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The penultimate week of the 2005 USFL season and for teams across the league there was a lot at stake even as the clubs went across conferences to play their last out-of-division games. It was a week that would finally see at least one team in the East clinch a playoff spot as Chicago and Nashville punched their tickets to the postseason with Week 13 wins. Chicago becomes the first club in the East to clinch, and controls their own path towards the #1 seed, And yet, despite 6 of 12 spots being settled, there remains going into the season’s final week six of the league’s twelve playoff spots unclaimed, and four of the six division titles still up for grabs. In all 12 teams remain viable for a playoff spot, but only 6 spots remain open, so this is going to be a wild week, a play-in week for half of the league. Generals 16 Gold 14 New Jersey needed this game to keep any hope of a playoff appearance alive. Denver was already in, and needed help if they were to have a shot at the division title. With Houston playing earlier, by game time it was known that Denver could only be a Wild Card, so there was a fear that they would lack passion or rest some players if needed. That absolutely did not happen as both teams threw body blows at each other all game long. This one was a game for fans of hard-nosed defense, big hits, and perseverance as New Jersey hung close and found a way to get one late drive to pull out a much needed win at home. The Generals entered this game as winners of 4 of their last 5, clawing their way back into the playoff hunt, but they also understood that it would almost certainly require 2 more wins for New Jersey to qualify for the postseason and a chance to defend their title. Denver had been the first team to clinch a playoff berth 2 weeks ago, and they had let that accomplishment soften them, losing a game last week to Texas that should have been an easy win for an 8-3 club. They needed to regain their focus if they wanted to avoid a late season swoon. This would be a game in which both defenses would be called on to slow down the pace, contain the run games of their opponents and not give up big plays, and in that both were quite successful. It was a war of attrition between two evenly matched foes, both content to run down the clock and shrink the game to only a few key plays. Denver had the early advantage, shutting down Curtis Enis early and forcing New Jersey to punt on its first 4 possessions. They slowly built a modest lead thanks to two Jeff Wilkens field goals, and a fluke safety when a long snap sailed to the right of New Jersey punter Todd Sauerbrun, who was alert enough to fall on the ball in the end zone to avoid a Denver recovery for a TD. Up 8-0 at the half, Denver had effectively shut down the General offense, with only one missed field goal attempt even close to getting the Generals on the board. Tom Brady had had a decent half, completing 15 of 17 passing, but almost all were underneath throws, and with New Jersey going only 1 of 6 on third down conversions, the offense simply had not shown much life. That changed in the 3rd quarter as the Generals changed up their strategy and added 13 points to the board in the period. In the third it was the New Jersey defense that stifled the opposition, getting the ball after an initial Denver possession and using a combination of James Jackson and Curtis Enis runs, paired with passing to TEs Patrick Hape and Anthony Becht, to get the ball into scoring position. Not wanting to go so far only to kick a field goal, New Jersey went for it on 4th and goal from the 1, and big back Brock Forsey plunged over the line to put the Generals on the board. They failed on the 2-point PAT, but were in the game at 8-6. After a short Denver drive, New Jersey were back in action once again, and once again they used short passes and improved production from their backs to mount a successful drive. It was a pass to an unusual target, HB Curtis Enis, that gave them the lead. Enis is not known to be a big part of the General passing game, but on this drive, he swung out for a screen pass on 2nd and 10 from the 14 yard line and got a head of steam going, enough to plow his way through the secondary and into the end zone. New Jersey entered the 4th quarter up 13-8. Denver would find their offense once again late in the final period, as they caught a break on a tipped ball that was picked off by LB Nick Rogers. That play gave Denver a spark, and, four plays later, Mark Brunell found Peerless Price for Denver’s only TD of the day. They tried for two to give themselves a 3 point lead, but failed, meaning that their advantage was only 1, sitting at 14-13 with 3:23 left in the game. It was a lead for the homestanding Gold, but, as we learned last year, Tom Brady is often at his best when in the 2-minute drill, and that was certainly the case in this game. Brady did not have to hurry, as a field goal was all the Generals needed, so he again used short passes, in this drive underneath routes by Terry Glenn and Mark Clayton, rather than TE routes, and in 7 plays he had the Generals in field goal range. The key play was a 3rd and 3 on their own 43. It was Denver’s best chance to force a tough 4th down play out of the Generals, but on 3rd down, Brady found Clayton on a quick in route and Clayton edged the ball over the line to gain and converted the play. With a first down well inside Ryan Longwell’s range, New Jersey forced Denver to use all of their time outs by simply sending Enis up the middle to center the ball on 3 consecutive plays. They wound down the clock to 18 seconds and sent out Longwell for a very makeable 34 yarder from the 17 yard line. Longwell did his duty and the Generals went up for good, earning them their 8th win of the season and keeping alive their playoff hopes. New Jersey, despite spending a good portion of the season in last place in the division, could actually win the division title with a win in Philadelphia and a Federals upset of Baltimore in Week 14 in what has to be one of the tightest 4-way battles any USFL division has ever had. Blitz 33 Wranglers 30 The Blitz are in the enviable position of controlling their own destiny after surviving quite a scare in the desert. Arizona’s Santana Moss had a field day against Baltimore’s #1 defense, a day that included a 72-yard TD as the Wranglers shocked Baltimore by opening up the offense for Andrew Walter, leading to 474 yards of production and the first 30-point game given up by the Blitz since a week 4 loss to Philadelphia. But, the Blitz got the W thanks to a late Daniel Graham TD reception, and can now win the Northeast Division by defeating their nemesis from DC, the Federals, next week. Stars 14 Gamblers 24 Houston locked up the Southwest Division and the overall #1 seed in the Western Conference with an impressive home win against the Stars. Limiting Philadelphia to only 245 total yards of offense, and picking off Kurt Warner 3 times, it was a coming out party for the Houston defense, CB Ronde Barber was all over Steve Smith and Kurt Warner’s attempts to get the ball deep led to two Barber picks that helped Houston build up a 24-7 lead that would not be relinquished. The win, along with Denver’s loss, locked up the title and means that next week’s game against the Gold may see Houston rest some starters ahead of the playoffs. Federals 13 Outlaws 6 The Texas defense has been much improved over the season’s second half, having knocked off Denver last week, but in the end the Federals just had more to play for as they kept their playoff, and division title hopes alive with a tough 7-point win in this one. The only TD was a Deuce McCallister run in the first quarter, but Washington also kept Texas out of the endzone, and that was enough to earn the road win and stay one game behind Baltimore. Cannons 28 Stallions 24 Birmingham again played tough against a heavy favorite as backup Eric Zeier avoided turnovers and the defense forced 3 takeaways to keep Birmingham in this one. Only a late drive ending in a Bledsoe to Ochocinco TD toss allowed Boston to escape this game and remain in the hunt for the Southern Division title. They face Tampa Bay in a game that will decide the Southeast next week, both teams tied atop the division at 9-4. Bulls 13 Showboats 10 Jacksonville won a slugfest in Memphis to stay one game back in the Southeast, but with Tampa and Boston playing next week, their only chance for a division title is a Cannons-Bandits tie. Their best option may be to take a Wild Card position and hope it is the #1 Wild Card, which would give them a home game. In this one both clubs showed up on defense and it came down to a Kris Brown 38-yarder in the final minute for the Bulls to move to 8-5. Renegades 3 Knights 19 With Memphis losing to the Bulls, Nashville knew that a win against Orlando would again find them in first place in the Southern Division. They dominated the line of scrimmage against the Renegades, limiting Orlando to only 73 yards rushing, as Frank Gore put up 103 to help Nashville get the W they needed. So, it all comes down to a winner-take-all game in Adelphia Stadium next week to determine which Tennessee club will take home the division title. Bandits 31 Breakers 17 Tampa Bay’s offense found its stride in the second half, rattling off three straight TD drives (including 2 long TDs to TE Jeremy Shockey) as the Bandits pulled away from the Breakers and secured a share of first place, leading up to next week’s showdown with Boston. New Orleans is still alive, and can get into the postseaston at 5-8-1 if both LA and Seattle lose next week and the Breakers win their season finale against 2-11 Birmingham. Machine 15 Thunder 10 It was not a pretty win to be sure, but Chicago’s narrow victory against the Thunder in Las Vegas was enough to lock up a playoff berth and place Chicago one win away from the #1 seed in the East. For Las Vegas, the run game was a shambles, as QB Aaron Brooks led all rushers with only 25 yards. Detron Smith had all of 4 yards in the game. Panthers 41 Express 35 Both the Panthers and Express are on playoff life support, but both are still alive. They fought like two teams on the edge in this one, with Michigan scoring the final 10 points of the game to get the comeback road win and stay on pace to possibly snag a playoff spot with a win next week. LA can also get in with a win, but need a Seattle loss to sneak in at 6-8. Glory 41 Invaders 23 Oakland tested themselves against one of the league’s best offenses and came up short. While the Invaders limited Eddie George, they could not contain Kerry Collins as the 3-time league MVP cut them up for 412 yards and 5 TDs. It was Troy Brown (3 TDs) and Stephen Alexander (2 TDs) who made the Invader defense pay for their over-emphasis on stopping Joey Galloway. Ohio still has a shot at the division title, but needs help from a pretty moribund Mauler squad to get there. If they don’t get the division, a win next week at least gives them a home game in the Wild Card round, while Oakland still locks up the West thanks to the LA loss this week. Maulers 14 Dragons 42 Hard to imagine, but the Seattle Dragons control their own destiny after pummeling the Maulers this week. Winning their last 2 means that Seattle can snag the 6th and final spot in the West with a win against lowly Las Vegas next week. Hardly seems possible after an 0-4 start, but the Dragons could be headed to the postseason. In this one the offense was on fire from the opening kickoff, With Corey Dillon racking up his best game of the year (132 yards) and Darren Sproles contributing 2 scores as he becomes more and more a target in the passing and screen game of the Dragons. League Leaders On the Line One week left in the 2005 USFL season and while most of the focus is rightfully placed on the playoff hunt, with teams fighting to be included and others looking at seedings, there are also individual honors to consider. With one week left, there are several key statistical categories left to be decided, and, with bonuses often tied to these results, there will be efforts made to try to garner those rewards. Looking across the league, here are the league leader races still to be decided. PASSING: With Kerry Collins pretty much untouchable when it comes to QB Rating and TD passes, the one big stat which could still change hands is that of passing yards. Drew Bledsoe (BOS) has the current lead with 4,104 on the year, but Michigan’s Drew Brees is only 35 yards behind at 4,069. The two are the only quarterbacks currently over 4,000, so this should come down to Brees and Bledsoe. RUSHING: In the Rushing stats we have two potential races to follow. Tiki Barber (BOS), who has been among lead leaders for years, but has never taken home the crown, is the current leader with $1,205 yards. But two other backs are within striking distance. Rookie Frank Gore of Nashville is only 38 yards behind, and Ron Dayne is 84 yards back, but with the big games he has had lately, a late surge is not entirely out of the question. The other big rushing stat up for a possible shift is Rushing TDs, currently led by Antowain Smith’s 13. The Bulls’ HB has been the leader for most of the second half of the season, but, with 11 scores apiece, either Ron Dayne (BAL), or Chicago’s Michael Turner could have a big day to either catch or surpass Smith. RECEIVING: The receiving leadership has been one of the most fluid throughout the year, and the gaps are small between the top contenders. Looking only at receptions, Antonio Freeman (HOU) is currently on top by 1 catch, 95-94 over Denver’s Peerless Price. New Jersey’s Terry Glenn is 6 catches back, which may not seem like much, but to garner 6 more receptions than Freeman at this stage could be tough unless Houston opts to rest Freeman in what is a largely meaningless game against Denver. The other race, that for receiving yards, is also largely a 2-man race. Hines Ward (MGN) has 1,492, with Joey Galloway (OHIO), only 16 yards behind at 1,476. They are currently the only two receivers over 1,400 yards, so we see it coming down to these two this week. With both clubs needing a win, both players should see more than their fair share of targets. DEFENSE: On defense, the title of the league’s leading tackler could go one of four directions. The lead has flipped between Tampa Bay’s Kavika Mitchell (currently at 107) and Chicago’s Brian Urlacher (103) for most of the season, but don’t assume that Jacksonville Bull Mike Vrabel (100) and Houston’s Sam Cowart (100) are ruled out. A big game from either and we could see them catching Mitchell for the title. The league leader in sacks is often a frontrunner for Defensive POTY, and this year that looks to be out of reach for anyone but Chicago’s Anthony Weaver. After his 5-sack performance against Ohio, Weaver holds a 22-18 advantage over Birmingham’s Mike Rucker. That gap may even be enough for Stallion coach Dennis Franchione to rest Rucker in a season-ending Week 14 road game for Birmingham. Those are the major statistical races we are watching as we enter the final week of leaguewide action. But what about the major awards? How close are the battles there, and will we see any upsets in the major categories this year? COACH OF THE YEAR: This one could honestly come down to a popularity contest. Good arguments could be made for Houston’s Wade Phillips, who led the Gamblers to a #1 seed in the West, or for Baltimore’s Tom Coughlin, who reinvented the culture of the Blitz and has them poised to win the Northeast Division, the league’s toughest. This final week could be the determining factor, if the Blitz can hold on and take the division title. We probably should also consider dark horses such as Michigan’s Dick LeBeau or Chicago’s Marty Mornhinweg. If you want a real darkhorse, you have to look at Chicago’s Defensive Coordinator, Ron Rivera. Never has a coordinator won the award, but with the performance of the Chicago defense, and the fact that Mornhinweg has all but handed over the defensive reins to Rivera, it would not be out of the realm of possibility for voters to give the award to a DC who very well could be the #1 candidate to move up to a head coaching position next year. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: This year, it seems no competition at all. Third round pick Frank Gore out of Miami has been a revelation in Nashville. Admittedly, the Knights have always prided themselves on their run game, but for Gore to come in and not only take a run at the league title for rushing yards (trailing Tiki Barber by only 35 yards) but to easily outgain former Knight rushing leader Ahman Green, that is impressive. Gore’s 1,167 yards put him 151 yards ahead of Green, who now totes the rock for the Stars. The only other rookie whose impact is even close to Gore’s is LA linebacker Lofa Tatupu, but a defender is never going to get the focus when there is a rookie on offense who has had the immediate success Gore has. MVP: This one should be relatively cut and dry, but when the frontrunner is Kerry Collins you have to factor in the fatigue factor. There are a lot of voters who simply do not want to give Collins a fourth MVP crown. Add to this that both Bledsoe and Brees have more yards, and an argument could be made that perhaps this is a year when none of the top QB’s should garner the award. But if not Collins, Bledsoe, or Brees, who should get the title? Antowain Smith and Tiki Barber would likely split the HB vote. Freeman, Ochocinco, or Joey Galloway could all be considered as receivers, but what about a defender? This could be the year, and the player who is looming large as the clear Defensive Player of the Year could end the season on the Summer Bowl favorite. Chicago’s Brian Urlacher has had a monster season. He has a legitimate shot to be the league leader in tackles despite playing on a squad that simply does not allow many long drives or opportunities. He also has 3 picks, two of which were returned for scores, and 4 sacks, Add to this that Urlacher is the team captain and clear leader on the #1 ranked scoring defense in the league and a good argument can be made to that he should be one of the top candidates. So will Collins lose out on the title despite another strong year on one of the league’s best offenses? Will Urlacher become the first defensive MVP since Reggie White in 1990? 15 years seems a long wait for another defensive MVP, but Urlacher will have a tough fight ahead of him. So, what do we know with 1 week left to play? We know that there are 6 playoff spots claimed, and 6 still to award. We know that only 2 of 6 divisions are settled, with Houston and Oakland the only confirmed division winners. We know that there are 12 teams fighting for 6 spots, and only 6 clubs eliminated from playoff scenarios. So, where do we go from here? How about the best case scenario for each club still in the mix. WESTERN CONFERENCE HOU: They have locked up the #1 seed, so they can rest players this week against Denver OAK: A win at home against LA gives them the #2 seed and a bye, plus likely eliminates their arch rival. NSH: They host the Showboats, a win gives them the division. If Oakland loses, that title would also come with a bye week. MEM: A win in Nashville means an unlikely but very welcome division title. DEN: The Gold are locked into the Wild Card, but beating Houston this week will ensure they have a home game in the Wild Card round, and a bit of revenge for an earlier loss to the Gamblers. SEA: Win and they are in. That is all you need to know. LA: The Express need to defeat Oakland and then hope that Seattle falls at home to the 2-11 Thunder. That feels like slim pickins. NOR: Still mathematically alive, if the Breakers can win at home against Birmingham, if Oakland beats LA in Oakland, and if Seattle is upset by the Thunder, the Breakers claim the #6 spot. Those first two seem probable, that third one feels very tough to picture. EASTERN CONFERENCE CHI: A win in Pittsburgh and the Machine claim the #1 overall seed. TBY: The team with the best chance to move up if the Maulers pull the upset. A win by the Bandits and they win the Southeast, but if Chicago also loses and Ohio wins, then Tampa would win the tiebreaker (Head to Head) with Ohio and take the #1 seed. BAL: A win against the Feds and Baltimore takes the Northeast. If Tampa Bay falls, that will come with a bye as well. OHIO: Win against Michigan and hope Chicago loses in Pittsburgh. That is how Ohio wins the Central. They could also get a bye in this scenario, depending on what Tampa and Baltimore do. BOS: Defeat the Bandits and claim the Southeast Division. It is that simple. A bye could also be in the mix if Baltimore falls to the Feds. PHI: The Stars need to knock off the Generals and then have the Feds get the win at home against Baltimore. If that happens, Philly is your Northeast Champion. NJ: New Jersey is basically in the same boat as Philly. If they win and the Blitz Fall, then New Jersey has a shot at the Division title. WSH: The Federals are currently outside looking in. Their best shot is if New Jersey wins, because then division record evens up and it comes down to later tiebreakers, but it still looks very dicey for the Feds. JAX: The Bulls need a lot to go right for them to sneak in as a Wild Card. Winning against the Renegades is the one constant that would help them the most. MGN: It is a slim hope, but there is hope. They need to beat Ohio, and hope Boston and Baltimore also lose. It’s a lot to ask for, but perhaps finishing 9-5 is more than Michigan fans could expect even if they don’t make the playoffs. Not a good week on the injury front as several teams took some big hits with only 1 week left to go in the season. We will start with clubs still alive in the playoff hunt and then cover other injuries that may lead some lower tier teams to consider resting starters in Week 14. LA will go into their vital final game without their pivot, as Center Zach Austin is out, added to the IR with a significant ACL injury that could endanger his ability to start when 2006 starts in March. In Michigan, TE Lovell Pinkney is out at least 1-2 weeks with a wrist injury. Pinkney is not a primary target for Drew Brees, but does play a role in most run formations for the Panthers. Jacksonville will absolutely be hurting in Week 14’s matchup as their breakout player for this year, wideout Rashaun Woods is out with a shoulder injury. Woods also would likely miss a wild card game matchup if Jacksonville can get into the dance. Others who are doubtful or questionable this week among playoff contenders are Seattle LB Takeo Spikes, Tampa Bay MLB John Vilma, Washington DT Robaire Smith, and Oakland center Jeff Saturday. Among non playoff teams, Arizona takes a hit as LB Lance Briggs is done for the season with a knee injury, while Birmingham will shut down Jason Campbell for the year as the rookie QB suffered a wrist injury in this week’s game. Orlando will also shut down the season for wideout Donte Stallworth after the big receiver suffered an injury to his left knee. Surgery is already scheduled. Dallas-Fort Worth Officially Out of Expansion Hunt Fans in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth are are going to have to continue to wait for spring football. After earlier reports of fractures within the DFW bid for a 2008 expansion club, the USFL made it official this week that the DFW Group bid has been withdrawn as the ownership group is dissolving their alliance. While early efforts to reconcile the Dallas-focus the league had insisted upon with the desires of lead investor Robert Bass, it quickly became clear that Bass was not going to move off his position and the other investors were simply unable to muster enough financial backing to field a viable bid. With the USFL hoping to expand by two clubs, and targeting one in each conference, this all but ensures that the bid from Portland, Oregon will get a speedy review and has a clear path towards potential approval. There are no guarantees, of course, but rumors around league headquarters have the financials looking good for the Portland group, and with a stadium already under construction, and rumored to be completed no later than April of 2006, the pieces are in place for Portland to get a quick approval, perhaps as soon as the mid-summer owner’s meeting scheduled for July in Houston (as usual the owners’ meeting coincide with the site and date of the Summer Bowl.) As for the other bids, those focused on the East, all three nominees (Charlotte, Norfolk/Virginia Beach, and Raleigh-Durham) have cleared the early hurdles, and all three seem to have the financial support to be viable candidates, making for a more complex process for the owners. Stadium issues often derail bids in expansion consideration, and that could be an issue for at least one of the three bidders. The Charlotte group (CFFC) has an initial agreement in place to share the stadium that currently houses the NFL Carolina Panthers. The Triangle Football Group, representing the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill triangle, have proposed that the facility at UNC represents their preferred option, due to size and agreeable terms with the university, but are open to relocate to the somewhat larger faciility at NC State in Raleigh if the league wishes to target the largest city in the region and a larger stadium for the franchise. Norfolk/Virginia Beach has perhaps the weakest case, as the stadium under consideration is that of Norfolk State University, an FCS school. The stadium is both small and outdated compared with many USFL stadia, and particularly when compared with the stadia built more recently to house both NFL and USFL franchises. Of course, market is the other big factor, and there is an allure to being the only major league sport in a market. Norfolk would certainly represent that option, while Raleigh-Durham would only have the NHL Hurricanes as spring competition. Charlotte would be looking at potential investment and sponsorship competition from both the NBA Bobcats and the NFL Panthers, which could be seen as a significant challenge, though we have certainly seen many strong collaborations between USFL and NFL franchises to develop a city’s market for pro football and the cost of maintaining and developing stadium options. Cities like Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Houston, and Nashville attest to this, but Charlotte has not yet developed a clear link with the NFL Panthers, which could be a sign that their relationship could be one of tolerance rather than cooperation. For now, the question of Eastern Conference expansion seems to be on the back burner, but with the loss of the DFW bid, we could very soon have news on Portland’s bid to return to the USFL fold. Is Retirement Looming for Franchise Players Every year around this time we start to wonder just who we may be watching on the field for the last time this Spring. Looking at the rosters of the various USFL squads, we know that there will be retirements from among their ranks, but not all retirements are the same. Just as Birmingham has suffered this year from the somewhat-incomplete retirement of Brett Favre, a team that loses a franchise player may simply not be prepared to make adjustments in the year that follows. Our first concern is at quarterback, where one team had better hope they have planned well. Denver is making a strong bid for another deep playoff run, and central to that run is the leadership of Mark Brunell, but Brunell has been dealing with everything from aging knees to back concerns for the past few seasons. There is a lot of speculation that the lefty QB will be looking long and hard at retirement when the Gold complete their playoff run this year. So what would be Denver’s plan if Brunell did hang up the cleats? Denver’s lead backup is Eric Wilhelm, who is no spring chicken himself, and behind him there is late round development project Derrick Anderson, so we are pretty sure that if Brunell were to depart the Gold would be looking either to Free Agency or the draft to try to land a QB who could step in and become the new face of the franchise. Thinking about the Gold’s usual frugality (a trend they busted this past year) we think the rookie route may be the way they go, though the example of Birmingham’s rough season, as well as New Orleans’s struggles with Eli Manning at the helm, might give the Gold some pause at the prospect. As we look at Denver and Coach Jauron’s offensive schemes, we could see the Gold trying to get into the hunt for someone like Matt Leinart, assuming LA does not jump on him in the T-Draft. Problem is, there are certainly many teams ahead of Denver in the draft order, so going after Leinart would almost require a significant trade to get into position to have a shot at the USC product. Another offensive star who could well be making a final run in the league is Memphis’s All-USFL tight end, Adrian Cooper. The unlikely run of the Showboats this year, one already guaranteed to extend into the postseason, could be the perfect sendoff for the veteran receiver. Should Cooper go out on a high note with a playoff run in Memphis this year, he would be all but impossible to replace. We could see Coach Mora opt instead to invest in the wideout position and shift the TE to more of a blocking position, one which they could engage without seeking significant new talent. If, however, they wish to add or develop a pass-catching TE, they may have to look outside the organization. They obtained Ben Hartsook from the Machine last year, and both Erron Kinney and Andrew Walter are both capable blockers, but none of the three is a player you build an inside passing game around. The other big names who we are hearing retirement rumors about are both on defense and both members of the LA Express. Linebacker Mo Lewis and cornerback Aeneas Williams are both of an age where retirement tends to be on the table. Losing both would be a huge blow to the Express, Lewis currently leads the defense with 98 tackles, 22 more than the 2nd leading tackler, rookie Lofa Tatupu. Aeneas Williams still occupies the #1 CB slot, and, with 2 picks this year, is second on the team. But Lewis is 36 years old, as is Williams, and in both positions longevity tends not to be a tendency we often see, even among All-USFL defenders. Whether one or both opt for retirement could profoundly impact the strategy the Express take into the offseason. Birmingham gives Franchione vote of confidence, Bicknell, Nolan, Hall on edge. For Dennis Franchione, the recent “vote of confidence” from Birmingham ownership could be read as a sign that the club understands the difficulty involved in retooling a roster and bringing a rookie QB up to speed in the pro game. Of course, with the shaky history of the “vote of confidence” as an early indicator a coach is about to be fired, Franchione should not take it as a given that his position is secure. More than a few head coaches have been patted on the back with one hand and shown the door with the other. Sitting at 2-11, and with Franchione in the pivotal third year of his contract, it seems that the vote of confidence could easily go either way. The concern for Franchione is not just that the team is losing, or that Campbell has struggled to pick up the pro game, sitting at a QB Rating of only 60.5, one of the lowest in the league, but that other aspects of the club, including the run game of Shaun Alexander, or the 22nd rated defense, are very much in Franchione’s control and seem to have regressed since he took over the club in 2003. Alexander has only 1 TD on the season, and despite a healthy 3.9 YPC average, is only at 711 yards for the season. Meanwhile, the defense is giving up 26 points and 375 yards per game. Now, some of this is the result of an offense which struggles to maintain long drives, but some is just poor game planning and execution, and that does sit on Franchione’s shoulders. The Birmingham HC is not the only coach feeling pressure as the season winds down. There is certainly concern in LA, where the usual odd-year bounce back of the Express has not materialized, potentially signaling that the Express could move on from Galen Hall. In New Orleans, even sneaking into the playoffs with 5 wins may not be enough to preserve Mike Nolan’s position with the Breakerss, and Pittsburgh has to be looking at how the Maulers have unraveled this year, though partially due to the injury to Charlie Batch, and may put the blame on Jack Bicknell. Black Monday is only a week away, and none of these 4 coaches can be considered a safe bet to return. It all comes down to one week, and what a week it is! We have 12 games, all divisional matchups, and we can honestly say that only 1 game in the lot has no bearing on the 2005 playoff field. That is simply astounding. So, here are the games, with each divisional set aligned to play at the same time this weekend. SATURDAY @ 12pm ET BOS (9-4) @ TBY (9-4): A one-game battle for the Southern Division title. The loser still very likely gets in as a Wild Card, but it is not guaranteed. This should be treated as a Winner Takes It All scenario, which will definitely increase the pressure for both clubs. FOX National Game JAX (8-5) @ ORL (4-8-1): The Bulls can only win the division if Tampa and Boston end in a tie, which feels very unlikely, so the goal for Jacksonville is to get to 9 wins and hope that this is enough for them to lock up a Wild Card, but it all depends on who is tied with them at 9-5 as there are so many tiebreakers in play. FOX Regional Game SATURDAY @ 4pm ET ARZ (2-11) @ TEX (3-10): Nothing to see here. Expect a lot of backups in this one as both teams try to assess needs ahead of what should be a busy offseason. ABC Regional Game DEN (8-5) @ HOU (9-4): Houston’s earlier win over Denver means that even with a Gold victory this week, the Gamblers still have the division title in hand. Houston is a surprising top seed in the West, but don’t expect the Gamblers to rest their starters. They will use the bye week for that. ABC National Game SATURDAY @ 8PM ET BIR (2-11) @ NOR (4-8-1): The Breakers could still get into the postseason if both Seattle and LA lose this week, but it may be hard to convince the players to feel that energy. Birmingham will almost certainly shut down Jason Campbell in a game that has little meaning for them. NBC National Game MEM (6-6-1) @ NSH (7-6): The second Winner-Takes-It-All match of the weekend. Memphis is a half-game behind Nashville but a win in the Tennessee capital and the Showboats will jump over them and claim the division. Expect this one to be heated as these two teams do not like each other even in games when there is nothing at stake. ESPN National Game SUNDAY @ 12pm ET CHI (10-3) @ PIT (4-8-1): The Machine only need to beat the Maulers to lock up the top seed in the East, so this is a game Chicago will take seriously. Pittsburgh is limping into this one, so they may opt to bench, and thereby protect some players as they look towards 2006. ABC Regional Game MGN (8-5) @ OHI (9-4): Michigan needs the road win and some significant help in order to make the postseason. Ohio need only win to take the top Wild Card seed, and could get the division if the Maulers surprise Chicago. Ohio will will play to win and to tune up for the next week’s Wild Card round. ABC National Game SUNDAY @ 4pm ET LV (2-11) @ SEA (5-8): The Dragons control their own destiny, a win and they are in the playoffs as a Wild Card. A loss and they could easily be lept over by either LA or New Orleans. FOX Regional Game LA (5-8) @ OAK (7-6): LA does not control their destiny. With a win they still need a Thunder upset of Seattle to make the postseason, but this is their rivalry game with Oakland, so expect them to push for the W. Oakland also wants that W because finishing at 7-7 feels like a defeat. FOX National Game SUNDAY @ 8pm ET BAL (8-4) @ WSH (7-5): A win and the Blitz clinch a surprising division title. A loss and any one of the other division foes could jump up and take the title. NBC National Game NJ (8-5) @ PHI (8-5): This is very likely a win-and-in, lose-and-out situation. With the level of competition for the Wild Card positions it is hard to imagine a scenario where the loser of this rivalry game is still able to make the field for the postseason. ESPN National Game

Playoff Picture: Several highlights this week as Chicago becomes the first Eastern Conference team to clinch a playoff spot. The Machine have clinched a playoff spot, but have not yet locked up the division or the top seed. Houston has locked into the top seed, thanks to holding the tie breakers over Denver. Southwest Division Champion and #1 seed in the West. Oakland has clinched the Pacific Division title and a win next week will give them a bye as the #2 seed. Nashville, Memphis, and Denver have also clinched playoff spots, with Seattle, LA, and New Orleans still alive for the 6th and final slot in the conference. There are 5 remaining spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and all three division titles are still to be decided. Chicago, Tampa Bay and Baltimore all control their own destinies for the division titles, however, Boston, Ohio, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Washington, Jacksonville, and Michigan all have viable paths to the playoffs, though only 5 spots exist for these 9 teams to battle over.

What a week! We had one of the greatest games in football history, a game that set a defensive mark that may never be repeated (at least Kerry Collins hopes so). We had upsets that shook up the playoff chase, with Birmingham, Texas, and Seattle shaking things up. We also saw Baltimore make a statement against the Division-leading Stars. Memphis leapfrogs Nashville to take over the South, and Tampa Bay makes life difficult for the Jacksonville Bulls, pulling off the road win in a brutal Florida Derby game. So much to talk about, so much at stake. This is late season football at its best. GLORY 28 MACHINE 31 In a wild week with a lot of really strong contenders, there was no doubt which was the Game of the Week, as we saw an amazing game in Soldier Field. Kerry Collins survived a league record 12 sacks to throw 4 touchdowns, but Chicago had enough to finally get over the hump and knock off a healthy Glory squad. After several years of near misses and bad losses, Chicago finally stepped up against Ohio and knocked them off when everything was on the line. Yes, Chicago did beat Ohio last year, but that was an Ohio Glory squad without Kerry Collins. This year the Machine went up against the full force of the Glory and still found a way to win, and to brutalize Collins at the same time. The plan was simple, turn as many pass plays as possible into plays were Kerry Collins was running instead of standing in the pocket. Chicago would stunt, blitz, and overwhelm the Glory offensive line. Anthony Weaver would have a career day with 5 sacks on the day, while his linemates Ted Washington and Israel Rayborn each added 2 more sacks, and the linebackers got theirs as well. It is a small miracle that Collins was even able to finish the game, much less that he was able to have a 427-yard, 4 TD day while under such a barrage. That production by Collins meant that Chicago also needed big days from their offense, and they got them, with 121 yards from Micheal Turner and another 83 yards on the ground from rookie Maurice Clarett. That run duo forced Ohio to bring players up to the line, which is exactly what Curtis Conway and Donald Driver wanted to see. The two combined for 13 receptions and 152 yards through the air. The game itself had everything you want to see, big hits, big plays, back and forth action, a late comeback, and an overtime game winner for the home team. Tim Seder had an amazing game, connecting on 5 field goals to keep Chicago on pace with Ohio’s offense. And throughout the game, the scoreboard had trouble keeping track. It began with a 21-point first quarter, Chicago opening up the scoring only 4:32 into the game as Michael Turner pounded the ball into the endzone on the Machine’s first drive. Ohio responded with a long drive ending with a Joey Galloway TD. After a Chicago punt, Ohio again marched right down the field, despite the pressure from Chicago’s line, scoring on a short swing pass to Eddie George. But as the 2nd quarter began, Chicago’s pressure scheme started to pay dividends. Three separate Ohio drives ended with Kerry Collins on his butt and a failed 3rd down play. Over the 2nd and third quarters, Chicago was able to flip the score, from 14-7 to 22-14 thanks to that defense, a safety with Collins sacked in the endzone by Weaver, two Tim Seder field goals and a George TD pass to Conway. Had Chicago been able to score TDs on more of those drives, the game could have been over, but even with their dominance over 2 quarters their lead was only 8. That lead became 2 when Ohio finally got back on the board. Early in the 4th, Collins found Troy Brown but when the 2-point conversion failed, the Glory still found themselves down by two. Chicago again kicked a field goal and made it 5, but five points is not really a big help in the USFL, and that is what Ohio proved only 2 minutes later. With 1:47 on the clock, Collins found Reche Caldwell for his 4th TD of the day, and when the 2-pointer was good this time it meant Ohio was back on top, and with a 3-point lead at 28-25. Chicago would need to call on Tim Seder again. Jeff George got Seder in range for a 48 yard kick, but a false start on the right tackle forced Seder back to the Ohio 36 yard line to try for a 53-yard kick. Seder did not fail, and the game was sent to overtime with only 16 ticks left on the clock. In overtime, it would again be on the Chicago defense to keep the Machine in the game. Ohio won the toss, and started with the ball, but just as they approached midfield, the O-line got sloppy. On 2nd and 7 Collins rolled right into the waiting arms of Rayborn, creating a 3rd and 13. Chicago opted to drop 7, rushing only 4, but that gamble paid off, as Anthony Weaver, who already had 4 sacks on the day, stunted around the DT, slipped past Eddie George’s blocking attempt, and caught Collins’s sleeve, forcing the QB to the ground as he fell to the ground with a handful of jersey. The defensive stop was all the Machine would need. They took the punt, marched it down to the Ohio 20 and brought Seder back out to kick once again. The league leader in points did his job once again, giving Chicago the win, and a win that now makes them the frontrunner for not only the Central Division, but for the top seed in the entire Eastern Conference. A huge win for Chicago, and potentially a turning point for the power dynamic in the USFL. FEDERALS 20 GENERALS 23 It took New Jersey 59 minutes and 28 seconds to get the lead on the Federals, but they had it when the whistle blew and that is all that matters. Curtis Enis rushed for 102, Deuce McCallister for 100. Deion Branch caught 8 balls for 112 yards but Mark Clayton had the last laugh, catching the game winner as time ran down. The win puts New Jersey even with the Feds at 7-5 and hoping to win out to get back to the postseason. BANDITS 20 BULLS 12 A huge win for the Bandits if they want to win the Southeast. TDs from Travis Prentice and Kevin Johnson, not the biggest names on a talented Bandits offense, helped Spurrier’s squad steal the win. The defense came up big for Tampa Bay, picking off Jake Delhomme twice, including on the final drive of the game, when a desperation toss by Delhomme ended up in the hands of Samari Rolle. STARS 10 BLITZ 42 How many times can we say a win was huge? In the case of the Blitz game against Philly, the word certainly fits, as the Blitz defense picked off Kurt Warner twice, shut down the Stars’ offense, and then just fed the ball to Ron Dayne. Dayne was a beast this week, rushing for 157 yards on only 20 carries, a 7.8 YPC average. His 3 TDs helped push the Blitz lead from a modest 14-3, up to 42-3 by the middle of the 4th. A big game for Baltimore’s belief that they are the best club in the division. The Blitz now move up to a tie with Philadelphia atop the Northeast. KNIGHTS 7 STALLIONS 20 A stunning result in Birmingham as the Stallions simply shut down the Nashville offense. Craig Whelihan looked very raw against a zone defense scheme that seemed to confuse him at every turn. Frank Gore got 103 yards, but the offense simply could not keep possessions going. And while Birmingham’s 20 points on offense were hardly explosive, it was certainly enough as the Stallions knock Nashville out of first place. OUTLAWS 13 GOLD 7 Another shocker led by an underrated defense as Texas simply did not let Denver get their bearings. It is rare for the Gold to put on a stinker at home, but the Outlaws were able to make Denver look weak in this one. T. J. Duckett was the offensive star of the day, rushing for 121 and a score, but the big star of the game was unquestionably Nathan Vasher, the Outlaw CB who picked off Brunell 3 times in the game. GAMBLERS 16 WRANGLERS 9 Houston almost had the same fate befall them, but a late score from Antonio Freeman saves the Gamblers as they escape Tempe with a 7-point win. It was not a good game for Hasselbeck, who threw two picks, and an even worse game for Houston’s iffy run game, as they accounted for only 27 yards total on the ground. That is not playoff caliber football, but it is enough to outlast the Wranglers. DRAGONS 28 EXPRESS 20 The Express had a shot to reach .500 and challenge the Invaders in the Pacific, but Seattle has not given up on the season yet, and their drive showed in this matchup with LA. A 59-yard Darren Sproles punt return and two Joe Montgomery TDs were not textbook offensive plays for the Dragons but they got the job done. Marques Tuiasosopo connected with TE L.J. Smith twice on the day, but it was not enough as LA drops to 5-7. INVADERS 29 THUNDER 6 Oakland’s defense was on their game, limiting Aaron Brooks to a pretty putrid 15 of 40 day. And while the defense was on fire, the offense did enough, with Ricky Williams rushing for 119 yards. The problem for Oakland was getting the ball in the end zone. Oakland scored on 7 of 9 possessions, but 5 of those were field goals. That worked fine against Las Vegas, but they are facing Ohio next week. BREAKERS 20 SHOWBOATS 24 With the Knights losing to Birmingham, the door was opened for Memphis to leapfrog Nashville and take over first place. They did just that, though it did not come easy as New Orleans played them tough. Memphis got 2 scores from backup HB Maurice Smith, who combined with Cadillac Williams to gain 98 yards rushing. With Heath Shuler out, that run game was essential. Bill Musgrave also reminded us that he is one of the league’s best backups, going 21 of 29 for the ‘Boats. MAULERS 17 PANTHERS 36 Michigan moves to 7-5 and guarantees that they will not suffer another losing season with a big win against a short-handed Mauler squad. Jim Sorgi got he start again, but recently-signed Elvis Grbac also came in as Sorgi was ineffective. For Michigan, Drew Brees added 3 more TDs to his season totals, connecting with Coles, Ward, and Fred Jackson for scores. Jackson and Ladell Betts also scored on the ground as the Panthers looked very good in this one. RENEGADES 18 CANNONS 27 Boston fell behind early as Orlando took an initial 10-0 lead after one quarter, but a 21-0 run including two Bledsoe to Ochocinco TD tosses was enough to put the Cannons up for good. Tiki Barber added another 131 to his league lead as he helped Boston run down the clock to end the game. Bledsoe did suffer 6 sacks, which would be bad if Collins had not suffered 12, but with an immobile QB, that is a risk that Boston has to protect against. Chicago Pass Rush Makes History The Chicago Machine have developed a reputation as one of the league’s best defenses, but what they accomplished on Sunday was unprecedented even for them. With a strategy that focused on getting Ohio QB Kerry Collins to move in and out of the pocket, trusting that the three time MVP was not a particularly good passer when on the run. The result was constant pressure, coming from the front 4 but also from a variety of blitzers on passing downs. The high pressure scheme produced an unbelievable 12 sacks on the day. Five of these came from the new league leader, DE Anthony Weaver, 4 more from DE Israel Rayborn and DT Ted Washington, and 3 additional sacks from blitzers from the LB corps and the defensive backfield. The strategy had mixed results, as Collins still had over 400 yards passing, but what was seen on the field was a defense that made the run game difficult with constant stunts and blitzs, while also forcing Collins to make quick decisions, often dropping his vision from deeper routes to short receivers. The other big takeaway is that this strategy helped Chicago shut down multiple drives with big 3rd down sacks. While Ohio’s 28 points on the day is a good day for most clubs, their scoring was dampened enough for Chicago to keep pace and eventually win the game in overtime. For Kerry Collins, the grand total of 12 sacks, an additional 9 hits or knockdowns and the constant harassment made for a rough day, and with the loss, Ohio’s third in a row, the Glory fall out of first place, with Chicago gaining the top spot in the conference with the win. Ron Dayne Powers Blitz to Huge Win The Baltimore Blitz have been one of the surprise clubs of the USFL this season, with 2nd year QB Ben Roethlisberger improving by leaps and bounds over his rookie season and with a defense that is among the league’s stingiest, but the hero of this week’s victory over the Stars, a dominating 42-10 crushing of their division rival, was not a new face on the scene for the Blitz, but “Old Reliable”, halfback Ron Dayne. Dayne is not the fastest or most elusive back in the league. He is more of a runaway train who simply runs over opponents, sticking to a straight ahead running style and a lot of power in his legs to always fall forwards, often carrying tacklers with him. This week, Dayne produced another big game, rushing for 157 yards on 20 carries, and taking the ball into the end zone three times. The 157 was his highest rush total of the year, having reached 147 in Week 6 and 145 in Week 2. Combined with a 97-yard, 2 score effort last week, this gives Dayne 5 TDs in the past 2 weeks. The effort shot Dayne up the rushing leaderboard, entering the Top 5 at #3 with 1,044 yards and assuring the former Wisconsin Badger his 5th 1,000 yard effort in 6 professional seasons. His total of 11 touchdowns for the year is a career high, and puts him only 1 behind Jacksonville’s Antowain Smith for the league lead in that category. Partnered with Roethlisberger and TE Antonio Gates, Baltimore has managed to move into the Top 10 in yards per game despite having what many consider one of the league’s weakest receiving groups (Darnerien McCants leads all wideouts with 55 catches for 637 yards, both behind Gates’s numbers). And while the defense, ranked #1 in the league in scoring and 2nd overall in yards allowed, is certainly the legitimate focus of most media attention in the Charm City, Ron Dayne deserves some attention as well, as he is keeping Baltimore’s run-first, grind-it-out offense in games and on the field. Memphis and Houston Benefit from Big Upsets Other than perhaps the bookmakers in Las Vegas, no one was more excited or benefitted more from this week’s upsets than the Showboats and Gamblers. Memphis, which has trailed the Nashville Knights in the standings all season, and which just last week reached .500, now finds itself on top of the Southern Division, a vantage point that no one saw for them this year. Knocking off the New Orleans Breakers at home in a hard-fought 24-20 victory, the Breakers could not have expected to see Birmingham, which had only 1 win on the season, upending the Nashville Knights, but that is exactly what happened at Legion Field. The loss pushes Nashville down to 6-6 and allows the 6-5-1 Showboats to control their own destiny. With only 2 weeks left in the season, Memphis can lock up the division title with two more wins. They face a very tough Jacksonville squad in Week 13, and then the likely deciding game of the season, a road trip to Nashville, which in all likelihood will be a title clash for both clubs, with the winner taking the Southern Division. Houston also benefitted this week from a major upset as division-leading Denver, who punched their playoff ticket in Week 11, fell victim to a post-clinching malaise, and failed to show up against Texas, falling 13-7. The loss, paired with Houston’s victory over Arizona, allowed the Gamblers to leapfrog the Gold in the Southwest standings and again take control of their own destiny. But, just like Memphis, Houston’s path is tough. They face the Philadelphia Stars in Week 13, and then what again could be a division-title match in NRG Stadium as the Gold will come to Houston to finish up the season. In both cases, the games in Week 14 are likely to determine the winners of each division, but the games in Week 13 could prove pivotal. If either Denver or Nashville lose this next week, the Week 14 games could be far less impactful, but if all 4 clubs win, or if Houston or Memphis fall this week, then we are perfectly set up for some Week 14 drama. Week 12 helped sort out a lot in the West, but kept the East very much a quagmire of teams that simply all have some claim to being post-season ready. Houston, Oakland and Memphis have joined Denver as postseason participants, each locking up a spot with 2 weeks to go. But, even with 4 teams in, all 4 divisions are still up for grabs. Denver and Nashville are right there, and LA is mathematically alive, which may be the only thing we can say about their 2-game deficit against Oakland. Week 12 also removed several teams from playoff contention. Joining Birmingham on the outside are Arizona, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh and Orlando. Hard to believe, but the 3-9 Outlaws are technically still alive, but would need so much help to get in that it is all but impossible to see them qualify. In the East, Chicago controls their own destiny and could lock up the #1 seed if the results next week go their way. Philadelphia and Tampa Bay also lock up their divisions with 2 wins, but a loss by either and we have several clubs still able to jump up and over them. Right now the Wild Cards are Ohio, Baltimore, and Boston, each with 8 wins, but with 4 clubs sitting only 1 game behind at 7-5, this is not likely to be settled until Week 14. The wear and tear of along season has a way of impacting teams late in the year as players simply break down. We saw that this week with 8 players added to the IR in one week. In some cases it is the recognition that that risking reinjury is not worth bringing a player back, but with many on the list it is simply that the bumps and bruises have turned more serious and it is simply not possible for the player to continue toughing it out. A mix of playoff contenders and teams at the bottom of the standings as we look at the newly shut-down players for this season: Bulls G Joe Berger (neck), Knights LB Na’il Diggs (Achilles), Breaker G Terrance Metcalf (leg), Gamblers DT Rocky Bernard (MCL), Generals C Jeremy Newberry (Ankle), Thunder TE Jason Dunn (Biceps), Bandits LB Jonathan Vilma (Foot), and Maulers QB Alex Van Pelt (Back) Others are still on active rosters, but with only 2 weeks left, could be out of the final games for their teams. This includes Birmingham QB Jason Campbell, who went out with a wrist injury in this week’s game. Ohio tackle Jerry Wunsch could miss 1-2 games with a pinched nerve, while Denver RT Jason Odom is out with a stress fracture. Memphis has Heath Shuler listed as Doubtful this week, which is not good as we head towards the season finale in 2 weeks. Nasvhille is also down a key player as SS Rodney Harrison is out this week with a shoulder injury. Arizona could be without Larry Fitzgerald, while Pittsburgh gets Charlie Batch back just as Jim Sorgi deals with a hip injury. Looking at top draft prospects Two weeks left in the regular season, and for many teams, thoughts of the offseason are already primary interests. We have already looked at some of the potential free agents or unprotected players for the expansion draft. This week we look at the rookie class of 2006. There is a lot of talent in this year’s class, and with the new rules removing the option to trade away Territorial Draft picks, we expect a lot of the top players to find their way into the Open Draft. The question, as always, is who will sign with the USFL and who will end up in the NFL. Among the top players in every draft are the quarterbacks and this year we have three who could be top targets either in the T-Draft or the Open Draft. Vince Young of Texas would have been a natural choice for the Outlaws, and could still be, but the trade to bring Trent Dilfer to town may be a sign that Texas is not thinking of chasing the Longhorn QB. Meanwhile LA has had all kinds of QB issues this year, with injuries to both Cade McNown and Quincy Carter, but will that motivate the Express to pursue USC’s Matt Leinart, or with the Trojan QB be available to others in the Open Draft. The third potential 1st rounder is Vanderbilt’s Jay Cutler. We know the Knights love Todd Collins, but he is no spring chicken, so perhaps laying out the red carpet for Cutler would be a good idea for the Knights. At HB, there are at least 5 potential early picks, perhaps more. The biggest name in the HB class has to be USC’s Reggie Bush. With LA already pretty solid at the position, Bush could become available to the rest of the league and could be a great choice for either expansion club. Behind Bush we have Minnesota’s Laurence Maroney, Memphis’s DeAngelo Williams, LSU’s Joseph Addai, and another USC Trojan, Lendale White. Of all of these backs, the one obvious choice is Addai to the Breakers in the T-Draft because they just don’t have enough of a run game since giving up on Ricky Williams. Our favorite receiver in the draft is not even a wide out, it’s TE Vernon Davis of Maryland. What is ironic here is that Maryland does not produce a lot of big name players, but the one year they do it is at a position that the Baltimore Blitz do not really need. They love their current starting TE, Antonio Gates, so they may just pass on the Terrapin TE. Among wideouts, the best of a pretty weak class appears to be Ohio State’s Santonio Holmes. Other potential early picks include Florida’s Chad Jackson, and Miami’s SInorice Moss. O-Line tends not to be a first round focus for most teams, except when there is a bookend left tackle on the board, and that is exactly what we have with Uva’s D’Brickashaw Ferguson. We expect the Federals to go after the big man from the Cavaliers in the T-Draft, because true left tackles are a rare find. Other players who could get looks include tackles Winston Justice (USC), guard Davin Joseph of Oklahoma, and center Nick Mangold of the Buckeyes. Edge rusher remains a high value pick, and this year’s best of the bunch could go overall #1. Either St. Louis or Atlanta will have the pick and we would not be shocked if NC State’s Mario Williams is that pick. Williams, as a Wolfpack player, is not on a protected team, so he will be there for the Open Draft, and that is a good option if the USFL expansion club can outbid the NFL Club that also selects Williams. Other potential early picks at DE include Kamerion Wimbley of FSU, Tamba Hali of Penn State, and Mathias Kiwanuka of BC. At DT, the man getting all the attention is Oregon’s Haloti Ngata, but don’t sleep on FSU’s Broderick Bunkley as a 1st round option. It is not a great LB group this year, but that does not mean that there is no talent to be had. Ohio State’s MLB A.J. Hawk would be a first rounder in any year. Beyond him we have Ernie Sims of FSU, Chad Greenway of Iowa, and DeMarco Ryans of Alabama. At the DB spots, Texas could make a bid on Longhorn Michael Huff, and we could also see Ohio State’s Donte Whitner being protected by the Glory. Tye Hill of Clemson and Antonio Cromartie of FSU are also good options, especially in the latter half of the opening round. Week 13’s interconference showdowns may seem like a breather between the divisional slates of Week 12 and Week 14, but these games could go a long way to locking teams into or out of playoff positions. A loss this week could spell doom for many teams, while a win, and a division rival loss, could propel a team up the playoff standings. All 12 games have some potential impact on the playoffs, but we see them as two different types, first a battle between playoff hopefuls, and second, a chance for a non-playoff team to play spoiler. Battles Between Playoff Hopefuls New Jersey (7-5) @ Denver (8-4): Denver’s upset loss to Texas cost them the lead in the Southwest, but before they face Houston next week, they have to get past the defending champs. New Jersey is right back in the hunt at 7-5 but essentially has to win both games left on their schedule to have any shot at a repeat. Philadelphia (8-4) @ Houston (8-4): Neither of these teams can afford a loss this week. Philadelphia is tied with Baltimore for 1st in the Northeast, but has New Jersey and Washington right there as well. Houston has the 1-game lead in the Southwest, but if they can win this week, they may just lock up the division and the top seed. Jacksonville (7-5) @ Memphis (6-5-1): The Showboats have clawed their way up to the top spot in the South, but one slip up and they could drop below Nashville again. Jacksonville is a game behind Tampa Bay and Boston, but a win, and some help, and they could again be atop the division. Ohio (8-4) @ Oakland (7-5): The Glory looked unbeatable early, but have now lost 3 games in a row and gave up 12 sacks (12!!!) last week. They need this win. The Invaders lock up the Pacific with the win, and they certainly want to make a statement that they are a legit contender by knocking off the Glory in Oakland. Michigan (7-5) @ Los Angeles (5-7): Both teams need wins to avoid elimination. It is likely to take 9 wins to make the postseason in the East, so Michigan cannot lose this one. LA falling to 4-8 means they could find themselves behind Seattle or New Orleans for a Wild Card and lose any shot at catching Oakland for the division. Spoiler Games Baltimore (8-4) @ Arizona (2-10): The Blitz are right there with Phillly. They need to not look past the Wranglers as they prepare for a tough Week 14 game against arch rival Washington. Tampa Bay (8-4) @ New Orleans (4-7-1): The Breakers have slim playoff hopes, but Tampa Bay could conceivably win the South with a victory here. It would require losses by both the Bulls and Cannons, but stranger things have happened. Orlando (4-7-1) @ Nashville (6-6): If the Knights want to catch Memphis, and make next week’s game a division title match, they cannot look past the Renegades. Orlando started the year strong, but have slid in the second half. Will they want to go out strong, or are they playing out the string? Boston (8-4) @ Birmingham (2-10): This one looks like an easy win for the Cannons, but Birmingham will be inspired to play their best in Lawrence Dawsey’s last home game. Boston had better be prepared for a battle. Washington (7-5) @ Texas (3-9): If the Feds want any chance at a playoff spot, much less the division, they had better not look past the Outlaws. Texas knocked off Denver last week with a defensive gem. If they can do it in Denver, they can do it again at home in San Antonio. Pittsburgh (4-7-1) @ Seattle (4-8): You would think that this matchup of 4-win teams would be completely without any playoff impact, but the Western Conference very easy could have a 6-win team getting in, maybe even a 5-win team, so Seattle is still playing for a playoff spot. If LA stumbles, Seattle could be right there. Pittsburgh can only wish the East were in the same boat, but they are out of contention and playing only for pride.

Playoff Picture: Houston, Oakland, and Memphis all join Denver with clinched playoff spots, though all three Western division titles are still very much up for grabs. Pittsburgh, Orlando, Las Vegas, and Arizona join Birmingham as eliminated clubs. All other teams remain alive either for a division title or a Wild Card.

Only 3 weeks left in the season and so much is still unknown. With each conference clustered together either on the winning side of the ledger or just under .500, it means that the playoff push for many teams will have to extend all the way to Week 14. The week's results did provide the first playoff berth to a club, with the Denver Gold becoming the earliest team to lock up a spot, but even they are still very much in a dead heat with Houston to decide the Southwest Division. We also got our first official elimination as the Birmingham Stallions continue to struggle in a rebuilding year, just as their rookie QB struggles to make the adjustments to the wide open USFL game. Week 11 was a week that saw some teams slip a bit, while others seem to be standing up at just the right time. With two of the final 3 weeks being purely divisional games, it seems like Week 11 is in many ways the last of the "regular" season games, with everything from this point on being a quasi-playoff, or perhaps play-in scenario. CANNONS 29 GENERALS 23 OVERTIME It is practically a right of summer, Boston v. New York, but this time it is not the Sox and the Yankees, but the Boston Cannons taking on the New Jersey Generals. The two teams are not even in the same division yet, that will come next year, but for now it is still Beantown vs. the Big Apple (or Big Apple Adjacent) and that is always fun. Over 51,000 rowdy fans provided the ambience as the Cannons came to New Jersey to face the Generals. Both teams came in at 6-4, and both were deeply embroiled in a brutal Wild Card free-for-all in the Eastern Conference. A loss, any loss, could be a deciding factor between who will get to the dance and who will be headed home. Both teams knew it, and both came with their A-games. Defense was the order of the day in the first half, with both teams testing each other and both getting turned away from the endzone on multiple occasions. Boston suffered 2 turnovers, but held New Jersey to only 3 points off of the mistakes as the two teams battled to a 9-3 Boston lead after 30 minutes. Despite an early Bledsoe pick by Deion Sanders, and a fumble inside the New Jersey 15, the Cannons still had the advantage at the half. The third quarter was more of the same, though New Jersey was able to tighten the game with their 2nd field goal, as the two clubs slugged it out over 45 minutes of play, a 9-6 Cannons’ lead. The key to both offenses has been the ability to dominate the run game and produce gaps in pass coverage on shorter third downs. Both clubs struggled to achieve that goal, but as the game wore on, the defense started to wear out. New Jersey cracked first, giving up a 15-yard run to Tiki Barber and then a 22-yard smashmouth run by FB Justin Green. With the Cannons having success on the ground, New Jersey committed forces to stop it, and that left Chad Ochocinco in single coverage. Boston’s first touchdown was a classic deep fade to Ochocinco, who had gotten a step on Deion Sanders, no easy task. New Jersey retaliated immediately, using short passes and a 19-yard draw play by Enis to get deep in Cannon territory. The drive would be capped off by a James Jackson TD Run, and we were back to a 3 point difference at 16-13. But New Jersey was not done. When Brian Dawkins forced a Mike Cloud fumble on 3rd and 3, Boston may have recovered, but they were forced to punt. The punt drove General Andrew Woolfork back to his own 73, but Boston’s Frank Whalen had outkicked his coverage. By the time Boston defenders got to Woolfork, he was at full speed and had some help. He dodged the first tackler and had a clear path to the endzone. New Jersey took the lead for the first time in the game thanks to Woolfork’s timely return. The Generals would expand on that lead in their final possession of the 4th quarter, adding a field goal to make the score 23-16, but that was a very precarious 7-point lead. Boston, with just over 2:30 left to go, had plenty of time to mount one final offensive. They picked apart the General defense, and with 39 seconds to spare, Bledsoe found TE Bob Slowikowski in the endzone for the game-tying score. The two clubs went into extra time, but New Jersey was spent, while Boston seemed to have all the energy in the house. When Boston won the toss, they wasted no time putting the game to rest. 4 straight passes from Bledsoe and they were in the endzone, the final play a 34-yard strike from Bledsoe to Joe Jurevicious against a tired Generals defense. Boston moves to 7-4 and by Monday would share first place with the Bulls and Bandits. New Jersey slips back to 6-5, 2 games behind Philly, and a game behind the other two Northeast rivals. STARS 24 MAULERS 14 Philadelphia took control of the Northeast with their 4th straight win, a defensive gem that saw them force Alex Van Pelt out of the game. Kurt Warner’s 3 TD passes were more than Jim Sorgi could match for Pittsburgh and Philadelphia earned their 8th win of the year, and a heartening win against their in-state rival. BLITZ 26 PANTHERS 24 The Blitz are right in the heart of the action as they held off Michigan thanks to 2 scores and 97 yards from Ron Dayne. Michigan got 137 yards and a score from Hines Ward, and new HB Fred Jackson looked good, rushing for 52 yards on only 10 carries, but a late TD toss from Roethlisberger to D’Wayne Bates put away the Panthers, who slip to 6-5 with the defeat at home. RENEGADES 17 FEDERALS 34 The Feds doubled up the ‘Gades at home, thanks to 2 picks of rookie Matt Cassel and a two TD day from WR Deion Branch. Kordell Stewart looked more comfortable back under center, going 18 of 23 on the day and connecting with Branch twice. Orlando struggled with Cassel filling in for Jeff Blake, losing their third in a row to fall to 4-6-1. MACHINE 20 BANDITS 3 Up the road from Orlando, the Bandits were having an even worse time of it as Chicago was dominant throughout the game, limiting Steve Spurrier’s offense to only 207 total yards, and Willis McGahee to an anemic 0.8 yards per carry (14 carries, 11 yards), as the Machine roll to their 8th win of the year, and a share of first place in the Central Division. GLORY 17 BULLS 31 Ohio dropped into a tie with Chicago because they ran into a buzzsaw in Jacksonville. The Bulls had Ohio’s defense spinning all game, racking up 511 yards to Ohio’s 258. That included 212 yards rushing for the Bulls, who got 106 from Travis Minor and 91 from Antowain Smith. Both Boldin and Woods went over 100 yards, and the duo combined for 3 scores as Jacksonville played lights out football at home to knock off Ohio and regain a share of first place in the South. INVADERS 17 GOLD 20 Oakland has been one of the stories of the season, but even Cinderella hears the midnight chimes sometimes, and a trip to the Mile High City can be very rough on those glass slippers. Denver got a solid game from backup Eric Wilhelm and the combo of Cedric Benson and Rod Smart produced 102 yards rushing to hold Oakland’s offense at bay on the sidelines. Five sacks of Trent Green also kept Oakland from coming out on top in this one as LB Kendrell Bell led the charge for the Denver D. THUNDER 23 OUTLAWS 20 Aaron Brooks beat Jeff Lewis in the battle of benched QBs who were back in action this week. In a close game the difference was minute as a safety from Las Vegas’s Hugh Douglas helped the Thunder pull to a 3-point lead late. Texas was rallying late for what could have been a game-tying field goal, but a fumble by Marcel Shipp spelt doom for the Outlaws, moving Las Vegas to 2-9 on the season. GAMBLERS 16 BREAKERS 19 The Breaker defense was in fine form against Houston, holding the Gambler offense t only 1 touchdown, while Chris Perry provided a spark with a first quarter scoring run. Eli Manning added a TD to Bobby Engram and the defense did the rest. New Orleans is still alive in the playoff hunt, while Houston drops a game behind Denver in the Southwest. KNIGHTS 13 DRAGONS 10 Call Derrick Mason “St. George”, because this Knight slew the Dragons. Down 10-6 with only 1:26 left in the game, Mason caught a short pass from Craig Whelihan, shook off the tackler, dodged the safety, and raced to the endzone for a 52-yard TD that stunned the Dragon faithful. Seattle drops to 3-8, while the Knights stay atop the South with a 6-5 record, despite playing without Todd Collins and struggling to move the ball all game long. WRANGLERS 7 SHOWBOATS 38 Andrew Walter’s pain is Memphis’ happiness, as the Showboats manhandle the Wranglers in the Liberty Bowl. Cadillac Williams’s 90 yards and 2 scores from Robert Ferguson emphasized the Showboat dominance in this one, as Arizona seems destined to slink towards the end of the season. STALLIONS 6 EXPRESS 29 Birmingham is another team that just seems to have nothing left in the tank. Jason Campbell completed 17 of 29, but threw 2 picks as the Express capitalized on Stallion mistakes to make Marques Tuiasosopo’s debut as a member of the club as easy as could be. Tuiasosopo struggled to an 11 of 25 day, but got help from Foster and Moore in the run game, as well as a defense that produced 6 sacks of Campbell. Philadelphia and Nashville Getting Hot at the Right Time The Knights and Stars are headed in the right direction as they get hot just as the playoff push of early summer gets underway. Philadelphia’s 4-game winning streak puts them atop the Northeast Division with an 8-3 record, which, thanks to Ohio’s 2 straight losses, means they are in the hunt not only for the division title, but are right there for the #1 seed as well. They have done it with a balanced offense that is averaging 103 yards rushing and 218 yards passing per game, but also with a defense, that while not intimidating as Chicago’s, Denver’s or Baltimore’s may be, is proving effective, forcing 17 takeaways this year and limiting teams to 22 points a game. Nashville earned their 3rd straight win this week, the first with backup Craig Whelihan at the helm. Whelihan did not wow anyone, going 23 of 40 for 221 yards, but he did show presence in the pocket and avoided turnovers, which, in a close game against the Dragons, proved to be enough to help Nashville move to 6-5. Rookie Frank Gore continues to impress, sitting 2nd in the league behind only Tiki Barber, with 961 yards on the ground. The defense has also been helping Nashville on this streak, allowing 14, 17, and 10 points over the past three weeks. When the Knights keep teams below 20 points they are 5-0, so expect them to slow down the game on offense, to keep Whelihan out of trouble and to depend on the defense to stay in every game. With Memphis only ½ game behind them, they will need to be consistent. They face the Showboats in a final week showdown at home to potentially decide the division, but cannot afford any slip ups until then. Michigan and Orlando Fading Down the Stretch If Nashville and Philadelphia are the hottest teams in the league right now, Michigan and Orlando are getting cold at the worst time. Sure, there are teams with longer losing streaks, Seattle and Arizona have both lost 4 in a row, but Michigan and Orlando were in the playoff mix, and now appear to be falling back. Orlando has to be considered out of the hunt right now, sitting in 11th position in the 12 team Eastern Conference at 4-6-1, while Michigan, at 6-5 after 2 straight losses, is still technically alive, but sits behind a big cluster of 7-4 clubs. The issue in Orlando would seem to be a mix of offensive sluggishness, averaging just under 18 points a game the past 3 weeks, and defensive wear-down, as the Renegades have given up over 27 points in each of their past three games. Of course, it does not help that they every team they have played in the past 5 weeks has 7 wins or more. That is not hard to say in the East, and Orlando still has Boston this week, followed by Nashville and Jacksonville to round out the season. Michigan, after a 4-game winning streak to get into the hunt in the Central, has lost consecutive games to the top 2 teams in the Northeast, Philadelphia and Baltimore. They look to rebound over the next two weeks as they face the 4-6-1 Maulers and the 5-6 Express. They still struggle to get a consistent run game, though Fred Jackson, newly arrived from Jacksonville, does seem to be showing some signs of quality in his short time with the club. They also need to shore up the run defense, but with 3 rookies starting at LB, it is not surprising that there are still communication and assignment issues. Realistically, the Panthers may need to run the table these next three weeks to have any shot at a post-season bid, and while the Mauler and Express games may be potential W’s, the season finale against the Ohio Glory in Columbus could be a big ask. Jeff Lewis Vocal About his Displeasure We saw this one coming a mile away. Jeff Lewis, thrust back into the starting role after Trent Dilfer was injured in his first start for Texas, is not a happy camper. Displaced by Dilfer, Lewis is very openly stating that he both expects and desires to be let free after the season, either through the expansion draft or allowed to test free agency. The starter in San Antonio since coming over from New Jersey in 2003, Lewis has had two 3,000 yard seasons for the Outlaws, but his QB Rating, and his win total have never been strong enough for him to be considered a Top 10 starter, and Dilfer, who put up over 3,500 in his past two seasons in New Orleans before being benched for Eli Manning, is certainly on a par or generally considered a step up from Lewis. If he is left unprotected by the Outlaws, which many expect, he could easily see himself in either Atlanta or St. Lewis next year. Having just turned 30, Lewis is entering prime QB years, and he has had flashes of real quality in his tenure with the Outlaws, including a 343 yard, 4 TD game just as Dilfer was arriving in trade from the Breakers. If he is not signed by an expansion club, a possibility that would certainly be an ego-crushing situation for the QB, he might have to resign himself to the role of backup with another club, but perhaps could find a situation where QB competition would be in his favor. For now the Outlaws QB must continue to show up in games while Dilfer is out, and if benched again must show the maturity to support Dilfer as Texas tries to muster something out of a lost season. Lawrence Dawsey Announces Plans It was not a big secret, but this week the longtime Stallion wideout has made it official. The next three weeks will mark the conclusion of Dawsey’s illustrious career with Birmingham. Dawsey came to the Stallions in 1991, a highly-touted product of Florida State. He started 7 games in his rookie career, stepping in opposite Ernest Givens, and caught 38 balls for 370 yards and 3 scores in that year. Those would prove to be his lowest career totals as he exploded as a sophomore in the Stallions offense: 1033 yards on only 48 receptions. Dawsey would see his production grow over the next few years, as both his role with the club and his QB situation would improve dramatically. He quickly became one of Brett Favre’s favorite targets, earning 11 consecutive 1,00 yards seasons before injuries in 2003 limited him to only 991 yards on the year. The injuries of 2003 have slowed Dawey down a bit, and he has not been able to reach the 1,000 yard mark since, with only 622 yards this season, with a rookie QB, being his lowest total since becoming a full time starter. In 14 seasons, Dawsey has amassed nearly 1,000 receptions, for over 17,000 yards and is closing in on 150 career touchdowns. Those totals make him a very clear Hall of Fame candidate. He currently sits 2nd all time in receiving yards in USFL history, behind only the legendary Eric Truvillion. He is also behind Truvillion alone in receiving TDs, his 145 putting him 24 ahead of Stallion legend Ernest Givens, but still 30 behind the Tampa Bay receiver. Dawsey will step away from the field, but not the game, as he has already accepted a position for Fall of 2005 as an assistant coach for receivers at his alma mater, FSU. With a reputation as a fiery rallying point for his teammates, it is no shock that Dawsey will move directly from the field to the sideline as a molder of young talent. Expect the Stallions to highlight Dawsey in Week 13 at their final home game of the year, and for Dawsey to get a respectful send off when the Stallions finish the season in New Orleans. Three weeks left to play and only one playoff spot is locked up. Denver’s win this week moves them 4 games up on 7th place New Orleans, which clinches them a spot in the postseason. They are a game up on Houston in the division, but they play the Gamblers in a Week 14 game that could decide the division title and very likely the top seed. Nashville’s 3 game win streak has them looking good, but Memphis is only ½ game behind at 5-5-1. Oakland is the other Western division leader, but they have to watch out for LA, who have won two in a row and sit at 5-6, only 1 game behind the Invaders. In the East, we still have 10 teams with winning records, 8 of whom are 7-4 or better. Ohio and Philadelphia lead the pack at 8-3, but Chicago is also right there, and with 5 teams at 7-4, this is still anyone’s game. New Jersey and Michigan have to be worried at 6-5 that even a winning record will not be enough this year, while Orlando, losers of 3 in a row, are fading fast and could be out of the running by next week. Finally, we have our first official elimination as well this week, with 1-10 Birmingham mathematically eliminated. 2-9 Las Vegas and 2-9 Texas are still statistically alive, but it does not seem likely that either can go on a 3-game win streak and get the help they need to sneak into contention. Three games left in the regular season and as clubs across the league battle for playoff position, injuries are taking a toll. Memphis battled back to 5-5-1 and is right in the thick of the chase, but may have to fight for their postseason lives without their starting QB as Heath Shuler went down late in this week’s game with a strained hamstring. That will keep him out of Week 12, but could extend further. Trent Dilfer is another QB who could be out longer, while Jeff Blake and Mark Brunell are expected back next week after missing their Week 11 games. And add Alex Van Pelt to the injured list, meaning that Pittsburgh will be playing Week 12 with untested Jim Sorgi as their QB. The Maulers signed Elvis Grbac to back up Sorgi, and are hoping that Charlie Batch can return for week 13, but it is never good to have to count on your 3rd string QB to bring you a W. Oakland lost one of their best linemen this week, when guard Logan Mankins was placed on IR with a neck injury. No spinal cord damage, but a potential chip in a vertebrae could require surgery. New Jersey will be without LB Bobby Howard at least 2 weeks, Nashville listed FS Bhawoh Jue as doubtful for Week 12 with a knee injury, and Arizona, though not in any playoff hunt in what has become a disastrous season, now loses LB Karlos Dansby to a groin injury. Five USFL Superstars Selected for Pro Football Hall of Fame The 11th class of USFL inductees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio has been selected. From the 12 semi-finalists five players will be honored with permanent enshrinement in the legendary hall. As always it was a bittersweet announcement, for while there is great joy for the five who were selected, there is great disappointment for the seven who were not. It is always a difficulty process, but the hope is that each year the five most deserving players move forward and into the Hall. This year that group includes two first ballot enshrinees and three players who were on their second year of eligibility or later. WR Ernest Givens (Stallions 1986-2000): It seems fitting that in the same week as Lawrence Dawsey announces his retirmement from the Stallions, the USFL, and pro football, his mentor and the first true superstar receiver of the Stalliions, Givens, is inducted into the Hall of Fame. A lifelong Stallion, Givens retired with 950 receptions for over 16,251 yards and 121 touchdowns. He was named All-USFL 5 times and won a title with the Brett Favre led Stallions in 1993, catching 13 TDs in that season, a year after a stunning 23 TD season, only 2 shy of Eric Truvillion’s league record. LB Kevin Greene (Stallions 1985-1997, Generals 1998-2000): Another long-time Stallion star is the 2nd first-ballot nominee this year. Greene retired in 1997, but was lured back mid-season by the Generals and would play 2.5 years in New Jersey to finish his career. Green was named All-USFL 6 times, all with Birmingham. He still holds the Birmingham records for career tackles and tackles for loss. His career totals include 1,261 tackles (192 for a loss), 44 sacks, and 19 picks. He joines Givens, HB Joe Cribbs, SS William Cesare, TE Shannon Sharpe, and FS Frank Wilder as enshrinees from the Stallions’ rich history. DE Charles Haley (Federals 1986-1992, Wranglers 1993-1997): A bit of a surprise but certainly deserving, Haley was part of Washington’s monster D-line for 7 seasons before joining the Wranglers as their primary edge rusher. He retired with 162 sacks, and still haunts the nightmares of many a veteran QB. In his final year of eligibility, it seems clear that the voters felt they simply could not leave the big man off this year’s roster. LB Vaughn Johnson (Bulls 1984-1997): It took 11 years of HOF inductions, but the Jacksonville Bulls finally have a bust in the Hall. Johnson, also in his last year of eligibility, was a sentimental choice, especially for Bulls fans. He was the first star of the 1984 expansion club, known for explosive hits and takeaways that could change the course of a game. Vaughn retired in 1997 with 910 tackles, an incredible 154 for loss, 23 forced fumbles, 60 sacks, and a reputation as a very bad man to meet over the middle. OT Emory Yates (Stallions 1983-1999): Call it the year of the Stallions, as another member of Birmingham’s early years makes the hall. A founding player in the USFL, Yates started an amazing 217 of 222 games over his career, all with the Stallions. He moved from RT to LT after 3 seasons in Birmingham and became the rock that would not move on the Stallion line, giving up only 28 sacks over his entire career. Both Cliff Stoudt and Brett Favre owe a lot of their success to the protection provided by Yates. Five very deserving enshrinees, and clearly the folks from Alabama are going to have to make a pilgrimage to Canton for this October’s ceremony. But, of course, with these five making the Hall it means seven others will have to hope that they will find a spot in next year’s class. Among those who will likely be semi-finalists, if not enshrinees next year we have CB Chris Doleman, TE Ben Coates, DT William Perry, QB Jack Trudeau, and two other Class of 2005 first time nominees, WR Webster Slaughter and DT Jerry Ball. Week 12 is usually a big week for divisional play and this year is not letting us down, with all 24 clubs playing important divisional games that could shake up the playoff scene in a hurry. We start on Friday night when Washington travels to New Jersey to take on the Generals. If New Jersey can get the home win, they could be right back in the hunt, but Washington will be ready for a fight. Saturday we have 5 games, starting in the early timeslot with a good one as Tampa Bay visits Jacksonville in a battle of 7-4 clubs. Pittsburgh visits Michigan in another early clash as both clubs try to revive fading playoff hopes. In the late afternoon slot we have our first Western Conference clashes of the week as New Orleans is in Memphis to face the Showboats and Oakland visits Las Vegas with their eyes on 7-5. Saturday Night features what was predicted to be a playoff game in Week 12, Houston at Arizona, but which may be a low-scoring game that could very easily go lopsided quickly. Sunday has 6 games lined up, three in the early slot with Orlando visiting Boston, Philadelphia squaring off against Baltimore and Nashville hoping to take advantage of a crumbling Stallion squad in Birmingham. In the afternoon games we have Texas at Denver and Seattle visiting LA to face the Express. We cap it all off with what could be the best game of the week, as 8-3 Chicago hosts 8-3 Ohio for what might well be the Central Division title. Neither team can lock it up this week, but the winner of this one will have the inside track and control their own destiny.

PLAYOFF PICTURE: Denver becomes the first club to clinch a playoff spot at 8-3. Birmingham is eliminated.

Five different QBs are knocked out of games in a week defined by the importance of a good backup. Todd Collins could miss the rest of the regular season with a hip injury suffered against the Breakers, a game the Knights still manage to pull off. In LA, the Express may have to go to 3rd stringer Marques Tuiasosopo after Quincy Carter suffers a neck injury, and Orlando watches Jeff Blake go down with a knee injury that could cost him the remaining 4 games of the year. Aside from injuries, the story this week is that the playoff races start to solidify, with a lot of close battles across both conferences. Ohio’s loss to Tampa Bay puts the #1 seed in range for several teams, while it looks like Houston and Denver are going to battle to the wire out West. Let’s review the week’s action and then check in on the QB situation for each club. KNIGHTS 18 BREAKERS 17 In a game that both squads saw as essential to their playoff hopes, the Nashville Knights rallied behind backup Craig Whelihan to defeat the New Orleans Breakers in the final seconds. The two clubs came into the week a half-game apart, with Nashville clinging to the division lead despite a 4-5 record, while New Orleans sat at 3-6-1, with a win allowing them to leapfrog over their division rivals. When the game ended Nashville would have a significant advantage to win the title, but at a cost, while New Orleans would see their playoff chances significantly diminished. Both clubs have had issues with their offenses this season, although Nashville has been able to rely on HB Frank Gore to help them overcome a lackluster passing game. New Orleans has had issues on both fronts, with Eli Manning struggling in his first season as a starter. The recent roster shakeup that saw Trent Dilfer dealt to Texas and then Chris Perry brought in from Michigan was designed to solidify Manning as the starter and to enhance one of the league’s worst run games, but has yet to produce significant results. In this game both Perry and Nashville’s Gore had limited success, both rushing for 80 yards. With both defenses focused on the run game, it was thought that Nashville’s potential through the air might be the difference, and while that proved to be the case, it was not in the way that the Knights had hoped. Only 2 drives into the game Todd Collins was taken down hard by DE Ty Warren of New Orleans, tried to stand up and then fell back to the ground in obvious pain. He was helped off the field and taken to the locker room with what would later be revealed by testing to be inflammation of the hip joint which could be the product of a chip of cartilage separating from the joint, a painful injury that may require several weeks, or even surgery, to sort out. Craig Whelihan would have to lead the Knights the rest of the way in this game and for the next 2 weeks at a minimum. Nashville would only manage a 2nd field goal in the first half, and, thanks to a Chris Perry TD run in the 2nd quarter, New Orleans would go into the half with a 10-6 lead. Nashville fought on in the3rd quarter, and while the defense was able to stifle Manning and the Breakers, keeping them scoreless in the quarter, the offense struggled under Whelihan. They managed to add two more Matt Stover field goals, to take a slim 12-10 lead by the end of the quarter, but were unable to get inside the redzone on either scoring drive. When New Orleans finally put up 7, scoring on a 20-yard Troy Davis run with only 3:32 left to play, the situation did not look good for the Knights. Down 5 with an offense that had not been able to get inside the 20 all game long, and facing a smothering zone defense, the Knights would have to muster something special to get the score they needed to salvage the game. Nashville would have exactly 3:32 to salvage the game and take command of the division. They would need every second of that time. What Nashville would produce is an 18-play drive that included several vital 3rd and 4th down plays, and would come down to the final ticks of the clock. The kickoff got the ball to the Knight 31, where the epic drive would commence. What followed was one of the most exciting and heart-stopping drives in Knight history. 3:11 1st and 10, NSH 31: Frank Gore run for 1 yard. 2:41 2nd and 9, NSH 32: Incomplete pass to Merritt. 2:33 3rd and 9, NSH 32: Completion to Gore for 4 yards. Facing a 4th and 5, Coach Johnson gave no thought to kicking the ball away. He called a pass play designed to force the linebackers to make a decision between two receivers making shallow crosses, hoping Craig Whelihan, who had not seen action all year, would make the right read and find the receiver with room to run. He did, and Nashville escaped the early moment of truth. 2:00 4th and 5, NSH 36: 6-yard completion to Derrick Mason. First Down. Two minute warning. 1:46 1st and 10, NSH 42: Pass to Gore for 8 yards. Time Out #1. 1:36 2nd and 2, 50: 5-yard completion nullified by a holding penalty on Gandy. 1:28 2nd and 12, NSH 40: Whelihan hits Mason for 9 yards. Time Out #2. 1:18 3rd and 2, NSH 49: Whelihan to Gore for 8. Tackled in-bounds. Time Out #3. 1:10 1st and 10, NOR 42: Whelihan sacked by Brandon Mitchell right at the line. 1:00 2nd and 10, NOR 42: False Start on Nashville. 1:00 2nd and 15, NOR 47: Whelihan hits Reggie Kelly for 14 yards. 0:44 3rd and inches, NOR 33: Whelihan complete to Gore for 6 yards. 0:44 1st and 10, NOR 26: Whelihan spikes the ball. 0:33 2nd and 10, NOR 26: Whelihan finds Kelly again, this time for 12, but again the TE cannot get out of bounds. 0:33 1st and 10, NOR 14: Whelihan spikes the ball. 0:18 2nd and 10, NOR 14: Incomplete to Gore. 0:13 3rd and 10, NOR 14: Short pass to Bert Emmanuel, who runs from the hash to the sideline to get out of bounds, but fails to pick up the 1st down. 0:02 4th and 2, NOR 7: And Johnson needs a play… Fourth down again, clock stopped at 2 seconds. No time to worry about the first down. This play from the 7 yard line would be the game. The Knights line up with Emmanuel, Mason and Kelly lined up in a tight bunch on the left, Gore and TE Jabari Holloway on the right of the line. Gore goes into motion to the left, a possible screen. Whelihan, in the shotgun, takes the snap, all three receivers on the leaft fan out into a shallow cross, a slant, and a deeper in route, forcing the zone to compress into the middle of the field. Gore is forced to stay in to help block Ty Warren, but backup TE Jabari Holloway crosses against the formation, slanting to the left just as the three receiver set moves the defenders towards the middle of the field. The linebacker following Holloway gets caught up in the traffic in midfield, giving Holloway the 2-step advantage he needs. Whelihan fires a frozen rope just in front of his TE, and Holloway hauls it in just as he hits the goal line. He is hit by the safety, falls to the ground, but holds on. 4th and 2 from the 7 with 2 seconds to play and the Knights called the perfect play, executed perfectly. The Nashville bench erupts, the Breakers can only stare at the replay on the scoreboard, hoping to see Holloway juggle the ball as he was hit, but no such luck. They return to the locker room despondent about a game that got away, failing to contain a backup QB as he led the club down the field in an epic 2-minute drill. The Knights move to 5-5 and New Orleans falls to 3-6-1. STALLIONS 9 SHOWBOATS 27 Heath Shuler had a strong game, completing 22 of 26 throws for 286 yards and 2 scores as the Showboats take the season sweep of their archrivals. Cadillac Williams also looked ready for a final quarter push as he rushed 23 times for 117 yards. For Birmingham, things were not so rosy, with Shaun Alexander remaining stymied by loaded fronts and Campbell unable to make them pay for dropping fewer players back in coverage. GAMBLERS 27 OUTLAWS 12 Trent Dilfer got his first start, struggled to an 11/22 day with 2 picks into the third quarter, and then got injured on a hurried pass, forcing Jeff Lewis to come in. By this point the game was already out of hand, with Houston holding a 27-5 lead until a late Texas touchdown made the game seem closer than it was. WRANGLERS 7 GOLD 31 You have to feel for rookie QB Andrew Walter, forced into action with an offense that has not been working all season even with Jake Plummer at the helm, forced to endure 6 sacks and then blamed by many for going 5 of 20 on the day for only 90 yards passing. Just nothing was there for the Wranglers, as Denver racked up a 31-0 lead despite Mark Brunell going into the locker room at the half and not re-emerging due to deep thigh bruise. He was not needed for the final 20 minutes as Denver had this game won early. INVADERS 36 DRAGONS 24 Viewed as a must-win game for the Dragons, the home squad was simply not up to the task. Trent Green went 22 of 33 and threw for 3 scores and Ricky Williams had one of his better days against the Dragon D, rushing for 101 and a score as Oakland simply dominated time of possession to move their record to 6-4. Both Boston and McDuffie went over 100 yards for Seattle, but they just were not able to get enough stops to force a closer game. THUNDER 17 EXPRESS 29 Even after knocking Quincy Carter out of the game, Las Vegas could not muster enough to upend the Express. Marques Tuiasosopo relieved the injured Carter and threw for 226 and a score as LA got the upper hand on Las Vegas thanks to a pick-6 from rookie Lofa Tatupu, and a safety from DE Jevon Kearse. Kearse and Udeze remain the #1 sack duo in the league, adding 2 more to their combined total this week. BULLS 18 MACHINE 29 The Bulls came in hot but Chicago doused that fire with a stifling defensive effort, led by MLB Brian Urlacher. Neither team would score a touchdown until the 3rd quarter, as the first 8 scores in the game were field goals, 5 for the Bulls and 3 for Chicago. But in the 2nd half, Chicago added two Michael Turner TD runs, while Jacksonville could only add a 6th Kris Brown kick, and that was the difference in this one. PANTHERS 17 STARS 28 This battle of two up-and-coming squads was won by Philadelphia’s red zone defense. Michigan outgained the Stars 450-310, but were stymied on two separate red zone drives, first by a Quentin Jammer pick, and then by a failed 4th and 2 play in the 4th quarter. Philadelphia had fewer drives deep into Michigan territory, but 3 of them ended with Kurt Warner TD tosses, he would finish the game with 4 TDs on the day, including two into the hands of Steve Smith. GENERALS 27 RENEGADES 17 A big day for James Jackson as he had his heaviest work load (16 carries) all season, and converted those carries into 91 yards rushing for the Generals. New Jersey also got TD’s from TE Patrick Hape and WR Terry Glenn to slowly pull away from the plucky Renegades late. With Jeff Blake injured, rookie Matt Cassel was given a chance to play most of the game, going 16 of 25, but Cassell was not able to produce 4th quarter drives to come back on the Generals. BANDITS 32 GLORY 20 The game of the week quickly turned into a Tampa Bay showcase, as they raced out to a 17-0 lead, with early TDs from Culpepper to Moss and to Karl Williams. The hole kept Eddie George from taking on his usually large role in the offense. Kerry Collins pressed a bit, and forced 2 interceptions that he normally does not throw, including a late toss taken back to the house by Tampa Bay’s Bryan Scott. MAULERS 20 BLITZ 16 A bit of a shocker in Baltimore as the Blitz got caught overlooking the Maulers. Charlie Batch was injured in the game, but not before building up a lead for the Maulers. TDs from Kenny Bynum and Terrell Davis were too much for the Blitz to overcome despite Big Ben completing 30 of 41 passing. Vince Jackson of Pittsburgh was the POTG, thanks to 8 receptions for 113 yards, including a crucial 29-yard catch and run on a 3rd and 18. FEDERALS 10 CANNONS 17 Drew Bledsoe and the Boston line struggled with Washington’s pass rush, giving up 6 sacks, as Greg Spires led an aggressive blitz plan for the Feds. Kordell Stewart returned to action after a couple of weeks on the injury report, but the key to the game was the Boston D, which kept Washington from capitalizing on Stewart's return to action. Quarterback Injuries the Story of the Week We saw earlier how backup Craig Whelihan helped lead the Knights to victory after Todd Collins went out with a hip injury which has the potential of costing him the remaining 4 games of the regular season. But Collins was not the only starter to go down this week, and Whelihan not the only backup to be forced into action. Five different starters finished their games in the locker room being attended to by the training staff and the club medical team. In addition to Collins, we saw Quincy Carter, himself a backup to Cade McNown, go down, Jeff Blake in Orlando, Charlie Batch for Pittsburgh, and Trent Dilfer, in his first start as a new member of the Texas Outlaws, all found their games shortened. So, what is the situation for each club? We take a look at all 5 situations, starting with Nashville. NASHVILLE: We know that Collis is going to miss no less than 2 weeks of action, but the decision on whether or not the hip injury, which appears to involve floating cartilage chips, may require surgery, is still to be decided. If surgery is deemed necessary, it means Craig Whelihan is the starter the rest of the way. Whelihan last started a game in 1999 with Arizona, and has only appeared in 7 games in his 4 seasons in Nashivlle, all in garbage time. With Nashville only ½ game up on the 4-5-1 Memphis Showboats, this will be a major storyline down the stretch. LOS ANGELES: With Cade McNown believed to be at least 2 weeks away from any attempt to get back into action, the Express now lose their 2nd quarterback as Quincy Carter suffers a neck injury that will likely keep him out at least that long, if not the remaining 3-4 weeks of the season. The Express will call on former Oakland Invader Marques Tuiasosopo to take the reins of the offense. Tuiasosopo, who started 21 games for Oakland between 2000-2004 will get his first start for the Express after coming over in free agency. The Express also added veteran backup Jon Stark to back up Tuiasosopo, but have not added a 3rd QB, listing WR Arnaz Battle as their emergency third option. ORLANDO: QB Jeff Blake, who has had some very good moments leading Orlando to a 4-5-1 record, will be out at least 2-3 weeks with a sprained knee. The play that caused the injury looked like it had the potential for worse, with the leg bent back at an uncomfortable angle, so it was considered very lucky that Blake did not suffer any tendon or ligament damage in the knee. What was interesting about Orlando’s decision-making was that they went with mid-round rookie Matt Cassel of USC to replace Blake, rather than veteran backup Koy Detmer. Cassel is expected to get the start in Week 11, and Orlando has not yet added a 3rd QB to the roster, though there have been rumors that they have reached out to former New Jersey General Spence Fischer as well as former Panther and Gold backup Elvis Grbac. PITTSBURGH: For the second time this season, Batch will miss time due to injury. After missing weeks 4-6, Batch is again expected to miss 2-3 weeks in what has been something of a snakebit season for the Maulers. This time it is a hamstring injury, one that was obvious as Batch scrambled only to begin hopping on one leg at the end of the play. Once again he will be replaced by veteran Alex Van Pelt, the former Pitt QB who made a name for himself in Chicago with the Machine, before returning home. Jim Sorgi from Wisconsin will be the backup, and as of today there is no third option on the roster. TEXAS: The Outlaws did not get the short-term return on the trade that brought Trent Dilfer over from the Breakers as the former Breaker lasted only one half of play in San Antonio before going down with his own hip injury, although in Dilfer’s case, there appears to only be soft tissue damage. Dilfer went 11 of 22 before having to come out of the game against the Gamblers. He could potentially return in Week 12, after missing one game, and, as expected, Jeff Lewis will resume his duties as starter, though certainly not a happy one. Lewis fully expects to go unprotected in the upcoming Expansion Draft, and if not selected by either Atlanta or St. Louis, he will almost certainly demand to be released in free agency. He is backed up now by former Longhorn Chris Simms. Rookie Dan Orlofsky of UConn has been moved from the practice squad into the 53 to act as the 3rd QB for at least this week. Arizona moves Plummer to IR as season is lost cause. In other QB news, the Wranglers have, after several weeks, opted to move Jake Plummer to the IR with the stress fracture in his foot. Sitting at 2-8, with only the most miniscule playoff potential in the Western Conference, the Wranglers decided that they would not go back to Plummer this season, despite the fact that he is expected to be cleared to play within the next 2 weeks. Rather than trot him onto the field to potentially get injured again, it seems Arizona is recognizing that 2005 is a lost season for them. They will continue to go with Andrew Walter, the rookie, and let Plummer heal and return for 2006. Walter is backed up by Damon Huard, but we expect he will continue to get the starts throughout the remaining 4 games of the season. Urlacher Takes Over Tackle Lead Switching to defense to wrap up our roundup of league news this week, we focus on Chicago MLB Brian Urlacher. The former New Mexico Lobo moved ahead of Kevin Mitchell this week as the league leader in tackles. Urlacher, the undisputed leader of the Machine defense, has been on a pace to set personal bests in several categories of defensive stats. He already has 4 sacks and 3 interceptions on the year, both being career bests. What is more he has added 2 defensive touchdowns to his season stats. His 85 tackles puts him on a pace to shatter his prior season best of 102 in 2004, and he is a frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year as the leader and captain of the Machine’s 4th ranked scoring defense. With Urlacher prowling the middle of the field, it has been nearly impossible to run on the Machine, who allow fewer than 80 yards per game on the ground, and Urlacher, who is slight for a MLB, and a former safety, has proven incredibly effective in pass coverage, particularly when occupying the deep middle on 2-deep zone coverages. His top competitors for the Defensive POTY are Birmingham DE Mike Rucker (15 sacks), New Jersey CB Deion Sanders (4 picks, 2 for TDs), and his own teammate, DE Anthony Weaver (13 sacks and 3 forced fumbles), but even Weaver has said that the Machine D starts and ends with Urlacher’s leadership, motor, and aggressive style. Four weeks to go and we are no closer to knowing for sure who will be playing ball in July. Next week could be a biggie at least for a few teams as another loss will eliminate both Las Vegas and Birmingham, which comes as no surprise for fans of either team. Orlando and Pittsburgh, currently in the bottom two slots in the East cannot be eliminated next week, but only because each has a tie on their records, which mean that even with losses they would fall only 2.5 games behind any teams that reach 7 wins. So, what do we think right now? We know that Ohio still has a 1-game lead on the top spot for the East, but their loss to Tampa Bay is a big deal if the Bandits can pull even, giving the tiebreaker to them and not the Glory. We know that Denver and Houston will likely lock up the first 2 playoff spots out west, but that we likely won’t know who will win the division until the two meet on the season’s final weekend. We also know that with a cluster of 6-4 teams, it is basically impossible for anyone to clinch a playoff spot in the East, and could take until Week 13 or 14 to sort out. Two very different playoff hunts in the two conferences, but on the upside, it means that teams still have something to play for, and that parity will produce some great games down the stretch. In addition to the QB injuries highlighted above, it was a bad week as three more players, each on teams with significant playoff hopes, get sent to the IR. Another Achilles rupture this week as Na’il Diggs of Nashville goes down. Nashville takes a hit on both offense and defense after this week’s game. In Houston, big DTRockey Bernard suffered an ACL injury after getting rolled up on by a pancaked guard. He will require surgery and a pretty lengthy recovery period. And finally, center Jeremy Newberry of the Generals, will be done for the year after his knee pain was diagnosed as a significant MCL injury. Beyond these significant injuries and the QB woes across the league, the only multiple-week injury of note is that of Houston WR Roy Williams, who could be out at least 2 weeks after suffering a turf toe injury at home agains the Outlaws. We expect Koren Robinson will step into the #2 position, with either Drew Bennett or Bethel Johnson occupying the slot. Big Trouble in Big D Major issues for the DFW Group that is seeking a 2008 expansion club for the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex are. It all stems from the disparity in image and cache between the two cities, as USFL owners responded to the DFW bid with several initial positives, but took the position that the team would have to be based in Dallas itself and would be required to use the name Dallas. With the DFW bid headed by Robert Bass, whose ties are firmly with Ft. Worth, and with a stadium agreement in place to use Amon G. Carter Stadium (TCU) in Ft. Worth, the news that the USFL would insist on both a Dallas moniker and Dallas location, split the bidding group into two factions. Dallas certainly has venues available, whether the venerable Cotton Bowl, with its capacity of nearly 92,000, or SMU’s 5-year old Gerald J. Ford Stadium, which has a capacity of 32.000, but neither is ideal for a USFL squad. The Cotton Bowl is an older facility and its capacity will make even a good crowd look like a half-empty stadium, while the stadium at SMU is clearly not large enough for a viable USFL franchise, just ask Portland (and now Las Vegas) about the impact of a 30,000 seat capacity. So, why the ruling? We knew going in that Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones was not open to hosting a USFL squad in Texas Stadium (Arlington) or in his planned “Jerry’s World” stadium, but the insistence that a club focused on Fort Worth is a non-starter for the league all but pulls the rug out from under the DFW Group. Robert Bass has stated that he will make the case for Fort Worth, and use of Amon G. Carter Stadium, whose capacity of 47,000 is right-sized for the spring league. However, several of the minority owners, perhaps not fully on board with Bass’s insistence on Fort Worth as a franchise home, seem to want to appease the USFL and make a deal with the Cotton Bowl. The rift between the two factions is troubling for what felt early on like a slam-dunk option to bring the USFL to one of the largest cities in the country not to host the 23-year old league. Rumors have been swirling that DFW Group may actually split into two very different bids. This would entail Mr. Bass either applying as a sole owner, something which is rare in today’s high value market for pro sports, or for the defecting minority owners to locate significant financial resources to bolster their bid for a Dallas-centric team. There appear to be no winners in this situation, except one. Robert Bass could lose out on his hopes to elevate Ft. Worth to the status of a major league city. The Dallas-based splinter group could easily fail to locate the financing to cobble together a viable bid. And, the league itself could have essentially cost itself a chance to move a franchise into the 5th largest market in the nation. The only potential benefactors from this issue and the schism it has produced is the bid from Portland, Oregon. The bid in Portland is solid, with a new stadium already under construction in the city, and with a pretty solid financial backing, led by Columbia Sportswear founder Tim Boyle, but the bid was considered a longshot with Dallas-Fort Worth on the table. If the DFW Group splinters, as appears to be happening, this could be the chance that Portland was hoping for to make its case, both as a bidding group and as a market that was wronged by former Thunder owner Phil Ruffin. So, what brought about the issue of Dallas v. Fort Worth anyway? While we do not have insight into the league conversations around the issue, it seems clear that one of the big movers and shakers behind the scenes was Texas Outlaw lead owner Red McCombs. There is no doubt that the Outlaws, as well as the Houston Gamblers, feel somewhat ambivalent, if not outright hostile, to a third Texas franchise being brought into the league. McCombs has been quite vocal that he believes that the Outlaws belong to all of Texas, even though they play all but one home game per year in San Antonio. Both Dallas and Fort Worth have been host to the annual “Texas Roadshow” game, with the Cotton Bowl having hosted the Outlaws 6 times and Carter Stadium 4 times. Only El Paso, with 5 hosting gigs, even comes close to the DFW in exposure. Add to the two voices from Texas a couple of owners who seem very much interested in the cache of Dallas over Ft. Worth, as well as several more who are simply hoping to bring Portland back into the fold. We know that both Seattle and Oakland ownership groups have been strongly in favor of the Portland bid, hoping to return a USFL team to Oregon and a natural rival back to their fold. Adding a Portland team would create instant rivalries with the Dragons, and likely the Invaders as well, and Portland would immediately have a natural rivalry with the Las Vegas Thunder, just as the Ravens and Browns began with bad blood in the NFL. Does this news of internal rifts in the DFW Group mean inevitable doom for the DFW bid? It all depends on if either faction can reinforce their coffers and their bid in time to impress the USFL owners in the next few weeks, before a decision is expected on the 2008 bids. The drama is certainly there, and while the East is seen as more competitive, with three pretty equal bids (Charlotte, Norfolk/Va Beach, and Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill), it now seems that the Western expansion bidding has just become a much closer race. Chicago Machine Gets an Overhaul Changing gears, literally, is what we will do now. The Chicago Machine this week unveiled their new look, and it is quite literally a changing of the gears. Chicago began its existence as a 1987 expansion club with a logo designed as the letter M with gear-like protrusions on each side. Ten seasons later the Machine overhauled their look in 1996 with the introduction of the “Gear C” logo, a set of “stacked” gears that formed a C similar to the famous Chicago Theater C. That logo has had it’s 10 year run, and now, for the team’s 20th season, the Machine will have yet another new look, one that calls back to the current and prior logos, while also adding features to even further link the club’s identity to that of the city of Chicago. The team will retain its primary colors of UC Maroon and Ironworks Grey, but we will see an increased use of sky blue, always a tertiary color for the club, as well as the addition of a bold red, in the form of one of the new visual markers for the club, the 6-pointed star found on the Chicago flag. The flag is clearly a point of emphasis in the Machine’s new look, with the sky blue stripes and red stars morphing into an element of both primary and secondary logo. The Primary is a reworked “Gear C”, with a large primary gear forming the C while the inner space is occupied by a grey circle containing the bright red star. Sky blue outlines and a blue stripe emerging from the open space of the C help to evoke the city flag and complete the round logo. The secondary logo is a reworked version of the ironwork M that was the club’s original brand. The new “M” comes complete with girder effects and rivets to reinforce the iron and steel, almost “steampunk” look of the logo. A red star sits above the bold letter, with sky blue shadows falling below it. The look that will take the field retains many of the well-known elements of Chicago’s past looks. The helmet remains maroon with a maroon facemask, but sky blue becomes the dominant stripe, with pencil-thin grey stripes on either side of the wider central stripe. The 6-pointed star makes another appearance eat the rear of the stripe, separating the player number and the league’s flags sticker. The primary logo, outlined in white, appears on both sides of this new helmet. The jerseys remain white and maroon, with grey and sky blue elements. The shoulder yoke is gone, replaced by maroon sleeves on the white uniform, while the dark jersey is fully maroon except for ironwork grey sleeve cuffs. The primary logo again appears on each sleeve. The most intriguing element of the new jersey are the numbers, which contain very wide outlines in maroon (white jersey) or grey (dark jersey) with two contrasting inner color sections. On the dark jersey the upper section of the number is sky blue, while the bottom half is white. For the white jersey the bottom uses grey instead of white. There are two pant sets, one grey and one maroon. Both include the secondary logo on each hip and a diagonal/horizontal stripe pattern meant to evoke the Chicago flag once again. The design on the maroon jersey definitely has that vibe as white and sky stripes contain a single star logo. The grey jersey swaps out the thick sky blue lines for maroon, which evokes less of the city flag theme, but still retains the basic elements of the look. The new uniform could take the field as early as this Spring if the Machine make the postseason, which seems very possible with 4 weeks left to play. It will be fully rolled out in March next year, and replica jerseys, along with many Machine apparel options, will be available to the public in the Windy City and across the nation starting in just a couple of weeks. A rarity in the USFL schedule, a week where all 24 clubs are playing inter-divisional games within their conference. We tend to see interdivisional games in one conference in weeks when the other conference is in divisional play, but this week every club is facing another conference foe. This allows for some great matchups between teams battling for conference playoff spots. A lot of good ones to focus on in Week 11, including: OHIO @ JACKSONVILLE: The Bulls can prove a lot to themselves and the league if they can knock off the current #1 seed in the East. BALTIMORE @ MICHIGAN: Two of our surprise contenders battle it out to see who can take a step closer to a playoff berth. BOSTON @ NEW JERSEY: The Generals have fought their way back into the playoff mix with three straight wins, but Boston cannot afford a loss in a tight Southern Division. CHICAGO @ TAMPA BAY: The Bandits are a game up in the South, Chicago only 1 game back in the Central, so this is a must-win for both clubs. ORLANDO @ WASHINGTON: The Renegades seem to be fading and must go into this tough matchup without Jeff Blake at QB, while Washington expects to have Kordell Stewart back under center. PHILADELPHIA @ PITTSBURGH: The Keystone Clash could help propel the Stars towards the playoffs. The Maulers will start Alex Van Pelt again and hope for some home town magic. OAKLAND @ DENVER: A rare clash of teams with winning records out West as the Invaders head to Denver, who will be playing without Mark Brunell. ARIZONA @ MEMPHIS: A win and the Showboats are back at .500 and solidly in playoff contention. HOUSTON @ NEW ORLEANS: The Gamblers need a win to stay atop the Southwest, New Orleans needs one to have any chance at remaining a viable Wild Card contender. NASHVILLE @ SEATTLE: With Todd Collins out, it will be up to Craig Whelihan to lead the Knights against the Dragons, who are still alive for a Wild Card despite a 3-7 record. BIRMINGHAM @ LA: After finally getting their first win of the season, the Stallions head out to LA, where third string QB Marques Tuiasosopo will be the starter. LAS VEGAS @ TEXAS: With nothing but pride to play for, these two teams will clash in a matchup that impacts draft order more than anything else.

Playoff Picture: No teams have qualified for the postseason, or been eliminated. Were the playoffs to start today these teams would qualify: EAST: Ohio, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Jacksonville, New Jersey WEST: Houston, Oakland, Nashville, Denver, Memphis, Los Angeles

The 2005 season is presenting us with some real headscratchers. Is Michigan for real? Is Baltimore? What about Philly? And Jacksonville? Is anyone out West going to take charge and win a few games in a row? Just how bad will that last Western wild card be? What happened to Arizona? And Seattle? And LA too? So much seems to be off, or just odd this season. This week gave us a few more unusual results, or at least a few that made us wonder if we needed to readjust expectations across the entire league. It’s certainly an odd place to be, nine weeks in and very uncertain about so much we are witnessing. STARS 36 FEDERALS 31 The Federals have to be leaving behind Week 9 scratching their heads as well. They went into the game hoping that Jon Kitna would hold up against the Stars’ pass rush, and that Deuce McCallister could find running room against the Stars defense. The answer to both was a resounding yes, with McCallister rushing for 129 and Kitna completing 21 of 32 passing despite being sacked 5 times. The Federals even limited Ahman Green to only 58 yards on the day, and yet, somehow, they found a way to let this one slip away. The Federals had built up a 24-10 lead by the half, thanks in part to Deuce McCallister’s strong run game. An early TD from McCallister was built upon when backup Antwoine Womack also ran one in from the 2. Add in a Deion Branch TD reception, and Washington seemed to be on their way. The problem was no one told Philadelphia the game was over. The third quarter belonged to the visitors, with the Stars scoring on an Ahman Green run and then a 51-yarder from kicker Mike Nugent. The twin scores got them within 4 at 24-20. When the 4th quarter began, Washington was feeling the heat, and they responded as one would expect a veteran team with a lot of playoff experience would, they took the second half kickoff and put together a 3-minute drive that ended with 7 points on a Kitna to Tillman toss. Back up by 11, the Feds had to feel good about their position. That ended 2 possessions later, when, after a Stars 3-and-out, a good punt put Washington back at their own 2-yard line. Philly’s D got the push they wanted on first down, and Jon Kitna was forced to take a safety or risk a pick-6 as he was surrounded by linemen. The lead was now 9. Philadelphia took the post-safety kickoff and aimed at a possible quick score to get back in the game. What they got instead was a tipped ball and a pick from the Washington defense, with strong safety Bob Sanders making the big play. Washington was ready to put the game to bed, sitting on a 9-point lead, but on the very next play Jon Kitna missed his receiver and found Quentin Jammer instead. The speedy corner raced downfield , putting six on the board and bringing the Stars back to within 2 points. Washington was stunned, but with only 3:58 left, all the Feds had to do was grind out a first down or two and the game would be over. They tried, but on a 3rd and 2, McCallister was stuffed by Kendrick Clancy and the Feds had no choice but to punt the ball away. Philadelphia took over on their own 33, and in short work, Kurt Warner had the Stars in Federals’ territory. With 1:47 left to play, the Stars got back in the huddle, and Washington clearly thought that the Stars were now playing for the field goal, hoping to run down some time, pick up a few more yards on the ground, and then let Mike Nugent kick them to a 1-point win. They crowded the line when Ahman Green appeared to get the handoff from Warner. The problem was that Warner had pulled the ball back from Green. He had it and he had Tim Dwight in single coverage on a fly pattern. Warner laid up a perfect bomb into the endzone. Dwight caught the ball, dragged his feet and fell to the ground with the game winner. The win moves Philly into a tie with Washington, both at 6-3, but the road win also gave the Stars the tiebreaker, placing them atop the Northeast Division as the first playoff chart was published. For the Federals, a frustrating day that saw their defense give up 26 points in the second half, including 16 in the final period. BLITZ 13 GENERALS 20 The other big matchup in the East was the Blitz at the Generals. Baltimore had a chance to stay ahead of Philly and DC atop the division, but New Jersey had their eyes set on getting back into a possible playoff scenario, and that gave them the motivation to win a slugfest of a game. A Bobby Howard pick-six sparked the Generals, who would later get a Brady to Anthony Becht TD toss to extend their lead and hold off the Blitz to move to 5-4. Baltimore falls to 6-3 and joins a 3-way tie for first in the division. MACHINE 17 PANTHERS 34 Chicago was so focused on the Ohio Glory ahead of them in the standings that they failed to prepare for the club that was gaining on them from behind. Michigan stunned the Machine and doubled up their score in a convincing home win. Drew Brees would continue to be white hot, throwing for 395 yards, while newly-acquired HB Fred Jackson contributed 50 yards on 14 carries. Jeff George looked a bit shell-shocked, throwing 3 picks as the Panthers were all over the Machine offense all game long. GLORY 44 MAULERS 27 Ohio did not make the same mistake as the Machine, taking the Maulers seriously, despite the setbacks Pittsburgh had suffered of late. Kerry Collins went off against the Mauler defense, throwing for 354 yards and 5 TDs to be named Offensive POTW. Pittsburgh managed to limit Eddie George to only 58 yards rushing, but they just could not keep the Glory receivers out of the endzone, with 5 different targets catching Collins’s 5 scoring throws. RENEGADES 21 BANDITS 37 Orlando kept it close for 30 minutes, trailing only 17-14 at the half, but the second half belonged to the Bandits, who got a 66-yard punt return TD from Karl Williams and 119 yards from Travis Prentice to earn the home win. Both Kevin Johnson and Chris Doering went over 100 yards as Orlando tried to swarm Randy Moss as a strategy. It did not work, Moss still had 98 yards. CANNONS 24 BULLS 40 Jacksonville and halfback Antowain Smith made a statement at home against Boston, with the big back rushing for a season-best 157 and 2 scores as the Bulls ran away with this one. Three sacks, 1 pick, and a safety were Drew Bledsoe’s rewards for challenging the Bulls early. The defense shut down the Cannons as the game moved from the 1st into the 3rd quarter. Rashaun Woods added 123 yards and a TD catch as the Bulls celebrated the win and moved to 6-3 in the Southeast. EXPRESS 14 KNIGHTS 21 Despite a solid game from Quincy Carter, the Express simply could not find the endzone, going only 2 of 11 on third down and failing on their only 4th down play. Frank Gore was again pivotal for the Knights, rushing for 114 yards and opening the scoring in the game. Derrick Mason and Ahmad Merritt scored on two tosses from Todd Collins, and the Knights moved up to 4-5, good enough for first in the Southern Division this year. OUTLAWS 31 INVADERS 38 Coach Mackovic kept new QB Trent Dilfer on the bench with only 3 days of practice under his belt. Jeff Lewis used the opportunity to have his best game of the year, throwing for 344 and 4 TDs against the Invaders. He had to keep the pressure on because Texas’s defense was not helping. Not only did they give up 4 scores to Trent Green through the air (three to Marty Booker) but also gave up over 90 yards to both Ricky Williams and Justin Fargas. It was Williams’s late score that would provide the game winner to the Invaders in one of the better back-and-forth games of the season. GOLD 24 THUNDER 3 After stating that Henry Burris would get the start, a Friday shoulder injury in practice forced Coach Glanville to put Aaron Brooks back under center. That did not go well as Las Vegas could only convert on 1 of 12 third downs, failed on both their 4th down attempts, and finished the day with only 154 yards of offense against the Gold. SHOWBOATS 6 GAMBLERS 34 Houston’s defense had its best game of the year against the visiting Showboats, limiting Memphis to only 226 total yards. Of course, Memphis also hurt themselves, with 13 penalties for 119 yards as they simply got behind and got chippy in a way that did not help at all. Matt Hasselbeck connected with Roy Williams for 2 scores, building on the young receiver’s very solid 2005 season. BREAKERS 10 WRANGLERS 6 Andrew Walter’s first start in the pros was an ugly affair as neither Arizona nor New Orleans could get much going on offense. Despite trying to emphasize the run to take pressure off Walter, Arizona could only muster 42 yards on the ground the whole day. Walter also suffered 6 sacks as New Orleans just kept the pressure on. The game could have been even uglier, but New Orleans could not do much either as Arizona’s defense stepped up to try to help the offense out. What we got was a game decided by a single drive as New Orleans got the game’s first TD in the 4th quarter on a Troy Davis run. DRAGONS 13 STALLIONS 16 Byron Leftwich returned to action, and threw for 351 yards, but the Dragons still struggled to score points, and Birmingham got just enough from Jason Campbell to pull out their first win of the season. Seattle had a 13-6 lead after Leftwich’s lone TD of the day, a 43-yarder to David Boston with 3:56 left. But the Dragons got sloppy and Jason Campbell’s TD toss to Lawrence Dawsey was followed by a successful onside kick and a last second Mike Hollis FG to help the Stallions snag the comeback win. New Faces in New Places Not a great start for the three players who were on the trading block last week. Trent Dilfer did not get on the field for the Outlaws, standing on the sideline watching as Jeff Lewis had one of his better games. Chris Perry did get the start for the Breakers, but struggled to make anything happen, rushing for only 53 yards on 18 carries, a 2.9 average. And the last of the three, former Bull Fred Jackson, was also able to get into the game against Chicago, rushing 14 times for 50 yards. Not a lights-out performance from either back, but it will take time for each to get to know the team, the offense, and the blocking schemes. Dilfer is expected to start next week for the Outlaws as they face arch-rival Houston in the AlamoDome. After Lewis’s performance, Coach Mackovic was asked, and he was gracious towards Lewis but made an unequivocal statement that they brought Dilfer in to be the starter and that if he was ready to go next week, he would get his chance to show Texas fans what he could do. Ohio Leaps Up to #1 with Oddsmakers It took Las Vegas bookmakers a while to come to their senses, but after 9 weeks Ohio has leapt over Boston and Tampa Bay to become the favorite to win the Summer Bowl. More evidence that the betting line has caught up with reality is the fact that there are 6 teams from the east favored to win before we get to our first Western Conference team. Ohio leads the pack, followed by Tampa Bay, Boston, Washington, Jacksonville, and Chicago. Then we get the first Western team, Denver, followed by New Jersey and then Houston. The season started with Tampa Bay a clear #1 in the ranking, followed by Arizona, then Boston and New Jersey. The biggest riser since the season started is Baltimore, which started at 750-1 and is now only 18-1. The biggest drop is the Wranglers, who started at 8-1 and are now 1500-1. Drew Brees Sets the Tone in Michigan It may have taken 5 seasons, and a lot of struggles, but Drew Brees is turning into the QB that the Panthers imagined him to be when they selected him out of Purdue. After 4 seasons in which he never topped 20 TDs for the year, and averaged just under a 90 QBR, this year he already has 23 scoring tosses, more than 3,000 yards through the air, and a rating well over 100. Brees has made the leap this year even without a strong run game. He is locked in with his receivers, particularly his top target, Hines Ward, who has 102 targets and 1,123 yards after only 9 weeks. Brees is spreading the ball around as well, with both TE Bennie Joppru and WR Laverneus Coles topping 60 targets and 40 receptions each. Even fullback Rick Razzano is proving valuable, catching 26 passes as a safety valve for Brees. While Brees is quick to point out the consistency of his O-line, which did not have major turnover this offseason, or to highlight Ward as a receiver, it seems clear that the QB is coming into his own as a decision-maker and a leader. Michigan is 6-3 and their offense is second in the league at 29.5 points per game thanks largely to the 3rd rated passing attack in the USFL. A Light in the Darkness To say it has been a rough season in Birmingham seems an understatement. Not since a 4-12 season in 1986 have the Stallions had such a poor start to a campaign. Rookie QB Jason Campbell is struggling to stay healthy or to move the ball, and Shaun Alexander is getting buried under 8 and 9 man fronts. The defense is near the bottom of the league, allowing 27 points per game, and yet there is a beacon of light in this season of darkness in Alabama. Mike Rucker is staking his claim as the best DE in the game, taking advantage of Phil Hansen’s retirement to try to inherit the mantle of the USFL Sack Master. Nine games into the season, Rucker sits at 14 sacks, on pace for a 20-sack season, which would be his first since a stellar rookie campaign in 1999. Rucker has reached 19 sacks twice, but this may be the year that he gets over 20 and sets a personal best. His lead in the league rankings currently sits at 2 sacks more than Chicago’s Anthony Weaver, and 4 ahead of the cluster of players at 10 sacks (Kearse and Udeze of LA, Upshaw of Philadelphia, and Wistrom also of the Stallions). Rucker and Wistrom have been a strong tandem since the 2nd year player came over from Baltimore this year, helping Birmingham reaching the #2 spot in team sacks behind only the Stars. It is the one aspect of the team that seems to be working well, while all around them there is chaos and confusion. So, while the Stallions are not anywhere near where they hoped to be by this point, there is at least one Stallion who is going above and beyond when it comes to his job performance. We have our first peek at the playoff standings this week, and while we all know that there is a lot of football between Week 9 and Week 14, it is also clear that the two conferences are going to have very different playoff races. In the East, we have 10 teams over .500, all battling over 6 slots, and even 4-4-1 Orlando is not out of it at all. Meanwhile in the West, we have only 3 teams over .500 and we have 2 clubs with 3-5-1 records currently in playoff position. We could easily see at least one of the three divisions, and perhaps two, with a division champion at or below .500, which means we will almost certainly see Wild Card teams with losing records. It is so bad that even 1-8 clubs like Las Vegas and Birmingham still have viable paths to a playoff spot. Looking at division races, the ones to watch out for are in the Southwest, where Denver and Houston both sit at 6-3); the Northeast, where all 4 teams are within 1 game of each other and 3 are tied at 6-3; the Southeast, where Jacksonville and Tampa Bay are tied only 1 game ahead of Boston and 1.5 games up on Orlando. With Michigan’s upset of Chicago, the Panthers are now a tiebreaker up on the Machine, with both clubs now 2 games behind Ohio. In the Pacific, Oakland leads at 5-4, with Seattle and LA already 2 games back. And we are not sure if anyone really wants to win the South, where Nashville leads at 4-5, but has New Orleans and Memphis only a half game behind, both at 3-5-1. Two teams that cannot afford any loses got hit with the injury bug this week. Boston had to place tackle John Stinchcomb on IR after the big man ruptured his Achilles tendon early in this week's game. They also lost CB Brian Williams to a hernia, though Williams could be back in as few as 2-3 weeks. New Orleans was the other club that got dealt a bad blow as DE Corey Sears tore a biceps in his left arm and will also be placed on IR. Chicago lost 2 players, at least for the short term as TE Jim Kliensasser is expected to be out at least 2-4 weeks after breaking 2 fingers on a bad helmet facemask catch, while HB Brian Westbrook could miss a week or two of action due to issues with the miniscus of his right knee. Others who are out for Week 11, and possibly longer, include Dragon LB Piso Tinoisamoa (elbow), Blitz FS Marquez Pope (nerve pinch), Mauler CB Dre Bly (hamstring), Knights' sack specialist Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (ankle), Generals' DE Shaun Ellis (finger), and Denver TE Lonnie Johnson (wrist) Expected back in action for Week 11: Feds' QB Kordell Stewart, Breaker TE Bubba Franks, Dragon CB Al Harris, the other Stinchcomb (Feds' Matt), SS Lawyer Molloy of Birmingham, Texas DE Chris Hovan, and Express CB Aeneas Williams. Skyhawks Take Another Step The St. Louis Skyhawks took another step towards finding their way onto the field as the club, partnering with Reebok, revealed their inaugural uniforms for the 2006 season. The unveiling event, Monday Night at the city’s World’s Fair Pavilion atop Government Hill, the ownership and Head Coach Art Shell revealed the uniforms to the world. The uniform begins with the already-released royal blue helmets. Adorned with the winning logo, the “Angry Bird”, the royal helmets come with navy blue facemasks. The mix of the two blues, along with silver and white, will be dominant features of the uniforms. The most noteworthy aspect of the uniform, a unique element introduced with the Skyhawks, is a swooping set of thin stripes across the chest, from the lower right up to the upper left of the chest. The stripes, in 3 colors on both the home blue and road white jerseys, divide the body of the jersey from the shoulder yoke. Similar stripes are found mid-sleeve, separating the yoke again from the lower portion of the sleeves. On the Blue jerseys, the streaks are navy, silver, and white. The same colors are used on the white jersey due to the use of a royal blue shoulder yoke. The numbers on both jerseys are a traditional block font, outlined in white (blue jersey) or silver (white jersey) and navy. On the home jersey the numbers are metallic silver, while on the white jersey they are royal blue. The pants feature another “swooping” effect, with the pant stripes not extending straight from waist to knee, but curving as might a bird in flight. A thick stripe is paired with a thinner stripe, with the two splitting about the mid-thigh, revealing a third color triangular swatch, which is finished at the joint with a small triangular piece, similar to the “jets” included in the main and secondary logo. The socks are navy with a wide royal blue stripe at the base. Coaching Hotseat Week 9 and time to seriously consider which coaches are feeling the heat. With their first win coming this week in something of a snoozer of a game, Birmingham cannot be too impressed with Dennis Franchione’s three year run. Not only did he fail to find success in Brett Favre’s final two seasons, perhaps leading to the multiple All-USFL quarterback opting out with a short-lived retirement, but Franchione has not shown that he has what it takes to prepare Jason Campbell for a career as a starter in the USFL. Campbell’s rough start as a pro is going to be put on Franchione, to be sure. And, unless he finds a way to turn things around, or at least demonstrate growth for Campbell, this third season in Birmingham could easily be his last. A 13-24 record so fa does not look like a good sign the former Alabama Head Coach will be able to wrangle a 4th season out of Stallion ownership. Another Southern Division coach could also be feeling the heat. Mike Nolan was a huge success in his first year with the Breakers, getting them to a 12-4 record in his first season, but that was 5 years ago, and since then things have not all been great. The Breakers did make a Summer Bowl appearance in 2003, so that may be recent enough to still buy Nolan some time, but the current campaign has not done him any favors, and neither has benching, and then trading, Trent Dilfer, the QB who got New Orleans to that Summer Bowl. Pittsburgh’s Jack Bicknell also has to be feeling a bit of heat. We are not sure if he is in any immediate danger, after all he did get to the playoffs with the Maulers in both 2003 and 2004, but the club seems to have stagnated, and with Terrell Davis’s production on the decline, Bicknell is going to have to demonstrate that he has a plan B for the Mauler offense, otherwise he could soon be on the way out. Both Galen Hall in LA and Jim Mora in Memphis began the year with targets on their backs. Mora has had some unexpected success this year, but unless he can pull the 3-5-1 Showboats back up to .500 and get them involved in the Southern Division race, this could be the end of the line for the veteran coach. In LA the hope was that Hall’s tendency to put together strong seasons every other year would benefit Galen Hall once again. Sitting at 3-6, after a 6-8 campaign in 2004, does not seem like a winning formula. Unless the Express make major strides over the next 5 weeks, this could be the end of the line for the longstanding Express coach. Looking ahead to Week 10, we find the West in divisional play once again, with a lot of teams hoping to get on a roll and maybe even reach .500. The best game in these divisional matchups has to be Nashville at New Orleans, because it is the only game where the division lead could change. Memphis hosts Birmingham in the other Southern game and hopes that a New Orleans win also helps them leap over rival Nashville. Houston is in Texas where we expect to see Trent Dilfer on the field for the Outlaws for the first time. The Gamblers are tied with Denver atop the division, with the Gold at home against Arizona in a rivalry match that may be a bit one-sided this year. In the Pacific, we have Oakland at Seattle in what may be a last stand for the Dragons if they have any hope of being relevant this year. In LA the Express will host the 1-7 Thunder, also hoping that a home win, paired with an Invader loss, will bring them back into the picture. The East has more winning teams, so on paper more good games to be had. We are looking forward to seeing the Bandits play the Glory. The over under is 58 points, which seems high overall, but may be low for this matchup. Washington is in Boston for a battle of Revolutionary importance. New Jersey will travel to Orlando, hoping to get back in the mix atop the Northeast. In Philly, the Stars have a tough matchup against the Michigan Panthers, while the Chicago Machine try to rebound at home as they host the very tough Jacksonville Bulls. Pittsburgh gets no break in the schedule as they head to Baltimore to face the 6-3 Blitz.

Playoff Picture: No teams have clinched or been eliminated at this time. Were the playoffs to begin today, the following teams would qualify: Ohio, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Washington, Michigan & Baltimore in the East; Houston, Oakland, Nashville, Denver, Memphis and New Orleans in the West.

If there was any doubt that the Eastern Conference was the more dominant half of the USFL season, it ended this weekend. Yes, the East has most of its teams over .500 while the West has more teams under the Mendoza Line, but it could not really be that big of a difference, right? With all 24 teams in interconference play this week, we got our answer. The East crushed the West across the board. If not for Texas winning in Pittsburgh it would have been a clean sweep. 11 of 12 Eastern clubs won this week, which not only proves the level of dominance, but also means that almost no one made any ground on anyone else. Everyone but the Maulers gained one more game on the positive side. Everyone in the West except Texas now has one more in the loss column, and that changes nothing except that it makes the Eastern Conference Final a potentially better game than the Summer Bowl. OUTLAWS 23 MAULERS 13 With no games this week being particularly close and no fantastic finishes, it was tough to pick a Game of the Week. So, in the spirit of looking at what made news, we are choosing the lone win by the Western Conference as our GOTW if only because it broke the trend that every other game this week set. And perhaps because the post-game news seems so incongruent with the result. Texas came into this game at 1-6, winless on the road, and with one of the worst offenses in football. Pittsburgh was at home, but just one week after being blown out at Heinz Field by the division leader, Ohio. An injury to WR Nate Burleson meant that the Maulers would be starting two rookies at wideout, Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams. Charlie Batch, who had struggled against Ohio in his first game back from injury, would be taking on Jeff Lewis, the lowest-rated starter in the league. Las Vegas was cautious on this one, giving the Maulers only a 3 point advantage in pre-game lines. So, what did we see on Sunday? We saw two teams struggle to keep drives going, with the two combining to go only 7 of 27 on third down. We saw Terrell Davis get only 8 carries and average only 2.1 yards per carry. Backup Kenny Bynum actually got more touches, but could muster only 0.6 YPC in the game. If you want to know how Texas won, that statistic, contrasted with T.J. Duckett’s 141 yards on 25 carries is pretty much all you need to know. Duckett also scored the first TD of the game, part of a 2nd quarter that put them in command. After a scoreless, and largely punchless, first quarter, Texas scored on three consecutive possessions, including the Duckett 7-yard TD run, to take a 13-0 lead. Pittsburgh managed a late field goal, but went into the half down 10. Texas added another 3 points on the foot of Rian Lindell in the 3rd, leading by 2 scores as they went into the final quarter. In the 4th, Pittsburgh showed its first signs of life all day, scoring first on a Bill Grammatica field goal, and then putting a scare into the Outlaws when a Batch to Randle-El TD brought them within 3 points in the final minutes of the game. The Maulers needed an onside kick to get the ball back and take a shot at a final field goal. What they got was a poorly kicked ball, and a penalty for failing to kick the ball 10 yards, that gave Texas prime field position. The Outlaws took their time, but when all was said and done, HB Marcel Shipp scored on a short TD run and put the game out of reach with just 1 minute left to play. Was this a classic? No, absolutely not. But it was the only game all week where the West showed up and came away with a W. The Conference will host the Summer Bowl this year, with Houston’s NRG Stadium as the site for the Summer Classic, but this week does not make anyone feel good about the chances for whomever comes out of the conference as its rep in the big game. KNIGHTS 6 STARS 20 The “Ahman Green Bowl was one of the better displays of effective run games we have seen all season. Ahman Green got revenge on his former club, averaging 6.8 yards per carry against the Knights’ D and outdueling rookie Frank Gore (who rushed for an even 100). Philadelphia’s defense also played a big part in the Stars’ victory, sacking Todd Collins 8 times on the day, including two each from LBs Zach Thomas and Quentin Caver, as Philly’s blitzing D caused issues for Collins all game. GAMBLERS 14 GLORY 31 Ohio used home field, 106 yards from Eddie George, and a 3-TD day from Kerry Collins to pull away early from the Gamblers and force Matt Hasselbeck into the uncomfortable position of playing catchup. In a battle of top receivers, Galloway edged Freeman 124-103, and Hasselbeck was held without a TD toss in a disappointing result for one of the better teams from the West. GOLD 17 PANTHERS 37 Denver came into Ford Field favored by 2 over the homestanding Panthers, but after going up 3-0, the Gold gave up the next 37 points to turn this game into a route. Drew Brees had one of his best games as a pro, completing 14 of 21, but with 5 of those 14 completions going for six. TD’s from Hines Ward, Marcellus Rivers, Bennie Joppru, and 2 from Charles Rogers put this game away for the Panthers. INVADERS 14 RENEGADES 38 Oakland too was considered by many to be a potential road victor, though Saturday’s line on the game had this as a pick ‘em. Orlando quickly determined that it was not to be a close game, scoring the opening 17 points and putting Oakland in a bad position by the end of the 1st quarter. Orlando would control the clock (38:57 of possession) thanks to 40 rushes, 17 from Sedrick Irvin, 10 from R.J. Redmond, and 13 from their QB, Jeff Blake. DRAGONS 10 BANDITS 31 Seattle had won three in a row, and a 4th would bring them back to .500, but it was not to be in Tampa Bay on Friday Night. The Bandits gave up an early TD to Corey Dillon, but then put 24 unanswered points on the board on their way to a 21-point victory. Randy Moss added 2 TDs to his season total, along with 137 yards through the air. Cody Pickett, starting again for the Dragons, did not have a good day, sacked 9 times for -80 yards as Tampa Bay confounded the blocking schemes of the Dragons. WRANGLERS 6 MACHINE 26 Chicago got 72 yards rushing and another 52 through the air from Brian Westbrook on their way to a pretty comfortable win. The reason it was so comfortable? How about Jake Plummer going out in the 1st quarter with an injury that could cost him a month or more. Rookie Andrew Walter was simply not prepared to play the game and with Chicago’s relentless defense that spelled disaster for the Wranglers. BREAKERS 12 FEDERALS 17 The Federals are trying to revive what has been their calling card, a staunch scoring defense. New Orleans is still trying to find themselves offensively. The result, a low-scoring game that was 17-3 Feds at the end of 3. New Orleans scored 9 points in the final quarter, but was never really a threat to overtake the Federals. THUNDER 20 CANNONS 32 In what could be Aaron Brooks’s final start in Las Vegas, the QB suffered 5 sacks and 2 picks at the hands of a Boston defense that is not considered one of the league’s elite squads. With 103 yards and 2 TDs from Tiki Barber, the Cannons pulled away in the second half to win this one by 2 scores. EXPRESS 21 BULLS 42 Jacksonville won their second in a row to improve to 5-3 by forcing Quincy Carter to play from inside the pocket. The LA QB threw for 3 scores, but also made some big mistakes, including a costly pick that helped the Bulls build a 21-point advantage. Anquon Boldin hauled in 10 passes for 92 yards, but it was rising star Rashaun Woods who scored twice, much to the delight of the Bulls’ crowd. SHOWBOATS 21 GENERALS 24 The Boats and the Generals had the closest game of the weekend, with Memphis scoring on a Robert Ferguson TD and a 2-pointer to tie the game at 14 in the 3rd quarter, but New Jersey got a late Anthony Becht TD to pull ahead by 10 and then milked the clock before Memphis could get back in it with a garbage-time score. Curtis Enis and James Jackson combined for 130 yards on the day to pace New Jersey to the W. STALLIONS 9 BLITZ 28 Birmingham fans have been patient with QB Jason Campbell, mostly because he is an Auburn product, but too many more outings like this one and they may wish they had gone after Rodgers or Smith instead. Campbell finished the day with only 105 passing yards on 14 of 37 throwing. Baltimore had a much better day, with 2nd year QB Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 3 scores despite constant pressure from Mike Rucker of the Stallions (2 sacks and 5 hurries). Jake Plummer To Miss 4-6 Weeks The 2005 season is just not going the way Arizona fans expected, to say the least. The Wranglers, after a solid showing in Summer Bowl 2004, were the favorites of many to get back to the title game. No one saw a 1-5 start as a possibility, but that is what Arizona produced. And now, to add injury to insult, the Wranglers are looking at anywhere from 4-8 weeks without their All-USFL quarterback, Jake Plummer. The mobile QB scrambled after the pocket broke down on a 3rd and 6 in the first quarter, but just as he turned for the sideline, he crumpled to the ground. It would later be determined that he had suffered a stress fracture in his right foot, an injury that will take considerable time to heal. Rookie Andrew Walter would finish the game, and is likely to be the starter for much of what remains of the season. The Wranglers are not putting Plummer on IR, at least not at first, as he could return by Week 12, but they did sign 34-year old veteran of both the USFL and NFL, Tommy Maddox to provide more backup in case Walter struggles. It is a bad turn in an already bad season for the Wranglers, one which could essentially force the Wranglers to begin planning for the offseason already. This is, after all, a team that struggles to build a run game and depends heavily on their star QB. Without Plummer, the Wrangler offense is going to have to change its spots, and in a hurry. Glanville to Start Burris Las Vegas is another club going through a very rough season. Sitting at 1-7 and possessing the 2nd worst offense in the league (yardage), Coach Glanville is not getting what he had hoped for from former Atlanta Fire QB Aaron Brooks. And so, just after the midpoint of the season, Glanville is making a change. Former CFL quarterback Henry Burris is going to start in Week 9, and for the foreseeable future we expect. Burris was something of a consolation prize when Las Vegas was unable to secure a more prominent QB in the offseason. Having allowed Akili Smith to leave in free agency, the thought was that Brooks would be a transition QB until a rookie could be groomed, but the only rookie taken by Las Vegas and signed as well was Brock Berlin of Miami, a developmental player to be sure. With Glanville more of a defensive-minded coach, it is clear he hoped the offense would be good enough that he could devote his time to the D, but while the Defense is looking better in Glanville’s first year (6th against the run, 9th in yards allowed), the offense is holding the club back. This is likely a multi-year project, but the first step appears to be testing out Burris to see what he can offer the Thunder. The midseason trading wave has begun. With the trade deadline in just 2 weeks, teams are trying to make moves, clear some cap space, or possibly add that one player who can help them move into the playoffs. We had three pretty significant trades this week, two surrounding the same team as the Michigan Panthers try to stock up for a possible late run in the Central. But we start in Texas, where Coach Mackovic has clearly decided to go in a new direction, and in doing so, removes a major distraction from the New Orleans Breakers. Breakers end Dilfer Discussion with Trade to Texas We don’t know who started the trade talks, but the end results seem to help both the Breakers and the Outlaws with two very different issues. The issue in Texas was clear. Jeff Lewis is the lowest-rated starter in the league and has been anything but happy with the Outlaw organization. Texas tried to sign Aaron Rodgers this offseason but found themselves the loser in a bidding war with the NFL 49ers. So they entered the season with Lewis a disgruntled starter. In New Orleans the problem was a very different one. Coach Nolan had decided that the time was right to move from veteran “game manager” Trent Dilfer, to the “golden child” of Archie Manning, 2nd year QB Eli Manning. Manning’s transition has not been without a good deal of growing pains, but Nolan is committed to the young player with a lot of potential. Problem is, the fans were not. The constant second guessing and calls for Dilfer to be reinstated were a distraction, and, while Dilfer has been nothing but a good team player, supporting Eli as he struggles, the constant questions about Dilfer as a starter got to be a huge issue for the club. So, with one fell swoop, Dilfer is in Texas, where he will likely be starting by the end of the season, maybe as soon as Week 9 or 10. New Orleans gets a solid backup in Todd Boumann, the former General, and the two clubs swap 3rd round picks, with New Orleans banking on Texas remaining a Top 3 club when it comes to draft order. So, the Breakers now move ahead with a clear starter and no option to replace Manning. The team is his. In Texas, Coach Mackovic can get Dilfer up to speed and then sit Jeff Lewis. We fully expect the disgruntled Lewis to be made available to either St. Louis or Atlanta. Perhaps a change of scenery is exactly what he needs, and Texas can now build on their run-first offense led by T.J. Duckett. Michigan Creates a 3-Way Halfback Shuffle Jacksonville has had something of an up-and-down season, in large part because of some defensive gaps. Michigan has had one of the worst run games in the league, with Chris Perry simply not developing as so many Panther (and Wolverine) fans hoped he would. So, with an abundance of good corners in the Michigan stable, the Bulls came calling. First, they made sure they had some help for Antowain Smith, the club’s #1 back. They signed 3rd down specialist Travis Minor from free agency, which then allowed them to feel secure in sending a pretty good player to Michigan to nab a cornerback. Michigan gets HB Fred Jackson from the Bulls, a good dual-threat halfback who has shown great growth since coming to the USFL. They give up CB Dereck Combs, who fluctuated between the #3 and #4 spot in their secondary. But, what to do about Chris Perry? The Panthers kept on the phones and found another team desperate to revive a moribund run game. For the price of two fourth round picks (2006 and 2007), the Breakers were happy to get former Wolverine, Perry, to add to their backfield. This is bad news for Olandis Gary, who has struggled as the “big back” paired with scatback Troy Davis. Davis’s role is unique, so the carries that Perry will get as a Breaker are almost certain to take away from Gary’s role on the team. So, to sum up, expect to see Travis Minor taking some 3rd down snaps, and perhaps fielding punts, in Jacksonville. Prepare to see a lot of Fred Jackson, paired up with Ladell Betts in Michigan, and do not be shocked if New Orleans tests out Perry alongside Gary, with the better performer getting retained from the Expansion Draft, and the lesser option being released into the pool. Other than the obvious exception of Jake Plummer’s foot, this was actually a very good week around the league from an injury standpoint. No new IR placements, only a couple of short-term injuries, and the usual flood of players who are now listed as doubtful, questionable or probable due to the wear and tear of the season. Among those who we likely will not see on the field this week we find New Jersey DE Shaun Ellis (hand), Boston CB Sam Madison (neck), Nashville TE Justin Peele (shoulder), Philly WR Roddy White (neck), Denver TE Lonnie Johnson (wrist), LA DB Aeneas Williams (arm), and Arizona LB Kevin Hardy (hip). Thinking About That Expansion Pool As we enter the second half of the season, the looming expansion to Atlanta and St. Louis has become a very popular topic on sports radio as fans try to determine just who on their favorite club might be up for grabs in an expansion draft. Teams can only protect 12 players, which means that 10 starters on each club will be left unprotected (though some may be free agents by the draft, which does dilute the pool). Yes, each time a team loses a player they get to protect another, but that still leaves plenty of room for teams to lose some significant contributors. As we think about the Expansion Draft, we wonder just who could be out there for the Fire and Skyhawks to select. We thought a quick look, position by position, was warranted. QB: A key to any expansion team is getting a leader who will not crumble under the pressure of trying to lead what is often an undermanned squad. Getting a QB who can either weather the storm, or find ways to make plays when there is chaos around him is key. Looking at players who are likely to go unprotected, you won’t find a lot of starters but there are some interesting options. How about Aaron Brooks from the Thunder, Jeff Lewis of Texas, or Brian Griese of Michigan, all starters (either this year or last). If it is youth and athleticism, there could be some other options as well, such as Cody Pickett from Seattle, Adrian McPherson of Boston, or Matt Cassel of Orlando. And don’t forget the trusty backup who could become a starter with a new team. How about Denver’s Eric Wilhelm, Ohio’s Chris Redman, or Chicago’s Tony Banks? HB: While a few teams might protect both HBs if they use a rotation system, there will certainly be many available. The decision is between speed and shiftiness vs. a bigger, power runner who might do better behind what could be a piecemeal offensive line. Among the solid backs who could go unprotected we have names like Justin Fargas (OAK), Rod Smart (DEN), Olandis Gary (NOR), Mike Anderson (HOU), or James Jackson (NJ). FB: This is one position where an expansion team, or both, could get themselves a player on the cusp of being All-USFL. With only 12 protected players per team, fullback is not likely to be a priority for most teams. Solid blocker/pass catcher/runners at the position include Obafemi Ayanbadejo (BLT), Deon Dyer (NJ), Jonathon Linton (CHI), Alan Ricard (OAK), or Mike Karney (ARZ) TE: If a club is looking to drop some cap room, and perhaps jettison a veteran, this could be a position to do that. Could that happen to Bubba Franks (NOR), Marcus Pollard (PHI), or Dan Campbell (HOU), or would expansion clubs look to this position as one where a youthful and athletic player might be preferred, perhaps a Bennie Joppru (MGN), Antonio Gates (BAL), or Matt Schobel (TEX) could be in the pool early. WR: Expect a lot of slot receivers or 3rd wideouts to make this list. Most teams will protect their clear #1 and with the league’s emphasis on passing, we would not be shocked to see quite a few #2’s also protected. Some talented players who won’t fit that bill include Freddie Solomon (TEX), Kevin Johnson (TBY), Antwan Randle-El (PIT), Tim Dwight (PHI), Jabar Gaffney (ORL), Marty Booker (OAK), Bobby Engram (NOR), Justin McCaerins (MEM), Dez White (LA), Donald Hayes (JAX), Koren Robinson or Drew Bennett (HOU), returner Dante Hall (CHI), or James Thrash (BIR). OL: Offensive line positions are going to be another area where teams simply cannot protect everyone, so there could be as many as 2-3 starters from each USFL club who go unprotected. Left Tackles are likely to be protected, and Centers after that, but there will be a wide range of options here, including some quality veterans who may be cap hits, and some younger players who are sitting behind All-USFL candidates. Look for a lot of right tackles to have a shot to become starting left tackles by moving to an expansion club. Some of the bigger names who could move include tackles Chad Clifton (ARZ), Tra Thomas (HOU), Todd Steussie (LV) or Jermaine Mayberry (TEX); guards Ross Hochstein (SEA), Damien Woody (PHI), Brendan Stai (OAK), and Eric Steinbach (BAL), and centers Tom Nalen (BIR), Bubba Miller (BOS), Corey Raymer (LA), and Matt Birk (NSH). DE: Edge rusher is a high value player, so don’t expect to see anyone from the Top 20 sack leaders going unprotected. What you are likely to see are the “other guys”, the DE’s who line up across the formation from the big name sack specialists. This means guys who are good at run stuffing, but may not be strong sack specialists. This includes players like Bob Kuberski (TEX), Travis LaBoy (SEA), Sedrick Clark (ORL), Corey Sears (NOR), or Leonard Little (MGN). DT: There will be some DTs protected by clubs, especially the big nose tackles in a 3-4, but this is not considered a high value position, so a lot of the league’s better DTs could be available. Players like Kenard Lang (ARZ), Wendall Bryant (BOS), Brentson Buckner (CHI), Tommy Harris (DEN), Larry Triplett (LA), Marcus Stroud (OHI), or Darwin Walker (TBY) should be available for Atlanta and St. Louis. LB: This will be interesting. There will be teams that try to protect 3 LBs, while others may feel that no one player at the position is irreplaceable. MLB will likely be a bit of a weaker pool than OLB, just because these are often defensive team captains, charged with a lot of playcalling responsibilities, and thus harder to replace. Some of the bigger names who could be available include Ike Reese (WSH), Godfrey Miles (SEA), Joe Odom (PIT), Dexter Coakley (ORL), Rocky Calmus (NJ), Hannibal Navies (MEM), Brady Poppinga (LV), Kawika Mitchell (DEN), and Wali Rainier (BIR). S: You are not going to find Troy Polamalu, Lawyer Milloy, or Bryan Dawkins available, but we would expect one of the two safety positions to be unprotected on each club, along with all of the backups, which does include some talented players. How do these names sound?: Tavares Tillman (TEX), Anthony Dorsett (PHI), Jermaine Phillips (OHI), Paris Lenon (NOR), Tebucky Jones (MEM), Rich Coady (LA), Marquez Pope (BAL), or Yeremiah Bell (ARZ). CB: We fully expect a lot of nickel backs and #2 corners to be available, and perhaps a few #1's if they are near the end of a contract and in their 30’s. That is just the nature of an expansion draft like this. Some of the names that would not surprise us are Ken Irvin (BIR), Sam Madison (BOS), Philip Buchanon (TBY), Jimmy Hitchcock (TEX), Donovan Greer (MGN), Kenny Wright (LV), Dereck Combs (JAX), Ike Taylor (CHI), and Asante Samuel (ARZ) K/P: No one is going to protect a punter, let’s be honest, so Atlanta and St. Louis will likely have their pick of the league. Kickers, very few, but a handful will get protected. Of course the other reality is that with 30 picks each, there is no reason to expect that either the Fire or the Skyhawks will use a pick on a kicker or punter. Those will be available on the free agent market. It simply makes more sense to spend all 30 picks on positions that are on the field more. We head back to intra-conference play in Week 9, with the Eastern Conference engaged in some very meaningful divisional games, while the West is in inter-divisional action. Several games bring us some major drama this week, but perhaps none moreso than Chicago at Michigan. The Panthers shuffled their HB situation this week, but, sitting at 5-3, they are right in the mix in the Central, only a game back of this week’s foe, Chicago. A win at home against the Machine and Michigan could jump into 2nd place. The other game in the Central has Ohio, flying high at 7-1, headed to Pittsburgh, where the Maulers look to be fading. In the Northeast, we have 4 teams all within 2 games of each other, so every divisional game is huge. On Saturday it will be Baltimore traveling up I-95 to take on the New Jersey Generals in the Meadowlands. New Jersey, at 4-4, is sitting in 4th, but a win against Baltimore could help them get back in the hunt. In the other game, Washington, sitting atop the division at 6-2, hosts the Philadelphia Stars. A win by the Stars and they take a share of first, a loss and Washington could build a 2-game lead on the rest of the division. In the Southeast Jacksonville hosts Boston with both sitting at 5-3. Tampa Bay hosts Orlando, with both also right there. Tampa is also 5-3, while Orlando sits at 4-3-1 thanks to that bizarre tie 2 weeks ago. A win by Orlando and they leap into 2nd place behind only the Cannons-Bulls winner in a division where few people gave them any chance. Out West there is not a single game that pits two teams with winning records. 5-3 Denver is in Las Vegas to face the 1-7 Thunder, who start a new QB. 5-3 Houston is at home against the 3-4-1 Showboats. Oakland, at 4-4, is the only other club without a losing record. They are home to the Outlaws, who will likely still be starting Jeff Lewis as new QB Trent Dilfer did not arrive in town until Wednesday night. In other games, 2-5-1 New Orleans visits 2-6 Arizona, led by rookie Andrew Walter. 3-5 Los Angeles visits 3-5 Nashville for a Sunday Night game that looked a lot better back in December than it does now. Finally, Seattle will try to get their 4th win as they visit winless Birmingham in front of what could be the smallest Stallion crowd since the early years of the league.