency that is the bigger issue. Both SS Pearson Prioleau and LB Roosevelt Colvin are testing the waters, and if both leave, that is a big concern for Dennis Green’s defense. Positions of Need: LB, DT, SS, FB Best T-Draft Prospect: Oakland is pretty solid at halfback, but with Jahvid Best and Ryan Matthews both potential T-Draft picks, they could be tempted. If not, then DT Tyson Alualu from Cal is the strongest candidate for the Invaders. Player to Target: If the do lose Roosevelt Colvin, we would expect Oakland to look to sign either James Farrior from Baltimore or Paul Posluszny from the Stars. MICHIGAN PANTHERS Biggest Offseason Question: The Panthers have some major defensive departures with Shawne Merriman (Free Agency), Eric Flowers (Free Agency) and Leonard Renfro (Retirement) potentially gone. Do they prioritize the LB group again or do they try to add more “oomphf” to the D-line? Positions of Need: OT, DT, LB, G, DE Best T-Draft Prospect: Wolverine DE Brandon Graham seems a great fit for this Panther team, and the best prospect emerging from Michigan, MSU, or Central Michigan this year. Player to Target: Defensive Tackle is an area of known need, so how about having the Panthers, who have a pretty tight cap, going for a top flight rookie like Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy or Tyson Alualu? NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS Biggest Offseason Question: Is New Orleans happy with Matt Forte taking on the full load at HB, or will they go after a back to keep their tandem approach in place? With Antowain Smith the best of a pretty weak free agent pool, we could see New Orleans test the water with LaDainian Tomlinson if he is there in September. Positions of Need: HB, C, CB, LB, WR, DT Best T-Draft Prospect: DT D’Anthony Smith of La Tech is an intriguing prospect, and WR Brandon LaFell of LSU could also be a good compliment to the Breaker receiving corps. Player to Target: If not Tomlinson, then what about a versatile rookie back like C. J. Spiller or Jahvid Best? DENVER GOLD Biggest Offseason Question: It looks like the Gold are going to lose Kendrell Bell to free agency, which means they need an aggressive and fast outside LB to fill that slot. Is there one in free agency? If not, what does Denver do to get in position to find a top LB in the draft? Positions of Need: LB, SS, HB, FB, G, WR Best T-Draft Prospect: Denver has first dibs on Ndamukong Suh. Do they pull the trigger or let the likely high-priced DT go in favor of a more affordable option like Cornhusker safety Larry Asante or TCU end Jerry Hughes? Player to Target: If LB is a need, and it looks like it is, we think Denver goes cheap in the T-Draft to have the funds needed to land either Shawne Merriman or Alabama rookie Rolando McClain. CHICAGO MACHINE Biggest Offseason Question: If Ted Washington retires, is Chicago happy enough with Ellis Wyms and Kris Jenkins in that position:? We think the answer will be no. Positions of Need: G, SS, DT, OT, LB, CB Best T-Draft Prospect: Wideout does not seem to be a position of great need, but can Chicago really pass up both Aurelius Benn and Golden Tate? We already know they are not going to protect Jimmy Clausen, the Notre Dame QB, but will they pass on two top flight receivers? Player to Target: Chicago has a need at safety, and there is a perfect fit among NFL free agents, one we think the Machine could possibly snag, Saints strong safety Darren Sharper would excel in the Machine system. BALTIMORE BLITZ Biggest Offseason Question: The cap is a huge issue for the Blitz. The big question now is whether or not they can find room to sign either LB James Farrior or DE Jared Allen? Could both be lost, and who could they afford to replace them with? Positions of Need: LB, DE, CB, QB, WR Best T-Draft Prospect: The Blitz never get a lot of bang for their buck from Maryland, Kentucky, and Louisville, but this year they could get a decent cornerback in UK’s Trevard Lindley. Player to Target: Cap space could force Baltimore to look for some lower cost replacements for top players. If Farrior goes, the discount version is likely either Scott Fujita or Bart Scott. If it is Allen, then perhaps Eric Flowers or Tim Crowder could provide some quality at a lower cost. ORLANDO RENEGADES Biggest Offseason Question: After resigning Michael Jenkins, can the Renegades build a receiving corps around him? There just are not great targets for Drew Brees outside of Jenkins and TE Greg Olsen. With Dante Stallworth and Brandon Stokely gone, the time is now to build up a deeper and more varied receiving group. Positions of Need: WR, G, LB, C, FS, CB Best T-Draft Prospect: The “U” stands for “usually provides talent” for the Renegades, and this year there is some real talent in TE Jimmy Graham, but that is not a position the ‘Gades need. We think they look at linebacker Darryl Sharpton instead. Player to Target: Looking at the WR need, there are some good options, ranging from Terrell Owens to Joe Horn, Santana Moss, Dez White, or Eddie Kennison. PHILADELPHIA STARS Biggest Offseason Question: Losing guard Flozell Adams to retirement hurts, but so too are the potential losses of LB Paul Posluszny and WR Terrell Owens. While the big question may well be “How did Philly get in such a cap crunch that they could not sign these guys?” the real issue is how do the rebuild from big losses like these three. Positions of Need: T, G, WR, LB, FS Best T-Draft Prospect: Penn State is Linebacker U, and they have two potential fits for the Stars in Sean Lee and NaVorro Bowman. Lee is the closest in skillset to Posluszny, but Bowman may have more upside. Player to Target: Not a lot of cap room for the Stars to think of big signings, not unless they reconfigure some contracts, but guards tend not to be higher cost players, so it might be possible to replace Adams with someone like Sciulo, Friedman, or Genarro DiNapoli. NASHVILLE KNIGHTS Biggest Offseason Question: Fans are asking if this is the year Cutler turns potential into points on the scoreboard. Nashville just does not have enough to support Cutler and Frank Gore. They need more options in the passing game and maybe a solid change of pace back as well. Positions of Need: CB, FS, G, SS, WR, HB Best T-Draft Prospect: Safety Eric Berry from Tennessee would be nice, but we love the idea of Ole Miss’s Dexter McCluster as a back/receiver hybrid in the Nashville offense. Player to Target: McCluster would be a great get, but for the defense, how about the best corner available, former Machine #1 Al Harris. Yes, he is 32, but he still has the speed and savvy to shut down some of the league’s best receivers. WASHINGTON FEDERALS Biggest Offseason Question: How do the Feds replace Kordell Stewart? We don’t think the answer is on the Washington roster right now, so do they make a bid on Jake Delhomme and then look ahead to the QB-rich 2011 draft for a long term answer? Positions of Need: QB, DT, WR, CB, DE Best T-Draft Prospect: We don’t see the Feds solving their QB issue in the draft, but cornerback is a position with two strong territorial options, Chris Cook of Virginia and Brandon Ghee of Wake Forest. Player to Target: Let’s assume that Jake Delhomme is not an option. Of all the free agent QBs out there, the best fit for Washington is either David Garrard or Henry Burris. Boy, that feels like a step down either way. HOUSTON GAMBLERS Biggest Offseason Question: The big question Gambler fans are asking is if Houston still has a shot to resign Richard Seymour. His departure in free agency would be a big loss for the Houston D. If they cannot get Seymour back in Gambler gear, they will have some big shoes to fill (honestly, very literally big shoes). Positions of Need: DT, LB, G, DE, CB, FB Best T-Draft Prospect: TCU could provide the Gamblers with players in two key positions, with Jerry Hughes as an edge rushing DE and Daryl Washington as a possible LB replacement for Sam Cowart. Player to Target: With guard Chris Noale retiring, the Gamblers should be eying free agents like Steve Sciulo or Lennie Friedman to try to maintain the protection that Matt Hasselbeck needs to be effective. PORTLAND STAGS Biggest Offseason Question: Other than “Is this club ready to truly compete?” the other big question for the Stags is whether they can pick up a true playmaker in the offseason. Portland’s offense is solid but lacks explosiveness, so a dynamic wideout or 3rd down back could be a difference maker. Positions of Need: G, FS, CB, TE, LB, WR Best T-Draft Prospect: Not a great year for prospects out of Oregon, Oregon State or Boise State. The best option is likely Boise’s Kyle Wilson at corner, which is a position of need. They are also looking for a safety, so Oregon’s T. J. Ward could be an option. Player to Target: The most explosive receiver in the free agent pool is Santana Moss, or the Stags could go for the gold and try to land LaDainian Tomlinson, but that does seem a stretch. OHIO GLORY Biggest Offseason Question: What is the future without Kerry Collins? That is the one and only question on the lips of Ohioans across the state. Do the Glory make a deal for veteran QB Jake Delhomme, or do they stand with Chris Redman this year in hopes of finding a gem in the 2011 draft? Positions of Need: QB, DE, CB, T, G, C Best T-Draft Prospect: The annual Ohio State pipeline is looking a bit dry this year. No All-Americans in the 2010 grad class,but we could see DE Thaddeus Gibson being a useful signing and the Glory could go after Cincinnati QB Tony Pike as a possible developmental player. Player to Target: Honestly, Delhomme makes a lot of sense for the Glory. He plays in some similar ways to Collins and could give the core group one to two years of life before Galloway and George call it a career and the full rebuild begins. SEATTLE DRAGONS Biggest Offseason Question: How do you replace a potential Hall of Fame running back? With Dillon gone, and neither Betts nor Sproles a true lead back, Seattle has to start looking for options. Is that Antowain Smith? Fred Jackson? Maybe a rookie with upside like Ryan Matthews or Auburn’s Ben Tate? Positions of Need: HB, WR, SS, CB, LB Best T-Draft Prospect: A bad prospect year for Seattle, with very few Huskies or Cougars of any note. Safety Shann Schillinger of Montana is a developmental option, but has physical skills in a position of need. Player to Target: We think the Dragons may be a player in either the Tomlinson or Antowain Smith chases. Either that or they may need to move up in the draft to try to land a quality rookie at halfback. CHARLOTTE MONARCHS Biggest Offseason Question: Can the Monarchs build an offense to help take some pressure off their D? What that means depends who you ask. Some feel that Weinke is just not good enough at QB. Others think improving the line would help the run and passing attacks, while others look at the receivers and just don’t see enough to compete. Positions of Need: HB, WR, G, LB, TE, T Best T-Draft Prospect: The obvious choice for the Monarchs is one of the two UNC D-linemen, end E. J. Wilson or tackle Cam Thomas, but neither of these would help that offense get any better. Player to Target: HB Fred Jackson would be a good addition to split time with Robert Edwards, but another option would be to find a new TE and the perfect fit might be Wrangler TE Kevin Everett, who can block well in the run game and is an effective inside receiver. PITTSBURGH MAULERS Biggest Offseason Question: We all know TE is a huge position, and we expect the Maulers to go after options in both free agency and the draft, but we are also wondering if it is time for Pat White to step up. Pickett started 2009 strong, but faded hard down in the second half. There are a lot of grumblings from Mauler fans that Ron Rivera did not give Pat White a shot. Is 2010 when we see him get that chance? Positions of Need: TE, DE, G, CB, T, WR Best T-Draft Prospect: Pitt has two tight ends ready for the draft, but neither Nate Byham nor Dorin Dickeron are ready to start in the USFL. We still think the Maulers will select one or both of them, but they will need another option as well. Player to Target: We don’t see Orlando protecting U. of Miami TE Jimmy Graham, so this could be a perfect player for the Maulers to pursue. ATLANTA FIRE Biggest Offseason Question: The defense seemed ready for prime time last year, and Kyle Orton got better over the year, so now the big question is whether or not Coach Ramsey is happy with a pretty middle-of-the-road receiving group. There is some real talent in free agency. Do they go get a true #1? Positions of Need: WR, C, T, P Best T-Draft Prospect: The T-Draft and the U. of Georgia may help Coach Ramsey find his #1 wideout. Bulldog Demaryius Thomas is viewed as a surefire 1st round pick, so if Atlanta can convince him to come to the USFL, he could very quickly take on a big role for them. Player to Target: If the fire don’t want to wait for the draft to deal with the WR situation, the clear option is Terrell Owens, who certainly brings #1 receiver swagger to the game. LAS VEGAS THUNDER Biggest Offseason Question: Can June Jones’s offense work in Las Vegas without major WR upgrades? Hatchette, Ponder, and Hill are just not textbook Run & Shoot receivers, who tend to be shorter, quicker, and more explosive. Positions of Need: WR, DE, T, SS, CB, K Best T-Draft Prospect: Utah’s Koa Misi is a likely target of the Thunder. The Samoan edge rusher is a pure power guy, but that is good for a defense that already has Erasmus James on the other side. Player to Target: Las Vegas could look at rookie receiver options, but most are also taller, more traditional outside guys. They may find more luck going after some mid-range free agents like Az-Zahir Hakeem, MarTay Jenkins, Troy Williamson, or Jabar Gaffney. ARIZONA WRANGLERS Biggest Offseason Question: The big question we are all asking is what impact Norv Turner will have on the Arizona offense. There are pretty big questions at QB, where there is likely a battle between NFL import David Carr and youngster Colt Brennan, and at halfback after Sedrick Irvin’s departure. Santana Moss is also likely gone, as is TE Kevin Everett, so there is a major opportunity for Turner to build an offense around a very different roster. Positions of Need: TE, WR, HB, DT, LB, T Best T-Draft Prospect: We love the idea of Arizona Wildcat TE Rob Gronkowski joining a Norv Turner offense. He could be a major factor regardless of who starts at QB for the Wranglers. Player to Target: If Arizona does not get immediately involved in the LT and/or Antowain Smith sweepstakes, they are going to catch hell from their fans. A true bell cow back would make life a lot easier for Norv Turner and the QB he selects. TAMPA BAY BANDITS Biggest Offseason Question: It is very possible that the Bandits could lose three major players on defense with La’Roi Glover considering retirement and both Samari Rolle and Orpheus Roy in free agency. That will put pressure on the Bandits to go heavy on defense this offseason, but they also need some depth at wide receiver. Positions of Need: CB, DT, DE, WR, T, G Best T-Draft Prospect: A very deep pool coming out of Florida and South Carolina this year, but when you look at areas of need, DE and CB seem the obvious focus areas, especially with the Gators providing two excellent options in DE Jason Pierre-Paul and corner Patrick Robinson. Player to Target: Other than the two rookies we just named, one free agent who would help solidify the defense would be if Tampa Bay could find the funds to land former Houston DT Richard Seymour, a perennial All-USFL nominee. TEXAS OUTLAWS Biggest Offseason Question: The Outlaws return home to San Antonio after a triumphant stay in Dallas, well, as triumphant as a 5-9 club can have. So the question for this offseason is whether or not the Outlaws can take the step everyone expected them to take last year. Norv Turner is gone, and we don’t know which direction the Outlaws will go with their new coach, but he had better be able to help develop Joe Flacco into a legitimate offensive weapon or Texas will simply continue to put out disappointing seasons. Positions of Need: DE, T, TE, DT, WR, HB Best T-Draft Prospect: Texas is providing two solid options at DE in Sergio Kindle and Lamarr Houston, expect Texas to scout both and draft one of the two. Player to Target: The Outlaws have decent cap space, so they could be a real player in the DE and DT markets. Jared Allen, Andrew Wadsworth, Richard Seymour, and Anthony McFarland could all be in play for them. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS Biggest Offseason Question: Who will be the new coach in LA and what kind of changes will they bring? The Express have some serious talent across the roster, but they just don’t seem to be able to put it all together. Whoever their new coach is, he will need to find a way to turn individual talent into team football. Positions of Need: WR, T, G, K, P Best T-Draft Prospect: This is one of those years where the strengths of the UCLA and USC prospects do not align well with the needs of the Express. Safety Taylor Mays is a great prospect, but not when you have Troy Polamalu sitting in his natural position. WR Damian Williams is not as polished as LA would like for a #2, but could still be a player to watch. Player to Target: Protecting Mark Sanchez and finding him a 2nd go to receiver seem keys for the offseason, so how about trying to double dip on lT Matt Willig (MGN) and wideout Joe Horn, a veteran presence who would be a good complement to Keyshawn. We are assuming that Jonathan Ogden does retire, and even if he doesn’t, why not prepare for that eventuality now? BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS Biggest Offseason Question: With a shaky QB situation, no run game, and now Joe Horn leaving, what offensive options do the Stallions have? Which positions do they prioritize? Can they afford to get enough help to make a difference? Positions of Need: WR, HB, C, TE, LB, G Best T-Draft Prospect: A lot of defensive talent available for Birmingham in Alabama’s Rolando McClain, Kareem Jackson, and Terrance Cody, but where is the offensive help? Player to Target: The Stallions cannot go into the year with Dante Do and Dedrick Ward as their top 2 receivers. The Stallions should be exploring every WR option, and, if they can get a shot at LaDainian Tomlinson, they should be putting energy there too. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS Biggest Offseason Question: What do we do now that the 3-year Brett Favre revival has ended? Mike McMahon did not fare well when Favre went down, which is why he is now a free agent. Is another vet like Delhomme the answer, or does Memphis take a shot at a somewhat raw, but high upside prospect like a Jimmy Clausen or Colt McCoy? Positions of Need: QB, DT, CB, LB, HB Best T-Draft Prospect: Just no help at all for the Showboats in this year’s very small and unimpressive pool of Arkansas, Mississippi State, and Memphis prospects. Guard Mitch Petrus is a safe bet, but even he is still only considered a mid-round prospect. Player to Target: We would expect Memphis to be a major player in talks with the Bulls about Jake Delhomme. We don’t see Jim Haslett trying to groom a rookie QB, and Delhomme is the most plug-and-play option out there. NEW JERSEY GENERALS Biggest Offseason Question: Can the Generals lock up Sam Bradford from their T-Draft? That is all anyone wants to know. Ryan Fitzpatrick was pretty capable last year, but could not produce wins, and fans in New Jersey are salivating at the prospect of nabbing a potential Heisman winner at QB. Positions of Need: QB, LB, T, CB, DE, K Best T-Draft Prospect: It’s all about Bradford, but the Generals should not pass on his teammate Trent Williams either, a pro-ready LT who could absolutely help keep Bradford (or Fitzpatrick) on the field. Player to Target: In addition to the T-Draft options, New Jersey should invest in a pair of linebackers to fill out their LB group. How about throwing some money at James Farrior, London Fletcher, or Paul Posluszny to become the new defensive signal caller? JACKSONVILLE BULLS Biggest Offseason Question: Fans are wondering why the urgency to trade Delhomme, one of the more consistent Bull performers. If both he and Antowain Smith are gone, what is left? There are a lot of questions, but honestly, if the Bulls can land Tim Tebow, you know the stadium will be rocking for the Bulls, and that may be enough this year. Positions of Need: QB, HB, CB, DE, C, TE Best T-Draft Prospect: Tebow-mania is real. He is by no means a conventional QB, so Coach Frazier will have his hands full trying to figure out how to use him, but first the Bulls need to convince the UF star to stay close to home. Player to Target: The Bulls will need a halfback, regardless of what happens with Tebow. C. J. Spller is another T-Draft target, but that is one expensive duo to bring in. Another option might be to promote Lorenzo Booker up to a rotation with a less expensive 2nd option like Domenic Rhodes or Michael Robinson. ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS Biggest Offseason Question: Fifth year and third head coach for the Skyhawks. Can Bruce Arians get this right? Josh Freeman seems to be a true option at QB, but there are so many other needs on this club, the real question is “Where do we start?”. Everywhere is the answer, but it is not a viable one. Positions of Need: HB, DT, T, DE, TE, LB, SS, CB Best T-Draft Prospect: St. Louis may arguably have the weakest T-Draft options of any club with Iowa, Missouri, and K-State, but there are at least some decent prospects from the Hawkeye state this year. TE Tony Moeaki and LB Pat Angerer are solid options, but the #1 target should be LT Bryan Bulaga because without better protection, Josh Freeman will not have success (or a long career.) Player to Target: Other than the Iowa trio mentioned above, the Skyhawks need a halfback who can truly take the pressure off the passing game. That could be a rookie like Ryan Matthews, Toby Gerhart or Ben Tate, but they should also consider Antowain Smith as a serious option. He is the kind of grinder St. Louis needs in order to keep drives moving. When we next check in on the USFL, we will take a look back at all the big free agency signings, both within the USFL and the transfer window. We will look at the players protected in the T-Draft and do our best to predict the first round of the open draft. We will also catch up with any new coaching hires, big trades, or late retirements. For now, we sign off and turn our attention to the upcoming NFL season, but we will be back In January to once again turn our sights on the USFL and draft season.

Boston Erases 12-Point Deficit to Win USFL Title in Final Minutes It was a shocking comeback, or a shocking collapse, that turned the final few minutes of Summer Bowl 2009 into one to be remembered. The Boston Cannons, who had been held without a touchdown for the first three quarters exploded in the final three minutes to score two and steal a win that many Invader faithful were already celebrating. It was a stunning turn of events and may well be the greatest comeback (or choke) in Summer Bowl history. It was also a Summer Bowl that fully benefited the folks who got to their office’s scoring table bets very late, with the first quarter score 2-0, then 2-10 at the half, and 13-5 after three quarters. Those are some unpopular number combinations on the typical betting grid, but thanks to an early safety the game was bound to have an odd score throughout. It only ended up with what looked like a pretty normal final scor due to a failed 2-point PAT. But more on that later. The game began in earnest after the usual fanfare, singing of the anthem and “God Bless America”, the flyover from nearby Joint Base Andrews, the coin toss (won by Boston), and then on to the opening kick. And, as expected, the game began with both teams feeling each other out, very typical in a title game between two teams that had not faced off in the regular season. Boston gained a first down on a short pass to Jurevicius before being forced to punt 3 plays later. Oakland went three-and-out on their first possession, and so it went throughout the first, with neither team finding much success. There were a few first downs, but there were also a couple of drive killing penalties (both on Boston) and a sack of Harrington that ended another. Playing for field position in a game that was slow to start, Boston got the first break of the game when Mark Whittaker, Boston’s punter, placed the ball at the 2-yard line with a perfect coffin corner kick. Whittaker, who would have 7 punts on the day would place 6 of those 7 inside the 20, an impressive outing for sure. Starting at the 2, Oakland attempted a dive play to Williams, but got nowhere on first down. On second down it got even worse, as Harrington and Williams all but collided on a botched counter play, the ball did not make it to Williams’ hands and Harrington was swarmed under by Boston’s Hugh Douglas, producing the game’s first points and a 2-0 Boston lead after one quarter of play. Boston took the safety kick, but another penalty (holding) pushed them back as they ended up with 2nd and 18 and then 3rd and 18. Unable to get in range for Stephen Haushka, the Cannons punted and Oakland took over at the 17. The Invaders would get their first big drive in response to the safety, moving the ball in fits and starts, with Williams and Norwood splitting carries and Harrington connecting with Joel Dreesen on a key 3rd down. The found themselves inside the 5 with a 3rd and goal, but a good defensive stop from Fred Smoot on a throw to Jennings forced them to make a decision. Oakland opted to go for the kick, a chipshot 17-yarder for the lead, 3-2 Oakland. After a Boston drive that ended on the Oakland 48, Whitaker again placed the ball inside the 20, and Oakland again started a slow-progressing drive towards the Cannon endzone. This time they would not stop short, scoring from well outside the redzone thanks to a perfectly set up toss left that found Jerious Norwood with 2 blockers out in front and a nearly-untouched race to the endzone. Under two minutes to go in the half and we finally had our first touchdown. Oakland had not looked pretty, but they went into the locker rooms up 10-2, having shut down one of the highest scoring offenses in the league in the process. While Alicia Keyes and Ne-Yo were performing at halftime, Coach Fox was reading his offense the riot act. They had simply not been connecting all game. Chad Johnson and Joe Jurevicius had been targeted 9 times in the first half and had 3 receptions to show for it. Rashard Mendenhall was not finding room to run and drives were getting stunted before they could even get into range for All-USFL kicker Stephen Haushka. Meanwhile, on the Oakland side, Dennis Green was praising his defense, while also trying to remind the squad that there were 30 minutes of some of the toughest football they would ever play ahead of them. Oakland started the second half with the ball, but a 3rd and 3 run by Williams was stopped a yard short and the Invaders were forced to punt. Boston’s offense came out onto the field, and Drew Bledsoe immediately connected with Percy Harvin for a 13 yard gain to get the Cannon fans in attendance back into the game. Mendenhall had his best run of the game, an 11-yarder, and Boston crept into scoring range. They would not reach the endzone, thanks to the Oakland defense, but it was close enough (the 32) for Haushka to connect on a 49-yard field goal to make the score 10-5 and put Boston within one TD of the lead. Oakland responded, using up 5 minutes on a long drive that eventually got bogged down inside the 20. They too would have to settle for a field goal, but a 30-yard Hollis kick would put them up by 8, ensuring the Cannons could not take the lead with one good drive. As we entered the final period of play, Boston had the ball, and Oakland had the lead, a stunningly low-scoring lead at 13-5. The Oakland defense had spent much of the day hurrying Drew Bledsoe and keeping the receivers in front of them, breaking on the ball and effectively breaking up passes. On the first drive of the 4th quarter that formula worked once again, as Boston was forced to punt after only 3 plays. Oakland failed to make a first down on its first drive of the final period, after Jerious Norwood could not wrangle a low ball on a 3rd down screen play. Boston got the ball back at the 12 minute mark and, working mostly underneath, managed to drive into Oakland territory before getting bogged down. They would have to settle for another Haushka field goal, but that score would again put them into a one-score game. Oakland could not be comfortable with the Cannons within 7 and their urgency showed on the following possession. The Invaders slowed down the clock, snapping the ball within 3 seconds of a delay of game each play. They also relied on Norwood more than Williams for the first time in the game, clearly seeing that Williams was being bottled up, but Norwood was able to find space outside. They slowly worked their way down field, and, thanks in part to a defensive holding call on a 3rd and 8, they found themselves in the red zone. A short pass to Greg Jennings got them inside the 10, and then a swing route to Williams, not typically a big part of the passing game, caught Boston off guard and the big back carried the safety into the endzone. Oakland was back up by 2 scores at 20-8, and with only 4:56 left to play, the Invader fans at M&T Bank Stadium were beginning to feel festive. That feeling would quickly fade. Now with a true sense of urgency, Boston moved to a no-huddle, hurry up offense with nearly 5 minutes left to play. Consecutive sideline patterns to Jurevicius and Johnson were successful in providing Boston with two quick first downs. A draw to Tony Hunt got them a third, and very quickly Boston was looking like a threat to score. The Cannons’ progress slowed down inside the Oakland 40 and they found themselves stuck with a decision at the 37, a 4th and 2. Coach Fox opted not to bring out Haushka. Adding 3 points would still leave them 2 scores away. They set up in the shotgun, then shifted to a wildcat formation. The move surprised Oakland, and as the linebackers were adjusting, the ball was snapped to Mendenhall, who followed Ciatrick Fason to the right for a gain of 3, just enough to keep the drive going. Three plays later, Bledsoe pump faked to Johnson on the right side, pulling the safety off of Percy Harvin, who then received the ball and scampered 23 yards to the endzone untouched. Boston was back within 1 score at 20-15. But they would need the ball back quickly. Boston opted to kick the ball deep, trusting their defense to get them a 3-and-out. It was by no means a guarantee, the Invaders had proven they could mount a drive, but Boston had all 3 timeouts. First down saw Norwood runs for 3 yards, timeout Boston. On second down they tried to pound Williams up the middle: 1 yard and the 2-minute warning saved Boston a time out. Third and 6, would Oakland throw the ball and risk stopping the clock with an incompletion, or try to gain 6 yards with a running play? They went for the run and the clock run off. Norwood again, but only for 2 yards. Boston used its second time out. They would get the ball back on a Bidwell punt with just under 2 minutes to play, trailing by 5. Bidwell’s punt was not solid, traveling only 34 yards. Boston was at their own 42 yard line, with a time out and 58 yards to go to steal this game. The drive did not start well. Bledsoe was immediately pressured and went down for a 10 yard loss, a timely sack by Israel Idonije. The Cannons raced to the line, but the 2nd down throw to Johnson was incomplete. Third and 20 from the 32. Bledsoe again lined up in the shotgun, with 4 receivers. Whalen shifted over to Israel Idonije’s side to chip block the DE, and Bledsoe had the time he needed. He connected with Jurevicius on a pass that initially was short, but Jurevicius spun out of the grasp of the corner, gaining 25 in total and giving Boston life. First and ten from the Oakland 43. Bledsoe spikes the ball. Second and 10 and this time it was Aaron Schobel getting to the Boston QB. Another sack, setting up another 3rd and 20. Again Boston spread out the formation. Again Bledsoe found his receiver, this time it was Chad Johnson on the sideline. The play would be reviewed by the officials, unsure if Johnson got his 2nd foot in bounds before falling out of play at the 19. They ruled he had touched both feet in bounds for a 34-yard gain on 3rd and 20. Boston was still alive. First and 10 from the 19 with 13 seconds left. Time to go for the endzone. Bledsoe did just that with a toss to Harvin on first down. The ball was a bit behind his receiver and Harvin could not bring it in. Second and 10 from the 19, 8 seconds left. The crowd was on its feet at this point, with a lot of visible nerves from both Oakland and Boston fans. Bledsoe lined up in a shotgun formation, trips receivers to his right, Johnson, Harvin, and Cedric Wilson. Jurevicius the only receiver on the left side. The trio of receivers formed in a tight bunch. At the snap, Bledsoe looked towards Jurevicius, then back across the field, before quickly throwing a ball towards the back right corner of the endzone. It would be a throw for Johnson, and the league’s top receiver would be there. Johnson hauled in the pass, took a hit from cornerback Eric Wright, and run into the back wall padding. The heavily Boston-sided crowd went wild. The announcers called it a miracle drive, and Chad Johnson danced with his teammates in the endzone. With only 3 seconds left on the clock, Boston had taken the lead, 21-20. Coach Fox called for a 2-point play, hoping to build the lead to 3 just in case a miraculous Oakland finish allowed them a shot at a field goal. Rashard Mendenhall was unable to cross the plain so the score remained a 1-point lead. The kickoff would not be a squib, but a full kick that laid up just shy of the endzone. DeSean Jackson made the first man miss, but was quickly swarmed by Boston players, and the game ended with Boston’s bench clearing and racing out to the field. The Cannons had done the improbable, perhaps the unthinkable, they had scored twice in the final 3 minutes, scored twice when they had been unable to get in the endzone all game. Oakland had been up by 12 with only 3 minutes to play, but somehow had let this one slip away. The game MVP went to Bledsoe, perhaps more for emotional reasons than statistical ones as Bledsoe had completed only 14 of 36 throws. He had, of course, led the way on the two final drives which turned the game from defeat to unexpected victory, but this was more about celebrating his triumphant return after last season’s disappointment. Boston had their championship, one which had eluded them in their prior playoff runs. For Oakland it would be a bitter pill to swallow. They had played so well, particularly on defense, only to have it all melt away in devastating fashion. As the confetti in Boston’s navy, grey, and yellow rained down on the field, Bostonians celebrated. They had a champion, the first pro football title for the city in either league in the long history of professional football. The Cannons were the newest USFL champions and the John Bassett Trophy would soon be winding its way along a parade route in Bean Town. (For those who are wondering, the USFL signing Tom Brady out of college and him then going to Dallas after several years in New Jersey, left New England with a series of pretty bad QBs. Even when Cade McNown came over from the Express, he did not find success. Without a QB, the Patriots floundered, Bill Belichick was let go in 2006, and in 2009 is a defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. This means that the Cannons are the first league champion for Boston in pro football. What can I say. As a lifelong Bills fan, I had to be a bit mean towards the Patsies and Belichick.)

A huge weekend of football as four clubs fight for a ticket to Summer Bowl 2009. We had a classic #2 seed v. #1 seed matchup in the West, and a David v. Goliath matchup between the #7 seed Breakers and the #1 seed Boston Cannons in the East. The winners would head to Baltimore and the USFL's 27th league championship game. We will recap those games, update you on two coaching hires and the first trades of the offseason as we prepare for the "Biggest Game of the Summer" next week. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 24 BOSTON CANNONS 27 OVERTIME Nothing like overtime playoff football, and that is just what we got on Sunday as the Breakers took the Cannons into extra time. Boston may have taken the 7th seed too lightly, as they needed a miraculous final drive just to avoid the loss. In a game with 5 lead changes and some big time plays, Boston found a way and punched their ticket to the Summer Bowl, but it was nip and tuck all the way. The Cannons started well, getting the only score of the 1st quarter on a Rashard Mendenhall run. But the Cannons’ luck changed in the 2nd, when a spectacular tip & pick play from Randall Gay gave New Orleans the ball inside Boston territory and Eli Manning quickly took a shot, hitting Early Doucet for a 23-yard strike to even the score. As the quarter wound down, New Orleans took the league as they connected on a 40-yard field goal to go into the half with the lead and a somewhat discouraged Cannon club. The third quarter swung back Boston’s way, as they had a 7-minute drive, ending in Mendenhall’s 2nd score of the day. Boston moved the ball well in the air, with both Johnson and Jurevicius finishing with over 100 yards receiving, but they just could not hold a lead. Up 14-10, they watched as the Breakers had their own long drive, a 77-yarder, and their own go-ahead score, a 3-yard Matt Forte run. The Forte score put them up 17-14 with 10 minutes left to play. Boston equalized the score with a field goal at the 5:27 mark, but the fans’ spirits sunk when, after a 3-and-out, Boston punted to Jerome Pathon, and the Breaker return man found a crease, returning the kick 80 yards for the go-ahead score. Just 1:06 left to play and the #1 seeded Cannons were down 7. They would need to put the ball into the hands of Drew Bledsoe and hope for a score to head into overtime. They got just that. Bledsoe was masterful, completing 4 of 5 passes, finding both Johnson and Jurevicius on deep balls even with the Breakers keeping 7 men in coverage. With only 7 seconds left to play, Bledsoe found Joe Jurevicius for the equalizer and Boston sent the game to overtime. In the extra period, Manning, who had completed 19 of 25 passing, missed on both of his throws and the Breakers were forced to punt the ball away. Boston would go back on offense, and they would only need 30 yards to get in range for Stephen Haushka. It took them only 4 plays, including a 20-yard strike to Percy Harvin and an 18-yarder to Jurevicius. Rather than take a shot on a 3rd and 7, they trotted out Haushka to win the game with a mid-range kick, and their All-USFL kicker put the ball right down the middle for the win. The Cannons were headed to the Summer Bowl, becoming the third of the four 1995 expansion teams to qualify for the league’s title game (Ohio in 2002 was the first, Seattle in 2006 was the second). MICHIGAN PANTHERS 31 OAKLAND INVADERS 45 We did not get a second overtime game on Sunday, but we certainly got enough scoring to keep the fans entertained. The night game featured Brian Griese, the league’s Offensive Player of the Year, and an Oakland run game that produced 5 scores on the day. Defenses struggled all around, with Griese going for 371 despite being sacked 5 times, while DeSean Jackson lit it up for Oakland with 122 yards receiving. But it was the Invader run game that won the day. Three TDs from Ricky Williams and two more form Jerious Norwood put Michigan in a hole they could not dig out of. The Panthers had a 14-7 lead in the 1st quarter, thanks to TD catches from Ward and Joppru, but from the moment Ricky Williams scored his 2nd of the day until the end of the game, they would never have the lead again. From 14-14 the game went to 14-21, 14-28, 14-35, and 14-42 as Oakland scored 28 unanswered points in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Michigan got some scores in late, but by then it was too little too late. Griese finished the game with 371 yards passing, but Oakland had dominated when it counted, and where it counted, on the scoreboard, and that sent the Invaders to the Summer Bowl as the Western Conference Champion, their first trip to a USFL title game since their 1991 title. So we will have a club in their first title game ever facing off against one that has not seen a Summer Bowl since the George H. Bush administration, an 18-year absence. Las Vegas is Split on Summer Bowl 2009 This may be a first for a major league championship, but there simply does not seem to be consensus in Las Vegas as to who the favorite is to win. With several casinos and sports books weighing in, what we are seeing is an astounding lack of consistency. Caesar’s has Boston as a 2-point favorite, but Bally’s has Oakland up by 1. Wynn and Westgate have the game even, which you almost never see, and Circa, the largest sports book in the city, has Boston up by only ½ point. This is just a clear sign that this game, between the two #1 seeds in the league, and two clubs who have not faced each other this year, is a hard game to judge, and that both fanbases are pretty much counting on their team to take the title, keeping the betting from swaying to once side. Of course, with 4 days to go before the title game, there is still time for one incident, one developing story, or one offhand comment to push the line towards one or the other, but for now, what the oddsmakers are telling us is that this should be a very close title game, with two well-balanced teams, but maybe not the best opportunity to make it rich with a standard bet against the spread. Bulls Turn the Page, Looking to Trade Delhomme Jacksonville Bulls GM David Caldwell was not shy when asked what the Bulls are planning as they try to bounce back from a 2-12 season. He has made it apparent that the club is looking to make some significant changes, and that they are both open to, and inviting trade offers for 8-year starter Jake Delhomme. Delhomme, who has started 109 games for the Bulls, with several seasons over 100 in QB Rating and a Bulls’ career total of 159 TDs and 74 picks, has been one of the steadiest features of the franchise over the past decade, but has been unable to lead them to significant on-field success. As it appears, the Bulls are headed for a major overhaul of personnel, philosophy, and direction. While the search for a new head coach after the firing of Brad Childress has to be the top priority of the Bulls, it seems clear that they are looking at a full “cleaning house” movement within the organization, and that includes one of their best players. There will be no shortage of suitors for a player of Delhomme’s caliber. We can think of at least 6 teams that should give Delhomme serious consideration, even if only as a short term “bridge” QB until a younger option can be developed. Delhomme is 33 years old, and has spent 13 years in the USFL already (He spent several years on the bench in Philadelphia before earning the starting job in Jacksonville.). Just from the retirement announcements we have already seen, we could see a good home for Delhomme in Memphis, Ohio, or Washington. Now, his style of play may not be perfect for all three coaches, but he is certainly a better option than the free agents currently available (a pretty poor group led by David Garrard and Kevin Kolb. We could also see interest from teams looking for an upgrade, which could include Arizona, Birmingham, or Charlotte, all of whom had QB concerns this year. Finally, we absolutely could see a club brining in Delhomme to help develop a younger QB, perhaps serving as a #2 with a lot of experience, though he would certainly be a pricy option for a backup. So, why would Jacksonville jettison their starter? Three realities help us understand this decision. First, whether it is fair or not, fans link Delhomme with nearly a decade of futility, including several losing seasons, and, of course, this year’s 2-win debacle. Changing QB’s brings hope whereas sticking with your current roster likely does not impress fans or increase financial gain for the club. Second, Josh McCown has proven to be a reasonable option at QB, making Delhomme a bit expendable. The backup QB who comes in and plays well is always a popular guy with fans, and many would see a move to McCown as a possible upgrade, even if he has been unable to beat out Delhomme on the depth chart for several years. Third, and we think most important, there is an option coming out of the draft that the Bulls would be insane not to pursue. Heisman candidate and perhaps the most popular football player in the state, Gator QB Tim Tebow is expected to declare for the draft following the fall 2009 season for the Gators. Gainesville is within spitting distance to Jacksonville, and with the Bulls holding the territorial rights to Gator players, using a pick on Tebow and wooing the star QB hard would be a no-brainer for this franchise. Just having Tebow on the roster, even if he did not start in his first year, would be a huge ticket and merch benefit, and would build a lot of excitement among the fanbase. Tebow is incredibly popular in the region (and the state), and would provide instant star power. Yes, his game has been questioned as one that may not translate well to the pros, but the USFL, which has had no shortage of nontraditional QBs, may be a better home than the more conservative “pocket QB” model of the NFL. So, with Tebow an option, McCown a bridge, and the club looking to reinvigorate fan energy, the trade of Delhomme seems a much more logical option, and one which could lead to a bidding war, though likely not quite to the same extent as Jake Plummer produced last year. Expect at least a few teams to come sniffing around now that the offer is out there. Something to monitor for certain once the offseason really kicks into gear in 10 days. Skyhawks Acquire a Head Coach With five vacancies across the league, you knew that there would be pressure to lock up a top candidate right away, and the St. Louis Skyhawks did just that, becoming the first of the five teams with a vacancy to sign a new club leader. Only 2 weeks after letting former USFL QB Doug Williams go, the SkyHawks have found their man, landing former Dragons and Stars OC Bruce Arians to be the new head man in the Gateway City. With a rookie QB in Josh Freeman showing some flashes even in a 1-13 season, Arians will be in charge of building up an offense that ranked in the Bottom 5 in scoring, yardage, and rushing in 2009. Of course, he will also need to figure out what to do about the club’s 27th ranked defense. A big task to be sure as St. Louis has not shown any of the signs of early development that we have seen from the other 2006 and 2008 expansion clubs, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Portland. Arians has a varied coaching background, working with receivers and offensive gameplanning in college before making the leap to the pros with short stints as a position coach for both the Chiefs and Saints of the NFL. He started working with QBs in a short stint at Alabama before being brought to Seattle to help develop Byron Leftwich. It was that QB’s success that put Arians on the fast track to an OC position, first in Seattle, and then in Philadelphia. He leaves the Stars after helping them reach the playoffs in 3 of the past 4 seasons. He will have the top pick in this year’s draft at his disposal, along with 9 picks in the 7-round open draft. He will also have talent from Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas State available in the T-Draft. With nowhere to go but up, Arians inherits a club that has won only 10 games in its 4-year history. Las Vegas Goes for Offensive Innovation Just 2 days after St. Louis nabbed their head coach for 2010, Las Vegas announced that they too had found their man. With many criticizing the cursory focus former coach Jerry Glanville gave to the offense of the Thunder, even after landing Jake Plummer last year, it seems that ownership may be looking for a major correction. The Thunder have announced that former Hawaii and current SMU head coach June Jones will be their next team leader. Jones, who is a disciple of Mouse Davis and the run & shoot, earns his first USFL head coaching gig after several years bouncing between the USFL, NFL, and college ranks. Jones, who got his first coaching job as Mouse Davis’s WR coach, and followed him to Denver as OC, returns to the USFL as a head coach for the first time after a very successful run at Hawaii. Jones is expected to design a spread-style offense for QB Jake Plummer, a style that will require that Las Vegas expand and upgrade their receiving corps. After several years of a run-first style that simply pounded Marshawn Lynch into the line, this will be a major shift of direction. Lynch could benefit, of course, as big backs tend to be the perfect offset for a spread offense, where defenses cannot crowd the line, but the big hope, of course, is that the offense can do for Plummer what Jones witnessed with Jim Kelly in Houston and with his Hawaii QB’s, who set conference and NCAA records with his wide open offense. Arizona’s Tomsula Hires Norv Turner as OC One more coaching note, this time involving former Texas head coach Norv Turner. It did not take long for Turner to find a new home as longtime friend and current Arizona head coach Jim Tomsula snatched Turner off the market in a matter of days, signing Turner to be the new OC for the Wranglers. It is certainly a position of need as Tomsula’s background is solidly defensive-minded, and since the 2009 Wranglers, with NFL import David Carr at the helm for most of the season, struggled to post the 21st scoring offense in the league, with only 16.2 points per game. The 5-9 Wranglers showed significant improvement on defense from 2008, but the offense still struggled, averaging fewer than 190 yards per game in the air. Turner, known throughout football as an innovative offensive coach, will be charged with bringing some life to the Wrangler attack. Trading Block Opens with Three Moves Before Summer Bowl Even Played Free Agency will not open up for 10 more days, but that has not stopped teams from making moves to improve their 2010 fortunes. One, in fact, made an immediate move almost as a welcoming present for their new head coach as Las Vegas, one day before landing June Jones as their new coach, found themselves a quality wide out to add to their receiving corps. Las Vegas made a deal with the Nashville Knights to bring Derrick Mason to the desert. Mason, a 13-year vet of the Knights, Gamblers, and Maulers, has more than 800 career catches for over 8,000 yards. His 2009 was not one of his stronger years, with Robert Meachem moving ahead of him as Jay Cutler’s favorite target, but Mason is a solid receiver and a strong route runner. He will join veteran Matthew Hatchette and young receivers Kalil Hill, Willie Ponder, and Sam Hurd in the Thunder receiving group. To land Mason, Las Vegas sent center Jake Grove to the Knights. A powerful run blocker, grove started 10 games for the Thunder this year. He will almost certainly take on the role of the starting center for the Knights as well. Las Vegas cycled Roberto Garza in at center quite a bit this year, so expect them to promote Garza to the starting job with Grove gone to Nashville. The second trade of the week saw the LA Express and Charlotte Monarchs make a player for player deal to improve two weak areas in their games. The Express acquire a slot receiver in former Monarch Lance Moore, while Charlotte continues to focus on their defense, bringing in a quality linebacker in Adalius Thomas. Moore’s role in LA will be to take of a slot position that has not been well-staffed by Brandon Lloyd and Bernard Berrian. The two combined for 61 receptions this year, but produced only 3 TDs total. The hope is that Lance Moore’s game fits better in the slot, particularly with Lloyd’s height making him a stronger candidate as an outside receiver. For Charlotte, Thomas will line up alongside Jerod Mayo andRey Maulaga as the 3rd man in the 4-3 alignment for Coach Mora. Thomas did not get a single start for the Express this year, after starting 14 games in both 2006 and 2007. The arrival of USC standouts Keith Rivers and Clay Matthews essentially pushed Thomas into a swing role, but he is certainly a talented backer and will be a welcome addition in Charlotte. Finally, our third very early offseason deal saw another swap of talent for talent as the Generals and Outlaws tried to reinforce one offensive position by reducing depth at another. For New Jersey, a four-man HB rotation just did not work this year, so veteran HB James Jackson became the odd man out. New Jersey Is trying to develop Ray Rice, the Rutgers product, into their starter, and with both R. J. Redmond and Kerry Joseph as backups, Jackson was expendable. But Jackson, a solid between-the-tackles runner, seemed like an ideal backup for T. J. Duckett in Texas’s eyes, so they made a deal, sending WR Michael Crabtree to New Jersey to add Jackson. Crabtree had a very productive rookie season and certainly there will be some Outlaw fans who will not be happy that he was sent off so quickly. Crabtree rotated with Brandon Marshall as the split end to Marques Colston’s flanker position and Danny Amendola in the slot. He had 50 catches and 2 TDs for a somewhat uneven Texas offense this year, and now will join a New Jersey team that was a bit too dependent on Michael Clayton and his league leading 147 targets and 98 catches. With T.J. Houshmandzadeh also in General red, the WR room is looking like an interesting mix of possession and deep ball options, with Crabtree joining Santonio Holmes in that role. Just the beginning, folks, as we expect the trade action to only increase from here. With the new NFL-USFL transfer windows pushed later into the offseason (the 2nd window occurring after the USFL season begins in March), trade may well become a more valued option for teams looking to fill holes in the offeseason, so the deals we have seen so far are likely just the start of a busy trading block this fall. If there is one development that should move the needle on the Las Vegas books, it may well be the situation of Oakland LB Roosevelt Colvin. The Invader LB is listed as questionable for the Summer Bowl in Baltimore, and his status could be a difference maker for the Invaders. If he can go, then Oakland has a known play-maker on the field, a player who has been excelptional at making big plays at the best times. If not, then Oakland will put Derrick Rodgers on the field in his place. Rodgers, who had only 2 tackles this year (and 9 in 2008) is simply not often seen on the field, and his presence in place of Colvin would be an impactful alteration to the Invader defense. BOS: WR Paul Hubbard (OUT) OAK: WR Plaxico Burress (IR), CB Deon Grant (OUT), LB Roosevelt Colvin (QUE), TE Joel Dreesen (PROB) All USFL & Awards As we prepare for Summer Bowl 2009, the USFL had its annual Media Day and Honors Ceremony, presenting the award winners from the season along with the All-USFL team for 2009. No big surprises, though certainly a few names that we are used to seeing on the All-USFL list did not appear this time around. Let’s walk through it and then get to the night’s big awards. QUARTERBACK: Brian Griese (MGN), Drew Bledsoe (BOS), Byron Leftwich (SEA) Griese and Bledsoe are great stories, but how about Leftwich? Not every day you see an All-USFL QB on a non-playoff team, but statistically Leftwich was on point this year. RUNNING BACKS: Deuce McCallister (WSH), Frank Gore (NSH), Ron Dayne (BAL) and FB Heath Evans (DEN) No surprises here. Three true workhorses that carry their teams at times and come up big when needed. RECEIVERS: Chad Johnson (BOS), Steve Smith (PHI), Hines Ward (MGN), David Boston (SEA0, Randy Moss (OHI) and Tight Ends Bennie Joppru (MGN) and Greg Olson (ORL). A really nice group of top flight receivers. A bit surprising that Mark Clayton did not make it as the league’s reception leader, but it was easy to go unnoticed on the Generals this year. OFFENSIVE LINE: Tackles Matt Light (OAK), Stockar McDougle (BOS), and Kenyatta Jones (SEA), Guards Rex Hadnot (ATL), Mike McGlynn (MGN0, and Ben Hamilton (DEN), and Centers Dominic Raiola (BOS) and Jeff Saturday (OAK). With two linemen apiece on the All-USFL list, it is no surprise that Oakland and Boston are facing off in the Summer Bowl. Games are won up front, and the Boston and Oakland lines were among the league’s best. DEFENSIVE LINE: Edge rushers Calais Campbell (ORL), Julius Peppers (CHA), and Anthony Weaver (CHI), and defensive tackles Brian Noble (SEA), Richard Seymour (HOU), and Albert Haynesworth (ORL). Haynesworth makes it in his first year after leaving the NFL, and Seymour picked a great time to get the accolades, as he is a free agent, and will make out quite well this offseason to be sure. LINEBACKERS: Brian Urlacher (CHI), A. J. Hawk (LV), Mike Vrabel (JAX), James Farrior (BAL), James Harrison (NJ), and Corey Miller (ATL). Miller is the big surprise here but he had a break out season for the Fire as they used defense to win 5 in a row down the stretch. SECONDARY: Cornerbacks Quentin Jammer (PHI), Ronde Barber (HOU), Phillip Buchanon (TBY) and Dre Bly (PIT) join safeties Gibril Wilson (WSH), Chris Crocker (CHA), Corey Hall (CHI), and Dexter Jackson (DEN). The only real surprise here is that Charles Woodson did not make it despite a very strong year for the Fire. SPECIALISTS: Punter Mitch Berger (ORL) and kicker Stephen Haushka (BOS) round out the roster. The Awards also had few big surprises, with Calais Campbell getting a very well-deserved double double after setting a stunningly high sack record with 34 in 14 games. He walked away with both the MVP award and the Defensive Player of the Year. His MVP win marks the first time a defensive player has won the award since 1990, when Reggie White took home the honor. It is also the first time since 1993 that the award did not go to a quarterback. The last to do that was Thurman Thomas of the Gamblers. But, with the kind of year Campbell put together, both awards seemed absolutely appropriate. The Offensive Player of the Year, normally reserved for the best non-QB on offense, was now the QB award, and, to no one’s surprise, it went to Michigan’s Brian Griese. Griese, an in-state hero with the Wolverines now gets an honor that seemed unlikely only a few years ago, when he was let go by Seattle after serving as a backup for several years. He became a backup in Michigan to Drew Brees, but when Brees left for Orlando, Griese stormed his way into the starting role and has not looked back. He won a title as the Panther QB last year, but had a better statistical year this season and now walks away with an Offensive POTY award. Rookie of the Year stayed on offense, despite a solid challenge from Ohio’s James Lauranaitis, it was Orlando HB Knowshon Moreno who takes the title. Moreno, who started slowly, but in Week 7 had his first of four 100-yard games. He finished the year with 903 yards rushing and seven total touchdowns. His second half surge was a big factor in Orlando’s hunt for the Southeastern Division title. Finally, the Coach of the Year, an award that seemed to have a new favorite every week. With many teams that started hot fading down the stretch (including playoff race collapses from Charlotte and Pittsburgh) and other late surges not quite reaching the postseason (Seattle and Atlanta come to mind), this one was a tough category this year, but in the end the voters gave their recognition to Boston head coach John Fox. Boston surged late and in the final week of the season pulled from 3rd place in the NE Division all the way to the top, landing not only the division title, but the top seed in the playoffs as well. With the Cannons poised to take the field in Summer Bowl 2009 in just a couple of days, Fox is not done yet, hoping for just one more win this year. League reveals 2010 Summer Bowl Logo From the shores of the Chesapeake in 2009 to the bluffs along the Columbia River in 2010. The USFL this week revealed the new logo for Summer Bowl 2010 to be held in Columbia Sportswear Stadium in Portland. The logo immediately evokes the Pacific Northwest, both in its iconic depiction of water, fir trees, and mountains, but in the color scheme of Columbia Blue, Evergreen, Royal Purple, and, as usual, a gold and orange sun over the top. The colors and influence of the Portland Stags are a bit more subtle this year than in some recent Summer Bowls, but you will see the familiar orange, and buff in the wordmark, which is also depicted in the Stags’ script font. The team’s primary color of dark brown is not found in the logo, perhaps a bit too dark for the summery style of most Summer Bowl logos. Portland hosts its first Summer Bowl with next year’s offering. It also has another first, as next year’s SB’10 logo is the first to prominently feature not only the stadium name, but due to the naming rights agreement, the corporate sponsor, Columbia Sportswear, as well. Still better than most college bowl games where the corporate sponsorship all but wipes out the historic name of the bowl game, but still a move that has some uneasy about the creeping in of corporate representation in the world of sports. After the Pacific Northwest, the championship will move back to the hot and humid south for Summer Bowl 2011 in Memphis. Summer Bowl 2009 Preview Here we go, the top seed from the East vs. the top seed from the West. The Best vs. the Best. It does not happen often that both #1s reach the Summer Bowl, but both Oakland and Boston have been impressive down the stretch and both ran the gauntlet to get here. So, who has the edge and could be taking home the John Bassett Trophy? Las Vegas does not seem to know. So what do we see in the numbers? Here is our quick breakdown of both teams and we will see what we see. So, what stands out? Well, Oakland’s defense is considerably better than Boston’s, allowing only 16 points per game to Boston’s 21. Neither team has a particularly strong run game, and both defenses struggle against the pass. Now, part of this comes from a team having a lead, pushing their opponents to play catch up and pass the ball, but a good piece of the puzzle is just that teams feel they can pass against both of these clubs. That seems an advantage for Boston, whose passing game is one of the league’s best. If there is a weakness for Oakland, they will find it. The other thing we should recognize is that Boston is one of the league’s elite pass rushing team, though they often accomplish this through complex blitz schemes. That means Joey Harrington will be under pressure, but that there will be a lot of corners on an island with Oakland receivers. The Invaders rely more on their defensive front for pressure and prefer to keep more men back in coverage. When Oakland has the ball, expect them to try to establish the run with Williams and Norwood, if only because Harrington does better in situations where the defense has to respect the run. He will still put it up, though nothing like the way we expect Bledsoe to chuck it around the house. When we look at turnovers and penalties, these two are so similar that it hardly seems a benefit to either team. That said, if one team does show more nerves or have more mistakes, that could very well be the difference in the game. And if you are wondering if the classic “West Coast teams traveling east struggle” cliché is a possible factor here, we just don’t think so, because instead of flying out on Friday as they would during the regular season, Oakland flew East on Monday and set up camp at the Federals’ facility in DC (Boston remained in Boston until Friday). Besides, the game is at 6pm ET, which is even later than most West Coast games start, so it is not like they are playing at 9am in their heads. So, what factors do we see as contributing to a Boston win or an Oakland win? Here are our three keys to the game for each club. BOSTON Spread the ball around. Expect Chad Johnson to draw a lot of attention, so be ready to throw to Jurevicius, Harvin, Whalen, and Robert Royal. Force Oakland to spread their focus and you just might find Johnson open from time to time. Keep Drew Bledsoe upright. Drew is a great QB, but he is not agile or fleet of foot, so building a solid pocket around him is key. Oakland does not blitz much, so it is 4 against 5 in most cases. If Boston can give Bledsoe time, he will find receivers. Don’t sleep on DeSean Jackson. While Boston certainly has to be concerned about Jennings and Hank Basket outside, the player who poses the greatest big play threat is Jackson in the slot. He can turn an 8-yard slant into an 80-yard score. Boston needs to keep the safeties and nickel back alert to the quick strike inside or they could get burnt. OAKLAND Get Ricky Williams some touches. If Williams can have early success, it forces Boston to slow down on blitzes and draws in the safeties. That is a huge help for Harrington, who could find his receivers in man coverage. It also helps keep Boston’s offense off the field, another big plus. Move Harrington around. He is a pretty decent passer on the move, so don’t be afraid to move the pocket, roll him out, and let him focus on half the field. Boston likes to blitz, so shifting their target disrupts that blitz plan and gives Harrington simpler reads. Find a way to Bledsoe. That may mean a bit more blitzing than they usually like, but the best way Oakland can disrupt the Boston attack is to force Bledsoe to either get rid of the ball quickly or to move out of the pocket. He is a statue in the pocket, but on the move, he is far less effective. OUR PICK: This is a very tough one, and we could envision either team getting the W if they are able to achieve their keys. So honestly, this one came down to who we think might be more motivated, as if both won’t be highly motivated. There is just something about Bledsoe coming back for one more season after last year’s injury, and the Cannons rallying behind their QB in the club’s first Summer Bowl appearance. We think that spirit, that drive, will be worth a point or two. We are picking Boston to win 24-21.

From fourteen it was down to eight, and after this weekend only four would appear in the Conference Title Games. We had low seeds, mid-seeds, and for the first time this playoff series, the top seeds all in action. So, did we get another week of major upsets. Not really. Three of four home favorites won, and the one who did not was a #6 seed facing a pretty evenly-matched #7 seed. So it was a week that restored some normality, despite the results leading to the #7 seed in the East heading to the title game to face the top seed. In addition to a week of on-field action, which we will fully cover, it was also a week of big announcements on the player personnel side as last season's MVP as well as a 3-time MVP and the only QB to lead his team to back-to-back titles in league history, both announced their intention to retire from the game. We will have that headline story along with all the latest retirement and free agent declarations, but first, let's take a look at the action on the field form all four of our divisional round matchups. NEW ORLEANS 28 PHILADELPHIA 21 The Breakers break out early and hold on to hold off the Stars. With both QBs in the game having similar games, each throwing for 3 scores, it came down to the run game and the Breakers got more production from their combo of Fred Jackson and Matt Forte (104 total yards) than Philadelphia did with Slaton and Robinson (46 total yards). It was Jackson who got the ball rolling for the Breakers with a TD run as the 1st quarter was ending. New Orleans would go on to add 14 more points to take a commanding 21-0 lead at the half. Eli Manning connected with Dwayne Bowe and Early Doucet on back-to-back drives, including a 65-yard bomb for the third TD of the game. Philadelphia went into the half reeling. They came out determined. Warner hit Terrell Owens with an opening drive TD to finally get the home team on the board. 6 minutes later it was Warner to HB Michael Robinson for a 2nd score and New Orleans was beginning to feel the pressure. As the 4th quarter started, Eli Manning got 7 back by connecting with Demetrius Byrd for his 3rd TD toss of the game and the Breakers were back up by 14. Philadelphia would get a Steve Slaton TD on a screen, but they would not get the equalizer, with a 4th and 14 pass on their final drive falling incomplete to give the Breakers another upset win and a ticket to the Conference Title Game. CHICAGO 20 OAKLAND 27 The second divisional game saw a successful comeback as Oakland erased a 17-0 deficit against Chicago’s defense to win by 7. By the 13-minute mark of the 2nd quarter Chicago had established its lead, thanks to a TD pass from Quinn to Boldin (a midseason acquisition) and a sack, fumble, return by Anthony Weaver, taking advantage of a missed block and a big hit on Harrington. But, unlike the New Orleans game, the Machine could not hold their lead through the half. Oakland roared back with 17 points of their own in the 2nd quarter to equalize the score by halftime. They started with a Hollis field goal before adding a 24-yard Hank Basket TD catch and then a last-minute Ricky Williams TD. Tied up at the half, the momentum had swung to the Invaders. After a scoreless third quarter, Chicago opened the 4th with a field goal from Tim Seder. Oakland responded with one of their own, and it looked very much like this game was headed for overtime. But that was not to be. After being backed up near their own endzone, Chicago was just trying to get a few yards and punt the ball away with almost no time on the clock, but backup HB Maurice Clarett did not get the handoff cleanly from Brady Quinn and the ball hit the turf and rolled into the endzone. The ensuing scramble ended with a pile up, and at the bottom of the pile was Oakland LB Roosevelt Colvin with the ball. A defensive touchdown with 1:48 left to play changed the entire complexion of the final minutes of the game. Chicago desperately tried to get back downfield to get the equalizer but failed on back to back tosses from Quinn to Driver, turning the ball over on downs with 33 seconds left to play. Oakland moves on and will host the Western Conference Title Game next week. BALTIMORE 13 BOSTON 23 No comeback in this one as Baltimore fell behind 13-0 and never led in this one. Boston got touchdowns from Joe Jurevicius and Chad Johnson. They added three field goals from league scoring leader Stephen Haushka and retained a 10-point lead throughout the game, matching each Baltimore score with one of their own. Drew Bledsoe finished the game with 233 yards passing and 2 scores. Jurevicius was the lead receiver with 123 yards as Baltimore tried to shut down Chad Johnson, and largely succeeded (only 2 catches, though one was a 29-yard TD). Ben Roethlisberger came out of the game twice, complaining of migraines, but ended up finishing the game on the field. He would throw only 18 passes, completing 11, while backup Chris Simms went 9 of 17. The lack of consistency with rotating QBs was certainly a problem, but so was a Boston defense that recorded 5 sacks and held Baltimore to 1 of 13 on third down. The Cannons now go on to face New Orleans in an unexpected Conference Final matchup next week. The two have not met this season. DENVER 9 MICHIGAN 17 We expected this to be a matchup of the Michigan offense and the Denver defense, but it was Michigan’s D that was the star of the show. The Panther defense picked off Matt Leinart twice and sacked him another 3 times as Dener simply could not put the ball in the endzone. Denver’s D was also impressive, sackng Brian Griese 9 times, but the aggressive blitz scheme also meant that receivers were often in 1-on-1 coverage, allowing Griese to connect with Hines Ward for a 14-yard TD and a 65-yard backbreaking score. Ward finished the game as the MVP, collecting 2 scores and 113 yards through the air, while Peerless Price had an amazing 12 receptions on 16 targets but only gained 68 yards. Michigan will travel to Oakland next week hoping to defend their title as a road team in the Western Conference Championship. The Panthers hope to avenge a 22-10 loss in Oakland back in Week 8, while the Invaders hope a repeat outcome will send them to Baltimore and Summer Bowl 2009. Which Story Do You Prefer? We are down to four teams vying for a league title, and each comes with their own story. Do you prefer Michigan’s quest for back-to-back titles? Maybe you prefer the redemption story of Drew Bledsoe coming back after a season-ending injury in 2008 to give it one more try? How about Oakland, trying to win its first title since 1991, and their first Summer Bowl appearance since then as well? Or perhaps you want to go with the underdog story, the 7th seed New Orleans Breakers, hoping to defy the odds and win three road games to make the Summer Bowl. All four are compelling, but not all are viewed equally by the bookmakers in Las Vegas or by the fans. Boston is a clear favorite over New Orleans, given a wide 10-point advantage in Vegas. Oakland and Michigan are closer, but the Invaders still get a 3-point edge. When you look at the odds of winning it all, Oakland is given the best shot at 4-1, while Boston at 6-1, Michigan at 8-1, and New Orleans at 14-1 trail. If you want to go for a bet on the playoff MVP, Drew Bledsoe is the favorite, followed by Ricky Williams, Brian Griese, and Chad Johnson. Looking for a weird bet, you can actually place money on the Summer Bowl coin flip, the temperature at gametime, or place a bet on which defender will score a touchdown (best money is on Oakland LB Roosevelt Colvin, but that is likely due to his score this week influencing action). A lot for our wagering fans to follow. Three Time MVP Kerry Collins To Retire & Enter Broadcasting It’s the end of an era in Columbus after three-time league MVP and two-time league champion Kerry Collins announced he was stepping away from the field and taking a job with FOX as a USFL and NCAA football broadcaster. Collins played 12 seasons with the Ohio Glory after coming out of Penn State and leaves the game as one of the greatest to ever play the position in the league. His rookie season in 1998 he started out with 4,309 yards passing and 25 TDs, losing Rookie of the Year to Randy Moss. He would never forget that moment, as it inspired him to even greater heights. By 2000, his third season, he was recognized as an All-USFL quarterback. Just one year later he won his first of three consecutive MVP awards. He would lead his team to an undefeated season in 2002 and he and the Glory became the only team to win back-to-back titles in the USFL with a repeat title in 2003. He retires as one of the most decorated players in league history, with 3 MVPs, 2 rings, and 9 All-USFL seasons. Statistically, Collins matches up with some of the legends of the game. He went over 4,000 yards in his first 7 seasons, and over 5,000 in 2001, his first MVP year and a season that ranks just behind Troy Aikman’s 5,675-yard 1998 year as the second best yardage season in league history. His 52 TDs in 2003 are also second to that Aikman year (54 TDs) and his 2003 QB Rating of 143.6 is the all -time best. Collins actually holds the season QB Rating record for the best season as well as the 3rd best, 5th, 6th, 9th and 10th best of all time. That is 6 of the top 10 best seasons ever by a USFL QB. His career numbers are equally impressive. He ranks 4th all time in yardage behind Favre, Flutie, and Kelly, and 3rd behind only Favre and Kelly in touchdowns. His career QBR of 113.6 is the best all time. Collins made the announcement of his retirement at Ohio Stadium, the site of so many of his amazing moments. Flanked by Head Coach Al Luginbill, fellow players and his wife, Collins tearfully announced that the time had come to move on. He will return to football as an analyst for the USFL in Spring 2010 and will also cover college games for FOX in the fall of 2010. For the Glory, the path forward now looks very different. They may decide to promote Chris Redman to the starting job, or they may make a move, but, as Coach Luginbill stated, there is time to make those decisions, now is the time to celebrate the amazing career of Kerry Collins. Stewart Surprises Federals with Announcement While Ohio saw the writing on the wall and may actually be relieved that Collins’s retirement is not triggering Joey Galloway and Eddie George to follow suit, at least not this year, in Washington, the announcement from QB Kordell Stewart of his retirement was not anticipated. Everyone from Coach Payton to his teammates, and certainly the fans, were shocked to see the announcement, first made via social media before a press conference was scheduled for Tuesday. In the presser, Stewart highlighted his comeback from injury in 2008, but cited that injury, and concern for his long-term health as reasons why he felt the time was right to step away from the game. Stewart,who came to the Federals in 1995, has been the undisputed starter for the club since the 1997 season. Stewart retires with nearly every career passing record the Feds have, including being the team’s all-time leader in passing yards (36,780), pass attempts (5356), completions (3403) and passing TDs (224). Known for his ability to make plays with his legs as well as his arm, Stewart was an early adopter of run-pass options in the playbook. He led Washington to the playoffs 9 times, including a league title in 1997, his first full year as the starter. After a season-ending injury in 2007 put his career in jeopardy, he returned to action in 2008 and led Washington to an 11-5 record, earning League MVP accolades for his amazing comeback season. Stewart retires a 4-time All-USFL player and a serious contender for Hall of Fame recognition. He leaves Washington in a bit of an unsettled situation. Behind hmi on the roster are only untested Arkansas State product Cleo Lemon and the “Hefty Lefty”, 280 lb Jared Lorenzen. The retirement of Stewart almost certainly puts Washington into the market for a starting QB, either through the draft, free agency, or a trade. With no high-value QB’s among Washington’s protected schools, their best option may be to try to acquire a veteran “transition” QB and hope to snag a young signal caller in 2011 or 2012. The 2011 Draft is looking loaded at the position, so a 1-year solution may be what the Feds are seeking this year. That could be Lemon, or it could be someone they acquire over the next few months. Looking ahead to the two big games next week, there is little to report regarding new injuries. Several players have been upgraded from out to doubtful, doubtful to questionable, and questionable to probable, so that is good news, but we still expect some concerns around New Orleans’s offensive line and the absence of Leonard Renfro in the Michigan D-line. BOS: WR Paul Hubbard (OUT) NOR: OT Mark Tauscher (IR), TE Chris Cooley (OUT), OT Nate Dorsey (PROB), G Paul Zakauskas PROB) OAK: WR Plaxico Burress (IR), TE Joel Dreesen (DOU) MGN: DT Leonard Renfro (DOU), C Jeff Faine (PROB) Retirements & Free Agency after 2 Rounds of Playoffs It has been a busy period for both retirement announcements as well as new names added to the free agency pool. The move from 14 playoff teams to a final 4 clubs means that there are 10 more teams whose unsigned players are released, and 10 more teams who have started to see some stars elect to retire, as Collins and Stewart highlight. Others who have announced that they will not be returning for the 2010 season include Chicago DT Ted Washington, Denver CB Chike Okeafor, Houston guard Chris Naole and backup QB Damon Huard, Ohio tackle Tra Thomas, Orlando wideout Donte Stallworth, and Philadelphia guard Flozell Adams. Among free agents, the list is even longer. Here is our quick rundown of the players whose contracts have expired and the newest free agents from the 10 eliminated playoff teams: BALTIMORE: DE Jared Allen, LB James Farrior, CB Tyrone Bell, WR Marty Booker, HB Wasli Lundy CHICAGO: CB Al Harris, G Solomon Page, QB Henry Burris, TE Aaron Shea, G Sean Mahan DENVER: LB Kendrell Bell, SS Dexter Jackson, G Ben Hamilton, LB Joe Odom HOUSTON: DT Richard Seymour, LB Sam Cowart, G Bill Ferrario, CB Tramon Williams NASHVILLE: TE Bubba Franks, FS Bhawoh Jue, K Shayne Graham, G tre Johnson, CB Chidi Iwoma OHIO: DE Vonnie Holliday, FB Michael Templeton, DE Carl Powell, CB DeShea Townsend, C Robert Outlaw ORLANDO: HB Cedric Benson, G Scott Shaw, C Todd McClure PHILADELPHIA: LB Paul Posluszny, WR Terrell Owens, HB Michael Robinson, LB Chris Gocong PORTLAND: FS Terrance Kiel, TE Jabari Holloway, P Frank Whalen, G Anthony Oakley, QB Ken Dorsey WASHINGTON: DT Anthony McFarland, DE Tim Crowder, DT Kenard Lang, WR Eddie Kennison, CB Rashad Bauman, WR Mike Williams Some big names there, especially on defense and in the O-line. Expect a lot of money to be thrown the way of DE Jared Allen, LB Kendrell Bell, DT Richard Seymour, and DT Anthony McFarland, and that is exactly what these players and many others are hoping will be the case. Dallas a Big Success, But Now What? One of the stories of the year has to be the success that the temporary move of the Texas Outlaws to Dallas’s Cotton Bowl Stadium proved to be. The Outlaws, who struggled through a 5-9 season, did not struggle at all to attract fans to games in their adopted home. Texas averaged nearly 48,000 fans per game in Dallas, moving them into the top 5 in the league for the first time in several years. But, with the Outlaws committed to a return to San Antonio next season, taking advantage of the renovations to the Alamodome that required their move in the first place, what does this mean for the future of USFL football in Dallas. There are several possible prospects we could see the USFL explore if they want to keep a strong presence in Big D. Some are easy add-ons, others could be quite controversial. They could put a Summer Bowl in Dallas. It would be a first, to hold a Summer Bowl in a true neutral site, a non-USFL city. But it is not unheard of. After all Bowl games in college football make use of stadia that do not house top flight Division 1 programs. It is the event itself that sells tickets. It would be an easy setup to designate Dallas as a host city for the big game, with no impact on the regular season, league structure, and no risk for any existing franchise. Our analysis: Let’s make this happen. The Outlaws could revive their “State of Texas” game, the tradition they started when they were forced to play in tiny Bobcat Stadium before the construction of the Alamodome was complete. Back then (Until 1998) the Outlaws would play one game a year in an alternative site within the state. One year it might be El Paso, another Ft. Worth, or Austin, or Dallas. So, if they want to keep the love flowing towards the Outlaws, one thing the league and the team could do would be to return to having 1 game a year away from San Antonio, and perhaps set up Dallas as a long term option, much like the Packers used to do with Milwaukee back in the day. The downside? Well, the obvious downside is one less home game for fans in San Antonio, but if that is balanced by a lower season ticket package, that might not be such a big deal. Another potential downside would be some level of complaint from other franchises, particularly Houston, which might feel that having a 2nd hub for the club provides the Outlaws with an unfair advantage over most other teams. We already hear about large-market/small-market disparities and about shared-stadium vs. exclusive stadium disparities. Adding a 2nd market for the Outlaws could be seen as another advantage not available to all clubs. Our take: It’s one game a year, and nothing is stopping Ohio from doing the same in Cleveland or LA from playing a game in San Diego. Besides, they are the Texas Outlaws, not the San Antonio Outlaws, so would this really be a big change monetarily? Build Dallas up for an expansion club. Of course the Dallas market would love to have its own team, but there are a couple of obvious issues here. First is the league’s hesitation to expand again so soon after the 2006 and 2008 waves that added 4 more teams to the league. The USFL expanded quickly at first, adding teams in 1984 and 1987, but then waited 8 years before the 1995 expansion, and 11 more until this latest augmentation. No one really expects the USFL to consider expansion seriously until at least 2016, and likely later. The other big issue is one of fairness. Yes, Dallas showed up for the Outlaws, but there are other markets that would also be very interested in having a USFL presence, and who is to say that the Bandits would not sell out in Miami if they chose to play there, or the Machine in Indianapolis, the Express in San Diego, or the Gold in Salt Lake. Expansion is a tricky business, and you need to ensure not only that the market makes sense for the league, but that the ownership is fit and ready to go as well, something that has been a big issue for the Dallas-Fort Worth market in past rounds of expansion. Our take: Don’t rush expansion again and don’t give Dallas any special treatment. If they can put together a strong bid when the league is ready to expand, then they will get a team in a fair and appropriate way. Allow or even encourage a team to relocated to Dallas. This is immediately controversial and for reasons that are obvious. No city wants to lose their team. No fanbase is ready to give up on the USFL just to allow another market to get a team quickly. Yes, there are franchises that are perhaps less successful than others, and there are stadiums in the league that are not optimal by any stretch, but we have seen what relocation does to cities, communities, and fanbases. We have seen it in Atlanta and St. Louis in the USFL, and we have seen it in Baltimore, Cleveland, Oakland, and St. Louis in the NFL. It is a major confidence-eroder for the league, creates anger among fans, and often leads to legal action as well. Could it still happen anyway? Sure. The right ownership, with the right dollar amount, could certainly sway a team to sell and relocate. If that were in the mix, the league would likely look for higher than usual assurances from the relocated team on both financial and ticket sales matters, but it would have to be a true disaster of a proposal for the league to prohibit a sale even if that sale meant that a club would move, especially if that move is form a mid-sized or smaller market to a big market like Dallas. Our Take: The league should try to avoid this possibility unless they truly see a particular club as not viable in its market. Right now that is not the case in any of the 28 markets, but we all know that money talks, and the risk is there that monied interests will see what Dallas was like this year as a USFL city, and will find a way to sway a current club towards greener pastures. (Discussion of Dallas's options continues on our "Dallas Poll" page where you can vote for what you think should happen with the league and the city of Dallas, as well as enter the discussion on our message board.) Two of the biggest games of the year and sadly being played in two of the worst stadiums in the league. Boston will host New Orleans in the cramped confines of BC’s Alumni Stadium, which means no more than 40,200 can attend, likely to produce some major scalping to be sure. Oakland hosts Michigan in the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, a building that needed major investment 10 years ago and is generally viewed as one of the worst venues to see a game in the league. We should all expect to see a baseball diamond on the field as the A’s are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday games in Oakland before traveling to Cleveland on Friday. Stadium issues aside, the two games certainly present us with a very interesting set of matchups. The winners move on to Summer Bowl 2009 in Baltimore, but who will those winners be? #7 New Orleans Breakers (8-6) @ #1 Boston Cannons (10-4) Sunday, July 26 @ 2pm ET on FOX Alumni Stadium, Boston, MA This is a classic David & Goliath matchup, and yet, the difference between 8-6 and 10-4 is not so huge. On paper Boston is the better team, that seems undeniable. And yet, New Orleans has had some big wins this year to get here, not the least of which was upending Nashville handily in the Wild Card game. New Orleans won 3 of 4 down the stretch and avenged their one loss by beating Nashville. They showed us their full potential in Week 13 when they crushed the Washington Federals 40-10, so they are very capable of putting together a big game. That said, we have to go with Boston here. Not just because the offense has weapons all over the field, from Mendenhall in the backfield to Chad Johnson and Joe Jurevicius outside and James Whalen in the middle. This is a diversified offense with a savvy vet at the helm. The one weakness of the Cannon attack is that Bledsoe is not mobile, so a high pressure scheme can cause problems. But high pressure also produces higher risk for the secondary, and a QB like Bledsoe can take advantage of that. New Orleans is harder to read. They rely on a two back rotation of Matt Forte (370 yards in 2009) and Fred Jackson (689 yards). If one gets hot, they get the carries, otherwise both split carries, and both are solid receivers, so you cannot predict the play call based on the personnel on the field. Dwayne Bowe and Early Doucet are effective if somewhat inexperienced, especially in a high pressure title game scenario. Chris Cooley is out, and Shawn Nelson is not much of a receiver, so New Orleans will rely on more 3-receiver sets with either Jerome Pathon or Donnie Avery in the slot. We think the Breakers will make it a game, at least through the half, but we expect Boston to come out on top, extending Drew Bledsoe’s comeback season all the way into the Summer Bowl. #2 Michigan Panthers (11-3) @ #1 Oakland Invaders (12-2) Sunday, July 26 @ 7pm ET on ABC Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, Oakland, CA The number one and number two seeds clash in Oakland, a classic setup. The invaders got here thanks to a balance of the #3 scoring offense and the #2 scoring defense, giving them an average margin of victory of nearly 10 points per game. Michigan also has a 10 point margin of victory in their games, but that is simply due to their status as the #1 scoring offense in the league. Their defense is solid (11th in scoring, 18th in yards allowed), but not the kind of aggressive force that can take over a game. At least that is what we thought before they surprised us with a strong outing against Denver. We once again are looking at this game as primarily Michigan’s offense trying to outscheme Oakland’s defense, but it could also very much be a question of the Invader offense taking advantage of gaps or slip ups in the Michigan defense, something Denver could not exploit. This is a tough game to predict, because these two teams are very evenly matched, and yet, when we started working through the scenarios, one thing kept coming up, the receivers of Michigan. Yes, Brian Griese has has an outstanding year, no disrespect to him, but he has options that most other QB’s simply don’t have. As much as Greg Jennings, DeSean Jackson, and Pierre Garçon have helped Oakland fans get over the bizarre Plaxico Burress situation, they are not putting up numbers in the same league as Hines Ward, Laverneus Coles, and TE Bennie Joppru. Matching up the top three options for the passing game of both clubs, we see Michigan with 3,134 yards receiving and 30 TDs vs. Oakland’s top three with 1,938 yards and only 15 TDs, that is basically 2 to 1 in both categories (ok, maybe 3-2 in yards), and that points to Michigan as a more explosive, more dangerous offense. We are going to pick the road team to win this one and the Panthers will get their chance to defend their title in the Summer Bowl, also a chance to become the first USFL club to win 4 titles.

If you came into Wild Card weekend hoping for a lot of nail biters, we are sorry to disappoint you, but close games were not the norm, though there were two that were pretty tight. If you came looking for upsets, we have what you are looking for, with three of six games won by the visitor, including an unexpectedly dominant performance from the New Orleans Breakers who may just be peaking at just the right time. We had dominant defense from them and from Chicago, we had explosive offense from the Blitz, Panthers, and Stars, and we had some strong performances all across the league. We will discuss that and get into some of the really weird ways the USFL operates in the playoffs compared to the other league that shall not be named, all that plus all the news about post-season retirements and the free agency pool starts to take shape. All coming up This Week in the USFL. PHILADELPHIA 30 ORLANDO 15 Slow and steady won the race as the Philadelphia Stars pulled off a pretty decent upset on Saturday. The Stars scored the first 10 points of the game and never trailed as they held Orlando at bay all game long. Using a lot of 2 tight end lineups with Brent Celek and Dallas Clark trading off assignments to chip Calais Campbell, Philadelphia held the sack master to only 1 on the day, and in the process gave Kurt Warner time to connect with Steve Smith and 8 other receivers as Philadelphia just outmaneuvered the Renegades at every turn. Steve Slaton got the first score of the game, and would finish the day with 66 yards on 12 carries. His running mate, Michael Robinson, added 51 more on 1 carries as Philadelphia used a balanced attack all game. Orlando pulled the game to 10-6 but a field goal just before the half again pushed Philadelphia up by 7 at the half, and they would go on to score the next 10 points to build up a 23-6 lead, adding a TD form Steve Smith. Orlando struggled all day to keep pace, with Drew Brees looking a bit rusty, completing only 16 of 29 throws. A Justin McCaerins TD brought Memphis within 10 at 23-13, but a late interception from Antonio Cromartie was returned for a score, giving Philadelphia a 30-15 lead with only seconds remaining to ice the game for the visiting Stars. PORTLAND 3 CHICAGO 17 This one was all about the Chicago defense as Portland was held to 177 total yards and only 9 first downs all game. Touchdown throws to Donald Driver and Aaron Shea gave Chicago all the points they would need as the Machine held donn A. J. Feeley and the Stags offense. James Stewart managed only 43 yards, while Michael Turner ground out 75. Chicago held the ball for over 40 minutes, holding Portland’s offense off the field for long swaths of the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Brian Urlacher and Anthony Weaver were huge in this one, but it was truly a team effort, with big stops from Ted Washington, Tommy Polley, Al Harris and Victor Abiami, forcing Portland to punt 8 times on the day. Chicago may not have scored a bucket of points, but they dominated the game through ball control and a slow steady pace. They now move on to the Divisional round and a showdown with the #1 Seed Oakland Invaders. HOUSTON 21 DENVER 24 One of the better games of the weekend with Denver having to come back in the 4th quarter to earn the win at home. Houston started the game strong with 2 scoring drives, but in both cases the red zone offense faltered and Houston was stuck with field goals. Early in the 2nd quarter Denver erased their deficit and took the league with one Leinart to Colbert toss, a 20-yard strike for the go-ahead touchdown. Houston again looked solid as the 2nd half started, scoring on the opening drive, a 1-yard Kevin Faulk run, and a 2-point conversion to take a 14-7 lead. Denver would equalize 4 minutes later when Leinart found Peerless Price on a 34-yard strike. The game continued to switch hands as Houston again took the lead, this time with Hasselbeck finding Roy Williams for a 31-yard touchdown. Houston would take that lead into the 4th quarter, but Denver did not panic. The Gold added a 37-yard field goal to pull within 4, but would need a touchdown to win the game. They got the ball with 6:27 to play, and in only 6 plays were down in the redzone and Keary Colbert caught his second TD of the day to give Denver the lead. They turned to their defense and the Gold D did their job, forcing Houston into a 4th and 11, and when Matt Hasselbeck could not connect with Roy Williams on a desperation toss, the Gold took over and wound down the clock to preserve the win. BALTIMORE 30 WASHINGTON 25 Another good game in RFK between two familiar foes. Ben Roethlisberger outdueled Kordell Stewart as both players survived 4 sacks apiece. Roethlisberger’s 3:0 TD:Int ratio was the deciding factor as he hit Gates, Dayne, and Heyward-Bey for scores. The young Darrius Heyward-Bey was Baltimore’s lead receiver with 6 catches for 97 yards and a score. It was a 28-25 game after a late Rod Smart TD run, but on their next possession, Chukie Nwokorie nabbed Stewart in the endzone for a safety, which put Baltimore up by 5 and gave them the ball. Washington would not get it back as Ron Dayne locked up the Blitz win with a first down run that allowed Baltimore to run down the clock. NEW ORLEANS 27 NASHVILLE 3 A surprisingly comfortable win for the Breakers as their defense picked off Jay Cutler 4 times and sacked him another 5 times on the day. Picks by Ahmad Plummer, Daryl Smith, Randall Gay, and Will Hunter shut down the Nashville offense and gave New Orleans plenty of short fields to exploit. The offense got scores from Dwayne Bowe and Early Doucet as Eli Manning had a solid 252 yards and 3 scoring tosses. Cutler was pressured all day and his mistakes gave the Breakers both momentum and easy scoring opportunities. In a game that only had a 19-yard difference between the two offenses, it was turnovers and takeaways that were the story of the day. OHIO 19 MICHIGAN 31 Back to back touchdowns from Griese to Ward and Coles in the first half gave Michigan a 14-7 lead that they would never relinquish as the homestanding Panthers defeated their border rival in the final game of the weekend. Griese again put up 4 scores as he outdueled the 3-time MVP Kerry Collins. Despite six sacks by the Ohio defense, they could not rattle Griese, who is having the best season of his career. Laverneus Coles was the MVP of the game, catching 4 balls, but with 3 of them scoring plays, he was dominant when the Panthers needed him to be. With a combined 148 yards from Justin Fargas and Leon Washington, Michigan presented the Ohio D with a diverse offense that allowed the Panthers to rack up 403 combined yards. Ohio had some good drives, but were unable to put together enough of them to keep pace with the Panthers. East A Graveyard for Top Seeds We are not sure exactly what happened in the Eastern Conference this week, but it was unprecedented. All three home favorites, the #2, #3, and #4 seeds in the conference fell to the lower-seeded opponents. While in the past there has been the occasional lower seed victory, to see this occur in all three games is highly unusual. Iin the West, this was not the case, with all three higher seeds winning at home, but something happened in the East where Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New Orleans all found success as road underdogs. One factor may be familiarity. After all Baltimore upset Washington, their primary rival and a team they play twice a year. New Orleans also upset Nashville, a club that is not only a division rival, but a team they had played the week before, giving them the rare opportunity to learn from last week’s narrow defeat and make the changes necessary to return 6 days later to overwhelm the Knights. This does not explain Philadelphia’s defeat of Orlando, as the Renegades and Stars did not face each other in inter-divisional play this year. Perhaps it is as some have expressed, simply a fact that the Northeast Division, a division which saw 4 of 5 teams make the playoffs, was simply a fiercer battleground all season long, tempering the Stars for the playoffs in a way that the Southeastern Division, from which only Orlando emerged with a winning record, was for Orlando. Philadelphia may simply have been more prepared for the intensity of the playoffs having had to struggle to qualify while Orlando ran through a pretty mediocre division schedule to “ease” their way to a playoff spot. Whatever the reason, the set of upsets has led to a very unexpected second round of playoffs in the East, with the Stars now set to host a Divisional playoff game after being a road team in the Wild Card round. Many are looking at the path forward for Boston, who went from 3rd to 1st in the NE Division on the season’s final day, and are wondering if the upsets mean that the Cannons have a clearer path to the Summer Bowl, or that they too are ripe for upset. We will likely get our answer when they host the Baltimore Blitz, a team that had spent most of the season occupying the #1 seed in the conference, comes to Alumni Stadium this week. Bledsoe Hoping to Go Out on Top Speaking of Boston, how much do we love the trajectory that Drew Bledsoe has had this year. After announcing in 2008 that he would be retiring at the end of the year, Bledsoe suffered a season-ending injury that left everyone feeling that the quarterback’s fate was a cruel one and that it was a horrible way to end a great career in Boston. Bledsoe reconsidered retirement, very much at the behest of his head coach John Fox, and certainly thousands of Cannon fans who asked him to reconsider. He did the hard work of rehabbing and returning to the game, and he delayed his decision until he was sure, turning back to the game and coming back to Boston for one more try. What resulted was not only a return to the game, but a triumphant one at that, having one of the best statistical years of his career and leading the Cannons to a late season surge that saw them capture the NE Division title and the overall #1 seed in the Conference. Bledsoe has had a stellar swan song, far better than the disastrous 2008 season. With Boston hosting the Blitz this week in the divisional round, he has a chance to make the story even better with a run in the playoffs. Boston faces the #4 seed in the conference, and if they can win, they would face either #6 Philadelphia or #7 New Orleans, the clearest path possible to a Summer Bowl appearance. Could the fairy tale come back story continue to get better? We are about to find out. Norv Turner Let Go by Texans In the famous words of former Renegades coach and USFL announcer Lee Corso “Not so fast.” Black Monday came and went and there was no announcement out of the Outlaws camp about embattled head coach Norv Turner. But, 5 days later, as the league was engaged in its Wild Card Weekend, the fans who had been calling for Turner to be let go after a disappointing 5-win season got their wish. On Saturday it was announced that the Outlaws had decided to relieve Turner of duties and begin the search for a new leader for the club. Apparently, talks had been going on with Turner about his position and the possibility of removing his two coordinators and allowing the former OC to stay on as the head coach, but Turner was unhappy with the proposal and pushed back. That pushback was apparently all Texas owner Red McCombs needed to hear. He called in Turner and presented him with his pink slip, removing both Turner and the entire coaching staff and beginning a full purge of team leadership. Turner had completed 3 seasons with the Outlaws, and with a 5-9 year had a record of 15-29 over that period. More importantly, the former “offensive guru” had not been able to demonstrate an effective growth trajectory for high-priced QB Joe Flacco, brought in to spark an offensive revival for the run-heavy Outlaw squad. In fact, Flacco’s numbers regressed in his second year, from 3,094 yards and a rating of 84.2 in 2008 to 2,354 yards and a 74.0 QB Rating in 2009. Overall, the Texas offense ranked 26th in scoring and 22nd in yards for the year, not good enough for a coach who was brought in with the hopes of creating a much more dynamic and effective offense. And so now Texas joins Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and St. Louis in the hunt for a new direction and a new captain at the wheel of the ship. Brett Favre Retires…Again. In a teary-eyed press conference in Memphis, quarterback Brett Favre, for the second time, announced his retirement from the USFL. The question for many is whether or not this time it would stick. If you recall, back in 2005 Favre made a similar statement at a press conference in Birmingham, and only a couple of months later was wearing a New York Jets uniform and talking about feeling young again as he played his first NFL season. Favre would not last long in New York and by the spring of 2007 was back in the USFL with the Memphis Showboats, Birmingham’s rival. That double move, using retirement to get out of a contract with Birmingham, play a season in the NFL, and then return with a new deal to play in Memphis, was not well-received by Stallion fans or by a lot of others around the league who feared more players using retirement as a way to bypass the guidelines of the NFL-USFL transfer agreement. Favre’s “bait & switch” retirement from the Stallions did lead to the NFL and USFL agreeing on new terms for the transfer window, changes which go into effect this year with later transfer windows during the early weeks of both the NFL and USFL seasons, and clearer policies that require a 12-month delay in one league signing players who have filed for retirement with the other, a move designed to discourage the use of retirement as a bypass to the transfer system established between the two leagues. Favre retires, again, now as a 2-time champion, having led Memphis to a league title in 2007 as well as a return trip to the Summer Bowl last season. And, admittedly, after the year Favre had this past season, one that saw him miss 8 of 14 games due to injury, finishing with a very sub-par 67.7 QB rating in the few games he did play, retirement may be a lot more enticing. There was some concern that his injuries this year were a sign that his body was simply not going to allow him to perform at the level he, and the league, expected, and that realization may be the primary driver of his decision to (again) call it a career. Favre remains an almost certain first-ballot Hall of Fame nominee, despite the controversy of his first retirement. His career numbers are still among the most impressive of any quarterback in USFL history, with over 7,000 passes attempted, more than 60,000 career yards, and over 500 career touchdowns (2nd place is Jim Kelly with 412, so the margin is a wide one). Of course, fans in Birmingham are left with a bitter taste all around, but now Memphis will be the ones scrambling to find a successor and a path forward as Favre rides off into the sunset…again. Looking at the injuries across the remaining 8 teams, the good news is that neither Boston nor Oakland has any major new concerns, and that most of the teams that came out of the Wild Card round are largely intact as well. Here is our quick rundown: BOS: WR Paul Hubbard (OUT) BAL: WR Tory Holt (OUT), HB Antonio Pittman (DOU) Nothing new for either team, though there is a slim chance we will see Pittman get in uniform. Don’t count on it though. NOR: OT Mark Tauscher (IR), TE Chris Cooley (OUT), OT Nat Dorsey (OUT), G Paul Zakauskas (OUT) PHI: G Damien Woody (PROB) The Stars definitely come in as the healthier team, but New Orleans figured out how to manage a reconfigured O-line against Nashville, we expect them to do much the same against the Stars. MGN: DT Leonard Renfro (OUT), C Jeff Faine (QUE) DEN: OT Chris Terry (PROB), CB David Terrell (PROB) Denver could miss David Terrell if he does not suit up, particularly because Michigan is a far more explosive offense, with a deeper WR group than Houston, so Denver needs all hands on deck in the secondary. OAK: TE Joel Dreesen (OUT), WR Plaxico Burress (IR) CHI: C Andre Gurode (QUE), DT Ellis Wyms (QUE), QB Brady Quinn (PROB) The Invaders have adjusted to the Burress absence, making a midseason trade to shore up their receiver group, and Greg Jennings seems more than happy to take on the lead role for Oakland, so we don’t anticipate any major concerns there. For Chicago, Brady Quinn came out of the Wild Card round unscathed and looking solid, so no concerns there that he will need extra support as he faces the Invaders. Retirements Among the Early Offseason News This week saw 14 USFL clubs preparing for the playoffs, but for the other half of the league the season is over, the lockers get cleaned out, players return home, and for some, it is a much more permanent departure. In addition to the many free agents who will find new homes for next season, the end of a season also sees a wave of retirements as players say goodbye to the game, or at least their on field role in the game, and step away for good. This year is like every other, with the week between the season finale and the Wild Card playoffs being the busiest for retirement announcements. We start our look at the offseason scenarios across the league with these players who have announced their intention to hang up the helmet and pads and move to a new phase in their lives. HB Corey Dillon (SEA): The most prominent and well-known name among the early retirement announcements, Dillon has been the lead back in Seattle since being drafted by the team in 1997. A 7-time All-USFL selection, Dillon has had six 1,000 yard seasons in his 12-year career. Amassing 91 touchdowns in that time. The last few seasons he has seen his YPC dip to the mid-three’s and his average attempts this year dropped from 21 to 14 as the Dragons spelled him more frequently. He retires with over 13,000 yards rushing and a title in 2005. Expect to see Dillon’s name prominently among the Hall of Fame nominees in 2014. DT Chris Hovan (TEX): The 9-year veteran defensive tackle has decided not to go for a 10th season, retring at the age of only 33. Hovan has been a steady feature of Outlaw defenses for his entire career, but injuries have forced him to miss 9 games in the past 2 seasons. He retires without having ever having appeared in a team that won a playoff game, with only a 2003 appearance by the Outlaws in the playoffs. Texas’s last playoff win was in 1998, 2 years before Hovan arrived. LB DeWayne Dotson (BIR): A 14-year vet with the Stallions, Dotson emerged as a regular starter in 2001 after several years of development and swing duty. He had his first of two 100-tackle seasons in 2004 and repeated the feat 3 years later in 2007. This past season he again rotated with other linebackers, causing him to have only 7 starts in 14 games. HB Larry Johnson (STL): Part of a messy rotation of backs in St. Louis, Larry Johnson was a highly touted back out of Penn State when he was drafted by the Philadelphia Stars in the 2003 Territorial Draft. After two years in Philadelphia, he was traded to Arizona, but after one year there in which he only started 3 games, he left for St. Louis in the 2006 expansion draft. With the Skyhawks, he has had a few bright spots, rushing for 100 yards on several occasions, but was never able to establish himself as a true lead back, always serving in rotation with Dominic Rhodes and Michael Bush. 2009 was his best season in St. Louis, rushing for 534 yards and a 4.2 YPC average. But, increasing physical concerns, along with a change in leadership for the 3rd time in the short history of the Hawks have led to his retirement after 7 seasons. CB Ray Crockett (ARZ): A 15-year veteran of the Express (1995-2004), Gold (2005-2006) and Wranglers (2007-2009), Crockett has been a starter at CB since his rookie season in LA. Over his career he has started 189 games, finishing his career with 881 tackles and 39 picks. His best seasons were in LA, where in both 2000 and 2001 he finished the year with 5 picks. Coaching is expected to be in his future as LA is looking to bring him back to work with their secondary. C Jim Pyne (ATL): The first pick for Atlanta in the 2006 expansion draft, Jim Pyne spent 15 seasons in the USFL, beginning his career in Washington in 1995. He became a starter for the Federals in his 4th year, and joined the Fire after short stints in Chicago and Ohio. With Atlanta, Pyne won his only All-USFL accolade in 2005 and started 49 of 51 games for the Fire over his 4 seasons with the club. TE Alge Crumpler (PIT): A career long member of the Maulers, Crumpler retires after 9 seasons in the USFL. A reliable receiver and solid blocker, Crumpler finishes his career with 402 receptions for 4,688 yars and 23 career touchdowns. LB Bobby Howard (NJ): An 11-year vet out of Notre Dame, the career-long New Jersey General came to the USFL in the 2001 draft, starting 4 games in his rookie season and recording 3 sacks. He would be a starter for the Generals each year since, winning titles with New Jersey in both 2004 and 2006. Howard was named All-USFL at linebacker in 2003. OT Robert Hicks (LV): Las Vegas’s 34-year old Right Tackle, Robert Hicks is also calling it a career after 12 seasons in the league. Hicks began his career in Arizona, played briefly in Ohio, and has spent the past 7 seasons with the Thunder. OT Wayne Gandy (CHA): One of the two Gandy Brothers who have made a name for themselves in the USFL, Wayne is a 6-time All USFL player at tackle. He began his career with Baltimore in 1994, then moved on to Nashville in 2005, and was drafted in the expansion draft by the Charlotte Monarchs in 2008. His younger brother Mike remains a member of the Memphis Showboats. Those are the noteworthy names of the recent retirees. In Seattle, Dillon’s retirement means that the Dragons may have an entirely new RB room, as both Ladell Betts and Darren Sproles could also be looking for other opportunities. Meanwhile, in Texas, the DT spot is likely to be 4th year vet Luis Castillo, and in New Jersey, Bobby Howard’s spot on the strong side is likely to filledby either Michael Okwo or Kevin Mitchell (not the KM we all know from Tampa Bay. With 6 teams now removed from playoff contention, and another 4 next week, expect that we will see more names among the retirement ranks, and, of particular interest is whether any more QB’s will be joining Brett Favre among the newest USFL “AARP ranks”. We expect that regardless of the playoff results, this will be Drew Bledsoe’s last year, but there are questions as well about other veterans such as Kerry Collins, Kordell Stewart, Jake Delhomme, and Matt Hasselbeck. Free Agent Pool Starts to Fill As we explore the free agent pool already established by the 14 non-playoff teams, one thing is evident, it is a buyers market for offensive linemen. There is a lot of talent in the pool across the board, with QB always a bit of a slow market, but this year in particular it seems that the O-linemen are looking for a payday and that means that there are plenty to choose form. Here is our quick assessment of the best talent we see in the market already, our Top 15 players from the first 14 teams to release their free agent lists. 15) WR Darnerien McCants (SEA): A solid possession receiver who averages 13.6 YPC. 14) G Gennaro DiNapoli (ATL): The 11-year vet with the Knights and Fire looks for a new gig. 13) FB Madison Hedgecock (JAX): A very good blocking back with limited ballcarrying or catching. 12) TE O. J. Santiago (BIR): A mainstay of the Stallion offense, Santiago will enter his 13th season looking for a new team. 11) CB Mike Rumph (NJ): An underrated cover man with good ball skills. 10) G Lennie Friedman (TBY): A 10-year vet with Birmingham and Tampa Bay moves on. 9) G Stee Sciulo (BIR): The Stallions also potentially lose a guard in this guard-rich pool. 8) WR Az-Zahir Hakeem (CHA): The 11-year veteran slot receiver never really found a place in Charlotte, starting only 10 games the past 2 years. He hopes to go out strong with a final contract that puts his elusiveness to good use. 7) OT Jermaine Mayberry (TEX): The 14-year vet could still contemplate retirement, but is looking for a 1-2 year deal if one is out there. 6) WR Dez White (LA): The former Bull and Express wideout started 14 games this year, bringing in 756 yards and 5 TDs for the Express. He could be a very solid option for a team looking for a #2 receiver. 5) TE Dan Campbell (CHA): The 2008 All-USFL tight end from the Monarchs saw significant less attention this year, and is apparently looking for a more dynamic offense for his 11th season and beyond. 4) WR Santana Moss (ARZ): Speedy and quick at once, Moss is a very good complimentary receiver who can take over games at times. He spent 8 seasons in Arizona, 7 with Jake Plummer, and reached 900 yards 6 times over that span, with double digit TDs in both 2003 and 2006. 3) DE Andre Wadsworth (ATL): The long-time Blitz DE came to Atlanta in the 2006 expansion draft, and has played well for them. He landed 11 sacks this year, his first 10+ sack season since 2000. 2) HB Antowain Smith (JAX): Smith is not going to bust a lot of 20+ yard runs, but he is going to get you a 3rd and 2 when you need one. His 12th season saw him dip below 1,000 yards for the first time since 2003, so he may well be hitting the 30-year wall. But, in rotation, he can be a very effective short yardage and game ending rusher. 1) WR Joe Horn (BIR): After a career that spanned 13 years, Joe Horn is hoping for one more act. His numbers have certainly suffered since moving from Memphis to Birmingham, and particularly after Brett Favre retired (the first time). Horn can still be very effective as a route runner, but is unlikely to take the top off a defense, averaging 10.6 yards per catch this past season. Explaining USFL Playoff Formatting So, what is up with the USFL playoffs? Why is New Orleans facing Philadelphia in Round 2 instead of Boston? How does that work Well, it took several calls into league office to verify this, but it turns out that the USFL and the NFL work very differently when it comes to seeding. Here is how it is different, a difference that tends to become prominent in the Divisional Round more than any other. In the NFL, the teams are seeded from 1-6 and after the first round of games, the lowest seed automatically goes off to face the higher seed, while the two middle seeds face off. If that were the way the USFL handles playoffs, then New Orleans would be facing Boston and Philadelphia would be headed to Baltimore. But the USFL does things slightly differently. In the USFL playoff system, the playoffs are set up as brackets, and those brackets do not shift based on who wins the earlier games. The Bracket was designed to allow the #2 seed and the #1 seed not to meet until the Conference Title Games, so we had #2 seed Nashville as well as #3 seed Orlando in one bracket and #4 seed Washington in a bracket with the winner set to face the #1 seed (Boston). This worked out more or less as expected in the West, where we now have #4 vs #1 in the second round and #3 vs. #2 in the other divisional game. But, in the East, where all 3 games ended up being upsets, what you end up is not with #2 vs. #3 but with #7 vs. #6. That is why New Orleans will travel to Philadelphia instead of facing the #1 seed in Boston. Philly and New Orleans were in one bracket while Baltimore and Boston were in another. It is a different model, more like the field of 64 in the NCAA Basketball tournament than like the NFL playoffs. You get seeded, those seeds determine the brackets, and then, once the playoffs start, the seeding matters less and the bracket matters more. That is how we get a weird #7 vs. #6 in the divisional round, because those two defeated the #2 and #3 seeded teams, so they move on in that bracket. What that also means is that one of the two lowest seeds in the East is going to the Eastern Conference Title Game. Seems odd, perhaps, but it does add some excitement and a built in Cinderella factor. It also certainly (in this cased) helped out #6 seed Philadelphia because they get a home playoff game, something an NFL #6 seed would never have. Different, to be sure, better or worse, we will let you decide. (It took me a while to figure this out, but this is what the simulator is doing, setting up fixed brackets and not realigning them as underdogs win, so we end up with some weird matchups in later rounds because it does not automatically place the lowest seed against the highest. Not an outlandish system, after all the bracket system is what we see in NCAA BBall, but different from the NFL to be sure.) #7 New Orleans Breakers (8-6) @ #6 Philadelphia Stars (8-6) Saturday, July 18 @ 3pm ET Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA Not a matchup we see often, but the Breakers did face the Stars earlier this year, losing at home by a 32-17 score. The problem in that game for the Breakers was the run duo of Slaton and Robinson. If New Orleans can fare better against that threat, they can make this a very interesting game. For Philadelphia, their key is to try to rattle Eli Manning. Manning has had a very up and down season, but when he is in the zone he can be a handful. #4 Chicago Machine (8-6) @ #1 Oakland Invaders (12-2) Saturday, July 18 @ 8pm ET Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, Oakland, CA These two met only 2 weeks ago, with Oakland eking out an 18-15 win at home. We expect a very similar game this time around, with both defenses taking away the primary offensive threats for their opponent and the offenses having to diversify to find success. Don’t expect a high scoring game here as both of these defenses can be tough to crack. #5 Baltimore Blitz (9-5) @ #1 Boston Cannons (10-4) Sunday, July 19 @ 1pm ET Alumni Stadium, Boston, MA Got to love a divisional rivalry game in the divisional round. The two split the series, with Baltimore winning in Week 1, but an energized Boston club defeating the Blitz in Boston in Week 16, the game that gave the Cannnons the top seed. Will this game differ from that 28-20 Boston win two weeks ago? We hope not. That was a fun game and a hard hitting one too. Expect this to come down to Boston’s ability to contain Ron Dayne and Baltimore’s ability to get to Drew Bledsoe. #3 Denver Gold (9-5) @ #2 Michigan Panthers (11-3) Sunday, July 19 @ 5pm ET Ford Field, Detroit, MI These two did not meet this year so there is a level of unfamiliarity to deal with. Denver comes in with the #1 defense for yards allowed, but they face the #1 offense for yards gained. It is a classic immovable object, unstoppable force combination. As much as we like Denver’s offense, potential MVP Brian Griese and that Michigan offense can make even good defenses look bad.

POTW: Brian Griese put in a late vote for the MVP title with a 4-TD day against the usually staunch Chicago Machine defense. The big day for Griese capped off a big year that saw him throw for a league-best 35 touchdowns. PLAYOFF PICTURE: With the season concluded, the final 3 playoff spots were claimed, and we can now view the seeding for the 2009 playoffs. EAST: 1-BOS 2-NSH 3-ORL 4-WSH 5-BAL 6-PHI 7-NOR WEST: 1-OAK 2-MGN 3-DEN 4-CHI 5-POR 6-HOU 7-OHI

It happened again. Just like last year we had a final week in which playoff seeding was confirmed instead of upended. All 14 teams that were in playoff position before this week’s games remained in playoff position after the week. Bad news for Charlotte, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas and Seattle, but good news for Philadelphia, Houston, and Ohio. Despite this stability in the playoff field, there was one huge shift, as Boston’s win over Baltimore vaulted them not only from third to first in the Northeast, but gave the Cannons the overall #1 seed, making Drew Bledsoe’s decision to return for one more go around seem like a very good decision indeed. Rather than picking one game as our Game of the Week, we will run through the schedule as it happened, with all the scoreboard watching and scenario shifting results. SATURDAY NOON KICKOFFS BALTIMORE 20 BOSTON 28 This was the big one, the game that created the biggest shift. With a three-way tie atop the NE Division, any one of the three clubs could have ended up as not only the division champion but also the #1 seed. Both QB’s played well in this one, with Big Ben going 23 of 35 for 273 yards and 2 scores while Bledsoe went 18 of 32 for 278 and 2 of his own. The key to the game was Boston’s hot start to the 2nd half. Down 14-9 to the Blitz at the half, the Cannons came out and scored 17 unanswered points to build up a 26-14 lead that would hold in the end. They got TDs from rookie WR Percy Harvin and Chad Johnson as they dominated the 3rd quarter. Baltimore would crawl back with 2 field goals in the 4th, but when Ben Roethlisberger was tackled in the endzone for a safety with only 2 minutes left, it meant Boston would get the ball back, and they burnt off 1:45 of the 2 minutes, leaving the Blitz with no time for a miracle TD drive. Boston would move to the top of the Northeast and claim the overall #1 seed in the conference. NEW JERSEY 10 PHILADELPHIA 43 The Stars needed a win to ensure a playoff spot, and they left no doubt that they were going to get it. Two early Steve Smith TD receptions helped build up a 24-0 halftime lead, and the Stars never looked back. The defense held New Jersey to only 23 yards rushing as Ryan Fitzpatrick was forced to go one dimensional early. Both Owens and Smith finished the game with 2 TDs each and the Stars cruised their way into the playoffs. ST. LOUIS 9 WASHINGTON 30 The Feds spent most of this game scoreboard watching, hoping for a rare tie between the Cannons and Blitz so they could steal the division. It did not come, but neither did much challenge from the 1-12 Skyhawks. TD runs from both McCallister and Stewart helped the Federals pull away and finish the year at 10-4. SATURDAY 4PM KICKOFFS LAS VEGAS 21 LOS ANGELES 24 Las Vegas needed a win, plus help from Texas and Pittsburgh on Sunday. But, they could not get their part done, even playing against LA third stringer Brodie Croyle, who was given the start. Coryle threw for 2 scores and the combo of Jones-Drew and Maurice Morris combined for 123 yards, while an inspired LA defense held Marshawn Lynch to 86 yards. Las Vegas dropped to 6-8 on the year and out of contention. And you know that did not go over well with ownership, who spent a lot of collateral to bring Jake Plummer to town. OAKLAND 44 PORTLAND 3 Portland was hoping for a statement game against the Pacific Division Champion, and man, did they get one. Oakland made a statement that was unmistakable, scoring the first 30 points in the game before Portland meekly kicked a field goal to get on the board. By midway through the third it was Ingle Martin at QB for the Invaders, giving Harrington a breather. TDs from Williams, Norwood, Jennings, Deshaun Jackson, and Jeb Putzier made sure that the #1 seed in the West would go to the Invaders. SEATTLE 20 TAMPA BAY 10 The Dragons had slim hopes of making the playoffs, needing help, just as Las Vegas did, from both the Maulers and Outlaws. They did their part, traveling across the country to defeat the Bandits. Byron Leftwich threw for 258 and 2 scores and the defense did its job against backup Rhett Bomar, who got the start for the Bandits. Bomar threw two picks and completed only 17 of 35 passing as Seattle got the W they would need if they would have any hope of a playoff spot at 7-7. SUNDAY NOON KICKOFF ATLANTA 17 CHARLOTTE 19 The Philadelphia win on Saturday took the air out of this game. Rather than fighting for a Wild Card spot, the Fire and Monarchs would only be battling to finish 7-7. In a game that saw neither team try anything too daring, and a lot of player rotation, Charlotte got the win to finish the year at .500, a hollow victory for a club that started the year so well. JACKSONVILLE 10 ORLANDO 17 As promised, Calais Campbell played in the game, but was removed at the half with 2 sacks already in hand. Drew Brees did not, but Matt Cassel did enough to defeat the 2-12 Bulls, who also started their backup, Josh McCown, in the game. Knowshon Moreno had a strong day with 105 yards and a score as he tries to make his case to be the Rookie of the Year with a late season surge. MEMPHIS 30 BIRMINGHAM 16 The traditional rivalry game between the Boats and the Stallions lacked a lot of the luster of past years. Only 18,202 were in attendance on a muggy afternoon in Alabama. Memphis did start Brett Favre, but he played only a few series before being subbed out. It was enough to get him 2 TDs and that was enough for Memphis to take the win. Both clubs finish the year a disappointing 4-10. NEW ORLEANS 24 NASHVILLE 30 The game everyone was watching in the 12pm timeslot had a battle for the Southern Division title. It was a game that lived up to the hype, with Nashville building a 13-0 lead in the first, New Orleans battling back in the 2nd, and both teams trading blows throughout. It was actually special teams which gave Nashville the boost it needed to capture the game and the division title. The play came on the 2nd half kickoff, when All-USFL return man Ahmad Merritt busted open the 16-10 game by returning the opening kick 101 yards for a Nashville TD, giving the knights a 13-point lead and all the momentum, they would need. New Orleans dominated the 4th quarter, but it was too little too late as Nashville held on and claimed the crown in front of a rowdy home town crowd. SUNDAY 4PM KICKOFF MICHIGAN 27 CHICAGO 12 Brady Quinn was clearly not 100% in this game, and many questioned why Coach Mornhinweg played him at all. With Brian Griese having an MVP day with 4 TDs the contrast was clear. Chicago hung tough for a while, getting an early score from TE Aaron Shea, but Michigan pulled away in the second half with Griese connecting with 4 different receivers on scoring tosses. With Oakland winning on Saturday, Michigan could not move up to #1 in the West, so they settled for a 2nd seed and a home game against the #7 club next week. PITTSBURGH 7 OHIO 21 Win and you are in was basically the situation for both the Maulers and the Glory. And in this game, it was the experience and confidence of Ohio that won out over Pittsburgh’s moxie. Kerry Collins threw for 305 yards and 3 scores against a Mauler D that sacked him 5 times but never rattled him. Cody Pickett had a bad day, after facing a challenge to start the game with rookie Pat White getting a lot of snaps in practice this week. The lack of prep was not good for Pickett, as he threw 2 picks and looked off all game long. With the win, Ohio locked up a playoff spot, and now will face a division rival in the first round. DENVER 10 ARIZONA 17 Dereck Anderson got the start as Denver rested many of their star players. Arizona was game and built up a 17-0 lead with a 3rd quarter Carr to Fitzgerald TD. Denver would come back late, but was clearly not heavily invested in a game that would have no impact on their standing as the #3 seed. They got what they wanted, even with the loss, a game that produced no key injuries as they head into a home game in the Wild Card round. TEXAS 3 HOUSTON 17 Houston’s game was key not just for the Gamblers, but for Seattle as well. A loss here would allow the Dragons to escape their 1-6 start and miraculously qualify for the playoffs. But, Houston also had a vested interest in winning, because the spot Seattle would take would be theirs. They fell behind 3-0 in the first, but then put the clamps down, throttling backup QB Dan Orlovsky, who would complete only 14 passes in 38 attempts. The Houston D held T. J. Duckett to 60 yards, while Tatum Bell exploited a tired and flat Texas defense for 102 yards and a TD to spark Houston to the win, and a spot in the Wild Card round next week. The Gamblers had held their spot, and Seattle’s attempted miracle comeback for the season was not to be. So here we are, primed for the playoffs, and we have some really interesting matchups in our expanded 6-game Wild Card round. In the six games we have 4 that feature divisional matchups, including one that is a direct replay of this week’s final game of the regular season. New Orleans might as well not even go back to Louisiana because they will be right back in Nashville as the #7 seed facing the #2 seed Knights. The game this week was intense, and now we get a 2nd chance to see these two go head to head. Another great matchup in the East features two bitter rivals facing off for a 3rd time this year. Baltimore will travel down the road to Washington to face the Feds as it is #5 vs. #4 in a NE Division clash. The Blitz and Feds split their series this year, with both road teams winning, so is that good news for the traveling Blitz? Finally, the third Eastern Conference clash features the Stars, who needed a Week 14 win to qualify, up against the Orlando Renegades, who will be sure to have Drew Brees back on the field, though we expect that the player keeping Coach Harbaugh from getting any sleep is DE Calais Campbell. Kurt Warner is probably also not resting well ahead of this one. In the West, we have divisional rivalry games between the #3 seed Gold and the #6 seed Gamblers as the two SW division foes clash at Invesco Field. The two have not met since Week 6, splitting their series with both games in the season’s first half. That means that both teams are not as familiar with each other as you might expect of division foes. Should make for a really interesting game as both will try to rely on their defenses and a pretty controlled and methodical offense. The other big divisional clash in the Western Conference has Ohio headed up the road to face the Michigan Panthers in a game that could rival the Buckeye-Wolverine games that define the relationship between these two states. The Panthers swept the series with their border rivals, winning 33-28 in Week 6 and then taking the home game against Ohio 26-6 only 3 weeks ago. The Glory will have to find an answer for Brian Griese and that Michigan receiving corps, but Michigan is well aware of what Collins, Galloway, Moss, and George can do. We feel a bit bad for the defensive coordinators in both of these games. Finally, our last Western Conference clash sees Portland traveling to Chicago to face the Machine. Chicago had the upper hand in their clash with the Stags back in Week 5, beating Portland 28-16, but the boys from the Rose City have been on a tear lately, winning 5 of 6 before a bad defeat in Oakland last week. Expect Chicago to try to imitate the success of the Invaders against Portland’s D, but a lot will depend on how healthy Brady Quinn is after struggling this week. Oakland and Boston sit back, heal, rest, and watch this week, relishing their hard-earned bye week and prepping to face the lowest seed who survives this first week of playoff action. League Leaders for 2009 The end of the regular season means we have also reached the final week of stats and the league leaders are locked in. And what did we see this year? Well, the number that jumps off the page is no surprise, Calais Campbell’s ludicrous 34 sacks in 14 games. That is an insane number no matter how you look at it. Anthony Weaver had a very strong season, his best to date, with 22 sacks and he was a solid dozen behind Campbell. If this does not win the Orlando DE an MVP award, then no defender ever is going to win that thing. Looking at the offense, three names shine above the others. We have Chad (Don’t call him 85 anymore) Johnson with 1,759 yards on only 68 catches, a stunning 25.9 YPC average, and one of the highest receiving yard totals we have seen in a while. And if there is any doubt that Drew Bledsoe has bounced back from his injury last year, just note that not only is Johnson #1 in yardage, but teammate Joe Jurevicius is not too shabby at #6 with over 1,100 yards as well. In the run game, Deuce McCallister took over the lead before midseason and never relinquished it. His 4.9 YPC is the highest we have seen for a league leader in total yards in a long time, and he did it with only 267 carries, no 300+ workhorse. We did have those though, with Michael Turner leading the pack with 323 carries, but joined by Frank Gore (314), Jonathan Stewart (303), and DeShaun Foster (301). Among passers, you had a career season for Brian Griese, a likely frontrunner for Offensive Player of the Year, with 35 TD passes and over 4,200 yards passing, but others were right there. There will be a lot of sentiment for Bledsoe, who returned from a devastating injury last year to lead Boston to the #1 seed and along the way threw for 4,400 yards and 30 touchdowns as well. Matt Leinart did not have the biggest totals, but his 69.5% completion rate was the best in the league and helped Denver win the SW Division. On the other end of the spectrum, Pittsburgh has to be second guessing the decision to stick with Cody Pickett all season. He looked good early but a real bad run down the stretch left him leading the league in two categories you do not want, interceptions (he threw 17) and fumbles (11). Those 28 turnovers tell a lot of the story of how the Maulers fell from playoff position to a 7-7 finish. Finally, we need to hand it to the Nashville Knights for prioritizing the third phase of the game, special teams. Not only was Shayne Graham a Top 5 kicker, hitting on 29 of 33 field goal attempts, but punter Steve Koch led the league with a 48.0 yard average and kick returner Ahmad Merrit finished the year with a 30.9 yard kick return average, along with the big 101-yarder this week that put an exclamation point on Nashville’s season. And one unheralded star we should have given more attention to. New Jersey wideout Mark Clayton, playing on a pretty bad team, with a QB just beginning to find his sea legs, still managed to lead the league with 98 receptions. Not too bad at all. We are not in the age of 150 receptions in a year like the old Eric Truvillion days, but anyone who gets that close to 100 receptions in a 14-week season on a team as bad as the Generals was is doing something right. Looking ahead to the Wild Card playoffs, injuries are a key factor that could sway a game one way or another, so how do the 12 teams in the upcoming games look health-wise? Here is our breakdown. CHICAGO: DT Ellis Wyms (OUT), QB Brady Quinn (PROB) PORTLAND: DE Ebenezer Ekuban (IR), G Anthony Oakley (IR), WR Roddy White (OUT), C Brad Meester (OUT) For Chicago the big question is Brady Quinn. He has been able to go, but this week vs. Michigan it was clear that Quinn was not at 100%, and if he is not at his best against Portland, the Stags could exploit that and edge the Machine. For Portland, protection for A. J. Feeley will be key, as they have to shuffle some linemen to account for the absence of Oakley and Meester up front. That could be a big problem when facing an aggressive D like Chicago’s. DENVER: OT Chris Terry (DOU), DT Montae Reager (QUE), CB David Terrell (PROB) HOUSTON: LB Keith Brooking (IR), HB Shaun Alexander (IR), WR Mike Sims-Walker (DOU), B Justin Knox (QUE) The injury to Chris Terry is Denver’s biggest concern, as Michigan is known for blitzes on the outside, which will put pressure on Matt Leinart. Houston has not really had much of a run game since Alexander went out, though Tatum Bell has had some moments, so the key here is to use short passes, particularly to Kevin Faulk to force the Denver D to keep only 7 men in the box. MICHIGAN: DT Leonard Renfro (OUT), WR Mario Manningham (PROB) OHIO: OT Winston Justice (IR), HB Kevin Smith (OUT), CB Jason Webster (QUE) Going into this game without Leonard Renfro in the game means that Michigan’s linebackers will not have some of the protection they are used to, forcing them to deal with more on their way to the ball. That could be an issue, particularly if Ohio can get Eddie George going early. NEW ORLEANS: OT Mark Tauscher (IR), TE Chris Cooley (OUT), OT Nat Dorsey (OUT), G Paul Zakauskas (QUE) NASHVILLE: G Jeb Terry (IR), CB Chidi Iwoma (IR), C Kory Lichtensteiger (OUT), WR Derrick Mason (OUT) Concerns for New Orleans’s O-line, as they have 3 players out. That means they are going to have to find a way to enhance protection, perhaps by keeping backs or tight ends in to block. For Nashville, losing Mason is big and puts a lot of pressure on Robert Meachem to step up and take on the best corner for the Breakers. ORLANDO: SS Atari Bigby (IR), LB Will Overstreet (OUT), DT Marcus Thomas (OUT), OT Wade Smith (DOU) PHILADELPHIA: G Damien Woody (PROB), CB Antonio Cromartie (PROB) Philadelphia looks to have its full regimen of players, while Olando is missing a few key pieces, including their RT and starting strong safety. Inside runs will quickly determine if the absences on Orlando’s defesne are going to be a big problem or one the Renegades can handle. Watch for the Stars to test that defense with Slaton and Michael Robinson. WASHINGTON: WR Eddie Kennison (OUT), C Austin King (OUT), CB Brandon Flowers (QUE), LB Antonio Pierce (PROB) BALTIMORE: OT D’Brickashaw Ferguson (IR), WR Tory Holt (Out), QB Ben Roethlisberger (QUE), FS Shaunard Harris (Prob) Both teams go into this game with a key weapon out of commission. While Eddie Kennison’s absence is an issue for Washington, the loss this week of both Tory Holt and D’Brickashaw Ferguson is a huge concern for the Blitz. Expect Roethlisberger to go, despite the questionable designation, but Holt is definitely out, which means the Blitz are without their big play specialist and will have to hope to grind out yards with the run game. That could be a lot to ask of Ron Dayne against the Feds’ defense. Black Monday Hits hard in 2009 It was a Black Monday to remember, or perhaps one to forget as five different head coaches were relieved of their duties one day after the conclusion of the regular season. And while we can hardly say we are surprised by any one firing, the impact of having 5 coaches dumped on the same day is a big one. But, before we get to the five newly opened position, let’s talk for a moment about the anticipated sacking that did not happen, that of Pittsburgh Head Coach Ron Rivera. Rivera was very much considered to be on the chopping block after a 7-2 start to the year turned into a 7-7 final record. Rivera was considered a possible Coach of the Year candidate at midseason as he had his Maulers atop the Central Division, far ahead of most predictions, but when reality hit, it hit hard, and the Maulers collapsed in the second half of the season. That collapse was thought by many to be the nail in Rivera’s coffin, but it appears that ownership is giving him one more chance to put the pieces together for a full season. The key decision Rivera will have to justify and perhaps remedy in 2010 is the quarterback position. Just like the team as a whole, Cody Pickett started the season well, but was disastrous down the stretch as the club and their leader seemingly lost all confidence in themselves. Pickett was responsible for 28 turnovers this year, including 17 picks and 11 fumbles. He struggled to make use of a solid run game and a strong defense, having difficulty even with advantageous play action plays, and that hurt Pittsburgh time and again. With highly touted rookie Pat White confined to the bench, there were questions throughout the year about why Rivera would not turn to their big offseason signing. Those questions will now linger well into the offseason as Rivera tries to win back the faith that seemed so prevalent early in the year, but which turned to questioning and near revolt among Mauler fans as the club let what seemed like a solid playoff position slip away. As rough as Ron Rivera’s year was, that of Brad Childress in Jacksonville was worse. After 11 seasons in Jacksonville, Childress was let go Monday. A 2-12 season will do that, particularly as a nadir in what appears to be a steady decline since winning 10 games in 2006. Childress had a good run with the Bulls, but a total record of 81-68 and a playoff record of 4-5 were not enough to withstand a drop from 10 wins to 8, to 7, and now only 2. A change was needed, and for Childress that meant an end to a decade-long tenure with the Bulls. In Las Vegas the issues were twofold. Not only was it a failure to meet expectations, but Coach Jerry Glanville’s sideline antics were also a major distraction and embarrassment for the Thunder. Ownership expected more from the team after a build from 2 wins in 2005, to 6, 7, and 9 wins last year. They spent a lot of capital to bring Jake Plummer in only for the former MVP to be handcuffed by a retrograde offensive scheme and a coach who simply does not have a track record for creative offense. Glanville might have survived a 6-8 record this year had it not been for his issues with sideline antics and actual physical confrontation with his players. That was too much and the veteran coach was let go on Monday. Expect the Thunder to look for an offensive-minded coach, as that has been the weakness of the Thunder for years now. For the LA Express, the question was one of diminishing returns. Hue Jackson had a strong first season, leading the Express to the Summer Bowl in his first season with the team, but after that magical first run, the club went 8-6 in 2007, 6-10 in 2008 and only 5-9 in 2009. That is not the direction that the club wants or expects and with a young QB in tow, they felt they needed to go another direction to try to right the ship before they found themselves sitting at 1 or 2 wins. The Express have a lot of talent, but Jackson was not able to get results with his talented roster, which is why he was let go on Monday. Finally, we have the case of St. Louis, which has just gotten worse and worse since entering the league in 2006. While Atlanta, Charlotte, and Portland have all been competitive since joining the league, the Skyhawks have been mired in the basement of the Central Division since day one. A 1-win season is not what the Skyhawks expected four seasons into their existence. Unlike the other expansion clubs, which quickly got to at least a competitive level, St. Louis has been going from bad to horrible. A lot of that is on the GM, but Coach Williams did not show any growth for the club from his first year to his second, and the team was barely able to show anything this year that looked like it had promise, so after only 2 years Williams is done and the Skyhawks will go into their 5th season with a 3rd head coach. Seattle reveals 2010 uniforms The third design this year and the last of Reebok’s contract with the USFL was revealed this week, when the Seattle Dragons unveiled their new look for 2010. Falling short of a playoff run this year, Seattle is retooling for the future and that includes reimagining everything from their logo to their uniforms. This week Seattle and Reebok unveiled a new dragon for a new era in the Emerald City. The new Dragons logo is more of a mix of European and Asian dragon genotypes, while still bringing enough of the club’s former identity along with it to be easily seen as an evolution and not a revolution. The green, gold, red, and black dragon still breaths fire, but now twists into a curved posture that highlights the red dorsal fins and gold belly armor. It is accompanied by a new feature, a monogram logo with an S that both evokes the image of the dragon and yet also seems right at home with Seattle’s hard rock and grunge musical past. A stylized “S” complete with its own ridges, fins, and an ominous red glowing eye, the new monogram is a key feature of the new look. The team helmets are updated as well, with the new logo forming not a wrap-around, like we see with the NFL Seahawks, but more of a wrap-down, similar to that of the Michigan Panthers, with the dragon logo taking over most of both sides of the green shell. The facemask reverts back to green after several years in red, and, as always, there is no center striping. The Uniform features a move away from side panels and curved piping and now features offset color sleeves and thin angular stripes at the shoulder. The most prominent feature of the jerseys is a new number font, a block design with pointed tops that evoke medieval gothic windows. Both on the white jersey and the dark green jersey, these numbers are outlined in red and have a gold/yellow drop shadow, more prominent on the green jersey, but present in both. The pants feature two thick stripes (blending into the pants on the green set, but prominent on the white) which surround a red stripe that transitions to golden yellow at the hip, forming a “scale” effect with a singular curve. The new look will first be seen in the preseason next year as Seattle did not qualify for a Wild Card game, and it is the last set Reebok will produce, with all 2011 designs created by Adidas as part of their new contract with the league to produce field, sideline, and fan gear. Best of the USFL—Quarterback We arrive at our last entry in our series on the best players in the league at each position, and we have saved perhaps the most controversial position for last. Debates over quarterback play can be endless. We certainly know they felt that way in our bullpen as we tried to pull together our list. Discussion over past performance vs. current results, potential vs. proven track record, physical athleticism vs. decision making and the cerebral part of the game, even leadership vs. arm talent, were seemingly endless. So, as we present our list of the top 5 quarterbacks in the game, we fully expect this to be a list that produces a ton of feedback and a ton of debate. So have at it. Kerry Collins (OHI): While many will say that Collins is not the same QB as he was in the 2-year run of titles in 2002-2003, there is no doubt that he ranks among the most prolific quarterbacks in league history. Yes, he is surrounded by a great roster of talented players, but it is Collins who is managing that roster and producing the big plays to Galloway, Moss, and others. You cannot argue with the results, or with numbers like his: 407 touchdowns to only 112 picks, over 49,000 yards, and a lifetime QB rating of 112.6 do not lie. Kordell Stewart (WSH): He is not the most orthodox QB, and he had a couple of rough years, largely due to injury, but his comeback season in 2008 showed that he still had it. With Stewart you have to ignore the career QB Rating of 89.3 and realize that his ability to run the ball as well as throw it adds a dimension to his game that most defenses just cannot gameplan against. In addition to his 36,780 yards in the air, he has over 2,000 yards rushing with 43 rushing TDs to show off. Not a classic pocket passer to be sure, but his leadership and grit are undeniable. Ben Roethlisberger (BAL): The general consensus is that Big Ben is just beginning to show us his full potential, which is a scary thing to say. With over 17,000 yards passing in his first 3 years, along with 117 touchdowns, Roethlisberger is quickly becoming one of the premier stars of the league, famed already for his ability to withstand pressure and extend plays until he can find an open receiver. Drew Brees (ORL): After struggling a bit in Michigan, Brees’s three seasons in Orlando have shown us what he can do. He is deadly accurate, has outstanding pocket presence, and a knack for finding open receivers when under pressure. He is not the classic 6’4” pocket passer, but he is undoubtedly among the most deadly snipers in the league. Brett Favre (MEM): Yes, Favre missed a huge chunk of 2009 with injury, and yes, he is clearly in the final stages of his career (possibly retiring after this year, though it has not been announced yet), but when he is on the field, there is no denying that Favre is magic. All you have to do is look at what he did with Memphis upon returning to the league in 2007. He led the Showboats, who had been mired in mediocrity for several years, to two straight Summer Bowls and a league title. He continues to be have one of the strongest arms in football and one of the most infectious personalities. We simply could not leave him off this list. We can hear it already. Where is Bledsoe? What about Warner? How could you leave off Plummer? From Culpepper fans to those touting the steadfast leadership of a Matt Hasselbeck or Jake Delhomme, we will hear it from all quarters. Yes, the league has a lot of very good quarterbacks, but we could only pick five and we will stick with our list. Feel free to make your own and to put Bledsoe, Culpepper, Warner, Plummer, or anyone else you like on it. You will get just as much debate as we expect to get for our list. Here we go, playoff football, a little later in the year than usual, but after a firework-filled Independence Day Weekend, we kick off some more fireworks with the Wild Card games, all six of them, this week. Here is our guide to the key factors to watch for in each of the league’s playoff matchups. #6 Philadelphia (8-6) @ #3 Orlando (9-5) Saturday, July 11 @ 12pm ET Citrus Bowl Stadium, Orlando, FL This one comes down to one man and how the opposition deals with him. It’s all about Calais Campbell. If Philadelphia can chip, double, or somehow slow down the league sack recordholder, they have the offensive talent to win this game. If they cannot, and Kurt Warner is constantly having to keep track of Campbell’s whereabouts, then this could be a long day for Stars fans. They have been inconsistent this year, but this is not the time to put out anything less than their best. We think Orlando will struggle to score against the linebacker group of the Stars, so for us it all comes down to whether or not Philadelphia can protect Warner and outpace the Renegades. #5 Portland (8-6) @ #4 Chicago (8-6) Saturday, July 11 @ 4pm ET Soldier Field, Chicago, IL If Brady Quinn is healthy and ready to roll, then we think Chicago is the prohibitive favorite here. Their defense can take it to anyone, and they have the experience to know how to pull out a playoff game when needed. Having home field is huge for them in this game. Portland’s best shot is to take the crowd out of the game early with some immediate offensive success. That will likely be up to A. J. Feeley, who has looked good down the stretch for the Stags, but this is the club’s first playoff appearance, while it is absolutely not the first go around for Urlacher and his defense. #6 Houston (8-6) @ #3 Denver (9-5) Saturday, July 11 @ 8pm ET Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, CO I love when the playoffs give us a third game between bitter divisional rivals. It is like a midsummer Christmas present. These two teams know each other so well, and that familiarity breeds contempt and dislike. I expect a tough defensive matchup as both teams take away the top weapons of the opposition. That, in my mind, has to favor the Gold, because Houston is already a bit one dimensional after losing Shaun Alexander to injury. If Matt Leinart can play his game, the Gold look to use their huge home field advantage and that rowdy Gold Rush defense to take this one. #5 Baltimore (9-5) @ #4 Washington (10-4) Sunday, July 12 @ 12pm ET RFK Stadium, Washington, DC Another great battle between rivals. How lucky can we get in one weekend of football? There will be no surprises in this one as these two teams know each other so well. The loss of Tory Holt could be the difference, as it puts a lot of pressure on the Blitz run game to keep drives going. We just don’t see the big play potential for Baltimore without Holt on the field. We see this as McCallister vs. Dayne. If one of them can have a big day, and we mean 150 yards big, that team will be the clear victor. #7 New Orleans (8-6) @ #2 Nashville (10-4) Sunday, July 12 @ 4pm ET Adelphia Stadium, Nashville, TN The Breaker-Knight rivalry may not have the luster of Memphis-Birmingham or even Memphis-Nashville, but these are still two division foes who know each other well. The fact that they just had a head to head battle last week to decide the division and determine who hosted this game is enough to make us say that this will be a nasty game. These two will have to find new strategies because both clubs are aware of what worked and what did not last week and as they face off again, this time in a single elimination format, they will have to find a new wrinkle to throw the other off their game. #7 Ohio (8-6) @ #2 Michigan (11-3) Sunday, July 12 @ 8pm ET Ford Field, Detroit, MI Are you kidding me? Sunday is loaded. First we have two NE Division rivals, then two Southern rivals, and we finish up with one of the best rivalries in the Central? This is nuts! Michigan has been the better team this year, no denying that, but this is Ohio. Collins, George, Galloway, Moss. This is a team that has been here and done this before. That is huge in the playoffs. Can they do it again? Can they upend the Panthers at home? This could be a pure shootout in Ford Field. Don’t be surprised if it takes 40 points to win this one, or if the team that has the ball last is the one that moves on. Cannot wait for this game.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: LB Mike Maslowski helped Portland wrap up the franchises first playoff berth with a huge game against Michigan. Maslowski finished the day with 2 sacks, a forced fumble, a recovery and a defensive TD as his big play helped Portland win by a slim 5 points. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Eleven of the fourteen playoff spots have now been claimed, but that means three are still up in the air with one week of action left in the regular season. All three Western Divisions are clinched, with Oakland, Michigan, and Denver locking up the top spots. Chicago and Portland are guaranteed Wild Card spots as well. In the East, only Orlando has clinched their division title, while Baltimore and Nashville can still be knocked down to a Wild Card in the season's final week. Week 13 also brings us to 9 teams eliminated from contention, leaving Charlotte, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Las Vegas as the 5 teams currently on the outside but each with their own unique combination of results which could grab them a playoff spot.