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Player of the Week: A huge game for Anthony Weaver as he works to catch up with the league sack leaders, three sacks this week certainly put him on the right path to that goal, and addint a forced fumble which he was also able to recover certainly does not hurt Chicago's chances either.

Week 5 saw the debut of several NFL transfers, including WR Antonio Bryant (ARZ), HB Thomas Jones (MGN), and LB Jason Taylor (BAL). It also saw what might be the transition point in Jacksonville where struggles by Josh McCown likely led to the decision of Coach Frazier to start Tim Tebow next week. Texas got back to their winning ways, while Seattle dropped their 4th in a row to bring back unpleasant visions of last year. And, after another defeat, Ohio started making moves left and right, but are they trying to get back into this season or writing it off. We will debate that and review all the news of the week, starting right now. HOUSTON GAMBLERS 32 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 31 Sitting at 1-3, both Houston and Arizona needed this one, and they played it like a playoff game, down to the wire. It was all Arizona early, with the Wranglers taking a 31-16 lead into the half, but Houston shut down David Carr in the second half and bit by bit the Gamblers worked their way back into the game and the lead. The first half of this game was wild, with both teams trading body blows and haymakers throughout. Houston started on offense and scored on their first drive with Hasselbeck connecting with TE Dante Rosario for 6. But, on Houston’s next drive, CB Mike Mickens stepped in front of Roy Williams, picking off the Hasselbeck pass and running it back for a score. Later in the quarter, David Carr hit Antonio Bryant from 22 yards out and Arizona had their first lead of the game. The Wranglers would add a field goal before Houston got on the board again. The Gamblers rebounded with Hasselbeck leading Houston on a field goal drive, and then connecting with Arnaz Battle to pull within 17-16. But Arizona was not done. They had a long drive end with an LT 6-yard TD run, six of 82 yards on the day for the NFL import. Then, in the waning seconds of the half, Houston was driving, only to have a tipped ball end up in the hands of LB Karlos Dansby. Hasselbeck made a half-hearted effort to tackle Dansby, but the backer was too much for him and rumbled into the endzone to make the halftime score a healthy 31-16. At the half, Coach Phillips pushed the defense to be more aggressive, and the offense to protect the ball. The twin messages hit home, and in the second half both goals were achieved. Arizona would not get on the board again, and Houston patiently kept chipping away. The only score in the 3rd was a Dan Carpenter 43-yard field goal to bring Houston to 31-19. But as the 4th quarter opened, Houston was in the Arizona red zone and on a 3rd and goal trusted the ball to Kevin Faulk. Faulk made a defender miss with a strong juke move, and dove into the endzone to pull the Gamblers to within 5 at 31-26. Houston would find themselves still down 5 with 1:58 left to play after an Arizona punt (their 4th of the half), and Matt Hasselbeck would dink and dunk his way down the field, connecting with Ike Hilliard 3 times on the drive. Hilliard, who finished the game with 177 yards receiving, was the weak link in the Arizona defense, which had made life tough for Roy Williams all game. A 31-yard Hilliard catch and run got the ball inside the 5 with just under a minute to play, and Hasselbeck again found his tight end, Rosario, open in the endzone. Houston took the lead with less than a minute to play, but after a failed 2-point attempt, it was only a 1-point lead. Arizona got the ball back with just under 1 minute to play, but a holding call on first down put them in a hole at 1st and 20. They would not recover. On a 4th and 7 Carr missed on a throw to Antonio Bryant (who had a good game in his USFL debut, catching 4 balls for 71 yards and a TD), and the game was over. Arizona would fall to 1-4 while Houston would move to 2-3. CHARLOTTE 24 MEMPHIS 10 The Monarchs win their second in a row thanks to a stifling defense that limits Memphis to only 70 yards rushing and 254 total yards. Brandon Coutu racks up 5 field goals and the D adds a safety as the Monarchs run off 6 consecutive scoring drives to pull from a 7-0 deficit to a 21-7 lead in this one. BIRMINGHAM 6 PHILADELPHIA 31 Another stellar defensive outing from the Stars, holding Birmingham to two field goals while the offense gets TDs from Reche Caldwell, Brent Celek, Dallas Clark, and Steve Slaton. Rookie Ben Tate was the lone bright spot for Birmingham, gaining 73 yards on 16 carries on a day when Kyle Boller threw for only 147. TEXAS 27 NEW JERSEY 7 It was all Texans on the day of Sam Bradford’s first pro start. The 4-1 Outlaws got rushing TDs from Duckett and from former General James Jackson while holding New Jersey to only 86 yards on the ground. Bradford had some moments, finishing 21 of 37 for 176 yards and TD, but it was not enough to stay with the surprising Outlaws. WASHINGTON 27 NEW ORLEANS 24 One of very few close games this week, this one came down to a final drive TD from Deuce McCallister as the Feds pull it out in the Super Dome. David Garrard continued to struggle, throwing 3 picks, but McCallister’s 144 yards and a solid red zone performance from the defense was enough to make the difference for the visiting Federals. LAS VEGAS 31 OHIO 13 Jake Plummer had one of his better games in June Jones’s new system and the Thunder defense did the rest as Ohio continues to struggle. Limited to only 60 yards rushing and only 3 of 13 on third down, the Glory fell behind 17-3 at the half and never found their way back. Plummer, who threw for 233 and rushed for 82, including a TD scramble, looked like his old self, a rarity these past two seasons in Las Vegas. OAKLAND 18 LOS ANGELES 10 It was not easy, but backup Bob Volek got the W for the Invaders over the struggling Express. Helped by 4 Mike Hollis field goals, Oakland won with defense as they held LA to only 1 converted third down and a total of 213 yards of offense. Mark Sanchez was sacked 4 times and picked once by the Invaders as they move their record to 4-1, alone atop the Pacific Division. BALTIMORE 17 BOSTON 27 Adrian McPherson has found his stride and the Cannons have turned the ship around as they win their third in a row. This one was the Rashard Mendenhall Show as the former Illini back rushed for 159 and caught 4 balls for another 52 on the day. Boston also got TDs from James Whalen and Cedric Wilson as they pull into a 2 way tie with Baltimore for 2nd place behind Philly. JACKSONVILLE 7 PITTSBURGH 33 Josh McCown struggled in what could be the game that sends Tim Tebow to the starting lineup. Throwing 2 picks and sacked 3 times, McCown could not get the Bulls going on offense, while across the field Cody Pickett threw for 2 scores and Kenny Watson had 97 yards rushing as he subbed for DeShaun Foster. Add in a Dunta Robinson 41-yard pick-six and you have the Maulers now over .500 at 3-2. CHICAGO 28 ATLANTA 31 Kyle Orton not only got the win, but his 306 yard, 4 TD day helped him take over the top spot as the league’s top-rated QB. Orton found Josh Reed and Demaryius Thomas for 2 scores each as Atlanta found holes in Chicago’s secondary all game long. Chicago kept it a game, thanks in large part to Brady Quinn’s 4 TD tosses, but a late Josh Scobee field goal gave the homestanding Atlanta Fire their 2nd win of the season. ST. LOUIS 3 MICHIGAN 32 Michigan was 7-1 all time against the Skyhawks, and they made it 8-1 quite easily this week. Josh Freeman was knocked out of the game in the 3rd quarter after being sacked 5 times, and Troy Smith did not get a welcome party when he came on the field either. For Michigan, Brian Griese threw for 282 and 3 scores and while Thomas Jones got his first action (9 carreis for 14 yards) it was again Leon Washington with the big numbers, including a 35-yard scamper. SEATTLE 6 DENVER 22 Byron Leftwich returned but likely wishes he hadn’t as Seattle drops their 4th in a row and Leftwich is sacked 5 times by the Gold front 7. For Denver the run game of Ringer and Hicks combined for 106 yards, and Ringer contributed on special teams as well, returning a a punt 66 yards for a touchdown, the only Denver 6-pointer of the day. NASHVILLE 24 PORTLAND 9 Ingle Martin struggled, despite throwing for 316 yards, as he was picked off twice and could not turn drives into touchdowns. For Nashville, Frank Gore’s 91 yards and 2 touchdown runs were enough as the Knights shut down the Stags scoring. Hunter Hillenmeyer finished the game with 14 tackles and a pick in a dominant performance. ORLANDO 25 TAMPA BAY 30 A good one on Sunday Night as the Bandits upset the Renegades in front of nearly 61,000 at Raymond James Stadium. The Florida Derby had a bit of everything, with Drew Brees throwing for 312 yards, but Tampa Bay got TDs from a Roscoe Parrish punt return TD, a McGahee run, and Parrish again with an 82-yard catch and run from Culpepper. That long Parrish TD proved to be the game winner as Tampa Bay’s Zeke Moreno blitzed and sacked Brees on the game’s final drive, forcing Orlando out of field goal range and setting up a failed Hail Mary by the ‘Gades. Tampa now moves to 2-3, only 1 game behind Orlando. Parity Taking Over There are 28 teams in the USFL and as of Week 5 18 of them are either 3-2 or 2-3, and with no unbeatens or winless clubs, everyone else is only 1 game away from that mark. That is what is known as parity, though some might call it parody. For fans of dynasties and dominant performances, this may not be the season for you. For those who prefer the “any given Sunday” line, this could be a very good year for you. We know the folks at the sports books in Vegas are loving the chaos of upsets, close wins, and lines not being covered. For the rest of us, it is edge of your seat time as you may still have no idea, 5 weeks in, whether your team is looking good or about to collapse. It certainly looks like we have at least 1 upstart in the mix this year as Texas moves to 4-1 and looks very much like a team to take seriously. Philadelphia too could be considered a surprise at 4-1, while fans in Ohio may well be looking at the end of an era, sitting at 1-4 and grieving over the retirement of Kerry Collings as their offense is looking very much out of sorts. In LA they are beginning to question whether Mark Sanchez is the man after all, while in Atlanta fans are hoping a strong start to the season is a sign that Kyle Orton is ready to be a force for the Fire. It’s still early, with 11 weeks left to play, but the 2010 season is turning out to be one of surprises, close calls, and more balance from top to bottom than we have seen in a long time. Atlanta Riding Orton’s Strong Start We really should say something about Kyle Orton’s first 5 weeks. No one predicted that at this point in the season we would be seeing his name at the top of the QB Ratings, above Griese, Brees, or Roethlisberger, and yet, there he is, with a 108.9 QBR and 11 touchdowns to only 1 pick. The Fire may only be 2-3, but they are in the Top 5 league wide in passing yards and total yards. Orton has played nearly flawless ball and receiver Josh Reed is the current league leader in receiving yards with 518 yards in 5 games. Right behind him is rookie Demaryius Thomas, who has 22 catches for 232 yards and 3 scores already this season. Atlanta has struggled to get Darren McFadden on track, averaging only 3.3 yards per carry, but if the passing game can stay hot, teams will have to start leaving safeties back and respecting the deep ball threat, and that could benefit Atlanta in the run game. If that happens, then the Fire could be a team to contend with in the Southeast, where everyone is either 3-2 or 2-3 at the five week mark. Tebow to Start After Bulls Drop below .500 We mentioned it earlier, and on Tuesday it was made official. Tim Tebow will get his first pro start on Saturday night ESPN football as the Bulls host the Tampa Bay Bandits. That fact alone could push attendance up over 60,000 at Alltell Stadium as the place is likely to be jam packed with Gator fans as well as the usual large crowd for a Florida rivalry game. Tebow has waited patiently through five games, getting only a few plays in, mostly as a decoy or a QB run play specialist, but now he will have his shot, on national television, to show what made him such a fan favorite in Gainesville and across the South. As for Josh McCown, a good start has devolved over the past few weeks and he now sits ahead of only Ohio’s Chris Redman among starters with a 61.0 QB Rating, 5 TDs and 7 interceptions. Coach Frazier has said that it is a QB battle, and that Tebow has not been crowned the permanent starter, only given the start this week to try to spark the Bulls and hopefully get them back to. 500 with a home win. But, despite the coach’s words, fans in Florida are hoping this is the start of something big. Losing Streaks hit 4 games for Arizona and Seattle A good first week has been followed by four straight losses for both the Dragons and the Wranglers, and fans are not at all happy about it. After improving from a 1-15 2008 to a 5-9 season in last year’s lockout-shortened season, there was a lot of hope that Coach Tomsula’s squad in Arizona was on the right path and could possibly get into the conversation with Denver and Houston at the top of the SW Division. But, so far this year, it has been Texas who are the surprise contender, and Arizona, now mired at 1-4, are looking very much like a team that is still lacking direction. Certainly it is not for a lack of spending as the Wranglers coughed up some big money to lure LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Bryant away from the NFL, but so far those two big names have not transformed the Wranglers into winners. It may still be early, as we often see NFL stars arrive and struggle at first to excel in back to back seasons, but if Arizona cannot show some signs of growth in the next few weeks, there may need to be more changes made. In Seattle, the question is being asked, why can’t the Dragons win in March or April? This marks the third year in a row where Seattle has struggled out of the gate. In both previous seasons they have rebounded strong in the season’s second half, actually qualifying for the playoffs in 2008 after an 0-4 start, and staying relevant in the playoff hunt last year despite a similar stunt, but as they stare at 1-4, the question needs to be asked, why is this such an issue for this team? At least this year we can point to the injury list for some explanation, as Byron Leftwich missed 2 games and backup Tee Martin was simply not up to the challenge. But, Leftwich was back this week and Seattle did not look any better for it. Coach Lewis, most famous for taking a 6-8 Dragon team all the way to a league title in 2005, and leading them to a 13-1 record as recently as 2007, is getting another claim to fame, and not one teams want. He still has time once again this season to turn things around, but it cannot be a good thing to always have to dig yourselves out of a hole each season. Jacksonville’s hopes for a rebound season took a hit this week when testing showed that Lavar Arrington’s wrist is, in fact, broken. He will need to wear a cast for at least 6 weeks, which puts his return to the Bulls at 8-9 weeks, which is basically the full season. The Bulls placed him on IR and will call up some depth from the practice squad. In St. Louis, Jeff Blake could miss as much as a month with a broken jaw, just as Josh Freeman was cleared to play this week. St. Louis will also be without nickel corner Kendrick Lewis for at least 2 weeks with a fracture in his forearm. Charlotte could be down two defenders as both LB A. J. Nicholson and CB Asante Samuel are expected to be out this week. New Jersey, who lost both Anthony Becht and Ryan Fitzpatrick this past week, will be even weaker as WR Mark Clayton could miss 1-2 weeks after suffering a detached retina after a big collision this past week. Memphis has listed HB Cadillac Williams as doubtful fo the week as he recovers from a concussion, while Denver’s Peerless Price will also be out again with his sprained wrist. Expected on the field this week, though listed as probable, are QB Ben Roethlisberger (BAL), HB Steve Slaton (PHI), WR Robert Ferguson (MEM), LB Mark Simoeau (WSH), QB A. J. Feeley (POR), WR Roscoe Parrish (TBY), TE Vernon Davis (HOU), and CB Randall Gay (NOR). Ohio Hits Trading Block Hard After making three trades in one week, fans and pundits are still trying to figure out if the Ohio Glory are desperate to turn their fate around and start winning, or if they are tanking in hopes of landing a superstar QB in next year’s draft. With a strong draft class, there was a fear that teams might give up on this season and make a play for a top draft pick, but Ohio’s move seem to indicate that they are unsure which path to take. On the one hand, they sent backup Brooks Bollinger to Denver, along with a pair of 4th rounders (2011 and 2012) in order to bring in longstanding Gold backup QB Derrick Anderson. Anderson is certainly an upgrade, and could very well become the starter sooner rather than later. That seems to indicate that the club is hoping to turn things around and get some W’s on the board this year. But on the other hand, the Glory also just traded away one of their best defensive performers, safety Mike Doss, to New Orleans in exchange for a 2011 2nd round pick. Doss has been a solid contributor and a fringe “star” on defense for the Glory since signing out of Ohio State. He goes to New Orleans, who are hoping he can solidify the FS position and allow rookie Earl Thomas to swing between free and strong safety, as well as playing nickel. In a final move, another head scratcher, Ohio sent highly touted college TE Brandon Pettigrew to Charlotte, after giving the OK State product only 1 year in the pros to prove himself. With Stephen Alexander not getting any younger, the trade seems to indicate that the club just does not see quality in Pettigrew, despite his college results. They got a TE in the deal, backup Mike Merritt, and they also added a 3rd rounder from Charlotte, giving the Glory 5 picks in the opening 3 rounds of next January’s draft. For many fans, that feels like they are stockpiling picks, hoping to make a deal to move up, perhaps as far as the #1 overall pick. Of course, at 1-4, the Glory have a real shot of earning the top pick all on their own. But, if they are trying to play it both ways, win some games now with Anderson at QB, and still have a Top 5 draft pick, trading for multiple 2nd and 3rd round picks might be a way to get there. We could certainly imagine a middle-of-the-pack Glory team trading their 1st rounder and several other picks to move up in the draft without having to “tank” the current season to get there. Of course, with both Joey Galloway and Eddie George swirling around retirement rumors, the other option here might be to keep a lot of high end picks and draft multiple positions. It is an interesting scenario, and one that will be a topic of much debate as the season continues, especially for Glory fans who are more used to winning games and titles than worrying about draft position. Oakland trades for QB Security Ohio was not the only active team on the trading block this week as the Oakland Invaders, staring at a possible lost season for QB Joey Harrington, made a move to add depth and experience to their QB room. They got a win with Bob Volek at QB this week, but with only Volek and Curtis Painter on the roster, there was concern that Oakland could waste a strong roster on a season with weak QB play. They hope that they have found a solution for that by trading picks and some practice team talent to Boston in order to obtain former NJ Generals starter Kevin Kolb from the Cannons. Kolb started 11 games for the Generals over 2 seasons, has 8 TDs to 9 picks and a QB rating of 66.6, so he is certainly no threat to Joey Harrington when he returns (either at the very end of this year or not until next season), but what Kolb brings to Oakland is a level of experience and calming presence that neither Volek or Painter could provide. We expect that after this week’s win, Volek will again get the start for the Invaders in their Week 6 matchup against New Orleans. If he keeps winning games, even if winning ugly, we think Volek will keep the job. But if he struggles, Oakland now feels they have a workable option behind him, one who at least has had some snaps in the league before. Potential Free Agents Uoping to Up Their Game Ahead of 2011 Market We know it is early to start thinking about free agency, but it never hurts to look around the league at the players in their final year of current contracts and try to deduce who may well be looking for an exit strategy, a move up, or to move on. In reviewing all 28 teams, we have found 13 players who we think are very likely to be viewing Free Agency with longing, hoping to improve either their finances or their options. Here is our best guess at 11 free agents who may well be quickly out of town unless their teams can come to a deal that meets their needs. We start with 5 players who have been at the top of their game and may well want to be at the top of the pay scale. Guard Max Jean-Gilles of Nashville has not been shy about the fact that he believes he should be the highest paid interior lineman in the game. The Knights’ LG certainly has the accolades and the game film to make a case for that, but he is not the only one who can push for top billing. In Oakland, Ruben Brown has also made a case for a big raise, and could also be pushing for the top money available at his position. Both Brown and Jean-Gilles are clearly among the best at their position, so the question becomes whether their current teams value that position to sink top dollar into retaining their linemen (and keeping their QBs and HBs happy) or if one or both of these big men will be moving on to greener pastures. Also hoping to acquire a significant monetary boost is Denver DE Ryan Denney. Denney, who is in his 9th season with the Gold, is hoping that recent success on the field leads to some measurable excess in his bank account. After toying with double digit sacks the past two seasons (8 in 2009, 9 in 2008), Denney already has 5 sacks in 5 games in 2010, a pace, as you can guess, to be well over 10 sacks by Week 16. Part of his success is moving from RDE to LDE in 2008, and he clearly now serves as the #1 edge rushing option for the Gold, so the hope is that he will be paid as such. The trouble could come if he wants to be in the range of Kavika Pittman money, which might be a stretch for Denney. A player who absolutely deserves to be paid some Top 5 money at his position, but who presently is the 17th highest paid LB in the game is Washington’s Antonio Pierce. Pierce has been lighting it up for the Feds over the length of his current contract, and now he sees a major payday coming his way. The question is whether or not Washington, who may well be deep in the QB market this offseason, will also have funds to make that payday happen for Pierce, or will he need to find a new home to also find a new tax bracket. Finally, there is Chauncey Davis, the break out DE of the Ohio Glory this year. Had you asked us in January if Davis would be pushing for a new deal and some top end money, we would have looked at you with some confusion, but Davis started the year very strong and could very well be a 10-14 sack DE by season’s end. If he is in that range, and if there is big money freed up if Galloway and George both hang up their cleats, then there is a case to be made that Ohio might need to pay their breakout star if they want to keep him. Those are the players who we see using free agency as a financial boon, but there are other reasons why a player might look to put themselves out there, and one of the biggest motivators is the chance to find a system and a situation that can propel them to stardom, or at least to being a focal point player on their team. In that category we find QB Tyler Thigpen of Atlanta. With Kyle Orton the undisputed #1 option at QB, Thigpen’s dream of being a USFL starter all but necessitates a move in the offseason. Thigpen got 9 starts under his belt in 2008, and has hopes that he did enough in that tenure to ensure at least a shot at a QB competition and a fair chance to be the man for a team. With several teams looking for upgrades at QB, this might be a good year for him to make his case. WR Stevie Johnson also feels that he has more to offer than he is currently able to do as the 2nd or third option for Chris Weinke in Charlotte. Weinke has not proven to be much of a gunslinger, and with D. J. Hackett and Darnerien McCants ahead of him on the depth chart, Johnson is not getting as much attention as the extroverted wideout would like. He is the leading receiver so far in 2010 with 293 yards on 23 receptions, but we could absolutely see Johnson leaving Charlotte for a more dynamic offense and a chance to move into the #1 role. Another wideout who has had good numbers but who may feel ready to move up to the “focal point receiver” job is Memphis’s Lee Evans. Evans had outstanding seasons during the short-lived Brett Favre period in Memphis, but his numbers have not kept pace this year with Jake Delhomme at the helm. The deep ball receiver has also had to play second fiddle to Robert Ferguson over his career and may see this year’s free agent market as his ticket to greater respect and greater opportunity. Finally, sometimes it is not about the role or the depth chart, but the system. We finish with three players who just don’t see their current schemes as maximizing their talents. They could opt to move on if they can find a team whose system is a better fit for what they feel they do best. It may seem odd to think that 5-time All-USFL linebacker Joey Porter would want to be anywhere else but with Las Vegas, but the move away from Jerry Glanville and towards offensive-minded June Jones has not gone unnoticed by Porter. The hard-hitting linebacker has seen his opportunities as an edge rusher disappear in Jones’s more conservative zone scheme. A Glanville guy from day one, Porter wants to attack, make plays on the run game, and get to the QB, and the fit with Jones’s style of bend-but-don’t-break is not a natural fit. There will be no shortage of teams willing to use Porter in a more aggressive manner if he does opt to hold out for the free agent market. Halfback Mike Hart in Michigan is also feeling the pain of being a poor fit for a system. The former Wolverine has moved up the depth chart each year in Michigan, but his skills never seem to align with Coach LeBeau’s offensive scheme. The straight ahead runner is not a good fit for a run game that depends on zone blocking and misdirection. That is why, in part, we see Leon Washington getting more carries, and now, with the arrival of Thomas Jones, it may be a mutual parting for Hart and the Panthers after 3 seasons. Our last potential Free Agent , another LB who just does not seem to fit in the system, Texas’s Chad Greenway. A top pick of Coach Norv Turner out of Iowa, Greenway also finds himself with a new head coach, a new defensive scheme, and a new role. Shifted from Strongside to Weakside LB, Greenway is a bit out of position, and would do better to find himself in a 3-4 defense instead of Texas’s 4-3. Of course, if Texas keeps winning, the urge to leave town will certainly diminish, but if the fit is not a good one, both Greenway and the Outlaws might do better to look for a sign & trade option in which Texas extends the linebacker’s contract only to make him attractive on the trade market. We open Week 6 with an interdivisional matchup between the Stars and the Gamblers as Houston tries to reach .500 while Philadelphia is hoping to build on their 1-game lead in the NE Division. On Saturday we hae 4 divisional games, including the outstanding Federals-Blitz rivalry, a budding Boston-NJ rivalry, Chicago v. St. Louis, and another Florida Derby as the Bandits visit the Bulls. Then, on Sunday, it's Michigan at Orlando in a battle of Summer Bowl hopefuls, with the week finishing up with one of the newest rivalry matchups as Atlanta hosts Charlotte in a SE Division game. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET HOUSTON (2-3) @ PHILADELPHIA (4-1) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET WASHINGTON (3-2) @ BALTIMORE (3-2) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET BOSTON (3-2) @ NEW JERSEY (2-3) FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm ET ST. LOUIS (1-4) @ CHICAGO (3-2) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET OAKLAND (4-1) @ NEW ORLEANS (3-2) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET ARIZONA (1-4) @ PORTLAND (2-3) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET TAMPA BAY (2-3) @ JACKSONVILLE (2-3) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET SEATTLE (1-4) @ PITTSBURGH (3-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET NASHVILLE (3-2) @ BIRMINGHAM (2-3) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET MICHIGAN (4-1) @ ORLANDO (3-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET LAS VEGAS (3-2) @ TEXAS (4-1_ ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET MEMPHIS (2-3) @ LOS ANGELES (1-4) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET OHIO (1-4) @ DENVER (4-1) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET CHARLOTTE (2-3) @ ATLANTA (2-3) ESPN & EFN

Player of the Week: Rashard Mendenhall was the focal point of the Boston offense as the club won their third in a row to top .500. His 159 yards rushing would be a very strong day, but when you add in 4 receptions for 52 yards, you get a yards from scrimmage total of 211, and that is always an eye opener.

Player of the Week: Stars' halfback Steve Slaton had his biggest day as a pro in a big game for Philadelphia as they overwhelmed the Blitz to take a share of first place. Slaton rushed for over 150 yards and scored a pivotal 2nd half TD to help the stars hold off the Blitz and take the win.

A big week for parity as the league’s two unbeaten teams (Baltimore and Texas) both fall, while the two winless clubs, Los Angeles and Charlotte, scored their first wins of the season. It was also a week that saw two starters go down to significant injuries, with both Oakland star Joey Harrington and New Jersey starter Ryan Fitzpatrick facing a month or longer of rehab before they see the field again. We will have all the scores and results, along with our picks for the breakout players of the season’s first quarter in this Week 4 edition of This is the USFL. MICHIGAN PANTHERS 24 TEXAS OUTLAWS 23 The undefeated Texas Outlaws faced their toughest foe of the early season, and after building up a 17-0 lead on the visiting Michigan Panthers you can understand why Outlaw fans were feeling good. But, Michigan is a recent champion, sporting an MVP quarterback, and that makes them a very tough out. Texas would learn that as the Panthers would rally in the game and eventually take home the win by a single point. It certainly looked good for the Outlaws in the first quarter, as QB Joe Flacco led the offense on consecutive scoring drives. He hit Reggie Brown for a short TD on the first Outlaw possession, and returned 6 minutes later with a long drive that finished with a T. J. Duckett 12-yard TD run. Duckett, who would have a strong day in the game, rushing for 118 on 22 carries, was a force throughout the first half. After a third drive produced a 49-yard Lindell field goal, it was 17-0 Outlaws and it was a festive scene inside the Alamo Dome as fans saw visions of 4-0 in their heads. But, Michigan was undaunted. The finally found the right calls to move the ball against Texas’s defense, using Leon Washington as their primary back (91 yards by game’s end) and passing the ball short to Coles, Ward and TE Marcellus Rivers. Their 4th drive of the game became their first fruitful one when Brian Griese hit his #1 target, Hines Ward, with a short 4-yard scoring play that put Michigan on the board. The half ended with Texas adding another field goal, but the Panthers had started to figure out how to attack the Outlaw defense, and that strategy carried them into the 2nd half. In the 3rd quarter Michigan would put up the only points as Texas had two long, slow drives that failed to produce points, but certainly milked the clock. Michigan had just one drive, but it led to Hines Ward’s 2nd TD reception of the day, this time a 29-yard strike. Down only 6 at 20-14, Michigan opened the final period by taking their first lead of the day. Just 1:43 into the final period, Leon Washington busted free on an off-tackle run and raced 26 yards to paydirt to give Michigan a 21-20 lead. The crowd had been silenced, the party atmosphere got a lot more tense, and the Outlaws needed to respond. They again moved the ball slowly and steadily, but when the drive ground to a halt on the Michigan 43, Coach Landry took a chance, sending out Rian Lindell to attempt a 60-yard kick. Coach Landry’s gamble paid off as Lindell’s kick just grazed the top of the crossbar on its way over for 3 points. Texas was back on top with 9 minutes left in the half, but with momentum clearly against them. The Panthers failed to make a first down on their next drive and Texas again used the ground game and some short passes to keep possession as long as they could. They got the game down to 3:35, but had to punt the ball back to Michigan. Plenty of time for Brian Griese to pull the game out. But it would not be Griese, but the combination of Mike Hart and Leon Washington who would get the job done. With newly arrived NFL veteran Thomas Jones not included among the active players, it would be the two underappreciated backs who would get the job done. For Washington it was a 9-yard run and a key catch on 3rd and 2, for Hart, a 15 yard burst, and a pair of short runs, but what Michigan had was a drive that reached comfortably into Matt Prater’s range. With 1:02 left and the Panthers facing a 4th and 4, Coach LeBeau sent out Prater and the veteran kicker put the ball comfortably between the uprights to give Michigan back its 1 point lead. Texas would need to fly down the field to give Rian Lindell another chance, but that kind of hurry up offense is not what the Outlaws do well. Despite having hit 9 different receivers on the day, Flacco could not hit the one he needed on a 4th and 5, and the ball went back to Michigan with the win in hand. Texas would drop to 3-1, just as Baltimore would later that night to leave the league without any undefeated teams. Tampa Bay 7 New Orleans 27 Eli Manning and Matt Forte both had strong games against the Bandits, with Eli throwing for 292 yards and 3 scores while Forte rushed for 109 as the Breakers held Tampa Bay in check all game. Only a late garbage time Jeremy Shockey field goal got the Bandits on the scoreboard, long after the outcome was known. Portland 14 Memphis 10 The Showboat offense sputtered against the Stags, with Cadillac Williams held to 32 yards rushing and the ‘Boats committing 2 turnovers. Ingle Martin was efficient, completing 13 of his 18 throws and connecting with Koren Robinson for an early touchdown. The Portland defense held Memphis to 3 of 13 on third down and the offense played within themselves on the road to get the W. Charlotte 19 Ohio 0 Just a nightmare game for Ohio and QB Chris Redman in front of the home fans. Redman completed only 6 of 22 attempts, and was sacked a painful 9 times by an aggressive Monarch defense. Three different players (Julius Peppers, Reggie Tongue, and Rolando McClain) came away with multiple sacks as Charlotte simply overpowered the Ohio line. New Jersey 27 Jacksonville 10 The Generals run game accounted for 2 scores and Curtis Fuller’s pick 6 added a third TD as New Jersey sprinted out to a 17-0 lead and never looked back. In a game hailed as a potential battle of rookie QB’s, both saw the field, but only for a kneeldown in Bradford’s case, and only for 1 short yardage run for Tebow. Fans in Jacksonville started chanting Tebow’s name after falling behind 17-0 but Coach Frazier did not put the rookie in. Houston 24 Chicago 41 Brady Quinn returned to action after 2 weeks and made a statement about why he is the starter, throwin for 3 scores as Chicago blew past the Gamblers. Donald Driver brought in 2 of the 3 Quinn scoring throws, two of his 9 receptions on the day. The defense also forced 2 Houston turnovers that helped them build up a lead and keep the pressure on all game. Los Angeles 31 Seattle 13 Byron Leftwich returned to action but struggled against LA’s pass rush and coverage schemes. Meanwhile the Express got 105 yards and a 19-yard scoring run from Maurice Jones-Drew and 117 yards with a score from Randy Moss. LA evened their record at 2-2, while sending Seattle to another bad start at 1-3. Nashville 19 Washington 24 A good game in the nation’s capital as Nashville took the lead with 7 minutes to play, but David Garrard found Rod Smart with a late TD to snatch the lead back, a lead the Feds would hold. With Deuce McCallister a scratch from the game, Rod Smart was given the lion’s share of carries, rushing for 52 yards on 13 attempts. Boston 10 Birmingham 6 The Stallion defense is proving to be stout, but they still have not figured out an offensive scheme with Kyle Boller at the helm. Limited to only 2 field goals, Birmingham was undone by a single Cedric Wilson D catch. McPherson only threw for 129 yards, but his one TD toss was enough to upend the Stallions in Birmingham. Orlando 14 Atlanta 9 Two very tough defenses went head to head in this one, but a late Brees to McCaerins TD gave Orlando the win, the second combination for those two in the game. The two teams struggled to move the ball all day, with a combined 5 of 25 on third down. Atlanta, in particular, just could not get the run going, with Darren McFadden struggling to a minimal 13 yards on the day. Orlando had better luck with Moreno gaining 72 yards and helping them earn the win and move to 3-1 on the year. Pittsburgh 22 St. Louis 21 Even with Josh Freeman on the bench St. Louis put up a very good fight against the visiting Maulers. It did not start that way, with the Maulers running out to a 16-0 lead after one quarter, but St. Louis got back in it thanks to their run game and actually took a 21-16 lead on a Jeff Blake to David Nelson TD pass, but in the end, it did not hold as Pittsburgh got a late Vincent Jackson TD to pull ahead by one, a score that held up for the Maulers. Arizona 7 Denver 25 Arizona struggled against Denver’s high pressure defense, with the Gold recording 7 sacks of David Carr, including 2 from Ryan Denney. The gold built up a 25-0 lead and only a late garbage time score from Arizona got them on the scoreboard. Even NFL import LaDainian Tomlinson was ineffective against the Gold’s front 7, averaging only 2.9 yards per carry for the Wranglers. Las Vegas 10 Oakland 31 It was all Invaders in this one as within 30 seconds the Invaders scored on a Hank Basket TD in the first quarter and then got 7 more on the very next play from scrimmage as Jake Plummer was picked off by Keith Smith, who returned the pass 16 yards for a score. Las Vegas never recovered and Oakland used Ricky Williams to draw down the game, gaining 109 yards on 24 carries. But it was a victory that came at a huge price as, late in the game and up 14, Oakland QB Joey Harrington went down with what appeared to be a major injury. Baltimore 17 Philadelphia 34 The Sunday Night game was hyped as a battle for first in the NE Division, and it played out like a late season playoff battle. Both QB’s played well, but it was the surprising success of Philadelphia’s run game, with Steve Slaton racking up a career best 159 carries that won the day for the Stars. Philadelphia ended the game with a 37 minute to 22 minute time of possession advantage and over 436 yards of offense as they take over first place (on a tiebreaker) from the Blitz. Harrington Goes Down, Could Lose Season It was the kind of injury you dread, Joey Harrington scrambling, trying to make a move on a cornerback when his knee simply buckles under him. Lying on the ground in obvious pain, Harrington had to be carted off the field. By Monday morning the verdict was in, a full PCL tear. This means a minimum of 2 months before Harrington could be back, possibly 3, which would put his absence well into the last weeks of the year. Oakland, an early favorite to return to the Summer Bowl, would need to do it with a backup QB. The question for now is who that backup will be. The two QBs on the roster, both equally inexperienced, are 3rd year player Bob Volek and 2nd year trade acquisition Cutis Painter. In the game against Vegas it was Volek who led the final drive, but looking ahead to next week, Coach Green has been unwilling to reveal which of the two would be set to start. For now the plan is to keep Harrington on the active roster, hoping for a 2-month return, which would put his return date at Week 12. The Invaders did release HB Olandis Gary on Tuesday, signing 28-year old Jared Lorenzen to be the emergency QB, but they may have a tough decision to make moving forward. Do they stand pat or try to find a deal to bring another QB to what is otherwise a championship caliber roster. That decision is likely to come after several games with Volek and/or Painter at the helm, enough time to determine the pace of Harrington’s recovery. But it cannot wait too long as the trade deadline prior to Week 10 will be here sooner than you expect. Fitzpatrick Injured, Bradford to Start A second QB injury making news this week, and again the question of “why was he in the game” comes up. Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a broken collarbone on a sack with only 2:07 left in the game and the Generals up by 17. Fitzpatrick had handed the ball off to Ray Rice, but there was a fumble on the play, and in the melee to get the ball back, the Generals’ QB hit the turf hard and got up holding his shoulder. It is a fracture, not a dislocating break, so Fitzpatrick could be back in action within 3-4 weeks, and New Jersey certainly knows who will get the start for the next few weeks, but as rookie QB Sam Bradford himself said “This is not how any player wants to get a starting job.” Bradford will be the starter next week as the Generals host Texas, and New Jersey will go with only 2 QB’s this week, with Kris Kershaw backing up Bradford. We expect New Jersey to also find an emergency QB among the free agent pool, but that decision will wait until next week. No Unbeatens or Winless after 4 Weeks The two QB injuries were big news this week, so we forgive you if you did not spend the week talking about parity. Why bring it up? Well, because for the first time in a very long time the USFL has no unbeatens and no winless teams after only 1 month of play. We typically see one, the other, or both well into the season, often even past the halfway point. The fact that every single team is either 3-1, 2-2, or 1-3 is rare and worthy of commentary. That situation arose this week when Philadelphia beat the 3-0 Blitz, Michigan went into Texas and upended the surprising 3-0 Outlaws, Charlotte blanked the Ohio Glory, and the LA Express finally got their first W of the season with a pretty healthy trouncing of Seattle. As we enter the second quarter of the season, this parity means that the league remains wide open, which likely impacts the trading block (teams that are already feeling out of contention tend to be willing to trade talent for future considerations) and it means that nearly every game has a storyline within it to attract fans and put butts in seats. Now, we won’t get ahead of ourselves. Teams that drop to 1-4, and then 1-5 will quickly start looking to make changes, and teams that jump up to 4-1 and then 5-1 are likely to start considering strategies to enhance their playoff chances, but for this week at least, every team is in the game, and every game could be a battle to start something good. We have already mentioned the injuries to Joey Harrington and Ryan Fitzpatrick. There was a third QB placed on the injury list this week, with Baltimore’s Ben Roethlisberger dealing with a hamstring injury. He is listed as questionable, but word out of Baltimore is that it will be a game-time decision, but that Ben himself expects to play. We did have two players added to IR this week, the first of the season. Arizona placed cornerback Duane Starks there after a diagnosis of a full bicep tear came back from team doctors. Likewise, Houston LB Nick Barnett is also added to IR after it was determined that his back injury did include fractures to two vertebrae, fractures that will require a period of traction to avoid potential spinal cord injury. We, of course, wish both players a speedy and full recovery. New Jersey got some additional bad news when TE Anthony Becht’s evaluation showed partial tear to the shoulder joint, requiring surgery, a process that will cost him no less than a month but possibly longer. For Denver, it was LB Dat Nguyen added to the injury list, expected to miss 1-2 weeks with a hyperextended knee. Orlando will be without LB Will Overstreet this week due to an elbow issue and Ohio’s Chauncey Davis is expected to miss a second straight week. One final item, Denver is hoping that Peerless Price will be greenlit to go this week, but a wrist injury is a concern and the team has him listed as Doubtful for Week 5. 1ST Quarter Break Out Players We mentioned earlier that the conclusion of Week 4 marks the completion of the first quarter of play in the 2010 season. We have already seen some surprises, particularly the fast start of Texas, Philadelphia, and New Orleans, as well as the slow starts for Boston, Charlotte, Houston, and Ohio. But we have also seen some new stars start to shine. Here, after only 1 month of the season, is our pick for the 6 players who have started to make a name for themselves and gotten our attention this past month. QB Josh Freeman (STL): Though injured this week, the first three weeks of the year gave us enough to get excited about Josh Freeman as the QB of the Skyhawks. While Freeman’s absence this week and late exit last week kept him below the passing attempts minimum for the week, were he eligible he would be the top rated QB in the league right now, with a score of 115.1. He has 7 touchdowns in 3 games, and has only thrown 1 pick. What is more, the Skyhawks currently rank as one of the highest scoring teams in the league, something barely conceivable based on past seasons. Yes, it helps a lot that they have a rebuilt RB group, and that Coach Arians is focusing on smart decision making by his QB, but we should also recognize the physical gifts of the former Kansas State star. QB Mike Kafka (CHI): Yes, It was only a 2 game display, but the success this unheralded rookie out of Northwestern had with the Machine was certainly impressive. Five touchdowns in 2 weeks, coupled with a QB rating over 90, were impressive. Everyone expected Chicago to turn into a 1960’s Nebraska team and run the ball on nearly every play, but Coach Mornhinweg trusted his rookie to steer the ship, and Mike Kafka did that and more. He is back on the bench behind Brady Quinn, but he did get some eyes looking his way. HB Steve Slaton (PHI): Yes, a 150-yard day will get our attention, but if that were all that Slaton had done this year we would likely not have him on this list. The Stars’ HB, who shared carries with Michael Robinson last year, has taken on the lion’s share of carries for the Stars this year. And what has that meant? Well, how about a 3-game stretch of 80, 100, and 159 yards as a start? Slaton now sits #2 behind only Ron Dayne in the rushing leaderboard, and his success has largely kept Reno Mahe on special teams. Slaton has 98 carries to Mahe’s 14, and with the success he has seen in recent weeks, we don’t expect that ratio of work to dip any time soon. WR Robert Meachem (NSH): The 4-year veteran is not new to the league, but he may still be new to many fans around the country who just did not see much of him in the past. He had only 57 receptions last year, for 565 yards, which is a fine number, but hardly worth writing home about. This year, in only 4 games he is among the league leaders with 29 receptions (over 7 per game), 320 yards and has already doubled his total 2009 TD count, with 4 this year to only 2 the entire 2009 season. Meachem has emerged over veteran Malcolm Floyd and slot receiver Ahmad Merrit as the clear #1 for the Knights. All you need to see that is the number of targets with Meachem at 44 in 4 games, while the next highest total is TE Justin Peele with only 19. DE Chauncey Davis (OHIO): While he has fallen 1 sack behind the leaders in the USFL, including league record holder Calais Campbell, Davis raced out to an early lead with 3 sacks in a Week 2 game against Arizona. He has a sack in all 3 games he has played, sitting out this past week due to a stress fracture in his foot. Davis was not even expected to start for Ohio this year, slotted in behind Isaac Hilton and Jamie Kirlew when camp began, but he put in a very strong camp after coming over from Orlando, and he has earned his spot as a left end for the Glory. If he can continue to show the same burst and power after returning from his injury, we could see Davis becoming a regular household name for fans and a real headache for left tackles. LB Sean Lee (PHI): Our second breakout star from the same team as the Stars seem to have found a good one in MLB Sean Lee. Fans were worried about starting the rookie at MLB after losing fellow Penn State alum Paul Posluszny in free agency, but this Nittany Lion is proving to be quite an asset. He is tied for 7th in the league in tackles with 32 after 4 games, well above Posluszny’s total of 22 with Orlando, and he is getting into the backfield as well, with 4 tackles for loss so far. CB Michael Boulware (TEX): Not the biggest name on the biggest team, Boulware is just making good plays and helping Texas start strong. He has 9 passes defended and 2 picks already this year, well on a pace to set personal bests in his third year in the league. Paired with Nathan Vasher and nickel corner Cedric Griffin, Boulware is part of a young, hungry, and high energy secondary that is making life tough for opposing quarterbacks. The Case for Tim Tebow We don’t want to tell the Jacksonville Bulls how to do their business, but it is just plain shocking how little action Tim Tebow has seen through the season’s first month. This is a star who has electrified the Bulls fan base and has been the biggest thing to hit Jacksonville in years. We understand he is a rookie, and we understand that his style is not that of a traditional drop-back passer, but there has to be a way to both take advantage of his talents and satisfy the fans who are beginning to chant his name every time Josh McCown misses on a big play. We feel for McCown. He is just trying to take his shot after years of backing up Jake Delhomme, but it does not make financial, PR, or possibly even football sense to have Tim Tebow on the bench. Even if it is for just a couple of drives per game, the Bulls need to create a package that takes advantage of their budding star. Sitting at 2-2 certainly helps the Bulls make the case that they do not need to rush Tebow, but there is a difference between rushing a player and finding a way to make use of one. We think that Jacksonville is erring far to far on the side of caution. You have a unique athlete in Tebow, find a way to turn his skills into positive plays for your club. It takes inventiveness, yes, but that is also a key component to winning football in general. Stadium issues Continue to Hamper Some USFL Teams With MetLife Stadium opening in the Meadowlands this year, the list of cities that still need stadium upgrades or even new facilities keeps getting smaller. Yes, there are issues for sure in Las Vegas and Boston, where neither stadium is truly suitable, and there are plenty of other venues that could use a facelift, but when we look around the league, there are really 4 other cities that should be pulling out all the stops to get a new place. We survey them here. BIRMINGHAM: To say that Legion Field has lived past its prime is almost 20 years too late. It is a grand old facility, but more and more “old” is the key word in that phrase. We have heard that the Stallions are talking with the city and with the University of Alabama system to see if a new stadium can be built, and we understand that neither the city nor the state have particularly deep pockets, but at some point, the future of football in Birmingham has to be addressed, or the future of football in Birmingham could well be in doubt. ORLANDO: I personally have never been that big of a fan of Citrus Bowl Stadium. It’s a classic design, but one created long before the modern era of massive screens, luxury suites, and expansive fan amenities. In recent years we have seen cities like Jacksonville, Memphis, and San Antonio take older facilities and invest in them to modernize them, avoiding the greater cost of building a new stadium, while providing fans with a contemporary, almost luxury experience. We think that should be the path the Renegades, and perhaps the rising UCF football program look at. OAKLAND: Another city that simply may not have the resources necessary to build a brand new stadium, but one which should absolutely be figuring a way to refurbish their main sports venue. With both the Invaders and A’s calling the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum home, the reason for investing in the stadium has to be clear to city officials. It should also be clear to USFL and MLB officials, because the Bay Area is such a vital market for both. And yet, we have heard nothing from Oakland or the Invaders about plans, not even negotiations. WASHINGTON: Have you been out to RFK recently? Great location, great history, but that place is falling apart. With no option to play in the relatively new Redskins stadium, RFK remains the only option for the Feds. They tried working with MLB to see if a dual purpose stadium could be constructed when the Expos moved to DC to become the Nationals, but the age of the multi-use stadium has passed, so plans never got very far. Washington’s best option may be to work with the local MLS club, DC United, to try to get a soccer/football dual use stadium in the DC Metro area. After all, the basic shape of both soccer and football fields makes it a much easier model. The problem of course is scale. The Feds are going to want a stadium that holds at least 55,000, likely more, but MLS is hoping to build soccer stadiums of 16,000-22,000, not monstrous stadia that will never fill for regular MLS games. So, what are the Feds to do? And yes, we focused on these four franchises, but the fact still remains that both the Cannons and Thunder are playing in sub-par stadia for the USFL. They are in very different situations, with the Thunder being the only major league team in the city, and one that is competing with a lot of other entertainment options, while Boston plays in Alumni Stadium for one obvious reason, Robert Kraft and the Patriot simply do not want to play ball. So many NFL owners have found that collaboration with a USFL franchise is mutually beneficial, but Kraft, much like Washington’s Daniel Snyder, and Dallas’s Jerry Jones, remain firmly entrenched in a “salt the earth” mindset when it comes to the USFL. So, that makes 6 clubs who have work in front of them to match what we see in New Jersey, Seattle, Philly, or Arizona, where new stadia have helped turn their USFL clubs into regular cash cows. Week 5 kicks off with an unlikely Friday Night game as we have two 1-3 clubs going at it, but when those two are division rivals Houston and Arizona, you know you are going to get a hard-hitting and exciting game. On Saturday our pick as a “must watch” is the Texas-New Jersey tilt, in which former Oklahoma signal caller Sam Bradford can again cause despair in Texas if he can lead the Generals over the Outlaws. On Sunday, we are hoping to catch both the Baltimore-Boston clash at 12pm and then the Nashville-Portland game at 4pm Eastern. Both feature teams that are already feeling pressure to win now and both games feature some rising stars in the league. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET Houston (1-3) @ Arizona (1-3) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Charlotte (1-3) @ Memphis (2-2) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Birmingham (2-2) @ Philadelphia (3-1) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Texas (3-1) @ New Jersey (2-2) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET Washington (2-2) @ New Orleans (3-1) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET Las Vegas (2-2) @ Ohio (1-3) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET Oakland (3-1) @ Los Angeles (1-3) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Baltimore (3-1) @ Boston (2-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Jacksonville (2-2) @ Pittsburgh (2-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Chicago (3-1) @ Atlanta (1-3) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET St.Louis (1-3) @ Michigan (3-1) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Seattle (1-3) @ Denver (3-1) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Nashville (2-2) @ Portland (2-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET Orlando (3-1) @ Tampa Bay (1-3) ESPN & EFN

Texas continues to impress, an unheralded rookie upends the Panthers, New Orleans gets two pick sixes from the same player, and we have a wild shootout between two teams that have had all kinds of trouble scoring in recent years. It is a topsy turvy early season in the USFL, that cannot be denied. We will have all the scores, the big stories, and a look at the 12 men who were announced this week as semifinalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2010. All this, plus rumblings out of Dallas as fans and monied interests start once again to make a pitch for a USFL franchise. All this on this week’s This is the USFL. ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS 37 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 31 OVERTIME Had you asked us which game this week would be a 68 point overtime thriller, odds are no one on the This is the USFL team would have said the St. Louis- Arizona matchup. These are two teams that have spent the past few seasons in absolute offensive chaos. But, new arrivals like LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Bryant in Arizona, and the emergence of 2nd year QB Josh Freeman in St. Louis are giving hope to both squads that their offensive woes may be a thing of the past. Their matchup this week out in the Valley of the Sun certainly went a long way towards confirming that both clubs have found some offensive weapons. The Wranglers and Skyhawks combined this week for over 950 total yards, 12 scoring drives, and 8 touchdowns. Not bad for two recent doormats. St. Louis was sparked by 95 yards from Jacksonville transfer Antowain Smith, and another 99 through the air for Taylor Jacobs, the one consistent part of their attack since joining the league in 2006. For Arizona it was a combination of Tomlinson (hampered by a gimpy ankle) and Fred McAfee on the ground, but mostly it was the 273 yards and 4 touchdowns from David Carr that made this one of the better shootouts of the young season. The game did not start quickly, with both teams’ opening drives fizzling out around midfield. But, on their second possession, St. Louis found their stride, marching down the field in 11 plays to put the ball in the endzone on a Fred Baxter 1-yard dive. Arizona would take only 4 plays and 1:21 to counter, with Carr hitting on his first of four scoring throws on the day. Carr found his favorite target, the lanky Larry Fitzgerald along the sideline and the big receiver went up, highpointed the ball, and came down with it in the endzone for a Wrangler TD that got the fans to their feet. The second quarter belonged entirely to the visitors, as St. Louis put up 13 points in the quarter on two Bironas field goals and a nice 26-yard corner route score by Jordy Nelson. Arizona struggled in the quarter as Tomlinson was constantly in and out of the huddle, with two separate retapings of his ankle in the quarter. The situation did not look good for the Wranglers, down 20-7 at the half and possibly without the services of their multi-million dollar NFL signing. But, halftime provided the recalibration that Arizona needed and, receiving the second half kick, they went right into attack mode. On the third play of the half, Carr hit Mike Williams on a 13-yard strike that turned into a 52-yard touchdown when Williams broke the initial tackle and took off. Following a three-and-out by the Skyhawks, Arizona took over again, and again they used a quick set offense to put St. Louis off their game. This drive took 8 plays, but the results were the same, with Carr hitting Larry Fitzgerald for the receiver’s second score of the day. St. Louis was now down one, but a surprise play changed all that. After moving the ball efficiently down the field, the Skyhawks faced a 4th and 1 from the Arizona 36. They opted to go for it, lining up in a goalline offense, with big backup William Bethea standing behind Freeman. Bethea got the ball, and all the blocking hit just as it was drawn up, creating a surprisingly large gap in the Arizona defense. Bethea burst through the line, shrugged off an arm tackle by the safety and was off. Fourth and 1 became a 36-yard TD for the Skyhawks, who regained the lead after 3, 28-21, thanks to the 2-point PAT. In the 4th, Arizona would again find their offensive groove, scoring first on a 21-yard Nick Folk field goal to pull within 4. Later in the quarter they would go back on top, scoring on a Domenic Hixon TD receptions, David Carr’s 4th scoring throw of the game. Up 31-28 with 4:33 left, there was a nervous buzz in the stadium as everyone recognized that there was still a lot of game to play. St. Louis felt this too and did not rush their offense, using up nearly all the remaining time before settling for getting down to the 2 yard line. They could not punch the ball in on 3rd and goal, and, taking the conservative approach, Coach Arians sent out the field goal team for a chip shot kick to send the game to overtime. In the extra period, Arizona got the ball first, but a tipped ball by Tod McBride on third and 6 forced the Wranglers to punt. St. Louis got the ball, methodically worked their way down field, and punched in the winning score after a pass interference call gave them the ball on the Arizona 1-yard line. When Ahmaad Galloway went off-tackle from the one St. Louis had their first win of the season and Arizona dropped to 1-2. LOS ANGELES 17 LAS VEGAS 26 The Thunder may not have found the formula for the “shoot” part of June Jones’s Run & Shoot offense, but the run is certainly in place as Marshawn Lynch rushes for 117 yards and 2 TDs to power the Thunder to a division win. The Thunder defense did their part as well, holding the Express to only 2 converted third downs all game as Las Vegas moves to 2-1. CHARLOTTE 20 NEW ORLEANS 28 New Orleans cornerback DeAngelo Smith should have wone the Offensive Player of the Game after scoring twice on two pick sixes against Chris Weinke and the Monarchs. Smith’s 74 and 31-yard interceptions were the difference in the game as both offenses struggled to keep drives going. Charlotte’s Corey Webster also scored on a pick six in a game that saw a lot of early season sloppy play. WASHINGTON 7 BOSTON 20 The Cannons get into the win column for the first time, and against a divisional foe as well. David Garrard struggled on the day, while Adrian McPherson threw for 258 to help Boston get the W. Most of the credit for the Boston offense has to go to HB Rashard Mendenhall, however, as the big back rumbled for 128 yards and both Boston touchdowns. TAMPA BAY 21 PHILADELPHIA 22 A tough loss for the Bandits as they give up a Dallas Clark TD catch in the final minute of action to fall in Philly. Daunte Culpepper had a solid outing with 2 TDs while Kurt Warner threw for only 151 and tossed 2 picks in a rough game. Philly managed to stay in the game largely due to the defense and Steve Slaton’s 100 yards on the ground. ORLANDO 20 PITTSBURGH 10 Touchdowns from WR Karl Williams and HB Knowshon Moreno helped the visiting Renegades top Pittsburgh. The Maulers struggled without DeShaun Foster, with Kenny Watson averaging 3 yards per carry on 21 touches. Calais Campbell added another sack, but is clearly frustrated with the constant double teaming he is facing after his break out year in 2009. MICHIGAN 20 CHICAGO 24 Rookie QB Mike Kafka continues to impress as he subs for Brady Quinn. The Northwestern product went 24 for 40 and 2 scores, hitting Anquon Boldin with a late TD to steal the win away from the division rival Panthers. Kafka got help from the D, which forced two turnovers and held Michigan out of the red zone for the entire 2nd half. MEMPHIS 27 NASHVILLE 3 Jake Delhomme and the Memphis offense are beginning to find their stride, but it is the revamped Showboat D that impressed in this game, with rookie LB Navarro Bowman getting the play of the week on a sack-strip-recovery-TD play for the ages. Memphis also got a pick-six from Tebucky Jones as the Showboat D outscored Nashville 14-3. SEATTLE 9 BIRMINGHAM 10 Birmingham has another defense on the rise as they confuse and confound backup QB Tee Martin for Seattle. With Leftwich out, Martin struggled to only 14 of 49 in the air. The Stallion offense was nothing to get excited about, but their D certainly had Seattle’s number in this one. ATLANTA 19 JACKSONVILLE 24 The Bulls move to 2-1, again with Tebow on the sideline, but with a big contribution from C. J. Spiller, who rushed for 77 yards on 15 carries, including a 20 yard TD. Josh McCown continued to hold off Tebow with a 2 TD performance as the Bulls edge the Fire and move to 2-1. NEW JERSEY 12 BALTIMORE 15 OVERTIME Rookie kicker Leigh Tiffin’s missed PAT proves fatal as it allows Baltimore to tie the game in regulation and then win it in overtime. The Blitz were held without a touchdown on the day but still pull out the win thanks to 5 field goals from veteran Martin Grammatica. Ron Dayne rushed for 110 and New Jersey’s combo of Rice and Redmond put up 146 to keep the Generals in this one, but in the end that missed PAT was just enough for Baltimore to tie the game and then win it in overtime. PORTLAND 17 OAKLAND 27 The Invaders got 10 in the 4th quarter to pull away from their division rivals and move to 2-1. Ricky Williams scored the game winner, despite being outgained by Jonathan Stewart 98-53 on the day. Portland struggled in the second half after A. J. Feeley was knocked out of the game and replaced by newly arrived backup Ingle Martin. TEXAS 14 OHIO 6 While Ohio fans want to blame Chris Redman for an 8 of 21 day and for taking 10 sacks, let’s give some credit to a Texas defense that has the Outlaws a surprising 3-0 on the young season. Add in touchdowns from T. J. Duckett and a toss from Flacco to Jermichael Finley and the Outlaws take this one over a struggling Ohio offense. HOUSTON 20 DENVER 31 The Sunday Night EFN/ESPN special was a good one as division rivals Denver and Houston clashed. It was 10-10 at the half, but Denver controlled the second half thanks to 97 yards from Maurice Hicks. Matt Leinart threw for 3 scores, all 3 to his tight ends, as the Gold move to 2-1. Texas Doing it with D With three games in the books, the Texas Outlaws are one of the early stories of the USFL season, and it is their defense leading the way. Allowing only 11 points per game, and not permitting any foe yet to surpass 14 points, Texas is looking like they have the formula on D, and that is without NFL import Aaron Kampman taking the field yet. The Outlaws are doing it with pressure up front as they have 18 sacks in only 3 games. Led by DE Reynaldo Wynn’s 5 sacks, but with contributions from everyone from SS Terrance Holt (3 sacks) to DT Luis Castillo (2 sacks) and LB Chad Greenway, Texas is putting the pressure on offenses with zone blitzes, safety blitzes,and solid man coverage. Cornerbacks Nathan Vasher and Michael Boulware are holding down their men as blitzers overwhelm the opposition’s line. It is a strategy that is working both for the passing game and against the run, as Texas is allowing only 77 yards per game on the ground. Coach Greg Landry is giving a lot of credit to his DC, former Gambler, Bull, and Cannon LB Johnny Holland, a young coach who moved from strength to linebackers and now DC in only 8 years. Holland’s aggressive scheme is making life tough for opposing offenses, and allowing Landry to focus on QB Joe Flacco’s development. Flacco has improved his QBR to 91.3 this season and has a 5:2 TD:INT ratio in his first three games, all good signs that Texas’s quick start may carry into a season-long improvement over last year’s disappointing 5-9 result. Not the Rookie QB We All Expected We have a budding star at QB from the rookie class of 2010, but it is not the one you expected. Sure, all the press has been about the arrivals of OU QB Sam Bradford and Florida’s athletic Tim Tebow now in Jacksonville, but it is unheralded mid-round pick Mike Kafka who is getting results. While Tebow and Bradford carry clipboards, Kafka has stepped in for an injured Brady Quinn and put on a show. Now, admittedly, Chicago is still a run-first, conservative offense, but Kafka has put up 559 yards in just over 2 full games, throwing 5 touchdowns to only 2 picks. With Quinn upgraded to Probable for this week’s game after suffering a nasty groin pull in week 1, we may not see Kafka back on the field this week, but his 2-game rookie debut certainly has some heads turning. Will we see a QB controversy in Chicago? Unlikely as Brady has led the Machine to the playoffs each of the past 3 years, including a Summer Bowl in 2007, but Chicago now has at the very least a very good looking backup, and a potential trade commodity in the future. Let Youth Be Served Take a quick look at the QB stats for this year and it seems apparent that there is a youth movement across the league at the game’s most important position. Sitting atop the ratings list we find Josh Freeman of St. Louis, Kyle Orton of Atlanta, Mark Sanchez of LA, and, not far behind, rookies Joe Webb and Mike Kafka. Of course, with the retirements of Kerry Collins, Brett Favre, Drew Bledsoe, and Kordell Stewart in the past 2 years, there was absolutely a need for new stars to develop, and it appears that in the early stages of this season that is exactly what is happening. Just how much the emergence of the next generation of quarterbacks will upend the power structure of the league still remains to be seen, but it is providing optimism in places like St. Louis, Atlanta, and LA, where there have been some tough times in recent years. And what about the vets? Well, Brian Griese is still in the Top 5 for QB Rating, and when we look at yardage we see other familiar names like Drew Brees, Joey Harrington, and Daunte Culpepper,so it is not a full on conversion from one generation to another, but certainly the young guns are making a statement. A bad break for the Bulls and for LB Lavar Arrington, as the veteran backer suffered a broken wrist that could potentially keep him out for the year. There is a chance he could return in the final weeks of the year, so Jacksonville has not placed him on IR just yet, but with a minimum recovery time of 8 weeks, there is not a lot of wiggle room for Jacksonville. In Ohio, it was cornerback Ashton Youboty who got bad news, as his hamstring injury was confirmed as a full tear. That too could be a 2-3 month recovery time. In LA guard Michael Brooks also suffered an injury to his wrist, but fortunately it was not a break, so he could be back in as soon as 2-3 weeks. Charlotte’s defense took two hits with both LB Rey Maulauga and CB Asante Samuel now out at least 2 weeks. Portland is likely to be without QB A. J. Feeley at least for this week’s game, and possibly longer after the QB suffered a torn abdominal muscle on a scramble. Ingle Martin looks to be the backup who will get the start in Week 4. Others lkely out this week include Memphis CB Keiwan Ratliff, Chicago center Andre Gurode, Pittsburgh center Nick Lechey, and Memphis guard Darnell Alford. Josh Freeman, who has started the year red hot, is listed as questionable after dislocating a finger in his non-throwing hand late in the game at Arizona. If he cannot go, then it will be veteran Jeff Blake back under center for Coach Arians. Other questionables this week include wideouts Roscoe Parrish (TBY) and Joey Galloway (OHI), halfback Deuce McCallister (WSH), and cornerback Randall Gay (NOR). Brady Quinn has been upgraded to probable and may replace the very effective Mike Kafka if the week of practice goes as is hoped. Hall of Fame Semifinalists Announced Around Weeks 3 or 4 of the USFL season is the traditional date for the USFL and the Pro Football Hall of Fame to announce the semi-finalist group of 10-12 former players, coaches, and executives to be presented, and this year they are right on target, presenting 12 candidates for consideration. Over the next 8 weeks the voters will review the candidacy packets for each player, review film, talk with current HOF members about their experiences with the candidates, weigh the pros and cons of each candidate, and prepare to vote later this summer. By the end of the regular season the votes will be registered and tallied, and no more than 5 new enshrinees will be named. This year, marking 15 years since the USFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame began enshrining players from the spring league, will have a new twist, a “Legacy Nomination”, a sixth addition to the hall, decided on by a select committee of current Hall of Famers, designed to recognize a player whose standard eligibility has lapsed, but who, over the span of time has been seen as an overlooked but deserving Hall nominee. This sixth entrant into the Hall does not appear on our roster of semifinalists, but will be announced when the 5 standard entry hall candidates are revealed later this spring. So, who are the 12 semifinalists for this year? Returning for nomination from previous eligibility classes we have linebackers Pat Swilling (MEM 90-91, HOU 92-02) and Lamar Lathon (NOR 90-04), defensive back Vince Buck (ARZ 90=94, OHI 95-99, LA 00, HOU 01-04), and a bit of a surprise, punter Chris Mohr (JAX 89-03). Mohr is the first punter to reach the semi-final stage, and would be only the third special teams player to make the hall (after kickers Tim Mazzetti and David Trout) if selected. Buck and Lathon return in their second year of eligibility, while Gambler great Pat Swilling is in his fourth and final year of eligibility. These four “returning” nominees join a large eight-man list of first year nominees, each of whom have a record of outstanding play, leadership, and accomplishment to back up their nominations. Adrian Cooper, Tight End (POR 91-94, MEM 95-05) One of the best pass-catching tight ends in league history, Cooper was a 8-time All-USFL player, with more than 900 receptions for nearly 12,000 yards and fell 1 TD shy of 100, retiring with 99 scoring catches to his name. He helped Memphis win the league title in 1999, and was considered on a par with current Hall of Famers Keith Jackson and Shannon Sharpe. Cooper’s numbers actually far exceed both Hall of Famers in key categories, with 3,000 more yards and nearly 50 more TDs than Jackson and nearly 400 more catches than Sharpe. Cooper has to be considered a strong candidate for first-ballot entry. Lawrence Dawsey, Wide Receiver (BIR 91-05) One of the most prolific receivers in league history and a big part of Birmingham’s title contending teams of the 90’s. Dawsey retired in 2005 with 1,008 receptions, 17,912 receiving yards, and 148 touchdowns. Playing his entire career in Birmingham, Dawsey was one of Brett Favre’s favorite targets and helped the Stallions win the 1993 USFL title. If selected, he would become the 3rd receiver from those 1990’s Birmingham clubs to enter the Hall, joining Ernest Givens (Class of 2005) and TE Shannon Sharpe (Class of 2003). Mark Brunell, Quarterback (DEN 95-05) The undisputed leader of the Gold offense for a decade, Brunell was an athletic southpaw who helped lead the Gold to their first title in 2000. There is some concern that his somewhat short career (10 years for a QB used to be typical but is now somewhat truncated) and the numbers that produces might be a hindrance to his nomination. He retired in 2005 with 37,968 yards,269 TDs, and 126 interceptions. Brunell was a one-year All-USFL player, another potential issue as there are certainly other quarterbacks with greater resumes and lists of accolades. Just don’t tell that to Denver fans. Kevin Hardy, Linebacker (STL 96-04, ARZ 05) A sideline-to-sideline pursuer, hard hitter, and team captain, Kevin Hardy was also a 3-time All-USFL selection. He retired in 2005 with 823 tackles and 35 sacks in his 10-year career. Hardy was a team leader on some of the great St. Louis Knight defenses of the 1990’s, however, the lack of playoff success of the Knights could be a factor in his nomination as could this class of semifinalists, which has 5 linebackers among its 12 candidates. DeMetrius DuBose, Linebacker (PIT 93-05) A 9-year team captain for the Maulers and a 9-time All-USFL honoree, DuBose may be the linebacker with the greatest shot at enshrinement this season. In addition to helping Pittsburgh capture the 1995 league title, DuBose retired with nearly 1,400 tackles, 38 sacks, 15 interceptions, and 29 forced fumbles. Intimidating and tireless, DuBose was one of the most feared linebackers in the league for over a decade. Mo Lewis, Linebacker (JAX 91-94, ATL/BOS 95-01, LA 02-05) A tackling machine, Mo Lewis joined the expansion Atlanta Fire after three solid seasons in Jacksonville. There he established himself as the leader of a defense that matured far more quickly than the club as a whole. Never playing on a championship team, Lewis nonetheless was honored as an All-USFL player 5 times in his career. Aeneas Williams, Cornerback (OAK 91-99, ARZ 00, LA 01-05) A premier “lock down” corner in Oakland, Williams exploded on the scene in his rookie year, helping Oakland win the 1991 Summer Bowl. He was named a team captain in only his 2nd year of play, was honored as All-USFL twice, and retired with 216 starts (every game of his career with 3 teams), over 1,200 tackles, 45 picks, and 30 forced fumbles. George Teague, Safety (CHI 93-05) It may be the linebackers and pass rushers who get all the glory in Chicago’s long history of defensive muscle, but George Teague was equally feared by offensive gameplanners and players alike. The 1993 Defensive Rookie of the Year played with a reckless abandon for 13 seasons, retiring in 2005 with 595 tackles, 14 sacks, and 36 interceptions. Never winning a title, Teague was still one of the most iconic defensive backs of the 1990’s. Which five of these twelve outstanding candidates will make the Hall of Fame Class of 2010? We can let the speculating, debating, and postulating begin. For our money we think Cooper should be a shoe in, Dubose is the most likely of the 5 linebacker nominees, but we also see significant support for Williams, Dawsey, and Lamar Lathon. Who was left out? Our biggest snub from the list is halfback Rashaan Salaam, in his second year of eligibility but still clouded by the scandal that cost him his spot on the Denver Gold and led to a one-year suspension before returning with Oakland. Group Forms to Bring USFL to Big D Last year, with the wild success of the Texas Outlaws’ forced hiatus from San Antonio and a season of outstanding support at the Cotton Bowl, we said that all indications were there that Dallas would be a strong long-term option for the USFL. We posited that the league might want to consider having the city host a Summer Bowl, or the occasional Outlaw game, or that the city might once again throw its hat into the ring if and when another expansion round were to be announced in the USFL. It appears we were dead on with that thought. This week a group of investors and local leaders announced the formation of a new entity called “Destination Dallas” designed to foster interest in bringing the USFL to Big D. The group, led by telecom industry executive Kenny Trout, the group of influential Dallas business and community leaders are doing just as we expected, pointing to the success of the Outlaws’ season at the Cotton Bowl to make the case that after several failed expansion bids, the time is right for Dallas to find its way into the USFL. Dallas has always been an attractive market. After all, it is the 4th largest metro area in the United States, and the largest without a USFL franchise (significantly larger than either Miami or the Twin Cities). Of course, the issue of Jerry Jones and his very antagonistic attitude to the USFL has often been an issue. Texas Stadium, and now the new Cowboy’s facility in Arlington, have always been off the table for the USFL due to Jones’s ongoing beef with the league as a rival to the NFL and his Cowboys empire. But, with the Cotton Bowl proving to be a more than adequate option in the region, and with strong support for the Outlaws in that stadium last year, the message is clear that the market exists for spring football. But how will Dallas obtain a team? That may be a bit preemptive to ask, but it is a question of concern. The Destination Dallas group which just announced its existence is still significantly underfunded to realistically bring a club to the city, even with Kenny Trout’s considerable backing. What it does have is enough clout to push for some city or county funding to renovate the Cotton Bowl (which currently does not have a full-time tenant after SMU moved to a campus facility). The group is also fully capable of lobbying both the league and Texas state officials to try to put pressure for expansion or even relocation as an option to bring USFL football to the 4th largest metro area in the country. It is early, admittedly, but this could be the strongest bid from Dallas of the many we have seen over the years. If this group can shore up their financial backing, they could very easily be a frontrunner should the league opt to expand again within the next decade. The concern, of course, is that an 8–10-year delay before the next expansion round could prove unappetizing for Dallas and the Destination Dallas group, and, once they have their financials in order, they could opt for the more aggressive option of purchasing a struggling USFL franchise and relocating it to the region. That is what concerns many USFL owners who spoke with us, but they recognize that the league by-laws certainly allow for private sale of the franchises, so if there is an owner ready to cash out, there are only limited options for the league to avoid relocation. Again, far too early for serious speculation on this. For now, the focus is on expansion, and consensus building within Dallas for citywide support to bring a second pro football team to the market. Some very intriguing inter-divisional matchups in Week 4, including the Bandits and Breakers on Friday Night, Portland headed to Memphis, Houston in Chicago, and Nashville in Washington. On Sunday the focus shifts to divisional play, with 5 of 7 games matching familiar foes. The best of the bunch may be Las Vegas traveling to Oakland, while the unbeaten Baltimore Blitz will be in Philadelphia to take on the Stars in the week's finale on ESPN and the ESPN Football Network. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET Tampa Bay (1-2) @ New Orleans (2-1) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Portland (1-2) @ Memphis (2-1) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Charlotte (0-3) @ Ohio (1-2) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET New Jersey (1-2) @ Jacksonville (2-1) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET Houston (1-2) @ Chicago (2-1) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET Los Angeles (0-3) @ Seattle (1-2) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET Nashville (2-1) @ Washington (2-1) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Boston (1-2) @ Birmingham (2-1) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Orlando (2-1) @ Atlanta (1-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Pittsburgh (1-2) @ St. Louis (1-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Michigan (2-1) @ Texas (3-0) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Arizona (1-2) @ Denver (2-1) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Las Vegas (2-1) @ Oakland (2-1) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET Baltimore (3-0) @ Philadelphia (2-1) ESPN & EFN

Player of the Week: New Orleans cornerback got the rare double dip this week, picking off two Chris Weinke passes and returning both for scores, providing the Breakers with the boost they needed to hold off the Monarchs and take the W.

Player of the Week: HB Willis McGahee helped the Bandits get their first W of the season with a 182 yard day.

Three overtime games and a ton of upsets showcase just how close the margin of victory is in the USFL. The season is getting off to a wild start with week 1 winners getting shocked in week 2 and with games going to the limit and beyond. We have a surprise club at 2-0 in the Texas Outlaws and an equally surprising 0-2 team in the defending champion Boston. We have offensive outbursts in Atlanta from two unlikely clubs and a defensive showing from the Knights as they try to avenge last year’s playoff loss to division rival New Orleans. A lot to digest as we work our way through the 2nd week of the USFL season. OAKLAND 33 LOS ANGELES 30 OVERTIME The last few years the California Derby between the Express and Invaders have not exactly been a highlight of the season, but this game in sunny LA this Sunday was an exception to that trend and one of the best games between these two that we have seen in years. Oakland looked dominant in the first half, building up a 27-6 halftime lead, but Coach Williams must have found the right formula at the half because the Express came roaring back in the second half, sending this one into overtime before a winner was finally decided. The first half of this game looked very much like the recent history of the matchup, a series where Oakland has won the past 4 meetings quite handily. Joey Harrington had the Oakland offense humming, scoring on the opening drive with a 9-yard TD toss to his top receiver, Greg Jennings. Oakland would score on their first three drives, adding a field goal and a Jerious Norwood TD catch as well, with only an LA field goal in the early going. Down 17-3, the Express would get another field goal in the 2nd, but LA would counter with a quick-strike, 4-play drive that saw Harrington hit Pierre Garçon from 39-yards out for his 3rd TD on the day. Another Mike Hollis field goal just before the half and it looked very much like a cake walk for the Invaders. Oakland had put up nearly 300 yards of offense in just the first half, while Mark Sanchez had struggled, going 6 of 13 on the half and failing to convert on a single third down play, throwing two picks in the mix as well. But momentum is a funny thing, and just one play can make all the difference. And that play came with the second half kickoff. Bernard Berrian fielded the kick for LA on his own 1-yard line, found a seam, escaped a tackle attempt at the 33 and was off to the races. Mike Hollis was no match for the speedy Berrian and LA got the shot in the arm they needed with a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown. The play lifted the spirits in the stadium and on the LA bench. They would hold Oakland to a field goal on their next drive, with a big Keneche Udeze sack of Harrington both ending Oakland’s drive and riling up the LA crowd once again. The Express, with newfound energy gotbac o the board again, this time with Sanchez connecting with Keyshawn Johnson on a slant & go route that fooled the corner. The 33-yard TD toss pulled LA within 10 at 30-20 and everyone I the stadium could feel the momentum had shifted. LA started looking like the dominant team in the rivalry, picking off Harrington on the next series and kicking a field goal to pull within 7 just seconds into the final quarter of play. Oakland tried to slow play the quarter, relying on Ricky Williams and his 26 carries (for 101 yards) to keep possession and hold onto the lead. But, with 3:03 left to play, LA once again got the ball and, feeling that time was slipping away, went into 2-minute mode a minute early. The shift worked, as the no-huddle approach took advantage of a tired Oakland defense. It took the Express only 3 plays to work their way to midfield, and on a 2nd and 2 from their own 47 Sanchez again found success with a deep ball. He used play action to Maurice Jones Drew to freeze the safeties, then found Randy Moss in single coverage on the outside. Moss outlept the corner for the ball, kept his feet in bounds, spun back towards the center of the field and raced to the endzone. A 53-yard touchdown brought LA all the way back, tying the game at 30. Oakland opted to kill the clock and go to overtime rather than risk a turnover with a desperate race to field goal range. In overtime both teams looked spent. LA had won the toss and received the ball but could do nothing on their first drive, missing on a 3rd and 7 throw. When Oakland got the ball it was much the same, with Jerious Norwood failing to reach the first down on a 3rd and 3 run. LA got the ball back with 7:07 left to play in the extra period, but on a 2nd and 7 attempt with Sanchez looking to connect with Keyshawn, the ball was tipped at the line and Oakland corner Eric Wright came up with the disrupted ball for the 3rd pick of Sanchez on the afternoon. The Invaders moved the ball into field goal range on 3 plays and trotted out Mike Hollis on a 3rd and 7 from the LA 20 to try to end the game. Hollis was iced by LA, but it did not phase him as the kick was right down the middle, giving Oakland its 5th win in a row in the series between the two California franchises, but by no means an easy win. ORLANDO 20 TAMPA BAY 23 OVERTIME Another overtime thriller as the Bandits rebound from an opening week loss to win their second overtime game in two weeks. The Renegades and Bandit fought their way to a 20-20 tie at the end of regulation and a Nate Kaeding field goal in overtime gave Tampa Bay the win. It could not have happened without a monster game from Willis McGahee. The Bandit vet rushed 21 times for 182 yards, a whopping 8.7 yards per carry. Jared Cook got his second TD of the season, and the Bandits held off the ‘Gades to even their record. HOUSTON 21 BALTIMORE 27 No overtime in B’more, but a good, hard fought game between two solid clubs. Ron Dayne busted out for 123 yards and a TD, while Shaun Alexander had 106 and 2 scores as both teams used the run game to shorten the game and stay close to each other. In the end it was a Roethlisberger to Thorpe TD that was the game winner, his only TD toss of the day. MICHIGAN 37 JACKSONVILLE 13 A Week one win in Boston had the Bulls faithful hoping for good things this week, but their home opener did not go as it was intended. Brian Griese shredded the Jacksonville defense for 358 yards and 3 TDs as Hines Ward went over 100 and Laverneus Coles nabbed 2 scoring tosses. Tim Tebow was cheered when he came on the field, and there were certainly a lot of #15 jerseys, but Tebow saw only a small package of designed QB run plays as Josh McCown remained the starter. BOSTON 10 MEMPHIS 14 Boston struggles once again on offense with Adrian McPherson throwing for 219 and Rashard Mendenhall struggling to only 29 yards on 18 carries as Memphis’s rebuilt defense flexes its muscles. Jake Delhomme connected with Lee Evans on a TD and Cadillac Williams added another as Memphis got the game winner in the 4th to send the defending champs to an 0-2 start. PITTSBURGH 9 CHICAGO 21 The Chicago defense picked off Cody Pickett 3 times and rookie QB Mike Kafka had a strong start in relief of Brady Quinn. The Northwestern product did his Wildcats proud, going 20 of 24 for 155 yards and 2 scores as Chicago shut down the Maulers and sent HB DeShaun Foster to the locker room after suffering an ankle injury. Pickett was sacked 5 times and picks by Urlacher, Marlin Jackson, and Beau Bell secured the win for the Machine. NEW JERSEY 14 DENVER 17 New Jersey continued to play tough, but this time could not get the W as a late Leinart to Colbert TD gave Denver the comeback win. Leinart was 19 of 26 with 2 TDs and the combination of Javon Ringer and Maurice Hicks gained 174 yards rushing for Denver as they got their first win of the season. Ryan Fitzpatrick struggled a bit in this game, throwing for 153 yards on a 16 of 27 day, but Sam Bradford stayed on the sideline once again. PHILADELPHIA 20 WASHINGTON 26 OVERTIME The third overtime game of the weekend saw Washington hold off the Philadelphia Stars thanks to a Rod Smart TD run in extra time. Joe Webb got the start and the win as David Garrard recovers from a Week 1 injury. The rookie went 25 of 38 for 257 yards as the Stars defense focused on shutting down Deuce McCallister. Kurt Warner threw for 2 scores but was also picked off twice by the Federals. Warner hit fullback Francis Sosa with the game tying score with 58 seconds left, but in overtime Washington never let Philly see the ball, scoring on their opening drive to end the game and claim the win. CHARLOTTE 7 BIRMINGHAM 20 The Stallions showed some defensive fortitude as they shut down the Monarchs at Legion Field. Chris Weinke was picked twice and sacked 4 times as the Stallions pulled away for a 13-point win. Birmingham used 4 different rushers to rack up 123 yards on the ground, and Kyle Boller connected with Donte Do for a score as Birmingham moved their record to 1-1 and sent Charlotte to an 0-2 start. ST. LOUIS 28 ATLANTA 35 A surprising shootout between two teams that no one associates with high scoring as Atlanta outlasted St. Louis to claim their first win of the season. Josh Freeman impressed with a 15/22, 292 yard, 4 TD day, but Kyle Orton matched him with 5 scoring tosses. With Darren McFadden adding 146 yards and a score on the ground and you have a Fire win at home. Josh Reed also had himself a game with 3 TDs from Orton. ARIZONA 10 OHIO 19 Ohio and Chris Redman get their first win thanks to touchdown tosses to Stephen Alexander and Joey Galloway. Eddie George added 111 yards on the ground as Ohio relied on their veterans to get the job done. Larry Fitzgerald had 102 in the air and Tomlinson added 78 yards rushing, but it was not enough for the Wranglers, who fall to 1-1. LAS VEGAS 17 PORTLAND 13 Portland struggled with Las Vegas’s pressure defense, as Jonathan Stewart was held to only 41 yards ruhshing. Meanwhile Jake Plummer connected with Kevin Everett and Marshawn Lynch added a score as the Thunder win on the road. The Run & Shoot was largely misfiring on the day, but the defense helped pull out the win for June Jones’s team. SEATTLE 14 TEXAS 30 An impressive home win for the Texas Outlaws, who started the day a 7 point underdog at home to Seattle. Joe Flacco threw for 286 and 2 scores while the defense penned in the Dragons, limiting Byron Leftwich to only 21 of 44 on the day. Marques Colston caught both of Flacco’s scoring throws and T. J. Duckett added a touchdown to his 79-yard day as Texas is a surprising 2-0 to start the year. NASHVILLE 27 NEW ORLEANS 6 The Nashville Knights got just a bit of revenge for being bumped from the playoffs last year by their division rivals. The Knights defense limited Matt Forte to 40 yards rushing while Frank Gore ran wild for 156. Rookie Montario Hardesty also broke out against the Breakers’ run D, rushing for 72 yards and his first pro score on only 7 carries. The win moves Nashville to 2-0 in the South, a game up on the rest of the division. Coaches Stick With Vets Despite Pressure To Play Rookies Two weeks in and other than a couple of designed QB runs we have not seen either Tim Tebow or Sam Bradford on the field. All part of the plan according to Coach Frazier in Jacksonville and Coach Edwards in New Jersey. Both former DB’s these two USFL coaches know the dangers of starting a rookie QB too soon, after all, they both got a fair share of their career interceptions from rookie QBs. It was always understood that the season would begin with both young signal callers learning the system, watching the veterans on the team, and getting used to the speed of the game. We saw both in the preseason, with Bradford going 17 for 33 for 180 yards in the tune up game against Birmingham, while Tebow was 18 of 24 for 228 yards in duty against a team of Nashville backups. But this is the regular season and it seems that both Herm Edwards and Leslie Frazier are happy to let their star QB’s wait and watch. It helps that both teams got W’s in week one, but rougher outings in Week 2 may start the fan pressure to put the new stars on the field. Josh McCown has looked serviceable in the first two weeks, racking up 360 total yards with 2 TDs and 2 picks, while Ryan Fitzpatrick has done even better, completing 72% of his throws for 4 TDs, 2 picks and 427 yards. If he can keep up that pace, it may take quite a while before General fans see Bradford on the field, and they won’t complain if Fitz-Magic’s starts lead to more New Jesey wins. Unlike Bradford, who is only likely to see action if Fitzpatrick either starts to stumble or suffers an injury, Jacksonville is already trying to find ways to put Tebow on the field. So far it has been a couple of short yardage runs, but we could also see him get a package or two mixed in with Josh McCown. When we see either get a start, that is the bigger mystery right now. Fans may push to see the two get some action, but right now both Coach Frazier and Coach Edwards are happy to have them as observers only. Leftwich & Culpepper Surprisingly Slow Starts While we are talking about QBs and their 2-game starts to the year, we should probably acknowledge that as wild as it may be to see Josh Freeman as the top-rated QB in the league this week with a 112.8 rating, it is even stranger to look at the bottom of the QB ratings and see Byron Leftwich and Daunte Culpepper occupying the two bottom slots. Leftwich has struggled, despite Seattle winning their opener. He has thrown 3 picks to only 1TD and has only 225 yards combined. He has also been knocked around quite a lot, leaving the Week 2 game very early and watching as Tee Martin also struggled. For Culpepper, the issue has not been injury but inaccuracy. Only 2 weeks into the season and the Tampa Bay signal caller already has 6 picks to his name. He started the year with only 1 in the loss to New Jersey, but suffered 5 picks in the game this week against Orlando, yet somehow survived and won the game. He has completed barely 55% of his throws this year, and seems to be pressing the ball deep when his receivers are just not open. Neither QB is in any danger of losing their starting jobs, but the slow starts have to be a concern for their coaches, who depend on the veteran QBs to put their offenses into motion and get results. So far, the results have been mixed at best. NFL Imports Making Themselves Known We did not see the number of NFL imports this year that we have seen in the past, but what the USFL has not been able to garner in quantity, it seems to be making up in quality. Looking across the league, we are already seeing the impact of the NFL imports, and with at least 3 more big-name signings this week, that is likely to become even more of a story when all the late additions make it onto the field. Here is our rundown of the early results from these league-switching new arrivals. HB LaDainian Tomlinson (ARZ): Without a doubt the biggest name to move from fall to spring, LT has started off strong for the Wranglers. Sure, he has sold a ton of jerseys, but he is also providing exactly what Arizona wanted from him, a reliable run game. He opened they season with 79 yards on 18 carries and this week added another 78, and while Wrangler fans are hoping to see him hit triple digits soon, Coach Tomsula and new OC Norv Turner have nothing but praise for the former Charger after 2 weeks. SS Darren Sharper (CHI): No picks yet for Chicago’s new centerfielder, but that does not mean he is not making an impact, just ask Pittsburgh HB Kenny Watson. After the loss of DeShaun Foster to injury, Watson took over at HB and on his first carry Sharper laid him out in a hit that will be making highlight reels for weeks. Fortunately for Chicago, Watson was ok and kept playing, but it is safe to say he is not looking forward to more encounters with Chicago’s new safety. Denver’s new safety, Roy Williams, may not have had the tooth-rattling hit that Sharper put on, but he is making himself known in the Mile High City as well. Williams recorded his first sack in this week’s game, where he also had 6 tackles, frequently near the line of scrimmage as the Gold seem to want to creep him up to the line quite a bit. Expect teams to test Williams as a pass defender, which both he and Coach Jauron seem willing to take on. In Michigan, fans are learning how to pronounce Adewale Ogunleye, and after a Week 1 performance that included a sack and a forced fumble, so too are Offensive Coordinators across the league. Michigan has Ogunleye on the right side, not the left, where he played in the NFL, but he is happy to be on the field and not eager to swap places with the other Panther DE, Jevon Kearse. Expect to see these two swapping things up from time to time, just to throw off the line assignments. Memphis’s Keith Bullock has made himself right at home in the Showboat LB group. After being a healthy scratch in Week 1, Bullock made it into the game against Boston and had two tackles in limited action. Expect his snap count to continue to increase as he becomes more familiar with Coach Haslett’s system. Finally, Seattle snuck a late signing in with former Dolphin and Charger wideout Chris Chambers joining the team just as camp wrapped up. Coach Lewis put him right to work, with somewhat limited snaps in Week 1. He had 2 receptions on 3 targets in his first USFL action, then last week saw his numbers double. Targeted 6 times, he brought in 4 passes for 35 yards in Seattle’s blowout loss to Texas. Expect to see more of Chambers in weeks to come. And in the next few weeks we should also expect some of the later signees (including this week’s 3 big names) to see the field, and we will see what kind of impact names like Jared Allen, Thomas Jones, Ben Watson, Jason Taylor, and Aaron Kampman can have in the spring. We mentioned it briefly in our story about new NFL players, but it was not a hit by Darren Sharper, but a bad cut on a wet field in Chicago that sent Mauler HB DeShaun Foster to the injury list. Mauler fans are feeling relieved that it was not a knee as first expected. Foster’s ankle is the issue, and while it could keep him out 4-6 weeks, he will be back this season. Others who could see several weeks of missed action include LA guard Michael Brooks (wrist), Texas guard Paul Grasmanis (knee), former Stars’ and current Breaker HB Michael Robinson (abdomen), Denver TE Daniel Graham (groin) and Houston DE Kavika Pittman (knee). Washington has listed Deion Branch as questionable due to swelling in his knee which they are identifying as patella tendonitis. Other questionable status updates include Birmingham rookie back Ben Tate (collarbone), Seattle LB Carl Ihenacho (hip), Jacksonville DT Marcus Stroud (hip) and New Orleans’s rookie FS Earl Thomas (Hand) NFL Transfer Window Closes with a Flurry of Action An exciting week around front offices in the league as three major signings by USFL clubs shock the NFL and send ripples through the spring league as well. Michigan, unsatisfied with the early production of Mike Hart and 3rd down back Leon Washington, resolve the hole left by Justin Fargas’s earlier NFL jump by bringing in the best back available among NFL free agents this year, former Cardinal, Bearn and NY Jet Thomas Jones. Jones is expected to need a couple of weeks before he sees action, but after putting up 1,402 yards and 14 TDs for the Jets in 2009, Michigan is hoping to get similar results in their run game. Arizona, apparently overjoyed with the response to signing LaDainian Tomlinson, went back to the well, freed up some cap room, and signed one of the best receviers in the transfer window, After several strong seasons with Dallas, Cleveland and a surprising 1,200 yards in 2008 with the Buccaneers, Antonio Bryant struggled a bit last year, appearing in 13 games and gaining 600 yards on 39 receptions. Arizona is hoping that Bryant proves the perfect option opposite Larry Fitzgerald, filling the Santana Moss role and drawing some coverage away from their young superstar. For Baltimore, it is all about beefing up that pass rush. The Blitz already have 6 sacks in two games this year, with DE’s Tim Crowder and Chuckie Nwokorie with 2 each, but they want more, and they may have found it by signing former Miami Dolphin edge rusher Jason Taylor just before the close of the window. Taylor, who had a run of years with the Dolphins with double-digit sacks as a combination OLB and DE, will join the Blitz and likely take over the weakside LB duties currently manned by Angelo Crowell, at least on passing downs, though subbing for either DE is also not out of the question. And in one last move, the Texas Outlaws, off to a surprising 2-0 start, decided their defense needed just a bit more “oomph”, and on the last day of the transfer window they found the man to give the defense an extra push, inking former Packer DE Aaron Kampman. Kampman, who had back to back seasons of 15.5 and 12 sacks in 2006 and 2007 saw his numbers dip in 2008 and then suffered an injury which held him out of 7 games in 2009. He comes to Texas hoping to reestablish himself as a pass rusher. Texas will likely ease him into a rotation with Chris Canty and Reynaldo Wynn as they try to put more pressure on opposing QBs. NFL imports were not the only signees during the early season as Texas also landed a Texas icon, and another player hoping to reinvigorate his career. Former Longhorn halfback Cedric Benson signed a “come and prove it” contract with Texas and will back up T. J. Duckett in the Outlaws’ power run game. Benson, whose best year was a 1,109 yard season in 2007 with Denver, appeared in 14 games last year for Orlando but had only 45 carries for 134 yards, averaging only 2.0 yards per carry. The final signing to report was a resigning, as Oakland safety Pearson Prioleau, disappointed to not find alternatives with either USFL or NFL options resigned with the Invaders, accepting basically the same contract they offered him at the tail end of the 2009 season. Oakland, who had started Keyon Nash at Strong Safety, is expected to welcome back Prioleau this week, though he almost certainly will not start in Week 3. Some really juicy divisional matchups this week, starting with LA at Las Vegas on Friday Night. On Saturday we get Washington @ Boston, Michigan @ Chicago, and Memphis @ Nashville, and then, on Sunday it is New Jersey @ Baltimore, Atlanta @ Jacksonville, Portland @ Oakland. It all caps off on Sunday Night with Houston traveling to Denver to take on the Gold. A good week for rivalries and for teams at 1-1 fighting to start off in the right direction. FRIDAY @ 8pm ET Los Angeles (0-2) @ Las Vegas (1-1) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Charlotte (0-2) @ New Orleans (1-1) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Washington (1-1) @ Boston (1-1) FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm ET Tampa Bay (1-1) @ Philadelphia (1-1) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm ET Orlando (1-1) @ Pittsburgh (1-1) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm ET Michigan (2-0) @ Chicago (1-1) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm ET Memphis (1-1) @ Nashville (1-1) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Seattle (1-1) @ Birmingham (1-1) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET Atlanta (1-1) @ Jacksonville (1-1) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm ET New Jersey (1-1) @ Baltimore (2-0) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Portland (1-1) @ Oakland (1-1) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm ET Texas (2-0) @ Ohio (1-1) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm ET St. Louis (0-2) @ Arizona (1-1) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm ET Houston (1-1) @ Denver (1-1) ESPN & EFN

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