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Week 11 turned out to be a strong week for road underdogs as six managed to beat the odds and take away a win. While there were not a lot of major upsets, with Atlanta’s win over Orlando the biggest surprise, it was a week when home favorites like Tampa Bay, Nashville, Washington and Pittsburgh could not get the job done, tightening up the playoff race and proving that home field advantage is only worth so much. We start our review, however, not with a road upset, but with a home team, desperate to stay relevant in a very tough division, takes out the division leader to once again find themselves back in the playoff mix. BALTIMORE BLITZ 20 PHILADELPHIA STARS 24 The Stars, mired at 5-5, came into their home matchup with the Blitz as 5-point underdogs, despite the game being played at Lincoln Financial Field. They emerged a 4-point victor and back in the hunt in a tightening NE Division. Philadelphia, which had lost 3 of their last 4 games, including defeats to sub-500 Atlanta and Birmingham squads, was seen as a team headed the wrong direction, but against the Blitz they pulled out all the stops and found a way to send Baltimore to their 2nd straight defeat, pulling themselves within 2 games of the division leader at the same time. And they did it by essentially imitating their opponent on both sides of the ball. Philadelphia used a consistent power run game, paired with short passes on offense to wear down the Blitz, while the Stars defense stuck with a 4-man rush and a mix of 2-deep and 1-deep zones to keep Ben Roethlisberger guessing. They did not get much pressure, though three sacks is not a bad day, but they limited the big play, with the longest Blitz passing play going for 12 yards. Meanwhile, Kurt Warner focused on converting third downs, keeping in front of the yard markers, and completing passes. He would finish 24 of 29 for 242 and 3 scores in one of his better performances this year. The two teams started off the game with good defensive stands, but on Philadelphia’s 2nd drive, they got a break, the first of what would be 9 Baltimore penalties, turned a 3rd and 15 into an automatic first down. That penalty kept the drive going, and 4 plays later Warner would find Steve Smith for the game’s opening score. It would be the only score until the 2-minute warning of the first half, with both defenses playing well and limiting the offensive capacities of their opponents. Late in the second quarter, Philadelphia would find the formula to get back in scoring range, relying on the run game with Steve Slaton leading the way. A 2nd and 2 turned into a 30-yard run for the West Virginia product, placing the ball just outside the red zone at the Blitz 21. On the very next play, Warner faked the ball to Slaton and found Terrell Owens in single coverage for his second TD toss of the day. With only 1:46 left in the half, it looked like the homestanding Stars would take a 2-score lead into the break. That image was shot when Doug Gabriel, on the ensuing kickoff, found a perfect wedge to run behind, broke out to the left and took the ball all the way for an apparent touchdown. A review challenge (automatic for scoring plays) found that Gabriel had, in his efforts to walk the tightrope down the sideline, stepped out of bounds just with the edge of his left foot at the 2-yard line. One play later, Roethlisberger hit Jacob Tamme for Baltimore’s first score, and the Stars went into the locker room only up 7. Baltimore would carry the momentum of Gabriel’s 98-yard kick return into the second half, coming out of the gate with a 57-yard drive that ended with a Martin Grammatica field goal, and then going one step better with a 71-yard drive that featured a Ron Dayne TD drive. It was Dayne’s best drive of the day, gaining 33 of his 105 yards on just this one possession. From a 14-0 lead, Philadelphia now found themselves down 17-14. The Stars rallied and in a drive that started in the final seconds of the third quarter and bled into the 4th, Philadelphia again returned to Steve Slaton and Michael Robinson to move the ball. Paired with some short slants and hook routes to Owens, Smith, and TE Dallas Clark, the Stars drove all the way to the 1-yard line, but on a 3rd and goal, could not punch the ball in. Coach Harbaugh called it conservatively and sent out Mike Nugent for a chipshot field goal to tie the game, eschewing the option to try again on 4th down. Two drives later, Baltimore would regain the lead, again off the foot of Martin Grammatica. With 2:36 left to play Baltimore was again on top, 20-17. Philadelphia, however, had some swagger left. They took the kickoff and gave the ball to Warner to move down to field goal range. He did better than that, moving crisply in a no-huddle offense with mid-range passes to Smith and Brent Celek, a nice out route to Reche Caldwell, and then a big 2nd and 3 play to Owens to get the ball well inside Nugent’s range with 1:22 still on the clock. Plenty of time for the Stars to go for the win, not the tie. A draw play to Slaton garnered 7 yards, then a quick toss to Clark for a first down and the 2nd of Philly’s 3 time outs. After being forced to throw the ball away on 1st down, Warner responded with a strike to Steve Smith, his 6th catch of the day. Smith spun out of the initial tackle, but quickly dove out of bounds when the safety threatened to tackle him. With the ball now at the 2-yard line and the stadium crowd in full voice, Warner went back to Smith, and the diminutive receiver was ready, catching the quick outside toss at the 1 and diving for the pylon. The Stars retook the lead 24-20 with 1:15 left to spare. Baltimore would get their shot, but would need a touchdown. They took the touchback on the kickoff and started at the 25. Roethlisberger was forced to dump the ball short to Antonio Pittman on first down, then found Antonio Gates on 2nd down to move the ball to the 37. But that is where the Stars dug in. On first down they again found pressure on Roethlisberger, and this time big DT Kendrick Clancy got a mitt on the ball as Roethlisberger tried to hit Tory Holt, tipping the ball up in the air and down to the turf. On 2nd down, Roethlisberger was again forced to dump the ball off, this time to Jacob Tamme for only a gain of 3. Using their last time out, they set up for 3rd and 7. Roethlisberger stayed in the pocket, despite good pressure from the Stars’ 4-man rush, tossing the ball towards Darrius Heyward-Bey, but it was off target and DHB could not go up and catch the high throw. 4th and 7 and desperation time. Again Roethlisberger looked towards Heyward-Bey, but this time Quentin Jammer was ready to jump the route, getting an arm in between the receiver and the ball and sending the ball to the turf. The Stars had held off the division leader and kept their playoff hopes very much alive. With a loss by the Federals as well this week, it meant that 4 teams (Baltimore, Washington, Boston, and Philadelphia) were now all within 2 games of each other, with all 4 over .500 and all 4 in the group of 7 teams that sat in playoff position. DENVER 13 NASHVILLE 12 Both defenses came to play in this one as Denver escapes Music City with a 1-point win. It was the ability of the Gold to run the ball with Javon Ringer (54 yards) and Mewelde Moore (72 yards) that made the difference as the Knights just could not get Frank Gore (19 carries, 59 yards) untracked. ATLANTA 13 ORLANDO 7 Another defensive struggle and a huge upset as the Fire knock off the Renegades in Orlando. The Fire focused on pass protection, keeping in extra blockers and limiting Calais Campbell to 1 sack. That may be the formula going forward, though it certainly helped that Atlanta’s defense held Knowshon Moreno to only 24 yards rushing. It certainly helped that Drew Brees missed the game, as Matt Cassell was not able to rally the Renegades. CHARLOTTE 24 TAMPA BAY 13 The Monarchs win a game they had to have, getting a big day from FS Chris Crocker (2 sacks) and a 2-TD, 97-yard effort from HB Robert Edwards. Charlotte also contained the Bandits by containing McGahee, limiting him to 2.4 yards per carry on the day. OHIO 24 NEW JERSEY 10 Eddie George scored twice and Randy Moss had a good game with 118 yards receiving as Ohio got the win they wanted on the road and moved to 6-5. Ryan Fitzpatrick spent much of the day scrambling, finishing the game with 16 official “rush attempts”, most of which started as pass plays but quickly deteriorated. LAS VEGAS 13 PORTLAND 17 A slobberknocker between two 5-5 clubs that goes to the home team. Las Vegas had a 13-0 lead, but the defense faded in the second half. A. J. Feeley connected with both Visanthe Shiancoe and Jabari Holloway in the second half as the Thunder upended Las Vegas and moved to 6-5. MICHIGAN 34 ST. LOUIS 17 The Panthers took care of business in St. Louis, with Brian Griese throwing for 346 yards and 3 scores. Both Fargas and Washington also got 6 apiece as Michigan rolled. Coach Williams got feisty after the game as he was asked about his job security, but who wouldn’t? LOS ANGELES 29 SEATTLE 34 Is this really happening again? Seattle wins their 4th in a row and find themselves in the Wild Card hunt in the West by moving to 5-6. LA led 23-13 just before the half, but a 97-yard kickoff return from Reggie Brown pulled Seattle within 3 and turned the momentum. A third quarter TD from Leftwich to Burleson got them the lead and another to Jeramy Stevens secured the win for the surging Dragons. OAKLAND 38 JACKSONVILLE 31 The tough West Coast-East Coast flight seemed to sap Oakland early, but they charged back thanks to 4 TDs from Joey Harrington. Harrington threw 2 to his HB, Ricky Williams, while also connecting with Greg Jennings and Pierre Garçon to pull ahead and get the W. ARIZONA 10 MEMPHIS 20 The Showboats finally get back in the win column as Brett Favre throws for 305 yards. Lee Evans was his big target with 131 yards receiving, while Robert Ferguson caught 6 balls for 91 yards. For Arizona, Coach Tomsula gave Colt Brennan the start in a surprise gameday announcement. The youngster went19 for 36, was sacked twice and threw 1 TD and 1 pick in his first official start. BOSTON 41 WASHINGTON 31 A shootout all the way, Boston outlasted and outpaced the Federals thanks to 123 yards from Chad Johnson and a whopping 185 yards on the ground from Rashard Mendenhall. Washington countered with 3 TDs from Kordell Stewart and 120 yards receiving for Deion Branch, but there was just not enough in the Federals arsenal when the D could not contain Bledsoe and the Cannons. HOUSTON 7 NEW ORLEANS 16 New Orleans needed this one as it moves them to 6-5 and puts them in range of Nashville in the South. Eli Manning got the game winner, a late TD to TE Chris Cooley to get the home win and quiet the boo birds who had been calling him out for 3 quarters. Houston was held to only 72 yards rushing without Shaun Alexander and could only muster one Tatum Bell TD as they drop to 6-5. TEXAS 21 BIRMINGHAM 13 A solid game from WR Brandon Marshall (6 receptions for 104 yards and a score) help Texas improve to 4-7. T. J. Duckett added 83 yards and a score as Texas sacks Kyle Boller 5 times. The Stallion QB was called on a lot, with 57 pass attempts, but he could not rally the Stallions in this one. CHICAGO 19 PITTSBURGH 17 The Machine claw their way up the ladder with a road win against a tough Mauler club. Cody Pickett had the better day throwing the ball, but Brady Quinn got the W in the end thanks to a late Maurice Clarett TD run. Quinn finished with only 147 yards to Pickett’s 327, but the Machine D kept Quinn in the game and the offense got the job done when they needed to to pull up to 7-4. Arizona starts Colt Brennan over Carr In a surprising gametime decision this week Coach Jim Tomsula of the Wranglers pulled his NFL import QB, David Carr, and gave the ball to 2nd year QB Colt Brennan. The former Rainbow Warrior from Hawaii had been on the bench all season behind the 7-year NFL veteran, but clearly Tomsula was concerned that Carr may not be the answer in a 3-7 USFL season. Brennan had his issues, tossing a pick and completing only 19 of 36 passes, but he also had some moments, including a 50-yard deep ball to Santana Moss and a very nicely thrown 38-yard completion to Larry Fitzgerald. It seems clear that the QB situation is now a competition as the Wranglers look to improve in 2010. Coach Tomsula is likely to give Brennan more opportunities to prove himself in the final weeks of the season. Under Carr the Wrangler passing game has sputtered, ranked 27th with an average of only 183 yards per game. The Club is averaging only 17 points per game and while Carr is not the sole reason for their struggles, it seems clear that Brennan will be given a shot to show he can do better. As for Carr, who signed a 3-year deal to leave the NFL and come to the desert, this cannot be a good sign. However, as has been pointed out in the local press on numerous occasions, it is not uncommon at all to see NFL imports struggling in their first year in the USFL. The physical strain of playing a full 16-week NFL season and then jumping right into a spring USFL season has often led to wear and tear, both physically and mentally, on NFL players and QBs are certainly not immune from this. So, we expect to see more of Brennan down the stretch, and fully anticipate an open QB competition in camp next spring, after Carr has had a chance to recover from back to back seasons. We may not have seen his best this year, so there is a chance he will be in better shape to compete next year, when the Wranglers as a whole are hoping to put out a better product on the field. Brees Out with Tendinitis Orlando’s loss at home to Atlanta had a lot of causes, and we should certainly give kudos to Coach Ramsey for finding a way to contain Calais Campbell to only 1 sack, but for most the game only turned Atlanta’s way because of the absence of Drew Brees. Brees started to complain of tightness in his throwing arm, particularly the elbow, on Monday, after Orlando’s victory over Memphis. By mid-week he was appearing on the injury list, and by game time he was a scratch. Matt Cassel got the start, and despite completing 21 of 31 passes in the game, he was unable to rally the ‘Gades to a win. He got no help from Knowshon Moreno as Atlanta’s front seven limited the UGA back to 1.8 yards per carry and a grand total of 24 yards for the day. Orlando is still in fine shape, with a 2 game lead over Charlotte and only 3 to play. They could clinch the division with a win over Portland this week and an upset win by Jacksonville over the Hornets, but more importantly, we expect to see Brees back under center for the Renegades as they gear up for what many hope is a Summer Bowl run. Glanville goes ballistic at Plummer Things have not gone as planned for the Thunder this year. The arrival of Jake Plummer from the Wranglers in a blockbuster offseason trade was supposed to be a turning point, the key piece of the puzzle that would finally allow the Thunder offense to match the results that the defense has had for years. But, once again, the Thunder have been a one-sided team, with a Top 3 defense and a bottom 5 defense. Dropping to 5-6 with their loss to Portland this week, Jerry Glanville had apparently had enough. Famous for his sideline blowups, the diminutive head coach got into it on the sideline with his star offseason acquisition, visibly laying into Plummer after missed an open receiver on a key 3rd down play. It was a clear moment of frustration for a coach who is hearing the boobirds and the calls for a change from local fans. And yet, he is not entirely wrong. Plummer was viewed as an offensive savior this offseason, expected to bring MVP-caliber play to the Thunder offense. But the truth is, we have seen declining production from Plummer for the past couple of years. After a very strong 2006, in which he threw 33 touchdowns and only 4 picks, his numbers have steadily declined. His QB Rating went from 120.9 in that 2006 season to 94.3 in 2007, 78.8 in 2008, and now 76.2 in his first year in Las Vegas. Most blamed the decline in Arizona to poor coaching and poor protection, but coming to Las Vegas has not improved either it would seem, and Plummer is beginning to look very much like Joe Namath in his last year in LA, or Ron Jaworski with the Dolphins. Las Vegas was hoping for a Joe Montana-Chiefs situation but may have ended up with more of a Johnny Unitas in San Diego result. That said, Glanville will almost certainly catch heat himself from Las Vegas fans and local sports radio. His blow ups rarely produce better results, and his lack of offensive imagination has been an issue with every team he has coached. If Las Vegas again fail to reach the playoffs, even after investing so much to win the Plummer Fire Sale in the offseason, it could mean more than sideline histrionics, it could mean that Glanville is headed down the road at season’s end. Seattle doing it again? Could it really be happening again? Could Seattle again be recovering from an early season debacle to claw their way back into contention? Last year the Dragons started 0-4, but went 10-2 after that to finish the year solidly in the playoff picture. This season, with another 0-4 start, leading to a 1-6 record at the midway point, and only a 14-game season, the general consensus was that it was not going to happen again. But, this is the team that won a championship in a 6-8 season, and now, after 4 consecutive wins, the Dragons sit 1-game under .500 and find themselves only 1 game out of a Wild Card position. They could do it again if they can win 2-3 more down the stretch. Seattle can get back to .500 with a win against the struggling Las Vegas Thunder this week. They will then face two more teams floating around.500 to close out the year, with a home game against Ohio in Week 13, and a season finale in Tampa Bay against a Bandits team that is in a very similar situation at 5-6. If there is one thing we can say for this club, and Coach Marvin Lewis, it is that they never count themselves out. Once again they seem to be trying to pull off an unlikely 2nd season within the same year, and if they can, they could very well be a dangerous opponent to face in the playoffs, as we learned in their 2005 championship run. We have our first eliminations and our first tickets officially punched to the postseason. As expected, losses by St. Louis and Jacksonville have condemned the Skyhawks and Bulls to an early elimination from playoff contention. Sitting at 1-9 with only 3 weeks left this is not a surprise at all. Memphis, which got a W this week, was also eliminated thanks to an 0-8 conference record, making even a late run to 5-9 a pointless endeavor. On the other side of the standings, two Western teams have locked up their spots in the postseason. Michigan, by virtue of an 8-1 conference record, is assured no worse than a Wild Card, though they hope to fend off Chicago and Pittsburgh, both 1 game back, to win the Central. Oakland has won their division, the first team to do so, thanks to a 5-0 division record. Portland can still catch them with 9 wins (assuming a Stag 3-game win streak paired with Oakland going 0-3 down the stretch) but with 2 division losses already, they cannot win the tiebreaker, thus guaranteeing the Invaders the Pacific Crown. Both Michigan and Oakland sit at 9-2, with Michigan having the edge for the top seed thanks to their conference record and a week 8 victory over the Invaders, but with 3 games left, a loss by the Panthers will upend that calculus and provide Oakland with an opportunity. in the East, things remain quite a bit more muddled, with only 2 games separating current #1 seed Baltimore (8-3) from 8th place New Orleans (6-5). And with no division leader in the conference seeing more than a 2-game lead, we may need to wait a while to determine division winners and playoff spots in the conference. A tough week for some teams trying to stay alive in the playoff hunt. Several contenders took big injury hits this week, starting with Los Angeles, who not only had to put DT Daryl Gardner on IR with a back injury but also expect to miss Mark Sanchez for 1-2 weeks with a shoulder injury. Nashville will be without guard Jeb Terry for the rest of the year after his hip injury was determined to be a fracture to the pelvic bone. Pittsburgh has placed WR Kevin Johnson on IR after he fractured his tibia, while Tampa bay will be without LB Zeke Moreno for the rest of the regular season, with a possible playoff return if they can qualify. Birmingham today confirmed that Mike Rucker will miss at least the next 2 games with turf toe, while Seattle is expected to be without OT Chad Clifton for the next 2 weeks as he deals with an ankle injury. Washington has listed LB Antonio Pierce as doubtful for this week due to a sprained knee, while Portland will be without CB DeAngelo Hall (neck). Philadelphia has CB Antonio Cromartie listed as questionable with a shoulder injury. Finally, a sigh of relief from Renegade Nation as Drew Brees was back at practice this week and is listed as probable for the game against Portland. The Class of 2010 Three weeks left in the regular season which means some teams are already looking at the offseason and trying to see if there may be any help coming in the draft. As teams strategize about signings, free agency, the NFL window and the College Draft, there is a lot to factor into a GM’s work. We thought a good place to start would be with the College Draft Class of 2010. We may not know all the juniors who might come out this year, but based on what we know right now, we can assess the top players at each position and see where they could garner some interest in January when the USFL and NFL start making their picks. We will start with the defense and then look at the offense’s best talent to see just who may be on the radar of each USFL club’s scouting team. We will list the top 3 players at each position, indicating if they would be protectable in the Territorial Draft Pool, and then see where the best fits may be. SAFETY: Eric Berry, Tennessee (NSH), Earl Thomas, Texas (TEX), and T. J. Ward of Oregon (POR). All three could be picks in the T-Draft. Of the three, Texas certainly should have an interest in Earl Thomas while we could see Portland or Nashville passing for positions of greater need. CORNER: Joe Haden of Florida (JAX), Kareem Jackson of Alabama (BIR), and Devin McCourty of Rutgers (NJ). We could easily see each of these players being protected as all are in the territorial pools of clubs that certainly need to shore up their defenses. Don’t expect any of the three to make it to the open draft unclaimed. LINEBACKER: Rolando McClain of Alabama (BIR), Sean Weatherspon of Mizzou (STL), and Sean Lee of Penn State (PHI). The Stars are not likely in the market for a linebacker, but both St. Louis and Birmingham could certainly be interested in these top flight linebackers. DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska (DEN), Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma (NJ), and Dan Williams of Tennessee (NSH). The Gold should absolutely protect and throw the bank at Suh to try to land him in the Mile High City. New Jersey could opt for McCoy as well, though they went for B.J. Raji last year, so maybe they look for other positions. Nashville has two solid DTs already in Peria James and Shaun Rogers, so we think Williams might head to the open draft. DEFENSIVE END: Brandon Graham of Michigan (MGN), Jason Pierre-Paul of USF (TBY), and Jerry Hughes of TCU (Houston). Of these three, the best fit is JPP with the Bandits, who could certainly use a polished edge rusher to help that defense. CENTER: Maurkice Pouncey of Florida (JAX) and J. D. Walton of Baylor (TEX) seem like the best options in this year’s group. Jacksonville could go for Pouncey, but it depends on what a new regime is looking for (Sorry, Gunther, we don’t expect you to be with the Bulls in January, not after this season’s collapse.) GUARD: Mike Iupati of Idaho, Jon Asamoah of Illinois (CHI), and Mike Johnson of Alabama (BIR). The top guard in the draft is unprotected, so that means a frenzy in the open draft if guard is a need. Birmingham has a lot of needs so we are not sure if guard will merit one of only 3 T-Draft protected slots. Chicago could certainly go for Asamoah, who would fit in well with their run-first strategy. TACKLE: Trent Williams of OU (NJ), Russell Okung of Oklahoma State, and Bryan Bulaga of Iowa (STL). The Skyhawks need to build a run game and Bulaga would make a lot of sense for them to help in that cause. Guard is a potential area for New Jersey as well, so Trent Williams could be tempting. Okung will be in the open draft since no team has OK State as a protected school. TIGHT END: Jermaine Gresham of OU (NJ), Rob Gronkowski of Arizona (ARZ), and Tony Moeaki of Iowa (STL). We just don’t think New Jersey or St. Louis can prioritize tight end in this year’s draft, so we expect Gresham and Moeaki to be available. Gronkowski may be another story, as Arizona is set at WR and HB, we think, so a TE is a smart move, and Gronkowski offers some very intriguing skill sets. WIDE RECEIVER: Demaryius Thomas of Georgia Tech (ATL), Dez Bryant of Oklahoma State, and Aurelious Benn of Illinois (CHI) are at the top of our list, but it is a pretty good group. Chicago will have to decide if they prefer Benn or Notre Dame’s Golden Tate. We think they will protect one of the two to bring in a new #2 receiver. Atlanta would be foolish to pass up a chance to bring in a potential #1 receiver in Thomas. The need is so obvious. HALFBACK: C. J. Spiller of Clemson (JAX), Jahvid Best of Cal (OAK), and Dexter McCluster of Ole Miss (NSH) are our top 3 backs. With Ricky Williams in Oakland and Frank Gore in Nashville, we think that means that Best and McCluster go to the open market, but Jacksonville should look long and hard at Spiller as an option to add some life to a pretty mundane run game. QUARTERBACK: Sam Bradford of Oklahoma (NJ), Tim Tebow of Florida (JAX), and Jimmy Clausen of Notre Dame (CHI) are our top 3 QBs, with Colt McCoy of Texas also in the mix. New Jersey has to be licking their chops at the possibility of signing Bradford. It will not be cheap, as the NFL will also want to put a bid in, but New Jersey is an attractive market to be sure. The big question for us is whether or not Jacksonville will go for the fan favorite and instant ticket seller in Tim Tebow. They have Jake Delhomme solidly in the starting role, so that could produce more issues than answers, but the temptation is great, to be sure. Clausen is not likely to go to Chicago, who signed Brady Quinn only a few years ago, filling their Notre Dame QB quota for a while. Some real talent to be sure in the upcoming draft, and some tough calls for teams that have only 3 T-Draft picks to protect. Do they go for the big-money, big name player, or do they use those picks on depth and positions of need? It is way too early to tell right now. We have to get through free agency, the NFL-USFL transfer window, and the wave of retirements that can change priorities for teams pretty quickly. It is way too early to know anything, but the perfect time to speculate wildly. Best of the USFL: Interior Linemen Another tough position to gauge, both Center and Guard, as stats are just not abundant for most line play positions. While some focus is paid to the ability of guards and centers to pull and contribute to counter and trap run plays, protecting the QB remains the primary facet of their work. C Jeff Saturday (OAK): Two very different players listed as the best centers in the league this year. The first is a 12-year veteran for the Invaders, a player with 2 All-USFL nominations and generally considered the most physically and mentally complete player at the position. C Matt Birk (PHI): Our second selection is in his first year in the USFL after transferring from the NFL this year. Birk came to Philly with a very solid NFL career in his rear view, and he has proven his worth as he has helped the Stars protect Kurt Warner and produce a solid run game at the same time. G Steve Hutchinson (TBY): A 9 year veteran for the Bandits, “Hutch” is one of the best pulling guards in the league and the only guard to win a Player of the Week award in the past 10 years. In 9 years, Hutchinson has averaged fewer than 5 sacks allowed per year, one of the best totals for any consistent starter at the position. G Leonard Davis (TEX): Our second guard in this list is a man mountain for the Outlaws. Not as mobile as Hutchinson, but nearly impossible to move off the line also. Davis is also in his 9th pro season with Texas, and tops Hutch with only 30 sacks allowed over 9 years of action. G Ruben Brown (OAK): The elderstatesman of our list, Brown is in his 14th season in the USFL, much of it spent in Philadelphia before he moved to the West Coast with Oakland in 2007. Another impossible to move inside presence, Brown is known for his ability to move defensive tackles at will, a real asset when you want to establish the run for a big back like Ricky Williams. Others who merit mention and consideration include guards Alan Faneca (LA), Chris Naole (HOU), and Logan Mankins (OAK), along with centers Shaun O’Hara (STL), and Mike Flanagan (DEN). Yes, you read that right, both Oakland’s left and right guards are listed within our small group of the elite players on the interior line, a fact that clearly helps explain the ability of the Invaders to run a consistently strong interior rushing strategy. Three weeks left in the season, lots of playoff spots left to claim, and 5 of 6 divisions still up for grabs, so what can Week 12 tell us? Well, with 12 divisoinal games, this week will absolutely be a difference maker for many teams. Let’s Break it down. FRIDAY @ 8pm Memphis ( 2-9) @ New Orleans (6-5) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm Tampa Bay (5-6) @ Atlanta (4-7) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Philadelphia (6-5) @ Pittsburgh (7-4) FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm Jacksonville (1-10) @ Charlotte (6-5) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Denver (7-4) @ Texas (4-7) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm Oakland (9-2) @ Los Angeles (4-7) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Seattle (5-6) @ Las Vegas (5-6) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Ohio (6-5) @ Michigan (9-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm New Jersey (3-8) @ Boston (7-4) FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm Birmingham (4-7) @ Nashville (7-4) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm St. Louis (1-10) @ Chicago (7-4) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Orlando (8-3) @ Portland (6-5) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Arizona (3-8) @ Houston (6-5) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Washington (8-3) @ Baltimore (8-3) ESPN

Player of the Week: Joey Harrington's 400 yard, 4 TD day not only won him Player of the Week, but helped Oakland become the first club to lock up their division. Playoff Picture: As expected, we saw our first clinchings and our first eliminations this week. Michigan locked up a playoff berth at 9-2 while Oakland did one better, taking the Pacific Division Title thanks to a 3-game lead in the division and a spotless division record. On the other end of the spectrum, three teams are officially playing for pride, or to keep their head coach employed. Memphis, Jacksonville, and St. Louis were all eliminated this week.

Player of the Week: There could be no doubt that Calais Campbell would get this honor after a truly monsterous 5-sack performance against Brett Favre and Memphis. Campbell now sits only 1 sack behind Chris Dolman for the league record and has 4 games left to play. Playoff Picture: No clinching or eliminations after 10 weeks, thanks in part to the expanded 14-team field, which is even keeping the 1-win clubs mathematically alive.

Baltimore gets a shock from the visiting Bandits, and we see a huge win for Seattle, as they keep their slim playoff hopes alive with an overtime surprise in Chicago. Charlotte falls again, as do Boston and Philadelphia, while Oakland keeps on rolling. The stakes are getting higher with each week, and this week’s results create a logjam in the middle of the standings in both conferences, assuring we will continue to have meaningful games all across the league each week. In addition to running through the scores of the week, we will take a look at the coaches feeling the heat, review the one last-second trade before the league’s trade deadline, and look at the best of the best when it comes to edge rushers in the USFL. All that in this Week 10 edition of This is the USFL. SEATTLE DRAGONS 44 CHICAGO MACHINE 38 OVERTIME Someday we are going to focus on a hard fought but low-scoring defensive game, but that day is not today. This week’s game of the week was viewed as a battle between a team that relies on its offense against one that is dominated by its defense, but what we got, and pretty early on, was a shootout that would take the game into extra time before it was decided. Seattle, sitting on the fringe of playoff elimination at 3-6 was heading into Chicago to face a 6-3 Machine club that had designs on catching the frontrunners in the Central Division. These two would amass over 900 yards of total offense and over 700 yards passing in a game that saw Chicago lead from the early moments until the late 3rd quarter, then fall behind before equalizing and sending the game to overtime. The game began with Chicago receiving the ball and taking nearly 8 minutes to drive the length of the field, an 81-yard drive that culminated in a short TD toss from Brady Quinn to Donald Driver. After a quick 3-and-out from Seattle, the Machine got the ball back and scored again, this time on a 17-yard run from their workhorse, Michael Turner. After going down 14-0, Seattle woke up, and on their 2nd possession they closed out the first quarter by marching 67 yards and capping off their drive with Byron Leftwich hitting David Boston for a 17-yard TD throw. 14-7 at the end of one. In the second quarter Seattle evened up the score, and they did it on one play. After forcing a Chicago punt, Seattle got the ball on the 30 and on 1st and 10 they faked the ball to Corey Dillon. Chicago bit on the fake, and the safeties surged forward. That allowed Nate Burleson to find single coverage as he flew down the right sideline. Leftwich avoided the rush and hit Burleson in stride. In one play, the Dragons had gone 70 yards and added a second TD to their score, evening the game at 14. Chicago would rebound from the defensive slip, again using a mix of the run game of Michael Turner and short passes from Quinn to move the ball down the field in a methodical 10-play drive that culminated with their lead back’s 2nd TD run of the day. But, while the offense was doing its part, the vaunted Chicago defense was struggling to get to Leftwich, and the Boston receivers were taking advantage to get behind the coverage. Seattle again struck quickly. They needed only 5 plays before David Boston again equalized the score, getting the connection from Leftwich on a 30-yard strike. Leftwich, who would finish the day with an epic performance of 453 yards and 5 TD passes, was just hitting his stride. Chicago continued to battle for the lead, retaking a 7-point advantage late in the half as Quinn found Anthony Fasano for a short TD in the half’s final minute. We went into the break with the Machine leading (tenuously) 28-21. The second half saw Seattle get their first lead. They would hold Chicago scoreless in the third, and after getting a Dave Rayner field goal to get within 4 at 28-24, they would finally grab their first advantage when Leftwich again found a path to the endzone, connecting with TE Tyler Eckler from 26 yards away. The score put Seattle up by 3 and sent a clear message that Seattle was not intimidated by the Machine or their defensive reputation. They would add to this slim lead as the final period began, Leftwich landing his 5th TD pass of the game, a short crossing route from the 3-yard line to Dwayne Jarrett that gave the Dragons a 38-28 lead. While the defense struggled, Chicago showed that they too were capable of moving the ball, first garnering a field goal to pull back to within 7 and then mounting a 2-minute drill to close out the game’s four quarters. Quinn relied on his receivers in the final drive, the only Chicago drive not to heavily feature Michael Turner. With connections to Driver, Fasano, Johnny Knox, and finally a 9-yard TD strike to Anquon Boldin with only 5 seconds left on the clock, Chicago came back from the 10-point deficit and sent the game to overtime. In overtime, both teams failed on their first possessions. Chicago got a second chance and believed they were in position to win the game with a Tim Seder field goal, but the winds at Soldier Field are tricky and Seder’s kick sailed to the right, giving Seattle a chance to win the game with a final drive as the overtime period hit 3 minutes remaining. Seattle did just that, moving the ball crisply down the field, helped at one point by a neutral zone infraction, but largely once again on tosses from Leftwich tohis primary receivers, David Boston (104 yards on the day), Nate Burleson (88 yards), and his tight ends. With the ball placed at the 3-yard line after a Tyler Eckler catch, Seattle turned to their short yardage back, Ladell Betts, and the big man earned his keep, plunging into the endzone on a dive play. Seattle took the W, keeping their somewhat slim playoff hopes alive, while Chicago slid to 6-4, now 2 games behind Michigan and 1 behind Pittsburgh, with 4 games left to play. TAMPA BAY 30 BALTIMORE 20 Friday’s week opener was all we could have wanted as the Bandits found their offense and Baltimore, even with Roethlisberger in the lineup, struggled to stay with only 1 loss on the year. Big Ben would throw three picks to the suddenly ball-hawking Bandits, while Willis McGahee stunned the Blitz with 120 yards rushing. Ron Dayne added 121 of his own, but it was not enough as Tampa Bay wins by 10 thanks in part to a tenacious defense that made life tough for Big Ben all game long. NASHVILLE 27 BOSTON 19 The Knights also get a valuable road win as they upend Boston thanks to TD runs from Cedric Cobbs and Peyton Hillis. The Knights sacked Drew Bledsoe 5 times and held him to 17 of 41 passing, which kneecapped the Boston offense and gave Nashville their 7th win of the season, keeping them in first place in the South. CHARLOTTE 10 WASHINGTON 31 Desperation time for the Monarchs, who acquired a new QB just days before this game. That may have been prescient as Chris Wienke struggled with 2 picks and 5 sacks against the Feds. On offense Washington relied heavily on Deuce McCallister and his 134 yards rushing to get the job done. Kordell Stewart added two short TD passes to help the Feds pull away and win by 21. LAS VEGAS 17 PITTSBURGH 6 The Maulers expected to face a tough D when they met the Thunder, but they also had to deal with a rejuvenated offense, thanks to the arrival of WR Willie Ponder, who caught 5 balls for 91 yards as Jake Plummer got the W on the road. JACKSONVILLE 27 BIRMINGHAM 30 A really good game that very few across the country watched. Birmingham would just not go away, scoring the game-tying field goal with 4:57 left and then racing down the field in the final seconds to set up Kris Brown for the game winner. Michael Bush got his first TD as a Stallion and Kyle Boller found Dedrick Ward as the Stallions pulled out the win at home. TEXAS 20 OHIO 24 Texas was game but this was a win that Ohio had to have. They struggled early, but came back to win this one on a Kevin Smith TD catch. Eddie George and T. J. Duckett both went over 100 yards in this game, a close match where the difference may well have been the 7 penalties that Texas committed in the 2nd half. HOUSTON 10 MICHIGAN 14 A defensive slugfest that only saw scoring in the first and final periods. Mike Sims-Walker (HOU) and Hines Ward (MGN) scored in the first, and Houston went up 10-7 midway through the fourth, but backup Drew Stanton (in for a dinged-up Brian Griese) completed only 1 pass in the 4th quarter, but it was a long TD pass to TE Bennie Joppru for the win. ATLANTA 24 PHILADELPHIA 19 A bad home loss for Philadelphia, who clearly did not take Atlanta seriously enough. Kyle Orton went 20 of 24, but it was the Atlanta run game that did in the Stars, with Darren McFadden and J. J. Arrington both scoring for the Fire. Philadelphia went 3 for 14 on third down and just could not get Atlanta’s offense off the field as they fall to 5-5. NEW ORLEANS 16 NEW JERSEY 23 The Generals played a good game at home, despite the boo birds at Giants Stadium. Ryan Fitzpatrick went 21 of 28 for 259 yards and connected with T.J. Houshmandzadeh and R. J. Redmond for a 2-TD day. Eli Manning did not fare as well, and the Generals defense also held the Breaker run game in check as they earned their 3rd win of the year. ORLANDO 21 MEMPHIS 7 Maybe Brett Favre should have stayed out one more week. The Memphis line was dominated utterly by Orlando, with Calais Campbell getting to Favre a painful 5 times. Three more from blitzing safety Tony Carter gave Orlando 8 sacks of the former MVP and made sure his return to action was memorable but not in a way Favre would have wanted. LOS ANGELES 4 ST. LOUIS 10 The Skyhawks finally get one in the win column as their defense holds LA scoreless. The only LA points came on an early safety and then a later deliberate one on a punt backed up to the 1-yard line. Not that it was an offensive showcase for St. Louis either as the only TD was a Fred Baxter swing pass from Josh Freeman. But, a win is a win, and St. Louis showed spirit throughout the game, holding LA to only 10 first downs all game. OAKLAND 29 ARIZONA 17 The Invaders continue to find ways to win, this time getting TDs from Pierre Garçon, Ricky Williams, and Greg Jennings on their way to a 12-point win in the desert. It was only 20-17 after 3 quarters but Oakland dominated the final period and pulled away for the 9-point win, their 8th on the year. PORTLAND 23 DENVER 6 A bad day for the Gold as their run defense totally collapsed, giving up 140 yards to Jonathan Stewart and the Stags. Portland QB A. J. Feeley also had an easier than expected day, completing 21 of 28 passes against the usually staunch Denver defense. Denver was held to only 2 of 11 on third down, cutting drives short and allowing Portland to pull away in the second half. Campbell Manhandles Favre in Return to Action It was a dream game for Calais Campbell and a nightmare for Brett Favre. Memphis’s offensive line could do nothing right against the USFL sack leader, providing Campbell with the kind of game that DE’s dream of. Campbell was in the backfield so much he should have been given credit as a Memphis running back. Five sacks and another 8 QB pressures. The haul put him 1 game behind Chris Doleman’s league record of 29 sacks and the Renegades still have 4 games to play, almost guaranteeing Campbell the record. Of course, what makes this even sweeter is the success the team is having. The ‘Gades have won 4 in a row after a stumble against Pittsburgh, have a 3 game lead on the Southeastern Division with only 4 left to play, and are now tied with Baltimore at 8-2, giving Orlando a real shot at the #1 seed and the only bye week available in this year’s expanded 7-team Eastern Conference Playoffs. Campbell is a huge part of that success, as his pressure on opposing QB’s has helped Orlando rise up to be the #2 defense in the league for yards allowed and third in points allowed at only 16.2 per game. Next up for Campbell are the Atlanta Fire, so you might want to include QB Kyle Orton in your prayers for this week as Orlando and their sophomore sensation at DE square up to take down the Fire and possibly clinch the division in Week 11. 11th Hour Trade Sends QB to Charlotte Not willing to cede the Southeast to Orlando just yet, Charlotte finally addressed their offensive concerns and made a deal at the deadline to try to bolster that side of the ball. All season long the Monarchs have depended on their defense, but the calls that Chris Weinke is not getting the job done finally led Charlotte to bring in some competition. On Thursday the Monarchs pulled the trigger on a deal that sent their 2nd round pick in the upcoming 2010 draft to the LA Express to bring former Express starter Seneca Wallace to the Queen City. The move makes sense for both clubs. With LA having moved on to rookie Mark Sanchez as their starter, and with Jeff Garcia, Seneca Wallace, and Brodie Croyle in a crowded QB group, LA gets some value for their former starter and is able to call up Croyle from the practice squad. Charlotte brings in some competition for Chris Weinke, hoping to see a reaction similar to what we have seen this year in Pittsburgh, where the presence of Pat White seems to have lit a fire under their starter, Cody Pickett. Despite the early season success of the Monarchs, Weinke has been a question mark all year. Now that they have dropped 5 of 6 and slid well out of first place, the questions have become louder. Weinke’s numbers explain why. He has an 8:12 TD:INT rato, and is under 60% completions for the year. His QBR, which was a mediocre 84.7 last year, has dipped to 70.1 this year, third worst among regular starters (with Arizona’s David Carr and Texas’s Joe Flacco the only sub 70.0 starters in the league.) The hope, of course, is that Wallace’s presence will inspire better play from Weinke, because it is unlikely that the traded Wallace will be able to start for at least 2 weeks. Wallace is also at the end of his contract year, so Charlotte will have to pony up some funds if they want to keep him into 2010. They have the room to do that under the cap, but may be tempted, if they fall even further, to start Wallace in the season’s final weeks just to see what they have traded for. So, for Weinke, he may have only 1-2 weeks to show that he can handle the position and retain the starting job. At 5-5, Charlotte is still very much in playoff position, but their current run of losses has to get turned around if Weinke and the Monarchs have any hopes for the future. Houston could miss Shaun Alexander for Home Stretch A bad break for a player having a very good year as Houston halfback Shaun Alexander could be done for the year after a nasty collision left him with two broken bones in his dominant arm. Alexander crashed into two Michigan defenders in the third quarter of the Houston loss in Detroit on Saturday night. Immediately it was clear that something had gone horribly wrong, as the camera shot quickly turned away from the halfback. What has since been seen was Alexander’s right arm dangling awkwardly, showing evidence of at least one bone broken clean through. X-rays revealed that both the radius and the ulna were broken by the collision, with the radius broken through. The injury will force Alexander to forego the rest of the season. He is already in a full plaster cast, with the bones reset and isolated for the foreseeable future. Prior to his injury, Alexander was having perhaps the best season of his career, with over 700 yards in his first 9 games. He was well on pace for a third consecutive 1,000 yard season, and was among the top 5 rushers in the league. Now, with 4 games left in the regular season and the Gamblers in a dead heat for the SW Division title with Denver, Alexander is out and Houston will turn to a combination of 3rd down back Kevin Faulk and former rotational back Tatum Bell to get the job done. With the trade deadline already passed, Houston just does not have much of an option beyond the two players already on their roster. Alexander is expected to be able to resume play for 2010, but even if Houston makes a deep playoff run, the expectation is that the big back will be out of action. Big Day Means No Griping from Moss, For Now. After blowing up in post-game media after a Glory loss last week, there was something of a morbid curiosity over what would happen were Randy Moss and the Glory to suffer another defeat this week against Texas, but, with a 24-20 win, and with Moss targeted 6 times, catching 4 for 125 yards, it was radio silence out of the extroverted wideout. Moss did not always seem happy on the sideline as Texas did give Ohio a tough game, but after the game Moss was largely quiet and largely towed the line for the Glory. While there are reports that he had been fined by the team for his Week 9 outburst, one in which he questioned both his QB and his head coach (despite their undeniable success over the past decade) and demanded to either get the ball more or get a shot to play elsewhere, any fines levied by the team have not been made public. With Moss, there is no doubt an issue with being viewed by many as the #2 option behind Glory legend Joey Galloway, a position the former Bandit never had in Tampa Bay. That, combined with two seasons of reduced productivity have clearly gotten to the Marshall U. product, who is very outspoken about his own belief in his value as a player. Should Ohio continue to win games to get back in the hunt in a very tough Central Division, and should Moss continue to see more balls headed his way, we expect the outbursts will be contained, but should Ohio falter, or should Moss feel looked over by QB Kerry Collins, we could well return to a very vocal, very disgruntled wideout in Ohio. With a 14-team playoff field it is still too early for any clinching or any disqualification, but we are not far off. Several teams sitting at 8-2 (Baltimore, Orlando, Washington, Michigan, and Oakland) could, with the right combination of results, lock up playoff berths next week. Likewise, several 1-win teams could see themselves officially out of contention with another loss. For now it is all still unsettled, and what may be more interesting, there are 14 teams, a full 50% of the league sitting between 6-4 and 4-6. With 4 weeks left to play any of these 14 midling clubs could find their way to postseason play or flop right out of the picture. Yes, even early season write offs like Birmingham and Seattle are back in play, along with some teams that seem to be swooning late in the season (Charlotte’s 4 game losing streak, as well as LA’s 2 game slide come to mind.) A lot to be settled, and a lot just unknown at this time. A bad week across the league, not just for the Gamblers, who lose both HB Shaun Alexander (IR) and wideout Mike Sims-Walker (1-2 weeks, foot). Portland saw DE Ebenezer Ekuban suffer a neck injury that will require surgery, ending his season. Charlotte HB Travis Prentice suffered a partial tear of his hamstring in a non-contact injury. New Orleans put OT Mark Tauscher on IR with a fracture to his tibia, and St. Louis lost HB Dominic Rhodes for the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his foot. Add to this the decision by Tampa Bay to put Brad Gradkowski on IR, in part due to the success of Rhett Bomar last week, and the news out of the Bay that veteran LB Kevin Mitchell could miss 2-4 weeks with a shoulder injury and you have a lot of teams looking for a lot of answers. Coaches on the Hot Seat Ten weeks in, only four to go, and for several USFL head coaches, these final four weeks could be the difference between getting another year to prove their plans are moving in the right direction or finding themselves suddenly free each Sunday. By our count there are at least 6 coaches whose positions are very much in jeopardy right now. For some it may well be too late to salvage anything out of the season, while for others their future hangs very much in the balance in the final month of the season. Here is our look at the six head coaches who are feeling the heat right now. Brad Childress (JAX): It does not look good for Childress, or for the Bulls in general. In his 11th season with the Bulls, Childress has had some success, including playoff appearances in 5 of those seasons, but a playoff record of 4-5 and a decline from 10 wins in 2006 to 8, 7, and so far only 1 win this year likely means that his tenure in Jacksonville is coming to an end. The Bulls are likely to make some major overhauls this year, and we think that will start at the top. Hue Jackson (LA): The promise was there. Jackson took LA to the Summer Bowl in his first year (2006) but since then it has been diminishing returns, with a Wild Card appearance the next year, then 6-10 in 2008, and this year a 4-6 record so far means that a turnaround is needed for Jackson to qualify for the postseason again. It may well take at least a 3-1 final month to get LA into contention, and while there is some leeway given to a coach managing a rookie QB, a losing season again this year could mean that the Express bring someone new in to help ready Mark Sanchez for more success in the future. Jerry Glanville-LV: The situation in Las Vegas is very similar to that of LA, with one glaring difference, Jerry Glanville, despite all his bravado and bluster, has yet to get the Thunder over the top and into the playoffs. His best season in the 4 completed years was a 9-7 campaign last year, and there was promise there, but at 5-5, the Thunder need to win 3 of 4 to have a shot at a playoff spot. If he can attain that, then Glanville may get one more year, but if the Thunder finish 7-7 or worse, it just does not seem viable that ownership would keep “The man in black” on the sideline for 2010. Mike Nolan-NOR: 2009 marks Mike Nolan’s 10th season in New Orleans, and he certainly has had some success, with 6 playoff appearances over that time, but nearly all have been Wild Card spots at or near the .500 mark, and at 5-5 we find the Breakers at that mediocre middle ground once again. Throw in a 7-6 playoff record (boosted by a Summer Bowl appearance in 2003) and Nolan has to be considered another coach who needs to snag 3 of 4 down the home stretch. We think an 8-6 record and a Wild Card will help his cause, but even that may not be enough, particularly as so many are still wondering why Eli Manning has not fulfilled the promise he shows at moments but never consistently. Norv Turner-TEX: Turner may be the victim of heightened expectations. The Outlaws were a trendy pick to be a team on the rise, potentially a challenger to Houston and Denver in the Southwest, but a 3-7 record at this stage feels very much like a team that will once again finish 3rd in the division, possibly 4th. Turner may avoid a third straight 10-loss season, and that would be good, but will 6-8 or 5-9 be good enough to give him a 4th year in Texas? Doug Williams-STL: This is only the 2nd year at the helm for Doug Williams, the former All-USFL QB, but starting the year 0-9 is no way to demonstrate growth to ownership. They got their first win this week, but it was a very ugly win, one that does not show us a lot of potential for a 2nd win this year or growth in 2010. The one saving grace for Williams is that Josh Freeman has shown some potential. If St. Louis can eke out a 2nd or 3rd win this year, with Freeman beginning to look like a legitimate starter, then perhaps Williams gets a third season to show that the plan is beginning to work, but that is a big “if”. Odds do not look good for year 3 of the Williams era in St. Louis. Best of the USFL—Defensive Ends The edge rushing defensive end has been a glamour position in the USFL since the start of the league, with Reggie White still the gold standard, but the story of the year this year has been the emergence of Calais Campbell as the latest in a line of QB terrifying ends that stretches from White to Doleman to Hansen, and now appears to rest in Orlando once again. But Campbell is not the only player in the league to inspire fear in the QB or gameplans from the OC to handle their presence. We chose our Top 5, with Campbell on top and several familiar names to follow, a list no quarterback wants to see on the schedule, to be sure. Calais Campbell (ORL): The season this sophomore pro has had is one that rivals all of the legends of the league. In only 10 games he has amassed 28 sacks, one away from the league record with 4 games left to play. After a very strong rookie year that was cut short by injury, Campbell has emerged this year as a dominant force on defense. Paired with DT Albert Haynesworth, Campbell is averaging nearly 3 sacks per game, and is redefining what success at the DE position looks like. Anthony Weaver (CHI): In any other year, Anthony Weaver’s 14 sacks in 10 games would have him competing for the league lead. Chicago’s big man on the edge is as consistent as they come, with his 6th year of double digit sacks in the last 7 already guaranteed and the potential to reach his 20 sack total from 2008 still very much alive. Weaver is not the flashiest end in the league, but he certainly is one of the most effective. Kavika Pittman (HOU): It is not all about longevity, though Pittman being in his 14th season in the USFL is impressive enough. It is about consistency. The last time Pittman failed to get 10 sacks in a season was when he was still in college. That is right, 14 years and 14 seasons of double-digit sacks, including several sacks titles and a career total of 244 sacks that has him 3rd on the all time list, behind only Phil Hansen and Reggie White. Kyle Vanden Bosch (PIT): Playing on some pretty shady Mauler squads, Kyle Vanden Bosch has not always gotten the attention he deserves, but in his 9 seasons with the Maulers, the big man has never failed to reach 10 sacks in a season, and is usually closer to 20. He has 13 so far this year, and would love to catch up to Anthony Weaver for 2nd in the league. Not the fastest edge rusher, Vanden Bosch is great with his hands, and has a range of power moves to get past even the most experienced left tackles. Mike Rucker (BIR): Another bright star in a cloudy sky, Rucker has been the best defender in Birmingham for most of his career. Unfortunately, the Stallions have just not been very good for a big chunk of that career. A 20-sack guy in 2008, Rucker is a little off that pace this year, with only 11 sacks, but remains a wrecking ball of a LE for the Stallions. Others who were part of our conversation, and who may well see their repuatation rise in the next few years, include Boston’s Jason Babin, Seattle veteran John Abraham (SEA), Oakland’s Justin Smith, and one of this year’s breakout players, Charlotte Monarch LE Julius Peppers (CHA), who is finally having the kind of year we have been waiting for. Ohio Gets a Facelift A new look for the Ohio Glory as they presented their new Reebok-designed logos and uniforms this week at Ohio Stadium. Don’t expect a major overhaul for the league’s only back-to-back champions, but it will be 7 years since their last title in 2010 so a tweak and a revision to their look is certainly appropriate. The logo is the first item revealed, an updated version of the familiar bald eagle logo. A bit more linear and a bit less cartoonish than the original 1995 design, the new eagle logo remains atop a rondel, a callback to the state flag of Ohio, complete with internal stars and still gripping a red and white banner in its beak. Along with the new primary logo there is a new wordmark, featuring a more modern font with the “o” a circular “buckeye” in red, with a white star and blue outline. This new wordmark will also serve as a secondary logo along with the familiar silhouette of the state “draped banner” logo that has been used for the past few years. The uniforms also see modest changes. We will still see the team’s well-recognized flag blue helmets with white facemasks, we still have blue and white jerseys and pant sets. The striping will be different, with red-white-red stripes paired with blue on all elements, in some cases highlighting the primary logo and in others the “buckeye” letter “O”. The new wordmark, along with 3 stars are part of the collar and chest. The three stars are said to represent the capital city of Columbus and the 2 league titles the Glory have won to date. The same 3 stars are seen on the helmet surrounding each player’s number. The jerseys feature a new number format, with a drop shadow in red on both looks. It is still a very recognizable look for a team that has been one of the league’s most popular in jersey sales for nearly a decade. Week 11 brings us a mix of divisional and inter-divisional games as the SW Division heads to the Southern Division and the other 4 divisions stay largely in house. That means a lot of potential impact on the playoff and seeding chases across both conferences. It all begins on Friday when Denver heads to Music City to take on the Nashville Knights. Both clubs need the win to help them towards a division title, so this should be a good one. On Saturday we have some do-or-die games as 5-5 teams Tampa Bay and Charlotte clash in Florida. Both Las Vegas and Portland sit at 5-5 as well and will face off at Columbia Sportswear Stadium. LA and Seattle, both sitting at 4-6 and on life support for a playoff spot, will face off in Seattle on Saturday night, with the loser likely done. Sunday kicks off with Boston facing Washington in a NE Battle, then at 4pm, we have Houston at New Orleans and Chicago heading to Pittsburgh in a key Central Division clash. The weekend concludes back on the East Coast, where Philadelphia (5-5) need to pull off the home win against Baltimore (8-2) to have any chance to stay in the playoff hunt. FRIDAY @ 8pm Denver (6-4) @ Nashville (7-3) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm Atlanta (3-7) @ Orlando (8-2) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Charlotte (5-5) @ Tampa Bay (5-5) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Ohio (5-5) @ New Jersey (3-7) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Las Vegas (5-5) @ Portland (5-5) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm Michigan (8-2) @ St. Louis (1-9) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Los Angeles (4-6) @ Seattle (4-6) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Oakland (8-2) @ Jacksonville (1-9) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Arizona (3-7) @ Memphis (1-9) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Boston (6-4) @ Washington (8-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Houston (6-4) @ New Orleans (5-5) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Texas (3-7) @ Birmingham (4-6) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Chicago (6-4) @ Pittsburgh (7-4) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Baltimore (8-2) @ Philadelphia (5-5) ESPN

Player of the Week: Another big week for Drew Bledsoe as he puts up 4 touchdowns and nearly 400 yards in a big win to move the Cannons to 6-3 and deep into the playoff picture.

Some big time stumbles this week as several 4-4 teams bite the dust in a week filled with disappointment for teams eagerly chasing a playoff spot. New Orleans, Las Vegas, Ohio, and Tampa Bay all take a step back in their quest to qualify for the expanded 2009 playoffs. Things have also gotten dicey for Charlotte, who drop their 4th game in 5 attempts, while everything is going as planned for the Orlando Renegades and Chicago Machine, among others. It is no time to panic, but there are a lot of teams around the league that need to get hot and go on a streak if they want to compete for a Wild Card. We have 5 weeks left and no room for errors as the season races towards decision time and the playoffs. TAMPA BAY BANDITS 35 ORLANDO RENEGADES 40 The predictions pre-game for this one were that both teams would lean on their defenses to try to get a vital win within the division, and the predictions were way off. This was a shootout form the beginning, It was a wild game from the onset, with Tampa Bay playing most of the game with their 3rd string QB in the game, a third stringer who would go on to have a monster game with 4 TDs in his first ever pro action. Orlando would take the early lead and hold it throughout, but the Bandits would not make it easy, throwing caution to the wind and opening up the playbook in an all out effort to get a needed divisional win. The game opened with Brad Gradkowski getting the start as Daunte Culpepper dealt with a pinched nerve in his throwing arm, an injury that apparently had been an issue off and on going all the way back to 2008. He was unable to effectively grip the ball, so the Bandits had no other choice but to give the start to Brad Gradkowski. The 4th year backup was impressive in the opening drive, connecting on 3 of 4 passes for 60 of the drive’s 74 yards, and finishing up with a 35-yard TD toss to Chris Doering to open scoring on the day. Orlando would immediately respond with their own drive, a 78-yarder, culminating with Drew Brees hitting Michael Jenkins for the equalizer. The game was off and running with both offenses seemingly getting the upper hand. That reality appeared to come crashing down when on the first play of the second drive, Gradkowski was sacked by DT Albert Haynesworth, and fell awkwardly on his throwing shoulder. He would go immediately to the sideline, with untested Rhett Bomar trotting onto the field. The rookie out of Sam Houston State would be taking his first snaps in pro football and would be finishing out the game. Tampa Bay played that first drive very cautiously, and it led to a 3-and-out, but that would not remain the case for long. As the 2nd quarter began, Orlando started to look like they would take advantage of Tampa’s fragile QB situation and run away with the game. In the period they scored 12 unanswered points, starting with a field goal, then a Knowshon Moreno TD on a swing pass from Brees, and finally a safety when Chauncey Davis trapped Bomar in the endzone. Orlando would go up 19-7 and would be feeling pretty good about their situation, but that is when Steve Spurrier quickly decided to take off the training wheels and play with abandon. The final drive of the first half saw Bomar in the shotgun on almost every play, and as the Bandits mixed McGahee runs with a lot of slant and quick out routes, Bomar started to look more comfortable, connecting with Doering for his first pro TD, a 22-yard toss & run that brought Tampa Bay to within one score. It would go into the half at 19-14 Orlando. The Renegades would continue to pressure Bomar, collecting 7 sacks on the rookie all game long, and they would continue to push the balldown the field on offense, but Bomar did not back down. After Drew Brees hit Michael Jenkins for his second TD of the day, a 7-yard fade route, Bomar and the Bandits came right back, and once again it was Chris Doering, now with his 3rd TD of the game, as Bomar hit him on a very well placed corner route pass that got the Bandit fans in attendance to their feet. This was not going to be an Orlando route of a wounded Bandit team. This was going to be a fight. Up only 26-21, Orlando got right back to their offensive gameplan, mixing Moreno runs (he would finish with 103 yards on the day) with quick passes. Brees would again find Jenkins for a score, his third on the day, and Orlando would once again be up by 12, 33-21. Bomar and the Bandits pushed the ball again, but this time Bomar’s inexperience showed itself. Trying to force the ball to Doering, Bomar threw an ill-advised ball and Orlando’s Atari Bigby picked it off, returning the pick 61 yards for a score to give Orlando their biggest lead of the day, 19 points, as they hoped they had put the stake in the heart of the undead Bandits. But, Tampa Bay was just not going to go away. With time winding down in the third quarter, Bomar continued to look to throw the ball, now with little choice, down by 3 scores. As the period came to a close, he connected with Karl Williams on another well-thrown ball, and Tampa Bay cut into Orlando’s lead, finishing the period at 40-28 and within range for a potential comeback. The 4th quarter saw both teams trying everything to slow down the opposition. Both defenses began blitzing with abandon and both QBs were impacted. Drew Brees would throw two picks in the quarter, giving Tampa Bay hope, but Orlando would garner 4 of its 8 sacks on the day in the period as well, keeping the Bandits at bay for most of the period and forcing Rhett Bomar to scramble and toss away several throws. Bomar would get the Bandits closer than was comfortable for Orlando with 2 minutes left in the game, when a blitz left slot receiver Davone Bess with only 1 man to beat in the secondary, and the quick slant turned into a score, Bomar’s 4th TD toss on the day. Tampa Bay was back within 7 at 40-35, but time was running out. The Bandits elected to go for the onside kick, hoping to recapture the ball and have nearly 2 full minutes to get the game winner. Initially it appeared that the Bandits recovered the short kick, but upon review, gunner Philip Buchanon had his foot out of bounds when he first touched the ball, which disqualified him and gave the ball to the Renegades. Orlando fed the ball to Moreno on first down, then brought in Cedric Benson on 2nd and 3rd down, converting a 3rd and 2 with a 3-yard Benson run to bring the clock under one minute and use up all of Orlando’s time outs. From there Drew Brees took a knee twice and the Renegade faithful finally breathed a sigh of relief. Orlando had come out on top, solidifying their division lead with a 7-2 record, at the same time knocking Tampa Bay below .500 and out of the 7-team playoff grouping with 5 weeks left to play. But, along the way, the Bandits may just have discovered their potential future at QB with an impressive debut for a largely unheralded rookie QB. They, of course, are hoping to see Culpepper back in action next week, but Bomar is likely to be the backup with Gradkowski likely out for 1-2 weeks, so we may see the young QB in action again. NEW JERSEY 14 BALTIMORE 17 Despite losing Ryan Fitzpatrick to injury early in the game, New Jersey held a surprising 14-3 advantage at the half, but Baltimore rallied with 14 unanswered points to take the win. Two Martin Grammatica field goals surrounded a Ron Dayne TD run with 2 point PAT as Baltimore avoided the trap game and came out with the win in the end. ST. LOUIS 7 PITTSBURGH 24 The Maulers took care of business in front of a raucous 42,450 at Heinz Field as they scored the first 17 points of the game to take control. Vincent Jackson caught both first half TD tosses from Cody Pickett, while Kevin Johnson contributed 113 yards receiving and added the game’s final score, as Pittsburgh moved to an impressive 7-2 on the year. OHIO 17 CHICAGO 20 Randy Moss threw a fit after this one. He was targeted only 6 times and held to only 60 yards on 3 receptions as Ohio again struggled to put the pieces together against Chicago’s defense. Michael Turner had no complants, fed the ball 28 times, he rushe for 123 and a score as Chicago improved to 6-3 and sent Ohio under .500 at 4-5. BIRMINGHAM 7 ARIZONA 42 No one saw this coming as Arizona explodes for 6 TDs in this one. Sedrick Irvin exploited the Stallion D for 123 yards and 2 scores. Ahmad Galloway had another 58 and a score, while Colt Brennan, in after a blow to Dereck Carr sent him to the locker room, went 11 of 16 to help Arizona pull away in this one. Kyle Boller’s 4-interception day certainly did not help as Jimmy Williams returned one for a score a swell. NEW ORLEANS 16 TEXAS 17 A very nice home win for the Outlaws as nearly 50,000 cheered on Texas in Dallas. New Orleans took the lead on a Fred Jackson TD run, but in the 4th Joe Flacco executed a perfect screen pass to T. J. Duckett to give Texas the 17-16 lead and the defense did the rest, picking off a desperate 4th down Manning pass to preserve the 3rd win of the year for the Outlaws. SEATTLE 34 PORTLAND 11 Seatle made sure Portland would not jump over .500, scoring twice in the 1st (Boston and Sproles) and then adding on TDs from Tyler Eckler and Corey Dillon to build up a lead Portland simply could not overcome. Dillon would rush for 79 yards and a score while Byron Leftwich picked apart the Stags’ defense for 333 yards. CHARLOTTE 14 MICHIGAN 33 Charlotte loses their 4th game in the past 5 weeks as they simply did not match up well against Michigan. The Panthers used the run to balance the offense, with Fargas and Washington combining for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brian Griese did not have to air it out, throwing only 24 times. Chris Weinke played catch up most of the game and struggledto a 23 of 43 afternoon, throwing 2 picks along the way. JACKSONVILLE 20 ATLANTA 30 The battle for the basement in the SE Division goes to Atlanta, pushing Jacksonville to 1-7 and putting Coach Brad Childress’s job squarely on the hot seat. The Fire got 2 TDs and 222 yards from Kyle Orton while Darren McFadden rushed for 83 yards and another score as Atlanta earned their 2nd win on the year. WASHINGTON 13 PHILADELPHIA 30 The Stars needed this one to have any hope of staying relevant in the NE Division, and they got it, thanks in large part to Steve Smith’s 106 yards. TDs from Smith, Steve Slaton and Michael Robinson helped put Philadelphia over the top despite 93 yards rushing from Deuce McCallister. Kordell Stewart threw the ball 48 times, mostly in the second half when Washington trailed by 2 scores, but he could not get the ball into the endzone. MEMPHIS 24 DENVER 30 With Brett Favre still sidelined, many expected a Denver cakewalk, but the Showboats put up a spirited fight all game long. Denver needed a 23-yard TD run from rookie Javon Ringer in the 4th to finally pull away. Mike McMahon had 3 TD passes and threw for 351 in his best game of the season, but it was not enough to get Memphis a road win. OAKLAND 13 LAS VEGAS 10 A chippy game that saw several skirmishes break out, this one was 10-10 midway through the final period, but Oakland had one more drive in them and with time running out Mike Hollis put them on top. Marshawn Lynch won the battle of big backs, outpacing Ricky Williams 103-49, but 112 yards and a TD from Greg Jennings helped Oakland win the war, sending Las Vegas below .500 on the year. NASHVILLE 10 HOUSTON 31 An impressive win for the Gamblers as they scored the game’s first 31 points and then coasted down the stretch. Alexander and Faulk combined for 163 yards on the ground and Matt Hasselbeck added TD passes to Vernon Davis and Alexander as Houston rolled at home. BOSTON 34 LOS ANGELES 17 Drew Bledsoe remained hot, winning Player of the Week again for his 363 yard, 4 TD day. LA simply could not keep pace as Boston pulled away in the 3rd quarter, thanks to TD catches from Chad Johnson and TE James Whalen. Without Troy Polamalu in the game, LA simply did not have the stopping power needed to hold Boston at bay. Charlotte Fading Fast After a 4-0 start, the Charlotte Monarchs are watching their hopes of a division title fade away as they have gone 1-4 over the past 5 weeks. And while three of those losses have come against top tier opposition (Orlando, Baltimore, and Michigan), there can be no excuses as good teams find a way to win these tough matchups. The defense continues to play very well, ranked 2nd in yards allowed and 4th in scoring after 9 weeks, but the offense is just not putting enough drives together to build leads. They are averaging only 18.6 points per game, and have not scored over 20 points since Week 4. Despite these issues with the offense, Coach Mora this week traded for more defensive help (see below) rather than trying to shore up the O-line or provide Chris Weinke with another weapon. Weinke is himself becoming a matter of concern, with a sub-par QB Rating of only 79.7, and a TD:INT ratio of 6:9 in the 5 game slide. There are some whispers that Charlotte might need to turn elsewhere, but looking at the QB room we just don’t think John David Booty or Curtis Painter are the answer, so that may be a question for the offseason. For now, Charlotte needs to figure out a way to infuse some more scoring into their offense and still maintain the solid defense that got them to 4-0 earlier this season. Boston, Denver, and Orlando Rising If Charlotte is heading down the chute, Boston, Denver, and Orlando are certainly climbing the ladder. Boston has won 3 in a row to move to 6-3, 2 games behind Baltimore, but right in the mix with Washington. Denverhas also won 3 in a row, also sits at 6-3, but in their case, that puts them in a dead heat with Houston once again for the Central Division. The two have split their series already, but with games coming up against Texas and Arizona, Denver is hoping to finish the season at 4-2 in the division, hoping that may be enough to give them the title. As for Orlando, their 3-game win streak has them now in sole possession of first in the SE Division, and with Charlotte fading, their biggest challenge looks like it will be the 4-5 Tampa Bay Bandits. With a 3-game lead on Tampa Bay, and having already swept the series with their rivals, the Renegades are in a very good position and may now be setting their sites on the #1 seed in the East. They trail Baltimore by 1 game, and do not play the Blitz, so they will need help, but Baltimore has tough games coming up against Tampa, Philly, Washington, and a season finale in Boston, so there is a lot of hope among ‘Gade fans that they can catch the Blitz and snag the only playoff spot that comes with a bye this year. Randy Moss Vocal as Glory Lose 2nd in a Row We mentioned it briefly in our game recap, but the Randy Moss blowup deserves more attention. Moss, clearly upset not only by Ohio’s loss in Chicago, or even their 1-5 run over the past 6 weeks, is also fuming because he is not getting the targets or the stats he expected when he came to Ohio. He views himself as a clear #1 receiver and yet Joey Galloway is still viewed by many as Kerry Collins’s favorite target. Moss has more catches (by 1) and more TDs (by 1 again) but he is not putting up the kind of numbers he did in Tampa Bay, and he is letting people know that the blame for that is not his. He had some choice words for Coach Luginbill, and for Collins his QB, comments that were recorded by local media and will almost certainly result in team disciplinary action. He may not be wrong about his underutilization in Ohio, or about the Glory being on the downside of their dominant years, but throwing his coach and QB under the bus hardly seems to be the way to remedy the situation. More likely than not it is the kind of tantrum that gets a player shipped off in the offseason, even a player as talented as Randy Moss. And maybe that is exactly what he is hoping for. Pre-Deadline Trades Defined by Postseason Hopes The trade deadline is tomorrow (Friday), and we have seen a frenzy of activity with several trades made by playoff contenders seeking players and basement dwellers sending off solid talent in trade for draft picks and depth in key positions. Basically the distinction between buyers and sellers has been a strong one this year, a factor which could come to fruition as some of these clubs make a run at a Wild Card or even their division crown. New Orleans made a big move to try to solidify their chances, not only trading for a top tier veteran linebacker, but doing so in division. Memphis, the two time division champion, but sitting on a 1-8 record, has become a seller, and this week they sold LB Hannibal Navies to the Breakers, getting backup QB Mike Flynn and two draft picks (2nd rounder in 2010 and 4th in 2011) in return. Navies is a 2x All-USFL linebacker who has averaged 84 tackles per year over his career with the Showboats. He had a dip last year, and at 32, he may only be a short-term solution, but for this year, he is expected to have an immediate impact for a young and undersized Breaker LB group. Charlotte, in the midst of a 1-5 dip, and facing some offensive challenge, opted to double down on their Top 5 defense, bringing in a quality cornerback to line up alongside Carlos Rogers. They send TE Mark Bruener and back up CB Mike Mickens to the Arizona Wranglers to acquire 7-year veteran Asante Samuel. Samuel, is considered a strong bump & run coverage guy at the corner, and can go one on one with receivers, freeing up the safeties in Charlotte’s blitz-heavy defense. Bruener will take over the #2 TE position for Arizona behind Kevin Everett. A solid route runner and receiver, Bruener could allow Arizona to run more play action from 2 TE formations. Las Vegas, dipping to 4-5 in a tough Pacific Division Wild Card race, has decided to bolster their passing game for Jake Plummer, sending SS Kevin Curtis and a 6th rounder to the St. Louis Skyhawks, to acquire underutilized WR Willie Ponder. Ponder, in his 3rd year out of SE Missouri State, is a quality kick returner and a solid slot receiver who could provide Jake Plummer with a good inside target. He will line up in the slot, with Hatchette and Kahlil Hill outside, splitting time with Troy Williamson, and acting as the 4th receiver in spread sets. Finally, Oakland, looking to provide Joey Harrington with more options after the injury/suspension of Plaxico Burress and the injury to Hank Basket, has sent two 5th round picks to Jacksonville to acquire veteran TE Jeb Putzier. Putzier, once the starter for the Bulls, has had limited production the last two years after the signing and development of Jason Whitten. In Oakland, Putzier will likely split time with Joel Dreesen as an inside target for Harrington, who now has Greg Jennings and Pierre Garçon outside. With only 24 hours left before the trade deadline, we don’t anticipate further moves, but you never know when someone will pull off an 11th hour deal just ahead of the roster freezes. Our first playoff picture of the year and yes, it is too early for any clinching of spots, but we are not as far from it as you would imagine. For example, Oakland, at 7-2 is already 3 games up on the closest competitor for the division, with Las Vegas, Portland, and LA all sitting at 4-5. While it is unlikely, the Invaders could clinch as early as this week. The other two Western divisions are much closer, with Michigan tied with Pittsburgh for 1st in the Central and Houston and Denver both knotted up at 6-3. Right now in the West, Portland, sitting at 4-5, has the tie breakers for the 7th and final slot, though it is a crowded cluster with the Thunder, Express, and Ohio Glory all sitting at the same record, 1 game under .500. In the East, all three division leaders have only a 1-game advantage over the 2nd place club, with Baltimore 1 up on Washington (and Boston 1game behind that), Orlando a game up on Charlotte, and Nashville only up 1 against New Orleans. Right now all 7 clubs in the top spots are above .500, unlike the west, with New Orleans the odd team out in 8th place at 5-4. Tampa Bay is the only 4-5 squad still in the mix, but with Philadelphia and Charlotte both at 5-4, there is a lot to sort out even with an extra Wild Card team this year. Way too early to know which teams will get the #1 seed in each conference, the only playoff seed to get a bye in this year’s expanded 7-team format (a byproduct of the labor issues this offseason). Baltimore currently sits 1 game up on Orlando for that top seed, while in the West Michigan has the tie breaker against Oakland, with both sitting at 7-2. However, You cannot count out Houston, Pittsburgh, Chicago, or Denver, all of whom are just 1 game back at 6-3. No eliminations yet, though the odds are heavily against 0-9 St. Louis as well as 1-8 Memphis and Jacksonville. Even a 5-0 run puts them still below .500, but for now they are not mathematically eliminated. A rough week for quarterbacks as several missed plays or were removed from games, but the good news is that most are listed as “questionable” at worst, and we will see most on the field this week. Among the players impacted but not discounted from Week 10 action we find Brady Quinn (neck), Tee Martin (shoulder), Ryan Fitzpatrick (elbow), and Drew Brees (wrist). Kerry Collins is also listed as a possible gametime decision after suffering a broken nose in the game this week, while Daunte Culpepper is hoping to be back in action but continues to deal with an issue with nerve pain in his throwing shoulder. While QBs were prevalent on the injury report this week, there were far more significant injuries among other position players. Nashville WR Derrick Mason is done for the year, placed on IR with an ACL injury that will require rehab well into the offseason. Nashville also lost backup center Kory Lichtensteiger fo the year with a cruciate ligament injury. Washington lost one of their starting receivers as Eddie Kennison is down at least 2 months with a fractured vertebrae in his upper back. Charlotte center Derek Smith will also miss the rest of the regular season, placed on IR with a torn quad, while St. Louis HB Dominic Rhodes was diagnosed with a fracture in his left foot that could keep him out for 4-6 weeks, essentially the rest of the year. Expected back in action this week we have Memphis QB Brett Favre, though at this point Coach Haslett must worry that another injury would be a very high price to pay for starting the veteran in a lost season. Also expected back are New Orleans DE Israel Ifeanyi, NJ DE Shaun Ellis, Boston CB Fred Smoot, Washington DT Anthony McFarland, and Philadelphia C Matt Birk. Teams Who Need a Hot Streak Looking at the final 5 weeks of the year, as we prepare to hit Week 10, there are several teams who could really benefit from a 2, 3, or 4 game win streak to make some noise. Now this is actually true of most teams, but in the case of the 5 we are going to highlight, any hope for a playoff run could depend on the club getting hot now and building up some wins back to back to back. LAS VEGAS: The Thunder currently sit in 8th position, tied with Portland, Ohio, and LA at 4-5. We predicted them as a club that could come on late as Jake Plummer adjusts to a new offense and develops rapport with his team. The Thunder just added another target for Plummer in Willie Ponder, and they need to start seeing better offensive production if they want to make a run. The defense has been solid, as expected, Top 10 in both yards and points allowed, but he offense struggled, with Plummer leading the 26th rated passing attack. The Thunder will need more from him and from the offense in general to make a run at a Wild Card. CHARLOTTE: We have already discussed the slide from 4-0 to 5-4, but if Charlotte wants to turn this thing around, they need to get back to what worked early, shut down defense, and then find some more points on offense. That may mean more touches for Robert Edwards, who is averaging only 3.4 yards per carry, or perhaps giving veteran Autrey Detson more touches, after all Detson is averaging 4.1 per carry with only 35 touches this season. The Monarchs added another defensive piece this week, so the hope is still there that they can make a run at Orlando late, but each week that seems less likely unless they can turn things around and unless the Renegades start to slip up. PORTLAND: The Stags are a bit of a surprise in the final Wild Card spot right now. They have had some pretty bad outings, including a 34-11 drubbing at the hands of Seattle this week, but they have also had some solid wins, such as recent victories over Ohio and LA. The issue for the Stags has been pass defense. They have only 3 interceptions as a team, fewer than many players, and are dead last in turnover margin, due largely to only 7 total takeaways. More aggression and more focus on ballhawking may be necessary if they are going to stay ahead of the other 4-5 clubs. It will not be easy, as they face 4 games against teams with 6-3 or 7-2 records in their final 5 weeks. A deep fade may be more likely than a win streak. OHIO: The Glory have lost 5 of 6 after a 3-0 start, and Randy Moss is openly hostile in post-game interviews. That is not good for a club that many expected would be a major challenger in the Central. They sit in 4th place at 4-5, and it just does not seem like a 4th place team can eke into even the expanded playoffs, so they will need to try to catch Chicago to have any shot. The offense, still ranked 3rd in the league, is not enough, especially when the defense is allowing nearly 22 points per game and ranks 26th of 28 teams in yards allowed. They do have a favorable schedule, with games against 3-win Texas and Seattle, along with 2-win New Jersey in their final 5 games, but tough showdowns at Michigan and then closing the season with Pittsburgh will be the key for them. If they can win those 2 games, they could be in place in a very tight Central Division. LOS ANGELES: Of all the teams in our list here, and in the 4-5 cluster, the Express are the hardest to figure out. Their offense is ranked 23rd, and yet, we look at the roster and we cannot figure out why. Sure, they have a rookie QB in Mark Sanchez, but it feels more like Coach Jackson is holding them back, calling a very conservative gameplan and yet somehow underutilizing Maurice Jones-Drew at the same time. If LA wants to make a run, they have some winnable games, starting next week at St. Louis, but they have to open things up a bit. Let Sanchez go deep, free up Jones-Drew by getting the safeties to respect the deep ball. Without that, the Express seem unlikely to get over the hump in a division that has 3 clubs sitting at 4-5 and fighting amongst themselves. Best of the USFL—Wide Receivers No other position in football has had the impact that wideout has had in the USFL. Ever since the early days of Eric Truvillion, Jackie Flowers, and Trumaine Johnson, the USFL has been about the deep ball and the speed merchant receivers. Quality receiver play remains a hallmark of the league, making the selection of only 5 receivers as the best of the league in 2009 a really hard task to settle. We are certain that there will be debates all over the country on this list, especially because we have placed two receviers from the same team in our Top 5. Chad Johnson (BOS): There is no doubt who the #1 receiver in the league is right now. Chad Johnson, formerly Chad Ochocinco, has been a revelation ever since he first stepped on the field with the Ohio Glory. His move to Boston earlier in the decade has only pushed his stock higher. He is the master of the deep ball, leading the league in receiving yards in 2008, 2006, and 2004, while racking up 71 touchdowns as a Boston Cannon. Joey Galloway (OHI): Ohio’s number 1 receiver for 12 seasons, Galloway may be the elderstateman in the group, but his 1,175 yards in 2008 show that he is still among the most productive receivers in the game. At 35 we don’t know how many seasons he has left in him, but while he is on the field, we should just keep enjoying his smooth speed and graceful moves. Hines Ward (MGN): Beginning his career in Arizona, Ward had his first 1,000 yard season with the Wranglers in 2001, and then proceeded to jump ship and become a Michigan Panther. That decision has paid off big time, allowing Ward to average over 88 catches per season, win the 2005 yardage title, and win himself a league title last year. Known as a tenacious blocker as well as a precise route runner, Ward is a true leader for the receiving group on and off the field. Randy Moss (OHI): When Randy Moss was in Tampa Bay there was no doubt he was one of the league’s top receivers, but our pick of Moss as a top 5 receiver now that he is in Ohio will be controversial. The talent is certainly there, but Moss did not even reach 1,000 yards last year, and he is potentially going to come up short this year as well. His vocal criticisms of Coach Al Luginbill’s offensive gameplanning has certainly not made him a favorite among Glory faithful, and his push for a trade is likely to lead to even more friction, but for anyone to say that Moss is not an elite receiver in this league is delusional. David Boston (SEA): A lot of prime candidates for the #5 spot, but we had to go with Boston, a one man show for the Dragons for Seattle since arriving on the scene with 1,216 yards as a rookie. Boston has been strong the past 2 seasons, with 1,436 yards and 15 TDs in 2007 and 1,358 and 11 TDs last year. He is on pace for another 1,000 yard season and we expect he will be among the league leaders once again. Among those who just missed the cut we have a lot of clear cut #1 receivers, from Chicago’s technical wizard Donald Driver to Arizona’s young gun Larry Fitzgerald. Houston fans will likely cry foul that we passed up Roy Williams, while Showboat followers will point to Robert Ferguson as a key piece to their back-to-back Eastern Conference runs. Others in our pool of finalists included Steve Smith from Philly, Tory Holt in Baltimore, and Denver’s peerless possession man, Peerless Price. All 28 teams go into inter-divisional play in Week 10, so that means some clashes at the top of the standings, some clashes at the bottom, and some games that look a bit like mismatches. We love the Friday night matchup of a hot Bandits squad heading up to Baltimore to face the 7-1 Blitz. On Saturday, the Nashville-Boston matchup will be a clash of styles to be sure. Charlotte at Washington is another game to keep an eye on. And Saturday’s ESPN night game between Houston and Michigan should also be a fun one. On Sunday we finish up the weekend with Orlando in a possible trap game at Memphis, especially if Favre is back under center (still questionable), and we have an interesting nightcap with up and down Portland heading to Denver. FRIDAY @ 8pm Tampa Bay (4-5) @ Baltimore (7-1) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm Nashville (6-3) @ Boston (6-3) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Charlotte (5-4) @ Washington (7-2) FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm Las Vegas (4-5) @ Pittsburgh (7-2) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Jacksonville (1-8) @ Birmingham (3-6) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm Texas (3-6) @ Ohio (4-5) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Houston (6-3) @ Michigan (7-2) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Atlanta (2-7) @ Philadelphia (5-4) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm New Orleans (5-4) @ New Jersey (2-7) FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm Orlando (7-2) @ Memphis (1-8) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Seattle (3-6) @ Chicago (6-3) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Los Angeles (4-5) @ St. Louis (0-9) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Oakland (7-2) @ Arizona (3-6) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Portland (4-5) @ Denver (6-3) ESPN

Player of the Week: Joe Horn helped Birmingham pick up a solid upset this week with some last minute heroics. His 112 yards on 9 receptions were impressive, but the game winning TD is what gives him the title this week.

Inter-divisional play kicked off the second half of the season with a few surprises. Seattle gave Houston all they could handle and a little more. Birmingham seems to be finding a defense as they squeak past Philadelphia thanks to a good defensive game plan and a nice TD catch from Joe Horn. The Express win a defensive slugfest with the Machine and Portland pounds Ohio in a result the Las Vegas oddsmakers did not see coming. And while some of the league’s top clubs just keep chugging along, some at the bottom are still struggling to find a way out of their losing ways. We will take a look at all the results, update you on some injuries, and on stadium construction projects, and get you ready for Week 9, here at This Week in the USFL. HOUSTON GAMBLERS 22 SEATTLE DRAGONS 25 Unlike last year, Seattle’s slow start may have extended a bit too long as the 1-6 record for the Dragons all but assures that they are headed for a losing season, but no one seems to have told the players, as they rallied against SW Division leading Houston this week. Despite falling behind 17-0, the Dragons did not give up, rallied late and upended the Gamblers for only their 2nd win of the season. It looked like this one would be all Houston in the first half as Houston raced out to a 17-0 lead in the first 30 minutes of play. Touchdowns from HB Tatum Bell and Kevin Faulk highlighted a first half that all broke Houston’s way. Seattle struggled to move the ball, with Sean Alexander averaging less than 2 yards per carry in the half, and with Byron Leftwich throwing two picks and getting sacked 4 times. But something shifted at halftime and Houston’s grasp of the game started to slip away. It began with the opening drive of the second half, where Seattle finally started putting together some first downs, Leftwich connecting with WR Nate Burleson as Houston continued to blanket David Boston. Burleson became an important target for the Dragons, finishing the game with 110 yards. The rotation of Corey Dillon with Ladell Betts also started to pay off as the Houston D-line began to wear down. Betts would finish the game as Seattle’s leading rusher, but it would be Dillon who would finally get them on the board, thanks to a short-yardage TD to end the drive. Houston was also stymied by the Seattle defense on their first drive, giving the ball right back to the Dragons, who again marched down field and added more points, this time a Dave Rayner field goal. Houston would again fail on offense as the third quarter showed a strong momentum shift, but they would catch a break as the Sepulveda punt would settle on the 2-yard line, putting Seattle in a rough position to start off. That possession ended as quickly as it started, with a holding call in the end zone giving Houston 2 points and the ball. Houston would add another field goal on their post-safety drive, putting them up 22-10. As the third quarter closed, but Seattle was not out yet. They took possession at their own 22, and after connecting with Darren Sproles and Nate Burleson, Byron Leftwich got what he wanted, a zone defense look that would free up David Boston from his double coverage. He took advantage, finding Boston in a seam in the defense, and when the safety slipped trying to redirect, it meant Boston had a step on him, and that is all the veteran speedster needed, racing 63 yards for the score. Down only 5, Seattle was back in the game with time for at least 2 more drives. Houston could not muster another drive, and Seattle got the ball back with over 5 minutes left in the half. They began with a conservative I-formation look, and after a 2-yard run from Dillon, they presented Housotn with the same look, but this time play action caught Houston a bit flat footed. Slot receiver Darnerian McCants ran an excellent out and up route, and Leftwich caught him in stride for an unanticipated deep ball. McCants ran under the pass and raced down the sideline to give Seattle a 79-yard TD and the lead. They went for 2 and completed the PAT to Jeramy Stevens, giving them a 3-point lead with 4 minutes left on the clock. From their it was up to the Dragon defense, and just as they had done the entire half, they put pressure on Matt Hasselbeck, blitzing instead of laying back in coverage, and the strategy worked. Houston gained 1 first down before 2 straight incompletions left them with a 4th and 9. With over 3 minutes still on the clock, the Gamblers decided to punt. They would not see the ball again as Seattle ground out 2 first downs and the clock to win the game with the ball in their hands. Houston dropped to 5-3 while Seattle got a home victory for the fans and improves to 2-6 after 8 weeks. WASHINGTON 16 MEMPHIS 3 Memphis had hoped Brett Favre could return for this one, but it was Mike McMahon at the helm, and his 2 picks helped Washington slog out a win in the heat. Memphis’s D did a good job against Deuce McCallister, holding him to only 1.4 yards per carry (22 for 31), but his lone TD would have been enough to give the W to the visiting Feds in a game that saw few big plays. PHILADELPHIA 19 BIRMINGHAM 20 A game the Stars could not afford to take lightly, and they paid the price as the Stallions edge them thanks to 10 points in the final 7 minutes. Joe Horn’s game winning TD silenced the small contingent of Star fans who made the trip. Kyle Boller did not have huge numbers, but his 29 of 36 day kept Birmingham in the game until the end and they got the big play they needed to pull the upset. NEW JERSEY 13 ORLANDO 21 Two more sacks for Campbell and 2 TDs for Knowshon Moreno help the Renegades pull out the home win. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 363 to keep New Jersey in the game, with 105 going to TE Anthony Becht, but it was not enough as a late TD from Brees to Michael Jenkins helped Orlando put this one away. NEW ORLEANS 20 ATLANTA 16 The Fire had a 16-13 lead with only 1:21 left, but Eli Manning led a game-winning drive, hitting TE Chris Cooley with the game winner with only 13 seconds remaining to steal the win. Manning finished with 297 yards and 2 scores as the Breakers avoid the upset. CHICAGO 12 LOS ANGELES 14 LA’s defense came up big with Dominique Rogers-Cromartie landing one of the plays of the week with an acrobatic pick-six. Chicago protested the call, but review showed that while DCR did hit the ground, no Machine player touched him, allowing him to roll back up and run for the score. It was one of 2 picks thrown by Brady Quinn as LA held the Machine in check and eked out the win at home to move to .500. OHIO 19 PORTLAND 34 The Stags move to .500 with a surprising blow out of the Glory. A. J. Feeley was feeling it, throwing for 3 scores and connecting with Koren Robinson for 111 yards. The Portland D held Moss and Galloway to only 1 combined TD, despite giving up nearly 200 yards to the pair. Add in 10 Glory penalties and Ohio falls short on their West Coast trip. NASHVILLE 16 TAMPA BAY 33 The Bandits also even their record with an impressive home win over the Knights. Daunte Culpepper threw for 235 and 2 scores while the combo of McGahee and Toefield combine for 116 yards as the Bandits flex their offensive muscles against the league’s best defense. The Bandit D also showed off its strength, limiting Frank Gore to 65 yards and Jay Cutler t o only 48.6% passing. BOSTON 23 JACKSONVILLE 21 The Bulls almost pulled off the upset of the day but fell short as a Boston field goal in the 4th gave them just enough to pull out the win. Rashard Mendenhall had to leave the game, slowing the Boston offense, but Joe Jurevicius added 146 for his best game of the season. ForJacksonville, it was a Lavar Arrington fumble return after a blocked field goal that highlighted their effort. BALTIMORE 16 CHARLOTTE 13 A war of attrition between two very good defenses as Baltimore edges Charlotte in what could become a regional rivalry between the two. Darrius Heyward-Bay had the play of the game, a 63-yard TD in the 4th that helped the Blitz pull this one out. Charlotte fans are upset that a 1st quarter TD was called back on a call that replay would have likely overturned, but Coach Mora opted not to use the red flag, with the result being 3 points instead of 7. ST. LOUIS 17 DENVER 23 Denver got a scare from the Skyhawks as they looked sloppy all game long, but in the end they scored the game’s final 9 points on three Graham Gano kicks to edge St. Louis. The Skyhawks found a way to shut down the run, limiting Moore & Ringer to a combined 42 yards, while Josh Freeman helped stake St. Louis out to a 17-14 lead after 3, but Denver found a way to win in the 4th to move to 5-3. PITTSBURGH 27 ARIZONA 19 Pittsburgh’s Cinderella season continued in Arizona as Kenny Watson rushed for 2 scores and Cody Pickett threw for 2 more to help the Maulers knock off the Wranglers. Watson and DeShaun Foster combined for 141 yards on the ground as Pittsburgh shortened the game and kept Arizona at arm’s length. TEXAS 10 LAS VEGAS 20 Jake Plummer had his most consistent game, throwing for 179 yards and 2 scores, while Marshawn Lynch went over 100 yards on the day to power the Thunder to a needed home win. It was 20-3 until late in the game when a garbage time TD made the game look closer than it was. MICHIGAN 22 OAKLAND 10 The most anticipated game of the week was slow to get going, but Michigan scored the final 19 points of the game to take the W and put Oakland away. Matt Prater had 5 field goals as the Panthers struggled in the red zone, but Oakland struggled to get to scoring range at all as the Michigan LB’s were the dominant force in the game, combining for 31 tackles and holding Ricky Williams to only 2.4 yards per carry. Both clubs now stand at 6-2 on the year. Bandits Battling Back Don’t look now, but the Tampa Bay Bandits may be this year’s comeback kids. After a brutal start to the year, and some bad play form Daunte Culpepper, seemed to doom the Bandits to a major backslide after their 14-2 season a year ago, the Bandits seem to have found themselves. They have won their last 3 games, two of them divisional matchups, and this week’s big 17-point win over Southern Division leading Nashville may be the alert to the league that the Bandits are going to be in the mix for the rest of the year. The Bandits have a great chance to drive that message home this week as they have their rematch with the Renegades in Orlando on the schedule. Orlando edged the Bandits 21-17 in Week 4, and sit atop the division at 6-2, but the now 4-4 Bandits have a chance, with a win this week, to pull within 1 game of Orlando and get even with Charlotte as they seek a playoff spot. How have they turned the corner? Better play from Daunte Culpepper has certainly helped. The veteran has thrown 6 TDs and 0 picks in the 3-game win streak, a much better ratio than when the season started. He is also making key throws on third down, helping Tampa Bay sustain drives and score 26, 30, and 33 points the past three weeks. Willis McGahee is having a big year, and Culpepper’s success is giving him opportunities to exploit lighter defensive alignments, making him all the more dangerous. And yet, the biggest difference may be the defense. After limiting Jacksonville to only 3 points in Week 7, The Bandits held Nashville to 16, but along the way held the Knights to only 2 converted 3rd downs and produced 2 takeaways. If the Bandits can stay steady with their new formula, they have a very real chance of making a playoff run. They have a key 3-game run, starting with Orlando, and followed by 7-1 Baltimore and 5-3 Charlotte. If they can get 2 of 3 in that series, they get a nice 3-game stretch against Atlanta, New Jersey, and Seattle to end the year. Winning those three would put them at 9-5, which would almost certainly garner them a Wild Card, and a possible shot at the division, particularly if they can sweep these next games against the Renegades and Monarchs. That is a lot of “ifs” and “should they” situations, but it is far better than their 1-4 start seemed to predict for them. Intriguing Award Races Should Heat Up in Second Half This could be one of the most interesting seasons in recent memory when it comes to individual awards. When your frontrunner for MVP is not only not a QB, but not an offensive player at all, you have an interesting year. That MVP race is currently led, by what feels like a comfortable margin, by Orlando DE Calais Campbell, whose 21 sacks in 8 games puts him well on pace to set a new league record for sacks in a shortened 14-game season. Trailing him are two QB’s (of course) in Brian Griese and Drew Bledsoe. There will be some heartstrings pulled for Bledsoe to be sure after his injury-shortened 2008 “final” season, but his numbers (and Boston’s 5-3 record) don’t provide the kind of overwhelming evidence of greatness to leapfrog over one of the greatest defensive seasons we have ever seen. So, right now, it looks like Campbell’s award to win. A rare defensive MVP means that the QBs will compete for Offensive Player of the Year, putting Griese and Bledsoe in competition with HBs Deuce McCallister and Frank Gore. Again, the numbers are not overwhelming for any of the favorites, so it might come down to which one helps propel their team to a gaudy win total. Washington has the edge there, and there is no denying that Deuce McCallister is a driving force for the Feds, but with Kordell Stewart winning MVP last year, there may be hesitation to give another Fed the OPOTY this year. If that is true, then look for voters to give Brian Griese some kudos for his success with Michigan’s high octane offense this season. If Calais Campbell wins MVP, as we suspect he might, then that would leave DPOTY open. We have not seen a player win MVP and one of the POTY awards in decades, so we don’t think the voters would double dip with Campbell, though if any season deserved double accolades, it would be his. If not Campbell, the next obvious choice is Julius Peppers, who is having an outstanding season for Charlotte, a team whose winning record feels very much like the effort of the defense above all else. Pittsburgh is also surprising many with their success, so we list DE Kyle Vanden Bosch as a potential dark horse here if the Maulers can somehow edge the rest of the Central and nab an unforeseen division title. Rookie of the Year looks like a 3-man race right now, with Boston gaining extra points for the bold move they made to sign Florida wideout Percy Harvin. Harvin has rewarded the Cannons with a dynamic presence, a propensity for big plays, and 5 TDs in 8 games. He is on pace for 1,000 yards and has to be seen as a frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year. Trailing him we see LA quarterback Mark Sanchez. Sanchez’s numbers are not that exciting, but he has LA in the playoff hunt as a rookie, and if the Express can gain some ground on Oakland and score a Wild Card, Sanchez will certainly get some votes. Finally, the one defensive player who is looking solid in his rookie year, Ohio’s James Laurinaitis, who leads the club with 56 tackles while taking over as the play caller for the Glory defense. A longshot to be sure, but Laurinaitis is certainly one of the outstanding rookies on display this year. Finally, the race for Coach of the Year already seems pretty locked in as a 2-man race. As much as we might respect the work that Tom Coughlin has done in Baltimore, or Jim Johnson in Nashville, this one comes down to the two teams that are far surpassing expectations, the Pittsburgh Maulers and the Charlotte Monarchs. That means Ron Rivera, in his 4th season with Pittsburgh or former Stars Coach and new Monarch’s head man Jim Mora Jr.. We give the edge to Rivera, who has been slowly building up the Maulers and took a chance on Cody Pickett this year, despite drafting a QB in the T-Draft. That bet has paid off and the Maulers are sitting right in the thick of the Central Division race. Charlotte started the season on fire with a 4-0 start, but have gone 1-3 since then. If Mora can turn that around and get Charlotte the SE Division title over Orlando, he will certainly garner a lot of votes, but right now our money is on Rivera. QB’s Seek New Deals We finish off our weekly stories from the USFL with a reality check. We are 6 weeks away from player contracts expiring and we are looking at a significant number of quality quarterbacks still unsigned. Unless some teams get off their butts and start making offers, there could be a feeding frenzy in the offseason. That said, there are several situations where we cannot imagine teams letting their starters go. Chief among those is Baltimore, where the Blitz simply cannot afford to trifle with Ben Roethlisberger, not with the year he and the Blitz are having. Making Big Ben the club’s QB for the next 5-6 years has got to be priority #1 in the front office. Similarly, Philadelphia does not want to see Kurt Warner go, though the Stars have not had the success they had hoped for, which could lead to some hesitation. Age may be a factor for the Federals in their talks with Kordell Stewart, but this is the QB who won MVP last season with an amazing comeback season. Nashville may have the toughest choice. Jay Cutler has had flashes, but has not been consistent enough to be a slam dunk as the franchise QB for the Knights. We could see him being allowed to walk if the Knights feel they have an inside line on another top QB. But who would that QB be? What about Adrian McPherson from Boston. McPherson has been saying all the right things about the return of Drew Bledsoe, but it cannot be easy to spend another year on the bench. We think Boston will resign the Syracuse product, with the understanding that 2009 is Bledsoe’s final year and McPherson the obvious heir to the throne. The only other big name QB who could potentially bolt is Oakland’s Joey Harrington, but we have heard nothing out of Harrington that says he is dissatisfied with his role or with Coach Dennis Green. So, in the end, we could see all 7 of these starters resign, or we could see some wild speculation down the stretch. It would be an unusual year for all 7 to go on the free market, but it would also be very unusual for all 7 to feel that the deals being offered are appropriate, so don’t be shocked if 1-3 of these “franchise” quarterbacks are with a new franchise next year. Some potential QB concerns this week, with both Pennsylvania starters on the injured list as questionable. Kurt Warner has been experiencing some blurred vision and there is concern about a possible concussion or even a detached retina. He is due to see a specialist on Friday, and that could determine his availability on Sunday. In Pittsburgh, Cody Pickett is listed as questionable due to a tight hamstring. He has said he plans to play, but has been limited in practice. Washington will be without their defensive captain for at least 2 weeks, possibly longer as Antonio Pierce is dealing with a lot of inflammation after spraining his knee in practice. There is no ligament or tendon damage, which is a very good sign, but it still could be 2-3 weeks before Washington gets one of their best defenders back. Baltimore is dealing with some depth issues on the D-line as both Jeff Zgonina (DT) and Chuckie Nwokorie (DE) are expected to miss this week’s games. Zgonina is dealing with a neck injury while Nwokorie has a hamstring issue of his own. Texas will be without LB Kailee Wong (hand), and LA has Troy Polamalu (wrist) listed as OUT this week, though no information on the duration of either injury has been released. Finally, Nashville MLB Hunter Hillenmeyer is listed as doubtful after suffering a hyper extended knee in last week’s loss in Tampa Bay. He could be back in Week 10. Stadium Picture Remains Positive Midway through the 2009 season and we are looking ahead to the future, particularly the future homes of some of the USFL franchises. We have the renovations to the Alamodome moving ahead, construction on the new stadium in the Meadowlands progressing nicely, and news about potential stadium construction in two other USFL cities. We start with the Generals and the latest from the Meadowlands. NEW JERSEY GENERALS: The facility being built nearby the site of Giants Stadium, current home for the Jets, Generals and the Giants, has a name. In an agreement between the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, the NFL and the USFL, the rights to the new stadium have been sold to the Met Life insurance company. Met Life Stadium will be the name for the new 82,500 seat facility. The Stadium construction is on schedule and should be ready for the Generals’ opening game in Spring of 2010. The innovative, high-tech stadium will be able to alter its physical appearance (lighting, screens, etc) to match the color schemes of each team, with a red emphasis for the Generals, green for the Jets, and blue for the Giants. The stadium is also scheduled to host several NCAA games, including an Army-Navy game and a potential bowl game (January in New Jersey is not exactly welcoming, but it is what it is.). TEXAS: The renovation of the Alamodome is also on pace, with the stadium expected to be back on line by December, in time for the stadium to host the Alamo Bowl for the NCAA. The Outlaws, who are enjoying record crowds and vocal support in Dallas, despite a 2-6 record, are set to return to their San Antonio home in March, 2010. The new capacity for the dome will be reduced from 64,000 to 56,000, but with an addition of 22 more luxury suites. In addition to the new suites, a revamped concessions deck, expanded locker rooms, and a new sound system will be installed in time for the 2010 season opener. BIRMINGHAM: Following the sale of the Stallions’ controlling share to John Menard, movement on a stadium proposal has moved in some good directions. Menard has spearheaded a new initiative to engage the University of Alabama hierarchy, seeking support for a new open-air stadium that would be home to both the Stallions and the UAB Blazers, while also serving as a potential Iron Bowl site for matches between Alabama and Auburn. There was an initial push for a domed or retractable-roof stadium with the Stallions citing some pretty hot and humid summer dates over the year, but the cost was viewed as prohibitive by both the university and the city. The hope is that a deal can be reached that will allow all three, along with the state government to contribute to the construction cost. It seems that the main point of contention at present is about the site for the venue. The city is hoping for a downtown location, while the university is pushing for a campus site on the city’s southeast side. The two primary sites are honestly only about 1.5 miles apart, so it is hoped that a compromise can be made and a stadium deal put into place that would have construction starting in 2011 with a 2013 unveiling. LAS VEGAS: Talks have begun between the USFL and the city of Las Vegas. The goal, of course, is to find a permanent home for the Thunder, who have been playing at UNLV’s Sam Boyd Stadium, a facility built in the early 1970’s and with a permanent capacity of barely 30,000 seats. The Thunder have been using additional bleachers to bring the stadium over 40,000 but it is not a good long-term solution for the club. Several issues exist, of course, one of which is the desire of the city to attract an NFL to bring in additional revenue for a new facility. For the Thunder, the goal is to get a facility built sooner rather than later, and they are pushing for a domed facility as summer daytime temperatures in Las Vegas make even late afternoon games unpleasant for a good portion of the season. The cost of a domed facility is of course significantly higher than for a bowl or open air stadium, but there certainly is a case to be made for it in the Nevada desert. Attendance figures and scheduling flexibility for the Arizona Wranglers, including the ability to host a Summer Bowl, were greatly improved when the Wranglers moved from Sun Devil Stadium to the new University of Phoenix stadium, a retractable roof facility. Arizona, of course, had the advantage of being home to both a USFL and NFL club, something Las Vegas currently does not. So the question becomes, can Las Vegas attract an NFL team without a stadium in place, or do they build the stadium, having only a USFL tenant and then try to attract a 2nd franchise? It is a costly proposition, but may be the best option if the city wished to retain the Thunder much less expand their sports presence. Best of the USFL: Middle Linebacker We return to the Best of the USFL discussion with one of the glamor positions in the game, the defensive QB in its own way, the middle linebacker. From the days of Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke, and Jack Lambert, MLB has been the home for a teams’ biggest hitter, their defensive captain, and the face of intimidation. The USFL certainly has maintained that reputation, and the present day game has several of the best MLB’s in the game today. Brian Urlacher (CHI): The undisputed King of the USFL MLBs right now, Urlacher is a 6 time All-USFL player and 3-time USFL Defensive Player of the Year. A huge hitter, but also a mobile, almost speedy MLB, having come out of college as a safety, Urlacher is the prototype for an MLB in a pass-happy league, able to play deep in the Tampa-2 zone scheme or come to the line to pressure the QB or stuff the run. It does not get better in the league (Some will argue that Ray Lewis is better, but that just opens up NFL-USFL debates and we don’t want to go there. Mike Vrabel (JAX): Whereas Urlacher feels like a natural-born MLB, Mike Vrabel came into the position with a lot to learn. Having begun on the outside, Vrabel was converted to the MLB in Jacksonville as they wanted a more versatile sideline-to-sideline option. With Lavar Arrington on the outside, the need was in the middle, so Vrabel took the spot and has not looked back since. London Fletcher (BOS): Now in his 12th season with the Cannons (one of the early Atlanta holdovers), Fletcher does not possess the range of the first two MLBs on our list, but what he does have is a nose for the ball and a big presence against the run. With 112 tackles last season, Fletcher seems to just be getting better with age. Kirk Morrison (MEM): Only in his 4th pro season, Morrison has made a name for himself as a steady tackler and a pretty good coverage linebacker. He had his first 100-tackle season in 2007 and followed it up with 119 tackles in 2008. This year he is already at 72 tackles and could hit 100 again in only 14 games. Paul Posluszny (PHI): The Polish Hammer is another of the best young linebackers in the game, and the favorite son of Philly’s Polish community (taking over for Ron Jaworski). The Penn State product in his 3rd year in the pros has yet to hit the magic 100-tackle point, but has already proven to be a quick-twitch linebacker who can deliver a big hit. Others we considered for the Top 5 include Atlanta’s breakout star this year, Corey Miller, Baltimore’s James Farrior, 2nd year Monarch Jerod Mayo, Las Vegas’s A. J. Hawk, and Michigan’s Andy Katzenmoyer. Arizona’s New Look The Arizona Wranglers, in the middle of a rebuilding and reimagining process under 1st year head coach Jim Tomsula are not just revising the roster and the playbook, they are updating their look. Nothing major, after all, the copper, red, blue and gold look is one that fans nationwide have embraced. The flames on the pants, the branding iron logo, the whole thing has been very popular since it was introduced in the early days of the league, with only minor modifications since then. The new look revealed by the club and Reebok this year, one of the 3 looks coming for 2010, Reebok’s last year with the USFL, uses a lot of familiar elements while adding one new feature that will stand out. The logo is going to be modified slightly as the “flaming W” branding iron will get back its handle. It is a tweak that fans have been asking for ever since the club switched from their earlier “circle brand” logo to the new flaming W. The handle will be added back to the logo and will appear on the helmet. The main logo will be paired with a secondary which has the familiar W shape placed atop a silhouette of the state of Arizona. This new secondary will typically be shown with a copper state and iron blue outline and W, but there is a version which harkens all the way back to 1983, a blue and yellow version. The uniform will feature many of the elements of past years, a red-dominant color scheme, copper pants with flames extending down the leg, a flame-inspired number font with double piping, and red and white jerseys. What is new, then? Well, the sleeves are the major addition, with Reebok adding what they call their “desert sunrise” effect, a color shift from the cuff to the shoulder. On the red jersey, this will begin with blue cuffs, then a copper sleeve that is interrupted by a white W-logo and then red to the shoulder. The white jersey will have a similar pattern, but with blue cuffs turning to red sleeves, a blue W logo and then copper from the midpoint up to the shoulder seem, providing Arizona with colored sleeves on a white jersey. The new look is expected to debut in 2010 with the team’s preseason games, since Arizona seems unlikely to make a playoff game this year. We are expecting news and more significant updates from the two remaining Reebok reimaginations for 2010, Seattle and Ohio, before Adidas takes over the league’s design contract for 2011. Week 9 provides us with 8 divisional games and 6 inter-divisional matchups. It opens on Friday with that huge matchup between Tampa Bay and Orlando. If the Bandits can win this road rematch, they could be right back in the mix in the SE Division. On Saturday the most intriguing games are both on national tv, with FOX hosting the 12pm matchup of Ohio and Chicago, while ESPN has the Pacific Division Cascade Clash matchup of Seattle and Portland. A Stag victory puts them at 5-4 and in position to fight for a Wild Card spot. Finally, on Sunday, Tune in early (except in northern Florida and Georgia) for a great matchup between Charlotte and Michigan, the game to be shown in most of the USA on ABC. Meanwhile on Fox we have a NE Division clash as Washington heads to Philly to face a desperate Stars team that may not have Kurt Warner available. At 4pm we have another good divisional game with Oakland traveling to Las Vegas, who need a win to get over .500 and stay in contention in a pretty tight division. The Sunday nightery features another 4-4 Pacific division club as Mark Sanchez and the Express will host Boston. FRIDAY @ 8pm Tampa Bay (4-4) @ Orlando (6-2) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm New Jersey (2-6) @ Baltimore (7-1 ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm St. Louis (0-8) @ Pittsburgh (6-2) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Ohio (4-4) @ Chicago (5-3) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Birmingham (3-5) @ Arizona (2-6) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm New Orleans (5-3) @ Texas (2-6) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Seattle (2-6) @ Portland (4-4) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Charlotte (5-3) @ Michigan (5-3) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Jacksonville (1-7) @ Atlanta (1-7) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Washington (7-1) @ Philadelphia (4-4) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Memphis (1-7) @ Denver (5-3) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Oakland (6-2) @ Las Vegas (4-4) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Nashville (6-2) @ Houston (5-3) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Boston (5-3) @ Los Angeles (4-4) ESPN

Player of the Week: Back for a season many did think would happen, Drew Bledsoe is having a very strong swan song once again. In Week 7 he threw for 410 yards and 4 scores as Boston climbed over .500.

Before we get to this week's THIS IS THE USFL entry, a quick website update. A new poll has been added to help decide the fate of the city of Dallas as a USFL market. The Cotton Bowl is hosting the Texas Outlaws for 2009 due to construction at the Alamodome, and it has been going very well. So, should Dallas get fast tracked to get a team? Should the league consider expansion? Or should an ownership develop that would buy and relocated a troubled USFL franchise from another city? Maybe you think 2 teams in Texas is enough and Dallas should be content with the Cowboys. You can vote in the poll (easily found on the header bar) and leave a comment with what you think would be best for Dallas and its football-loving fans, or what would be best for the league. No promises on how I take this, but your input could certainly help guide my thoughts on the city and its USFL future. The poll will be open through the 2009 USFL playoffs. In this shortened season, week 7 represents the midway point, and at the midpoint of the year, what do we know? We know that there are several teams well on their way to a 10-or-more win season, and several who are struggling to find any wins at all. We know we can count on Chicago’s defense to show up, Orlando’s to pressure the QB, and Houston’s to keep them in every game. We know that Ohio, Michigan, and Boston can put up points, and we know that New Jersey, Atlanta, and St. Louis have not yet found a way to generate offense at all. We know that Deuce McCallister will find his way to 100 yards, that Chad Johnson is impossible to shut down, and that Denver is a tough out at home. But there is still a lot to learn, and a lot which has not been figured out yet. At the midway point of the year we have 9 teams sitting at either 4-3 or 3-4, none of whom have made their case strongly enough that they are to be considered contenders, and half of whom are likely to miss out even on the extended 14-team playoff. What is left to be determined is quite a bit, actually, and we will try to make sense of it here, at This Week in the USFL BOSTON CANNONS 34 PHILADELPHIA STARS 28 OVERTIME The Northeast Division has given us some of the best games of the year, and this week was no exception as the Boston Cannons and Philadelphia Stars clashed at Lincoln Financial Field. Boston would have a strong 21-point run in the first half, and would use that to keep the Stars at arm’s length most of the game, but Philadelphia is a tenacious club and slowly they crept their way back, eventually tying the game and sending it to overtime. It was a game that saw both teams lean heavily on their passing games, with both Drew Bledsoe and Kurt Warner going over 400 yards passing. Steve Smith came close to 200 yards receiving with 197 yards and 2 scores, while Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson also went over 100 in a game where neither team could establish the run early and both quickly turned to a pass-happy strategy. Philadelphia was the first to score, with Warner connecting with Smith on a 60-yard scoring strike only 1:30 into the game. Boston responded with a toss from Bledsoe to Johnson that equalized the score, and then followed that up 6 minutes later with Bledsoe connecting with Joe Jurevicius to give Boston it’s first lead. Midway through the 2nd quarter Bledsoe and the Boston aerial attack would strike again, with Chad Johnson getting his 2nd TD of the day to put Boston up 21-7, but Philadelphia, now down 14, was not out of options, and they finished the first half with a 71-yard drive that culminated with Michael Robinson plunging in from the 1. Robinson would have only 11 yards rushing on the day, but two of his 12 carries would be scoring runs. Up by 7 at the half, Boston received the opening kickoff for the 2nd half and needed fewer than 4 minutes to again boost the difference to 14 points. Bledsoe found his newest target, slot receiver Percy Harvin from the 24-yard line on an out & up and Boston was again up by two scores. But,once again, Philadelphia was game, and they would close out the 3rd with another long drive, again with Michael Robinson diving in from the 1, this time following a defensive pass interference call on a pass to Terrell Owens that put the ball one yard out. The 4th quarter saw both teams struggle to move the ball early, with both clubs turning up the pressure. There were 14 sacks in the game, 7 for each starting QB, and both were sacked 3 times each in the final period. The one-dimensional attack of both clubs led to more opportunities for QB pressure and a lack of focus on the run game by the defensive fronts of both clubs. Robert Mathis would garner both of his 2 sacks of the less-than-agile Bledsoe in the final period, while Boston used blitz schemes to bring pressure on Warnerm with sacks from London Fletcher and Chris Claiborne in the period. Despite the pressure, down only 7 at this point, Philadelphia managed to find the equalizer when Warner hit Steve Smith for a 25-yard scoring strike on a corner route, putting up the equalizer with 3 minutes left to play. That tied up the game, but left Boston with time to potentially get the game winner in the final moments. It would be on the Stars’ defense to find an answer for the Cannons or risk losing in the final seconds. The key play was a 3rd and 7 on the Cannon 44-yard line. Bledsoe threw for Jurevicius, but FS Anthony Dorsett reached across Jurevicius’s body, and with the ball a bit behind the receiver, Dorsett was able to get his hand in to break up the pass. Coach Fox, concerned that a failed 4th down effort would give Philadelphia a short field and time to get a game winner at the buzzer, opted to punt and pinned the Stars back at their own 11-yard line. With 1:21 left to play, the Stars played it conservatively, running the ball and sending the game to overtime. They would not see the ball again. Boston won the toss, and this time they did not find themselves with a tough 4th down decision. They did not even have a tough 3rd down decision as the team moved the ball down the field quickly, thanks largely to a 36-yard connection to Percy Harvin. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Stars added 15 more yards, and before the Philly faithful could complain that beer sales had ended, the Cannons were in the red zone. It would take them only 3 plays from there to punch in the game winner, a Rashard Mendenhall TD run from the 1, and Boston came away with their 4th win, putting them over .500. Both Boston and Philadelphia now stood at 4-3, solidly in the Wild Card race and still hoping to be able to catch up to the frontrunners in this very tight division, Baltimore and Washington. LOS ANGELES 3 PORTLAND 17 The Friday night game was a bit of a snoozer as LA simply could not get anything going. Portland held the Express to 225 total yards as Maurice Jones-Drew was largely ineffective on the ground and rookie QB Mark Sanchez completed 16 of 29 but for only 156 yards. The Stags got an early TD from Roddy White, and that was all they needed, though a second White TD in the 4th put the game away for them, it was never truly in doubt. NEW JERSEY 14 WASHINGTON 30 Ryan Fitzpatrick threw 3 picks, including one to Sheldon Brown which was returned for a score, as Washington clamped down on the offensively challenged Generals. TDs from Deuce McCallister and Mike Williams, along with the pick-6 were more than the Generals could overcome on a hot afternoon in Washington. MICHIGAN 40 PITTSBURGH 20 The Maulers came into this game as one of the league’s hottest teams, but a bad 4th quarter that saw them give up 3 scores to the Panthers put them in a 28-13 hole that they could not recover from. Laverneus Coles added to his league leading receiving TD total with 2 in the game, and Hines Ward and Justin Fargas added 2 more as Michigan pulled away in the 2nd and then matched Pittsburgh from there on out to take the win and move into a tie for first place in the Central. OHIO 38 ST. LOUIS 6 The Skyhawks were roundly booed by their home fans, some in paper-bags, as they again showed no ability at all to generate offense. That was not an issue for Ohio as they broke open a 14-6 halftime score with 24 unanswered points in the second half. HB Kenny Smith rushed for 3 scores as the Glory rested Eddie George for most of the second half. Rookie Josh Freeman got his first start for St. Louis, going 20 of 40 for 272, but the Skyhawks could only muster two first half field goals in another rough loss. NASHVILLE 30 ARIZONA 7 The Knights improved their record to 6-1 as two 1st quarter scores from Frank Gore helped them overpower the Wranglers. David Carr looked off the entire game, completing only 14 of 41 passing, while Gore’s 148 yards meant that Jay Cutler did not need to do much to improve Nashville to 6-1 at the midway point of the season. MEMPHIS 27 TEXAS 24 Mike McMahon was back under center and the Showboats got their first win of the season as they edged the Texas Outlaws in Dallas. McMahon hit Lee Evans and Sidney Rice with scoring tosses and a Cadillac Williams 4th quarter TD gave the Boats a 27-16 lead that Texas could not overcome in the final minutes. With Brett Favre possibly returning to action in Week 2, the 1-6 Showboats may yet prove to be an effective spoiler in the second half of the season. OAKLAND 27 SEATTLE 24 Thoughts that Seattle might pull off another amazing rally as they did after an 0-4 start last year have now dimmed, as they drop to 1-6 with a home loss to the 6-1 Invaders. It was 24-7 Seattle early in the 3rd when Jeramy Stevens scored on a 60-yard TD toss from Leftwich, but Joey Harrington rallied the Invaders who would score the final 20 points of the game to take the win, helped by an Eric Wright pick-six and 4 total turnovers by the Dragons. CHARLOTTE 10 ORLANDO 30 The Renegades forced 3 Charlotte turnovers, including a Lito Sheppard pick-six, as Orlando equalized their record with the upstart Monarchs. Knowshon Moreno had his first 100-yard game against the usually tough Monarch run defense, and receivers Mike Jenkins and Justin McCaerins combined for 152 yards as Orlando rolled into a tie for first place in the Southeast. ATLANTA 6 CHICAGO 23 Kyle Orton was a sitting duck, sacked 5 times by Chicago, as the Machine rolled over Atlanta at home. Brady Quinn went 23 of 29 for 300 yards and 2 scores, both to Donald Driver, while the Chicago defense limited the Fire to only 1 of 11 on third down and a total of 181 yards for the day. JACKSONVILLE 3 TAMPA BAY 30 The Bandits may be this year’s comeback team, making a case that they can still turn things around with an impressive win against in-state rivals Jacksonville. Daunte Culpepper had his best game of the year, throwing for 3 scores, while Willis McGahee kept the Bulls defense honest with 77 rushing yards. Two picks of Jake Delhomme and a solid game against the run gave Bandit fans hope that their 3-4 record could quickly turn into a winning position by season’s end. BALTIMORE 35 LAS VEGAS 17 The Thunder drop to 3-4 as Baltimore continues their strong claim as the Beast of the East, winning their 6th game in 7 attempts. Tory Holt came away with 2 scores and Big Ben also hit Darrius Heyward-Bey with another as the Blitz rolled the usually staunch Thunder defense, helped significantly by 3 Jake Plummer interceptions. BIRMINGHAM 12 HOUSTON 17 The Stallions gave Houston a run for their money, but a late Kevin Faulk TD helped the homestanding Gamblers eke out the low-scoring win to move to 5-2. Luke McCown got the start for Houston and struggled a bit, throwing 2 picks, but, thanks largely to a strong game from HB Shaun Alexander, the Gamblers held off the Stallions to stay atop the Southwest Division. NEW ORLEANS 7 DENVER 24 Denver got back on the winning track with a solid three-phases victory over a tough Breaker squad. Matt Leinart had a solid game after looking rusty last week, completing 21 of 30 passes for 243 yards and 3 scores. Peerless Price caught 8 balls for 134 to lead all receivers, but Keary Colbert also stepped up in his first game as the #2 receiver, scoring a TD on his first catch of the night as Denver takes the Sunday night game to move to 4-3 on the year. Top 5 Stories of the Season’s First Half We have reached the midpoint of the season and the USFL is halfway towards writing the story of 2009, but just which teams, which players, and which plays are the ones we are all following right now? Here is our pick for the top 5 stories of the 2009 season at the half-way point. The Maulers Surprising Success We, like many, looked at the Pittsburgh Maulers in the preseason and felt that this was a team that simply did not have the horses to compete in the brutal Central Division. They had brought in a rookie QB to create competition for Cody Pickett, had a receiving corps that was shaky at best, and their defense was middle-of-the-road, but a first half record of 5-2, including wins over Chicago and Orlando have us believing that the Maulers could be this year’s Cinderella story. Pittsburgh ranks 7th in the league in scoring thanks in part to much improved play from QB Cody Pickett, play which has kept rookie Pat White solidly on the bench. The rushing duo of Foster and Watson has produced nearly 800 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns, and Vincent Jackson has stepped up his game, with 43 receptions and 519 yards in the first 7 weeks. The defense is solid, if not spectacular at times, and the Maulers rarely hurt themselves. This could be a formula for a playoff run and certainly takes Coach Rivera off the hotseat and into the driver’s seat, at least through 7 games. Favre Out & Memphis Down There are things you plan for each season and things you do not, and one of the things no one could have planned for is for the league’s Iron Man, Brett Favre, to get knocked out for over a month with an injury. Favre started nearly 200 games without missing a one, but was sidelined by injury this season and the Showboats have not recovered. Mind you, Memphis started the year 0-2 with Favre, a surprise in itself, but without him they have simply not been competitive at all. And it is not all their QB’s fault. The Showboat defense ranks dead last in the league, giving up an average of 29.6 points per game, while the punchless offense (combining starts from Favre, McMahon and Kelly Holcomb) is putting up only 12.9 each week. The two-time defending Eastern Conference champions are 1-6 and will have to be content to play spoiler the rest of the way, even as Favre is set to return to action either this week or in Week 9. The Dragons Cannot Find the Formula Last year Seattle started 0-4, but went on a 10-2 run to re-establish themselves as a playoff club and a dangerous team to face. This year, that is just not happening. They started 0-4 again, then had a spark of hope with a Week 5 win over a very good Michigan team, but subsequent losses to Las Vegas and Oakland have them sitting at 1-6 and very much looking like a team in need of a facelift. The defense has been a major issue, allowing 23 points and 347 yards per game. The offense still has some weapons, but are having a hard time turning yards into points, which is not a formula you want if you want a strong second half to the year. The Dragons could still sneak up on some folks, but a rebound run to a playoff spot seems very unlikely this time around. Baltimore and Nashville Surprise Many with 6-1 Starts The Blitz and the Knights were both expected to be middle-of-the-pack contenders for a Wild Card spot this year, but both are proving that we underestimated them. Sitting at 6-1 and atop their divisions, both clubs are surprising us, and their fans, with firepower we did not know they had. For Nashville it is the defense, ranked #1 in both scoring and yards allowed, that has been carrying them to a lofty 6-1 record. Of course, having Frank Gore to keep the offense on the field and the defense rested has been a huge help as well. For Baltimore, it has been the surge in their passing game, taking pressure off Ron Dayne to carry the load. Ben Roethlisberger is having his best year yet, with 12 TD’s and 2 picks. Baltimore’s only loss came when Big Ben was out and Chris Simms struggled to match his prowess at the position. Both of these clubs look like potential #1 seeds, though neither is a lock with plenty of competition still to face over the second half of the season. Calais Campbell On Pace for Sack Record The stunning numbers Calais Campbell is putting up for Orlando has been the #1 story since back to back 4-sack games got him off and running in weeks 2-3. He is up to 19 sacks in only 7 games, a ridiculous pace that would have him shatter the 16-game record of former Renegade Chris Doleman in this 14-game season. With 7 games to go, Campbell needs only 10 more sacks to tie the record, which at this pace he could have by week 10, much less week 14. Campbell is not doing it alone, as a lot of folks are pointing to the arrival of Albert Haynesworth at nose tackle as a big reason that Campbell is not being manhandled with two linemen. Teams are going to have to find a way to handle both linemen if they want to avoid finding Campbell draped over their quarterback, but in 7 weeks few have found a way to slow him down and the Renegades could well be on their way to having the top 2 sack seasons in league history as something to brag about. Five Teams to Watch in the Second Half As we look ahead to the second half of the season, we know from experience that some teams that have fared pretty well could slow down, while others who may have struggled early could be on their way up. The standings as they are today are almost certainly not how they will end up after another 7 weeks. So, who do we see rising? We picked 5 teams that seem poised for a stronger second half and a potential rise up the standings. Texas: Sitting at 2-5 it may seem hard to hold out much hope that Texas could match some of the preseason darkhorse predictions, but this is a team that is in the Top 10 in both scoring defense and yards allowed. They just need to find more on offense to pull out some games. T. J. Duckett is under 500 yards, which seems low for him. If he can get back on track, and if the young receivers for the Outlaws can find ways to get open for Joe Flacco, we could see Texas start to make waves in the Southwest. Does that mean they catch either Denver or Houston, not likely, but they could certainly play spoiler with games against both down the stretch. Chicago: Yes, at 5-2, Chicago is hardly a mid-range club, but with so much attention being paid to Michigan and Pittsburgh this year, they have largely been off the radar. But the Machine have won 4 in a row, and are tied for first with the Maulers and Panthers. A solid second half could easily see them take over the division. Brady Quinn has been quietly improving at QB, and the defense is still one of the league’s best (3rd in scoring at 14.9 ppg). Don’t be surprised if this club can go 6-1 or even 7-0 in the second half. Portland: The Stags have been something of an enigma this year. They have lost some games badly, but have played well, particularly against division foes. With wins over Las Vegas, Seattle, and LA, the Stags are actually 3-1 in division and at 3-4 sit in 2nd place in the Pacific. We don’t think they will catch up with Oakland, but in what appears to be a pretty weak Pacific Division they could find themselves in a Wild Card hunt if they could be just a bit more consistent and find a way to win some non-division games. Boston: The Cannons have been inconsistent all season, and a very bad loss to New Jersey in Week 6 is baffling, but they have also shown us the ability to rise up when necessary, defeating both Orlando and Michigan with a combination of fast-strike offense and solid defense. The key to a successful second half may be relying on Bledsoe less and Mendenhall more. The more balanced the Boston offense, the better off their QB and his aging knees will be. Yes, they have dangerous receivers in Johnson, Jurevicious and Rookie of the Year candidate Percy Harvin, but the line is not good enough to just chuck the ball 40 times a game. If they can feed the ball to Mendenhall, they can keep the defenses honest and keep Bledsoe upright, which would bode well for them in a very tough NE Division. Tampa Bay: The Bandits have won their last two games and what is most encouraging is that both the defense that took them to 14-2 last year and the Culpepper-led offense, seem to be finding what works for them in 2009. Willis McGahee is taking on a bigger role in the offense, and the defense is beginning to make the plays these past 2 weeks that we did not see earlier. They relied heavily on takeaways last year, and those have not been coming at the same pace, but their wins over Atlanta and Jacksonville, while potentially suspicious, do show signs of hope that this club could turn their 3-4 record into a much better final tally. Five Players Who Could Bust Out As we look ahead to the season’s second half, there are teams that we expect to make a run, but there are also players who we anticipate having a bigger impact. Looking across the league, teams are shifting their strategies and some younger players could see more snaps. We chose 5 players who we think could have an impact in the season’s second act. DE Derrick Harvey (TBY) After a pretty horrible 1-4 start, the Bandits seem to be turning a corner, winning their last two, and the defense has been a big part of that. Second year DE Derrick Harvey could be a key piece in the Bandit’s attempt to come back and make a late playoff run. Harvey had a strong rookie year, with 10 sacks as Tampa Bay surprised the league and finished 14-2, but this year started slowly, with no sacks in his first 5 games. He recorded his first in Week 6, and has been more aggressive in the past 3 weeks, with the Bandits shifting to more 4-man front, freeing up Harvey and veteran Orpheus Roye with more single assignment blocking to face. If the Bandits want to improve on a disappointing 20th ranking in points allowed, finding ways to allow Roye and Harvey to reach the QB will be a big piece of that plan. WR Jerome Pathon (NOR). Starting the year as the 3rd receiver for Eli Manning, Jerome Pathon has seen his role grow in recent weeks. He still trails Dwayne Bowe and Early Doucet with 31 receptions to their respective 63 and 46, but he has seen more snaps, and when thrown to has produced, with a team best 13.1 yards per reception. In Week 6 against Birmingham, he had his first 100-yard game, producing 119 yards and 2 scores, and we expect Manning will start to target Pathon more for deep balls as the Breakers push for a playoff spot. DE Fred Perry (CHA). Julius Peppers has been one of the stories of Charlotte’s defensive surge this year. He leads the club with 9 sacks, but he is beginning to see a lot of double teams, which means that Perry is not, giving the 2nd year player a shot to come at the QB with only one man to beat. Perry had 9 sacks last year, so we know he is capable of winning those battles against the right end. He has 3 this year, but could easily double that or better in the second half of the year as teams try to protect their QB’s blind side from Peppers. QB Josh Freeman (STL). There is really nowhere to go but up for the Skyhawks, who have been averaging only 13 points a game (26th in the league) and have yet to win a game. Coach Williams was hesitant to put his rookie QB in the game, but an injury to Jeff Blake made the call for him. Blake is expected to be out at least another month, so Freeman has every chance to impress and take the job from him. Already, in 2 games of action, Freeman has gained over 553 yards, more than half of what Blake did in 5 games. And while Freeman has yet to win a game or throw a TD, he also has not thrown any picks in his 2 games, better than Blake can say after leading the league with over 20 picks last year. It will not be easy for the rookie, with Denver, Pittsburgh, LA and Michigan up in the next month, but if he can eke out even one win in that span, the transition may be official and the job may be his. HB Knowshon Moreno (ORL): Another rookie, and one who has struggled so far, but Moreno logged his first 100-yard game this week against Charlotte, which is a good sign that he and the Orlando coaching staff have not given up after a rough start to the year. As the game slows down for Moreno, he will begin to see lanes more easily, and his physical talent is certainly there. We don’t expect Moreno to suddenly turn out a massive rookie campaign as some have done, but if he can produce enough to take pressure off of QB Drew Brees, Orlando may actually improve their 24th ranked run offense and get some balance, which might help them down the stretch. Oakland has to be concerned as they are now down two of their top receivers. With Plaxico Burress out for the year, the Invaders lost Hank Basket this week to an ankle injury that could keep him out 4-6 weeks. That leaves them with Greg Jennings, DeSean Jackson and not much else. They did trade for Pierre Garçon, which seems a smart move now, so expect Garçon to become the new #2, with Jackson retaining his slot role. In Texas the concern is at guard, where Leonard Davis is out at least 6 weeks after suffering a broken jaw. Davis will have his jaw wired shut, setting him up for the always nasty liquid diet for at least 3 weeks, but doctors do not want him to push a return due to the location of the break and the potential for a reinjury. In Michigan, x-rays revealed that Mario Manningham’s injury was not a mere concussion, but that he actually had a skull fracture, meaning he will be out at least 4 weeks. Manningham had seen limited action this year, serving as the swing receiver when Ward and Coles needed a breather. That role will now be taken on by Kevin Kasper. New Jersey HB Ray Rice is expected to miss at least 2 weeks as he heals a hairline fracture in his right arm. The injury does not require a cast, but Rice is in a sling at least for a week, meaning that recent trade acquisition R. J. Redmond will now see time along with James Jackson in the General backfield. Finally, Houston could be without their fine young wideout Roy Williams for a 2-3 weeks as Williams is dealing with a turf toe injury. The team is listing him as out for Week 8, but, as we all know, turf toe is one of those injuries that can linger if not treated with care. Midseason Report: What does each team need? With 7 weeks down and 7 to go, every team in the league is assessing where they stand and where they want to be by Week 14. And in that assessment, there is always a discussion of what is working and what is not, changes to depth charts, young players getting a shot to contribute, and even the occasional trade or pick up to try to find an answer. As we look at all 28 USFL clubs, we see gaps that every team must also be concerned about. As we look ahead, we offer our advice on the hole that each club needs to fill to find success, starting at 0-7 St. Louis and moving to the league leaders. ST. LOUIS (0-7): Can we say they need a new GM? Since coming into the league in 2006, the Skyhawks have simply not made good personnel decisions. They hope they have found a QB in Freeman, but their run game is still a shambles and their 28th ranked defense (yardage) is not exactly making life easy for anyone. Honestly, the best option for the Skyhawks and Coach Williams, is to revamp the front office and upgrade the roster from top to bottom. JACKSONVILLE (1-6): There are lots of issues in Jacksonville, but the one that stands out most readily is on defense, where the Bulls are just not making the stops they need to get off the field. The D-Line is doing alright, with 10 sacks between David Bowens and Tom Burke, but when your team leader in interceptions is LB Lavar Arrington with 1, you have secondary issues. The Bulls rebuilt their safety position by signing Mike Brown and Eric Weddle, but the two don’t seem to be clicking as a team yet, and corners Dereck Combs and Corey Graham are just not making plays on the ball. Our one suggestion for Jacksonville is to make some deals to improve at corner. MEMPHIS (1-6): It is too obvious to say “Get Favre Back”, and we do expect him back under center in the next couple of weeks, but Memphis’s problems extend far beyond QB play in his absence. He was 0-2 after all in his 2 starts before the injury. The Showboats are dead last in scoring defense, allowing a devastating 29.6 points per game, including 42 in week 5 to a not-very-scary Bulls offense. It would appear that Marcellus Wiley is just not the player he was back in Denver. The 34-year old Wiley has only 4 sacks in 7 games, and is just not making the impact Memphis needs. Maybe the answer is to give Quentin Moses more snaps, or perhaps the Showboats need to plan for a DE signing in the offseason, because without QB pressure, this defense just does not work. SEATTLE (1-6): For the second year in a row the Dragons started the year 0-4, and this time around it does not look like a turnaround is happening. There are two issues that stand out, the first being the decline of Corey Dillon as Seattle is averaging only 78 yards per game rushing. More disturbing is that their defense is giving up nearly 116 yards per game to opposing backs. Jamie Winborn and Eddie Mason are not proving to be effective in the MLB position and too many times are being blocked off the play by pulling guards. That needs to change if Seattle hopes to turn their year around even just to reach 4-5 wins this year. ATLANTA (1-6): Getting any kind of run game on track will be a huge help, but what Atlanta also needs is a true #1 receiver. Josh Reed is best suited as a #2, and while Marcus Robinson has come on in Reed’s absence, neither is truly a threat to most defenses, which is why TE Will Heller currently leads the team with 31 receptions. The Fire need to make a deal to bring a true #1 to town, but that seems unlikely midseason. TEXAS (2-5): If there is one thing the 25th ranked offense of the Outlaws needs, it is a strategy to keep T. J. Duckett engaged in games. Duckett is averaging a solid 4 yards per carry, but is not getting the volume of carries he is used to. We know that Texas wants to be more balanced with Joe Flacco given opportunities to stretch the field, but if Duckett is not given 20-25 carries a game, Texas is failing to take advantage of their best offensive weapon. ARIZONA (2-5): David Carr may just not be the answer for the post-Plummer Wranglers. The NFL import has just not looked comfortable, and after struggling in New York with the Giants, the reality may be that he is just not a quality starter despite his college success. Arizona has two outstanding receivers in Santana Moss and Larry Fitzgerald, so if Carr is only averaging 179 yards per game passing, that has to be on him. NEW JERSEY (2-5): One number says it all, 27 yards per game. That is the production of the New Jersey run game. The team that brought us Herschel Walker and Curtis Enis is now absolutely woeful in the run game. Ray Rice (now injured) is struggling to do anything. Kerry Joseph leads the team with only 116 total rushing yards. They have already made a move in trading for R. J. Redmond, so there is hope, but if the problem is their line, which it very well appears to be, that will take at least 1 very productive offseason to fix. BIRMINGHAM (2-5): We have started to see signs of life from the Stallions, as their defense has kept them in games and helped them win back-to-back outings against Memphis and Charlotte. What they lack is the ability to make big plays on offense. Kyle Boller has been effective (8:4 in TD:INT) but the Stallions just cannot break the big play. As much as Joe Horn has given to the Stallions over the years, he is no longer a true deep ball target, and we just don’t see another option for the deep ball on the field, which means teams stack the box, stuff the run, and force the Stallions to go on long sustained drives. They need a home run hitter badly. LOS ANGELES (3-4): The Express are training up a rookie QB in Mark Sanchez, and he has had some very good games, but the problem seems to be that he is not getting the balance on offense needed to keep defenses honest. Maurice Jones-Drew is averaging only 3 yards per carry, and the passing game is far too focused on Keyshawn Johnson. LA could truly use a solid #2 receiver, and maybe some help on the interior of the line to help out Sanchez. TAMPA BAY (3-4): With wins in their last 2 games, Tampa Bay has hopes that they have turned the corner, but if they want to do even more they may have to address the WR position. Chris Doering had a career season last year, but he is getting double covered this year because teams don’t fear Karl Williams on the other side. If the Bandits could land a #2 from one of the receiver-deep teams like Boston or Ohio, they could pose a real threat in the second half. LAS VEGAS (3-4): We are not sure why, but the Jake Plummer signing has not had the impact Thunder fans expected. The club is 23rd in scoring and, shockingly, only 13th in rushing. The hope was that Plummer would force teams to respect the pass and that would give Marshawn Lynch more room to run. He was expected to be among the league leaders, and while his 470 yards is not horrible, it is also not dominant. Our key for Las Vegas is to find more ways to get the ball in the air to Hill, Hatchette, and Troy Williamson. Too many sacks, scrambles, and dump offs means defenses are not forced to respect the deep ball or the threat of the pass on early downs. PORTLAND (3-4): The Stags are showing growth on offense, with the 6th best passing attack in the league, but they struggle to find balance. We don’t think their biggest need is a player, but an attitude. This is a team that should be using their success through the air to set up the run, but they are still too predictable in their use of Jonathan Stewart. More draws, more quick hitters, and more spread formations would make life easier for Stewart, produce more 3rd and short situations, and help balance the Stag offense. BOSTON (4-3): No complaints about the Cannon offense, to be sure, but their defense is 27th in yards allowed mostly due to the worst-rated pass defense in the league. That is stunning when we see Jason Babin among the league leaders in sacks, but what we also see is a secondary that is not intimidating anyone. Safeties Shane Welton and Jerome Woods are just not in the right position often enough, and teams are taking advantage of some pretty loose zones. Finding a trading partner to send a safety with a bit more aggressiveness to the Cannons would be a good more at this point in their season. DENVER (4-3): Yes, having Matt Leinart go down for a couple of weeks did not help, but even with Leinart under center, the big issue for Denver continues to be a lack of explosiveness. Peerless Price is a great possession guy, but he is not going to take the top off a defense. Keary Colbert feels very much like a second route-guy and not a speed guy either. Denver needs a receiver who puts fear in the safeties that he will get behind them and Leinart will go over the top. Without that, it is very possible to contain this Gold offense. PHILADELPHIA (4-3): The Stars are a pretty solid team, but that may not be enough to land a playoff spot come Week 14. They could use some more stopping power on defense, but their #1 priority has to be to reinvigorate a run game that was huge for them last year. Steve Slaton and Michael Robinson have produced at times, but are not consistent enough this year to sustain drives. Of the two, Slaton is having the better year (4.2 YPC vs. 2.9) so it may be time to drop the rotation and use Slaton as a true lead back. OHIO (4-3): Just as we saw with Boston, Ohio is all offense and a very shaky defense. They give up nearly 270 yards passing a game, and unlike the Cannons, they do not have a stud at DE making teams pay for going to the air. While Carl Powell and Vonnie Holliday are solid at the position, neither one truly intimidates offensive coordinators. You don’t have to plan against them, and Ohio really does not have the kind of linebackers where blitzing a lot will be productive. A speedy edge rusher, even an unpolished one, might be enough for Ohio to make more stops and force teams to adjust their passing schemes. CHARLOTTE (5-2): While a 5-2 start means that there are no complaints about where Charlotte is situated at the present, recent losses, particularly the one to Birmingham, show that you cannot win with defense alone. Charlotte averages only 197.7 yards per game through the air, so the pressure is squarely on Chris Weinke to do more. His 5:7 TD:INT rate is not what you want to see for a team fighting to win the division. He needs to start finding ways to get the ball into the hands of Hackett and Stevie Johnson a bit deeper down the field, instead of relying on short passes with yards after the catch. CHICAGO (5-2): The Machine may have already made the move we would recommend. They needed a #2 receiver, and their deal with Denver to bring Anquon Boldin to town may be just the remedy for them. In his first game in Chicago, Boldin had 4 receptions for 88 yards, which bodes well for Chicago. Pair that with more touches for Michael Turner, and the Machine could be a tough out the rest of the way. PITTSBURGH (5-2): The Maulers are a surprise at 5-2, but when you have the #7 offense and a Top 10 passing defense, you should expect to win a lot of games. However, their 40-20 loss this week to Michigan showed us that they still have work to do. The Mauler D is very effective on 3rd and long, but their run defense struggles against bigger backs, which is an issue. They have a pretty young LB group, and could really use a thumper at either MLB or Strong Side LB. More snaps for rookie Brian Cushing could be the answer there, but he has been slow to catch on to the complex schemes of the defense, so perhaps simplification is the key. ORLANDO (5-2): It has been all about Calais Campbell and the defense this year, but if Orlando wants to get anywhere in the postseason, they need to improve on that 24th ranked rushing game. Moreno is the key, and, as we already reported, he has seen some improvement, but providing him with more opportunities on downs where the defense is not 100% thinking run first would be a good strategy. HOUSTON (5-2): The Gamblers are a pretty balanced team, hovering between 12th-9th in many statistical areas. We love that they have embraced the run game (3rd in the league), but they now need to embrace more play action passing for Matt Hasselbeck. That could be tough with Roy Williams expected to miss at least a couple of games due to injury, but what may help is getting Kevin Faulk on the field more often. He is an outstanding receiver and could be fit into the slot to keep Shaun Alexander in the backfield as well. MICHIGAN (5-2): Brian Griese is lighting it up for the defending champs, but unlike last year the run game has just not been as reliable. Michigan continues to rotate Justin Fargas with Leon Washington, but maybe the time is now to work Mike Hart into the mix a bit more. He is averaging 4.8 yards per carry in very limited action, and seems a better short-yardage back than either of the men ahead of him on the depth chart. WASHINGTON (6-1): Hard to critique a 6-1 club, especially one with the#1 rushing offense in the league, but if Washington wants to overtake Baltimore and have a shot at the #1 seed in the East, they need to be good in every phase of the game. Right now their main issue is pass defense, and the main concern has to be the inconsistent play of their #2 corner, Brandon Flowers. Flowers has been burnt more often than the Feds can be comfortable with, so they might want to see if there is an option to trade for a corner who might be more consistent in single man coverage. NASHVILLE (6-1): The Knights are clearly riding their defense hard this year. #1 in scoring, yards allowed, and rushing D, this is a dominant squad, but the offense has to do more to help them out. Jay Cutler’s group has the 27th rated passing attack, and the simple fact is that the conservative, 2-TE formations and reliance on Frank Gore are going to keep scores low, which has worked so far, but means that Nashville cannot afford to have any defensive gaffs or off days. OAKLAND (6-1): Wide receiver is the crisis point right now, which sounds weird to say for a 6-1 team, but with Burress gone for the year and now with Basket also hurt, it falls on Greg Jennings and newly-arrived Pierre Garçon to keep Oakland’s passing game humming. If teams can put 8 or 9 in the box, even Ricky Williams would struggle to find rushing lanes, but if Oakland can keep defenses honest, then the offense can continue to make life difficult for opposing teams. BALTIMORE (6-1): Currently sitting in the #1 position in the East, Baltimore has a lot going right. The offense is averaging 25 points per game, the defense is keeping teams under 20, so what could they do better? Honestly, their pass rush is not what you would expect from a team this good. Jared Allen leads the Blitz with only 4 sacks, and they are relying on the blitz far too much for comfort. With teams like Boston and Philadelphia able to put up big yards in the air, it is essential that Baltimore find a way to get pressure with just 4 players, keeping 7 back in coverage. So there you have it, the 1 key thing (player, adjustment, or emphasis) that each team needs to make another step forward or to change direction. How many will find those missing pieces or make the shift that is needed? We have 7 weeks to find out. Best of the USFL: Offensive Tackle Our presentation of the Best of the USFL continues in Week 7 with the offensive tackle, often seen as the key to pass protection and the most highly sought-after member of the offensive line. As with most line positions, this is a bit tougher to gauge than most positions because there simply is not the same quantity of measurable stats to go on. We can look at sacks allowed, but that often has to do more with the offensive style of each team and the propensity for the QB to hold onto the ball. Pancakes are an iffy stat to begin with and really does not say much about quality, only strength. So, we go with our gut and the commentary of coaches who watch film on these guys each week and analyze tendencies. Based on those somewhat subjective criteria, here is our list of the Top 5 Tackles in the USFL today. 1) Jonathan Ogden (LA) Generally considered the best all-around left tackle in the game. He is nearing the end of his career, but is still garnering a lot of respect and a lot of attention from defensive ends. 2) Matt Light (OAK) After 4 years in New Jersey, Matt Light has moved coasts and is now the key protector for Joey Harrington in Oakland. At 29, he still has many good years ahead of him. 3) Levi Brown (TBY) In only his 3rd year in the league, Levi Brown is one of the youngest players to make our list, but his talent is undeniable, keeping Daunte Culpepper upright and ready to toss deep balls for the Bandits. 4) Matt Stinchcomb (WSH) It came down to two NE Division rivals, and the slight edge for #4 went to Stinchcomb, the former Arizona Wrangler who has flourished in DC with Kordell Stewart and Deuce McCallister behind him. 5) Flozell Adams (PHI) The other big time talent a the position in the division. Adams is a road grater and a monster of a man; just what Kurt Warner needs to stay in the pocket. Honorable mention has to go to the best brother tandem in the league Wayne (CHA) and Mike Gandy (MEM), as well as to New Orleans’s LT Mark Tauscher (NOR), and the other half of the best tackle duo in the game, Oakland’s right tackle, Anthony Clement. No divisional games in Week 8, but that does not mean that it is a week without intrigue. Some of the bigger games include Chicago @ LA, Ohio @ Portland, Baltimore @ Charlotte, and the Sunday Night finale, Michigan @ Oakland. FRIDAY @ 8pm Washington (6-1) @ Memphis (1-6) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm Philadelphia (4-3) @ Birmingham (2-5) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm New Jersey (2-5) @ Orlando (5-2) FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm New Orleans (4-3) @ Atlanta (1-6) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Chicago (5-2) @ Los Angeles (3-4) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm Ohio (4-3) @ Portland (3-4) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Nashville (6-1) @ Tampa Bay (3-4) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Boston (4-3) @ Jacksonville (1-6) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Baltimore (6-1) @ Charlotte (5-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm St. Louis (0-7) @ Denver (4-3) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Pittsburgh (5-2) @ Arizona (2-5) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Houston (5-2) @ Seattle (1-6) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Texas (2-5) @ Las Vegas (3-4) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Michigan (5-2) @ Oakland (6-1) ESPN

Four weeks in and we are down to three unbeatens, all in the Eastern Conference, and 4 winless teams, including two playoff teams from 2008. Baltimore and Washington keep their strong starts rolling, as does Charlotte’s surprisingly strong start. Memphis and Seattle lose again, and while the Showboats can squarely point at their injured QB as the reason, Seattle once again has to ask what is going wrong at the beginning of the year yet again. Jacksonville is also 0-4, which is certainly not where they wanted to be at this point. Meanwhile, surprisingly strong starts, not only from Charlotte, but from Pittsburgh and Nashville, have those fan bases excited about their prospects. We look at all the results from a busy week four, the injuries that could impact next week’s interdivisional action, and we get the semifinalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2009 from the league offices, so let the debates begin. PHILADELPHIA 14 WASHINGTON 20 OVERTIME A war of attrition in Philadelphia as the Federals and Stars battled into overtime to decide a winner. In a game that saw no scoring at all in the 2nd or 3rd quarters, a 7-0 Federals lead evaporated in the 4th, with 21 points scored in the final period as the defenses tired. The Stars were able to limit Kordell Stewart to only 164 yards passing, and picked him off 3 times, but in the end his legs did them in. Washington got the early lead on a Stewart to Kennison TD toss, but for most of the game, neither team was able to do much on offense. Philadelphia’s HB duo of Steve Slaton and Michael Robinson combined for only 52 total yards on the ground, and Kurt Warner completed only 24 of 41 passing. Meanwhile, Stewart went 17 of 35 and had 3 drives halted by picks, including 2 from Antonio Cromartie for the Stars. By the end of the 3rd period, however, the two defenses were beginning to tire, and in the 4th we saw some fireworks. It started with Philadelphia’s first scoring drive of the day, a 67-yard drive that concluded with Warner hitting Terrell Owens from 14-yards out for the equalizer. Washington would have their own long drive next, taking nearly 7 minutes to drive the field before Deuce McCallister put them back on top once again, diving into the endzone from the 2 with only 1:56 left on the clock. Having held Philly’s offense in check all game, the hope was that the Feds could hang on during the final 2 minutes, but the pass rush which had produced 8 sacks in the game was winded, and the Stars found ways to get the ball out of Kurt Warner’s hands. They needed only 5 plays to tie the score once again, thanks in large part to Reche Caldwell’s outstanding 1-handed grab on a deep ball, and the fact that the Washington safety, Gibril Wilson, failed to touch Caldwell down. He got back up and sprinted to the endzone for the tying score. Replay confirmed that Wilson had not touched Caldwell on the ground, so the play stood and the game went to overtime. In the extra period, Washington won the toss and took the ball. It would take them only 2 plays to end the game. After an inside run by McCallister netted them 4 yards, they called a bootleg for Stewart, hoping he would be able to get the first down. He did far more than that, eluding the initial tackle, then spinning out of a 2nd tackle attempt and sprinting 75 yards to paydirt and the win, a stunning play that caused RFK to erupt. That run put Stewart at 103 yards for the day, surpassing McCallister’s 99 yard effort, and once again proved that the veteran was still the most dangerous dual threat QB in the league. Washington moves to 4-0 and remains tied atop the NE Division with the 4-0 Baltimore Blitz. Philadelphia now drops to 2-2, even with Boston, but 2 games back of the division co-leaders. OHIO 6 CHICAGO 13 It took nearly a month into the season, but we had our first truly weather-impacted game as the Friday Night game was conducted on the tail end of a thunderstorm front that dumped about 2” of rain on the Columbus area just hours before the start of the game. Both teams slogged through a muddy affair, with Chicago able to score the only touchdown on a night with strong winds and ongoing showers throughout. LOS ANGELES 17 CHARLOTTE 23 A good one early on Saturday as the Monarchs move to 4-0 with another solid defensive performance. They gave up 2 TDs to LA, but that was not enough as Dan Campbell and Autrey Detson both scored for the Monarchs. Two late field goals broke the 17-17 tie and gave Charlotte their fourth win of the season, sending LA to 2-2 on the year. BALTIMORE 16 NEW JERSEY 9 The Storm that battered Ohio on Friday moved to the East Coast on Saturday, but with a turf field it may have been wet and windy, but not muddy in the Meadowlands. In the rain, Blitz HB Ron Dayne sloshed out 86 yards and a key score to help Baltimore survive an improving New Jersey defense. Both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Ben Roethlisberger were forced out of the game, so it ended up being Chris Simms barely holding on against Kevin Kolb. ATLANTA 38 JACKSONVILLE 14 Kyle Orton had himself a career day, completing 22 of 26 for 359 yards and 5 touchdowns as Atlanta was firing on all cylinders in this one. Josh Reed had 143 yards, while both Marcus Robinson and David Tyree caught two scoring tosses each for the Fire. LAS VEGAS 13 OAKLAND 17 The Thunder drop to 1-3 despite picking off Joey Harrington twice. Jake Plummer also threw two picks, including one in the final minute of play that sealed the fate of the Thunder. It was not a pretty game, though both defenses had their moments. Ricky Williams did return, and rushed for 86 yards, but both teams struggled to find the endzone all game. ARIZONA 17 DENVER 13 The Wranglers pull off the upset at Invesco Field as David Carr tosses two TD passes, including a 4th quarter throw to Larry Fitzgerald which proved to be the game winner. Derrick Anderson, in for the injured Matt Leinart, was unable to answer and Denver drops their first game of the season as Arizona evens their record at 2-2. HOUSTON 7 TEXAS 9 The Outlaws give up an early touchdown but then completely shut down the Houston offense for three quarters, slowly kicking their way back and ahead. Despite 2 picks, Joe Flacco and the Outlaw D get the win in front of nearly 50,000 in Dallas’s Cotton Bowl. Another game that was not pretty, but Texas will gladly claim their first win, and to get it against their rivals is even sweeter. BIRMINGHAM 27 MEMPHIS 14 The Stallions get their first win as Memphis continues to struggle without Brett Favre. Mike McMahon was picked twice and sacked 5 times by the Stallion D, while Kyle Boller had his best game in Birmingham, going 18 of 30 for 173 yards and 2 scores. Memphis led at halftime 14-7, but the Stallions scored 20 unanswered in the second half to send the 2-time defending Eastern Champs to 0-4 on the year. ORLANDO 21 TAMPA BAY 17 Another dominant defensive performance from Calais Campbell helps power Orlando to the win. Campbell not only added 3 more sacks to his league leading total, but one was a sack-fumble-recovery-TD. Throw in an efficient 20 of 30 for 244 and 2 scores from Drew Brees and Orlando moves to 3-1 while sending Tampa Bay to their third consecutive loss. MICHIGAN 24 BOSTON 37 The Panthers suffer their first loss of the season as Drew Bledsoe throws for 338 and Rashard Mendenhall has a POTW game with 167 yards rushing and 2 TDs. Boston’s D also stepped up, limiting Michigan to only 40 yards rushing on the day, making their offense one-dimensional, and then going all out on pass rush. Griese was sacked 9 times in the game, including 3 times by Jason Babin, moving him to #2 in the league behind Campbell. PORTLAND 24 SEATTLE 21 Déjà vu all over again as Seattle drops to 0-4 to start the year. Portland got a stellar game from HB James Stewart, who rushed for 134 and the go ahead score, while Corey Dillon was limited to only 46 yards on 21 carries, a 2.2 YPC average. With the win the Stags move to 2-2 on the year. NASHVILLE 13 NEW ORLEANS 16 The Knights drop their first game, falling behind 9-0 on three David Green field goals and then 16-6 on a late Chris Cooley TD catch. Neither team could establish a lot on offense as the defenses dominated this matchup, with both teams going 5 of 14 on third down and both committing 2 turnovers. PITTSBURGH 35 ST. LOUIS 20 The Maulers move to a surprising 3-1 on the year thanks to their run game, which racked up 165 yards and 3 scores. Cody Pickett struggled a bit, throwing 3 picks, but Jeff Blake also struggled with 2 picks of his own as Pittsburgh pulled away in the 3rd quarter on 2 DeShaun Foster TD runs. The Skyhawks sit at 0-4 and calls for Josh Freeman to start are getting louder. Coach Williams Stands by Blake. Despite an 0-4 start, Coach Doug Williams is not wavering in his decision to have Jeff Blake start the season. Blake, who last year led the league with 22 interceptions and who has a 2-16 record all time as the Skyhawks starter, is getting the start again in Week 5 despite the pressure mounting to see what rookie Josh Freeman can do. According to Williams, the issues the Skyhawks are facing this season go well beyond his QB and the QB should not be the scapegoat. We cannot argue with that assessment. The issues in St. Louis certainly go much farther than poor QB play. While Blake’s 4 game totals are hardly All-USFL material (69 of 131 for 860 yards, 3 TDs and 4 picks), they are also not the entire story. The Skyhawks are averaging only 87 yards per game on the ground, and, worse yet, they are 27th in the league in both points allowed (a whopping 31.5 per game) and yardage (384 yards per game). While an inability to sustain offense is a part of this issue, the defense also has to be called out for failing to get off the field or to detain the opposition. St. Louis just gave up 35 points to Pittsburgh, 41 to Michigan the week before. You cannot pin that on Blake. However, the Offense has converted only 16 of 64 third down attempts, a pretty miserable 25%, not nearly the disaster that is Las Vegas (9 of 58 for 15%) but certainly not the kind of numbers that will get you many wins. That particular statistic is largely on Blake, or perhaps Blake and his offensive line, since the QB has been sacked and pressured enough to make 3rd down a real challenge. Will Williams change his tune if the club slides to 0-5, 0-6, or worse? One expects that the pressure will certainly be there if they do and at some point ownership is going to demand to see the high cost rookie QB in action, but just when that moment will come is still very much unsure. Could We See a Defensive MVP in 2009? Yes, we are only 1 month into the new season, but if you had to pick a frontrunner for MVP right now, how could it not be Orlando DE Calais Campbell? The 2nd year end is averaging 3 sacks per game, just scored his first TD, and has altogether been a nightmare for opponents. Orlando has more going for them, of course, and the addition of Albert Haynesworth has certainly made life more difficult for opposing offensive coordinators, but what Campbell is doing is stunning. He sits at 12 sacks after only 4 weeks, a pace that would shatter the USFL record of 29 sacks (in a 16-game season) for another Renegade, Chris Doleman. If Campbell toys with Doleman’s record, and if Orlando stays at or near the top of the Southeast Division, I don’t see how he could be passed over for MVP consideration. In a year where the offensive stars are more balanced, with no one absolutely blowing up the competition, the singular “must watch” nature of what Campbell is doing cannot be ignored. We have to expect that defenses will start trying to adjust to find ways to slow down the former Miami Hurricane, and keeping up a 3 sack per game pace seems very challenging, but with 10 games left and only 18 sacks needed for the record, Campbell is the first challenger to that lofty number we have seen in a long time. Were he to be able to match or surpass Chris Doleman’s 16-game record in only 14 games, he would absolutely be my MVP votegetter. Will Holcomb Get the Start for Memphis? That was the question asked of Coach Haslett after another poor outing for the Memphis offense in the absence of Brett Favre. With their MVP QB expected to miss at least another 4 weeks, and with the club on the edge of disaster at 0-4, Memphis fans are not feeling very patient when it comes to their backup. Yes, McMahon has been with the club for 3 years and knows the offense well, but he is just not getting results, and Memphis cannot afford to go to 0-8 before Favre arrives, especially not in a 14-game season. The Showboats clearly do not believe that rookie Keith Null out of tiny West Texas A&M is pro ready, so what other choice do they have? The Showboats picked up free agent QB Kelly Holcomb, formerly of the Generals, and before that the NFL with Indianapolis and Cleveland. But before Showboat fans get too wrapped up in trying to replace McMahon, they should realize that Holcombe has a USFL lifetime QB Rating of 74.9, most of that coming with the Generals in an 11-start season in 2007. Admitedly, in that season, he did throw for almost 2,000 yards and 11 TDs, which is more than McMahon’s entire lifetime total, but it is not as if Holcomb is an All-USFL QB just sitting in the wings. For Coach Haslett has to believe that to put Holcomb into the game, he has to offer the Showboats a better chance to earn a win than McMahon, and with only 2 weeks on the roster, that just does not seem likely at this point. What is Wrong in Jacksonville? The Bulls sit at 0-4 after the league’s first month, and seem like a team that is just not putting in the work needed to win games. After a relatively close 24-17 loss on opening day to Orlando, the Bulls have just gotten worse and the results more one-sided. They lost by 10 to Baltimore in Week 2, again not horrible, but in Week 3 fell to Ohio by a score of 45-17, and this week, dropped a home game to winless Atlanta by 24 points, losing 38-14 in a game that Las Vegas had them set as a 5-point favorite. So what seems to be going wrong for a club that not long ago was seen as an up and coming franchise? We looked over all the stats and we think we have 4 statistics that demonstrate Jacksonville’s key issues. The Run Game is Under-Utilized. The Bulls are not balanced, that is clear. Jake Delhomme is being asked to pass far too much, risking turnovers and creating too many long 3rd downs to convert. Why? It seems that Coach Childress is just not putting much trust in HB Antowain Smith. This absolutely baffles us as Smith has averaged over 1,200 yards per season since 2004. He is also averaging 310 carries a year, while this year he is just getting enough carries, not even reaching 20 per game, which, for a clear lead back should be a minimum. There is fear that the 32-year old has hit the cliff, and that is evident in his drop from 4.2 YPC last year to only 3.2 this year, but with fewer carries, he is not getting those late game opportunities when backs tend to break more plays and wear down defenses. The Secondary Is Giving Up Big Plays It is not that there is not talent in the Bulls’ secondary, but new arrivals Mike Brown and Eric Waddle have not seemed comfortable in Coach Childress’s system, and seem to be out of position far too often, leading to far too many plays going for big yards after the catch. It seems that Eric Waddle in particular wants to be an “in the box” safety, but Childress’s design for the defense should have him in center field, not creeping up to the line. With more 20+ yard pass plays allowed than any other team in the Eastern Conference, this is an issue that the Bulls need to sort out quickly. They Are Not Targeting Jason Whitten Enough You know we hyped up Whitten in the season preview, but apparently Coach Childress and the offensive coaching staff were not reading what we wrote. Whitten currently stands 4th on the team in targets, roughly 6 per game, and most of those are dump offs when Delhomme cannot find a deep receiver. We are not seeing plays designed to make use of Whitten over the middle, meaning that the defenses are not being asked to account for the big receiver. Add to this the fact that the target to catch ratio of both Rashaun Woods (21 of 40) and Jerricho Cotchery (only 7 of 30 targets caught) means that there are a lot of incompletions leading to a lot of short drives and 3-and-outs. They Cannot Get to the QB Without Blitzing Another pretty obvious statistic when you look at the game film. DE’s David Bowens and Tom Burke may be leading the team in sacks, but of their combined 5 sacks (a full 7 behind just Calais Campbell alone), 4 of them have come during a blitz package when the tackle has opted to handle the blitzer. The Bulls are not able to get pressure with their line, so they are forced to send linebackers and safeties on the blitz, which, in turn, leads to more 1-on-1 coverage, and more deep pass plays, bringing us back to issue #2 above. If the Bulls could drop their backers and safeties back, they could keep the receivers in front of them and not give up the backbreaking deep balls that we have seen this season. There, 4 issues identified, now it is up to the Bulls to see how they can address them. Two more players added to IR across the USFL this week as Atlanta loses their top receiver, Josh Reed to a PCL injury. Reed is expected to be out of action well into the fall. In Pittsburgh, backup LB Buster Davis suffered a shoulder/scapula injury which will put him on the IR as well. Not quite as severe, but still requiring lengthy absences are a fractured jaw suffered by G Scott Shaw (ORL), a broken tibia for Nashville DT Shaun Ellis (4-6 weeks), and a back injury that may keep star Memphis LB Patrick Willis out at least 2-4 weeks. Expected to be out at least 1 week are Denver DE Chike Okeafor (wrist), Tampa Bay DE Derrick Harvey (arm), LV tackle Kenyatta Walker (abdominal), Houston FS Willie Andrews (retinal detachment), and Philadelphia TE Brent Celek (hip). We also have 3 starting QB’s likely to miss this week and listed as Doubtful in today’s injury report: Baltimore’s Ben Roethlisberger (concussion), New Jersey’s Ryan Fitzpatrick (thigh), and Denver’s Matt Leinart (knee). Hall of Fame Nominees Announced This week marked the annual announcement of the semifinalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2009. This includes 7 players who retired at the conclusion of the 2004 season as well as three returning nominees from past years. The 7-3 breakdown is a bit unusual, as most years we see either a 5-5 or 6-6 split, but it is within the rights of the selection committee to balance first-time and returning nominees, and apparently, they felt that there was a strong cohort of first years to be recognized. So, here, without any further ado, are the 10 semi-finalists, from which we will get the league’s 5 new inductees later this summer. QB Doug Flutie (NJ 85-95, MGN 96-02, HOU 04) With one of the longest tenures of any USFL player, Doug Flutie was a staple of USFL football ever since he came to the league as the Heisman Trophy Winner back in the 1985 season. He would spend the first 11 years of his career in New Jersey with the Generals, lined up in front of Herschel Walker and winning a title for New Jersey in 1989. Known for his elusiveness, creativity, and “Flutie Magic”, the BC product was considered one of the toughest QBs to defend against in the league and could be seen on everything from car commercials to his ubiquitous “Flutie Flakes” cereal. After 11 seasons with New Jersey, Flutie had himself an entire 2nd career in Michigan, where he took over as the starter for the Panthers, throwing for over 4,500 yards on two separate occasions (1998 and 1999), with a career-best 48 TDs in the 1998 season for the Panthers. Flutie would have been eligible for the Hall two years ago, but after initially leaving the game in 2002, he came back when the Houston Gamblers needed an emergency QB in the 2004 season. Flutie would play sparingly in that season, but the decision to give it one more go meant that he did not qualify for the Hall until this year. We cannot imagine any way that his name will not be among the 5 inducted in October. He is in many ways Mr. USFL, a spokesman for the league and a symbol of its early days as a league that gave chances to so many who might otherwise have been out of the game. OT Richmond Webb (BIR 90-04) You could not expect more from a left tackle than what Richmond Webb provided to both Cliff Stoudt and Brett Favre over his career. A brick wall with a reputation for being a bit nasty at times, Webb was the primary protector for the Stallions’ line for 15 seasons. He started 210 of 225 games, including 167 in a row during his career and was pivotal in the championship run of the Stallions in 1993. A 9-time All-USFL selection at the most coveted line position, we think Webb will be a strong candidate to be a first-ballot inductee. CB Vince Buck (ARZ 90-94, OHI 95-99, LA 00, HOU 01-04) Buck played for 4 clubs over his 15-year career, with a championship ring always eluding him. He started everywhere he went, with 222 starts in 231 games, and was known as a superb pass defender, with 325 passes defended and 44 picks over his career. Buck’s versatility and ability to make up ground are often cited as his strengths as a player. LB Lamar Lathon (NOR 90-04) A lifetime Breaker, Lathon came to New Orleans in 1990 as a rookie out of the University of Houston. Voted the Defensive Rookie of the Year and named to 4 All-USFL teams, Lathon was the glue that held together the Breaker defense for over a decade. In that time, he amassed nearly 1,400 tackles. The main drawback for Lathon may be that his Breaker teams were not always particularly solid on defense, and in the later years the clubs had some pretty shaky seasons. SS LeRoy Butler (JAX 90-93, HOU 94-96, ORL 97-00, TBY 01-04) A 15-year vet who played both safety positions at one point, a 4-time All-USFL nominee, and a league champion in 1996 with the Gamblers, Butler was listed among the best at the position for well over a decade and feels very much like a potential first-ballot nominee. He retired after 3 years in Tampa Bay, his 4th club in the league, with 1,116 tackles. Never afraid to play close to the line, Butler recorded 31 sacks over his career. His pick numbers are not high, but that was never his role in the secondary. We expect a lot of support for his nomination. HB Rashan Salaam (DEN 95-01, OAK 03-04) We knew this day would come, when voters would have to decide whether Salaam’s off the field antics, antics which got him a 1-season suspension and cost him his spot on the Denver Gold roster, would disqualify him for the HOF or not. The numbers are certainly impressive, nearly 9,000 yards and 72 TDs in only 10 seasons, including 5 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, three All-USFL nominations, the rushing title in 1998 and both a ring and an honor as the Playoff MVP in the Gold’s 2000 championship season. But, of course, it was that 2000 title that led to the extensive celebration that got Salaam in so much hot water. Just how much the drug-filled party following the 2000 Summer Bowl tarnishes Salaam’s on-field accomplishments remains to be seen. He served his 1-year suspension, returning to the league with Oakland in 2003, and rushing for 762 yards and 7 scores in his final season in 2004. We suspect that Salaam will get consideration but seems like a longshot to be a first-ballot inductee. There is just too much stigma to his career to obtain that honor, despite his obvious talent as a ballcarrier. DE Clyde Simmons (TBY 99, POR 00-01, NOR 02-04) Our second somewhat controversial nomination, as Simmons spent only 6 seasons in the USFL after a lengthy NFL career). Yes, during those six years he had solid numbers, averaging nearly 10 sacks per year and helping to bolster all three clubs, but he was never nominated to a single All-USFL team during his time in the league, and his highest sack total in any year was 11 in 2001, hardly Hall of Fame numbers. The concern here is that a potential Hall of Fame NFL player is getting some form of preferential treatment. OG Will Shields (TBY 93-98, NJ 99-03) The first of our returning nominees, Shields played 11 seasons in the USFL and was effective as both a pass blocker and lead blocker on run plays. He was a 5-time All-USFL selection, playing primarily right guard, and started 157 of his 163 games in the league. He allowed only 38 sacks in 11 seasons in the league and won a title in 1998 with that amazing offense of the Aikman-led Bandits. LB Marvcus Patton (DEN 90-03) In his second year of eligibility, Patton was close to qualifying in his first go, so he may be the most likely repeat candidate to get inducted this year. The UCLA product came to Denver as a rookie and made an immediate impact. In his 2nd year he was named the Defensive Player of the Year, and he would retire in 2003 as a 3-time All USFL player, and as a Champion thanks to the Gold’s 2000 season title. LB Pat Swilling (MEM 90-91, HOU 92-02) In his 3rd year of eligibility, this may be Pat Swilling’s best shot at a gold jacket. The one-time Showboat emerged as a starter with the 1992 Houston Gamblers, helping the Kelly-led Gamblers to league titles in both 1992 (his first year with the club) and in 1996. Named to 4 All-USFL teams, Swilling retired in 2002 with 905 career tackles, 165 for a loss behind the line, and 44 career sacks. Best of the USFL Our ongoing series of the Best of the USFL turns back to the Defense today as we look at the big men in the middle, the defensive tackles. Whether manning the nose in the 3-4 or hitting the gaps in the 4-3, the defensive tackles are at the heart of line play and the ability to disrupt both the run and the pass. So, who are the best at their position in the league? We had quite a bit of debate about this, and it took quite a while before we could separate out five from a pretty good pack. In part this is due to the lack of stats that most DTs accumulate, but it is also because this may be one of the deeper and most balanced positions in the league. But, after much discussion, here is our Top 5 DTs in the league today. Richard Seymour (HOU): In a line that features Kavika Pittman and Osi Umenyiura it is tough for Seymour to get a lot of press, but that does not diminish his abilities or his impact. The 8-year veteran is one of the most disruptive tackles in the game, and capable of handling dual blocks all game long. Not much of a penetration tackle, Seymour only has 14 sacks, but he is murder on blocking schemes and occupies space better than anyone in the game today. Leonard Renfro (MGN): Signed by the Panthers after a long career in New Jersey, New Orleans, Houston, and Nashville, Renfro had a career year in 2008 with the Panthers, racking up 65 tackles, 20 more than in any previous season. An ageless wonder, Renfro is playing in his 17th season in the USFL, and is still putting up strong numbers, with 22 tackles already this year. Luis Castillo (TEX): The youngest of our 5 defensive tackles, Castillo is entering only his 5th season in the league, but has already made an impression. He only started a combined 8 games in his first two years with the Outlaws, but has since been a starter in 34 consecutive games, and his numbers have been impressive. Castillo is not a classic nose tackle, but fits in well next to Chris Hovan, making it possible for him to penetrate into the backfield, disrupting blocking schemes. One of the best stunting DTs in the game, he frequently swaps position with Chris Canty to confuse and confound blockers. Shaun Rogers (NSH): Back to a true nose tackle with Rogers and the Knights’ 3-4. Rogers may be injured right now (expected to miss 4-6 games) but when he is in the game, this 9-year veteran knows how to occupy space and blockers. He had career numbers in 2008, starting 15 games and recording 81 tackles, one of the highest totals for any DT in the past 10 years. Add to that 5 sacks last year (and 2 already this year) and you can understand why Rogers is considered one of the most disruptive DTs in the USFL. Anthony McFarland (WSH): Our final pick was a tough one, but in the end, McFarland’s 10 seasons with both Boston and Washington won out over the new hot commodity, Orlando’s Albert Haynesworth. While no one can deny the impact Haynesworth has had in only 4 games, McFarland has been a steady force for the Federals since coming to them in free agency in 2005. Before that he was an anchor for Boston’s defense and has only missed 2 games in his 10+ seasons. Among those just missing the cut we find Haynesworth, who is making a big impression immediately, along with Baltimore’s Jeff Zgonina, LA’s Daryl Gardener, and Chicago’s big man, Ted Washington. Among younger players to watch is New Jersey’s B. J. Raji, Jacksonville’s Marcus Stroud, and Las Vegas’s Haloti Ngata. Week 5 is another fully inter-divisional week, meaning that it is all about matchups at the top and bottom of the standings. At the top we have 3-1 Orlando hosting 4-0 Baltimore and out West a clash of division leaders as 3-1 Denver visits 3-1 Oakland. At the bottom it is a battle of 0-4 teams when Memphis heads to Jacksonville. Or, for you masochists out there, the 0-4 Skyhawks travel to 1-3 Las Vegas. Is this when the Thunder get their season truly started? Quite a few mismatches as well as 1-3 Atlanta host 4-0 Washington, Undefeated Charlotte head to Birmingham, and 0-4 Seattle try to get on track against 3-1 Michigan. FRIDAY @ 8pm Denver (3-1) @ Oakland (3-1) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm Washington (4-0) @ Atlanta (1-3) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Birmingham (1-3) @ Charlotte (4-0) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Memphis (4-0) @ Jacksonville (0-4) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Michigan (3-1) @ Seattle (0-4) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm Ohio (3-1) @ Houston (2-2) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Baltimore (4-0) @ Orlando (3-1) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Philadelphia (2-2) @ New Orleans (3-1) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm New Jersey (1-3) @ Nashville (3-1) FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm Pittsburgh (3-1) @ Texas (1-3) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Arizona (2-2) @ Los Angeles (202) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm St. Louis (0-4) @ Las Vegas (1-3) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Chicago (2-2) @ Portland (2-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Boston (2-2) @ Tampa Bay (1-3) ESPN

A bit of a mixed week, as most are, with a few real nail biters in Ohio, Washington, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville. We had an upset in New Jersey as the Generals upended Drew Bledsoe and the Cannons thanks to a very stingy D, while in Orlando the Pittsburgh Maulers asserted to the nation that they were a true threat in the Central Division. We got a great game between two other Central Division rivals as Michigan and Ohio went toe to toe, while New Orleans and Charlotte both held off upset bids in action this week. Trades were the order of business this week as well, with several teams hoping to improve their playoff chances by filling noticeable gaps in their rosters, while others looked to the future by obtaining some draft picks. All that and a new deal for the league to get gear made by a new partner and you have a packed Week 6 just ahead of the midseason point. Let’s start off our coverage this week with that game in Columbus, where the Panthers and Glory fought to claim a spot at the top of the Central Division. MICHIGAN PANTHERS 33 OHIO GLORY 28 Forget the Buckeyes and Wolverines, the Glory-Panther rivalry was the reason for Ohio and Michigan to get riled up this week. Ohio led from the opening score all the way until the 1:24 mark of the 4th, but two late Griese to Coles TD tosses in the 4th sunk Ohio’s hopes and propelled Michigan to a key divisional road win. It was a game with a bit of everything. Eight sacks, 7 TD passes, and 3 receivers over 100 yards apiece, but unlike what most pre-game prognosticators expected, it was Michigan who got the better of the passing game, with Brian Griese outdueling Kerry Collins, 434 yards to 334. Griese also had one more TD pass than Collins (4 to 3) and with both Hines Ward and Bennie Joppru going over 140 yards receiving, it appears the Panthers have figured out how to exploit the Ohio defense. The game was dynamic from the outset. Ohio took the opening kickoff and turned their first possession into 7 points as Collins hit Joey Galloway with the game’s first touchdown. Michigan responded with Griese finding his tight end, Joppru for 7 to wrap up the first quarter. In the second it was Galloway again, this time on a quick rub play at the goalline. Michigan responded with a field goal, and Ohio pulled ahead by 11 as Kevin Smith closed out the first half with a rare TD run. The third quarter opened with Michigan receiving the kick and they marched the ball down the field, with Griese tossing his 2nd TD, a beauty of a fade route to Hines Ward. The 2-pointer failed and Ohio led 21-16. Michigan cut it to 21-19 with a Matt Prater field goal as the third quarter ended, but Ohio would stretch out the lead again. With 7 minutes left in the 4th, Ohio got a 14-yard TD reception from Bulls import Javon Walker and led by 9. Michigan would need two scores in the final 7 minutes. The Panthers were undaunted, and with 3:54 left to play they got the first of the two scores they needed. It was a quick strike, with Griese finding Laverneus Coles in single coverage and taking the slant & go route all the way to the house, an 82-yard strike that had the moderate Panther contingent at Ohio Stadium on their feet. The defense would hold on the next drive as Ohio forced Michigan to use all three time outs, but ended up giving the ball back to the Panthers with 1:57 left to play. Time for a two-minute drill, and Griese ran his to perfection. Michigan stayed in a 3 receiver, 1 TE, 1 back formation with Ward, Coles, Randle-El, Joppru and Leon Washington as the main targets for Griese. He hit Joppru twice, gaining 33 yards on two plays before finding Laverneus Coles once again, this time a 15-yard TD pass with just 17 seconds left to play as Michigan snatched victory away from the Ohio Glory. The Panthers, with the win, move to 4-2, tied with Chicago just one game behind surprising Pittsburgh. Ohio drops to .500 at 3-3 after 6 weeks. BALTIMORE 21 WASHINGTON 17 A truly classic I-95 Showdown between the unbeaten Federals and the 4-1 Blitz as Baltimore gets a late score on a screen to Dayne that shatters the Feds’ undefeated run. The game started 14-0 Washington thanks to a Stewart to Branch TD and a pick-six from Mark Simoneau, but Baltimore battled back, with scores from Darrius Heyward-Bey and Jacob Tamme. Both clubs looked like serious contenders as they went back and forth in a great game that sets up a tie between these two atop the NE Division. BOSTON 9 NEW JERSEY 10 A shocker in the Meadowlands as the Generals’ defense takes it on themselves to get a W for Coach Edwards. Boston’s O-line, which had been playing so well, let up 5 sacks and Bledsoe, under constant pressure, tossed 3 picks as the Generals simply won with their D alone. The only TD of the game was a pick six from Nate Clements as neither offense could do anything. ATLANTA 23 TAMPA BAY 26 A surprisingly good game from two 1-win teams as the Bandits pulled out the W in a 4th quarter that saw the two clubs combine for 27 points. Willis McGahee was on fire, rushing for 141 yards and a score, while kickers Nate Kaeding and Josh Scobee combined for 7 field goals in the game. Marcus Robinson emerged as the Atlanta #1 receiver with 9 receptions for 122 yards and a score. CHARLOTTE 19 JACKSONVILLE 17 The Monarchs get back in the win column with 10 points in the final period to upend the Bulls in Jacksonville. Down 17-10, the Monarchs got a Coutu field goal to pull within one score and then snagged the win in the final seconds as Chris Weinke found D. J. Hackett for a last second touchdown in a very exciting final 2 minutes. Charlotte moves to 5-1, while the Bulls are looking for answers at 1-5. BIRMINGHAM 22 NEW ORLEANS 27 The Stallions look like a much-improved team, but it is not enough as the Breakers pull this one out with a pair of 4th quarter field goals. Jerome Pathon was the surprise star for New Orleans, catching 3 balls for 119 yards, 2 of them going for touchdowns. MEMPHIS 9 NASHVILLE 20 It was a slow and steady strategy that led Nashville to the rivalry win over Memphis, pulling away in the final period with TDs from Frank Gore and Robert Meachem as Memphis continues to struggle without Favre at the helm. Kelly Holcomb got the start and went 14 of 32 for 229 but was sacked 4 times. CHICAGO 17 ST. LOUIS 6 Coach Williams’s decision to keep Jeff Blake as the starter was undone by a blitzing Tommy Polley, whose hit on Blake sent the QB to the bench, bringing on rookie Josh Freeman for the first time this year. Freeman looked pretty solid, completing 22 of 34 passes for 281 yards, but he also survived 6 sacks as Chicago just did not allow St. Louis to get into a rhythm. The Machine offense was a bit shaky, which might explain the trade we saw this week (see below), but it was enough to get the Machine their 4th win of the year. ARIZONA 7 TEXAS 22 Rian Lindell’s 5 field goals, and a lone score from T. J. Duckett were enough to get Texas the W in Dallas, as Arizona struggled. David Carr was sacked 7 times and was held under 200 yards passing, while Sedrick Irvin was limited to 62 on the ground as Texas established a defensive presence in the game and did not let up, earning their 2nd win of the year. DENVER 20 HOUSTON 23 The Gamblers avenge their Week 1 loss in Denver with a 3-point victory at NRG Stadium. With Matt Hasselbeck out at the half after a bad blow to the head, Luke McCown rallied the Gamblers and got the win for Houston. Matt Leinart returned for Denver but could not get the win as his 2 TDs were offset by two picks. LAS VEGAS 15 SEATTLE 10 Seattle fell to 1-5 after giving up the first 15 points of the game, including a safety on Byron Leftwich that Coach Glanville is still complaining should have been a defensive TD. Leftwich spent the game running for his life, sacked 7 times by Las Vegas, as they sent blitzers from every direction. Marshawn Lynch had his first 100-yard game of the year as the Thunder ground down the clock over the second half, not allowing Seattle enough possessions to come all the way back. LOS ANGELES 9 OAKLAND 13 Another defensive showdown as Oakland seemed somewhat unsettled by Plaxico Burress’s absence. Joey Harrington completed only 12 of 23 passing, but did connect on the key play, a 13-yard TD toss to TE Mike Merrit to get the win. LA outgained the Invaders but just could not get into the endzone. PORTLAND 14 PHILADELPHIA 23 In the first of our two extra-divisional games, Philadelphia took care of business at home to move to 4-2, one game back of the Feds and Blitz. The Stars sacked A. J. Feeley 6 times and Kurt Warner connected with both Steve Smith and Terrell Owens for scores. No sharpies were seen this time around as Owens behaved himself against the Stags. PITTSBURGH 23 ORLANDO 15 A huge road win for the Maulers, who are beginning to get some believers around the league, as they head into Orlando and pull off one of the best comebacks in league history. Down 15-0 at one point and 15-7 at the half, Pittsburgh scored 23 unanswered points after knocking Drew Brees out of the game with an ankle injury. Cody Pickett threw two 2nd half TDs and Dshaun Foster ran one in to give Pittsburgh the win and put them all alone at 5-1 atop the Central Division. Burress to be Charged Not surprising, but still problematic for the Oakland Invaders, star wideout Plaxico Burress has been charged in Alameda county with three counts, including a felony count for illegal possession of a firearm within city limits. He was also charged with reckless endangerment and illegal discharge of a firearm for the incident that saw him shoot himself in the thigh as the gun in his waistband went off while he was dancing at a local club. The injury already put the receiver on the IR for the year, but now, with criminal charges pending, there is a risk that Burress will have to serve time as well as pay fines, none of which makes him an enticing free agent to resign, or a good target for another team. Burress’s contract expires in August, and the hope had been that his incentive to have a big year would help Oakland get over the hump and find their way to the Summer Bowl. With Burress gone for the year, his chances of improving his options as a free agent are melting away. Criminal charges which could impact the 2010 season as well could make it much easier for Oakland to let him go, and much harder for another team to explore signing the 10-year veteran. For the Invaders, whose offense clearly suffered this week, the added complication made finding an alternative all that much more imperative, and they pulled the trigger on a trade this week that is designed to do just that (see below). For Burress, the news of the charges could be the sign that he may have a long year ahead of him, not just rehabbing his injured leg, but his image as well. Trade Wire Gets Hot as Teams Try to Fix Issues Whether through injury or just poor play, the first six weeks of the season have revealed some areas of need for nearly every team in the league, and as we typically see in the month before the Week 10 trade deadline, the trading block starts to get busy around this time of year. Several noteworthy trades clearly send the message that contenders are trying to patch holes and teams below .500 are trying to find answers. Here are the 5 moves that could have the biggest impact over the next 8 weeks. OAKLAND hopes they found their substitute for Plaxico Burress. After moving Greg Jennings into the #1 slot, they went out and found a new potential #2 receiver in Memphis’s Pierre Garçon. The 2nd year receiver had 22 catches for 349 yards last year in Memphis, but has struggled this year with the dicey Showboat QB situation. He has only 2 catches in 6 games with the Boats, but now gets a chance to sign on with a 5-1 Oakland club looking for a reliable #2. Oakland sends a 3rd round pick this year and a 4th in 2011 to Memphis for their wideout. TEXAS, who had a strong week in the pass rush department, might have just gotten a whole lot more dynamic in that area after trading with New Jersey. The deal brings veteran DE Reynaldo Wynn to Texas, while sending some reinforcements to New Jersey to try to boost their moribund run game. Wynn, who had 11 sacks last year, his first with New Jersey, looked like a star on the rise, but clearly was one the Generals were willing to part with to try to solve their offensive woes. In return for Wynn, the Generals pick up guard Tuten Reyes, a definite improvement on the interior of their line, and also nab one of the better backup HBs in the league in R. J. Redmond. With Kerry Joseph leading all General rushers with only 116 total yards in 6 games, the hope is that Redmond can rotate with Joseph and 2nd year back Ray Rice to try to develop some kind of viable run offense for the Generals. Run game was also the focus for Birmingham, as they sent a 4th round pick to St. Louis to obtain HB Michael Bush. There were high hopes for Bush in St. Louis when he was drafted in 2007, but with only 165 yards last year after a 370 yard rookie campaign, Bush had dropped to 3rd behind Larry Johnson and Dominic Rhodes on the Skyahawk depth chart. In Birmingham he will rotate carries with Felix Jones as the Stallions hope to revive a run game to take pressure off of QB Kyle Boller. Chicago is also trying to amp up their offense, but their concern is at the receiver position. With Curtis Conway gone to Charlotte and rookie Johnny Knox struggling to fill the #2 role next to Donald Driver, the Machine made a deal with Denver to bring a legitimate 2nd option to Soldier Field. The Machine sent slot receiver James Hardy and a 3rd round pick they had from Atlanta to the Gold in order to acquire veteran Anquon Boldin from the Gold. Boldin, who had his best years in 2003 and 2004 in Jacksonville, has been reliable but not spectacular while in Denver. He will now move into the #2 slot for the Machine, hoping to get a revival to his career. In Denver, Keary Colbert, who had a strong rookie campaign in 2008, will move into the #2 slot and make room for Jacquez Green and Hardy to take over the slot duties. One more move, and one more receiver sent to a new spot. Nashville felt good about their trio of wideouts (Derrick Mason, Robert Meachem, and Ahmad Merrit) but were not seeing the production they wanted from TE Justin Peele, so they make a deal with Portland to bring All-USFL (2008) tight end Bubba Franks over to the Knights. Franks, who began his career with Washington before spending 4 years in New Orleans and then joining Portland in the expansion draft, had a career year with the Stags, catching 67 balls for 707 yards in Portland’s inaugural season. He now will become Jay Cutler’s primary safety valve. A 33-year old veteran at the position, Franks is in a contract year and could be hoping to impress to get one final contract with Nashville for the future. For the Knights, it is all about taking advantage right now of a weaker Southern Division and hopefully making a playoff run this year. Breakout Players of 2009 Six weeks into the season and time to take a look at who is breaking out and making a name for themselves this year. We will bypass the rookies who we have already discussed and look at some veterans who are exceeding expectations and building some buzz around the year. Here is our list of six players to watch as they are turning heads this year. QB Dereck Anderson (DEN) Weird that we would start with a backup QB, but in two appearances this year Anderson has made an impression. Denver is clearly going with Matt Leinart as their main man, but Anderson has thrown for 573 yards in only 2 appearances, and has a 4:0 TD:INT ratio in those games. He still has 3 years on his contract with Denver, but we could certainly see some teams making trade inquiries if Anderson has a chance to get into more games and can play at a high level in those opportunities. If not, he may just become a designated “relief pitcher” for the Gold, much as Don Strock was for the David Woodley Dolphins back in the day. HB Shaun Alexander (HOU) Seems odd to call a 9 year veteran a breakout player, but since coming to Houston from Birmingham, Alexander has been all the Gamblers could have wanted and more. In 7 seasons with the Stallions, the back had only one 1,000 year season, his 2007 year, which led to his deal with the Gamblers. Since coming to Houston, Alexander racked up 1,141 yards and 9 TDs in 2008 and is on pace for another 1,100-1,200 yard year in 2009. He has topped 100 yards twice already this season for the Gamblers, and his presence has helped to diversify the Houston offense, taking pressure off of Matt Hasselbeck and making Houston’s defense a more rested and more dynamic group. WR Michael Jenkins (ORL) Orlando’s #1 receiver has not exactly been a household name since coming into the league in 2004, but the league leader with 40 receptions in 6 games is certainly on people’s tongues now. Jenkins is on pace for a 100 catch season, and should be able to surpass his 1,125 yards from 2008. He still needs to find ways to get open in the endzone (only 1 TD this year), but he has emerged as an outstanding 3rd down possession option in the receiving corps for Drew Brees. TE Dallas Clark (PHI) Clark had a good year last season, with 74 receptions and 690 yards, but this year he is also proving to be a key redzone target for Kurt Warner, catching 3 touchdowns already this year. He is on pace to surpass 80 receptions for the first time in his career and he is providing a safety valve when the two big-name outside receivers (Owens and Smith) are unable to shake coverage. DE Carl Powell (OHIO) A 6 year veteran at end, Powell was never seen as a significant force as an edge rusher, but Ohio has tweaked their scheme and this season Powell has emerged, with 6 sacks in 6 games. Sure, it is not the ludicrous 17 sacks that Calais Campbell has put up, but it does put Powell well on the way to the first double-digit sack total of his career. With Vonnie Holliday still a major factor at left end, having Powell get more opportunities and convert them into sacks is a huge plus for the Glory. LB Jamie Winborn (SEA) Yes, the Dragons are a disappointing 1-5, but don’t lay that on Winborn, who is having a career season. The 8-year veteran who has never had more than 66 tackles in any season to date (in Chicago, Texas, or Seattle) is on pace for well over 100 tackles, with 43 in 6 games. Shifting Winborn from the strong side to the MLB spot, surrounded by Takeo Spikes and Piso Tinoisamoa has been a huge change for the veteran linebacker, but one that clearly seems to suit him well. Washington receiver Eddie Kennison was the injury news this week as the former Blitz wideout was carted off the field on a backboard. It was a scary moment, the result of a helmet to helmet collision that left the receiver prone on the ground for several minutes while the two training staffs attended to him. Reports out of the hospital is that it was a spinal contusion, caused by the compacting of two vertebrae in his neck. He does have movement in all extremities and is conscious and able to maintain conversations, but the neck had to be isolated and placed in traction to allow swelling to go down. Kennison is out for the season, but is expected to recover and have full movement and sensation. Others who could miss substantial time due to injuries suffered this week include Philadelphia guard Damien Woody (wrist), Michigan WR Mario Manningham (shoulder), Tampa Bay center Trey Teague (ACL), and St. Louis QB Jeff Blake (torn meniscus). New Jersey just cannot buy a break. Just one week after trading away one of their DE’s their starting LE, Shaun Ellis goes down with a partial tear of the hamstring and will miss 2-3 weeks. Their halfback, Ray Rice, is also out next week and could miss more time with a hand injury, though the Generals did just bring in another back. Atlanta CB Charles Woodson is expected to be out at least a week with swelling in his knee, while Texas WR Marques Colston, Portland LB Mike Maslowski, and Charlotte DT Kyle Williams are all listed as doubtful. Houston QB Matt Hasselbeck remains in concussion protocols and is listed as Questionable for this week’s game. USFL & Adidas Agree to 8 Year Deal League offices in New York announced this week that the 2010 season will mark the final year of the licensing and uniform provision deal with Reebok as the league has come to an agreement for an 8 year deal with Adidas to provide all team uniforms as well as a range of fan gear. Reebok had been the second league-wide purveyor of team gear, following Nike in the 1990’s, but was outbid in their efforts for a renewal by the German-based sports apparel and gear company most widely known for its soccer market. Adidas has been in the business of designing and providing gear for American football (as opposed to “global” football or fútbol) for only 5 years, beginning in 2004 with several NCAA Division 1 teams. This will be the largest deal in the world of football for the company. As part of the deal, Adidas will work with the USFL’s internal design and marketing team as well as with all 28 franchises on design elements, as well as any adjustments or updates to logos and branding for the league franchises. The deal calls for them to work with 4 clubs per year over the first 7 years of their contract on template and uniform design as well as branding in general. What has caught the eye of many familiar with sports branding is that the deal specifically makes reference to both “heritage” and “alternate” lines, which may very well mean that the USFL, like the NFL in 1994 and since, will be open to allowing teams to mix throwback or retro looks, as well as alternative looks into their on-field wear as a regular feature of league play. There was a brief window in the 1990’s where a handful of teams tried their hands at alternate gear, including Tampa Bay’s famous all black look, but the strategy was deemed to run counter to brand identity and was quickly abandoned. The language of the Adidas deal may not only mean that we could see some retro looks from the early 1980’s over the next few years, but that teams could also explore looks using their secondary logos, or alternate color shemes. Is anyone ready for the Panthers in burgundy helmets? Washington in all black? Or what about the Oakland Invaders in navy? Could be happening, but we won’t know until the 2011 season, when the first four teams undergo their Adidas redesign. Best of the USFL: Safety One of the most impactful, and yet often undervalued positions on the field is that of the two safeties. Just the fact that the free safety and strong safety are being lumped together as if they were interchangeable is an indicator of the position’s lack of respect. But, with only 12 weeks to cover the entire league, some compromises had to be made. To help acknowledge the importance of both positions, we are expanding our honorable mention list so that we can adequately reference some of the outstanding talent that the USFL has at the position. We start with the Free Safeties and will finish up with 3 strong safeties as well as several others worthy of consideration. FS Ed Reed (WSH) Considered the gold standard at the position, Reed has spent 8 years terrorizing receivers, cutting down backs, blitzing the QB, and captaining one of the league’s most revered defensive squads. What is perhaps the scariest thing to consider is that 2008 may well have been Reed’s best season, one in which he touted his highest totals for both tackles and interceptions while helping the Federals return to the playoffs, largely on the strength of their pass defense. FS Mike Doss (OHI) Starting his 7th season with the Glory this year, Mike Doss was one of the most highly touted safeties to come out in the draft, and, as is so often the case for the Glory, they used their territorial rights to Ohio State products to snatch Doss out of the draft pool before others could get a shot at him. More of a centerfielder than Redd, Doss’s game is all about shutting down the deep ball and providing support to the corner, coming over the top on a receiver to eliminate the bomb, deep out, or post pattern. Other Free Safeties we considered, and there were several, include Memphis’s Tebucky Jones, Boston’s Jerome Woods, Pittsburgh’s Scott Shields, and, of course, Denver’s interception-minded ballhawk, Jamel Williams. SS Troy Polamalu Was there any doubt that one of the hardest hitting safeties in the game would make the list. Polamalu is the epitome of the run-stuffing, close-to-the-line safeties which have become so fashionable in the game over the past decade. A USC product, LA snatched up Polamalu and made him a starter on day one, and they have never regretted that decision. More likely to log more sacks than picks each year, Polamalu’s game is all about shutting down the run and keeping short passes from turning into big gainers. SS Adam Archuleta (BAL) Very much in the same mold, a hard hitting enforcer in the secondary, is Archuleta, a 9-year veteran in Baltimore. Archuleta has only 5 picks in those 9 seasons, but he is still considered one of the best strong safeties in the game, one that scat backs, tight ends, and slot receivers dread encountering over the middle. SS Sean Taylor (PIT) Another hammer in the middle of the field, Taylor is fast, aggressive, and smart, a total package for a safety. Only in his 5th year and recently resigned by Pittsburgh to a long term deal, Taylor is perhaps the best pure tackler on our list. He had 84 solo tackles last year, most among any safeties, and he is also an effective blitzer, making life difficult for opposing QB’s both in coverage and at the line. Other strong safeties making an impression across the league include Nashville’s LaRon Landry, Charlotte’s Reggie Tongue, and two recent free agency relocations, Mike Brown, now with Jacksonville, and New Jersey’s new defensive acquisition, former Federal Bob Sanders. Midseason is a time to gear up, get serious, and make a run, and there is no better way to do that than with a nice range of divisional games. Lots of good matchups here, highlighted by Charlotte @ Orlando in the Southeast, and Michigan @ Pittsburgh in the Central. The South is also matched up against the Southwest as the two 4-team divisions face off, producing an interesting game in Denver, where the 3-3 Gold will host the 4-2 Breakers. FRIDAY @ 8pm Los Angeles (3-3) @ Portland (2-4) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm New Jersey (2-4) @ Washington (5-1) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Michigan (4-2) @ Pittsburgh (5-1) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Ohio (3-3) @ St. Louis (0-6) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Nashville (5-1) @ Arizona (2-4) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm Memphis (0-6) @ Texas (2-4) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Oakland (5-1) @ Seattle (1-5) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Charlotte (5-1) @ Orlando (4-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Atlanta (1-5) @ Chicago (4-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm Jacksonville (1-5) @ Tampa Bay (2-4) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Baltimore (5-1) @ Las Vegas (3-3) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Birmingham (2-4) @ Houston (4-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm New Orleans (4-2) @ Denver (3-3) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Boston (3-3) @ Philadelphia (4-2) ESPN