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October 4, 2021 Welcome back, USFL Fans. It has been two months since the Tampa Bay Bandits claimed their 5 th title and the offseason is in full swing. We have some early free agency news, an active trading block, a surprisingly limited NFL-USFL transfer window, and news on the coaching front to share with you. We will run through all the offseason moves to date and prepare you for January’s USFL Collegiate Draft, starting with our assessment of the early Free Agency winners and losers as we focus on the USFL offseason with this, our first of two offseason updates.   Early Free Agent Signings Produce Winners & Losers The USFL free agency window has been open for about 7 weeks now, and already we are seeing trends, including the reluctance of some big-name players to sign off on deals, and a pattern of teams and players who are coming out on top while others are not getting the results they wanted. There is still plenty of time for both teams and players to change their fortunes, but at this early window, there appear to be some winners and losers and we will start off our review of the offseason to date by identifying who we see as the early offseason winners and those with lots of work left to do.   WINNER: ARIZONA The Wranglers came out of the first weeks of Free Agency with big smiles on their faces, landing not only the top safety in the pool in former Gambler Budda Baker, but also signing a dynamic slot receiver in Tyler Lockett and a very good swing end in Carlos Dunlap. With Victor Cruz still unsigned, the Wranglers may even be able to bring their big play receiver back to the fold.   LOSER: HOUSTON Seeing Budda Baker head to Arizona had to sting, but the main pain this fall has been losing out on several players that Houston had coveted. They Gamblers were outbid for LB Myles Jack, with the dynamic playmaker headed up the road to Dallas. They also have yet to close the deal on DE Chase Winovich or OT Kelvin Beachem, both not jumping at the Gambler’s early bids.   WINNER: NEW ENGLAND With plenty of cap room and in the market to upgrade across the roster, the Steamrollers have already added 4 players to their squad through free agency, with the big name being center Mike Pouncey , who agreed to a 2-year deal to move from Charlotte to New England. They also landed HB Devin Singletary, OT Andre Smith, and TE Jacob Hollister, a move that may preview the trade of Dennis Pitta.   LOSER: MICHIGAN Another club that lost out on a few serious bids, including an effort to land CB Taron Johnson and FS Mark Barron. Michigan is still working to try to land DT Sylvester Williams but is getting stiff competition from at least 2 other teams. They have also shown interest in TE Eric Ebron, though many are hoping they can get Martellus Bennett to return as he remains unsigned. With both WR Kevin Kraft and HB Karlos Williams joining the NFL during the transfer window, Michigan has some holes they still very much need to fill.   WINNER: WR Devin Funchess After a huge 2020 campaign, Funchess’s numbers slipped quite a bit in 2021, but it seems at least one team feels that had more to do with Paxton Lynch and the Memphis offense and less to do with Funchess’s upside. Funchess got himself an upgrade, in both team and salary, with his new 3-year deal in Seattle putting him on a very talented roster and giving him an additional $1.3M per season than his Memphis deal.   LOSER: WR Victor Cruz Still unsigned and with few nibbles, the 34-year-old receiver seems mystified as to why he has not found a team willing to meet his salary demands. He may well need to reconsider what he is asking, especially with OBJ still in the market as well.   WINNER: LB Myles Jack It was not a full on feeding frenzy, but the competition between Dallas and Houston for Jack’s services certainly aided the former Thunder LB. Jack is looking at a much more lucrative deal, with nearly $20M in guaranteed money, and a serious improvement on his playoff chances. Dallas gets a stud, but Mack gets a chance to compete on a very good team.   LOSER: SS Baccari Rambo We expect that Rambo will end up doing quite well now that Budda Baker is off the table. There are still plenty of teams that need safety help, but the lack of an early “pounce” by teams means that the big money may evade the 31-year-old safety.   Players Off the Board You have seen our assessment of the teams and players that are either looking good or looking for help, but there are plenty more signings than the few already mentioned. Here is our rundown of the biggest signings to date across the league.   We start at the “glamour” position of QB, where only one name came off the free agent market so far, but it was the top name in the pool, disgruntled and disrespected Memphis Showboat QB Paxton Lynch  is taking his chances with a new coaching staff and a team trying to rebuild, signing a 4-year deal to join the Charlotte Monarchs. The arrival of Lynch clears up one of the murkier QB situations in the league and has Charlotte now looking to focus on providing their new signal caller with talent, protection and an improved defense. No biggie, just a total overhaul. But, at the very least, their new head coach, offensive guru Brian Daboll, has his centerpiece at QB.   As already mentioned, two of the top defenders in the league are off the board, with Budda Baker now a Wrangler and former Thunder LB Myles Jack headed to Dallas. The third top defender on our board, CB Dee Milliner  also has a new home, with the Washington Federals outbidding Orlando to sign the talented corner.   Four-time All-USFL center Mike Pouncey  will be finishing his career up in New England, where the Steamrollers offered him a 2-year deal that will take him to age 36. Pouncey was expected to sign with an immediate playoff contender, but New England simply made him an offer he could not refuse.   Two more top tier linemen found new deals, with the 2 nd  rated center, Greg Mancz  resigning with the Breakers despite a solid offer from Orlando, while tackle D. J. Fluker  had a three way bidding war between Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and Oklahoma, choosing the Outlaws for a new 4-year deal.   Our top 2 halfbacks came off the board as well, with former Bull Devin Singletary also headed to New England, a team that has been among the most aggressive in the league in cutting deals, while Rex Burkhead  will now back up Nick Chubb in Atlanta.   While both OBJ and Victor Cruz remain on the market, both Devin Funchess , as reported above, and Michael Floyd  signed on to new teams. Funchess joins Seattle, replacing Marshall Newhouse in the Dragon attack, while Floyd takes his talents from Chicago to Oakland, where he will be a target for 2 nd year QB Davis Mills.   Further down our list, we find DE Malik Jackson , leaving Philadelphia for San Diego, corner Taron Johnson  getting a lucrative 3-year deal to return to Portland, LB Devon Kinnard  also staying put with a new deal to remain in Tampa Bay, and Dallas LB De’Vondre Campbell  finding a new home in Orlando.   Others signing new deals include:   QB     B. J. Daniels (TBY to MEM) HB         Isaiah Crowell (ARZ to NOR) TE          Ricky Seals-Jones (BIR to LV) TE          Jacob Hollister (OAK to NE) WR        Tyler Lockett (NOR to ARZ) OT          Andre Smith (OAK to NE) OT          David Edwards (PIT to NJ) DT          Terry Bechner (STL to NOR) DT          A’Shawn Robinson (SAN to NJ) DE         Carlos Dunlap (BIR to ARZ) DE         Porter Gustin (LV to SEA) FS          Mark Barron (SD to OHIO) FS          Shamarko Thomas (NJ to BIR) K             Andrew Franks (PIT to BAL)   Top 5 at Each Position So, with just about 2 months of free agency in the books and another 4 ahead of us, who is left in the market? Quite a few high value players, and a lot of depth as well. Here is our position-by-position analysis of the players still available for teams willing to cut the big check and sign off on a new deal.   QB: 1-Nick Foles, 2-Mason Rudolph, 3-Christian Ponder, 4-Kyle Lauletta, 5-Deshone Kizer  We have 2 former starters and 3 pretty well-respected backups in this pool. The question for everyone is whether or not Foles and Ponder have to settle for 2 nd position and a possible QB competition or if one of them will snag a starting job. There are certainly teams left in the market who could use at least a competition for the starter and with a weaker QB pool in the draft, several of these free agent QBs could get a real shot at starting again.   HB: 1-Isaiah Pead, 2-Jeremy Hill, 3-Isaiah Crowell, 4-Leonard Fournette, 5-Myles Gaskin Pead had a major drop off in production in 2020 and that may be scaring people away. The others on the list were all part of a HB-by-Committee and could end up either as backups or in rotation once again. The one player we see here who really deserves more of a chance to shine is Crowell, who had some outstanding games in Arizona, but may once again have to settle for a shared role.   TE: 1-Eric Ebron, 2-Martellus Bennett, 3-James Casey, 4-Austin Sefarin Jenkins,     5-Foster Moreau We are a bit surprised that both Ebron and Bennett remain available, as both were solid starters in 2020. Maybe they are asking too much, or maybe folks are looking at the draft and seeing some younger, faster options, but of this group, we expect those two to find deals that give them real starting potential.   WR: 1-Odell Beckham Jr, 2-Victor Cruz, 3-Equanimeous St. Brown, 4-Olamide Zacheaeous, 5-Chester Rogers Call it an aversion to the Diva attitude, or simply overambitious demands, but the two bona fide superstars in the pool are still out there looking for a deal. We expect that both OBJ and Cruz are going to have to recalibrate their expectations, as it just does not seem like anyone is willing to pay the top dollar figures they have been demanding. After those three, we have three younger prospects, all of whom seem to have more upside than we have seen in their early careers and could find themselves in a position to break out in 2021, depending on where they end up.   OL: 1-Levi Brown (OT), 2-J. D. Walton ( C ), 3-Gabe Carimi (OT), 4-Ross Pierschbacher (OG), 5-Ethan Pocic ( C )  Levi Brown has not declared a retirement plan, not yet at least, but it seems teams are fearful that he will. Maybe the right deal will keep him on the field. We are a bit more surprised that Carimi, Pierschbacher and Pocic are still out here as all have several good years ahead of them and have proven to be strong performers in the past.     DL: 1-Robert Quinn (DE), 2-Sylvester Williams (DT), 3-Kawann Short (DT), 4-Rakeem Nunes-Roches (DT), 5-Romeo Okwara (DE) No one here is going to be a 20-sack guy for you, and, honestly, the DT position is a bit stronger. Williams and Short have proven effective and while injuries have been a concern for Nunes-Roches, when he is in, he can eat up a lot of blockers. Expect them to all find new homes well before the USFL Draft, while Quinn and Okwara may have to wait until we see which drafted edge rushers sign with the NFL, leaving holes on the USFL teams that drafted them.   LB: 1-Reggie Ragland, 2-James Burgess, 3-Paul Dawson, 4-Malik Reed,     5- Stephen Weatherly Perhaps the least impressive pool in free agency, especially after the signing of Jack, Campbell, and Kinnard. With Calvin Pace and Kelvin Beachem off to the NFL (see below), the pool now looks pretty thin, which actually may help Reggie Ragland, the clear top choice left, get a bit more cha-ching in a deal.   CB: 1-Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, 2-Ronald Darby, 3-Eric Murray, 4-Rashaan Gaulden, 5-Damontae Kazee As with OT Levi Brown, many thought Dominique Rogers-Cromartie was calling it a career, and he well could, but if there is a team with a tasty 1-year deal ready to go, they may well be able to land the former All-USFL corner. Beyond him, we like Ronald Darby as a consistent contributor, while the final 3 are players with untapped potential.   S: 1-Baccari Rambo, 2-Malik Hooker, 3-Marqui Christian, 4-David Bruton,      5-Terrance Brooks  If I am Baccari Rambo, I am having some harsh words for my agent. There is no way he should still be on the board. Deals have been offered and good ones from what we are seeing, but Rambo remains uncommitted. That likely won’t last past Thanksgiving. Malik Hooker could also come off the board soon as there just are not many players in the talent range of these two left to look at.   ST: 1-Marquette King (P), 2-Tress Way (P), 3-Josh Lambo (K), 4-Billy Cundiff (K), 5- William Levy (P) No surprise that only one kicker (Andrew Franks) has signed a deal, the position tends to be undervalued and that means that we usually see these players get deals just before camp, often without any guarantee that the job is theirs. They will sign, likely compete with a rookie or an NFL castoff in February, and then hopefully find a home by the season opener.   It is one of the lightest NFL hauls in recent memory, a major surprise considering how poorly the fall league fared in last February’s Covid-impacted transfer window. But, while the fall league did not garner major numbers in the short transfer window, that does not mean that their foray into USFL free agency did not produce some big impact signings.   Among the bigger names signed away by the “senior” league are Generals’ DT B. J. Raji, Stallion slot receiver Julian Edelman, Oakland DT Tyson Alualu, Breaker guard Julian Vandervelde, Michigan WR Kevin Kraft, and Oklahoma wideout Donte Moncrief. One surprise pickup was QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, who many saw as an obvious retirement candidate at age 38. Apparently, the Miami Dolphins still see life in the Harvard grad and added him to their roster to back up starter Joe Burrow.   Here is the full list of NFL signings of USFL Players with significant 2021 playing time:   QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jeff Tuel HB: Montario Hardesty, Andre Williams, Karlos Williams WR: Julian Edelman, Marshall Newhouse, Tavon Austin OL: T Kelvin Beachem,G Trevor Canfield, G Julian Vandervelde, C Stefan Wisniewski DL: DE Tim Crowder, DT B. J. Raji, DT Tyson Alualu LB: Clay Matthews, Calvin Pace DB: CB Prince Amukamara, FS Matt Elam   And what about USFL signings during the September Window? Well, as usual, you won’t see many recognizable names as there were few NFL free agents after camps opened in August or rosters were filled as the season began. That said, there are a few names that you may want to remember as your favorite USFL teams build their camp rosters.   Denver added depth to their CB group by landing former Patriot J. C. Jackson.   San Diego hopes they have added some muscle to the D-Line with former Saints’ DT Sheldon Rankins.   The Panthers got some help for LeVeon Bell, signing Ito Smith away from the Atlanta Falcons.   Birmingham is hoping they have solidified their LG position with the signing of Jake Long, a former starter for the Chicago Bears.   New Jersey added former 49er safety and one of our favorite football names, Jaquiski Tart to their defensive backfield.     While the NFL-USFL Transfer Window did not produce the fireworks we expected, the trading block has had quite a few intriguing moves. It may not be the biggest names in the game (it never is), but from a tactical and talent acquisition standpoint, there are some moves from the past 2 months that have our interest piqued. Here are the deals we think show some promise for 2022.   An interesting tit-for-tat deal between two offenses trying to find a new path as the Bulls and Vipers swap receivers. Tight End Gavin Escobar, the starter for the Bulls for the past 6 years becomes a Viper, clearing the path for Taysom Hill’s diverse skill sets to get a starting gig, while Escobar becomes a target for Matt McGloin. In return, the Bulls get WR Kenny Golloday, a speedy deep threat who had a couple of solid years in Chicago but did not click with the Vipers in his one year with the team. He will now work with Trevor Lawrence in a Bulls offense that is looking for more explosiveness.   New Jersey hopes it has at least partially solved their HB issue after the unexpected retirement of Delone Carter, trading with the Gunslingers to bring HB C. J. Prosise to the Meadowlands. Prosise will likely share carries with Tony Pollard in the Generals’ attack. For their part, San Antonio likely found a potential starter at their pivot with center Michael Menet coming over from New Jersey.   New England, who are just in full sprint so far this offseason, also hope they upgraded at center, acquiring Zach Williams from Seattle. There was thought they would be sending TE Dennis Pitta back to the Dragons to acquire Williams, but instead it was backup Jack Doyle, who is a better blocker and still a decent receiver, who will head to the PNW and serve as the 2 nd  option behind Kyle Rudolph.   Another tight end on the move is Memphis’s Luke Stocker, who was part of a deal that will bring DT Angelo Blackson and a 6 th  round pick to the Showboats. Stocker will now line up in Baltimore to block for Josh Jacobs and catch the occasional Jake Locker dump down. Locker to Stocker, that should be fun for the announcers.   LA made a move to once again mix up their pretty solid defense. Swing DE Andy Studebaker, who is more of an early down specialist and not a pure edge rusher, heads to Ohio in a deal that helps add depth to the Express secondary with the arrival of cornerback Ka’Dar Hollman. Expect Studebaker to rotate with Tank Carradine and Datone Jones in Ohio, while Hollman likely fills the nickel behind Gilmore and Jamar Taylor for the Express.   Finally, another deal by the Bulls brings safety Tavon Wilson to town to fill what had been a pretty shaky position at the strong safety slot. The acquisition of the former Machine starter at the position (replaced by Jordan Poyer in 2021) will cost the Bulls the services of guard Patrick Omameh and a 3 rd  round pick they had acquired from the LA Express in a trade last offseason. Expect Wilson to be the day one starter for the Bulls at strong safety.   San Diego Surprises With Choice of Former USFL Tight End USFL fans may well be familiar with the name Anthony Becht. After all, he played 11 seasons, including 2 championship seasons, with the New Jersey Generals, but that does not mean he was a name most were considering a potential 2022 head coach. Becht, who was a 2-time All-USFL tight end, retired after the 2011 season and has been working his way up the coaching ranks for the past decade. Fans in Denver may know him as the Passing Game Coordinator for the Gold, the position he has held over the past 2 years. But while Becht certainly has had success developing Josh Allen, including a very strong 2021 season from the Gold QB, the jump from an assistant coordinator to a head coaching position is a big one.   The San Diego Thunder clearly felt it was a move that Becht was ready to make, signing the coach to a 4-year deal to become their new head coach this August. Becht will take over an offense that found a solid running game with Charles Sims but could not decide on a starter, using both Christian Ponder and Christian Hackenberg (obtained mid-year from Ohio) during the 2021 season. With Ponder now in the free agent market, the Thunder may well have an all new option at the QB position by February, and Becht is very likely to be a big part of the decision process that will decide the direction for the position and the offense.   Oklahoma OC Brian Daboll to Lead Monarchs as They Seek Offensive Spark Another offensive-minded coach finds himself an opportunity to take a seat in the big chair, as Oklahoma OC Brian Daboll was named as the new head coach of the Charlotte Monarchs just 3 weeks ago. Daboll, often touted for the early development of Outlaw QB Jalen Hurts, will take over one of the most problematic teams in the league, a 1-15 club that has major question marks up and down their roster.   The Monarchs finished 2021with the 28 th  ranked scoring offense, 23 rd  in passing and 20 th rushing the ball, but also the worst ranked defense in the league, giving up 27.3 points per game, a gap that produced an average margin of -11 points per game. Charlotte did get themselves a new QB just before signing Daboll, making a deal with the top free agent QB in the pool, Paxton Lynch, but they still have a laundry list of needs to be addressed, and even the top pick in the draft may not be enough to bring them what they need. And so, Daboll, in his first head coaching position, will have a lot to accomplish and a lot to prove as he takes on the Monarchs’ after a disastrous 2021 season.   Vrabel Makes it Official with Return to Jacksonville The last piece of the coaching puzzle was not a surprise, as Mike Vrabel and the Bulls publicly announced that they had reunited, with Vrabel getting a 4-year deal to help build up his former club as their new head coach. Vrabel, who left the playing field in 2014, shifted to coaching within the Bulls’ organization before moving on to take LB Coach and eventually Defensive Coordinator positions elsewhere. The DC for the Western Conference Champion Seattle Dragons was a favorite for the position in Jacksonville from the moment Winston Moss was let go (and even earlier if you polled fans). He returns to his former team with a clear focus on rebuilding a Bulls’ defense that finished 2021 26 th  in points allowed and 29 th in yardage.   Vrabel will also have a charge to help develop a Bulls offense that has its centerpiece in QB Trevor Lawrence, but which needs to bring in more weapons. The Run game is in transition, though 2021 rookie Chubba Hubbard had some moments. Devin Singletary is gone in free agency and Jacksonville has the HB position circled for offseason additions. On defense, the focus will be on improving the interior of the line and the secondary. Jacksonville’s LB group, featuring All-USFL breakout player Alex Anzelone and veteran MLB Sean Lee is the clear strength of the D, as it was when Vrabel was one of the league’s best players. It will be no easy task for Vrabel, as Jacksonville has not reached the playoffs since 2007, but after 14 consecutive losing seasons, the Bulls are hoping that their former All-USFL player can provide stability, vision, and a change of culture to a team that has seen more than its share of lean years.   While the main postseason wave of retirement announcements had its ebb in early August, the offseason has produced a few more announcements of note, departures which certainly impact their teams’ offseason plans. Among the players who have announced it since the Summer Bowl, we have several from the various playoff competitors as well a smattering of others. Here is our quick run through of August and September announcements.   Tampa Bay DT Marcell Dareus stepped away after 8 seasons in Ohio, 3 in Tampa Bay, and a pair of championship rings. The run-stuffing DT retires with 445 tackles and 38 sacks to his name.   Seattle WR John Brown , who suffered a severe muscular tear after only 6 games of the 2021 season has decided to retire. Brown, who came to the Dragons in 2018 after 4 years with the NFL Cardinals, had an up-and-down career in the USFL, with strong seasons in the slot in 2018 and 2020, but with two injury-shortened seasons as well.   Baltimore WR Brian Hartline called it a career after 13 pro seasons, the final 9 with the Blitz. A prolific route runner, Hartline was a primary weapon for both Ben Roethlisberger and Jake Locker, retiring with 433 career receptions, 8.231 yards, and 65 touchdowns in the USFL.   Halfback Ben Tate is retiring from football after 11 seasons in the USFL, including two stints with the Birmingham Stallions to book end a career that saw him also play for the Panthers, Machine, Gamblers, and Stags. Tate’s best year came in Portland, where, in 2018 he toyed with a 1,000-yard season, finishing with 972. His 2021 campaign in Birmingham saw him back up rookie Najee Harris, finishing the year with 81 touches for 334 yards and 5 touchdowns.   Denver had two August announcements, with both OT Ryan Clady and DT Terrell Troupe declaring their intention to file for retirement. Clady played his entire 13-year career in Denver, earning All-USFL honors in 2018, and will retire with 902 career pancakes and an average of just under 5 sacks allowed per year. Troupe spent the first 7 years of his career with the Texas Outlaws before moving on to Michigan and Denver, earned a championship ring with the Panthers in 2017 and retires with 349 career tackles.   One more receiver we should note, in the category of longevity if nothing else, is Philadelphia wideout Steve Breaston . Breaston spent 14 seasons in the USFL, always contributing on special teams and only occasionally gaining a start as a receiver. In 14 years, Breaston started a grand total of 6 games at wideout, all in Washington, but as a gunner and a returner he found a niche and played a full career, moving from New Jersey to Charlotte, then Washington, a season in Oakland, and finishing his career with 3 years in Philadelphia. Steve Breaston won’t be on anyone’s list for the Hall of Fame in 5 years, but any player who can put in 14 seasons in the USFL deserves a note of kudos when he moves on from football.   QB Situation for all 30 Clubs With only 1 major move on the QB Front (Paxton Lynch to Charlotte), there are still several clubs who are definitely prioritizing the position this offseason, scouting seniors during the NCAA season, exploring options for trades, looking at NFL starters who are in contract years. So, where does your team stand? Here is our list of all 30 teams, divided into three major categories: Teams trying to find a starter, teams hoping to add depth, and teams almost certainly standing pat with their 3-deep QB room as it is. We will start with this latter group, and congratulations to fans of these teams, as you are not panicked about the lack of prospects available this year.   Standing Pat These are teams whose 3-man QB Room looks pretty solid. Sure, they might make a trade deal for one of their backups if it meets a need they see as a priority, but overall, they do not expect to spend much time at all thinking about the QB Position.   Baltimore Starter: Jake Locker Backups: Nate Sudfeld & Trevone Boykin Locker may not be putting up All-USFL numbers, but with Baltimore’s run-first approach, they are fine with a game manager.   Chicago Starter: Sam Bradford Backups: Mike Kafka & Ian Book Finding an heir apparent to Bradford is likely a 2022-2023 issues, though the Machine certainly hope that Book shows something in his 2 nd  camp.   Denver Starter: Josh Allen Backups: Mitchell Trubisky & Bob Volek Until Volek, who is more mentor & coach to Allen than a gameday player, retires, don’t expect Denver to focus on the QB position at all.   Houston Starter: Colt McCoy Backups: Landry Jones & Kellen Clemons Houston has the MVP at QB and one of the best (and still younger) backups in Jones. Their only issue is that Jones is in a contract year and may want a chance to start in 2023, so free agency could be in his future.   Jacksonville Starter: Trevor Lawrence Backups: Ben DiNucco & Cardale Jones One of the youngest QB groups in the league, and one that could stay intact for a while.   New Orleans Starter: Geno Smith Backups: Tajh Boyd & Cooper Rush With Smith having injury issues in 2021, fans are hoping the Breakers find a way to upgrade behind him, but it is hardly a top priority for the club. Oakland Starter: Davis Mills Backups: Kellen Moore & Sam Ehlinger With 2 of their 3 QBs being 2021 draftees, the Invaders have a young QB group, one which could benefit from swapping out Moore for a veteran QB to help guide Mills through what could be a bumpy first season as the starter.   Philadelphia Starter: Carson Wentz Backups: Ryan Lindley & Trace McSorely The Stars got their man from the NFL last year, with Wentz having a solid year even without an offseason to recover from NFL to USFL. Expect even more in Year 2.   Pittsburgh Starter: Andy Dalton Backups: Nate Peterman & Kevin Hogan A team with no need to make changes, but one that could, depending on what they see from Kenny Pickett, the Pitt QB who could be a T-Draft option. Do they bring him in to learn behind Dalton, or would they sign him and then deal the Red Rifle to get more help elsewhere?   Portland Starter: Marcus Mariota Backups: A.J. -McCarron & Bryce Petty Stag Nation may disagree, but Mariota is a solid option in a world where that is not something to give up on. Unless a superstar drops in the NFL Tranfer Window, we don’t see Coach Harbaugh changing QBs this year.   San Antonio Starter: Joe Flacco Backups: Easton Stick & Chad Kelly The goal for the Gunslingers is to find Flacco’s protégé in time to make a transition, but that transition is not this year.   St. Louis Starter: Lamar Jackson Backups: Tyrod Taylor & Bryce Perkins Coach Schottenheimer loves what he saw from Taylor last year. It gives him and the Skyhawks depth, he now just has to finally get the most out of his starter, a talent who flashes but is not consistent enough.   Hoping to Add Depth These are teams that likely have their starter in place, though they may still look to upgrade, but are not feeling like they have a solid plan if the starter goes down. Expect them to look at mid-round QBs in the draft or solid options for the 2 nd  string in free agency.   Atlanta Starter: Aaron Murray Backups: Pat  White When Murray was sidelined last year, White just could not get it done. Expect Atlanta to bring in a veteran “game manager” to take on the backup duties behind their clear number one.   Birmingham Starter: Cam  Newton Backups: Tim Tebow Tebow was a phenomenon in 2021, so Birmingham is just looking for depth, very likely a rookie with dual threat skills to follow the mold of their 1 st  and 2 nd  stringers.   Dallas Starter: Justin Herbert Backups: Josh Freeman Freeman is one of the costliest backups in the league, signed originally as the starter in Dallas. If Dallas can find a trading partner, they may well move Freeman and bring in cheaper options at the 2 and 3 spot.   Las Vegas Starter: Matt McGloin Backups: Gardner Minshew Expect the Vipers to use a mid- to late-round pick on a QB prospect, because they are set at 1-2 for the foreseeable future.   Memphis Starter: Blake Bortles Backups: B. J. Daniels & Joshua Dobbs Memphis was in the market for a top flight backup, someone who could perhaps even challenge Bortles if he struggles. In former Bandit QB B. J. Daniels, they think they have found him.   Michigan Starter: Kirk Cousins Backups: Taylor Heinecke The 1-2 combo is solid, so expect Michigan to look for a young developmental 3 rd  QB, either a rookie or a camp cut from another club.   New Jersey Starter: Teddy Bridgewater Backups: Brett Rypien With Foles still available in free agency, New Jersey could try to bring him back, but more likely they go for a veteran backup to support but not challenge Bridgewater. Someone like Kyle Lauletta or Connor Shaw.   Ohio Starter: Justin Fields Backups E. J. Manuel Fields was a revelation in 2021, but Manuel has been a non-factor since coming over from the NFL. We think Ohio will look for alternatives at the 2-spot, and would love a player who can mimic Fields’s style, so perhaps someone like former Bandit B. J. Daniels   Oklahoma Starter: Jalen Hurts Backup: P. J. Walker With Mason Rudolph almost certainly signing elsewhere in free agency, Walker likely gets bumped up to the 2 spot, which has Oklahoma looking for a rookie for the 3 rd  spot. K-State’s Skyler Thompson would be a popular option in OKC.   Orlando Starter: Russell Wilson Backups: Kyle Luton Unless Wilson can get his interception issue under wraps, the Renegades may have to start looking, but they are not going to remove the QB who got them to the Eastern Finals, not this year.   Seattle Starter: Brett Hundley Backups: Trevor Siemian With 1-2 looking very solid, it is all about having a complementary 3 rd  QB who can run the other team’s offenses in practices and who won’t cost the Dragons much in cap space.   Tampa Bay Starter: Dak Prescott Backups: James Morgan With Daniels off to Memphis in free agency, the Bandits need a new number 2. Morgan does not appear to be ready, so expect Tampa to look long and hard at players like Kyle Lauletta, Kyle Allen, or even someone like Nick Foles if he is willing to take a pure backup spot.   Washington Starter: Jacoby Brissett Backups: Ryan Nassib & Will Grier We do not expect Nassib to be a Fed by the end of the offseason. Washington is taking offers to offload his high-cost salary, but that salary is exactly the reason they have not yet gotten a taker. They may just have to eat the guaranteed money and cut Nassib by late December to avoid the cap hit.    Looking for the Franchise Guy These are the teams feeling the heat. They have no clear starter going into the 2022 season and there are not a lot of obvious choices out there.   Arizona Starter: TBD Backups: Brock Osweiler & Tom Savage The Wranglers failed to land 2021 Draft Pick Mac Jones, and that meant that they did not have a succession plan as Drew Carr retired. So, do they make a deal with Washington to bring Ryan Nassib back, or do they go after someone like Mason Rudolph or Nick Foles as a bridge to a future rookie?   Charlotte Starter: Paxton Lynch Backups: Kyle Boller The Monarchs were clearly in need, they knew it, and they pulled the trigger on a big deal to sign Paxton Lynch, the only clear starting option among the free agent QBs. So now they have that spot filled and are looking for some depth.   Los Angeles Starter: Kyler Murray Backups: Cole McDonald Yes, the Express could return with Murray as their starter in 2022, but all signs point to them wanting to move on. If they can move Murray, then they need to find an alternative, and we are not sure who that would be. They also have no one ready to be their 2 nd  stringer, so they could be coughing up cash for both of the top 2 QB positions this offseason. That is a big cough.   San Diego Starter: TBD Backups: Christian Hackenberg & Case Keenum The Thunder have two very solid players on the roster, but neither feels like a true starter. With Ponder now in free agency, we think San Diego brings in someone to compete with Hackenberg in camp, but this feels like a team that will be unsettled at QB for yet another season.   It is really early to actually try to predict the 2022 USFL Draft. After all, we are only a few weeks into the fall NCAA season and a lot can happen between now and January. So, rather than go team by team, we thought we would mix it up a bit and look at our Draft Guru, Todd McShay’s Top 20 players and give you a few options for where they would be very nice fits. Of course, between the T-Draft, USFL Open Draft, and NFL Draft, where a player goes is anyone’s guess, but we will outline the teams that feel like good landing spots for each prospect.   TODD MCSHAY’s VERY EARLY TOP 20 DRAFT PICKS FOR 2022   20) OT/G Zion Johnson (BC) T-Draft Rights: New England Best Fits: Las Vegas, Ohio, Philadelphia All three clubs need help at guard, and, according to McShay, Johnson, who played both Guard and Tackle at BC, is a bit raw, but he excels in zone-blocking schemes.   19) QB Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati) T-Draft Rights: Ohio Best Fits: Arizona, San Diego, Los Angeles We are basing this on Ridder being viewed as a 2022 starter and not a developmental QB. All three teams could use his mix of athleticism and experience. A 3-year starter for the Bearcats, Ridder has good escapability, though not a true dual-threat.   18) G Kenyon Green (Texas A&M) T-Draft Rights: Houston Best Fits: Houston, Ohio, Philadelphia Guard is not a core need for the Gamblers, but it is the kind of position where a T-Draft pick has a higher chance of signing, which often makes a player a top T-Draft candidate. If he slips past Houston, we think the same folks we had with Zion Johnson will be watching.   17) CB Trent McDuffie (Washington) T-Draft Rights: Seattle Best Fits: Jacksonville, Memphis, Orlando No lack of suitors for a corner that is, in McShay’s words, “Fluid in coverage” with fantastic body control.   16) DE Kinglsey Enagbare (South Carolina) T-Draft Rights: Orlando Best Fits: Orlando, Oklahoma, Houston With Arthur Moats in free agency, we think Orlando dips into the draft to find a player who can bookend their line with Montez Sweat. Don’t expect Enagbare to reach the Open Draft.   15) C Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa) T-Draft Rights: St. Louis Best Fits: Denver, New England, New Orleans McShay calls Lindberbaum an “easy mover” with great range. All three clubs listed above will have a lot of interest, and we would not be shocked if one worked a deal with the Skyhawks to choose him with a 2 nd  or 3 rd  round T-draft swap.   14) WR Garrett Wilson (Ohio State) T-Draft Rights: Ohio Best Fits: Ohio, St. Louis, Charlotte We think the Glory may actually protect both Wilson and Olave in the T-Draft, hoping to land one of them. If we are wrong, then he could well be the 1 st  pick overall to Charlotte, who desperately need a big playmaking receiver.   13) CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner (Cincinnati) T-Draft Rights: Ohio Best Fits: Memphis, Orlando, Washington Ohio is unlikely to protect Gardner. They have too many other prospects in positions of greater need. We think he will be a Top 10 pick in the USFL Open Draft (once you remove many of the other Top 20 players from the pool in the T-Draft) and that bodes well for Washington, who have the 7 th  overall pick.   12) OLB Nick Bonitto, Oklahoma T-Draft Rights: Oklahoma Best Fits: Oklahoma, Atlanta, Dallas Far more need for MLB’s among USFL teams, but with Oklahoma being one of the clubs seeking a quality outside pursuit guy, we don’t think Bonitto will ever see the Open Draft.   11) QB Kedon Slovis (USC) T-Draft Rights: Los Angeles Best Fits: Los Angeles, San Diego, Tampa Bay This all depends on whether or not Slovis comes out. He has eligibility left, thanks to the expanded options developed during Covid-19. If he does come out, we think LA will look long and hard at picking him in the T-Draft.   10) WR Chris Olave (Ohio State) T-Draft Rights: Ohio Best Fits: Ohio, St. Louis, Chicago If Ohio, who we think prefers Wilson, feels like they have him locked up, they may let Olave slide through the T-Draft. If he does, we don’t think he leaves the Central Division, with St. Louis the most likely landing spot. Both they and Ohio could really use a speedster like Olave to take the top off of defenses.   9) DT/DE DeMarvin Leal (Texas A&M) T-Draft Rights: Houston Best Fits: Houston, Michigan, Oklahoma If Houston picks Leal it is because they think he can be a full-time edge rusher. If not, then the hybrid DT-DE is a better option for Oklahoma or Michigan, both of whom need to upgrade both inside and outside on the line. Leal could be a tweener who helps in both spots.   8) CB Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson) T-Draft Rights: Jacksonville Best Fits: Jacksonville, Washington, Memphis A good fit for the Bulls, we think Booth will be their first pick in the T-Draft, and they will do all they can to woo him away from the NFL as they did with Trevor Lawrence last year.   7) QB Malik Willis (Liberty) T-Draft Rights: None Best Fits: Los Angeles, San Diego, Tampa Bay Willis is one of those rare opportunities where a top talent is not protected in the T-Draft. Of course, that could change as the league awards additional schools to teams whose 3-school player pool is considered weak. Someone could petition for Liberty and go after Willis. We could see either LA or San Diego doing that if they get the chance.   6) CB Kaiir Elam (Florida) T-Draft Rights: Jacksonville Best Fits: Jacksonville, Washington, Orlando We think the Bulls prefer Booth over Elam, but they could do at corner what we think Ohio will do at wide receiver, draft both, woo both and hope they can land one.   5) S Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame) T-Draft Rights: Chicago Best Fits: St. Lous, Denver, Houston, Jacksonville Chicago is solid at safety, but they could work a trade to ensure that Hamilton does not end up in the division (St. Louis with an early Open Draft pick). They would be fine sending him to the Eastern Conference with Houston or Jacksonville rather than facing him twice a year.   4) Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon) T-Draft Rights: Portland Best Fits: Portland, Dallas, Michigan We think Portland jumps on Thibodeaux, a legend from Eugene. They have need at both RE and LE, so landing one of the best young pass rushers means they can try to double dip at the edge position either in the Open Draft or in Free Agency.   3) CB Derek Stingley Jr. (LSU) T-Draft Rights: New Orleans Best Fits: New Orleans, Orlando, Washington We like Stingley as a T-Draft choice for the Breakers. He is a 2-year standout and is a physical corner, just what Coach Lathon likes to see.   2) QB Sam Howell (UNC) T-Draft Rights: Charlotte Best Fits: Charlotte, Arizona, Memphis A touch passer who does not throw picks, that is music to the ears of the Monarchs, and yet, having just signed Paxton Lynch, will Charlotte sink money into 2 huge QB contracts? If not, Arizona or Memphis could be in the market for a pure pocket passer.   1) QB Spencer Rattler (Oklahoma) T-Draft Rights: Oklahoma Best Fits: Arizona, Los Angeles, New England What is a better fit for the Arizona Wranglers than a QB named Rattler? This particular rattler has quick feet, extends plays well, and is very good at off-platform throws. Yes, he is a bit of a gunslinger, but for the team that had Jake “the Snake” Plummer in the same mold, this would be a great fit.   So, there you have it, McShay’s Top 20, and our picks of where each would fit best. But, with more than 3 months of NCAA action left to play, and with players able to either extend their college careers, join the portal to change schools, or announce for the draft, this year we are looking at a very insecure pool of talent, and a lot of last-minute reworking of draft boards this January. So, don’t be surprised if the actual draft process produces very different results. We will be back in early February with all the offseason excitement, from our 2022 Collegiate Draft recap to all the pre-draft trades, the post-draft movement, the free agent updates, and a preview of what could be a pivotal NFL-USFL transfer window for many clubs. So, enjoy the fall, a very early Happy Holidays, and we will see you again on This is the USFL for our Winter Update in February, just as camps open.

Hi all. A heads-up that over the next 2 weeks, between work and some traveling, I will have to slow down the production of articles. I am going to space the ones I have completed a bit further apart, but I expect to be able to start the 2022 season, the league's 40th, on February 28, so between now and then there will be 2 offseason reports and our preseason preview. Sorry, but this is a 1-man show, and sometimes life gets in the way. In so many ways this was a championship game that went exactly the way the underdog Seattle Dragons would have wanted, and yet, when the clock ran to 0:00 it was the defending champion Tampa Bay Bandits who came out on top, repeating as USFL Champions and winning their 5 th  league title. In a game that was slower paced and dominated by each team’s ground game, the Dragons seemed to have an advantage, but they simply could not hold the Bandits in the game’s final minutes and that produced the game winning score with just over a minute to go.   This was a game that was predicated on the idea that Tampa Bay would try to dominate through the air, while Seattle lived by the run game and their defense. And yet, when all was said and done, Brett Hundley outgained Dak Prescott 211-198 and Tampa Bay outrushed Seattle 103-90, an inversion of what everyone came to Santa Clara expecting to see. What they did see was Seattle jumping out to a 14-0 lead, Tampa Bay coming all the way back to take a 17-14 lead in the 3 rd quarter, and the two teams battling down the stretch in the 4 th . They saw both star backs held to fewer than 4 yards per carry, but both used consistently to keep defenses honest. They saw Seattle frustrate Dak Prescott with exotic blitzes and stunts, producing 6 sacks and the former MVP held to only a 48.3% completion rate. They also saw Tampa Bay force punts on 7 of 11 third downs and force a turnover on downs on a 4 th  down and keep Seattle out of the endzone for the final 44 minutes of action.   The Dragons started the game with the ball and with a very successful series of scripted plays, opening the Summer Bowl with a 9-play drive that went 78 yards in 4:45 and concluded with Amari Cooper, back from injury, scoring on his first reception of the game. The drive included 4 Moreno runs, and saw Brett Hundley connect with Kyle Rudolph on a key 3 rd  and 7 play that helped Seattle get into Bandit territory. It finished with the Dragons putting up the first points of the game.   The Dragon defense also started the game well, allowing only 1 first down in Tampa Bay’s first two possessions, with one ending on a 3 rd  down sack from Chris Long, and the other on a pass to Dez Bryant that missed the mark. As the first quarter wound down, Seattle was on their 3 rd  possession and was inside the 20. Just one play into the 2 nd  quarter they doubled their advantage with Hundley again finding Cooper for the score, this time on a 19-yard corner route. The Dragons, who were viewed by many as having to withstand Tampa’s offensive explosiveness, had proven to have some firepower of their own and now lead by 2 scores.  But, as we have seen all season, few teams adapt on the fly better than the Bandits, and with their initial drives getting nowhere, they shifted gears on their 3 rd possession. Using 3 receiver sets almost exclusively, with Deebo Samuel joining Bryant and Grant wide, the Bandits stretched the Dragon defense horizontally, and that freed up gaps for Dalvin Cook, who would exploit the spread defense for a 19-yard run on the opening play of Tampa’s 3 rd  drive. The Bandits would use up nearly 8 minutes and 14 plays in very unfamiliar style, to slowly work their way down the field. They overcame two offensive penalties, got help from an encroachment on Chris Long, and survived a 3 rd  and 11 thanks to a 12-yard screen to Dalvin Cook. But, in the end, the drive fizzled, with Tampa Bay bogged down at the Seattle 14. Coach Trestman, facing a 4 th  and 5, opted to go for the points and sent out Harrison Butker, who connected from 31 to make the score 14-3.   Now it was time for the Tampa Bay defense to show its stuff. Seattle got the ball back with just under 4 minutes to play and immediately got stuffed for a negative play on 1 st  and 10. On 2 nd  and 10 Tampa sent pressure and Hundley missed on a throw to Cooper, and on 3 rd  and 12, they sent Wendell Smallwood up the middle for only 3 yards. Tampa would get the punt on their own 13 with 2:41 left to play after a nice punt by Arturo Dudley. The Bandits used a pair of Matt Breida runs to earn a first down on the 25, and then Prescott hit on a classic Bandit Ball deep throw.  Ryan Grant had the play of the game with his 75-yard TD. The Dragons were in man coverage, 1 safety deep, anticipating an underneath play towards the sideline. What they got instead was an out and up route from Ryan Grant, and with the safety engaged by TE Cameron Jordan, Grant had only Chidobe Awuzie to beat. A very solid corner, but without the speed that Grant possesses, the double move left Awuzie a step behind Grant, and a perfect throw down the sideline allowed the Bandit receiver to catch the ball without slowing down. That, in turn, allowed him clear access down the sideline and 75 yards later we had a 14-10 game.   That would be the score at the half, with Seattle happy to run the ball to kill the last minute and a half of game clock in the first half and head into the locker room with the lead. Both teams had played a clean half, with minimal penalties and no turnovers, and Seattle had shown both defensive strength and some offensive sparks, while the Bandits had fought back from a 14-point deficit to trail by only 4. As local band Green Day played the halftime show, both coaches stressed fundamentals, sustained blocks, good tackling, and calm under pressure as they set up for the second half. Tampa Bay would get the ball first in the half, and once again the Dragon defense would get a stop after only 1 first down. Getting the ball back after a nice return by Jaire Alexander, the Dragons started at their own 41. They moved the ball effectively, with Moreno hitting on his longest run of the day, a 16-yarder on 2 nd  and 4, and Hundley gain finding Rudolph for a nice gainer. But, when they crossed into the red zone, Tampa Bay turned up the pressure and forced the Dragons to go for a 38-yard field goal from the 21. Jeffery Harris doinked the ball off the right crossbar with a resounding metallic thud, and the Bandits escaped, still only 4 points from the lead.  Prescott struggled, but when it was needed, he got the job done. The Bandits would control the ball for the next 7 minutes and 33 seconds, using 14 plays to drive from their own 28 all the way to the endzone. The drive included a nice run from Cook, another from Breida, and a pair of completions to players few outside the Bandit locker room knew by name, tight ends Fendi Onobun and Jeff Heuerman, both considered blocking ends and not receivers like Jordan Cameron, but both coming up with 5-yard plays as security blankets when Seattle defenders closed in on Dak Prescott. The big play of the drive was a 5-yard completion to Onobun just as Prescott was being dragged to the ground by USFL DPOTY Khalil Mack. Prescott fluttered a desperation pass towards Onobum, who brought the ball in and converted the 3 rd  and 4 play. It was a play that required video review to determine if Prescott’s knee had hit before he lofted the ball to his tight end, but the review upheld the completed pass and Tampa Bay’s drive continued.   The scoring play, giving the Bandits their first lead of the game, was far less controversial, a simple slant route that saw Prescott find Bryant from the 10 and into the endzone cleanly. The drive was a statement from the Bandits that Seattle might slow them down, but completely stopping them was not an easy task. Now up 17-14, the Bandits moved into the 4 th  quarter with the lead. They would get more than that on the very first play of the final period. On a 2 nd and 2 from the Tampa Bay 44, DE Pernell McPhee caught Knowshon Moreno as he tried to cut the ball back inside, his hand hitting the ball squarely and popping it out of Moreno’s grasp. McPhee would be in position to scoop the ball up, and so he did, giving the Bandits the first (and only) takeaway of the game. With the lead, momentum, and a turnover, the Bandits hoped to break the Dragons’ spirit and go up by 2 scores, but the Dragons proved resilient, holding Tampa Bay on a 3 rd  and 7 from the Seattle 41, and forcing a punt. The fumble produced no points, and the Dragons were back in action with just over 11 minutes in the final period.   Seattle drove the ball, somewhat unevenly, with a big play to Newhouse followed by a negative run, and an incompletion. On 3 rd  and 7, Hundley could not find Rudolph over the middle and Coach Riley opted to even the score by asking his kicker to connect from 50 yards out. With just over 6 minutes left on the clock, Harris put the ball over the goalpost crossbar, and we were knotted up at 17 apiece, but with 6:18 on the clock, the game was far from over.   Tampa Bay went for it all on the very first play of their next possession, Prescott hoping to catch Seattle in man coverage again. Dez Bryant could not bring in the Prescott heave, and the Bandits faced 2 nd  and 10. Cook gained only 1 on his 2 nd  down carry and on 3 rd  and 9 Dak Prescott was dragged down by Khalil Mack yet again, this time not getting the ball off. The Bandits were forced to punt after only 3 plays.   Seattle fared little better on their next possession, gaining only 4 yards on 3 plays. They too were forced to punt the ball back without a first down. So, with 2:41, the Bandits had the ball and a chance to take the lead. They started with a short completion to Jordan Cameron, then a 6-yard run by Cook, and Prescott then found Bryant for an 8-yard gain. A nice series of plays took the ball down to the Seattle 27, but on a 3 rd  and 7, once again the Dragon pass rush got to Prescott quickly, this time DT Malik McDowell smothering Prescott as he tried to escape the pocket. It would be Harrison Butker from 48 yards out with just 1:22 on the clock. Butker connected and Tampa Bay took the lead, 20-17, but with time enough on the clock for Seattle to find an equalizer.  Seattle WR Amari Cooper came back from injury, scored 2 TDs but could not save the day. Seattle took over on the 20 after a touchback. They had 1:19 on the clock, 2 timeouts, and about 45 yards to go to give Jeffery Harris any shot at a makeable kick. The Dragons immediately found success, with Hundley finding Kendrick Bourne for his only completion of the game, a 15-yard strike on 1 st  down. After a short completion to FB Greg Jones, with the big back getting out of bounds after a 2-yard gain, Seattle faced a 2 nd  and 8. Hundley looked for Newhouse, then Rudolph, but had to throw the ball away as Bandit DE Brian Burns closed in on him. 3 rd  and 8 from the 37. From the shotgun, Hundley had 4 receivers in the formation, but again no one could find clear open space. Hundley tried to squeeze the ball between two Bandit defenders to reach Cooper, but Jalen Ramsey managed to get a hand on it and swat it away from the Seattle receiver, bringing up a 4 th  and 8.   The Dragons set up again in the shotgun, Cooper, Bourne and Rudolph all on the right, Newhouse alone on the left. The play would try to use levels to force a decision from the Bandit defenders. But Tampa Bay was ready for it, and their defenders switched off as each receiver made his cut. All three had a man on them, Hundley escaped the pocket, trying to gain more time, but he simply had no option. He made a sideline throw towards Cooper once again, but the ball was outside and could not be caught. Seattle had turned the ball over on downs with 41 seconds left to play.   Tampa’s sideline erupted. The Bandit fans who had made the cross-country trek were also loud and celebratory in the stands. The Bandits were about to become only the 2 nd USFL club in the league’s 39-year history to win back-to-back titles and would join Houston as the only 5-time league champions. Dak Prescott took a knee, then held the ball up as his teammates congratulated him and the clock started to wind down to 0:00. Seattle would not use their last time out. The game was won and the Bandits could begin celebrating.   The trophy named for Bandits' founder John Bassett returns to Tampa Bay once again. Coach Trestman received the traditional dousing of water and Gatorade, red and silver confetti streamed from the confetti cannons and the Bandits coaches, players and staff took to the center of the field. It had not been a classic Bandit Ball game, but it had been a Bandit victory once again. As the Bassett’s John and Carling held aloft the trophy that bore their father’s name, handing it to Coach Trestman, the name of John Bassett, founder of the Bandits was celebrated and the Bandit fans in attendance pointed to the sky in honor of one of the legendary founders of both the team and the league. The MVP trophy was given to Dak Prescott, who, despite some pedestrian numbers by Bandit Ball standards (14 of 29, 198 yards) had thrown two touchdowns to bring the Bandits back from a 2-score deficit to claim the title.   And so, the 39 th  season of the USFL came to a close, with many already in a mood to celebrate the upcoming 40 th  season of the league that was once described as “small potatoes” and which had been on the verge of life support 38 years earlier. Now, with 30 franchises, record attendance, significant star power, and a solid place in the American sports scene, the USFL was in a mood to celebrate, and the gear up for a 40 th  season blow out was ready to begin in earnest.

We have our Summer Bowl, a matchup of top seeds as both the Tampa Bay Bandits and Seattle Dragons defend their home turf in the Conference Title Games and advance to Santa Clara and Summer Bowl 2021. The two did it in very different ways, with the Bandits putting up 48 unanswered points to throttle the Orlando Renegades, while Seattle pulled out a war of field position in overtime to knock off a very tough Denver team. We will recap how both teams punched their tickets to the title game, give you a comprehensive preview of the USFL’s 39 th championship game, and explore the ways both teams can claim a title this week. But we start it all off, realizing we are only 9 days from the opening of USFL Free Agency. Our big story is a preview of who we see being the big fish in the pool, and the players looking for the biggest paydays. We start there, then back to the field, with some news on coaching searches and player decisions as well. There is a lot to do, so let’ s get right to it.   USFL Free Agent Pool is a Deep One in ’21 No doubt that the free agent ranks this year are both deep and fraught with dangers. Lots of players with proven talent, but questions as well. Lots of opportunity, but a short window before the NFL comes calling, and we expect that after last year’s Covid-impacted schedule and the removal of one of the two traditional transfer windows, the NFL will be looking to raid the USFL talent pool as much as possible this September. We have divided our Top 25 Free Agents list into two categories, based largely on Athlon’s player impact ratings. Players who received a 91 or higher are our Golden Prospects, while those between 84-90 are our Silver Prospects. Twenty-five names in total, many of them very familiar to even casual fans. But just where they go, that is the mystery right now and the fun that starts in only a week and change. So, without further delay, here is our list of the top 25 free agents in the pool for the USFL for the next 2.5 weeks before the NFL can start fishing.   RATED GOLD (91 or Above)—11 Players   WR Odell Beckham Jr. (NJ) In a pool that lacks premier talent at the QB or HB position, OBJ is without doubt the most tantalizing skills player available. Tired of what he sees as a restrictive passing game in New Jersey, Beckham is looking for two things, a wide-open attack that will allow him to maximize his talents, and a real shot at a title.   WR Victor Cruz (ARZ) At 35, Cruz has a lot of miles on his odometer, but he also has results that are undeniable. His 2021 numbers include 68 receptions, 1,230 yards, and 9 touchdowns. He won’t be your guy 5 years down the road, but a 2-year deal may produce some immediate upgrade for many teams at the position.   OT Levi Brown (TBY) With one more game to play, and a chance at a 2 nd title, it is not guaranteed that Brown will enter the free agent market, but at 35, if he wants one last payday, and likely a very big one at that, he may well need to enter the waters and see who wants a short-term, high impact left tackle to protect their QB. Expect a deal that makes Brown the highest paid tackle for a year or two if this does happen.   OT D. J. Fluker (OAK) If you cannot afford Brown, or if you want someone who may have more than a couple of years in the tank, going after Oakland’s D. J. Fluker makes a lot of sense. He is an elite run blocker and can hold up as a left tackle or dominate on the right side.   C Mike Pouncey (CHA) Perhaps the best player on the worst team in the league, Pouncey is at the top of his game just as the team hits rock bottom. At 34, Pouncey wants a chance for a ring more than a huge payday, but he is likely to get both if he makes a good choice of what should be a long line of suitors.   C Greg Mancz (NOR) Another very solid option at the pivot. There are many who believe Mancz is just holding out for the Breakers to make him a deal he cannot refuse, but that means that if another team can prove their interest in Mancz with a bigger deal, they may just be able to land him.   SS Budda Baker (HOU) We think Houston dropped the ball on this one. Yes, they had a lot of talent to resign, but we cannot believe that the one player they felt they could let go is perhaps the best center fielder in the game. With speed, hands, and a killer instinct, Baker is an ideal strong safety for any team that wants to deliver hits that send a message.   CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (LA) The best corner available, but also a 35-year-old corner. So, do you think you’re are a year away from a title but just need this one piece? Because we don’t see CRC being on your roster in 2024, but for 2022 he could be a difference maker.   CB Dee Milliner (ORL) If you do want a guy who can be with you for the next 5-7 years, Milliner is your guy. Yes, he gives up the occasional big play, but he also makes many of them. A ball hawking corner who tends to jump routes, producing a feast or famine situation, but sometimes the feast is worth the occasional famine.   LB Myles Jack (SD) A monster in the middle, Jack is fast enough to go sideline to sideline, powerful enough to stop a back in his tracks, and savvy enough to be effective in coverage and as a pass rusher. Jack sees no immediate future in San Diego after yet another 3-win season, so he is looking for a team that has more to offer both financially and on the field.   LB Clay Matthews (DAL) Matthews was viewed as a likely retirement risk, but with no announcement yet, he will enter the free agency pool. The veteran MLB will turn 35 this offseason, so another case of a very good player in what could be his last season. Matthews can be a team captain for a new team, or he could end up a swing backup, it all depends on his motivation and his knees.   RATED SILVER (87-90 Rating)-14 players   QB Paxton Lynch (MEM) The only QB on our list, Lynch is here because he was frustrated with what he perceived as a lack of respect from Coach Ryan in Memphis. Lynch put up a 102.3 QB Rating only 2 seasons ago, still has some wheels, and even in a down year in 2021 was above water on his TD:INT ratio and completed two thirds of his attempts. With so many teams unhappy with their QB situation, we think Lynch will get a lot of interest.   HB Devin Singletary (JAX) The best of a pretty shallow pool of backs, Singletary is a solid receiver, can block in the shotgun, and has decent stats, averaging 3.8 YPC the past two seasons in Jacksonville. He may not be well suited to be a true bell cow back, but in a HB duo he can be effective. His best-case scenario is to be paired with a bigger back for a bit of a thunder & lightning scenario.   HB Rex Burkhead (OKL) Is there tread left on the tires? That is the question with Burkhead, whose production saw major dips from 2019 to 2020 and again this year. Moving from Birmingham to Oklahoma really did not give him a chance this season, as is evident by his limited touches (only 22 runs and 10 receptions in 2021). If he can show well in tryouts, he could find himself with a better situation on a team looking for his varied skills.   WR Devin Funchess (MEM) Funchess had a breakout season in 2020 as a sophomore, catching 102 passes for 1,547 yards and 10 TDs. Much was expected of him this year, but Memphis’s entire offense regressed, and now Funchess is looking like a one-year wonder. Not ideal for a player hitting free agency. He had 700 fewer yards, 30 fewer catches and only 1 TD in 2021, but we think that there is a team out there confident they can get the 2020 version of Funchess at a 2021 price.   WR Michael Floyd (CHI) At 31, Floyd is certainly not the oldest receiver in the pool, but with 13 grinding years in Chicago under his belt, he may have the most mileage. The good news is that even with lower numbers this past year than in 2020, his gameday impact was still solid. He blocks well, is a quality route runner, but lacks the break away speed of his youth. Still, veteran possession receivers are certainly worth a look.   T Gabe Carimi (MGN) An 11-year vet who turns 34, Carimi is likely going to get a lot of 1 and 2 year offers. When you realize that over the past 5 seasons, he has given up a total of 3 sacks, maybe make the guy a 3-year front-loaded deal and get yourself a true LT for at least the next two.   G Jon Asamoah (HOU) The Gamblers do not want to lose their All-USFL guard, but they have so many holes to plug up, as we mentioned above with Budda Baker, and with Asamoah solidly in the AARP category for an offensive lineman, we think that the big guy either retires or takes a 1-year deal to feather his nest a bit more.   G Ross Pierschbacher (LV) You likely don’t know his name but trust us when we say that GM’s across the league are well aware of the Vipers’ right guard. He is a human bulldozer, with over 100 pancakes the past two seasons. He will give up the occasional sack (9 in the past 2 seasons) but one of the reasons Kareem Hunt surprised us with a 1,000-yard season is because Pierschbacher was clearing his path through the line.   C J. D. Walton (ORL) Not quite at the level of Mike Pouncey, but a very solid veteran presence and pretty good at both pass protection and the run game. Walton reminds many of Frank Winters, which is not a bad comparison for anyone who wants a reliable leader on their line.   DE Robert Quinn (OHIO) With 32 sacks in the past 3 seasons, you are going to get solid, but not superstar production from the Ohio end. Quinn had a very solid year in 2021, racking up 12 sacks to lead the Glory. At 32, he wants a payday, one Ohio seems unlikely to create. You won’t get Sweat/Campbell numbers out of Quinn, but you will get a player who can disrupt blocking schemes and find the QB often enough to be a concern.   DE Malik Jackson (PHI) Jackson has topped 10 sacks per year every season for the Stars since 2017. He has yet to top 15, but few have, so we see Jackson as a player that will get a lot of attention. The Stars are still in the picture, but they have failed to find the right terms to have Jackson sign on the dotted line, so we think he is hoping to wait this out a bit and see if any USFL, or even NFL, teams are willing to overpay a bit.   CB Prince Amukamara (WSH) At 34, Amukamara had himself a very good year, with a personal best 5 picks in 2021. So, does he go out on a high or does he come back and try to build on 2021? Rumors have him considering retirement after missing 5 games this year with ankle and knee issues. But, if he has a change of heart, he will be available for a team that is looking for a solid cover guy who has some ball hawking skills.   SS Baccari Rambo (ATL) You want Budda Baker, but the price tag is too high? Man, do we have a deal for you. Rambo is a gifted safety, not quite the thumper that Baker is, but extremely effective as a center fielder, with good instincts and the speed to make plays across the field.   SS Malik Hooker (BIR) Our final “silver” player is yet another safety. Birmingham’s Hooker is overlooked a bit because the Stallions have just not had an elite defense. He is looking at options, and for a team that needs one more piece in an otherwise solid secondary, Hooker could well fit the bill.   Those were our Top 25, but there is no shortage of others (maybe we call them “Bronze” players) who can have an impact on your team. Here is our list of the Best of the Rest:   QB: NIck Foles (NJ), Mason Rudolph (OKL) Jimmy Garoppolo (CHA), B. J. Daniels (TBY) HB:     Jeremy Hill (CHI), Isaiah Pead (OHI), Leonard Fournette (DEN) TE:             Eric Ebron (BIR), Martellus Bennett (MGN) WR:       Brian Hartline (BAL), Doug Baldwin (NE), Julian Edelman (BIR) OL:         G Nick Allegretti (CHI), C Ethan Pocic (SAN) DL:         DE Arthur Moats (ORL), DT Sylvester Williams (LV), DT Kawann Short (TBY) LB:          Devon Kinnard (TBY), Calvin Pace (SEA), Reggie Ragland (BIR) CB:        Ronald Darby (MGN), Taron Johnson (POR) S:              Mark Barron (SD), Brandon Taylor (JAX) ST:          K Josh Lambo (BAL), P Marquette King (CHI)   ORLANDO RENEGADES 20  TAMPA BAY BANDITS 52 The Renegades started strong but could not sustain as a solid first quarter turned into a disastrous 2 nd  quarter as Tampa Bay rolled for 4 touchdown drives in the 2 nd  and put up 49 unanswered points on their way to a dominating win. Orlando’s defense was simply rolled, with the Bandits racking up 526 yards of offense, 460 through the air as both Dak Prescott (14/22, 344 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int) and B. J. Daniels, on in late relief (10/14, 116 Yds) just picked apart the Orlando defense. The Bandit defense also impressed, picking off the league’s interception leader twice, sacking Wilson 4 times, and limiting Chris Carson to only 24 yards on the day. In other words, the Bandits were dominant.   It certainly did not start that way, as the game started with the best possible result for an undermanned Orlando squad. Having lost the toss, Orlando set up to return the opening kickoff, and return it they did, with Renegade returner Kevin Johnson taking the ball out of the endzone, finding a crease, flying past the 2 nd  wave of defenders and embarrassing Harrison Butker with his half-hearted tackle attempt. The return went for 108 yards, a new playoff record, and had the moderate contingent of Orlando fans among the 61,205 in attendance on their feet as the game started.   But the ecstasy of that moment was the last truly positive moment the Renegade fans would have. The Bandits replied to that instant score with a 10-play drive that finished with Dalvin Cook slicing the Orlando D for six points. The excitement of the kickoff return had morphed into the realization that the Bandits were not going to be taking Orlando too lightly. To their credit, the Orlando D had a good first quarter, sacking Dak Prescott on a key 3 rd  down to get the ball back on the next drive, helping to set up a Mason Crosby field goal. Four plays after the Crosby kick gave Orlando the ball back, nickel back Kyle Wooten picked off Prescott and gave Orlando a chance to add to their lead. The Renegades were not able to put up 7 and held a modest 13-7 lead over the heavily favored Bandits as the game shifted into the 2 nd  quarter, when the dam gave way.   The dam, in this case, is the Orlando defense, which simply had no answers the rest of the way. It started easily enough, another long drive from the Bandits, capped by Matt Breida diving in from the 2 to give Tampa Bay a 14-13 lead. Not too bad, as long as Orlando did not make things worse. They did. After driving into Tampa Bay territory, Russell Wilson succumbed to his all-too-frequent tendency to throw the ball to the wrong-colored jerseys, serving up an easy pick for safety Hamsah Nasirildeen, who returned the ball to the Orlando 18 before being tackled.   Nasirildeen’s pick led to a second Breida TD run, this time from the 5 and the Bandits were up 21-13. Still not horrible, but a 3-and-out quickly got the Bandits the ball back, and on the very first play of the Bandit possession, Dak Prescott hit on a classic Bandit Ball deep throw. With a solid pocket around him, Prescott tossed an arcing ball to Ryan Grant, who caught the ball in stride, already 2 yards ahead of the corner. The safety took a poor angle, and Grant easily outpaced him to the endzone for a 71-yard touchdown. Now up 28-13, the Bandits were feeling their energy growing, and Orlando was beginning to panic.   The Renegade panic resulted in the second huge mistake of the day for Wilson, another poorly timed throw to the flat, easily nabbed by Jalen Ramsey as he jumped the route, returning the ball 25 yards to the endzone and expanding the Bandit lead to 35-13. As the two teams headed into the locker room for the half, you could see the resignation on the faces of the Renegades and the celebration on the faces of the Bandits. Tampa Bay had just put up 28 unanswered points in one quarter and with Orlando missing their top two receivers, the odds of them coming back were not looking very realistic.   The second half was significantly less explosive, with the Bandits expanding the lead to 42-13 with another deep ball, this time a 72-yarder to Dez Bryant, Prescott’s last throw of the game as B. J. Daniels would mop things up the rest of the way. Daniels led Tampa Bay on a long march to finish out the 3 rd and start off the 4 th , with Matt Breida scoring his 3 rd short yardage TD of the day to expand the scoring streak to 42 unanswered and the lead to 49-13. Orlando would get a late touchdown on a Daniels pick which Dee Milliner returned for the score, but it was a drop in an ocean of Bandit points. The Bandits would add a field goal after recovering a Nelson Agholor fumble, and the game would come to a merciful end at 52-20. An ugly outing for Russell Wilson and the Renegades as Tampa Bay not only punched their ticket for a return trip to the Summer Bowl but looked about as dangerous as any championship contender we have seen in a long time. DENVER GOLD 10  SEATTLE DRAGONS 13   OVERTIME The Western Championship could not have been more of a polar opposite to the Bandit romp. In a game that saw both defenses play extremely well, neither team managed to gain 300 yards or rush for 100. Both struggled on third down, with Denver’s 6 of 16 slightly better than Seattle’s 3 of 15, and both teams managed a single touchdown on the day. This was a game of two equally matched teams, both intent on limiting big plays and containing the other’s main threat. For Seattle, that meant pressuring Josh Allen (6 sacks on the day) and backing that up with a complex mix of zones, man coverage, and moving superstar LB Khalil Mack all over the field to confuse and disrupt the Gold protection schemes. For Denver, it was about mixing some 46 Defense concepts into their more traditional 4-3 alignment, sending run blitzers to cut off cutback lanes for the league’s leading rusher, Knowshon Moreno, and using 2-deep safeties on key 3 rd  downs to keep the throws short of the line to gain. The result was a game knotted at 10-10 after regulation and an overtime tug of war that ended with the Dragons producing the win and a matchup of two very different 1 seeds in Summer Bowl 2026.   With Amari Cooper out of the game for Seattle, their passing game certainly struggled, with Brett Hundley dumping down to Kyle Rudolph 9 times, and struggling to get Kendrick Bourne involved. Hundley threw to Bourne 11 times, got 5 catches out of it, but also a key interception. Denver, for their part, saw Phillip Lindsay limited to 1.9 YPC on the day as the run game for the Gold simply did not provide Josh Allen with any cover. The overreliance on Allen led to his 6 sacks, including 2 from former Federals’ DE Chris Long, the subject of a feature article in last week’s recap.   The game was a war of attrition and a battle for field position all game long. By the half it was only 3-0 Denver as the Gold had managed a lone drive into Seattle territory, aided by a defensive holding call on a key 3 rd down. Seattle had entered Denver’s side of the field only twice, and both times they were rebuffed, failing on two key third downs as Hundley just could not find an open receiver. It was a half of football that defensive purists would love, but for the fans at Lumen Field, nearly 60,000 of them, it was a frustrating watch as time and again both teams failed to make plays when they were needed. The second half saw a bit more action, 20 of the game’s eventual 23 points. It also saw Seattle start to make plays. This started with the opening drive of the half in which the Dragons hit on their longest pass play of the game, a 1 st down toss to Bourne that finally paid off, with the young receiver turning a 12-yard out into a 38-yard gainer thanks to a nice spin move. But even that play could not change the nature of the game, and with the offense bogged down at the Denver 19, Coach Riley had no choice but to send Jeffery Harris out for a game-tying field goal.   The two teams would trade defensive stops for the next 8 minutes before Seattle finally got a break. The break came in the form of Hundley escaping a sack attempt from Justice Cole, escaping to his right and finding Kyle Rudolph for a huge 19-yard completion on 3 rd  and 8. That play motivated the Dragon offense, which marched to the red zone on 7 plays. When Cole had his revenge, taking a 2 nd  and 8 from the 14 and sacking Hundley on the 20, Dragon fans could be understood for assuming this meant another field goal was imminent. But on 3 rd  and 14, the Dragons surprised the Gold for the biggest play of the game.   With 3 rd  and 16 from the 20, Denver prepared for Hundley to take a shot at the endzone. What they did not foresee was Gus Edwards, usually in for short yardage and his pass blocking on longer downs, getting the ball in a delayed draw play. As the Gold tried to react to the surprising call, Edwards picked up blocks from TE John Bates and pulling guard Laken Tomlinson, broke into the secondary and essentially rammed his way past safety Marqui Christian and into the endzone. The crowd erupted in cheers with the unexpected touchdown, and the Dragons had their first lead of the game.   As the game moved into the 4 th  quarter, the pressure was firmly on Denver to make a play, put together a drive, and get the game back to a tie at the very least. After a pair of 3-and-outs by both teams, Denver got the ball on a Seattle punt with 12:17 in the 4 th , down 7. The punt return was a solid one, giving the gold the ball at their own 35. After yet another 1 st down run proved pointless, Coach Hufnagel knew he would need to put the game in the hands of his QB. Josh Allen would attempt 8 passes on the drive, complete 6 of them, finding 5 different receivers, and getting the ball to the Seattle 1-yard line. Only then would they give the ball back to Lindsay for the 1-yard TD plunge. On the drive, Allen completed a 14-yarder to Darnell Mooney, but every other pass was for 8 yards or fewer. But in the end, the drive did exactly what the Gold needed, it tied the score at 10 and proved that the Gold could move the ball.   The final 9 minutes of regulation saw both defenses make huge plays. The Gold stuffed Knowshon Moreno on a 3 rd  and 2 run, forcing a punt. The Dragons sacked Josh Allen on a controversial call in which Allen seemed to escape the sack only to have had the Rear Judge blow the play dead when Allen was “in the grasp” of Khalil Mack. Neither team could even reach a range for their kicker to attempt a long field goal to possibly win the game. Resigned and with the ball on their own 27 with 3 seconds to play, Brett Hundley took a knee and sent the game to overtime.   The Dragons won the toss, took the ball, and almost immediately regretted it. On a 2 nd  and 7 from their own 37, Hundley made his one mistake on the day, throwing a ball towards Marshall Newhouse despite his receiver being double covered. Newhouse was smothered on the play, and the ball ended up careening off his hands and his helmet, popping straight up and into the hands of Denver LB Harold Landry at the Denver 48. The Gold were fewer than 20 yards away from range for Greg Zeurlein.   The Denver kicker would get his chance, as Denver moved the ball into Seattle territory on a throw from Allen to his All-USFL receiver, Golden Tate. But just as the small pocket of Denver fans got excited, Allen took another sack, this time from Chris Long, and the Gold were stuck at the Seattle 32. Zeurlein was brought out to try the 49-yarder, but a combination of nerves and swirling wind coming off the Sound sent the ball wide, and gave Seattle another shot, with the ball on their own 39.   Seattle did not miss their opportunity. A nice Moreno run of 9 yards, his second longest on a day that saw him amass only 54 yards on the ground, set up a 2 nd and 1. Hundley used the “free down” to find Rudolph over the middle for 15, then connected with Newhouse inside Denver territory. Denver had allowed the Dragons to reach field goal range in only 3 plays, but what came next was even worse for them. On 1 st  and 10, the Gold overplayed the fake to Moreno, allowing Hundley to roll to his left, where he found Kendrick Bourne on a 20-yard play that took the ball inside the 20. This would be a chip shot for Jeffery Harris. Seattle centered the ball with a dive from Edwards, and Harris came out to end the game and send Seattle down the coast to Santa Clara and Summer Bowl 2026. It took an extra 8 minutes of overtime for the Dragons to settle the game, but as Harris’s kick split the uprights no one was complaining. The Dragons were headed to the USFL Championship for the first time since their miraculous 2005 title run. It would be the league’s lead rusher, Knowshon Moreno, going up against the league’s most dynamic passing attack in the Tampa Bay Bandits with the title on the line.  Bandits Solidly Favored to Defend Title, But Not Taking Seattle Lightly The oddsmakers may like what they see in the Tampa Bay Bandits, making the defending 2020 champions a 7-point favorite in Summer Bowl 2021, but don’t tell that to Coach Trestman. The Bandits’ coach is quick to point out that Seattle gave his club one of their 2 defeats on the season, a 19-17 Dragon victory back in Week 12. Trestman is quick to remind the media that the Bandits were largely at full strength in that game and still could only muster 17 points against the Dragon defense. His point is well taken. In that game, Dak Prescott threw for 408 yards but Dalvin Cook was completely contained, and for all the yardage, the Bandit offense managed only 1 touchdown until the final minutes, when they were trailing by 9 and Seattle allowed the drive as long as it took time off the clock. It was a game in which the Dragons sacked the Bandit QB six times, picked him off once, and thoroughly dominated the line of scrimmage. So, before we look at this week’s results, in which Tampa Bay romped over Orlando while Seattle was taken to overtime by the Denver Gold, and assume that the Bandits are going to cruise to back-to-back titles, we need to slow down for a minute and realize that these Dragons matched up pretty well with the Bandits only 7 weeks ago.   Dragons Hoping Cooper Can Return for Title Game Seattle did what good teams do this past week, overcoming adversity, grinding out a tough win, and advancing. They knocked off Denver without their primary receiver able to go. Amari Cooper, who had 96 receptions, 1,205 yards, and 8 TDs for the Dragons in the regular season, was sidelined with a hamstring strain. His absence was certainly felt, with Brett Hundley largely forced to make throws within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, unable to take the top off the Denver defense.   Both Cooper and Coach Riley are hopeful that their star wideout can return to action this week. He is being limited in practice, but has been seen running route trees and doing half-speed runs up and down the sideline. With Tampa Bay expected to use primarily man coverage, having Cooper would certainly alter the options available to the Seattle offense and provide them with at least a chance at keeping pace with Tampa’s vertical, big-play offense. Seattle is still likely to use a lot of 2-tight end formations, to work the run game with Moreno as a way to shorten the game and reduce Bandit possessions, but having the option to hit on a deep ball now and again could very much alter their gameplan and their ability to match the Bandits over 60 minutes.   Carr Makes it Official, Thanks Wrangler Fans for the Ride In a press conference at State Farm Stadium, David Carr said his goodbyes to the Wranglers, his teammates, and the fans. The 37-year-old QB thanked Coach Tomsula, his team, and the fans for their support over a 17-year career. Carr had, of course, given the team and its fans plenty to be grateful for themselves, leading Arizona to 5 Summer Bowls (they have recently appeared in 6 but one was during Carr’s lost season). He won the USFL MVP in both 2016 and 2017, and won Playoff MVP in 2016 and 2019. He was a six-time All-USFL player and his Wranglers brought home 3 league titles over his career.   Carr steps away from football after 17 seasons in which he racked up over 4300 pass attempts, covering 40,577 yards. A big-play QB in a big-play offense, Carr averaged only a 59.6% completion rate, and yet retires with an average of 235 yards per game and an amazing TD:INT ratio of 314:93, more than 3 to 1. While we all expect his name to be called out in 2026 as a first ballot Hall of Famer, this day was about saying goodbye. Carr spoke for the gathered press, hugged Coach Tomsula, and waved as he stepped away from the podium, the Wranglers, and a stellar career as a USFL quarterback.   So, what is next for Arizona? Their 2021 backup, Brock Osweiler, is not seen as an heir to Carr’s legacy and is unlikely to step in as the 2022 starter. While there are rumors that Washington has reached out to the Wranglers to see if they would like to make a deal to return Ryan Nassib to the club, the struggles of the former Wrangler QB in D.C. may well convince Arizona to try going in a different direction. With a poor QB class expected in the draft, it seems that either trade or free agency could be the path forward for the Wranglers to find a new signal caller. With nearly $38M in cap space, Arizona is one of the most fluid teams as far as free agent funds, and could certainly take a look at the free agent QB pool, one we believe is headed by former Showboat QB Paxton Lynch, but there are certainly going to be QBs on the trading block as well, whether that is New England’s Ryan Tannehill or LA’s Kyler Murray, both rumored to be on the market. The Wranglers will have choices to be made, but, of course, the odds of finding another superstar and 3-time league champion are not exactly a lock.   Carter Surprises & Upsets General Fans with Retirement Notice Fans of the New Jersey Generals were visibly upset (well auditorily upset) on sports radio this week after HB Delone carter announced that he too would be hanging up his helmet and retiring from the game. Carter, at age 31, had just completed the best season of his career, leading the Generals with 840 yards and 9 touchdowns. He was a major reason why New Jersey was atop the NE Division for much of the year and why they returned to the post-season. But, at age 31, and with 11 years of abuse on his body, it is certainly reasonable that the two-time General would feel that he had proven his worth in 2021 and could now step away.   Carter was drafted out of Syracuse in the 2011 Territorial Draft, spending the first 7 seasons of his career as a backup in New Jersey, solidly behind Maurice Jones-Drew for much of his early career. His best season with the Generals was in 2016, when he finally topped 100 carries, rushing for 398 yards. A free agent in 2018, Carter signed with the Ohio Glory, where he also shared carries, this time with their starter Isaiah Pead. His numbers dropped. This past offseason he returned to New Jersey, expected to back up Tony Pollard, but he outplayed the younger back and finished the season with 40 more touches, 100 more yards, and 4 more touchdowns. That strong production in 2021 had General fans feeling like their HB group was set. The team would enter 2022 with Carter and Pollard splitting carries and hopefully producing similar numbers (over 1,500 yards and 14 TDs between them).   Now, with Carter surprising many with his announcement, there is a huge question as to whether the Generals try to turn Pollard, entering his 3 rd season, into a true lead back, or if they have to add halfback to their list of offseason priorities. Some callers in recent days have demanded that New Jersey make a quick free agency move when the window opens in 9 days, with names like Isaiah Pead, Isaiah Crowell, and Devin Singletary being cited. Others feel the HB group is weak and want the Generals to consider using the draft on a player like Iowa State’s Breece Hall or Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker. Regardless of the path, it does seem like New Jersey will have to find themselves a halfback, whether as complement to Pollard or as a backup.   OBJ Wants Title Shot, Has Short List for Free Agency We are not done with New Jersey yet. Not only is halfback now on the table, but with Odell Beckham Jr. very keen to enter the free agent pool and Nick Foles expected to do the same, the Generals are staring a complete offensive overhaul in the face. It may seem a lifetime ago, but Nick Foles was benched this year, with Teddy Bridgewater given the reins before an injury forced him out and Foles back. So, the fact that the Generals are letting Foles test the waters is not a huge surprise. What has been an issue is the insistence from their elite pass catcher, Beckham, that he wants and deserves top dollar and that the way to do that is through free agency.   Beckham started 2021 a bit slow, and was vocal about his desire to be with a winner. He did not catch his first touchdown until Week 9 of the season, and while his other numbers were consistently strong, finishing the year with over 1,300 yards, 99 receptions, and 5 TDs, his insistence that he has been undervalued and that free agency would prove this means that the Generals are unlikely to retain his services for 2022. Expect a pretty hefty bidding war for OBJ, who turns 30 this year and could still garner a 4-year contract, if not longer, for major dollars, the kind of dollars that a player of his caliber expects and usually gets.   So, going into the 2021-2022 offseason, the Generals, a playoff team this past year, could be looking at a change at QB and the need to acquire a new lead tailback and primary receiver. We feel confident that it will be Teddy Bridgewater under center when the 2022 season kicks off, but just who he will be handing the ball to, or throwing it to, well, that is a mystery right now.   Express Put Their QB Squarely on the Trading Block We mentioned above, in our story about David Carr, that LA had put Kyler Murray out there as a possible trade option. It seems that Coach Lewis and the Express front office are just not satisfied with the numbers their 3 rd  year QB has put up, or the lack of improvement from year to year. Murray finished 2021 with a career best 3,227 yards, and a vast improvement in his TD:INT ratio, moving from 19:18 in 2020 to 19:8 in 2021. The problem, of course, is that the improvement there did not lead to improvement on the scoreboard.   The Express fell from 11-5 in 2020 to 7-8-1 in 2021, and in pretty much everyone’s mind, the issue continued to be the lack of offensive output. LA ended the year as the 29 th  team out of 30 in scoring, putting up only 16.1 points per game. Worse for Murray was that they were 28 th  in passing at only 216 yards per game despite the fact that the Express had brought in some real speed demons in Hollywood Brown, Marquise Lee, and midseason acquisition Jeremy Maclin. If Murry could not create big plays with this high-octane receiver group, then the problem had to be his. And so, the Express are looking to shop Murray, who has 3 more years on his rookie deal. They don’t have a replacement in mind, as backup Matt Gutierrez not only had real bad showings this year, but recently announced his retirement, so it could be a complete overhaul if the Express do find a taker for Murray. Just how they overhaul is yet to be known, but we expect them to potentially look for a QB-for-QB deal if they can find the right combination.   We are looking at a pretty healthy Summer Bowl. Tampa Bay has upgraded center Frank Ragnow, while Seattle has moved DE DeShon Hall from questionable to probable. Of course, with John Brown out for the Dragons and Kawaan Short still doubtful for the Bandits, neither team is truly at 100%, but very few are after 18 games of USFL football.   SEA:    WR J. Brown (IR), T E. Fisher (D), DE D. Hall (P) TBY:   DT K. Short (D), C F. Ragnow (Q)   League Award Winners Include a Surprise Winner The USFL Gala, held last night at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, provided plenty of glitz, plenty of entertainment, and just a few surprises. The league, as it does prior to every Summer Bowl, used the 5-star event to announce each of the league’s 5 major awards and to name the 2021 All-USFL first team. And while many of the names announced over the course of the evening were fully expected, there was at least one award that produced a true look of surprise and a couple of All-USFL team announcements that had folks a bit surprised. Here is the rundown of all the award winners from last night’s big event.   MOST VALUABLE PLAYER By season’s end we all knew it would be a runoff between two stellar quarterbacks. Would it be Josh Allen’s 4,400-yard, 37-TD season, one that propelled the Gold from preseason picks near the bottom of the division to the SW Division title, or would it be Colt McCoy  and his 5,236 yards and 38 TDs that won the night? Well, in the end, the pressure to recognize a full career of success for McCoy was a factor as the Houston signal caller took the trophy with 66 of the 89 votes. Allen, as you would expect, finished second, but after 5 very strong seasons, it was McCoy’s night to be recognized as the MVP.   OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Most expected the voters to reward Knowshon Moreno and the Seattle Dragons for their very strong year by having the Dragon halfback take the OPOTY, but we were thrown a curveball, In the closest vote of the evening, Moreno garnered 41 votes, but 48 votes went to Tampa Bay wideout Dez Bryant  in an upset. Maybe it was the fact that Bryant put up huge numbers (1,547 yards, 15 TDs, and a 23.1 YPC average) despite the absence of Dak Prescott for multiple games this year. Both Moreno and Bryant had astounding years, both helped their teams wrap up the top seed in their conference, and both will be on the field in just 3 days, but on this night it was Bryant who took home the hardware.   DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR A three-way race developed in the DPOTY this year, with Montez Sweat and Calais Campbell essentially splitting the always-key “Sack Master” vote, allowing Khalil Mack to take the trophy with 39 votes. Sweat finished second with 28 and Campbell third with 22. Mack becomes the first linebacker to win the award since Bobby Wagner in 2018 and certainly had the merits to be a DPOTY, finishing in the top 3 on the Dragons in Tackles and sacks while leading the team with 4 interceptions. The versatile linebacker did a bit of everything, from run coverage to QB pressures, and even proved very effective in the secondary, a true Master of All Trades.   ROOKIE OF THE YEAR In a result that surprised no one, Ohio’s Justin Fields walked away with the ROTY, garnering 54 of the 89 votes, with Denver’s Odafe Oweh and Washington’s Travis Etienne a distant 2 nd  and 3 rd . Fields, who dazzled fans all year long, and who was without a doubt the primary factor in Ohio’s rise back to playoff position, only passed for 2,962 yards and 15 TDs, but also led the Glory in rushing with 728 yards, adding another 11 touchdowns to his total. Along the way, Fields set an all-time record for QB rushing yards in a game, absolutely embarrassing the St. Louis Skyhawks with 243 yards in a 45-point explosion against their division foe in Week 8.   COACH OF THE YEAR In what came down to a two-man race, Philadelphia’s Dan Quinn beat Orlando’s Ron Rivera by 12 votes. Quinn likely benefited from late voting as his Stars leapfrogged the New Jersey Generals to win the NE Division on the season’s final week. Rivera produced 1 more win than Quinn, but they also improved from 8-8 to 11-5, a 3-game swing, while Quinn improved the record of the Stars from 2-14 to 10-6, an incredible 8-game improvement in a single season. Both were certainly deserving and both deserve praise for their leadership, but Quinn’s feat in Philadelphia is the one that will put pressure on every coach hired this offseason to repeat his immediate success.   ALL-USFL TEAM Forty-four players were also introduced as the All-USFL First Team for 2021, and as always, with every player named, there is another who fans will cry was snubbed, but that is the nature of the beast. Here is the 2021 All-USFL Team, feel free to debate as you will.   QB: Colt McCoy (HOU), Josh Allen (DEN), Dak Prescott (TBY Outlaw fans wanted to see Jalen Hurts recognized, but with the Outlaws finishing with 10 losses, that seemed unlikely even with his outstanding statistical year.   HB: Knowshon Moreno (SEA), Derek Henry (PHI), Carlos Hyde (HOU) There may be a legitimate beef from Bandit fans as voters chose Hyde over Dalvin Cook as both were outstanding dual-threat backs, but with 7 All-USFL players, the most of any club, Bandit fans cannot be too upset.   FB: Mac Knapp (POR) The lone Stag represented this year, Knapp cleared the way for the Portland backs and also contributed with 233 receiving yards out of the backfield.   TE: Mark Andrews (OKL), Kyle Rudolph (SEA) So odd not to see Coby Fleener here, but both Andrews and Rudolph topped 1,000 yards, a gold standard for receiving tight ends.   WR: Dez Bryant (TBY), Golden Tate (DEN), Mike Evans (HOU), Sammy Watkins (DAL), A.J. Green (ATL) No debate here, though once again Aaron Dobson, the league’s reception leader, is missing, but that is the fate of the possession guy, never quite glitzy enough.   OT: Brandon Scherff (ARZ), Levi Brown (TBY), Brian Bulaga (STL) No surprise at all seeing Scherff and Brown here. Bulaga has been a bright spot for a troubled St. Louis team.   OG: Xavier Su’a-Filo (TBY), Vlad Ducasse (CHI), Jon Asamoah (HOU) Three absolute bulldozers in the run game and three quality defenders against looping or stunting pass rushers.   C: Steve Wisniewski (DEN), Shaq Mason (HOU) Charlotte fans are certainly going to see that Matt Pouncey is missing, but that may well just the lingering effects of a 1-15 season, despite his obvious quality.   DE: Montez Sweat (ORL), Calais Campbell (BAL), J. J. Watt (MEM) Will this be the last time we see Calais Campbell listed, or is the big man returning for 2022? It very likely won’t be the last time for either Sweat or Watt.   DT: Aaron Donald (PIT), Chris Jones (LA), Tyson Alualu (OAK) Two absolute disruptors in Donald and Jones, and perhaps the best “space eater” in the game in Alualu, none of them new to this honor.   LB: Khalil Mack (SEA), Keith Rivers (LA), Devin Kennard (TBY), Alex Anzelone (JAX), Brian Orakpo (PIT), and Tim Williams (NOR) The DPOTY heads up a pretty scary lineup of linebackers, with the newest face in the bunch Jacksonville’s big hitter, Anzelone. Rolando McClain and Luke Kuechley are the surprising snubs here, but there are only 6 spots to give out.   CB: Patrick Peterson (DAL), Joe Haden (ARZ), Josh Norman (CHI), Leodis McKelvin (HOU) Peterson tied Haden with 8 picks apiece, but when 4 of those go for scores, it is no surprise that you get the most votes. The surprise here is McKelvin, who finished with only 4 picks, but that is because he had the lowest throw rate in the league. Teams just did not want to test him.   S: Derwin James (TBY), Jordan Poyer (CHI), Calvin Pryor (MEM), Lonnie Ballentine (LA) No surprise to see James or Pryor here. Ballentine is a first timer, as is Poyer, who converted from corner to safety this year in a move folks are praising Coach Smith in Chicago for making.   ST: Harrison Butker (TBY-K), Jeff Locke (CHA) Opposite ends of the team success spectrum, as Butker’s league leading 167 points and 36 field goals is a sign of Tampa Bay’s offensive firepower, while Locke’s 92 punts show how troubled the Charlotte attack was, though certainly his 41 punts inside the 20 and his 48.4 YPK average was the reason he got the honor, the league’s best punt average.   Vrabel Expected to “Return Home” with Bulls It is not official yet, and cannot be as Coach Vrabel has one more relatively important game to coach for the Seattle Dragons, but the full expectation is that he will be made an offer as soon as Monday to become the next head coach of the Jacksonville Bulls. Vrabel met with Jacksonville during the Dragons’s bye week, and while the Bulls did bring in several other candidates over the past 2 weeks, it seems very obvious that they are just doing their due diligence and are hoping to announce that a team legend on the field is coming back to Duval County to hopefully turn around the fortunes of his former club.  Vrabel spent 15 seasons occupying the middle linebacker spot, a free agent acquisition of the Bulls after three largely uneventful seasons with the then-Portland Thunder. Uneventful is not a word we would use to describe his time in Jacksonville. He retired in 2014 with 1,882 career tackles, and an amazing 12 seasons with 100 or more tackles credited to him. Of course, many of those tackles were due to the sub-par defenses that Vrabel was surrounded by in Jacksonville. In his 15 years with the club, the Bulls only reached the playoffs 5 times and finished with 10 or more losses 6 times, including his final season, an 0-16 disaster. No one blames Vrabel, an 11-time All-USFL nominee and the 2004 DPOTY. With Vrabel developing an equally impressive resume first as a LB position coach and now as the DC for a rejuvenated Seattle defense, led by another All-USFL and DPOTY linebacker in Khalil Mack, Vrabel is seen as a players’ coach, but one who understands discipline and accountability, who will develop a system that puts players in a position to win, but which asks them to take ownership of their responsibilities. With Jacksonville coming off yet another losing season, 5-11 in 2021, Vrabel’s experience may well be just what the Bulls need.   Vance Joseph Takes DC Position with Federals In case you were wondering what is happening with the 4 men who no longer had a USFL position after Black Monday, we have an update on one of the four for you. Vance Joseph, who took the fall for Charlotte’s 1-15 season, still has a lot of friends in the league, and a lot of respect as a defensive coach, and that reputation has already landed him a new position. Joseph will move up the coast a bit and is set to start his new position as the Defensive Coordinator for the Washington Federals. The Feds came alive in the second half of the season, with rookie HB Travis Etienne and former Seattle QB Jacoby Brissett leading the offense. The defense still had some major issues (28 th  in yards allowed), so Coach Gilbride, known more for offensive schemes than defense, turned to Joseph and invited him in to help the Feds return to a winning tradition in the Northeast Division.   Joseph becomes the first of the 4 coaches released this offseason (we are not including Wade Phillips’ retirement, as you would expect.) While Winston Moss (JAX), Matt LaFleur (POR), and Dick LeBeau (SD) are not yet on anyone’s staff, we expect each to get their share of offers. For LeBeau, who has been a head coach since taking over in Michigan in 2004, it may be more likely he chooses to retire than to return to a coordinator position, while the offensive-minded LaFleur and the former DC Winston Moss are likely looking to return to the Coordinator ranks, that is unless either a USFL team in the next few months, or an NFL team starting in January, reaches out to give them a 2 nd  shot at leading a franchise. Not impossible, but we think both will be up in the booth calling plays before they take the headset on the sideline.   San Diego Search Remains Hush Hush Of all the searches underway, the one where we have heard the least is without doubt the San Diego Thunder. No known on-site interviews, no rumors or leaks. No confirmation that they are going to wait out the offseason with their GM in place and hire someone from the NFL in January. A lot of nothing, and that is very rare these days. Now, this is not to say that no one in San Diego has an opinion. Check out the message boards and listen to the local sports radio and the list of coaching candidates is quite extensive, everyone from Nick Saban to Jake Plummer gets named. One message board poster had to be reminded that Lindy Infante was not an option because he passed from the mortal coil in 2015. And yet, despite all the options and all the murmuring outside of the team, there is almost nothing going on within the team or between the team and the press. It is just odd, but, sooner or later, San Diego will name someone, and we expect it will not be Nick Saban or Jake Plummer, and almost certainly someone who is still among the living.   Summer Bowl Preview From 30 franchises in March, all hoping for a shot to play football in August, we are down to two teams. The two top seeds, representing the Eastern & Western Conferences, ready to battle it out for the John Bassett Trophy and the title of Kings of the Spring. The Summer Bowl is only days away, so here is your primer, your guide to the two clubs, the Seattle Dragons, champions of the Pacific Division and the Western Conference; and the Tampa Bay Bandits, defending champions and 2021 champions of both the Southeastern Division and the Eastern Conference. Will the Bandits land their 5 th  title, joining Houston in the exclusive 5-Rings Club and matching the 2002-03 Ohio Glory as the only teams to ever repeat as champions in the league’s 39 year history? Or will it be the Seattle Dragons claiming their 2 nd  title and bringing the John Bassett Trophy back to the Pacific Northwest for the first time since 2005? Let’s look at how both teams got here, what they do well, and how they can win this one. Then we will, with all humility, make our pick.   How Seattle Got Here & What They Do Well The Dragons represent the Western Conference having racked up an 13-3 record despite losing their first two games of the year. After an 0-2 start, Seattle rattled off 10 straight wins before dropping a 28-21 decision in Los Angeles. They rebounded with 3 straight wins to finish the season atop the Pacific Division, earning the 1-seed and a bye. Two weeks later they took on the Arizona Wranglers and absolutely deconstructed a very veteran team to the tune of 42-16. Things were quite a bit tougher in the Western Conference Title Game as the Denver Gold took Seattle to overtime, but in the extra period the Dragons held off Denver and put up a game-winning field goal to earn their spot in the USFL title game, Summer Bowl 2021.   So, what does Seattle do well? Quite a bit actually. On offense, Seattle had the 2 nd rated run game, but also boasted the league’s leading rusher in Knowshon Moreno. Averaging 111.4 YPG, Seattle was able to control the clock and the possession in most of their games. When they did give up the ball, their defense was among the best in the league in getting the ball back, producing 33 takeaways and a +16 turnover margin. The defense also proved to be one of the toughest to score against, allowing only 15.4 points per game and limiting teams to barely 72 yards per game on the ground. So, a team that likes to run the ball, control the clock, produce takeaways, and keep the score low.   How Tampa Bay Got Here & What They Do Well The Bandits wasted no time asserting that the Champions were not suffering from a title hangover, coming out of the gates with a 47-point show against Jacksonville and racing to a 7-0 start that included wins over Orlando, Oakland, and Atlanta. They suffered a surprising 30-16 defeat at home to New Jersey, but came right back with yet another big win over in-state punching bag Jacksonville, this time a 43-6 “angry game”. They would lose only their second game of the year to their Summer Bowl opponent, traveling out to Seattle and suffering a tough 19-17 defeat. After that game, however, the Bandits have looked unstoppable, winning 5 in a row, and scoring 34 or more points in each game, including a whopping 44-3 win over Atlanta in the season finale, a game in which many of the team’s stars were sidelined to avoid injury.   In the postseason they used their bye to prepare for a rematch against the New Jersey Generals. This time there was no trap, no upset, with Tampa Bay holding off New Jersey 24-23, their closest game in nearly 2 months. They followed that up with another display of domination, taking out division and in-state rival Orlando with a humiliating 52-20 annihilation of the Renegades.   No real surprises in examining what the Bandits do well. They move the ball, they put points on the board, and they make more big plays than anyone. Tampa Bay finished the season with the league’s best scoring offense, averaging over 33 points per game. They throw the ball better than almost anyone, over 300 yards a game, but they are not one dimensional on offense, rushing for 102.2 yards per game, 6 th  best in the league. On defense they are better than last year’s title team, finishing 4 th  in points allowed (15.7) and were top 10 in yards, passing, and rushing. In other words, they tend to win and win big, putting nearly 18 points between themselves and their opponents.   Keys to the Game: Seattle Seattle will try to do what they did at home against Tampa Bay in Week 12. In that game, the Dragons held the ball for over 33 minutes, mixed the run and the pass effectively, and pressured Dak Prescott, producing 6 sacks on the day. Expect to see Khalil Mack moved all over the front 7, pressuring at times, dropping back at others, and working in concert with DE Chris Long to disrupt and confuse the Bandit line. On offense, expect a heavy dose of Knowshon Moreno early, in hopes of forcing Tampa Bay to creep their safeties up so that Amari Cooper, who is expected to play, can get past the deep defender.   Keys to the Game: Tampa Bay The Bandits will play it very differently, likely mixing in only enough run plays to keep Seattle’s pass rush honest, though, if he can find some seams, Dalvin Cook could be a game-changer in this one. If Tampa Bay finds success on the ground, it makes it that much harder for the Dragons to overload the passing game. Expect Dak Prescott to take his shots, after all, he is an outstanding deep ball passer and he has two receivers who can get deep in a hurry, Dez Bryant and Ryan Grant. On defense we think Tampa will try to pressure with only 4, leaving the LBs available should Seattle try to use draws and delays to free up Moreno. They will count on Jalen Ramsey to blanket Cooper and keep their safeties in the middle of the field in hopes of neutralizing Seattle’s other big weapon, TE Kyle Rudolph.   Our Pick This feels very much like a game that will be defined by the Over-Under. If this game is in the high teens or low 20’s that almost certainly means that Seattle has again frustrated Prescott and the high flying Bandit deep game. If the game creeps into the 30’s, that may mean that the Bandits have found their offensive groove and Seattle may well struggle to keep pace. We are going to split the difference, hoping for a close but entertaining game, and say that the game stays close throughout, but with a score that keeps creeping higher until the Bandits put the game away late and reach that 30-point threshold. We are going with the Bandits to repeat, with a final score of 31-27.

Eight teams entered the weekend with Summer Bowl dreams, and 4 leave it with the Summer Bowl still in reach and their club one step closer. The divisional round produced only 1 upset, with both 1 seeds advancing and only Birmingham dropping their home game. We will recap the 4 divisional games, preview next week’s Conference Championships with Orlando headed just down the road to face Tampa Bay and Denver traveling up to Seattle to face the Dragons. We also have our first two coaching hires, our Big Story for the week, and we have a look at one 2021 playoff team that is going to have to start rebuilding as 3 team members announce their retirement within the past few days. All this, plus a look at 10 players who may just find themselves on the wrong side of the salary cap this offseason. It’s all right here in our Divisional Round Recap edition.   Harbaugh Heading to Stags The Portland Stags saw what they wanted to see and heard what they wanted to hear in their interview with former Philadelphia Stars’ head coach Jim Harbaugh. Within 24 hours of the coach’s visit to the Rose City an offer was made, and yesterday the Stags held a short press conference to welcome their new head coach. Harbaugh, who had also met with the Monarchs and Bulls, signed up to move his family across the country from their Philadelphia home, setting up shop in the PNW and getting ready to start fresh with the Stags after a year away from coaching.  Coach Harbaugh better invest in some rain gear for his new gig. Harbaugh inherits a team that has some decisions to make. Among the top issues in Portland is the future of Marcus Mariota, the team’s starter at QB since 6 years. Mariota has had some strong seasons and some troubling ones, not to mention the injury issues that cost him games every year since 2017. The Stags also have some spots to fill this offseason, including 2 tackle spots, at corner, defensive tackle, and kicker. All this plus a desire to both upgrade the run game, the pass rush, and the LB group. Harbaugh, who took the Stars to two Summer Bowls and regular playoff appearances is certainly no stranger to roster turnover or to rebuilding. With Portland he inherits a team that was seen as a potential up-and-comer after turning a 4-12 season in 2019 into a 9-7 campaign in 2020, only to fall flat this year, finishing 5-10-1 and costing Brian LaFleur his position.  Coach Cotrell moves to the big chair. And while Portland’s hire takes one of the bigger names off the coaching prospect board, it was not the only hire this week. Houston, just one week after being knocked out of the Wild Card run, made it official that they will hire from within, with Defensive Coordinator Ted Cotrell taking the helm while OC Zach Taylor remains in his position as the mastermind behind Houston’s explosive attack. News of Cotrell’s hire leaked from Houston this week, as the team planned to make an announcement after the Summer Bowl, part of a celebration of Wade Phillips’s outstanding career as the leader of the Gamblers. The party will still happen, but the surprise is now no surprise at all.   The official announcement of Harbaugh’s hire and the leak regarding Ted Cotrell means that there are now 3 positions left to be filled, all with teams that are facing major overhauls: Charlotte, Jacksonville, and San Diego. Many see the Bulls’ position as the most desirable if for no other reason than the new coach will have 2020 rookie QB Trevor Lawrence to build around, while both Charlotte and San Diego have major questions at the quarterback position. Expect all three teams to continue to interview candidates, but also to look very closely at the coaching staffs of the 4 teams left in contention in the playoffs, as they likely each have at least one coordinator who might be primed for a head coaching position.   NEW JERSEY GENERALS 23  TAMPA BAY BANDITS 24 There are two types of people who are really ecstatic about the Bandits’ 1-point victory over New Jersey this week, folks who like a last second win, and folks who like to bet the underdog. In a game that was far closer than most expected, and one in which the Generals shockingly had a 23-6 lead midway through the 3 rd quarter, Tampa Bay stormed back late, scoring the final 18 points in a flurry of late heroics that ended with a 33-yard field goal from Harrison Butker with only 10 ticks left on the clock. For fans of late game comebacks and those who bet on a close game, this was one for the record books.   New Jersey had some huge performances, particularly in a first half that they dominated. Tony Pollard and Delone Carter combined for 29 carries and 143 yards, with Pollard extending the Generals’ 16-6 halftime lead by another 7 on the Generals’ first drive of the second half. But something happened after that drive. Tampa Bay, who had been rusty, careless, and uncharacteristically inefficient, suddenly found their groove. And it wasn’t just the offense, as the Bandit defense picked up both of their takeaways in the game’s final 18 minutes. So, how did it happen?   Let’s start with New Jersey’s first half success. The Generals not only held the Bandits to a pair of Butker field goals, but their offense ate up over 17 minutes of the first half, with Carter and Pollard finding success on the ground and setting up Nick Foles for some pretty easy throws from a solid protective pocket. Included in the easy throw category was a 56-yard completion to Muhamed Sanu, a play made possible by Tampa Bay’s overreaction to the run fake. Sanu, who would finish with only 2 receptions, but an average of 60.5 between them, was in single coverage and Foles had all the time in the world for him to get open. The score took the Generals’ advantage from 6 points to 13.   On the first drive of the second half, Sanu would catch his 2 nd  pass, a 65-yarder on an almost identical fly route. That play did not go for 6, but only 3 plays later Pollard broke a tackle at the 7 and rumbled into the endzone, shocking the Bandit crowd of 59,721 as the Generals took a 17-point lead. But it would be the last great moment for the Generals, who started fraying just as Tampa Bay started to build confidence. It started when Tony Pollard took a swing pass, rumbled around the edge, but lost control of the ball. De Brian Burns was Johnny on the spot, falling on the ball at the New Jersey 22 and giving Tampa Bay the spark they needed to mount a comeback. Only 2 plays later Dak Prescott finally connected on a big play to one of his outside receivers, in this case Ryan Grant, and 17-yards later the Bandits’ gap was 11 (a missed PAT kept it from being 10)   The Bandits’ D started to assert themselves in the 4 th  quarter, first with a sack to end a New Jersey drive, then with a pick of Nick Foles that again gave the Bandits a short field. On their first drive of the quarter, Butker connected to bring the gap to 8. After the Jalen Ramsey pick, the Bandits did one better, with Prescott finding Dez Bryant for a 43-yard play that put the ball inside the New Jersey 5. 2 plays later Dalvin Cook lept over the pile and Tampa Bay was only a 2-point conversion from a tie game. The Bandits failed on the attempt and with 5:34 left to play New Jersey was a good 4-minute drill away from a shocking upset.   The problem was that New Jersey, who had found success on the ground all game, could not find it when it mattered most, with Tampa Bay forcing a 3-and-out after only 73 seconds had melted from the clock. They would get the ball back on their own 27 with 4:21 left to play. Dak Prescott and the Bandit offense went to work, no urgency, just consistent positive plays in what would become a 12-play drive that got the ball as far as the New Jersey 16. With time running down. Prescott would spike the ball on 1 st  and 10, then take a knee right behind the center to set up Butker with a straight kick down the center of the field. With 10 seconds left, the Bandits took their final timeout and sent their kicker in to pull victory from the Generals’ clutches. Coach Saleh used his last timeout to ice Butker, but, as we so often see, it proved fruitless, as the Bandit kicker easily split the uprights.   From down 17 to a 1-point victory, from a shocking one-and-done exit to a return next week in the Conference Title Game, the Bandits turned lead into gold, while New Jersey, shellshocked and disheartened, headed home on the longest Florida return flight to Newark in the history of Jet Blue. CHICAGO MACHINE 27   DENVER GOLD 37 In what was beginning to look like a weekend of 4 th  quarter comebacks, the Denver Gold put up 27 of their 37 points in the final period, turning a 10-point deficit into a 10-point win with 4 consecutive TD drives in the span of only 7:32. Once again, turnovers were the key, that and late game weakening of one of the league’s best defenses.   Chicago, like New Jersey, had played very solid football for 3 quarters, but they wore down as the Gold kicked into high gear in the final 10 minutes. To their credit, Denver fans never really quieted down, even after the Machine put up the game’s first 17 points, with Sam Bradford connecting with TE Tyler Eifert in the first quarter and then doubling the Machine advantage midway through the 2 nd  with a short TD toss to Chase Claypool. By the time the game reached the half, it was Chicago up 17-0 and Denver fans both troubled and eager to see a very different Gold team in the 2 nd  half. They got their wish as Denver, who took the 2 nd  half kickoff, went to work right away. Their big adjustment from the first to the second half was a decision to run far fewer spread formation plays and far more 2-TE formations, using a combination of max protect and 2-3 receiver routes to keep Josh Allen in the pocket and the Machine pass rush off him. Allen, who had been sacked 6 times in the first half, would go to the turf only once in the second. On his first drive of the half, he would connect with 4 different receivers, including a 28-yard catch and run on 3 rd  and 11 that clearly deflated the Chicago defense. When Allen found Golden Tate from the 9 for Denver’s first points of the game, you could feel the energy come back to Empower Field. 17-7 felt a lot different from 17-0.   Chicago would respond on their next possession with a field goal, but something had definitely changed. Allen, who had been held to only 5 of 11 in the first half, and only 81 yards, would put up 237 yards on 14 of 16 in the second half, in a display of momentum shift like few we have seen this year. Down 20-10 as the 4 th quarter started, following a Greg Zeurlein field goal, Allen found Darnell Mooney on a perfectly executed slant & go route. The play covered 41 yards and pulled the Gold within 4 (another missed PAT. Why?). That would be the first of 4 consecutive TD drives in the quarter.   The second came only 2 minutes later after FS Camryn Bynum had the first of two 4 th quarter picks. The first was a ball tipped up in the air by Chicago receiver Michael Floyd, a classic tip drill ball that Bynum caught and returned to the Chicago 17. Five quick plays later, Phillip Lindsay followed the left guard into the endzone from the 1 and Denver was up 23-20. Chicago seemed shell-shocked, and after a drive of only 6 plays, they were forced to punt the ball back to Denver. The Gold were now in rhythm, with Allen gaining 44 yards on only 2 completions before Phillip LindsHocay caught the Machine in a pass rush, the delayed handoff leading to a wide-open hole in the line and a 20-yard scamper for another Gold TD. They now led by 10 themselves, up 30-20 with only 3:03 to play.   Desperate to get back in the game, Chicago had to take risks, and one of those risks was a throw by Bradford into double coverage. With corner Artie Burns staying underneath, with Bynum behind him, Bradford forced the ball to Floyd again, and this time Bynum did not wait for a tip, he undercut the route and stole the ball away before diving out of bounds at the Chicago 44. Once again Denver was in position with a short field. It would take them less than a minute to score, this time David Wilson running the ball in from the 3, and now, down 17, Chicago knew that the cause was lost. They would add a late score in the final minute to create a 10-point deficit, but with the onside kick finding Denver TE T. J. Hockenson, the game was now officially out of reach. Denver had looked unprepared in the first half, but came on strong after the break, outpacing the Machine 37-10 over the final 30 minutes. The Central Division champs were out, and the Southwest Champs were headed to the Conference finals, but would it be a home game against the veteran Wranglers, or a road trip to 1-seed Seattle? ORLANDO RENEGADES 16  BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 13 Orlando came into their game in Birmingham quite a bit banged up, with David Njoku joining DT Ego Ferguson, safety Richie Grant and guard Amini Silatulo on the list of missing players for the game. They would find themselves even more shorthanded only 8 minutes into the game, when their deep threat, Brashad Perriman, had to leave the game after his 2 nd  catch. The 7-year vet landed hard after bringing in a high pass from Wilson. He held on, but was immediately taken into the locker room. The verdict would be a dislocated shoulder with a possible chip of the joint now floating free. In other words, Perriman, who had 10 receptions for 139 yards in Orlando’s Wild Card victory, would be done for the remainder of the playoffs.   Orlando was down their top 2 receivers, a combo that had racked up 257 targets, 168 receptions, 2,166 yards and 14 touchdowns in the regular season. Their offense would have to lean more heavily on the run game, the defense, and a receiver group now led by Hunter Renfrew, Nelson Agholor, and tight ends Chris Herndon and Crockett Gilmore. Not exactly a Murderer’s Row of a receiver group. Yes, Orlando led 6-0 after the first quarter, a pair of Mason Crosby field goals the only points, but the Birmingham fans had to feel good about their chances. Cam Newton had returned for the start, and while he went 3 for 8 in the opening quarter, he certainly would heat up as the game moved along.   Newton did heat up a touch early in the 2 nd , connecting with Devanta Smith for a 27-yard completion that would put the ball in Orlando territory and eventually lead to a Chris Boswell field goal to halve Orlando’s advantage. But in an omen of things to come, Newton was sacked on the penultimate drive, caught trying to scramble by DE Arthur Moats. Moats, who would finish the game with 7 tackles, including 5 for a loss (3 being failed Newton run plays) impressed, but so did the league’s sack co-champion, Montez Sweat, who racked up 3 sacks and 5 tackles on the day. And it was not that Orlando was focusing on pressure. They rarely sent any blitzers, and their two DE’s were as involved in run coverage as pass rush. The issue was that Newton looked indecisive all game, like the time away with injury had wiped out some of his instincts. He opted to run too late into plays, he opted to throw into coverage when other receivers had found gaps in the Orlando zone. It was just not a good game.   Newton would finish the game with a very uncharacteristic stat line of 47.2% completion rate (17 of 36), a TD, a pick, and 6 sacks. Meanwhile, even with his top two pass catchers out of action by the 5-minute mark of the first quarter, Russell Wilson also played uncharacteristically. He completed 23 of 34 passes, one of his best results all year. Yes, he threw a pick, but it was a late throw in the half that was almost a punt by default.   Both Orlando and the Stallions would add another field goal to a game that had yet to see any endzone forays by the half. Down 9-6, Birmingham was certainly still in the game, but they would need to find their offense sooner rather than later. With a run game that produced only 40 total yards in the game (including 7 rushes for -3 yards by Newton), that offense never arrived. Orlando hardly blew the doors off the game, but when Russell Wilson found Nelson Agholor for a 3-yard TD late in the third quarter, it gave the visitors a 10-point advantage against a Stallion squad that simply was not in synch on offense.   Birmingham would finally find the endzone in the 4 th  quarter, but they did so with 49 seconds left to play, newton finally making a play, but far too late. The Stallions attempted the onside kick, failed to recover the ball, and were forced to watch as Russell Wilson ended their playoff hopes with a pair of kneel downs. Orlando had hardly been impressive on offense and were certainly limping into a showdown with in-state rival Tampa Bay, but they had proven effective in pressuring Newton, containing him, and flustering the entire Birmingham offense despite blitzing only 4 times the entire game.   ARIZONA WRANGLERS 16  SEATTLE DRAGONS 42 The final game of the week was really the only game we would call completely one-sided, and that is not something anyone expected with a veteran squad like Arizona facing the Dragons. Arizona started strong, putting the first 6 points on the board, but when Brett Hundley found Kendrick Bourne for 6 early in the 2 nd quarter, Arizona’s early success started to fade. Despite the Wrangler defense containing Knowshon Moreno, with the league’s rushing king held to only 67 yards, they could not contain him when it mattered most. Moreno ripped a 12-yard TD run just before the 2-minute warning, giving Seattle a 14-6 lead at the half. He would add 2 more touchdowns in the 2 nd  half as Seattle went from 14-6 to 42-9 by the midway point of the 4 th  quarter.   They did it with solid defense, including a huge play from potential DPOTY Khalil Mack, a 51-yard pick-six that all but ended the game with Seattle up 35-9. They also did it with consistent, balanced offense against a pretty well-respected Wrangler D. The numbers were not huge, with Brett Hundley going 17 of 25 for only 207 yards and no Seattle receiver topping Marshall Newhouse’s 85 yards on the day, but they just kept drives alive and kept adding points to the scoreboard until Arizona’s hopes were simply too far gone to be of concern.   This was one of those games where most of the stats don’t tell us the story. Seattle only outgained Arizona by 40 yards, were marginally better on 3 rd down, had only 1 fewer penalty than the Wranglers, and lost the time of possession race 34:20 to 25:40, and yet, when they had the ball, they found ways to add points to the scoreboard, while Arizona did not. The final result was a resounding win for the Dragons, who now will prepare for their final home game of the year, a Western Championship against the SW Division Champs, the Denver Gold.   Seattle & Orlando Lose Key Playmakers Ahead of Conference Title Games The Dragons and Renegades are moving on to their respective Conference Title Games, but not every member of the team will be there this weekend as both teams suffered a considerable loss at the wide receiver position, an injury that could impact their ability to advance to Summer Bowl 2021. Orlando will be without their top 2 receivers as WR Brashad Perriman joins TE David Njoku on the injury list. In Seattle, Amari Cooper is doubtful after suffering a hamstring injury in this week’s win over Arizona.  For Orlando, the loss of Perriman one week after David Njoku was lost for the entire playoffs is a major concern. The Renegades lose over 160 receptions and two essential pieces of their offense. This will certainly impact the way Coach Rivera approaches a very tough matchup against the high-powered offense of the Tampa Bay Bandits. Even at full strength Orlando dropped both regular season games against their in-state rivals, losing 38-9 in Week 4, and then falling 24-13 in Week 11. Now, without his club’s top two receivers, the strategy has to become one focused on shortening the game, centering the run game of Chris Carson, and leaning heavily on the defense to contain the Bandits, pressure Dak Prescott, and avoid giving up quick strikes.   For Seattle, the news is slightly better. Amari Cooper’s hamstring issue is a strain, not a tear, and while he is listed as doubtful this week, there is hope that if the Dragons can knock off Denver at Lumen Field, they could see Cooper back in action for Summer Bowl 2021. This week, the most likely set up for Coach Riley is that Kendrick Bourne slides out from the slot to take over Cooper’s spot opposite Marshall Newhouse, with both Frank McClintock and Nick Westbrook stepping in on the inside when the Dragons go to 3-receiver sets. The other clear option, and one we expect to see quite often, is for Seattle to switch their use of 3-receiver sets to more 2-tight end formations. While there is a pretty big drop off from 1,000-yard receiver Kyle Rudolph to TE2 Charlie Worner, having Worner in as extra protection for Brett Hundley would allow Rudolph to become a factor over the middle. At least that is the thinking among the Seattle optimists.   Stallion Nation Second Guessing Haley's Decision Color us not surprised at all, but the banter all across Stallion Nation, online, on talk radio, on the EFN talking head shows, has been about Coach Haley sticking with Cam Newton during Birmingham's tough Divisional Round loss to Orlando. On the surface it seems absurd, after all Newton was an MVP candidate until injury took him out of the final 6 weeks of the season. He is a deadly combination of size, strength, escapability, and a rocket arm, but he was clearly rusty after nearly 2 months away from the game. Maybe he was not truly back to 100% or maybe he just was not in synch with the rest of the team. But, whatever the reason, the Stallions did not get Newton at his best, and with a backup ready to go, and one who led the Bandits to 4 consecutive wins to lock up the Division title and a Wild Card bye, it starts to make sense why there is now so much questioning of Haley's choice. Tim Tebow came in for Newton in Week 12 and surprised many with his game. He was not as prolific as Newton, but he certainly made his share of plays as the Stallions defeated foe after foe on their way to the playoffs. In 6 starts, Tebow threw for 10 TDs and no picks, and helped the Stallions go 3-0 against division foes Memphis, New Orleans and San Antonio to clinch the division. But ask anyone prior to this week's game and we don't think you would find many who believed that keeping Tebow under center if a healthy Cam Newton was back to 100% was the way to go. This is a classic case of Monday morning quarterbacking. It is easy to say that Tebow would have put up better numbers than Newton's 17 of 36 with 1 TD and 1 pick, but maybe we should just respect Orlando's defensive effort and gameplan and say that Tim Tebow likely would have had the same fate as Newton. It's a hard pill to swallow for Stallion fans, but maybe lay off of the coach who just got you your first Division title in over 20 years. Carr Mum on Whether This Week’s Loss Will Be His Final Game With Arizona’s exit from the 2021 post-season, the questions for David Carr about his future have begun in earnest. Wrangler Nation was antsy about Carr after his season ending injury in 2020, but the 2-Time MVP returned with a very solid season in 2021, though it was one that saw him leave several games with the kind of injuries we so often see from players in the latter years of long careers.   Carr started 14 games this year, which is certainly not bad for a QB who will turn 38 in the offseason. However, in 4 of those games, he had to take a seat on the bench and let Brock Osweiler finish out the game. Those nagging and lingering injuries are one reason why many in the Wranglers’ sphere are questioning Carr on his 2022 intentions. When you add to that the fact that the Wranglers appear to be a team whose championship window may be closing, a window that has produced 3 titles and 5 trips to the Summer Bowl, and the possibility that Carr will step away from the game seems even more likely. After all, this was the first year in almost a decade when the Wranglers did not win their division, and their exit at the hands of Seattle this week may well be a sign that the team needs to retool for the future. Will that be a factor in Carr’s thinking? Will the bruises and physical toll of a 13 th  USFL season be the bigger factor? We won’t know until Carr answers questions about 2022, and as of right now, he is not open to doing so.   Bandits Open as 14-Point Favorite in Las Vegas With Orlando down two major offensive weapons, and with Tampa Bay looking very much like the team that captured a title last year, the gambling world is very much looking like they feel the Eastern Finals will be a coronation, not a competition. The sports books in Las Vegas, as well as the online gambling sites, have all more or less agreed that the Eastern Conference Finals will not only be a Bandit win, but an impressive one. The opening line is hovering between 14 and 15 points, which tells us that the money is heading Tampa’s way in large numbers and the books need to inflate the spread to try to encourage some wagering in favor of Orlando.   The disparity is certainly not unexpected. Tampa Bay defeated Orlando twice, by a combined 62-22 margin in the regular season, and now, without David Njoku or Brashad Perriman, it feels very much like the Renegades will need an immaculate defensive game to even stay in the park with the Bandits. Stranger things have happened, but rarely are the sports books this tilted towards one team only to have the other win outright. Cover the spread? Possibly. Win outright? It seems a tough hill to climb for a gutsy, but potentially overmatched Orlando club.   Chris Long Looking Like Shrewd Acquisition for Dragons The 2021 season had its fair share of midseason deals, many of which did not produce huge results. From the 3-way deal that sent Eddie Lacy to Oklahoma, Pacman Jones to Birmingham, and Jameis Winston to New England, to the deal that made WR Justin Blackmon a Panther, there have been big name deals, but few big name results. The one clear exception to that trend is the deal that sent DE Chris Long from the Washington Federals to the Seattle Dragons. Long, who came to Seattle with 8 sacks in 10 games, found immediate success in his new home. The 13-year veteran added 6 more sacks in his final 6 regular season games, not going a single week without one entered into the books. This week, against Arizona, he had his first multiple-sack game, with 2 sacks and a forced fumble against the Wranglers. He finished the season as the Dragons’ sack leader with 14 sacks, one more than All-USFL linebacker Khalil Mack. And we should also mention that Long’s presence helped Mack accelerate his sack haul, with the talented linebacker securing 7 of his 13 sacks after Long’s arrival for Week 12. He did not have a sack this week against Arizona, though we think his pick-six certainly makes up for that, but with Chris Long at DE, Seattle has seen a combined 13 sacks from their top two producers in just a 6-week span, and now, in the postseason, they are cashing in on the investment they made on a player who may well be using the 2021 playoff run as his final act in the USFL.   Two games, both impacted by injuries. We have already outlined the impact of the Njoku and Perriman injuries for the Renegades, but we should also note that Tampa Bay will be without center Frank Ragnow, something Coach Rivera and the Renegades will almost certainly try to exploit with inside pressure. Expect some stunts and loops from Montez Sweat as the Renegades try to pressure Dak Prescott and contain Dalvin Cook.   In the Western Final, the absence of Amari Cooper will certainly be an issue for Seattle. They were already dealing with the absence of their slot specialist, John Brown, and now find themselves without their deep ball specialist. It seems safe to say that Marshall Newhouse and Kyle Rudolph will need to step up against Denver if the Dragons hope to return to the Summer Bowl.   ORL:  TE D. Njoku (IR), DT E. Ferguson (IR), SS R. Grant (IR), WR B. Perriman (Out) TBY:  DT K. Short (Out), C F. Ragnow (D)   DEN:  FB W. Nelson (Out), HB J. Ward (P) SEA:   WR J. Brown (IR), T E. Fisher (Out), WR A. Cooper (D), DE D. Hall (Q)   Ohio Loses 3 Playmakers to Retirement in 1 Week It is the ebb and flow of pro football. One week you have everything working for you, like Week 17 when the Glory went into New Jersey, got the win and punched their playoff ticket. The next, it all goes south, first losing in the Wild Card round to rival Chicago and then getting a quick succession of retirement announcements sure to impact the offseason. While not totally unexpected, the impact of Ohio losing safety LaRon Landry, CB Syd’Quan Thompson, and G Brandon Brooks all within the span of 3 days has to shake things up. With several other significant contributors like DE Robert Quinn and HB Isaiah Pead about to enter free agency, the reality for the Glory is clear, their 2022 roster could look very different from their 2021 edition.   That said, the good news is that Ohio has a solid core still very much in place, including potential Rookie of the Year Justin Fields at QB, Terry McLaurin leading an improving receiver group, and two outspoken leaders on defense in LB Ryan Shazier and SS Tyran Matthieu. It also does not hurt that the Glory have one of the best options in all of the USFL when it comes to their Territorial Draft, with Ohio State regularly cranking out topflight talent. In this year’s draft alone, Ohio will have some big time players to choose from, including two All Big-10 receivers in Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, and a beast of a tackle in Nicholas Petit-Frere, and that is not even taking into account that perhaps the best corner in the draft, Cincinnati’s Sauce Gardner, is also within Ohio’s protected pool of players. So, don’t cry for them, Argentina. The Glory could well be ready to reload and get right back into the fight in 2022.   Charlotte Not Waiting, Approaches Steamrollers & Vipers about QB Options We will say this for the 1-15 Charlotte Monarchs, they are not taking a slow route to rebuilding. They may not have found their next head coach yet, but they are already hot on the trail to fixing one of their most glaring issues, the lack of a quality starter at the QB position. Looking at QB competitions across the league, the Monarchs have already reached out to both the Las Vegas Vipers and the New England Steamrollers, trying to get a bead on whether either team might be in a mood to trade away one of their QB contenders and avoid a February competition.   The Vipers were pretty settled at QB with Matt McGloin, but an injury midseason gave NFL import Gardner Minshew a chance to show his stuff, and he raised a few eyebrows with some nice performances, throwing for 353 against Oakland and putting up 299 yards and 4 touchdowns in a season finale against Dallas. Minshew finished the year with an 84.4 QB Rating and a 13:10 touchdown/interception ratio, both slightly better than McGloin’s pre-injury numbers. Would the Vipers be open to a deal on Minshew, or are they perhaps more prone to deal the older QB with 2 fewer years on his deal, Matt McGloin?   For New England it is also a question of two quarterbacks who could be solid but who have not been able to lock up the starting position. New England made a mid-year deal to bring Jameis Winston over from Birmingham, a sign that they are not satisfied with the 2-year results from another NFL import, Ryan Tannehill. The Steamrollers gave Winston the final few starts, but with 6 picks and only 1 TD, Winston’s final numbers were not impressive. He finished the year with a 50.3 QB Rating, well below Tannehill’s 79.5. And yet, we have seen what Winston can do during his time in the NFL, and perhaps Charlotte is willing to take the risk. In a year where there is not projected to be a clear cut 1 st  round talent among the QBs in the 2022 draft, perhaps taking a shot at an NFL import who needs a new start is the path forward for the Monarchs.   Ten Potential Cap Cuts Ahead of Free Agency When the offseason rolls around, we tend to focus on two roster-impacting realities, the wave of retirements that we tend to see each fall, and the players opting to test the free agency waters instead of extending or agreeing to a new deal with their current teams. And we certainly will be exploring both this year, but we should also look at a third type of roster movement, the salary cap casualty. We have several teams this year who could struggle to get under the cap. Yes, they will certainly all work to restructure some deals, move money around or kick the can down the road, but it is certainly possible that we will also see some players who are just too expensive for their teams to keep, and that could mean some pre-free agency cuts in the next few weeks, helping teams avoid balloon payments, guaranteed pay outs, and cap holes that would make new player acquisition tough. So, who could be a victim of the cap? Here are 10 names we are watching very closely. DT Jason Hargrave (ARZ) The 6-year vet is a solid player, but his contract is back-heavy and that makes him an expensive player at his position on a team that could be looking for a new QB.   TE Hunter Henry (BIR) Henry is a very solid contributor, but not a superstar at the position, not yet at least. His salary makes him Top 5 at the position, but with 4 more years on the deal, he is not likely to agree to a restructuring, so will that cost him the position altogether?   QB Ryan Nassib (WSH) This one should be pretty obvious. Washington overpaid to win the “Nassib Derby” after the QB put up huge numbers in his one season leading Arizona. He came to Washington, could not repeat the output from the Wranglers, and lost his job to former Dragon Jacoby Brissett early in 2021. The Feds would love to find a trading partner for Nassib (Maybe back to Arizona), but if not, they may well just cut the rest of his contract loose to free up more space for other needs.   DT Star Lotuleilei (DAL) Once perhaps the best player on the Roughneck roster, Lotuleilei is now 30, and his production has not kept pace with his seniority. Lotuleilei had only 36 tackles in 2020, and only 4 for a loss. With a deal like his, those numbers need to be a lot higher. With Dallas already underwater on their cap thanks to the deals cut with QB Justin Herbert, OT Tytus Howard, and WR Courtland Sutton, the Roughnecks may cut their early-year star Lotuleilei loose with 1 year left on his deal.   FS Calvin Murray (MEM) If I asked you who the most expensive player on the Showboats was, you might think it had to be HB Todd Gurley or DE J. J. Watt. You almost certainly would not jump to safety Calvin Pryor. Kudos to Pryor’s agent who got him a very nice progressive deal with a lot of backloaded payout, but that final year deal in 2022-2023 could well be the reason Memphis parts ways with the safety.   TE Dennis Pitta (NE) Pitta made a name for himself in Seattle, but the numbers have just not been sustained in New England. Yes, a lot of that is the Steamroller offense as a whole and QB issues as well, but we also are just not seeing Pitta making himself an unmissable target. With his salary for 2022 second only to All-USFL DT Aaron Donald, and with New England potentially looking to bolster the roster in several expensive positions, we could see them jettison Pitta just for the cap space.   WR Mike Williams (JAX) A lot will depend on who the Bulls tap as their next head coach, but with the emergence of Tee Higgins as the clear primary receiver and with Williams producing solid, but hardly spectacular numbers as more of a possession receiver, the Bulls may be able to free up his sizable salary and find an equivalent talent and skill set in free agency at considerably less cap impact.   CB William Jackson III (OAK) Let’s be blunt. Williams got himself a great deal out of college, but with only 2 picks in 5 USFL seasons, he is just not worth the money. Oakland is almost certainly looking to replace Jackson with a free agent or a rookie, and if they feel good about those prospects, they likely cut Jackson loose in time to avoid his bubble payment this October.   QB Kyler Murray (LA) Perhaps the first surprise on our list. Yes, Murray was the undisputed starter at QB for the Express this year, as he has been since coming into the league 3 years ago. But with LA’s offense being a constant topic of derision and concern, and with Murray staring a career 75.5 QB rating in the face, would we really be shocked if LA cut him loose? It may make more sense to try to trade Murray to another QB-needy team, but will there be takers? And who will LA have available to add if they do send Murray off?   QB Andy Dalton (PIT) This one has been rumored for a while now. Dalton had some very strong years, and he can still produce some great games, but the consistency is just not there, evident in the 4-game slump that cost the Maulers a shot at the playoffs this year. Dalton has only 1 year left on his deal with the Maulers, which may make him a quality trade candidate, and with Pitt QB Kenny Picket looking like perhaps the best option in a very thin draft class, we could see the Maulers either letting Dalton go cleanly, as a way to give him a say in where he ends up, or, perhaps more likely, cutting a deal with a Charlotte, San Diego, LA, or even Memphis to create the space to draft Pickett and still get some talent in free agency.   Two games on the schedule for this Conference Championship Weekend, both on Sunday so that neither winner has a day of extra rest before next week’s trip to Santa Clara and Summer Bowl 2021. So, who do you like? Are you ready to go out on a very thin limb and pick the Renegades to dethrone Tampa Bay? Are you picking Josh Allen’s arm over Knowshon Moreno’s legs in the West? Here is our breakdown, and, we hate to say it, but we may be playing it a little safe by predicting a battle of 1 seeds in the Summer Bowl, but we call them as we see them and that is what we see.   4- Orlando Renegades (11-5) @ 1- Tampa Bay Bandits (14-2) Sunday, August 8 @ 2pm ET Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL Bandits -14   Not to downplay the season that the Orlando Renegades have put together, but they are looking a lot like the Rodney Dangerfields of the 2021 USFL playoffs: no respect, no respect at all. Admittedly, having lost their two top receivers over a span of 2 weeks has largely overshadowed the fact that they have defeated both the Houston Gamblers and Birmingham Stallions, making them the de facto champions of the USFL Southern Division. Those two wins have just not turned into a surge in confidence for the Renegades’ chances as they prepare to face the 2020 USFL Champions and 2021 Eastern Conference top seeds in Tampa Bay. As we reported above, the Bandits open as 2 touchdown favorites over their in-state rivals. The Bandits certainly present an imposing task, healthy, experienced, and supremely talented, but as we saw this week, they are not invulnerable. The New Jersey Generals nearly pulled out a major upset over the Bandits, losing by a single point after largely collapsing in the final 15 minutes. Could a motivated and undervalued Orlando defense cause Tampa Bay even more trouble and actually help the Renegades shock the USFL world?   OUR PICK:  Let’s answer the question we just asked. No. We just don’t see it. Not without their top 2 targets. Not with the USFL leader in picks thrown as their QB. Not with all the weapons the Bandits bring to the table. We are going to say that the Renegades will find a way to cover the spread, but we just cannot help but place Tampa Bay right back in the Summer Bowl with a chance to equal the 2002-2003 Ohio Glory as the only teams to win back-to-back titles. We say it will be Bandits 28, Renegades 20 .   2- Denver Gold (12-4) @ 1- Seattle Dragons (13-3) Sunday, August 8 @ 6pm ET Lumen Field, Seattle, WA Dragons -4 ½   One win separates the Dragons and the Gold. Had Seattle taken it easy on the season’s final week, it very well could have been Denver hosting this game, and while the two did not meet this season, when we look at some common opponents (Dallas, Arizona, San Diego, Portland, Michigan, and St. Louis), we find two teams that look very similar. Against those opponents Seattle went 6-1 while Denver put up a 5-2 mark, so do we still have only 1 game of difference between them? What about stats? Well, Denver certainly has the edge in passing, with Josh Allen throwing for about 500 more yards and 12 more touchdowns, but in the run game it is all about Seattle, with Knowshon Moreno leading the league in rushing with nearly 1,400 yards, while Denver’s lead rusher, Phillip Lindsay did not crack 900. On defense Seattle has the edge in scoring, giving up 246 points to Denver’s 311. Seattle gave up only 300 fewer yards than the Gold, so they look pretty even there as well. Where there might be a huge differential is in takeaway margin, where Seattle is +16 while Denver is only +6.   OUR PICK: As much as we like what Josh Allen has done this year, Denver does not have the balance that we see in Seattle’s offense. He may well have to do something extraordinary to overcome the advantages the Dragons have with their run game, more aggressive defense, and big play makers like LB Khalil Mack, DE Chris Long, and CB Richard Sherman. We think Seattle contains Allen and grinds out a close one with Moreno and the D coming up big. Dragons 21, Gold 20.

The USFL playoffs are here and they are once again a showcase for the league. Four games this week and each featuring big performances, compelling storylines, and each one setting up some big Divisional Round matchups. From divisional clashes between Northeast and Central rivals to clashes of styles between Houston and Orlando and even a classic Western Conference clash, this year offered early in the postseason. This weekend had a bit of everything. We will break down each game, take a look at how New Jersey, Chicago, Orlando and Arizona advanced, preview the upcoming Divisional Round, where the 4 top seeds in the league make their debuts, and we won’t skimp on the off-field news around player retirements or coaching searches either. It’s all here, so let’s get to it.   Retirement Announcements Bring Few Surprises The first week of postseason football in both U.S. leagues brings several predictable news items. You will have Wild Card game results, Black Monday coaching changes, and retirement announcements. At times the latter can contain some surprises, like when a star back like Barry Sanders or Michael Turner decides to step away at the peak of their game. Other years the list of offseason retirements is somewhat predictable and offers few surprises to teams and their fans. The 2021-2022 offseason is proving so far to be one of the more predictable retirement cycles.   Of course, there are the retirements which have been announced prior to the end of the season, as we saw with Houston Head Coach Wade Phillips and Oakland QB Tom Brady. Some are known to the team, but not made public until now, while others are predictable simply based on age, performance, or attitude. So, who is on the list of immediate retirement announcements? A lot of names that will get an nod of acknowledgement rather than an expression of shock. Here is the current list, with the player’s age in parentheses.   Invader QB Tom Brady (44) Express QB Matt Gutierrez (38) Monarch WR Marques Colston (37) Express WR Eric Weems (36) Bulls WR Jeremy Kerley (32) Breaker OT Marcus Gilbert (33) Viper OT Tyson Clabo (36) Viper OT Chris Williams (35) Roughneck DT Domato Peko (33) Fire DT Jarron Gilbert (36) Mauler LB Brian Orakpo (34) Fire LB Dannell Ellerbe (34) Outlaw LB Odell Thurman (36) Roughneck LB Brandon Spikes (35) Viper LB Ahmad Brooks (35) Steamroller LB Travis Goethel (35) Monarch CB Zachary Bowman (36)   No real surprises here, though Las Vegas has to be concerned about losing 2 of their 4 rostered tackles. The departures most likely to be hardest to replace seem to be at the linebacker position, including Orakpo in Pittsburgh, Thurman in Oklahoma, Spikes in Dallas, and Ellerbe in Atlanta. Looking at replacement strategies, we already know what Oakland will be doing at QB, with Davis Mills essentially handed the offense 4 weeks early. In LA, we expect the Express are reevaluating the entire QB room, and even starter Kyler Murray could be out if the Express think they can upgrade across the depth chart at that key position.   Among the receivers, Charlotte had already been looking at options, whether that is Austin Proehl, former Panther Calvin Ridley, or possibly a free agent or rookie addition. LA had largely considered the Weems acquisition to be a bit of a bust, with Hollywood Brown, Jeremy Maclin and Marquise Lee all seeing more snaps by season’s end. New Orleans has some big shoes to fill at LT and are unlikely to move Dennis Kelly over from the RT position, preferring instead to bring in a new option at the position. Likewise, Las Vegas, who are losing both their 1 st  and 2 nd  string LT, are going to be in the market for sure, though they may also consider shifting Jamarco Jones from the right to the left.   Looking at that big LB group, we know that Pittsburgh could move Brian Cushing over to MLB, but a lot will depend on who they are able to either sign or draft. Our best guess is that they would prefer to get an outside LB who can add to the pass rush and move Cushing inside to focus on the run. In Oklahoma, Vontez Burfict seems a likely choice to step in for Thurman, having shifted to the inside this past season. Expect Oklahoma to draft for depth, but not necessarily for an immediate impact player. Finally, Atlanta will certainly be hoping to get a young, aggressive outside backer who can chase down the run, cover a tight end, and still contribute on blitz packages.   The list after 1 week is growing, and while it is not offering many surprises, even the known departures are still players that will be missed. We should add as well that the list will certainly grow longer as we see teams eliminated from the post-season and we often see a small wave of announcements as well in January, when players preparing for camp realize that the fire is just not burning the same way. Players we still have a watch on include Arizona WR Victor Cruz (34), LA corner Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (35), Ohio FS LaRon Landry (35), Tampa Bay DT Marcel Dareus (34), and Denver OT Ryan Clady (36).    NEW JERSEY GENERALS 24  PHILADELPHIA STARS 12 The opening game of the week saw a classic rivalry match between two NE Division titans. The Stars leapfrogged the Generals on the final week of the season to reclaim the division title and get the opportunity to play this game in front of a much friendlier Lincoln Financial Field crowd than if they had been forced to head up the Turnpike to the Meadowlands. New Jersey, losers of 4 in a row in a classic “backing into the playoffs” scenario, had a lot to prove, and they did it, doubling up the Stars by playing outstanding defense and making big plays on offense, even as their ability to maintain drives was questionable at best. New Jersey only converted 8 first downs and was 1 of 10 on third down, showing that the Stars’ defense was ready to shut down the long, time-killing drive. But in doing that, they forgot to shut down the big play. Case in point, New Jersey’s first score of the game, a 71-yard catch and run by TE Jonnu Smith that turned a 3-0 deficit into a 7-0 lead that would mark the first of only 3 lead changes in the game. Nick Foles, who only attempted 18 passes, completed 11, but none bigger than the seam route to Smith, who brushed off the safety and rumbled his way for 6.   Most of the first half was about stalled New Jersey drives and failed Philadelphia red zone trips. The Stars first half field goals were chip shots of 26, 34, and 25 yards, which, for those of you paying attention, means that the Stars had the ball at the New Jersey9-, 17-, and 8-yard lines and were unable to punch it in. This despite having Dereck Henry carry the ball 23 times. New Jersey, for their part, had a major breakdown in the red zone as well, settling for a 21-yard kick from the 4 after an apparent Foles to OBJ touchdown toss was ruled offensive pass interference due to the General receiver’s push off move.   Leading 10-9 at the half, New Jersey would fall behind early in the 4 th  on yet another chip shot from the Stars, an Eddie Pineiro kick from the 17 once again. The kick came with 2:37 left on the clock and gave the Stars a hard-fought 12-10 lead, but it was not meant to last. Still angry from the OPI call, Odell Beckham Jr. had his revenge as Nick Foles found him on a perfect corner route to produce a 17-yard TD with 1:17 left to play. New Jersey now led by 5, forcing Philadelphia to go for a touchdown with only 1 timeout left to use.   The Stars quickly moved the ball from the 20 to the 37, but Carson Wentz made a fatal mistake on 1 st  and 10, forcing the ball to Randall Cobb only to have General LB Jamin Davis dropping back in zone and right into the path of the ball. The athletic linebacker tipped the ball as it went overhead and caught it on the way down. With a convoy of Generals in front, Davis returned the pick 43 yards for a game-securing score. Now up 24-12, with only 54 seconds left, the victory and a bit of revenge belonged to New Jersey, who now move on to face the Conference’s top seed, the Tampa Bay Bandits. MICHIGAN PANTHERS 20   ARIZONA WRANGLERS 24 A good one in the desert as two teams very accustomed to deep playoff runs faced off in the Wild Card round for the first time since 1994. In a game that Michigan would lead for more than a half, the Wranglers would find the late game heroics they needed to get the win and advance to the next round, even with veteran starter David Carr sidelined by a mid-game concussion.   The two teams did what they do best, for Michigan, that meant running the ball with LeVeon Bell, who finished with 135 yards on 21 attempts, a very healthy 6.4 YPC average. For Arizona it was about the dual threat of Crowell and Carey, who combined for 98 yards and 2 scores, but also the ability of both Carr and his understudy, Brock Osweiler, to connect on big plays, plays like a 68-yard throw to Victor Cruz, a 59-yarder to TE Robert Tonyan, and a 37-yarder to slot receiver Brandon Aiyuk.   Despite the offensive firepower of both clubs, the game was locked up at 3-3 after 1 quarter, but it started to heat up in the 2 nd . Michigan started off the quarter’s fireworks with a 26-yard run from Bell, followed by Kirk Cousins hitting Donavan Peoples-Jones from the 9 with the game’s first TD. The 7-point advantage was short-lived as Arizona responded with a 7-play drive, Cruz’s big catch putting the ball at the 1-yard line for Isaiah Crowell, who dove in to level the game at 10. Michigan again took the lead before the half, with Cousins finding midseason acquisition Justin Blackmon for a 17-yard score. The former Monarch outfought A. J. Bouye for the 50/50 ball in the endzone, giving the Panthers a 17-10 halftime advantage. That advantage grew to 10 points after Michigan’s first drive of the 2 nd  half produced a 50-yard field goal, but Arizona cut it back to only 3 when Brock Osweiler, in for Carr, who suffered a big hit on the first play of the 2 nd  half, found Victor Cruz for the score. It was a modest 3-yard pass at the end of a 12-play drive for the Wrangler backup, but it was a big play in that it pulled the Wranglers within 1 score of Michigan.   In the final period, Arizona’s D found its way, limiting Michigan to only 2 first downs in the period and forcing them to go 0 for 3 on third down. Meanwhile, Arizona did what it needed to do, putting together a mid-quarter drive that saw 4 different receivers catch balls from Osweiler before Isaiah Crowell found the endzone a 2 nd  time, another 1-yard plunge. Now up 24-20, Arizona locked down the Panthers, forcing them to go for a 4 th  and 13 in the game’s final minute. The play failed, the Wrangler fans celebrated, and Arizona advanced.   HOUSTON GAMBLERS 13   ORLANDO RENEGADES 20 It has been a mystery all season long, and it was a mystery in this game as well. How can the Renegades keep winning games when their QB is the most prolific interception producer in the league this year. Russell Wilson threw a whopping 25 picks in the 2021 regular season, and Houston snagged another 3 in this game, and yet, despite the miscues and bad decisions, Wilson found a way to win the game in the 4 th , putting together a go-ahead drive in the early minutes of the quarter, and then a field goal drive to secure the win in the final 3 minutes.   It certainly was not a pretty game for the Renegades, but it did what needed to be done, survive and advance. Where Orlando did excel was on defense, containing Houston’s explosive offense and limiting Houston to a lone offensive TD, a Carlos Hyde 3-yard run in the 1 st  quarter. After that it was field goals alone for the Gamblers, with Colt McCoy unable to find the endzone and no Houston receiver going over 55-yards receiving. The Renegades forced Houston to dink and dunk on long drives and more times than not the Gamblers could not sustain the drive.   Brett Perriman was without doubt the star of the game and largely took over after Orlando TE David Njoku was injured on his first and only reception of the game. Njoku suffered a leg injury, later diagnosed as a partially torn quad, early in the game, and without that safety blanket, Wilson pressed, producing the 3 picks. But Perriman was there in a big way, catching 10 of 11 targets for 139 yards and both Orlando touchdowns. The Renegades will need more from him and more from others like HB Chris Carson and WR Hunter Renfrew, if they are going to go into Birmingham next week and get a W. OHIO GLORY 13   CHICAGO MACHINE 26 The final game of the weekend, like the first, was a divisional showdown, with upstart Ohio taking on the Central Division Champion Chicago Machine. The game proved to be one of the more one-sided affairs of the week as Chicago did as they had done in both regular season outings, forcing Ohio’s rookie QB Justin Fields to stay in the pocket instead of sprinting free, and forcing him to throw into an ever-changing array of zone coverages. The result was only 7 yards rushing for the dual threat QB, and a reasonable, but not sufficient passing line of 21 of 38 for 207 yards with a TD and a pick.   On offense, Chicago found great balance, rushing for 123 yards, with Marion Mack’s inside game leading the way with 51 yards and a TD. Rookie Tony Jones Jr also scored and added 32 yards on only 4 touches. Meanwhile, Sam Bradford was untouched, no sacks, in the game, and the outstanding play of the Chicago line allowed him to complete 25 of 33 throws, racking up 270 yards and a very nice 24-yard strike to his new favorite receiver, Chase Claypool.   Chicago scored the first points of the game, expanded to a 10-0 lead in the first, and never trailed as they kept Ohio at arm’s length all game and limited the Glory to a lone TD in the game. The Machine now head on the road in a very intriguing 3 vs. 2 matchup as they travel to Denver to face the Gold at Empower Field.   Chicago Mixes it Up to Keep Ohio on the Back Foot The Chicago offense was unpredictable and consistent at the same time on Sunday. Unpredictable in that Ohio never really seemed to know where the ball was going. The Machine used 4 different backs on running plays, including 5 carries for FB Jakob Johnson. Sam Bradford threw to 7 different receivers, with TE Tyler Eifert leading all receivers with 110 yards receiving (including a rumbling bumbling 56-yarder that would have made Keith Jackson proud—the announcer and the Hall of Fame Tight End too.) Chase Claypool also had 8 catches for 82 and a score, while Bradford did what few quarterbacks do these days, staying upright the entire game. Ohio depended on pressure from their front 4, concerned that blitzes would expose their defense to quick hitting throws, but the front 4 simply could not get enough pressure on Bradford, who completed 75.8% of his throws, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt. It was a solid, diverse, and effective game plan, one Chicago hopes they can repeat against a more aggressive Denver Gold defense, with rookie sensation Odafe Oweh hoping he can get Bradford’s jersey considerably dirtier.   Takeaways the Key to Generals’ Win Typically, when you see a scoreline in which one team controlled the ball for 39:49 of 60 minutes, had 14 more first downs and nearly 100 more offensive yards, you expect that the more dominant team got the W. But, when you also see that the turnover battle went 3-0 the other way, well, then you may have a surprise on your hands, and that is exactly what the Generals-Stars game produced. Stars fans, nearly 55,000 of them at the Linc, had to be frustrated by an offense that moved the ball well, but far too often either settled for a short field goal or gave the ball away. Carson Wentz had 2 picks, including the late game pick-six that locked up the W for the visiting Generals. Marcus Lattimore, often used as a change of pace for Derek Henry, coughed the ball up on his 4 th carry of the game, and that would be his last touch of the day.   New Jersey was outgained, could not sustain drives, performed horribly on 3 rd down (1 of 10) and only saw their QB throw for 182 yards, but they protected the ball and took advantage of Philly mistakes, scoring, obviously, on the pick-six, but also putting up 3 points after the Lattimore fumble, a 10-point swing that would have made the game a lot closer had it not benefitted the Generals. For many, the only way New Jersey has a chance to upset Tampa Bay next week is to turn that takeaway machine up to 11, no easy task against a very dangerous Bandit offense.   Carr Cleared for Divisional Matchup in Seattle After being knocked out of the game against Michigan by a head hit with the turf, David Carr has cleared the concussion protocol and has been cleared to start when the Wranglers head up to Seattle for the 2 nd  time in a month to face the Dragons. While Brock Osweiler has played well in relief, pretty much everyone believes that Arizona’s chance to get the upset of the West’s 1 seed depends on Carr being 100%.   Arizona fell to Seattle 18-17 just 2 weeks ago in a Week 16 clash. Now the two face off again, with the loser sent home and the victor headed to the Western Conference Championship. And while Carr avoided an injury designation by getting clearance on Tuesday, the Wranglers are not without injury concerns, starting with LB A. J. Klien, who could be a game-time decision with a hamstring injury. Another potential concern is WR DeMarcus Robinson, 2 nd  on the team with 1,204 yards receiving, and part of a dynamic duo with Victor Cruz that saw both receivers top 1,200 yards and combine for 21 touchdowns. Robinson is the go-to guy in the red zone, leading the team with 12 touchdowns, but he is listed as doubtful after aggravating a neck injury that he suffered in Week 17. It is a muscular issue, but one that could very much his ability to go on Sunday, and Arizona knows they need all hands on deck if they are going to get a win in Seattle against the favored Dragons.   Orlando Loses Njoku in Bittersweet Win over Houston The game went Orlando’s way, with a 4 th  quarter TD giving the ‘Gades a lead they would not relinquish, but not everything was champagne and high fives. Early in the game, after only 1 catch, star tight end David Njoku suffered a torn quad that will keep him out of action for the duration of the 2021 playoffs. Njoku, who finished the year with 74 receptions for 766 yards and 7 touchdowns, has been a key producer for the Renegade offense, and certainly a security blanket for QB Russell Wilson. His absence will take away a key weapon in a somewhat limited Orlando offense. Njoku suffered the injury in Renegades’ second drive, coming up lame after making a short 4-yard catch. It was a non-contact injury, which can often be the scariest kind, and in this case, it will require several weeks before he would be able to play again, far too long in a short postseason. The pressure will now be on Chris Herndon, who had only 7 receptions all season, to step up and offer an option for Wilson when the outside receivers are covered. That is a huge drop off in experience and talent, and one that could make life tough for an Orlando team that rarely has a wide margin for victory.   We have already updated you on a few key injury issues. Here is our quick breakdown of the full injury list for each team as we prepare for the Divisional Playoff Round in just a few days.   NJ: T D. Stephenson (IR), QB T. Bridgewater (IR), DE K. Ealy (Q), LB M. Milano (Q) TBY: DT Kawann Short (IR), C Frank Ragnow (Q) Short’s injury could be an issue for the Bandits if New Jersey can use their 1-2 halfback punch to secure solid inside runs, freeing up potential play action for Foles. But New Jersey also has issues on defense, with the absence of Kony Ealy and MLB Matt Milano making New Jersey less capable of putting pressure on Dak Prescott at a time when you need to be able to pressure the former MVP.   CHI: G N. Allegretti (Q), DE J. Pierre-Paul (Q), CB J. Verritt (P) DEN: LB J. Houston (IR), FB W. Nelson (Out), HB J. Ward (P) No major issues for Denver, while Michigan is hoping that all three of their injured players are able to suit up. Losing Jason Pierre-Paul would certainly force Michigan to blitz more than they are accustomed to, while offering Denver a chance to potentially give Josh Allen time for some deeper throws.   ORL: TE D. Njoku (IR), DT E. Ferguson (IR), SS R. Grant (IR), G A. Silatulo (D) BIR: T G. Robinson (Q) The Stallions are the healthiest team in the field this week, with the obvious upside being the return of Cam Newton after more than a month of inactivity. For Orlando, the loss of Njoku is huge, but not having Silatulo inside could also impact the Renegade offense, and not in a way that Russell Wilson or Chris Carson will want to see.   ARZ: T M. Van Dyck (IR), CB J. Harris (IR), L A. J. Klien (D), WR D. Robinson (D) SEA: WR J. Brown (IR), T E. Fisher (Out), DE D. Hall (Q) Arizona breathed a sigh of relief when David Karr was cleared, but without DeMarcus Robinson, they are without one of his best targets. Losing Klien is also an issue for a Wrangler defense that needs to contain Knowshon Moreno. For Seattle, Erick Fisher’s absence will mean that Ezra Cleveland, the 2 nd  year backup, will be asked to take on Bud DuPree. How is that for a thought to keep you up at night?     Coaching Roundup Just a week after Black Monday and the interview circus has begun. Here are the early stories of teams seeking the right man and coaches seeking the right opportunity. Jim Harbaugh Takes Meetings with Charlotte, Jacksonville & Portland No shocker here. We all knew that former Stars’ coach, who many feel was a shocking dismissal last year, would be one of the hottest prospects in the coaching field. No surprise then that he has already met with two teams, the Monarchs and Bulls, and has a trip to Portland up next. Harbaugh, who won two Eastern Conference Titles and took the Stars to the playoffs consistently before last year’s horrendous 2-14 crash, is highly respected around the league, considered one of the best schemers in the game, and could well be a good fit for any of the three teams already visited. Of course, the question is, with each of these teams looking like a major roster overhaul is on tap, do any of the jobs appeal to the veteran coach? Perhaps dangling some GM duties in front of Harbaugh will be enough, but if he is going to turn one into a winner, which has the best skeleton to build on? Vrabel “Meets” with Jacksonville & San Diego During Bye Another pretty obvious move was for the Jacksonville Bulls to reach out to their former All-USFL linebacker turned hot coaching prospect. The Seattle DC is absolutely a target for the Bulls, using his bye week to visit (virtually) with both his former team the San Diego Thunder. While a deal for the Dragon DC is not possible before Seattle finishes their playoff run, the bye week does permit some phone and zoom meetings with the candidate. From Seattle, Vrabel was able to meet with the two clubs while still preparing his defense for a divisional matchup. Expect Vrabel’s name to be back in the news as soon as Seattle’s post-season is finished, though we know he certainly hopes that particular moment can be as delayed as possible.   Charlotte Interviews LaFleur & Daboll It appears that Charlotte is locked in on getting an offensive-minded coach, and one with some QB development credentials. In their first official week on the search (though we suspect they have been exploring options for quite a while), Charlotte flew both former Stag head coach Brian LaFleur and Oklahoma OC Brian Daboll to the Queen City for in person meetings this week. Daboll, credited for the 2021 success of Outlaw QB Jalen Hurts, would be looking at his first head coaching job after building a reputation as an innovative play caller in Oklahoma and, before that, in New Orleans. LaFleur had some success in Portland but struggled to get consistent play (and health) from Marcus Mariota. He too is seen as an innovative offensive coach, though we suspect that he is more likely a hire if Charlotte has their eyes on a veteran QB and not a rookie who will be thrown to the lions in 2022.   Houston Expected to Promote from Within The Gamblers, who are not speaking with the media about a new coach while they are still watching Wade Phillips lead the team, now, after their loss in Orlando, are going to be fielding a lot of questions about the successor to their legendary coach. While they certainly will explore their options, and while their position with a playoff-caliber team will absolutely make the job a desirable one for any coach in the market, the general expectation among those with insight within the building is that Houston is more than likely to promote from within. The only real question is whether they will lean towards OC Zach Taylor or try to keep their young phenom in the OC slot while promoting defensive coordinator Ted Cotrell. Cotrell certainly has seniority, both with his 9 seasons working under Phillips, and as a 73-year-old, compared with the practically juvenile 37-year-old Taylor. Many speculate that if the Gamblers can retain Taylor with a more lucrative OC contract, they will promote Cotrell to take on the head coaching tasks as he is certainly very familiar with the way Phillips guided, prepared, and motivated the Gambler players, creating a smooth transition and one that would retain the two key coordinators, though Cotrell likely would hand over the DC playcalling duties to current LB coach Ted Pagano.   ESPN & EFN to Rework Deal with USFL The word out of Bristol is that it is time for the training wheels to come off. Despite the success of the dual broadcast of USFL night games on both ESPN and EFN, it appears that the sports network is hoping to provide EFN with its own weekly game and a chance to expand into streaming in 2022. ESPN is expected to set up the ESPN Football Network as the exclusive home for its 2022 Friday night games and to offer fans a streaming service through EFN that would allow for online viewing of all ESPN, EFN, and ABC games, roughly 7 of the 15 USFL games each week. With FOX and NBC already streaming their live broadcasts through monthly streaming services, the EFN+ system that ESPN is hoping to expand this year could become yet another monthly charge for USFL fans. What makes the EFN deal very different from the NFL’s Sunday Ticket is the scheduling in the USFL, which allows for 11 of 15 games (in non-bye weeks) to receive national broadcasts. There is no cluster of Sunday afternoon games with regional broadcasts as you see in the fall. That, in part, is due to the spring and summer schedule of the USFL, which has allowed them to occupy Friday nights as well as Saturday, with no competition from high school or college football.   While streaming is certainly catching up with standard television viewing among sports fans, the reality that any fan with a solid cable, satellite, or online package such as Amazon Prime or Youtube TV can already receive the live broadcasts on their phones, tablets, and computers, we have seen growth in services like Peacock (NBC), Fox One, and Hulu (covering ABC content) as alternative viewing options. What ESPN, through the EFN network, are proposing is both a streaming hub that would allow for everything from unlimited memory for replays, team-specific channels, and alternative broadcasts. The hope, of course, is to capture those eyes that are already dropping cable and satellite television and expanding viewership across both broadcast and streaming platforms to expand revenue. For fans, what it offers is an alternative, but one which may only appeal to those who are hard core followers of the USFL since nearly every game each week is already available both online and through broadcast media.   Four playoff games completed, four more on tap. As we move into the 2 nd round of the USFL postseason the action moves to the home stadiums of the top two teams in each division. Will we come out of this week with a pair of 1 v. 2 battles on tap for the Conference Title Games, or will we see upsets keep some of the Wild Card participants in the mix? Here is our look at each of the upcoming Divisional games and our analysis of the odds for an upset.   3- Chicago Machine (11-5) @ 2- Denver Gold (12-4) Saturday, July 31 @ 3pm ET Empower Field, Denver, CO Gold -4   The Machine come into this one after a solid defensive performance kept Justin Fields in check. Can they do the same against a very different quarterback in Josh Allen? Allen had what could be an MVP season, throwing for 4,473 yards and 37 touchdowns as he led an undervalued Denver team to the SW Division title. Denver’s issue is that while Allen, Golden Tate, and former Bandit Darnell Mooney have had outstanding seasons, the Denver run game has been somewhat underwhelming. Phillip Lindsay averaged only 2.7 YPC this season and was still the lead rusher by over 500 yards. If Denver wants to keep the Machine off Allen, they will need a viable rush threat. As for Chicago, the balance they showed against Ohio has to be the key to keeping Odafe Oweh and Justice Cole (33 combined sacks) from shattering Sam Bradford’s day. That means they too need to show a strong run game.   OUR PICK:  We see Chicago as a viable upset option this week. They have offensive balance, which keeps Denver from teeing off on their QB, and they have the league’s top scoring defense, allowing only 14.6 points per game. We think Denver challenges them and will put up more than their average, but we believe the combination of tenacious and disciplined D and a more structured offense can overcome the sheer playmaking ability of Josh Allen. We are going Chicago in this one. Machine 24, Gold 21.     6- New Jersey Generals (9-7) @ 1- Tampa Bay Bandits (14-2) Saturday, July 31 @ 7pm ET Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL Bandits -8 ½   The Generals got a measure of revenge against Philadelphia this week, but we don’t see a lot of paths forward as they now have to head to the Gulf Coast to face one of the defending champions with the best chance of repeating we have seen in the past 20 years. Tampa Bay has looked and felt like a juggernaut for a good part of the season. But, here is the thing. The Bandits’ first loss was at the hands of the Generals, a shocking 30-16 showing in Tampa just before their bye. New Jersey, in that game, put up 161 yards rushing and Nick Foles did not turn the ball over. They will need that kind of production to have a shot here, because unlike Week 8, there is no chance this is a “looking ahead” trap game for the well-rested, and very motivated Bandits.   OUR PICK:  We just don’t see it. We don’t see New Jersey repeating their midseason performance and knocking Tampa Bay off again. The Week 8 game was played without Dak Prescott, and that alone has us thinking that the Bandits will put on a very different game this time. We are going with the defending champs, by a pretty healthy margin: Tampa Bay 28, New Jersey 17.     4- Orlando Renegades (11-5) @ 2- Birmingham Stallions (11-5) Sunday, August 1 @2pm ET Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL Stallions -4 ½   The Stallions welcome back Cam Newton, which has to make Orlando nervous. Tim Tebow has been phenomenal in relief, but he is not the threat that Newton can be. Newton’s size and speed have the potential to minimize the impact of the league’s co-leader in sacks, Montez Sweat. And yet, if Birmingham is overdependent on their quarterback, they can be susceptible to a let down. They need to see more from rookie HB Najee Harris to keep Orlando honest on defense. As for Orlando on offense, we all know the issue. They need a clean game from Russell Wilson. They escaped against Houston despite three Wilson picks. They cannot expect to do the same against Birmingham.   OUR PICK:  We like the Stallions at home. They will have a large and loud fanbase behind them. They are well rested. Their All-USFL quarterback is ready to go, and they are facing a team that was inconsistent on offense even when winning games with their pass rush. We think Newton finds a way to offset Montez Sweat’s impact, and that gives the Stallions a ticket to the next round. Birmingham 24  Orlando 16   4- Arizona Wranglers (10-6) @ 1- Seattle Dragons (13-3) Sunday, August 1 @ 6pm ET Lumen Field, Seattle, WA Dragons -3   Seattle may well be feeling disrespected by the Vegas line of only 3, but that tells us that the public is also nervous about the upstart Dragons as they face a team that has been to the Summer Bowl more in the past decade than the Dragons have been to the playoffs in the past 20 years. Seattle is certainly a talented team, and if they can get Knowshon Moreno some success early, that will make Amari Cooper, Marshall Newhouse, and 1,000-yard TE Kyle Rudolph all the more dangerous. Arizona for their part, and likely without DeMarcus Robinson, will again likely be focused on the big play. They have a playmaker in Victor Cruz, but will need either Brandon Aiyuk or TE Robert Tonyan to step up, otherwise the Dragons will blanket Cruz and force Arizona to work their way down the field slowly.   OUR PICK: If the Wranglers had Robinson available, they would pose a real threat to the Dragon secondary, but with Cruz as their only proven deep threat, we think Seattle will force them to sustain long drives, which has not been a strength of the Wranglers this year. We think Arizona will focus on Moreno, but that could well make life just a bit easier for Brett Hundley, who has been quietly efficient all year, completing 68.9% of his throws. The greater variety of options for Seattle on offense cause us to favor the less experienced Dragons, though we think they will need to earn it in a close one.  Seattle 26, Arizona 24.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: This is a tough one because so many players stepped up to help their teams this week, but we have to go with an outstanding performance from a player who has given us a few of those this season, his rookie campaign. Ohio QB Justin Fields all but wrapped up Rookie of the Year by helping his Ohio Glory lock up a Wild Card this week. New Jersey focused on keeping Fields in the pocket and forcing him to use his arm and not his legs. He obliged them, completing 30 of 46 pass attempts and racking up 336 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Glory handed New Jersey a 4th consecutive loss and earned the 6-seed at the same time. PLAYOFF PICTURE: When it was all said and done, we had our 12 playoff teams. Thanks to Week 17 results Chicago and Philadelphia earned the final two division crowns, while Arizona, Ohio, Houston and the Stars picked up the final playoff births. Philly went from fringe Wild Card hopes to NE Division Champs, while Losses by both Michigan and Chicago meant that the Machine hold onto the Central title. Seattle earned the 1 seed in the West thanks to their final week victory and the Denver Gold get the 2, and a bye. Here are the final seedings with both Conference 1 and 2 seeds getting Wild Card byes. EAST: 1-TBY 2-BIR 3-PHI 4-ORL 5-HOU 6-NJ WEST: 1-SEA 2-DEN 3-CHI 4-ARZ 5-MGN 6-OHIO

For the first time in league history, the USFL went 17 weeks, and what a 17 th week it was. With 10 teams still fighting for only 4 playoff spots, with 2 division titles yet to be decided, and with Seattle hoping to lock up the 1 seed for the first time in team history, the additional week of USFL action, made necessary by the decision to add a bye week for each team, proved to be as exciting and as engaging as USFL executives could have hoped. We will break down all the results, their impact on the playoff picture, and a few farewells, some by choice, such as Tom Brady’s final USFL start, and some not chosen, such as the 4 Black Monday announcements that always signal the end of the regular season. All this and, of course, a look ahead to Wild Card weekend are on the way, starting with our run down of the playoff picture.   Playoffs Set After Wild Weekend. It was a schedule designer’s dream, a final week of the USFL season with a schedule that ensured that the final playoff picture would be painted starting at noon on Saturday and not concluding until nearly midnight on Sunday night. Every timeslot built on the story, nearly every game having impact, but by the end of the Seattle-Oakland game on Sunday night we had our playoff roster. Here is how it developed over the weekend.   Let’s start with what was known. Tampa Bay and Birmingham had locked up the 1-2 slots in the East, so they would rest several starters and stay healthy for their playoff run to start 2 weeks later. Seattle had the 1 seed for now, but could not afford a loss or risk Denver snatching it away. New Jersey and Chicago would claim their division titles with a win, but both had contenders only 1 game back. Houston, Ohio, Philadelphia, and Arizona were one win away form securing a playoff berth, while Baltimore, Atlanta, Oakland, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and LA all had a chance to work their way into the postseason if they could get some help. So many permutations, so many combinations, but one way or the other the weekend would sort it out and we would have 12 teams headed on to the postseason.   Noon on Saturday, Baltimore got the win they needed to stay alive, holding off a very feisty St. Louis squad at M&T Bank Stadium to improve to 9-7. But they would now need to wait and see what happened in Philadelphia. A Stars’ win and Baltimore was out, a loss and they would be the 2 nd  NE Division team in the playoffs. Atlanta had failed to get the win they needed. Facing a Bandits team that rested 10 of 22 starters, including MVP quarterback Dak Prescott, as well as stars Dalvin Cook and Dak Prescott, Atlanta looked like a team already eliminated, falling 44-3 to the Bandit backups in a humiliating final act of futility this season.   We move to the 4 pm Saturday timeslot. Arizona would be in the playoff pool with a win at home over the Birmingham Stallions. The Stallions, already locked into the 2 nd  slot in the east at 11-4, had already decided to rest several stars, including WR Henry Ruggs and HB Najee Harris. The Wranglers took full advantage of Birmingham’s pseudo-bye, easily handling Birmingham 41-7 and locking up the 5 th  playoff spot in the West. At the same time Denver was hoping to set themselves up with a bye week as either the 2 seed, or with a Seattle loss on Sunday night, as the 1 seed with full home field advantage. They faced San Antonio at Empower Field, and they too took care of business, cruising to a 31-17 win thanks to 4 Josh Allen touchdowns. They were assured no worse than the 2-seed and a bye but would have to wait and see if they had earned even more.   Finally, we had the LA Express, a team that needed to defeat Portland but also get help from New Jersey, Seattle, Las Vegas, and Michigan to have a shot at a very tenuous Wild Card at 8-8. The problem was that Portland was in no mood to comply. The Stags put up a late field goal to send the game to overtime, with LA missing a kick at regulation that would have won it for them. In the added time, both teams failed on field goal attempts, producing an 18-18 tie that might have made Portland fans chuckle, but absolutely ended any slim hopes LA had for a return to the playoffs.   Saturday night would lock up one more spot, with Houston defeating Oklahoma to claim their Wild Card golden ticket. Their win, along with Arizona’s earlier in the day, mean that there were only 2 Wild Card spots left to claim. Sunday would determine the rest. The noon slot would have 3 games, all vital to setting the playoff picture. Ohio could clinch a spot with a win, the last Western Conference Wild Card. New Jersey, if they beat Ohio, would wrap up the hunt for a NE Division Champion. Meanwhile, Chicago was in Philadelphia. A win by the Machine gave them the Central Division title and pushed Baltimore into the playoffs ahead of the Stars, but a win by the homestanding Stars and Philadelphia would be in, perhaps even as division champs, while Michigan would have a window to knock Chicago from the top of the Central and into a Wild Card slot. Michigan would be in Pittsburgh at the same time, hoping to snatch away the Central Crown while also crushing Pittsburgh’s hopes for a Wild Card.   With all three games broadcast simultaneously, we saw a lot of scoreboard watching. It became apparent pretty early that Pittsburgh was looking good in an upset bid over Michigan. They would eventually win by 17 points, keeping them alive as long as Ohio (and 2 others) lost. But Ohio was putting up a good fight at New Jersey, while Chicago and Philadelphia were close throughout. The Machine-Stars game ended first, with Philadelphia capturing a 20-14 win. With Michigan also losing, the Machine would back into the Central Division title, with Michigan now a Wild Card. In New Jersey, the Generals needed a 2-minute drive to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, but a controversial play on 4 th down gave Ohio the win, as we will report just below, and that sent ripple effects through the rest of the weekend. The Ohio win meant that Pittsburgh upset of Michigan was for naught. Ohio would grab the final Western Conference playoff spot, meaning that Pittsburgh was out, as were Dallas and Oakland, who were yet to play. It also meant that Philadelphia, not New Jesey, would be the NE Division Champions, a fact not lost to the Stars players watching the final seconds of the Ohio-New Jersey game in the locker room monitors and popping champagne as Justin Fields took the victory formation for Ohio.   So, headed into the later Sunday games, what was still on the line? All 8 playoff spots were claimed. The Memphis-New Orleans and Charlotte-San Diego games had no bearing, and now, with Ohio’s win, neither did the Las Vegas-Dallas game. Yes, it was nice to see Charlotte earn their first win of the season, though many in San Diego felt the day was better spent elsewhere (a season low attendance for that game was predictable), but it would not be until the 8pm game on ESPN that the final piece of the puzzle would be settled. Seattle was in Oakland and a win by the Dragons gave them the 1-seed in the West, with an Oakland upset very much on the minds of the Denver Gold and their fans, as Denver would snatch up the 1-seed if Oakland could prevail.   The Dragons dispatched the Invaders somewhat easily, 28-9, much to the Chagrin of the Gold. Seattle would have the 1-seed and the playoff matchups would be set for next week. We will have two divisional matchups, with New Jersey forced to travel down I-95 to Philadelphia and Ohio headed to Chicago. We would also have Houston playing in Orlando after the Renegades won their finale to make it a 6-game season-ending win streak. Finally, we would have Michigan make the trip out to the desert to face the Wranglers. No luck for the other 6 contenders as all 4 of the teams who were in playoff position after Week 16 won, meaning there would be no Final Week reprieve for the teams on the wrong side of the playoff picture after their first 15 games. The field was now set, and on to the postseason.   OHIO GLORY 25  NEW JERSEY GENERALS 20 For the visiting Ohio Glory, a win meant that they would earn a Wild Card spot, their first playoff trip in 3 years, and a major turnaround for Coach Jay Gruden in his first year, following a combined 7 wins in the past 2 years. A loss would mean an 8-8 finish and almost certain elimination from playoff contention. For New Jersey, already guaranteed no less than a Wild Card berth in the Eastern Conference, a win would snap a troubling 3-game losing streak and would give New Jersey the NE Division title, their 3 rd  in the past 5 years, but an important milestone for their new head coach Robert Saleh. The stakes were clear for both teams, the tension high for two 1 st year coaches, and the pressure certainly there for the 106 players suited up on Sunday, so how could this not be one of the most watched, and most intense matchups of the weekend?   More than 52,000 were on hand at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, hoping their New Jersey Generals could end a 3-game skid that had put the division title in jeopardy. Tied with Philadelphia atop the division at 9-6, the Generals could not afford another loss, not without risking their shot at a division title. After 9 consecutive wins rocketed them to the top of the division, they needed one more to lock up a title that a month ago felt very much like theirs for the taking. The Generals came onto the field, hopeful, but perhaps not fully confident the job could get done. As for Ohio, Theirs had been an up-and-down season all year, with no win-streak or losing streak of more than 2 games. They had recently dropped two important games within the division, falling to both Michigan and Chicago in back-to-back weeks, but rebounded with a win over New England in Week 16. That win, paired with a loss by the Oakland Invaders had placed the Glory into 6 th  position in the conference, meaning that they controlled their destiny on the final weekend of the season, a win ensuring a trip to the playoffs.   Ohio started the game somewhat conservatively, an Isaiah Pead run on the first play, followed by a called QB run by their star rookie, Justin Fields. The two plays produced a total of 4 yards, and when a 3 rd  and 6 throw was off target, they quickly punted. But while New Jersey got the ball back quickly, Ohio’s coaches were immediately assessing how the Generals had defended their opening jabs. The Generals got a first down on their first possession but then were forced to punt after a holding call turned a 3 rd  and 6 into a 3 rd and 16 that QB Nick Foles was not able to convert. When Ohio’s offense took the field again, they showed New Jersey a very different strategy.   The Glory’s 2 nd  possession started with a bang, QB Justin Fields faking the ball to Pead and finding Curtis Samuel on a 17-yard deep out. Five plays later he would find Samuel again, this time for a 33-yard touchdown. The drive consisted of 6 plays, all passes. In fact, for the entire game, Ohio would only attempt 17 runs, and 12 of those would be their quarterback, not former 1,000-yard back Isaiah Pead or rookie HB Trey Sermon. Coach Gruden came into the game feeling that the Generals would be more vulnerable through the air, and he abandoned the idea of balancing his offense after only 2-3 plays on the opening drive. Justin Fields would attempt 46 passes in the game, and would prove Gruden correct.   The game went into the 2 nd  quarter with Ohio up 7-0, but New Jersey finding some success on their second possession. The Generals would try to balance the offense, keeping pressure off their QB, Nick Foles, by pushing a 2-back run scheme. The issue they would face is that Ohio was expecting just that. The combination of Delone Carter and Tony Pollard, who, as a duo would finish the year with a combined 1,584 yards, would have 24 carries on the day, but would produce only 29 yards of offense. That was to be a huge issue, but on this drive, the Generals were effective in using play action and got a little help from the refs as Ohio got called on a roughing the passer call that put the ball in the red zone. It would take New Jersey 7 plays to get from the 18 into the endzone, but eventually Delone Carter was able to plunge in from the 1 to level the score at 7 apiece.   Ohio’s 3 rd  possession gave them the lead once again as Justin Fields would complete 5 of 6 on the drive and rush once again, picking up a penalty for defensive holding along the way. He hit on his second TD toss of the day from the 9, finding TE Richard Rodgers on a quick hitter at the 4, with Rodgers plowing his way into the endzone from there. But, following a quick 3-and-out from the New Jersey offense, Ohio would make a key blunder and help the Generals stay very much engaged in a game both teams needed badly.   The Ohio mistake was actually twofold. First, on the opening play of their next possession, Justin Fields took a shotgun snap and was under immediate pressure. He tried to scramble out of it, but instead rolled right into the blitzing safety, Shamarko Thomas. The attempted escape cost him 4 more yards, and he was sacked for a loss of 13, back to the 7 yard line. That was bad enough, but on 2 nd down, it got worse. A QB bootleg run was called by Coach Gruden, but Fields took an early hit from DE Yetur Gross-Matos, the ball dislodged and was scooped by Generals’ MLB Matt Milano, who snatched it from the turf and sprinted to the endzone for a New Jersey touchdown. It would be the only turnover for either team on the day, but it was a big one, leveling the score a 2 nd time, now at 14-14, and riling up the General fans as the two teams headed to the half.   The General faithful would stay riled up into the 3 rd  quarter, with both defenses finding ways to slow down offensive progress and force punts, 4 in all in the drive. The only drive that did not end in a punt ended badly for New Jersey as a nice coffin corner punt put the ball at their own 3, and a poor blitz coverage caused guard Danny Isadora to wrestle Ohio LB Ryan Shazier to the ground, a clear holding violation, and one called in the endzone for an Ohio safety and a 2-point lead for the visitors.   The safety would be the only points of the quarter as both teams dealt with their opponent’s halftime adjustments and both defenses proved effective. As the game moved into the 4 th  quarter, tensions were high and the New Jersey fans started to feel some anxiety. Ohio opened the quarter with a pair of completions from Fields to get the ball into field goal range, and when they failed to convert a 3 rd  and 5, a field goal is exactly what they got, building up a tentative 19-14 lead with 13:30 left to play. New Jersey, which had not scored an offensive point since the first minute of the 2 nd quarter, needed a drive. What they got was a huge play from TE Jonnu Smith on his first catch of the day. The play came on a 2 nd  and 2, with Ohio overplaying the inside run fake. There was confusion in coverage with both safeties headed wide to take on Beckham and Sanu, and that left Smith all alone with LB Malik Harrison, a speed mismatch. Foles saw the blown coverage immediately, hit Smith and it was off to the races. Safety Tyran Matthieu would finally run down the big tight end, but not until he was at the Ohio 4. Two Delone Carter inside plunges later and the Generals had taken their first lead of the game, 20-19. They would try for 2, to make it a 3-point game, but Ohio’s Chimdi Chekwa broke up the fade route to OBJ, and the Generals had to settle for a modest 1-point lead with 7:02 to play.   When Ohio failed to make a first down on the ensuing possession, General fans in the stadium started to feel things moving their way. 5:02 left to play and they just needed to kill clock and get out of the stadium with a win and a division title. But the Generals’ offense struggled when they were needed most. Two runs on 1 st  and 2 nd  down produced a combined 3 yards, and on 3 rd and 7 the Generals opted to run a 3 rd  time, with Tony Pollard gaining only 4. With a 4 th  and 3 on their own 32, New Jersey was forced to punt the ball back, giving Ohio nearly 4 full minutes to find a field goal.   Ohio would do more than that. Now completely abandoning the run, other than one Justin Fields scramble, they would move the ball down the field, past the fifty, past the 30, into the red zone, and inside the 10. When the 2-minute warning came, the Glory were already at the New Jersey 9 and it was the Generals who had to start calling timeouts, fearing that they would not have time for a late equalizer if Ohio scored. That score came with 1:47 on the clock, as Justin Fields hit HB Trey Sermon on a short pass from the 5 and the big back plowed into the endzone to put the Glory up by 5. They too, like New Jersey, would go for 2, hoping to build a 7-point advantage, but their attempt also failed.   Ohio was up 25-20 with 1:47 to play and a Wild Card in their hands but not secured. The Generals would have one drive to try to pull out the game and the division title. The fans rallied nervously as the offense took the field on their own 31, following a nice return by Rashard Robinson. A field goal did them no good, they would need to reach the endzone on this drive. On 2 nd  and 10 from the 31, Foles hit Kenny Stills for 14 and as the receiver stepped out to stop the clock, the General fans erupted. The drive was on. But their enthusiasm was short-lived. A first down pass to TE Virgil Green produced only 4 yards and forced them to use their 2 nd  time out. A second down throw towards OBJ did not find its target, Foles forced to throw early by Ohio pressure. Third and 6 from the 35. Foles lined up in the shotgun but was immediately pressured by a blitzing Ryan Shazier. He rolled to his right but was forced to throw the ball out of bounds to avoid the sack.   Fourth down, 6 yards needed to keep the drive, and the Generals’ hopes for a division title alive. Fans in MetLife Stadium could see that the Chicago-Philadelphia game had reached its conclusion, with the Stars getting the win, 20-14. Unless the Generals’ offense could pick up this first down and get the ball into the endzone in the next 1:37, hated rival Philadelphia would claim the NE Division crown and the Generals would slide to the 6 seed, very likely forced to travel to Philadelphia to face the Stars the next week.   Foles again headed into the shotgun. Ohio again sent pressure. The ball was out of Foles’s hands quickly, headed towards Odell Beckham Jr. about 8 yards downfield. Cornerback Donte Jackson, who had largely covered Sanu and not OBJ all game, was there, reaching around the New Jersey receiver and forcing his hand between Beckham’s, disrupting the pass as the two fell to the ground. The ball hit the turf and the crowd erupted in protest. There was no flag for pass interference. Beckham looked around for one and began to point to the side judge, but no flag came. As the celebratory Ohio defenders started to come off the field, Coach Saleh also pled his case to the officiating crew, but no flag was going to come now. Had Jackson gotten to Beckham too soon? Had he simply timed his over-the-back move well? The announcers showed the play multiple times but even they could not say for sure. Justin Fields and the Ohio offense came back on the field, reluctantly joined by the New Jersey defense, and as fans started to stream out of the stadium, Justin Fields took a knee, then another, and a third and final one.   Ohio would be headed to the postseason. New Jersey would as well, but with a very different emotional tone. Whereas celebration was the mood in the Ohio locker room, the Generals, having just lost at home, missing out on a possible division title and looking a trip to Philadelphia square in the face, were anything but pleased. There were post-game digs at the officials, there was anger at having seen the game end on a controversial call, and there was concern that a 4 th  straight loss did not bode well for the Generals’ playoff chances. New Jersey and Ohio were both headed into the postseason but the way in which each would make that entry was very different and could well impact the way both approached the Wild Card round. ST. LOUIS 14   BALTIMORE 16 The Blitz needed to win for any shot at a Wild Card slot, but St. Louis did not make it easy. If not for a strong game from Josh Jacobs (109 yards) and a pair of late field goals, the Blitz could have lost their shot. They still needed the Stars to lose at home to Chicago, but they did their part. Oh, and Calais Campbell again proved why he is a legend, with a 4-sack game that ensured he would at least be tied atop the leaderboard at season’s end. POTG:  Blitz DE Calais Campbell: 9 Tck, 4 Sck, 1 FF   ATLANTA 3   TAMPA BAY 44 For anyone who thought that Tampa Bay resting multiple starters on both sides of the line meant that they would give Atlanta an easy path to a Wild Card, well, the score tells you how wrong you were. The Bandit backups showed no mercy and no quarter. Matt Breida ran for 2 TDs, and the defense returned two horrible Pat White passes for scores, both in the 1 st  quarter. It was ugly early and it stayed that way as Atlanta fully earned their drop out of playoff contention. POTG:  Bandit LB Devon Kennard: 5 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 1 FF   WASHINGTON 23   NEW ENGLAND 26 John Fox told his players that how they play when there is nothing on the line shows who they really are. His team took it to heart, earning their 6 th win to equal last year’s record. With Jameis Winston dinged up, Ryan Tannehill got one more shot to show he has a future in Foxboro. He made good use of it, going 25 of 39 for 230 yards and 2 scores, including a late TD toss to Zay Jones that proved to be the game winner. POTG:  New England CB Jalen Mills: 7 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR   BIRMINGHAM 7   ARIZONA 41 Unlike the Atlanta Fire, the Wranglers were more than ready to take on the 2 nd string starters for Birmingham. Without many of their offensive starters, Birmingham just did not have much to offer, leading to Tim Tebow being the lead rusher for Birmingham. Meanwhile, Arizona, intent on locking up a Wild Card, put up the first 31 points on the day, with David Carr throwing for 2 scores and both Carey and Crowell scoring on the ground. POTG:  Wrangler QB David Carr: 16/22, 286 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   PORTLAND 18  LOS ANGELES 18 OVERTIME When they took the field, the Express were still very much alive in the Wild Card hunt, yes, with long odds since they needed 5 other teams to lose, but they at least had a shot. By game’s end, their shot was over. The Stags played like they were the ones hoping for a longshot playoff berth, with Marcus Mariota going 24 of 39 for 224 and Brandin Cooks catching 9 for 118. When the Stags put up a field goal with 1:01 to play to tie the game, LA still had a shot, but Dan Bailey missed on a 52-yarder on the final play of regulation and then, amazingly, whiffed on a 37-yarder in overtime, a devastating blow for the Express. Portland had a shot at the win, but their kicker, Cody Parkey, also missed his OT kick and that is how we got the season’s only tie on the final weekend. POTG:  Stag DE Bruce Irvin: 7 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 Sfty   SAN ANTONIO 17   DENVER 31 The Gold wrap up the 2 seed in the West in front of an enthusiastic 50,101 at Empower Field. They will now get a bye before hosting a divisional game. Josh Allen looked playoff ready, throwing for 339 yards and 4 scores against the Gunslingers. Darnell Mooney caught 2 of those 4 TDs and Golden Tate added 96 more yards to his career best season total. Kudos to Gunslinger WR Brandon LaFell, who topped 100 receptions this season, adding 7 in this game. POTG:  Denver QB Josh Allen: 18/30, 339 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   OKLAHOMA 23  HOUSTON 31 The Outlaws were game, even with Jalen Hurts sitting out the finale, but Houston built up a 31-16 advantage and coasted their way to a playoff spot. Colt McCoy struggled with picks, throwing 3 in the game, but also threw 3 TDs as the Gamblers kept from getting trapped in this game. They finish 10-6 and will be the 5 seed in the East. As for Oklahoma, they love their 2 nd  year QB and now need to build around him. POTG:  Oklahoma TE Mark Andrews: 5 Rec, 49 Yds, puts him over 1,000 on the season.   ORLANDO 23   JACKSONVILLE 7 The Renegades win their 6 th  in a row, locking up the 4 seed in the East and ensuring one more game at Camping World Stadium as they shut down the Bulls and rookie Trevor Lawrence. Early TD tosses from Wilson to both Hunte Renfrew and David Njoku helped Orlando get a solid lead, and then relied on Chris Carson and Boston Scott to shorten the game. The win gives Orlando an 11-5 final record, their best since winning the league title in 2001. POTG:  Orlando QB Russell Wilson: 23/34, 224 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int   CHICAGO 14  PHILADELPHIA 20 The Stars, spent a lot of time scoreboard watching to see if they still had a shot at the division title. They also spent a lot of time frustrating the Machine offense. Chicago outgained Philly 511-260, but they just could not get in the endzone one more time to get the W they needed. The Stars were hardly a clearly better team, but they did the small things to keep the game in hand and turned a 14-10 deficit into a 20-10 victory in the 4 th . That, plus New Jersey’s loss, means Philly goes from 2-14 last year to the NE Division champs this season. Not too bad for first year head coach Dan Quinn, a definite COTY candidate. POTG : Star HB Derek Henry: 23 Att, 128 Yds, 2 TD   MICHIGAN 3   PITTSBURGH 20 With a slim chance at playoff football, Coach Holtz told his Mauler players that the day was for them, not about a Wild Card but about proving something to themselves. The Maulers took that to heart and showed up against a heavily favored Michigan squad. The defense held Michigan out of the endzone and produced 3 takeaways, including 2 picks of QB Kirk Cousins. The offense, led by Andy Dalton’s 20/30 performance, helped Pittsburgh slowly build up a lead, from 3-3 to 20-3 by game’s end. It may be a bad omen for the Panthers as they head to the postseason, but certainly a positive note for the Maulers as their season ends. POTG:  Mauler CB Rasul Douglas: 5 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD   MEMPHIS 20   NEW ORLEANS 31 In a game that was for nothing more than pride, the New Orleans Breakers got their 6 th  win to create a 3-way tie in the Southern Division. While tiebreakers have them 4 th , they can at least say they were tied for 3 rd . Jordy Nelson had a good final game of the year, catching 4 passes for 108 yards and a TD, while LB Kwon Alexander added a pick, a sack, and 9 tackles to his yearly totals. For Memphis, the issue now is at QB, having pushed Paxton Lynch out the door and with Blake Bortles again looking underwhelming, we are not sure if their Week1 starter in 2022 is on the roster today. POTG:  Breaker LB Kwon Alexander: 9 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Int   CHARLOTTE 25  SAN DIEGO 17 It was a game that meant nothing to the Thunder, but a heck of a lot to the Monarchs. In their last chance to avoid a winless season, Charlotte came to play. Kyle Boller threw for 2 scores, the defense added a safety, and Stephen Earl connected on 3 field goals as the Monarchs got their first win and finished San Diego Coach Dick LeBeau’s tenure with the club with their 9 th consecutive loss. Both teams will have new head coaches in 2022, and both certainly hope for better results as well, but at least Charlotte avoided the dreaded 0-17 donut. POTG:  Charlotte DE Anthony Zettel: 6 Tck, 1 Sfty, 1 FF, 1 FR   LAS VEGAS 41 DALLAS 35  OVERTIME Ohio’s win earlier in the day meant that Dallas’s hopes for a Wild Card were already removed when they took the field, but neither they nor the Las Vegas Vipers played like teams running out a lost season. Both clubs played with tenacity in what was a meaningless, but highly entertaining game. Kareem Hunt’s 72 yards pushed him over 1,000 for the season, while Aaron Dobson won the league receptions title with 5 more in his final game of the year. For Dallas, Duke Johnson rushed for 73 yards on only 9 carries, while Justin Herbert found both Courtland Sutton and Pharaoh Brown for scores before exiting the game. Coach Kingsbury let P. J. Daniels finish out the year, and it ended up being a longer than anticipated assignment as the game went to overtime. The game winner from Las Vegas was a short Minshew to Dwayne Allen TD pass to end both teams’ seasons, Las Vegas at 6-10 and Dallas at 8-8. POTG:  Las Vegas TE Dwayne Allen: 8 Rec, 53 Yds, 3 TD   SEATTLE 28  OAKLAND 9 The final playoff impactful game of the weekend only had meaning for Seattle when the game started, Oakland having also been eliminated by Ohio’s victory over New Jersey. Seattle played conservatively throughout, building up a 28-6 lead over 3 quarters. Amari Cooper was the offensive star, putting up 116 yards and a TD. Davante Adams caught 10 balls in his quest for 100 but with 2 picks Davis Mills had a rough game against a very solid Seattle defense. The Dragon win assured them the 1 seed and home field in the Western Conference playoffs. POTG:  Dragon WR Amari Cooper: 5 Rec, 116 Yds, 1 TD   Stars, Glory, Wranglers, and Gamblers Win to Earn Playoff Berths As we have seen several times in recent years, and as has been something of a trend since at least the mid-1990’s teams that are in position for a playoff spot with 1 game left to go very often do what is needed to lock in that playoff spot, in other words, they win. There are exceptions, of course, teams that lose their final matchup and with it their playoff hopes, but this year, as with many others, we saw teams retain their positions and secure their postseason opportunity.   All 4 teams which entered the weekend in playoff position, Arizona and Ohio in the West, Philadelphia and Houston in the East, needed to simply win their matchups this week to lock in their playoff spot, and all 4 did just that. Ohio did it with an upset win over the New Jersey Generals. Philadelphia benefitted from that, after defeating the Chicago Machine, because that loss helped them leapfrog New Jersey, earning not the 5 th  or 6 th  seed, but moving up to the 3 rd  as the NE Division Champions. Arizona handily defeated a Birmingham squad that rested several key players, earning themselves the Western Conference’s 4 seed, and the Houston Gamblers defeated Oklahoma in NRG Stadium to lock in their playoff spot in the East. Victories by these 4 teams meant that several others were removed from consideration. Baltimore, Atlanta, Oakland, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles all fell short of a playoff spot in part due to the results from the 4 latest additions to the field.   And so, we will now see all 4 of these teams in the Wild Card round this week. Philadelphia and Arizona will be at home, while Houston and Ohio must hit the road in the first round of playoffs, but, at the very least all 4 can say they made it, and largely due to their ability to get the job done when it had to be done.   Machine, Generals, and Panthers Back Into Postseason It was not the way any of these clubs wanted to enter the postseason, taking a loss in Week 17 and ending the regular season on a sour note. Chicago came into the week with a 4-game winning streak, only to fall to Philadelphia in a must-win game for the Stars. Michigan, winners of 5 in a row to lock in a playoff spot, also fell in their finale, a 20-3 no-show against the Pittsburgh Maulers, who were also battling to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, New Jersey, already having suffered losses in their prior 3 games, saw that streak extend to 4 as they were upset at home by the Ohio Glory. In all three cases the teams were already playoff bound, and in all three they faced a club that had a must-win in order to have a shot at the postseason. The message, of course, is that motivation matters in pro football. Yes, all three teams had something to gain with a win, potential division titles and higher seeds, but there is nothing like the hunger a team feels when they know that a loss removes any chance of a playoff berth, and that hunger fueled Philly, Pittsburgh, and Ohio as they outbattled and outscored their more secure, perhaps somewhat undermotivated opponents.   Bandit Backups Humiliate Atlanta One team that had nothing to gain this week still came out like a ferocious lion looking for a meal. The Tampa Bay Bandits, with the 1-seed and home field locked up at 13-2, opted to rest most of their best-known player, and yet, they still took it to the Atlanta Fire as if the Fire had just killed the Bandits’ family dog, John Wick style. The list of Bandits not on the field this weekend was a long one, including QB Dak Prescott, HB Dalvin Cook, WR Dez Bryant, OT Levi Brown, DT Marcell Dareus, CB Jalen Ramsey and SS Derwin James, but the players who took their spots certainly showed they were not nameless and talentless fill-ins.   QB B. J. Daniels, as he has done on multiple occasions this year, stepped in for Dak Prescott and had himself a very solid game, going 15 of 20 for 231 yards. HB Matt Breida averaged 5.5 YPC on his way to a 61-yard, 2 TD game. Ryan Grant stepped into Dez Bryant’s role and came down with 6 receptions for 116 yards and a score while Deebo Samuel got a chance to play outside in addition to his normal slot role, finishing the game with 4 catches for 75 yards.   On defense, CB Noah Igbinoghene moved into the 2 slot while Asante Samuel stepped into the lead role. Igbinoghene was tested, but finished the game with good numbers, 10 tackles and 2 passes defended. At safety, Daimion Stafford finished with 2 tackles and a pass defense while subbing for Derwin James. And as a team, well, the result was quite stunning, a 44-3 drubbing of an Atlanta team that still had playoff aspirations. It was both an ugly day for the Fire, and a sign that Tampa Bay is very deep, well-coached, and ready for the postseason.   Charlotte Surprises San Diego, Avoids Winless Season It took the entire season, 17 weeks, but the Charlotte Monarchs finally have themselves a win. After 15 defeats in 16 weeks, the Monarchs found the formula they needed to fly across country and get a win at the hands of the league’s 2 nd worst club, San Diego. Neither team’s standing is impacted by the result, with Charlotte already locked into the 1 st  overall draft pick at 0-15 and San Diego secure in the 2 nd  pick at 3-12, but the win means that Charlotte does not join the infamous list of teams to go without a victory in a pro season.   The got the win by doing three things they had been unable to do all season long. They won the time of possession battle, controlling the ball for 32:42; they won the turnover battle 2-1, and they outgained their opponent 312-294, all three for the first time all season. San Diego had their moments, and HB Charles Sims reached the 1,000-yard mark with 102 on the day, but Charlotte did not fold as they had in so many games this year. Kyle Boller, who was given the starting job at QB after a pretty miserable opening 12 games from Oakland import Jimmy Garoppolo, got his first win in 4 tries, going 24 of 40 for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns. Nyheim Hines contributed 75 on the ground, and the Charlotte defense played its best game of the year, limiting San Diego to only 4 successful 3 rd  down conversions in 14 attempts.   While a 1-15 season is certainly not a reason for celebration, and with both the GM and the Head Coach already released from their duties, Charlotte will now begin a long rebuild process (as will San Diego), but on this day they can hold their heads up, earning a win and finishing the year with a small statement of pride.   Fields Makes ROTY Statement with Huge Game in Finale As if Justin Fields needed more ammunition in his battle to earn Rookie of the Year, a season-finale that saw him throw for 336 yards and 3 touchdowns certainly put the cherry on top. All kudos to the strong seasons put up by Washington HB Travis Etienne, Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence, and Denver DE Odafe Oweh, the ROTY has to go to Fields as he not only put up huge games in Columbus, but also led Ohio to a 9-7 record and a Wild Card berth.   Fields was dynamic all season, and will be a real test for the Chicago Machine this week, though they, more than any other team has seemed well-suited to defending the young QB’s dual threat nature. Fields finishes the season with a QB Rating of 67.5, which is hardly eye-popping, and his 2,962 yards and 15:14 TD:INT ratio look very much like numbers that a rookie QB would have when needing more game experience to pick up the speed of pro football, and that certainly seemed true at times this year. But what is missing in those numbers is the impact the Ohio State product had with his legs. In addition to the 2,962 yards and 15 TDs passing, we have to add in 728 yards rushing, with 11 rushing touchdowns. Those are some impressive numbers and create a very different picture of the rookie QB. With 26 total TDs, and more than double the rushing yards of the Glory’s lead back, Isaiah Pead, Fields was the Ohio offense this year, a lot to ask of a rookie. He not only made the plays necessary to get Ohio back to the postseason, but with a style that was a regular on ESPN’s Plays of the Day.   Campbell Gets Share of Sack Title with 4 Final Week Takedowns I think we have all learned by now never to count out DE Calais Campbell. He has done this before. Constancy was the name of the game all year for Campbell in his new role on the Baltimore Blitz. Just look at these numbers across the first 10 games of the year, total sacks each week of: 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, and 2. Every week he showed up, and after 15 games he had an impressive 23 sacks, impressive for anyone not named Calais Campbell. But those 23 sacks meant he was 3 behind the league leader, his replacement in Orlando, Montez Sweat. Sweat went into the final week with that 3 sack advantage. So, what is Campbell to do? After all, this is a player who has won 12 consecutive sack titles, an incredible and, very likely, unmatchable record.   Well, the only thing to do is to record 4 sacks in the season finale. Campbell’s line against the St. Louis Skyhawks this week included 9 tackles and a forced fumble, but it was the 4 sacks that had everyone once again praising Campbell. The amazing output in the season’s final week not only gave Campbell a 1-sack lead in the season-long marathon, but was vital to Baltimore’s hard-fought 17-10 victory, a victory that gave them a chance at a Wild Card. They would lose out on that chance with Philadelphia’s win over Chicago, but certainly Campbell did all anyone could ask of him in helping the Blitz in Week 17. Later in the Weekend, Montez Sweat would equalize Campbell’s total, with 1 sack in Orlando’s Week 17 win. It means Campbell would now share the sack title for the first time in his career, but after 12 seasons all alone at the top, the fact that he was able to make up a 3-sack deficit to share the title with Sweat is just one more amazing story in a career of impressive moments.   The week’s results give us our 12 playoff teams, with Seattle and Tampa Bay earning home field with the 1 seed, Denver and Birmingham getting a bye as the 2 seeds, and 8 teams ready to face each other this week in the Wild Card round. Philadelphia’s win over Chicago gave the Stars the NE Division crown only 1 year after going 2-14, a title lost by New Jersey when they were defeated by Ohio. Chicago claimed the final division title, doing so not with a victory but with a pair of losses, their own offset by Michigan’s surprising loss in Pittsburgh. The final playoff slots were all claimed by teams in position after Week 16 as Houston, Philadelphia, Ohio, and Arizona all won this week to lock up the final positions, sending Baltimore, Atlanta, Oakland, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles home empty.   So, in our Wild Card round it will be the 6 seeds, New Jersey and Ohio headed to the 3 seeds, Philadelphia and Chicago, setting up two divisional matchups, including a classic rivalry. The 4 seeds, Orlando and Arizona will also host the 5 seeds, with Houston heading to central Florida while Michigan must now travel to the desert.   Four playoff games this week, each with its own injury situation. Fortunately, there were few significant injuries in Week 17, but that does not mean that teams will not be impacted by the absence of some key players this weekend. Here is the breakdown of each game from an injury perspective:   NJ:  T D. Stephenson (IR), QB T. Bridgewater (IR), DE K. Ealy (D), G J. Garnett (P) PHI:  DE D. Hunter (P), DT J. Babineaux (P) Ordinarily, we would say that New Jersey will have issues with Donald Stephenson out of commission, but if both Hunter and Babineaux are also out, the Star pass rush is also hurting. New Jersey’s biggest issue may actually be the loss of their own pass rush specialist, Kony Ealy, in this game.   MGN:  SS M. Johnson (Out), LB D. Bush (D), CB D. Kirkpatrick (Q) ARZ:  OT M. Van Dyck (IR), CB J. Harris (IR), G C. Whitehair (D), LB A. J. Klien (D) The Panthers’ D could be significantly hampered if both Devon Bush and Dre Kirkpatrick are out of commission, though both could still make an appearance. For Arizona, it is unlikely that A. J. Klien will be able to go, though he has not fully been ruled out.   HOU:  DE T. Crowder (Out), LB R. Wilson (P) ORL:  DT E. Ferguson (IR), G A. Silatulo (Out), CB M. Jackson (D) The good news for Houston is that they expect Ramik Wilson to be active for the game. The bad news is that Orlando still has a pretty solid O-line, even with Silatulo out for the playoffs.   OHI:  CB K. Seymour (Q), DE D. Jones (Q) CHI:  DE J. Pierre-Paul (Q), G N. Allegretti (Q), CB J. Verritt (P), SS J. Poyer (P) The Machine are hoping that they can get all 4 of their injured players ready to go by Saturday. If they cannot, the absence of Pierre-Paul and Poyer in particular could make life quite a bit easier for Ohio and QB Justin Fields.   Black Monday Comes for Joseph, Moss, LaFleur & LeBeau With another season coming to an end the dreaded “Black Monday”, when teams announce the release of coaches from their duties, comes with it. While we would hardly say that any of the four announcements we received this Monday were surprises, it is still somewhat amazing to see a highly respected football mind like that of Dick LeBeau out on the street looking for work. San Diego’s Dick LeBeau, after 8 seasons with the Thunder, was unable to survive a second consecutive 3-win season in southern California, released after his Thunder became the first and only team this year to fall to defeat to the Charlotte Monarchs. He joins Portland’s Matt LaFleur, Jacksonville’s Winston Moss, and Charlotte’s Vance Joseph on the unemployment line, though we doubt any of the four will remain there for long.   LeBeau started strong after his move from Michigan to Las Vegas and then San Diego. In his first year he topped .500, with the Thunder (then in Las Vegas) at 9-7. By 2016 he had the Thunder in the playoffs, where they would stay for 4 consecutive years, winning 10 games in 2016, 2017, and 2018 before winning the division title in 2019 at 12-4. But each year early playoff exits showed the club that despite consistent winning records, they were not at the level of Western Conference powers like Arizona and Michigan. What happened after the 2019 Division Crown was unforeseen and initially viewed as a fluke, a 3-13 collapse that saw all of the successes of the prior year turned on their head. LeBeau survived the collapse, with many predicting a quick turnaround, but with another 3-win season this year, the club felt a change was needed. LeBeau, considered a defensive mastermind, will almost certainly catch on as a DC if he wishes, but after nearly 20 years as head coach of the Panthers and Thunder, he may well opt to step away rather than move back to a coordinator role.  In Portland, Matt LaFleur had his moments. Twice in his 6-year tenure he had the club above .500 and looking like a potential Pacific Division challenger, but with only 1 playoff appearance in 6 years, and with QB Marcus Mariota seeming to regress after a solid 2019 campaign, the shiny image of LaFleur as a QB whisperer started to varnish. Portland had its second 9-7 season in 2020, but failed to make the postseason. This year’s drop to 5-10-1 was one too many disappointments for ownership in Portland, and with fans decrying the “wasting” of Mariota’s prime years, the Stags made the decision to move on and seek a different focus. They will almost certainly focus on an offensive-minded coach, as it once again was the offense that failed the Stags, averaging only 18.8 points per game, an 8-point per game drop from 2020.  There was hope in Jacksonville, and that hope may have been the cause for the club to move on from Head Coach Winston Moss after only 2 seasons. The hope came in two waves, first the 7-9 season in 2020 which showed improvement on both sides of the ball, led by resurgent QB Teddy Bridgewater, and then in 2021 a new hope as the Bulls invested in Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence had his moments this season, but too few and with too many other issues on the squad, the Bulls slipped from 7-9 to 5-11 after many viewed them as a possible riser, even with a rookie QB. For 2022 a new coach will get the opportunity to build an offense around Lawrence and wideout Tee Higgins. Of course, with a defense that gave up nearly 26 points per game, that side of the ball should also not be ignored as the Bulls seek a leader with a record of success as a team builder.  And finally, there is Vance Joseph, whose departure from the club has been well known for the past month. It is still odd to think that the Monarchs essentially fired their coach four weeks ago, but chose to have him run out the string. It is even stranger to realize that the club still fought to win games after the decision was made, earning their first and only win of the year in the season finale. But, after 2 seasons that saw Charlotte dip from 6-10 to 1-15, and with issues ranging from defensive continuity to offensive ineptitude, the need to clean house seemed obvious. Fans, still upset that Jim Mora Jr. was let go despite taking Charlotte to the playoffs in 7 of the prior 8 seasons, never warmed to Joseph, and the team’s performance certainly did not win him any fans within the ownership box either.   And so for these 4 teams the offseason starts in earnest, with a new coaching hire primary among their interests and efforts. Along with Houston, whose longstanding future Hall of Fame coach Wade Phillips is preparing to retire, the Monarchs, Bulls, Stags, and Thunder will begin interviewing candidates this week, taking advantage of the bye weeks for the league’s 4 best clubs to meet with coordinators on the more successful clubs, though we also expect that some big names not currently under contract, names like Coughlin and Harbaugh, will also be getting inquiries as well. The 2022 season starts now for these clubs as they try to rebuild and reset expectations for a brighter future.   Brady gets Ovation and Ceremonial Start in Oakland Finale The season finale did not go the way the Oakland Invaders would have hoped, with Seattle easily controlling the game at Levi’s Stadium, but that did not stop the club from taking a moment to celebrate a future USFL and NFL Hall of Famer as his career came to an end. QB Tom Brady, who won two USFL titles with the New Jersey Generals, then moved on to the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL, where he helped “America’s Team” win 3 titles in 7 years, returned to the USFL in 2020 with the Invaders, looking to add a final chapter to his career back in the region where he was born and raised.   Invader fans had hoped for a deep playoff run with Brady at the helm, but with Oakland finishing 8-8 in both seasons, unable to turn a solid defense, a decent roster, and Brady’s leadership into a winning season, the dream of a 6 th title for the former late round draft pick from Michigan never materialized. The lack of success in Oakland did not keep the Invaders from giving Brady a proper sendoff. After having benched the 2-time USFL Champion QB with a month to play in the season, a move designed to help develop rookie Davis Mills, Oakland gave “Old Man Tom” the start this weekend. Brady came out for the first play of the game against Seattle, handed the ball off to Christian McCaffrey, then received a standing ovation as he left the field, the stadium PA announcer encouraging the crowd to celebrate the veteran QB. Action was paused for several minutes as players from both teams congratulated Brady on a career of successes and the Invaders handed him the game ball to add to his many accolades and awards.   Brady has already set up the next phase of his career, signing a deal to become the highest paid color commentator on the Fox network. Brady, having played in both the spring and fall leagues will join Fox’s teams for both their NFL and USFL coverage, beginning with a pair of guest appearances on Fox’s pregame show during the USFL playoffs before taking over as an in-stadium commentator when the 2021 NFL season kicks off in September. With his official retirement from the game this year, Brady will be eligible for induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026, and could be another example of a player entering the Hall as a joint nominee of both pro leagues, following in the footsteps of another dual league superstar, Kurt Warner.   First 18 of Draft Order now Known Twelve teams enter the playoffs, which now means that 18 teams are done for the year and as players clean out their lockers and head for home, the GM’s, scouts, and cap specialists get cranking. It also means that we now know the first 18 picks in the 2022 USFL Open Draft. We have known for a while that Chalotte would be leading off the Draft with the first pick, and that San Diego would follow, but now we can look at all 18 non-playoff teams, their needs, and their spot in the upcoming draft.   1-Charlotte The Monarchs’ biggest need is certainly at QB after a failed experiment with former NFL and Oakland signal caller Jimmy Garoppolo. But, in a weaker QB class, will there be an option here, or will Free Agency be their path forward?   2-San Diego The Thunder finished 2021 dead last in passing at only 185.4 YPG. But, is the issue the competition between the Christians (Ponder & Hackenberg) or is it their offensive line and sub-par receivers. We think they go WR early, especially because Ohio is unlikely to claim both Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave in the T-Draft, two Buckeye fliers.   3-Jacksonville The Bulls feel they got their QB in the 2020 Draft, and Trevor Lawrence’s rookie numbers (3,627 yards, 21 TDs) seem to back that up. So, do they address the league’s 26 th -ranked run game or do they look at the 29 th  ranked defense? If they get a shot at either Georgia’s Travon Walker or Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson at DE, we think they go for defense first.   4-St. Louis The Skyhawks have needs all across their 26 th ranked defense. The secondary would be a good place to start, and there could well be some real talent at the top of the Open Draft at cornerback, including LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr., Cincinnati’s Sauce Gardner, and Washington’s Trent McDuffie.   5-Portland Does the new coach stick with Mariota? Will he really have an option? Not likely in the QB class, so the Stags might need to look at another position of need, like RT, where Trey Pipkens struggled in both the run game and as a pass protector.   6-Oklahoma They love Jalen Hurts, got a great deal on Eddie Lacy in trade, so now the Outlaws need to focus on a line that simply could not create a strong pocket for their QB or clear the way for Lacy. Pick a position, tackle, guard or center and there will be option for them with this pick.   7-Washington The Feds love their new offense, with Travis Etienne making it easier for Jacoby Brissett to use play action, so it is now time to address the league’s worst run defense. They could put someone opposite Bradley Chubb if a DE is here, or they could beef up the DT position with one of Georgia’s big hosses, because Atlanta will not protect both Devonte Wyatt and Jordan Davis.   8-Las Vegas The Viper’s biggest issue was the play of their safeties, so expect that to be a position of attention in both free agency and the draft. We love both Wolverine Daxton hill and Golden Domer Kyle Hamilton as possible options in the 1 st  round.   9-San Antonio The Gunslingers improved over their 1 st season, but the defense is still weak against the run and could use a real thumper in the LB group. Ulysses Gilbert is better as a strong side backer, not the MLB in their 4-3. Unfortunately, no MLB candidates currently hold first round grades, so the Gunslingers need to hope they see something in this fall's season.   10-New Orleans Even with the injury to Geno Smith that cost him over a month, New Orleans was still Top 10 in both passing and scoring. They could go corner, to put someone opposite Tra’Davious White, defensive tackle, or they could look at a somewhat inconsistent situation at right tackle. It is good to have options at pick 10.   11-New England With no QB help expected here, the Steamrollers either have to decide between Tannehill or Winston or go for what is behind Door 3 in free agency. In the draft we think they try to add more weapons, perhaps a more consistent back, someone like Iowa State’s Breece Hall or Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker.   12-Memphis Another team that likely will have QB on the mind, but who are unlikely to find the answer in the draft. Expect Memphis to focus on their 22 nd  rated run defense. The front line is solid enough, but they need more speed at LB, and if veteran NaVorro Bowman retires, well, that blows a huge hole in the middle of Rex Ryan’s defensive scheme.   13-Los Angeles They have a core group of speedy receivers, a solid back in Perkins, and a pretty solid line, so why is the LA offense so bad? It may be time to admit that Kyler Murray is not the guy. But, as we keep saying, that is a free agency issue. In the draft we think they go for an upgrade at tight end, or possibly a 2 nd  back to create a HB duo.   14-Oakland Davis Mills played well enough in the season’s final month of the season that we think Oakland will stand pat there. They have far more questions in the secondary, at both corner and safety, so we think they look for pass defenders in the early rounds.   15-Atlanta The Atlanta defense that was so effective in 2020 just fell apart in 2021. Ranking 24 th  against the pass and not much better against the run. They need help at DT and MLB (behind Kuechley) and another corner could not hurt.   16-Dallas We all may have expected too much from Justin Herbert this year. After all he cannot play defense, and the Dallas D definitely let them down, allowing 366.2 yards per game, including nearly 282 per game through the air. The big issue is at the nickel corner, so expect an early pick on a rookie DB.   17-Pittsburgh The Maulers have to put more around Andy Dalton. He is not getting any younger and between a shaky line and the worst rushing attack in the league, he is not going to be able to sustain offense without help. The Maulers need to be bigger and meaner all across the line and they need to reconsider if Sony Michel truly is a lead back.   18-Baltimore No one threw more passes this year than Jake Locker, and yet the Blitz were only 14 th  in passing yardage. They missed out on the playoffs despite having the best pass defense in the league and one of the best overall defenses, so they are going to need to concentrate on the offense this year. It could start on the interior of the line (guard or center) or it could be adding more speed at wideout, someone to help Michael Pittman avoid double coverage.   Four Wild Card games on tap this week. Four games that are Win or Go Home, and four games with storylines to follow, from division rivalries, longstanding powers trying for one more shot at glory, and up and comers hoping to do more than just make an appearance. Here is our quick look at all 4 games on tap, as well as our picks for who comes out on top, surviving and advancing.   6- New Jersey Generals (9-7) @ 3- Philadelphia Stars (10-6) Saturday, July 24 @ 3pm ET Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA Stars -5 The Stars get two bumps from the Vegas bookmakers, the usual 3-point home field bump, and a bump for going 2-2 over the past 4 weeks instead of 0-4 as New Jersey did. The key for the Stars is getting Derek Henry involved early and often, even if it does not produce big gains, because that keeps the defense off Carson Wentz, and when he has a clean pocket, he can be effective. For the reeling Generals, they need to figure out what has gone wrong this month and fix it quickly. That may mean doing something uncharacteristic, like asking Nick Foles to throw 40 passes, not 19. Or it may mean sending Aldon Smith and Matt Milano on more blitzes, even if that leaves the corners in man coverage.   OUR PICK:  We think Philly, despite losing to New Jersey twice this year, has the upper hand, and is playing better ball right now. We take the Stars to win 24-17.   5- Michigan Panthers (10-6) @ 4- Arizona Wranglers (10-6) Saturday, July 24 @ 7pm ET State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ Wranglers -4   Arizona is a moderate favorite, largely off their huge 41-7 win this week and the fact that they are at home. But they know not to take Michigan lightly. These two faced off in the Western Conference Title Game last year and Michigan knocked them out with a 24-21 win. They could very well have their number again. The key for Michigan is obvious; LeVeon Bell has to be a threat. The better his first quarter is, the better the protection and options will be for Kirk Cousins. For Arizona, it is about unleashing Bud DuPree to go after Cousins on defense, and unleashing Victor Cruz and DeMarcus Robinson for big plays on offense.   OUR PICK:  This one could easily go either way. But we think the Wranglers have been on an upward trajectory the past 6 weeks, and their offense just has more ways to beat you than Michigan’s, so we are going to again pick the home favorite. Wranglers 27-24.   5- Houston Gamblers (10-6) @ 4- Orlando Renegades (11-5) Sunday, July 25 @ 2pm ET Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL Gamblers -3   A rarity in the gambling world, a playoff game with a road favorite. The betting public just has more faith in Colt McCoy, a probable MVP candidate, vs. Russell Wilson, who led the league with 25 interceptions. Now, Montez Sweat could have a lot to say about that, but Houston is a very potent offense and one good enough to work around a problem matchup like those Sweat creates. Orlando will need to ask a lot from Wilson, and from NFL import back Chris Carson, if they want to stay on pace with the Gamblers. OUR PICK:  Maybe the Vegas books, the gambling public, and our bullpen are still underestimating the Renegades. After all they have won 6 in a row to end the season. But we just cannot see them as the favorites, even at home. We are going with the more proven commodity and picking the Gamblers. Our pick is Houston 28-20.   6- Ohio Glory (9-7) @ 3- Chicago Machine (11-5) Sunday, July 25 @ 6pm ET Soldier Field, Chicago, IL Machine -9   So, do we expect to see the Ohio team that shocked Chicago 23-16 in Week 11 or the team that folded, losing 34-0 in Week 14? Honestly, it all comes down to how Chicago handles rookie QB Justin Fields, and when we look at the two games combined, Fields rushed for a grand total of -11 yards. Yup, Chicago knows how to keep him from winning with his legs. So that means he has to have a game like the one this week, where he threw the ball 40 times and had 3 TD passes. If he could get some help from Isaiah Pead, the Glory could surprise us, but he has just not been the same this year.   OUR PICK:  We have to go with the heavily favored Machine. Chicago is better on paper in so many ways, and Ohio could be a classic “Happy to have made it here” story. Chicago is not. They want a title, and they have played very well down the stretch, including that demolition of the Glory only 4 weeks ago. We choose Chicago, 19-10.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: A really tough choice this week, but, as much as we respect Tony Pollard's 135 yards or even Patrick Peterson's two pick-sixes this week, we have to give it to Geno Smith, returning from injury and returning in style with 401 yards and 4 TDs as the Breakers gave Houston a huge scare. Smith, in 2 games back from injury has put up 636 yards and 7 touchdowns, sending a message that the Breakers will be back in form in 2022. PLAYOFF PICTURE: We are down to only 4 playoff spots left, with New Jersey and Orlando locking up berths this week (New Jersey backing in with a 3rd straight loss, but still getting in on tiebreakers). That leaves only a few playoff positions left to decide. We also have 4 of 6 Divisions wrapped up with 1 week left in the season. Denver and Birmingham locked up the Southwest and the South, respectively, while Chicago and New Jersey need more to get the crown. So, with 4 spots left to decide, how many teams are still in the battle? There are 4 teams battling for 2 spots in the East, with Houston and Philadelphia controlling their own destiny while Baltimore and Atlanta will need some help. In the West, tiebreaker chaos could be the theme as we have 6 teams all with a mathematical chance at a playoff berth, with the Wranglers and Glory now in position to control their destiny, while Oakland, Dallas, and even 7-8 Pittsburgh and LA still have life.

We are down to 4 playoff spots left and 2 division titles yet to decide as the USFL heads into Week 17. Orlando and New Jersey got their golden tickets this week, though the Generals hardly feel like celebrating as they dropped their 3 rd game in a row, a tough loss to the Michigan Panthers. Orlando is feeling a lot better, having just won their 5 th  in a row and now in position to claim the 4 th  seed and a home playoff game. In the West, Michigan has now won 5 in a row and is still only 1 game behind Chicago for the Central crown. Denver locked up the SW Division with a win and a Wrangler loss, and Ohio steps back into the 6-slot after a win and some help. We will, of course, recap all of this week’s action, and, most importantly, break down the Week 17 scenarios as it looks like only 2 teams, Tampa Bay and Birmingham, are in a position to rest starters. Prepare for some mayhem this week, and for playoff football a week early all across the USFL. All that, plus our big story as a former “future face of the franchise” quarterback says that he is ready to move on. We start with that story as a frustrated Paxton Lynch is ready to part ways with Coach Ryan and the Showboats.   Lynch Won’t Return to Showboats After "Disrespect" from Ryan After a 2020 season that saw Paxton Lynch throw for 3,500 yards, 27 touchdowns and a division title, you can understand how the Memphis QB thought his spot atop the depth chart was secured. Paxton was, after all, the “Future of the Showboats” back in 2016, when Memphis used the T-Draft to select the local star from the University of Memphis. Lynch would become the full time starter a year later, and has missed only 2 games since then, throwing for over 15,000 yards and 92 touchdowns as the Showboat starter, not to mention two playoff seasons and a division title at 13-3 last season. And yet, 3 weeks ago, with Memphis still marginally in the playoff hunt at 6-6, Coach Rex Ryan announced that he was changing things up and starting NFL import Blake Bortles over Lynch.   The thing is, Lynch is hardly the reason that Memphis was only sitting at .500 after 12 games. His 2,422 yards and 13:9 TD:INT ratio were not as strong as 2020, but they were hardly troubling numbers. He was completing 67% of his throws and had made some big plays in the Showboats’ 6 wins. Meanwhile, the run game, which was touted as the core of the Showboat offense, had proven far less effective in 2021 than the season before, with Todd Gurley’s per carry average dropping from 4.5 YPC in 2020 to 3.8, and the defense, well, there is a story there. Memphis had one of the league’s most aggressive defenses in 2020 and that aggression led to takeaways, sacks, and a lot of 3-and-outs. Turn to 2021, and even with the successful integration of NFL superstar DE J. J. Watt, the defense is just not the same. Memphis is allowing nearly 25 points per game, ranking 20 th  in the league and a solid 8 points below their 2020 pae. They are also 22 nd  against the run.  Lynch came out of Memphis, to Memphis, but now moves on. None of this is Paxton Lynch’s fault, and yet, when it got to be desperation time for the Showboats, Coach Ryan put the blame on his quarterback, calling him out and benching him. So, what is Lynch to do. Coming up on the conclusion of his extended deal, Lynch had a choice to make, and that choice involved returning to more negativity from Coach Ryan or moving into the free agent market and taking his chances that he could find a better situation with a coach who saw Lynch’s 2020 season and could imagine better years to come. And so, Lynch made it very clear to the Memphis brass, and to the media this week that he would not be resigning with the club, and that he and his agent would be headed into free agency in hope of finding a better fit.   Coach Ryan had few words about the Lynch situation this week, preferring instead to focus on the issues that had produced 3 consecutive losses (all with Bortles at the helm) and saying that he was hoping to use the season’s final game, at New Orleans, to evaluate talent as he and the Showboats head into the offseason. As for Lynch, he will likely be near the top of a small QB group in free agency. There are some rumors that New England will be letting either Ryan Tannehill or Jameis Winston go after Week 17, and many anticipate that Jimmy Garoppolo will be let go after a very rough year in Charlotte, so Lynch may well garner a good bit of attention from teams this September. Whoever signs him may well get a very motivated QB with a pretty big Rex-Ryan-shaped chip on his shoulder.   ARIZONA WRANGLERS 17   SEATTLE DRAGONS 18 It was billed as a showdown between the perennial power and the new challenger, but what it really was could best be described as a battle of two of the better teams in the West, both trying very hard to ensure that they would not show too much ahead of the playoffs. Of course, Arizona is still not assured a spot in the postseason while Seattle is sitting pretty atop the conference, guaranteed a spot but still potentially vulnerable to losing their 1 seed and home field advantage.   The Dragons had the home field edge on Saturday night, as they hosted the Wranglers. Lumen Field was rockin’, with more than 48,600 in attendance, and the fans were there to see their club defeat the dominant team of the past 6-8 years in the USFL’s Western Conference. Arizona was there to try to get another win, a 4 th  in a row, and hopefully challenge Denver for the Southwestern title. Both were ready to prove that they had what it took for a deep playoff run this year, and what both proved is that their defenses are very capable of stepping up when needed.   After defeating Las Vegas 37-29 last week, the Wranglers were feeling like their offensive attack was hitting on all cylinders, while Seattle, themselves 30-17 victors over Jacksonville in Week 15, had felt good about their attack, especially the run game led by league leader Knowshon Moreno, for several weeks. But, in this matchup, points would be hard to come by and defenses would find ways to stifle drives before they hit paydirt. That reality emerged pretty early, with both defenses starting the game very aggressively, and both offenses struggling to get things going. The first 13 minutes of the game saw only 1 first down between the to clubs and 4 punts, but when Seattle got the ball for a 3 rd  time ,they finally found a big play and some points. The play was a first down play action, with Arizona left in man coverage as they overreacted to the fake to Moreno. Brett Hundley found Amari Cooper down the right sideline and 45 yards later, they were solidly in Arizona territory. But the Wrangler D recovered, stopping Moreno on a 3 rd  and 3 run and forcing Seattle to settle for a Jeffery Harris field goal.   The second quarter would see 3 similar drives and 3 more field goals, two from the Dragons and one from the Wranglers. Seattle took a 9-3 lead into the half, but the two teams had combined for less than 250 total yards in the half, and it looked like this could be a game settled by the kickers. That was certainly the sense of things after Jeffrey Harris connected on a 49-yarder early in the 3 rd quarter, his fourth kick of the day. Now down 12-3, Arizona could not afford to continue to falter on key plays or to even settle for 3-point kicks. They would need a touchdown.   Following the Seattle kick, the Wranglers came out with purpose, intent on finally reaching the endzone and getting back in the game. They started the drive with a 14-yard connection between David Carr and TE Robert Tunyan. The early success helped open up running lanes for Crowell and Carey, as the two managed 23 yards on 5 carries on the drive, including Isaiah Crowell’s 1-yard plunge for the game’s first touchdown. But before that score was perhaps David Carr’s best throw of the game, a laser between the corner and the safety that found Victor Cruz and got the ball to the 1. With one solid drive the Wranglers were right back in the game at 12-10.   That is how the third quarter ended, with Seattle holding a narrow lead, but Arizona having found some offensive success. The two teams traded short drives and on Seattle’s 2 nd  possession of the final quarter, a sack by Bud Dupree, his second on the day, forced a punt after only 4 plays, and Arizona got the ball back with 4:11 left in the game, trailing by 2. They would need only 37 seconds to flip the game’s script and take the lead. It was a 3-play drive that covered 71 yards. Play one was a swing pass to Ka’Deem Carey that would go for 21, a simple play but a missed tackle gave Arizona a nice starter to the drive. The Wranglers then hit on a deep ball, with Victor Cruz gaining 25, to the Dragon 25, on another nice throw from Carr. Finally, from the 25, a sweep by Carey proved the perfect call as Seattle failed to set the edge and LB Khalil Mack was blocked off his pursuit by the TE Tonyan, allowing Carey to dart down the field, along the sideline and in for a go-ahead score. With 3:43 left on the clock, Arizona had gone up 5 for their first lead of the game, 17-12.   But, as we all know, 3:43 is plenty of time for an offense to put together a drive, and a 5-point lead is a very precarious situation. Arizona was aware of both realities but still found themselves somewhat impotent against a Seattle attack that came on the field with fierce purpose. The Dragons maintained balance, using Moreno even as the clock ran down, confident that with all 3 timeouts in their possession, they would have the time they needed. Moreno would have one of his best drives of the day, adding 31 yards to his total, for a final tally of 93 on 14 touches. The drive included a pair of 11-yard runs, both producing first downs, a 7-yarder on 1 st  and 10, and a key 3 rd  down 3-yard run when 2 were needed. Those runs were intermixed with short passes from Brett Hundley to Kyle Rudolph, Greg Jones, and Marshall Newhouse before the dagger in Arizona’s heart. With a first and 10 at the 5, and just over 48 seconds to play, Seattle lined up in a standard I-formation, with Cooper and Newhouse wide. Hundley handed off to FB Greg Jones, who took the ball to the 3, but it was a set up.   Seattle quickly came to the line, with Hundley barking out “Tuesday, Tuesday”, a line call that most recognized as a repeat of the prior play. Arizona certainly read it that way and shifted their line tight, pulling the linebackers and safeties in, preparing to stuff Jones on a 2 nd  attempt. But the ball did not go to Jones. Instead, Hundley pulled the ball out of Jones’s gut and quickly threw a pass out to the flat, where Amari Cooper was racing. Cooper snatched the ball inside the 1 and fell into the endzone for the score with 39 seconds on the clock. The dummy call at the line had worked to perfection as Arizona had only the corner defending Cooper and the flat route pulled the ball away from coverage and into a spot where only the receiver could bring it in.   Seattle would go for 2, trying to lock in a 3-point advantage, but Arizona was able to chase Hundley towards the sideline and force a wild throw that was uncatchable. Down 1 point with 39 seconds on the clock, the Wranglers would need some big plays to reach field goal range for Elliot Parson. What they got instead was a 1 st  down turnover, with David Carr’s pass finding CB Chidobe Awuzie instead of receiver DeMarcus Robinson. Awuzie played inside coverage but was fast enough to undercut Robinson when the Wrangler receiver made his outward cut. With the pick the game was all but over. The Seattle crowd celebrated as Hundley took a knee. Seattle was now 12-3, still atop the conference, while Arizona dropped to 9-6 and very much would need to play a good game in Week 17 to ensure a Wild Card berth.   TAMPA BAY 41  BALTIMORE 21 The Bandits continue to roll, this time getting touchdowns from 5 different players as they roll past the Blitz, putting up 31 unanswered points to turn a 7-7 game into a 38-7 advantage and an eventual 20-point win. Dalvin Cook rushed for 114 and a TD, while Dak Prescott also connected with Dez Bryant and TE Jordan Cameron before Coach Trestman took him out up 31. B. J. Daniels finished the game off with a TD to B. J. Daniels as the Bandits cruised to their 13 th win of the year. POTG:  Bandit HB Dalvin Cook: 15 Att, 114 Yds, 7.6 YPC, 1 TD   NEW JERSEY 31   MICHIGAN 36 The Panthers needed 16 points in the 4 th  quarter to overcome a 31-20 deficit, but they get the win and sent New Jersey to a 3 rd consecutive loss. The defense sacked Nick Foles for a safety, but it was two late Kirk Cousins TD passes that truly got the Panthers the win, hitting Cody Latimer for a 75-yard momentum shifter before finding TE Martellus Bennett with the game winner in the final minute of action. Cousins was picked 3 times by the Generals but came out on top in the game’s final minutes. POTG:  Michigan QB Kirk Cousins: 28/36, 357 Yds, 3 TD, 3 Int   DALLAS 34  MEMPHIS 14 A big win for the Roughnecks as they stay in the hunt at 8-7. A 21-point 2 nd quarter helped them take control of the game, with Memphis not scoring until the 4 th . Touchdowns by Samaje Perine and Tim Wright were followed by a Patrick Peterson 53-yard pick-six to wrap up the 2 nd  quarter. Peterson then added another long pick-six in the 4 th  to put the game away. With the offense struggling in the 2 nd  half, Peterson’s 2 nd return of the day closed the door on any hope Memphis had for a comeback. POTG:  Dallas CB Patrick Peterson: 6 Tck, 2 Int, 2 Def TD   PITTSBURGH 10   ST. LOUIS 17 The Maulers playoff hopes may be alive, but they are fading fast after yet another defeat, this time in St. Louis, where the Skyhawks got another big game from Tyrod Taylor, throwing for 347 yards and 2 TDs. The Skyhawk defense also came up big, holding Pittsburgh to 53 yards rushing and only 2 of 11 on third down in a very disappointing day for Mauler Nation. At 7-8, there is still a mathematical chance, but they will need a ton of help to get to the postseason at 8-8. POTG:  St. Louis QB Tyrod Taylor: 18/28, 347 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   SAN DIEGO 22   PORTLAND 29 It was a beautiful summer day in Portland, and it appears that most folks opted to spend it somewhere other than Columbia Sportswear Stadium, with only 19,272 showing up to watch the Stags face the Thunder. Those who attended saw Portland put up a pair of TDs, including a Dale Luong pick-six, to take the win over the Thunder. Both Josh Gordon and Brandin Cooks also scored for the Stags, while San Diego starter Christian Hackenberg went 7 for 23 with 3 picks before being pulled, not for Christian Ponder, but a rare Case Keenum sighting. POTG:  Portland CB Dale Luong: 2 Tck, 2 Int, 1 Def TD   DENVER 26  LAS VEGAS 7 The Gold wrap up an unanticipated Southwest Division title, the first not won by the Wranglers since 2014. They did it with a stifling defense that sacked Gardner Minshew 4 times and held Kareem Hunt to only 35 yards rushing. The Denver offense was not explosive, with Josh Allen going only 19 of 31 for 272, but it was balanced, with Patrick Lindsay and Golden Tate both scoring for the Gold in their 19-point division-clinching victory. POTG:  Denver WR Golden Tate: 7 Rec, 114 Yds, 1 TD   ATLANTA 14  ORLANDO 29 The Fire get doused as the Renegades surge to 10-5, locking up a Wild Card berth in the process. Chris Carson ran for 88 yards and Russell Wilson found TE Crockett Gilmore for his lone TD on the day, but it was enough as Pat White struggled with 2 picks and even Nick Chubb was contained, gaining only 50 yards on 13 carries. Atlanta is still alive at 8-7, but they need help, while Orlando now eyes the possible 4 seed and a home playoff game. POTG:  Orlando safety D. J. Swearinger: 6 Tck, 2 PDef, 2 Int   NEW ENGLAND 14   OHIO 17 The Steamrollers could well have won this game, but Jameis Winston flashed some of his 2020 style, throwing 4 picks in a game that got away from him. Justin Fields capitalized with 2 touchdowns off the turnovers, finding both Curtis Samuel and Terry McLaurin for scores. New England’s D should get some credit in defeat as they did what few have this year, held Fields to negative yardage rushing, but all to no avail. POTG:  Glory CB Chimdi Chekwa, 12 Tck, 1 Int, 1 FF   CHARLOTTE 16   SAN ANTONIO 37 The Gunslingers got their biggest victory of the year against the winless Monarchs as 3 different Gunslinger backs found paydirt. Melvin Gordon led all rushers with 110 yards, but C. J. Prosise and FB Rod Benjamin also scored for San Antonio. Charlotte got 105 rushing from Nyheim Hines but 3 Kyle Boller picks helped San Antonio pull away. POTG:  Gunslinger HB Melvin Gordon: 21 Att, 110 Yds, 1 TD   PHILADELPHIA 17   BIRMINGHAM 20 The Stallions lock up the 2-seed after edging the Stars at Protective Stadium. The game came down to a 55-yard field goal attempt by Eddie Pineiro in the final seconds, but the kick hooked wide and the Stallions celebrated, knowing a bye was headed their way. Tim Tebow was only 9 of 20, but still produced 2 scores for the Stallions, who now will likely rest several starters next week as they await the playoff return of Cam Newton. The Stars still have a shot at the NE Division but need a win next week and another New Jersey loss. POTG:  Stallion WR Henry Ruggs: 3 Rec, 120 Yds, 1 TD   HOUSTON 34  NEW ORLEANS 31 Geno Smith almost pulled it off, throwing for 401 yards and 4 TDs, but in the end, the Gamblers found a way to win and kept themselves in control of their playoff destiny at 9-6. Colt McCoy also threw for 4 scores, including a 43-yarder to Mike Evans and a 56-yard seam route to TE Gerald Everett. DeMarco Murray did a bit of everything for the Breakers, leading the team with 12 rushes for 47 yards but also catching 5 Smith passes for 137 yards and a score. In the end, however, the Breakers drop to 5-10, and the Gamblers stay playoff focused. POTG:  Houston WR Mike Evans: 6 Rec, 149 Yds, 1 TD   JACKSONVILLE 16  LOS ANGELES 10 A devastating home loss for the Express as they let Jacksonville stay close and it bit them in the end. With Kyler Murray dinged up it was Matt Gutierrez at the helm for LA, and the former Philly Star looked very rusty, completing only 12 of 31 passes and throwing 2 picks, one of which set up the lone Jacksonville TD, a Devin Singletary 1-yard plunge. LA is still mathematically alive, but with less than a 1% chance of making the postseason after losing this must-win game. POTG:  Bulls CB A. J. Terrell: 5 Tck, 5 PDef, 2 Int, 1 FF   OAKLAND 17   OKLAHOMA 24 A bad day in California as all three Golden State teams fall. Oakland fell behind 24-7 before a late rally, but it was too late as Oklahoma picked off rookie QB Davis Mills twice. Jalen Hurts threw for 2 scores, both to Nick Toon, and Eddie Lacy added a third as the Outlaws improve to 6-9, while Oakland drops to 8-7 and out of playoff position. They still can get there but will need help as Ohio now holds the tiebreaker. POTG:  Oklahoma LB Dont’a Hightower: 7 Tck, 3 Sck   WASHINGTON 12   CHICAGO 30 The Machine took care of business at home, improving to 11-4 and staying in the hunt for the 2 seed in the West. They need a Denver loss in Week 17, but they did their part, outpacing the Federals thanks to a combined 142 yards rushing from Jeremy Hill, Marion Mack, and Tony Jones Jr.. They also got help from the defense as a Jason Pierre-Paul sack of Jacoby Brissett took the Federals’ QB out of the game and put back a rusty Ryan Nassib. POTG:  Chicago safety Jordan Poyer: 6 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 PDef     Living Large vs. Life Support Week 16 results have several clubs feeling pretty spry, while others are clinging to life, at least postseason life. It’s hot vs. cold as we head into the first ever 17 th  week of the USFL season. So, who is feeling on top of the world and who has their fans nervous? Here is our breakdown:   LIVING LARGE   Birmingham has won 5 in a row, with Tim Tebow coming to the rescue after Cam Newton’s injury. The Stallions have wrapped up the 2 seed in the East, meaning that next week’s game is a chance to rest some starters and give Cam Newton an extra week to mend and prepare for his return.   Orlando’s winning streak also hits 5 games as they rocket past the Fire and claim a Wild Card berth at 10-5. Statistically, the Renegades excel in only 1 area, pressuring the QB with Montez Sweat, but they are pulling out games and making the right calls when it matters. They cannot catch Tampa Bay, but if they claim the 4   seed, they will get a home playoff game for their efforts.   Denver has won 5 of their last 6 and this week claimed their first Division Title since 2009. One more win and they too will have a bye week, joining Seattle for a respite before the Divisional Round. They are doing it despite the league’s 2 nd  worst rushing attack, mixing a dynamic passing game with a pretty solid defense, allowing only 63.3 yards per game on the ground.   Chicago won their 4 th  in a row this week but still have Michigan on their heels. They can lock up the division title next week with a win in Philadelphia, where the Stars will be playing for their playoff lives. A win and a Denver loss and it is Chicago enjoying a bye week.   Michigan is still very much in the mix. After a rough midseason that saw them lose 5 of 6, the Panthers have rebounded with 5 consecutive wins and now find themselves 1 game behind Chicago and assured of no worse than a Wild Card. A win in the finale at Pittsburgh and a loss by the Machine and Michigan will return to the top of the Central once again.   LIVING ON LIFE SUPPORT   Pittsburgh has now lost 4 in a row, with this week’s loss to lowly St. Louis perhaps the low point of their season. They sit at 7-8 and need multiple games to go their way next week to sneak their way into the playoffs. Their offense has dropped down the rankings, now 27 th  in scoring, while their 7 th  rated defense is being asked to do far too much.   Los Angeles is another team that just cannot score points to save their lives, which is what they need to do right now, sitting at 7-8 and needing even more support than the Maulers. LA may not have the long losing streak of some other fading teams, but their average of 16 points per game is not encouraging as they head to Portland to face the Stags in the season finale.   Baltimore was the preseason favorite to win the NE Division but now needs help to eke out a 6 th  seed wildcard. They face the Skyhawks in the finale, a team that seems eager to spoil things for others. They will need more out of their 18 th  ranked offense and give some help to the league’s best defense for yards allowed. Too many short and pointless drives on offense give opponents too many short fields.   Atlanta was a darling to challenge Tampa Bay in the Southeast but now sit at 8-7 and need to get some support to make the playoffs. They likely won’t see most of the Bandits’ star players in the finale, since the Bandits don’t want to risk injury, but they cannot take this game lightly. A loss and they have no shot at a Wild Card.   New Jersey had one of the most impressive winning streaks in the league, a 9-game beauty, but they have just lost their 3 rd in a row. A 4 th  and they could easily lose the division crown to Philadelphia. It will not help at all that they face the Ohio Glory, a team that earns a playoff berth with a win. Expect this one to be a tough one as both teams can ill afford to go out with a loss in Week 17.   Patrick Peterson Has Monster Game to Keep Dallas Alive The Roughnecks suffered a bad loss to the Breakers in Week 15 and could not afford another Southern Slipup as they faced Memphis in Memphis. To stay alive for the postseason chase, they needed to go 2-0 down the stretch, but their offense was struggling and their defense had not exactly been dominant in weeks. Enter cornerback Patrick Peterson, who already had 2 pick-sixes on the season, one against Joe Flacco and the Gunslingers in Week 7 and another against Jalen Hurts and the Outlaws in Week 9. Well, against Blake Bortles, he stepped it up another notch, recording not one, but two pick-sixes against the former NFL quarterback. The Roughnecks may have eked out a win against a sloppy Memphis club, but with Peterson providing 14 key points and helping to ramp up the Roughneck bench, the veteran corner did more than enough to ensure that Dallas’s playoff hopes would live one more week.   Newton Unlikely to See Action in Finale For Stallion fans who are eager to see Cam Newton back on the field, you likely will need to wait close to a month to get your wish. While Newton was cleared this week to practice with the team, the Stallions, winners of 5 in a row, and 4 with Tim Tebow under center, simply won’t risk their former MVP candidate in what is now a meaningless Week 17 game in Arizona. No need to risk Newton against Bud DuPree and the Wranglers since the Stallions wrapped up the 2 seed and will have a guaranteed bye in the first round of the playoffs. Expect to see Tim Tebow under center, and a lot of backups on the field. We do not anticipate seeing several Stallion stars, including rookie HB Najee Harris, WR Henry Ruggs or TE Hunter Henry. We may also see Coach Haley hold out DE Dante Fowler, and CB Pacman Jones ahead of the playoff bye. That is great news for the Wranglers, who will wrap up a Wild Card spot with a win in their home finale. It is also great news for Newton, who can practice fully with the team for 3 weeks before returning to action, at home, in the Divisional Round.   Brady & Phillips Make it Official Two big retirement announcements confirmed this week as both Oakland QB Tom Brady and longstanding Houston Head Coach Wade Phillips announce that they will be retiring from football at the conclusion of the 2021 season. Brady, who turned 45 this year, is already the oldest QB in the league, and after being sent to the sideline in favor of rookie Davis Mills, announced this week that he hopes to play in the postseason with Oakland, who need a win and help this week to qualify, but that either way he will step away from the game and take the offer from Fox Sports to join their NFL and USFL broadcast teams.   Wade Phillips is likely not done after next week’s regular season finale. Houston is in position to control their own destiny and can return to the playoffs for 8 th consecutive year with a win against Oklahoma this week. However, despite a strong likelihood of another playoff run, Wade Phillips did make it official this week, telling local radio station KFNC that he would retire after the 2021 season, following a run of 21 seasons that began in 2001 and which has seen Phillips claim 2 league titles in 15 playoff seasons. A sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer from the USFL, Phillips has helped Houston become the only team in the league with 5 John Bassett Trophies, and one of the most consistent winners in the league. Phillips turns 74 this year, well beyond the age when we see many coaches leave the game, but he still has one more game, and possibly one more playoff run to make with the Gamblers before he rides off into the sunset.   With 8 of 12 spots now claimed, Orlando and New Jersey joining Michigan, Chicago, Denver, Birmingham, Seattle, and Tampa Bay as 2021 playoff squads, there are 4 spots left, and with one week of action yet to play we have 10 teams still in the hunt, though some are closing in on their prey while others are lost In the woods and will need help sniffing their target. Here is our breakdown of the entire field as we head into Week 17 action and the final positioning for the 2021 playoffs.   Tampa Bay (13-2):  Assured the 1 seed, home field and a bye. They will almost certainly rest their starters in their somewhat anticlimactic home finale against Atlanta.   Birmingham (11-4):  This week’s win over Philly not only won the Stallions their first Southern Division Title of the new century (yup, since 1999), but also locked in the 2-seed, meaning Birmingham’s bye week is assured and they too are likely to rest several starters as they prepare for the playoffs and the likely return of Cam Newton under center.   New Jersey (9-6):  Losing their last 3 games is not how New Jersey, or any team wants to clinch a playoff spot, but, with only 1 week left to go, their midseason 9-game win streak did enough to lock up at least a Wild Card. But, they could still win the NE Division, all they need is a Week 17 win. The problem is that they are facing an 8-7 Ohio team that can only get into the postseason with a win, no gimme for sure.   Philadelphia (9-6):  Tied with the Generals, but missing out on the tiebreaker after a Generals’ sweep of their series, the Stars are in with a win this week over Chicago, but, if they can get the W and the Ohio Glory take down New Jersey, Philadelphia will return to the top of the NE Division only 1 year after a 2-14 season had them picking first in the draft.   Orlando (10-5):  The Renegades cannot catch Tampa Bay, but a win over Jacksonville and they are the 4 seed with a home Wild Card Game. That alone is a pretty nice feather in the cap of Coach Rivera, who was on the hot seat for sure before they put together what is now a 7 of 8 streak.   Houston (9-6):  The Gamblers cannot capture the Southern title, but with a win over Oklahoma, they are playoff bound once again, their 8 th consecutive appearance and a very appropriate swan song for Coach Phillips.   Baltimore (8-7):  The Blitz are currently on the outside, looking in, but a win over St. Louis paired with a loss by Philadelphia and they claim the final Wild Card over the Stars.   Atlanta (8-7):  The up-and-down Fire are still alive, but they need everything to break their way. They need a win over Tampa Bay and losses by both Philadelphia and Baltimore to qualify as the 6 seed. Not impossible, but even with a playoff spot they would be favored to be one-and-done in the tourney.     Seattle (12-3):  They have the best record in the West, have claimed the Pacific Division crown, but have not yet locked up the coveted 1-seed. A win over Oakland guarantees them home field throughout as well as the bye, but a loss and either Chicago or Denver could overtake them.   Denver (11-4):  While Gold fans are overjoyed to see the Gold win the SW Division, they want more, and there is more to be had. A win over San Antonio means no lower than the 2 seed and a Wild Card bye, but if Seattle loses, then we may need a coin flip for who is the 1 vs. 2 as the tiebreakers are looking very even.   Chicago (11-4):  Still hoping to clinch the division but with Michigan hot on their heels, a win over Philadelphia gives them what they want, and if Denver loses to San Antonio, they will snatch away the 2 seed. A loss and the Panthers could steal away the division title too, so a lot to play for.   Michigan (10-5): A 5-2 division record, compared with Chicago’s 4-4 mark means that a win over Pittsburgh and a loss by the Machine and Michigan reclaims the Central Division. Regardless of the Chicago score, Michigan is in, but they would love a shot at that division crown.   Arizona (9-6): The loss to Seattle means the division is not going to be theirs, but they are still in good position for a Wild Card. A win over Birmingham (who likely rest several starters) gives them a chance in the playoffs, and no one wants to face the veteran Wranglers with advancement on the line. A win plus a loss from the Panthers and Arizona even gets a home Wild Card game as the 4 seed.   Ohio (8-7):  The only 8-win team that controls their own destiny, it is very basic for the Glory: a win over New Jersey and they are the 6 seed. Of course, New Jersey needs the W as well, which is why this is a game to tune in for this week.   Oakland (8-7): They had destiny in their own hands, but the loss to Oklahoma blew it. Now, to claim the 6 seed, they need a win over Seattle and a loss by Ohio. Certainly feasible, but with Seattle needing a win to lock up the 1-seed, there will be no backups in the starting lineup for the Dragons. Oakland will need to beat the Dragons on the up and up.   Dallas (8-7):  With most of the league asking, “Are they still in it?”, the Roughnecks must defeat Las Vegas and hope for two positive results, that Seattle beats Oakland and that New Jersey beats Ohio,m for them to leapfrog both the Glory and the Invaders to claim the 6-seed.   Pittsburgh (7-8):  Now we are getting into some murky waters. The Maulers must first beat Michigan to reach 8-8 and then hope for losses by Ohio, Oakland, and Dallas. If that happens and we have a 4-way tie at 8-8, well, then the tiebreakers get really complicated, but the Maulers are at least in the mix with a 7-5 conference record.   Los Angeles (7-8): To quote “Dumb & Dumber”… “So you are saying there’s a chance?” Yes. LA can potentially win the 6 seed with a victory over Portland and losses by pretty much everyone we have named (Ohio, Oakland, Dallas, and Pittsburgh). But, even then we start getting into some complex tiebreakers, and it may come down to point differential, where LA’s offensive mediocrity (we are being kind) means they may need to run up the score on the Stags to have any shot. Honestly, that feels really unlikely, especially if Kyler Murray is still sidelined.   With so many teams still in the playoff hunt, we are going to do the injury list a bit differently this week. We are focusing on teams in the hunt, and we will list any new injuries as well as any players with injuries that could impact both this week and the first 2 rounds of the playoffs. That way you can see where the issues may be for each playoff team and the contenders for the final spots. Keep an eye on the Kyler Murray situation as that certainly will impact LA’s chances. Also worth noting is the loss of Stephenson in New Jersey, Silatulo in Orlando and Klien in Arizona. The Bandits and Stallions will play lots of backups, so they have time (3 weeks) to rest their injured players, including Cam Newton, who is expected to reclaim the starting job over Tim Tebow in 3 weeks, despite Tebow’s obvious success in the final month of the season.   OUT WR         John Brown                  SEA        Groin                        IR DT          Ego Ferguson                ORL       Groin                       IR OT          Mitchell Van Dyck          ARZ       MCL                        IR DT          Kawann Short                TBY        Wrist                        IR OT          Donald Stephenson      NJ           Fractured Arm      2-4 Weeks LB           Preston Brown              TBY        Hernia                     1-2 Weeks DT          Marcell Dareus              TBY        Toe                            1-2 Weeks G            Amini Silatulo            ORL       Ankle                       1-2 Weeks T              Greg Robinson            BIR         Back                       1-2 Weeks LB           A. J. Klien                     ARZ       Hamstring               1-2 Weeks   DOUBTFUL WR         Kelvin Benjamin              ATL         Abdominal T              Rashawn Slater               PIT         Hernia LB           Devin Bush               MGN     Concussion CB          Michael Jackson             ORL       Neck WR         Chad Williams                 DAL       Broken Arm G             Nick Allegretti              CHI        Leg   QUESTIONABLE CB          Kevon Seymour         OHI       Leg QB         Cam Newton                    BIR         Hip LB           Clay Matthews                DAL       Arm CB          Dre Kirkpatrick                MGN     Shoulder T              George Fant                  NJ           Concussion DE          Taylor Hart                    DAL       Knee DE          Datone Jones                 OHI       Neck DE          Danielle Hunter              PHI        Hip QB         Kyler Murray                   LA          Concussion   Milestones to Watch for in Week 17 For many teams across the USFL, and for many fans as well, Week 17 Is all about playoff positioning, locking in berths or improving the team’s seeding, but for many players it is also about reaching milestones. With only 2 teams expected to be in a position to rest their starters, there are a lot of players who will be striving to meet season totals that trigger bonus payments, others trying to attain personal bests, and some trying for some landmark numbers. We are going to focus on that last group, players close enough to major statistical markers to potentially be a factor in how they play this week and how coaches utilize them. Here are several such players, all within range to hit some impressive totals.   QB Colt McCoy from Houston is certainly focused on getting the Gamblers into the playoffs, but at the same time he is closing in on a 5,000-yard passing season. He is already at a personal best of 4,891 yards, but with only 110 yards in Week 17 he will have his first 5,000-yard season, a number only reached by 8 other players in USFL history. He is not going to reach Troy Aikman’s 1998 record of 5,675, but he could find himself in the Top 10 all time if he can surpass Heath Shuler’s 2001 career best of 5,040. A 300-yard game, certainly not unusual for McCoy, would put him at 7 th  all time, ahead of Shuer, Brett Favre’s 1998 season and Andy Dalton’s 2015 total of 5,169.   We have several running backs who are looking at a pretty standard incentive bonus for reaching 1,000 yards rushing, including Oakland’s Christian McCaffrey (22 yards away), San Diego’s Charles Sims (36), Memphis’s Todd Gurley (66), Orlando’s Chris Carson (91), and Las Vegas’s Kareem Hunt (93). Players hoping a solid day will put them over 1,200 yards include Paul Perkins (at 1,162) and Michigan’s LeVeon Bell (1,113). Some Bandit fans want Dalvin Cook to play in hopes he can gain the 96 yards he needs to reach 1,200, but Coach Trestman and the Bandits have loftier goals for the year, and having Cook rest this week is part of their master plan for a repeat championship.   Another huge milestone is the 100-reception mark for receivers . While once again Aaron Dobson has already eclipsed that total with 114 receptions, joined by Portland’s Brandin Cooks, there are several others within range, including Atlanta’s A. J. Green (at 99), San Antonio’s Brandon LaFell (99), Oakland’s Davante Adams (95), and New Jersey’s Odell Beckham Jr. (94). For yardage, we have a huge group already over 1,000 yards, but Mike Evans is hoping to join Dez Bryant and Golden Tate in the rare air of 1,500-yard seasons. He needs only 9 yards to get there and is the only other player with a realistic shot (unless someone tops 150 or even 200.)   One more receiving milestone is exclusively for the Tight Ends . We already have 2 who have reached the elusive 1,000-yard mark, Oklahoma’s Mark Andrews (1087) and Atlanta’s O. J. Howard (1005). Seattle TE Kyle Rudolph would love to join them and is only 12 yards away, while Oakland’s Zach Ertz would need 57 yards and Breakers’ TE Coby Fleener needs 77 to have his second 1,000-yard season.   Among defenders there are not quite as many milestone targets, though we expect that Ohio LB Ryan Shazier will be gunning for 1 more tackle to reach 100, though he would likely forego that if he could be sure the Glory could win and find themselves in the playoffs. The same is probably true for Pittsburgh’s Brian Orakpo (at 98), or Oakland’s Bobby Wagner (93). Among edge rushers, we already have 5 players over the 20-sack mark, with Calais Campbell currently trailing Montez Sweat, 23-26. If Sweat can hold on, he will be the first player other than Campbell to win the sack title in 12 years. Truly stunning. Others over 20 include Memphis’s NFL import J. J. Watt (22), Arizona’s Bud Dupree (22), and Denver’s Defensive Rookie of the Year favorite, Odafe Oweh (21). Close enough to have a shot at 20 we have Dallas’s Connor Barwin (18), and with a very good day, Atlanta’s Mario Edwards (17). Finally, we should mention that Joe Haden, with 8 picks, is only 2 away from tying the league record, but is also only 1 pick ahead of Michigan’s Dre Kirkpatrick, Chicago’s Josh Norman, and Dallas’s Patrick Peterson, who each have 7 on the year.   Nike Back on Board as USFL Provider With the Under Armour contract coming to a close, and with some teams less than happy with the quality of their uniforms, particularly the light pant sets which are just a bit too thin and a bit too “see through” for the tastes of many fans, the USFL was open to a bidding process, and that bidding process now has a winner. For the first time since the early 1990’s Nike will return as the uniform and team gear provider for the USFL. Back in the early days of leaguewide contracts, Nike had the inside track and won the first leaguewide contract thanks very much to Phil Knight being the majority owner of the then Portland Thunder. This time it was purely a financial advantage that gave Nike the deal once again.   So, while we saw the release of the 30 th  team design by Under Armour this week (see below), we now know that Nike will be producing the look of each USFL club from 2023 through 2030 in a new 8-year deal. They will need to work with Riddell and Schutt on any helmet redesigns, of course, but as for everything from fan gear to on-field looks for each USFL club, the instantly recognized Nike Swoosh will once again be a part of the league and every team will have a chance in the next few years to develop yet another updated look, including, we anticipate, some throwbacks and an alternate look. If Nike’s work with NCAA and NFL teams is any indication, we could see some very different alternates compared to Under Armour’s attempts to have the alts parallel the primaries instead of being completely different takes. Should be interesting.     Oklahoma Outlaws the Final USFL Squad to get Under Armour Redesign Under Armour’s five-year design deal ends with the Oklahoma Outlaws, the 30 th team to get their look reevaluated, revised, and reimagined. So, what did UA do on behalf of the Outlaws? While the primary and secondary logos are not impacted, the rest of the look does get a new twist. The Outlaws, always focused on balancing the use of OU crimson and OSU orange, worked at including both in largely equal parts. The new jersey and pant designs incorporate both through the use of a diamond pattern that is meant to evoke the textile crafts of the Apache and Comanche peoples. The pattern uses both colors along with either black or white as both part of the pant stripe and the side panel of the jersey. Each stripe ends with a beveled edge, followed by 3 diamonds in 3 colors.   The Outlaws also updated their number font, using an angular font that includes a center piping line instead of the more traditional external piping. On the black jersey we see white numbers with a crimson piping while the white jerseys have black numbers with orange piping. Finally, both jerseys now have an enlarged team name across the top of the numbers, with “OKLAHOMA” spelled out on both sets. The primary logo remains the only adornment on the glossy black helmets.   Moving on to the alternate look, here is where UA decided to get a bit wilder. We start with the helmet, where the shell shifts from black to an ombre effect that starts as crimson at the base and transitions to orange by the crown. The effect, called “Sundown” by UA and the Outlaws, does evoke a plains sunset. Both the primary logo and the black facemask remain from the team’s primary looks. The jersey is crimson with black numbers and white internal piping, with orange in far less use. The side stripes now only show the 3 diamonds in black, white, and orange, while the pants have another use of the ombre effect, with a crimson stripe at the hip transitioning to orange before the 3 diamond pattern in orange, crimson and black. And, as expected, the Throwback look goes back to the 1987 Oklahoma Outlaws, in black and red, rather than the more recent Texas Outlaws’ looks in Kelly and Royal. Here we go, the season finale for all 30 clubs, with 8 already booked for the postseason and 10 more fighting for only 4 more spots. We will run down each game’s playoff implications as we review the league’s special Week 17 schedule. With so many Wild Card contenders and two division titles still in the mix, the league was unable to schedule every possible game so that there would be scoreboard watching, but we do see several simultaneous games where the fate of one team will depend on the score of ongoing games, something sure to create some sideline cheers and boos even when the game on the field is between plays.   SAT @ 12 pm                     St. Louis (5-10) @ Baltimore (8-7) Baltimore needs a win + Philadelphia Loss for a Wild Card Spot, so they have to win here and then wait.   SAT @ 12 pm                     Atlanta (8-7) @ Tampa Bay (13-2) Tampa Bay has the 1 Seed. Atlanta needs a win plus losses by both Baltimore and Philadelphia to earn a berth. They can watch the score in Baltimore if they are winning, but they too need to wait to see the Philadelphia outcome.   SAT @ 12 pm                     Washington (6-9) @ New England (5-10) No playoff implications.   SAT @ 4 pm                       Birmingham (11-4) @ Arizona (9-6) Birmingham has locked up the 2 seed in the East. Arizona is in with a win and could be the 4 seed if Michigan loses.   SAT @ 4 pm                       Portland (5-10) @ Los Angeles (7-8) LA is a longshot, needing a win and losses by 4 other teams to even get into the tiebreaker mix. Even 1 win from the other 8-7 or 7-8 teams and their season is over.   SAT @ 4 pm                       San Antonio (6-9) @ Denver (11-4) Denver gets the 2 seed with a win. If Seattle loses on Sunday, they could be in the mix for the 1 seed depending on tie-breakers.   SAT @ 8 pm                       Oklahoma (6-9) @ Houston (9-6) Houston is in as a Wild Card with a win, no need to watch other scores unless they lose.   SAT @ 8 pm                       Orlando (10-50 @ Jacksonville (5-10) The Renegades lock up the 4 seed and a home game with a win. They too do not need to watch other scores because their playoff berth is secured.   SUN @ 12 pm                   Ohio (8-7) @ New Jersey (9-6) New Jersey wins the NE Division with a win. Ohio is in as a Wild Card with a win (or losses by multiple teams). Both teams control their own destiny.   SUN @ 12 pm                   Chicago (11-4) @ Philadelphia (9-6) Chicago wins the Central with a victory. They can also gain the 2 seed and a bye if Denver loses. Philadelphia will likely be watching the Generals-Glory game carefully, because if the Glory get the W and the Stars can defeat Chicago, it is Philadelphia claiming the NE Division and a home game next week.   SUN @ 12 pm                   Michigan (10-5) @ Pittsburgh (7-8) Michigan garners a home game with a win. If Chicago loses as well, they capture the Central crown. Pittsburgh needs to win and have all the Western 8-7 teams lose to have a chance at a Wild Card. So, expect both teams to be watching to see what happens with Ohio and what happens with Chicago.   SUN @ 4 pm                     Memphis (6-9) @ New Orleans (5-10) This game has no playoff implications.   SUN @ 4 pm                     Charlotte (0-15) @ San Diego (3-12) This game has no playoff implications.   SUN @ 4 pm                     Las Vegas (5-10) @ Dallas (8-7) Dallas is a Wild Card team with a win and a loss by both Ohio and Oakland. The will know if they have a chance before the game, if Ohio loses, but will need to watch the Seattle-Oakland score as well.   SUN @ 8 pm                      Seattle (12-3) @ Oakland (8-7) The Dragons earn the 1 seed with a win. Oakland needs to win and have Ohio lose to earn a Wild Card. They will know if they are in or out before they kick off, which certainly could determine how they play and if Brady gets to step on the field for a curtain call.

Things got very interesting this week, races tightened, and two more teams joined the 2021 postseason as Denver and Chicago posted big wins. The Machine made life interesting for the Generals, shutting them down and giving Philadelphia a legitimate shot at reclaiming the NE Division. Tampa Bay won a thrilling shootout with the Houston Gamblers to lock up the 1-seed in the East, while Michigan made it 4 in a row, severely wounding Ohio’s playoff chances while giving themselves real hope that the Central Division is not a done deal for Chicago. It was a week of big QB games, including a Geno Smith sighting for the Breakers, and a week of heartbreak as 2 more teams had their last hopes of a Wild Card removed. We will, of course, give you all the details, taking a look at all of the big results from the week, and we will also update you on the big news out of New York, as the USFL looks at revamping its draft system. All this, plus a look at 3 coaches hoping to get another shot as the hiring season approaches. All right here on This Week in the USFL. Mills Now 2-0 and Oakland Controls Their Destiny It was certainly questioned in the moment, Oakland Coach Gary Kubiak’s decision to shutter 5-time champion Tom Brady and give untested rookie Davis Mills the final 4 starts of the season, but after 2 wins and Oakland now very much in control of their own playoff path, Kubiak is looking like a man with a plan. After helping the Invaders defeat Las Vegas last week, Mills stepped up again as Oakland came back from a 21-10 deficit to beat their division and in-state rivals 22-20. This time, with an 11-point deficit in the 4 th quarter, the game was certainly much more in Mills’s hands, and with two late touchdown tosses, Mills proved he could lead Oakland to success.   Now, we don’t want to overreact. After all, neither Las Vegas nor San Diego are among the league’s best squads, and in those two career-starting games, we saw two pretty mediocre defenses, which may well be part of the reason Kubiak made the switch after Week 13, with Oakland at 7-7, and did not wait until the tougher games in Weeks 16 (@ Oklahoma) and 17 (Seattle). Clearly the season finale will be the biggest challenge for Mills and for the Invaders as they try to lock up a Wild Card. But, now up 2 more games, sitting at 8-6 and in the 6 th playoff slot, the choice to start Mills seems to be paying dividends and producing results. A win this week over Oklahoma, with the right combination of other results, could actually clinch a playoff spot for the Invaders, something that felt like it was slipping away prior to the switch. So, how is Mills comparing to his veteran mentor? Well, in what is admittedly only a 2 game sample, Mills has a higher QB Rating (112.5 to 91.6), is completing more passes (71.4% to 69.7%) and is averaging 235 yards per game, to Tom Brady’s 220. Those are all very good numbers for any quarterback, much less a mid-round rookie (according to the draft “experts”) in his first two appearances. Oakland wanted to see if Mills could be the future, with Brady ready to retire, and these early samples of what he can do seem to point to a very positive upside for the former Stanford QB. It is still early, but with a 2-0 record under his belt, and some pretty nice stats to back it up, along with his first 4 th  quarter comeback secured, the future for Oakland and Davis Mills seems bright.   HOUSTON GAMBLERS 27   TAMPA BAY BANDITS 34 When we saw this one on the schedule, we all hoped it could live up to the hype. Two of the league’s most prolific offenses, two quarterbacks at the top of their game, two wide receiver groups that can put fear into any DC, and two backs who can run through, around, and past defenders. This had all the hallmarks of a classic Sunday night shootout. So, did it live up to our lofty expectations?   With a combined 627 yards passing, seven passing touchdowns, and 3 second half lead changes, including two big shifts in the 4 th  quarter, the answer is a resounding yes. ESPN’s Sunday night broadcast saw Colt McCoy throw for 361 yards and 3 scores, while Dak Prescott, with lower yardage, only 266 yards, managed to throw 4 touchdown passes. Even more amazing, he racked up those 266 yards and 4 touchdowns on only 10 completions, going 10 of 16 on the day.   It was a game of big plays, not long methodical drives, as both teams tested the limits of the opposing defenses, using their vertical passing game to great effect as they ran up and down the field. Just look at this ridiculous stat: Tampa Bay scored 34 points with only 5 first downs in the game and only 2 of 10 third down conversions. They bombed Houston from range, rather than marching down the field with precision. Houston fared better in the mid- and short-range passing, so they certainly looked like the statistical winner, with 105 more yards, 11 more first downs, and a far better 6 of 15 on third down, but in the end, it was the big play Bandits who pulled out the one-score win.   The Bandits started their aerial assault in the first quarter, when, on their second possession, Dak Prescott found TE Jordan Cameron covered by a linebacker. Cameron easily outpaced the coverage, and by the time the safeties reacted, it was too late. Cameron covered 54 yards and put Tampa Bay up 7-0. Early in the 2 nd  quarter they would add 3 more after a long completion to Dez Bryant, was followed by struggles in the red zone. Harrison Butker added the field goal and the Bandits had a 10-0 lead with 12:58 left in the half.   Houston would respond, moving the ball efficiently from their own 20 deep into Bandit territory. McCoy was happy to take what the Bandit D would give him, connecting with 3 different receivers on the drive before finding a 4 th  with Denzel Mims’s 1 st  catch of the game and 4 th  touchdown of the season. Houston was back within 3, and even a late Butker field goal would not make it a 2-score game at the half.   Coming out of the break, Houston got the ball first, and would get their first lead of the day as they marched the ball 68 yards on only 6 plays, with Mike Evans bringing in a 46-yard TD on a beautiful slant-go route that had the Bandit secondary pointing fingers after the blown coverage. Up 14-13, Houston contained the Bandits on their next possession, forcing a punt after a failed 3 rd and 8 play. They would again drive deep into Bandit territory, stalling out at the Bandit 16 before Younghoe Koo connected on his first field goal of the day. Houston now held a 4-point lead, 17-13, but pretty much everyone at Raymond James Stadium as well as the 4.7 million TV viewers knew that this game was far from over.   With 2:54 left in the 3 rd , Tampa got the ball back on a touchback, and by 1:04 they would have the lead back. Dak Prescott found 3 rd  year receiver Deebo Samuel for a 44-yards strike on 2 nd  and 8, then connected with Ryan Grant 2 plays later to retake the lead 20-17. It was a drive that took less than 2 minutes, a foreshadowing of what was to come later in the game. Houston took over late in the 3 rd  and began a drive of their own that would extend well into the final period. After a debatable offensive pass-interference call stymied their progress, Houston settled for a 45-yard Koo field goal, and we were back to a tie game.   The Bandits had no desire to slow things down, an din only 1:57 seconds again put a touchdown on the board. Prescott found Dez Bryant for a 48-yard strike, and then went right back to him 2 plays later for a 29-yard TD that put the Bandits up 7. Houston then had their turn, eating up over 5 minutes on their way to the endzone, with McCoy finding Gerald Everett with 1:53 left on the clock to tie the score at 27 and once again throw the gauntlet down, with the Bandits given a shot, with altogether too much time left, to avoid overtime.   The Bandits did not need the full 1:53 of game time. They had struck quickly all game, and they were about to do it again. In 4 plays and only 1:19 seconds they had taken the lead and returned the pressure back to Houston. Once again it was Dez Bryant, this time from 33 yards out and despite double coverage from Houston CB Leodis McKelvin and safety Budda Baker. Prescott’s throw perfectly split the two defenders and Bryant timed his jump perfectly to bring the ball down and crash into the endzone with both defenders falling over him. Bryant immediately popped back up, showing the crowd the ball before slamming it to the turf as his teammates swarmed him.   Houston was now against the wall, down 7 with only 34 seconds to play, they would need to drive 78 yards after the fair catch, and that did not look promising. But, with Colt McCoy under center, the game certainly was not over. On 1 st and 10 he found JuJu Smith-Schuster for 15 yards. Two plays later it was Mike Evans for 11, but then things got uglier for the visitors. On 1 st and10 from their own 46, McCoy wanted to try a deep shot, but Bandit DE Pernell McPhee got to him before he could set up the throw, producing the 4 th sack of McCoy in the game. Now 2 nd  and 16, McCoy found Tony Moeaki along the sideline for a quick 6 yards and a step out of bounds to save time. Third and 10 brought more pressure from Tampa Bay and McCoy was forced to swing the ball out to Josh Reynolds for a gain of only 6. Reynolds did manage to get out of bounds with 15 seconds left to play, but it was 4 th  and 4 for the Gamblers.   Coach Trestman decided against playing a shallow zone, opting instead to trust his DBs and send pressure with man coverage behind it. There was a moment when it looked like this would backfire as Denzel Mims appeared to be open over the middle, but McCoy missed him, looking towards Mike Evans as Mims found himself with the advantage. By the time McCoy shifted his focus, DT Marcell Dareus has busted through the middle of the line, throwing his weight against McCoy and forcing the Houston QB to essentially eat the ball, unable to even get a flailing throw off. The Bandits took over on downs, and after one kneel, they celebrated a hard-earned win, and their destiny as the Eastern Conference’s 1 seed. Houston would return home now 2 games behind division-leading Birmingham, with only 2 left to play.   BALTIMORE 20  PITTSBURGH 6 The Blitz handed Pittsburgh a 3 rd  consecutive loss, keeping their own playoff hopes alive at 8-6 while sending the Maulers back to .500 at 7-7. Baltimore held the Maulers to only 24 yards rushing and allowed only 3 third down conversions all game, dominating action with a solid run game and a short passing attack from Jake Locker. Locker hit both Brian Hartline and C. J. Uzomah for scores as they pulled away from the slumping Maulers, their defense led by veteran end Calais Campbell, whose 2 sacks put him second only to Montez Sweat in the USFL rankings. POTG:  Baltimore DE Calais Campbell: 8 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   LOS ANGELES 13   ATLANTA 15 A week after their big home win against the Dragons, LA proved too distracted and too depleted as they fell to the Fire. In a pretty slow-paced affair, the two battled to an 8-6 Atlanta advantage after 3 quarters, the only difference in the score a 1 st  quarter safety. But, when Pat White found Vance McDonald for a TD early in the 4 th , it put the offensively challenged Express down by 9, and that was too much for them to overcome. POTG:  Fire DE Mario Edwards, 6 Tck, 3 Sck   MICHIGAN 30  OHIO 14 The Panthers stay hot, winning their 4 th  in a row in impressive style by holding OHIO QB Justin Fields to only 3 yards rushing while picking him off twice as a passer. LeVeon Bell returned to full strength, evident in his 113 yards and 5.1 YPC average. Kirk Cousins hit 10 different receivers, but still managed to get the ball to Cody Latimer 6 times for 112 yards and a score. The Panthers led 20-0 at the half and coasted home with a 16-point victory over the Glory. POTG:  Panther HB LeVeon Bell: 22 Att, 113 Yds, 1 TD   MEMPHIS 9   PHILADELPHIA 13 A defensive slugfest in Memphis as the Stars and Showboats struggled to put points on the board all game. The Stars actually started fast, with Carson Wentz hitting Quincy Enunwa for the game’s only TD on the opening drive of the day, but after that neither team would find success on offense, with the rest of the game limited to field goals. Surprisingly, despite the defensive domination, the game saw no turnovers, just a lot of 3-and-outs and 13 combined punts. POTG:  Philadelphia LB John Bostic: 7 Tck, 1 TFL, 2 PDef   OKLAHOMA 28  ST. LOUIS 7 The Outlaws snap a 4-game losing streak by balancing their offense. Yes, Nick Toon had 155 yards and a TD through the air, but Oklahoma also ran the ball well, with a combined 130 yards rushing from Lacy, Dallas, Burkhead and QB Jalen Hurts. Tyrod Taylor struggled in this one, completing only 11 of 27 for 165 yards. The win causes Oklahoma to leap over St. Louis in the overall standings, which could well cost them a draft position or two. POTG:  Outlaw WR Nick Toon: 7 Rec, 155 Yds, 1 TD   JACKSONVILLE 17   SEATTLE 30 Seattle rebounds from their first loss in 11 weeks by throttling the Bulls, limiting Jacksonville to only 4 first downs, though Trevor Lawrence did manage two big-play touchdown tosses. Seattle was slow and steady, getting an early TD off a Josh Allen fumble return TD, then adding scores from Amari Cooper and Greg Jones as they pulled away in the 2 nd  half. POTG:  Seattle LB Josh Allen: 11 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 Def TD   CHICAGO 23  NEW JERSEY 9 New Jersey drops a 2 nd  game in a row, leaving them locked up with Philadelphia atop the NE Division, while Chicago stays 1 game up on surging Michigan with the win. The Machine dominated on defense, limiting New Jersey to only 42 yards rushing. Daniel Carlson put up 3field goals, and Chicago got a Bradford to Snead TD and a rare carry from FB Jakob Johnson for a goal line score as they lock up a playoff berth with the road win. POTG:  Chicago CB Josh Norman: 9 Tck, 1 FF, 1 FR   ORLANDO 24  CHARLOTTE 22 The winless Monarchs put a serious scare into the Renegades but could not finish it out. Down 24-16 late, the Monarchs put together a scoring drive in the final two minutes, with Kyle Boller hitting Brandon Pettigrew with a potential game-tying score. But Charlotte needed the 2-point try, and they could not get it as Kyle Boller was sacked on the attempt by league sack leader Montez Sweat.  That play was the highlight, but statistically it was Russell Wilson’s day, throwing for 3 scores and completing nearly 2/3 of his passes. POTG:  Orlando DE Montez Sweat: 8 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF   SAN ANTONIO 28  BIRMINGHAM 35 Tim Tebow wins a 3 rd  start in 3 tries as he holds off a very game Gunslinger squad. Tebow went 18 of 34 for 297 yards and 4 touchdowns as he held off Joe Flacco and San Antonio. He got help from the run game in the form of 72 yards from rookie Najee Harris, but also rushed for 40 yards himself as Birmingham moves to 10-4 on the season. POTG:  Stallion rookie WR Devonta Smith: 5 Rec, 139 Yds, 2 TD   NEW ORLEANS 45  DALLAS 13 The Breakers got Geno Smith back from injury and the veteran QB played angry, throwing for 236 yards and 3 scores as the Breakers stun the Dallas Roughnecks at the Cotton Bowl. Justin Herbert was picked off 3 times by a vastly more engaged Breaker D than we have seen all season. Add in 154 yards from the combo of Myles Gaskin and DeMarco Murray and a 4-0 turnover margin for New Orleans and you end up with a blowout. POTG:  Breaker QB Geno Smith: 11/17, 236 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   DENVER 31  PORTLAND 16 Denver’s passing game and QB Josh Allen got healthy against an overmatched Portland secondary, with Allen throwing for 344 yards and 4 touchdowns in the Gold’s romp over the Stags. Golden Tate finished with 129 yards and a score, while Darnell Mooney brought in two scores for the Gold. Throw in a solid run game from Lindsay and Wilson (96 yards combined) and the Gold pull away for the win and a playoff berth. POTG:  Gold QB Josh Allen: 17/22, 344 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int   OAKLAND 22  SAN DIEGO 21 It certainly was not easy, but rookie Davis Mills moves to 2-0 with the 1-point victory in San Diego. Mills had a strong outing, going 20 for 27 for 191 yards and all 3 Oakland TDs, but the defense seemed mystified by unheralded Thunder back Demetric Felton. The rookie back rushed 17 times for 115 yards and a score, almost singlehandedly keeping the 3-win Thunder in this game. Oakland needed 2 fourth quarter TDs to get the win, but Mills found both Austin Hooper and Christian McCaffrey when it mattered most and got the W to stay very much alive in the playoff picture, now fully controlling their own destiny. POTG:  Invader QB Davis Mills: 20/27, 191 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int   Prescott & McCoy Put on a Show of Star Power We have already walked through the recap of the brilliant Bandits-Gamblers game, but we thought one more point needed to be highlighted, that we witnessed two quarterbacks at the pinnacle of their abilities. Colt McCoy’s 361-yard, 3-TD, 0-Int performance moved him into the top 5 in our QB rankings, which feels surprising considering the Gambler QB has over 4,500 yards and 31 touchdowns. We may need to look at the QBR system to try to figure out why his numbers don’t put him higher than a 100.7 rating. Meanwhile, Dak Prescott put up some ridiculous numbers in Tampa Bay’s vertical attack, throwing for an average of 16.6 yards per attempt, not per completion, per attempt. He completed only 10 of 16 passes, which means that every completed pass averaged 26.6 yards, an absolutely insane number, oh and 4 of his 10 completions were touchdowns, let that sink in.   Prescott threw touchdowns of 56 yards (Cameron, 1 st  Q), 7 yards (Grant, 3 rd Q), 29 yards (Bryant, 4 th  Q) and the game winner, a 33-yard TD to Bryant with only 34 seconds left to play. He also had a 48-yarder to Bryant that was not a score and a 44-yarder to Deebo Samuel, also not a score. In 10 completions he hit 7 different receivers. Crazy numbers for a QB who is not going to win MVP and very likely won’t be eligible to be listed on the QB Rankings. That fact, that because of games missed to injuries, Prescott does not currently qualify for the official QB Rankings due to insufficient pass attempts on the season (a shifting total required based on the current number of games played). Here is the thing, if Prescott were eligible (he fell 13 attempts short), Dak Prescott, with 3,331 yards, a 30:9 TD:INT ratio and a 63% completion rate, would be at the top of the board, pulling down a 131 QBR, miles ahead of Josh Allen’s 112.3. He has 2 games to get within the minimum, but will need to put up a lot more attempts than his 17 in this week’s game to do so. Every week the minimum requirement increases by 20 attempts, so Dak will need to average 27 or more attempts over the next two weeks to reach the minimum needed, and when we look at his average each week, it has reached 24 attempts only 5 times all season. Not that he cannot do it, but with the Bandits in all likelihood resting him in Week 17, we think he will miss the total needed and miss what would be a passing stat title. But while that is a blemish on the USFL for their evaluation system, the reality is that Dak Prescott is one QB that no one wants to have to gameplan to stop this postseason, a lesson evident in his outdueling of Colt McCoy in this week’s Game of the Week.   Allen Wills Gold to Playoff Spot with 4-TD Day Portland just did not have an answer. That was the takeaway from Josh Allen’s 344-yard, 4-TD day in the Rose City this week. Allen was on his game, completing 77.3% of his attempts (17 of 22), despite taking some shots from the Portland front 7 (5 sacks). His success, paired with a solid defensive gameplan from Coach Hufnagel, has done what few foresaw this season, placed the Gold in the 2021 postseason. The Gold locked up no worse than a Wild Card with 2 games left, and while they are being pursued by a rising Arizona Wrangler squad, the success that Coach Hufnagel, his QB, and his team have had this year is already creating believers in the physically gifted Wyoming product.   It may not be easy, but we have to recall what was said about Allen when he came out of Wyoming, a player who was too raw, had too many accuracy issues, and barely found his way into Division 1 football at all after getting no offers out of high school. Allen, who famously sent tapes to programs across the country while playing at the Juco level, was seen as a major risk by both NFL and USFL stats. The story they told was that accuracy was the 6’5” QB’s weakness, and that accuracy was the one skillset that rarely improved even with pro coaching and focus. Well, let’s see here. After spending his entire rookie year on the bench, but also working with QB specialist Jordan Palmer, Allen started his career with a 63.4% completion rate, a solid 10 points higher than his best year at Wyoming. He finished that year with a 103.1 QBR and 29 touchdowns. The next year his % increased to 66%. This year, his third as the starter, he has dipped to 60.5% but that is largely due to his increase in the use of the deep ball and his willingness to play “hero ball” when needed. He currently sits on his highest QB Rating ever, 112.3, leading the league among eligible passers (see our comments on Dak Prescott above), he has 32 touchdowns with 2 games left to play, and he has the Gold in the postseason for the second time in 3 years. Not too bad for a small town kid with a wildly inaccurate arm and no discipline.   Winston Gets the Win, with Help from His Friends Jameis Winston keeps the streak of QB changes alive, following Davis Mills, Tim Tebow, and Tyrod Taylor in the recent run of backup QBs stepping in and getting a win in their first outing as the starter. Winston was named the starter for the final 3 games of the season after the Steamrollers were eliminated from playoff contention, part of a plan to look at the 2022 QB race ahead of schedule and possibly simplify the decision process for Coach Fox in time to make a contract decision on 13-game starter Ryan Tannehill. So, what did we learn about Winston in his first USFL start?   To start, we learned that he still has some issues with decision making. While his 26 of 39 outing, a 66.7% completion rate, was solid, as was his 7.5 yard per attempt average, the two picks thrown in the game still have to worry John Fox. Both were forced balls, both on 3 rd  down, and both led to Washington scores. For a QB essentially drummed out of the NFL after a 30-interception season, throwing those two avoidable picks in his first game in New England has to be a red flag. But, that said, Winston did bounce back, going 6 for 7 in the 4 th  quarter and putting up the game-winning score on a nice throw to DeVante Parker. The other factor that was obvious was that Winston’s teammates, particularly his offensive team, supported him and trusted him. That was obvious in how they rallied with him after each pick, but also in how they showed up for him on the field. T. J. Yeldon in particular had a huge game, rushing for 151 yards against a front 7 that had to respect Winston’s arm. His receivers almost routinely made outstanding catches, including a jump Ball by Will Fuller that ended up as the ESPN play of the day for its sheer athleticism.   So, it was not a perfect performance, and Coach Fox is going to want to dissuade Winston from forcing balls to covered receivers, but overall, Jameis Winston did what he was asked. He kept the ball moving down the field (26 first downs for the Steamrollers, a team record) and pulled out a game that many thought was easily going to go Washington’s way. He will have 2 more starts to make his case in what is clearly a 3-game audition.   Breakers Get Geno Back, Play Spoilers Against Dallas We don’t think it was so much that New Orleans got Geno Smith back against the Roughnecks, but that they seemed to get back the 2020 version of Geno Smith, the Geno Smith that threw for 37 TDs and only 7 picks, finishing 2020 with a 126.9 QB Rating. That is a Geno Smith they have not seen much of this season. Smith has not had a good year under center, not only missing 5 games due to injury, but looking flat in the 8 starts he did have. Well, he did not look flat in this start, throwing for 236 yards and 3 scores as the Breakers absolutely dismantled the Dallas defense. He was certainly helped by an unexpectedly capable run game, but the fact of the matter was that Smith was in the zone, making plays with his feet and with his arm, reading the field well, and avoiding miscues. The result? A dominant 32-point win over a team that still had playoff aspirations. The Breakers’ season may be a major disappointment for the fans in the Crescent City, but Smith’s return, and return in force, may be a good sign that 2021 could be a “blip season” and not a sign of long term issues.   Start the Clock, Charlotte Locks Up 1st Draft Pick Send out the scouts, bring in the data, start building the board, the Charlotte Monarchs are guaranteed the first pick in the USFL Draft, and they certainly need to get it right. With their hard-fought, but still futile, effort against Orlando, Charlotte dropped to 0-14 and appear ripe for a winless season. That 14 th  loss made it official; the Monarchs would be drafting first come January. It is not an honor any team wants, but it is a reality that having the first pick can produce some real improvement, just look at what Philadelphia has done this year.   Of course, the difference between a team that uses a horrible season as a springboard for future success and one that simply wallows in the basement is how the team responds to their predicament. Charlotte will have the first pick, but is also almost certain to have both a new GM and a new head coach when that pick arrives. We already know that Vance Joseph is running out the string and will be let go on Black Monday (he technically has already been let go, just not on immediate terms), and we fully anticipate a much broader house-cleaning is on the way as soon as the Monarchs wrap up this truly miserable season.   And here is the other thing. Having the first pick in the Open Draft is not a cure-all. It has not been in the history of the USFL. First of all you will have a ton of talent taken off the board in the Territorial Draft, and then, even if your ideal candidate is available, and even if you select him, you still have to outduel the NFL to get the player signed. Many a USFL 1 st pick has played in the fall instead of going to the worst team in the spring, a reality that Charlotte will have to be prepared to face. They need to bring in a team that can not only evaluate talent, but persuade talent that Charlotte is where they want to be. So, yes, the Monarchs are on the clock, and will have their pick of the players who escape the T-Draft, but they are in no way ensured of making that pick work for them.   We add two more teams, both in the West, to our playoff pool, which now sits at 4 teams. Denver and Chicago, both with statement wins this week, join the Bandits and Dragons as 2021 playoff teams. Both hold a 1-game lead over rivals Arizona and Michigan for the division, and both are sitting at 10-4 with visions of a bye week in their minds. Currently, Denver holds the tiebreaker if they finish tied with Chicago at the end of the season, but with 2 weeks left, the 2-seed on the line and division rivals nipping at their heels, both likely will have to win out to have a shot at that 2-seed and the bye they both covet.   New Jersey’s loss this week made the NE Division a tighter race, with the Generals now tied with Philadelphia at 9-5, and also dropped New Jersey to the 3 rd position, with Birmingham now able to control their destiny and take a shot at the coveted bye week. If the Stallions can extend their win streak from 4 games to 6, they would wrap up the 2-spot and the week of rest. Finally, we also saw the list of eliminated teams grow to 10, which means we have 20 teams fighting for 12 spots, or, more accurately, 16 teams fighting for 8 spots, since 4 are already claimed. Right now, 8-6 is the minimum record for a playoff spot, but does not guarantee one, as Atlanta and Baltimore are on the outside looking in despite an 8-6 mark. With 4 teams in the West at 7-7, all of them need help to get into the mix, while Oakland now controls their own destiny after 2 Davis Mills wins out of the gate have the Invaders at 8-6 and sitting in the 6-spot.   With many teams eliminated from contention, we are seeing even short-term injuries now putting players on IR, as is the case with Oklahoma’s Ben Richards or Washington’s Cedric Ogbuehi. Among playoff teams, losses like WR John Brown for Seattle are far more impactful. And, even more intriguing are the players who will be game-time decisions, with none more interesting than Coach Marvin Lewis’s situation with QB Kyler Murray. The 7-7 Express are still alive in the Wild Card hunt, one game behind 6 th  seed Oakland, but Murray’s health is an issue, with the QB having suffered a concussion in this week’s loss in Atlanta. Will Coach Lewis protect Murray by going with Matt Gutierrez in his first start for the Express, or will he hope to see good progress and a clear bill of health on Sunday, when the Express face 4-10 Jacksonville?   OUT DT          Ego Ferguson            ORL       Groin                   IR WR         John Brown                    SEA        Hamstring                IR CB          Benjamin Richards        OKL       Shoulder                 IR WR         Brian Quick                   PIT         MCL                        IR LB           Preston Brown              TBY        Hernia                      1-2 Weeks WR         K. J. Hill                      CHA      Toe                         1-2 Weeks WR         Laviska Shenault            SD          Foot                          1-2 Weeks OT          Rashawn Slater               PIT         Covid Protocol         1 Week   DOUBTFUL G            Nick Easton                 NE          Concussion OT          Justin Pugh                MEM     Concussion CB          Dre Kirkpatrick                MGN     Elbow   QUESTIONABLE QB         Kyler Murray                LA          Concussion LB           Kwon Alexander          NOR      Eye infection LB           Jamie Collins             NE          Toe DE          Jerry Hughes                ARZ       Hand   USFL Competition Committee Mulls Changes to Draft for 2023 It appears that the T-Draft critics may well be getting their way, at least in part, as the USFL announced this week that they were giving serious consideration to a proposal to merge the T-Draft and Open Draft into a single event, similar to the NFL Draft. Currently, USFL teams each have 3, and occasionally more, protected schools, from whom they can get exclusive draft rights to 3 players. This system has helped teams bring in local talent for nearly 40 years (with a short period of suspension of the system before it was later restored). The list of USFL stars who came out of the T-Draft is quite extensive, from Arizona State QB Jake Plummer heading to the Wranglers, Memphis landing Tennessee DE Reggie White, and Birmingham constantly stocking their roster with Alabama backs, to 2021 rookies like Cal & Oakland QB Davis Mills, Clemson and Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence, and Penn State and Philadelphia LB Micah Hyde.   But for every team that lives through the Territorial Draft, there is another who feels they get the short end of the deal, teams like Portland, San Diego, Las Vegas, Denver, New Jersey, and Boston who simply don’t have consistent powerhouse programs in their region. The league tried to assist with this by allowing teams 1 non-regional college and by implementing the option to add a 4 th school if there were fewer than 6 players with at least a 6 th  round draft grade in their standard 3-school allotment, but that too has not been enough to prevent criticism of the system.   So, what is the USFL proposing in its stead? Essentially an embedding of the T-Draft within the Open Draft. The proposal under consideration would remove the separate T-Draft process, while also removing the protection of players by teams. In its place there would be an expansion of the Open Draft to 8 rounds with a minimum requirement that 2 of the players chosen by any team would have to originate from a protected school. The proposal would also limit teams to 2 FBS schools, with only 1 required to be within 250 miles of the team’s home city. Essentially, this would mean that a team like New Jersey might have to choose between Syracuse and Rutgers, but could then have Kansas State, Wisconsin, or Ole Miss as its 2 nd  team, while another, like LA, would likely jump on USC as its first school, but would not be limited to California for its second.   For purists and fans of the T-Draft, this feels very unwelcome. Not only does it reduce the potential for their favorite USFL team to have a strong presence of local talent, but it also forces those teams to risk losing out on top tier local talent in the Open Draft and being forced to use mid-round picks to meet the requirement for 2 players to originate from protected schools. For opponents of the current system, it is about leveling the playing field. No longer would the top talent from Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Michigan, or Ohio State be under the exclusive control of 1 USFL team. It would certainly increase the value of the Open Draft, and of early 1 st  round picks, as teams could snap up the star QB or pro-ready DE from Clemson well before Jacksonville got a shot. There is something to be said about that level of parity, but for many the T-Draft has been a boon, not only for their teams, but for the local identities of most USFL clubs.   The proposal will go to the league’s Competition Committee for review, and would not be implemented for 2022, but a positive report out of that committee could mean that the 2023 draft would look very different for the USFL’s 30 franchises.   Harbaugh, Turner, & Coughlin Hoping for a Return With several USFL coaching positions expected to open up in the next 2 weeks, there is no shortage of coaching talent hoping they will get a call. And while we often talk about the up-and-coming coordinator, or the NFL coach cut loose this fall who gets a gig in January to join spring football, the truth is that there are some pretty talented coaches either sitting a year out or having taken a temporary position after losing their positions. This year, perhaps more than in recent memory, there are more formerly successful USFL coaches available for the team that is looking for someone with a serious USFL pedigree.   John Harbaugh led the Philadelphia Stars for 16 years (2005-2020), racking up 148 wins, 11 playoff appearances and 2 trips to the Summer Bowl in his long tenure. We were honestly surprised that he was not snatched up after he parted ways with the Stars midway through their 2020 campaign. He has not taken on another job since then, though he did have some conversations with NFL teams this Spring. Don’t be surprised if someone jumps at the chance to land a coach with his resume.   Norv Turner ’s tenure in New Jersey was neither as long or as successful as Harbaugh’s in Philly, but the offensive minded coach is still considered a strong option and a very viable candidate. Turner spent 7 seasons with the Generals, producing 4 playoff teams and 2 Division Winners in that time. He was a huge factor in the late career domination of HB Maurice Jones-Drew and also proved to be a bit of a QB development guru, two example of his offensive bona fides that may well attract interest this offseason.   Finally, Tom Coughlin was known as the ultimate disciplinarian. His famous rules about arriving ahead of meeting times, about locker room order, and on-field precision were both respected and reviled by players. In 9 seasons with Baltimore and 5 more with Ohio, Coughlin was known for tenacious defenses and smashmouth offenses, though he certainly was not against some gunslinging by his QBs. Coughlin’s style will not be for everyone, and he has yet to produce a league champion, so there is some doubt about whether or not the rigidity and high expectations he brings to his locker room actually produce players motivated to win, but for those who respect the kind of teams he has put together, having Coughlin as an option could be very attractive.   Ohio Glory Reveal 2022 Designs Our penultimate Under Armour design made its way from the cutting floor to the team showcase this week, with the Ohio Glory revealing their look for 2022 and beyond. As we have come to expect from Ohio, the new look is not a large deviation from past years, with only a few new wrinkles to it. Ohio did not alter their primary logo, though they did tweak their bold-font wordmark, retaining the central image of the star and circle. They did, however, approve a few new features, including the first helmet stripe (of sorts) in team history.   After 25 years of a blue shell with white facemask, Ohio added a string of 5-pointed stars along the center strip of the helmet. There are 17 stars in total, a pretty obvious reference to Ohio as the 17 th  state to join the union. Beyond that detail, the helmet is very much the same as in recent years, as is the rest of their primary uniform. The Glory retain a predominantly flag blue uniform, with curved block letters with red trim and a shoulder yoke intersected by red and white stripes. On the home uniform the yoke is only noticeable due to thin white piping that extends from the collar to the cuff, while on the white uniform, the retention of the blue yoke is far more obvious.   The pant sets follow a recent trend of angled horizontal stripes on the sides, rather than the traditional waist-to-knee vertical striping. In Ohio’s case a red-white-red stripe pattern is linked to a blue color block above them, with another 5-pointed star within the blue field. All in all, a very traditional look for a very traditional team, complete with all the patriotic trimmings.   So, did you expect the alternate look for the Glory would deviate from that theme? While the alternate look is certainly a divergence from the Glory’s traditionally blue-dominant design, it is not hard to see that the spirit of the team was retained. The “4 th  of July” Alternate features an all-white look, with a lot of red and only a few flashes of blue. The white helmet uses the team’s secondary logo, the “Banner” design that features the state outline of Ohio with a patriotic banner draped across it. It also features the same line of stars, now in blue, and a new feature, red and white striping across the bottom third of the helmet shell, curved to resemble a waving American flag.   The jersey and pants are also white, retaining the same basic features as the primary looks, but with far more red and blue limited to only the number piping, a thin piping line at the base of the yoke, and a pair of stars over each sleeve’s red stripes. White socks with two red stripes complete the look, one that is clearly tied to Ohio’s strong patriotic symbolism, while deviating quite a bit from their primaries. And yes, there is also a throwback look, with Ohio bringing back not only the more traditional jerseys and pants, but the original eagle logo on the team’s blue helmet. With only 2 weeks left and 8 playoff spots (along with 4 division titles) up for grabs, there are few games this week that don’t hold some form of playoff impact. Both interdivisional games on Friday night will have an impact on the playoff picture, with 12-2 Tampa Bay standing in the way of 8-6 Baltimore’s hopes to rise back into the mix. The Blitz cannot afford a loss, while Tampa Bay has already locked up the 1-seed and could be a bit less motivated than usual in the final 2 games of the season. The ESPN game features two teams at 9-5, both needing a win if they want to land a division title. New Jersey comes off a bad loss to Chicago, the same Chicago club that Michigan is chasing, one game back but holding the tiebreaker (division record) if they can even their record with the Machine’s. This is, for all intents and purposes, a playoff game already.   Saturday features four division games and two interdivision games, with some real impact within them. The best of the Saturday games includes Dallas @ Memphis at noon, with both teams on the verge of elimination if they cannot get the W this week. NBC’s 8pm start has Atlanta @ Orlando in a Southeastern battle for 2 nd place in the division and a Wild Card berth. The ESPN game, also at 8, features a Western Conference showdown as the Seattle Dragons, sitting pretty in the 1-seed, but still not guaranteed home field, need a win, but so too do the Arizona Wranglers, sitting at 9-5 and trailing rival Denver by only one game. Expect this one to have some intensity to it.   Sunday is a bit more low key, but still some games that will impact the playoff scene. Can Ohio knock off Jameis Winston and New England to stay alive? A drop to 7-8 would make a playoff appearance nearly impossible. Fox will broadcast the Philadelphia-Birmingham game, a possible battle of division winners, with the Stars needing a win to pass by the Generals if New Jersey falls to Michigan. Houston has to be worried about their game in New Orleans after the version of Geno Smith who played this week, and Chicago cannot take Washington lightly, even with their mediocre performance this week. A stumble by the Machine and Michigan could leapfrog them for the division title after being all the way down to 4 th  place a month ago. Some important games, some very hard-fought battles, that is what awaits us in Week 16.   FRI @ 8pm ET          Tampa Bay (12-2) @ Baltimore (8-6)                        NBC FRI @ 8pm ET         New Jersey (9-5) @ Michigan (9-5)                         ESPN/EFN   SAT @ 12pm ET      Dallas (7-7) @ Memphis (6-8)                                   ABC SAT @ 12pm ET      Pittsburgh (7-7) @ St. Louis (4-10)                        FOX SAT @ 4pm ET        San Diego (3-11) @ Portland (4-10)                      ABC SAT @ 4pm ET        Denver (10-4) @ Las Vegas (5-9)                            FOX SAT @ 8pm ET        Atlanta (8-6) @ Orlando (9-5)                                 NBC SAT @ 8pm ET        Arizona (9-5) @ Seattle (11-3)                                  ESPN/EFN   SUN @ 12pm ET    New England (5-9) @ Ohio (7-7)                              ABC Regional SUN @ 12pm ET     Charlotte (0-14) @ San Antonio (5-9)                    ABC Regional SUN @ 12pm ET      Philadelphia (9-5) @ Birmingham (10-4)             FOX SUN @ 4pm ET      Houston (8-6) @ New Orleans (5-9)                     ABC   SUN @ 4pm ET      Jacksonville (4-10) @ Los Angeles (7-7)               FOX Regional SUN @ 4pm ET       Oakland (8-6) @ Oklahoma (5-9)                            FOX Regional SUN @ 8pm ET        Washington (6-8) @ Chicago (10-4)                       ESPN/EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Arizona LB Malik Jefferson did a bit of everything, and the Wranglers needed every bit of what he did to knock off the Las Vegas Vipers at Wynn Arena. The largely unheralded Wrangler linebacker had 6 tackles, including a forced fumble against Kareem Hunt, he picked up a sack, then picked off Gardner Minshew, and returned the ball for 7. That is a pretty full day for any linebacker, and our POTW game. PLAYOFF PICTURE: Two more teams joined the Bandits and Dragons in the 2021 postseason as the 10-4 Denver Gold and the 10-4 Chicago Machine are now guaranteed a postseason bid. Both are not done yet as Chicago holds a slim 1-game lead over Michigan for the Central Division crown, while Denver is only 1 game up on Arizona in a very contentious SW Division. Over in the East, Birmingham also reached 10-4, but they are not yet locked in, with too many 8-win teams behind them but still in range, including the Houston Gamblers. The list of eliminated teams grew also, with the USFL now with 10 teams out of range for the playoffs: Charlotte, Jacksonville, San Diego, Portland, St. Louis, Oklahoma, Las Vegas, New England, New Orleans and San Antonio.

Seattle and Tampa Bay both wrap up division titles, the Dragons doing so despite a tough loss in LA. Meanwhile, Tim Tebow helps Birmingham’s win streak hit 3 games in a row, while the Generals are stunned by a very feisty Washington Federals’ squad. And, don’t look know, but with a 3-game winning streak, the Panthers are back in 2 nd  place in the Central, only 1 game behind Chicago. We will run down all the action, including Davis Mills’ debut for the Invaders. We will also take a look at the award races, which are all looking very tight right now, and the distinct possibility that 3 longstanding coaches could be in trouble as Black Monday approaches. But we begin with Washington’s unexpected showing against a Generals team that had won 9 in a row.   Federals Stun Generals as New Storyline Emerges The Washington 2 months ago the Washington Federals were on the fast track to an early draft pick, sitting at 1-6 and making a midseason change at QB. But with 3 weeks left in the USFL season the Feds may be on the fringe of the playoff race, but they have not given up. Since making their swap at QB, promoting former Seattle Dragon Jacoby Brissett over high-priced free agent acquisition Ryan Nassib, the Federals have gone 5-2, including a 3-week win streak that included victories over Philadelphia and Ohio, and just this week they avenged their lone loss during the past 2 months, a 28-21 loss in New Jersey, by knocking off the Generals 31-24. Washington may only be 6-7 overall, but they are one of the hottest teams in the league and a team no one wants to see on their schedule the next three weeks.   Brissett’s numbers may not be huge (1,672 yards and a 53.4% Completion Rate) but he has produced 11 touchdowns in 7 games, with only 5 picks, and he has helped Washington turn the season on its head and make June games relevant. But the truth is that he has not done it on his own. Brissett has benefited from the rapid development and undeniable skills of rookie HB Travis Etienne. The Clemson star is closing in on 1,000 yards after a 119-yard outing against the Generals, the self-same Generals team that held him to only 28 yards 2 weeks ago. Throw in a 99-yard game against Charlotte, a 91-yarder vs. Atlanta, and his 130-yard break out game against New Orleans and you have a back who will garner a lot of votes for Rookie of the Year.   Etienne has become a focal point of the Washington offense, allowing Brissett to use play action and helping the Federals move up the offensive statistical tables to a point where they now rank 10 th  in scoring and 12 th in rushing. Even with the 28 th  ranked defense (yards allowed) they are still winning games. They will host the New England Steamrollers this week, and again in the finale, and simply winning those two games will get them to .500, but if we were the Chicago Machine, the Feds’ Week 16 opponent, we would not be happy to see this team getting hot right now.   The odds for Washington to make the postseason are slim, even with a 3-0 finish (which would actually be a 5-0 finish). Their top potential record is 9-7, which is unlikely to be a Top 6 finish in the East, but they certainly can send a message about the future, putting the rest of the NE Division on notice and setting up for a big 2022. It all starts with offense right now, but give Coach Kevin Gilbride another offseason and we could see some improvement on defense as well. All this from a team that seemed to be giving up at midseason, trading away Chris Long to Seattle in what looked like a cap-dumping move. But now, with a nucleus to build around, that move may well be the basis for upgrades on defense that could help the Federals take another step. They are essentially set at QB (Brissett), HB (Etienne), WR (Tyreek Hill, Keenan Allen, and Jarvis Landry) and at TE (Housler and Winslow). So, that means they can dedicate the offseason to improving Brissett’s protection and bringing in some help for DE Bradley Chubb, and CB Prince Amukamara. With Tremaine Edwards, Patrick Queen, and Anthony Walker looking solid in the LB slots, we think DE, CB, and the O-line will be the focus, and that is a pretty manageable wish list for a team that has over $8M in cap space before we see any free agent departures or retirements (not that we expect many).   The win this week over New Jersey was a stunner, not because the Feds got the win, but because it indicated that this team was not happy playing out the string, they wanted to send a message that Washington is on the way back after 7 consecutive non-playoff years. 2021 may be the 8 th , but with what we are seeing from this group, that streak is not likely to hit 9 seasons. SEATTLE DRAGONS 21   LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 28 Sometimes you just know that a game is going to be a good one, and with the LA Express teetering on the verge of playoff oblivion, we all had a sense that they would make a stand, playing at home, and visited by the 10-2 Seattle Dragons, winners of 10 in a row. We were right as Saturday’s Prime Time game on ESPN gave us everything we could have wanted out of a Pacific Division showdown.   The game featured one of the league’s best defenses in the Express going up against it’s leading rusher in Knowshon Moreno. It featured one of the most criticized and analyzed passing games going up against perhaps the league’s best secondary in Seattle’s combo of corners Richard Sherman, Chidobe Awuzie, and Jaire Alexander and safeties Taylor Rapp and Terrell Edmunds. It also featured two coaches with contrasting styles, the aggressive offensive mind of Mike Riley against the stodgy and defense-first philosophy of Marvin Lewis. In other words, this one had “classic” written all over it.   We often expect these kinds of divisional slugfests to start slowly, with both teams sizing each other up, but that is not what we got. We got points out of the gate, with Seattle opening the game with an 11-play drive and a Hundley to Amari Cooper TD that silenced the LA crowd. But that crowd was not silent for long when, on Seattle’s 2 nd  drive, backed up at the 10, Hundley made a fatal mistake, trying to force the ball inside to TE Kyle Rudolph. Express LB Keith Rivers jumped the route, snapped up the ball, and rumbled his way to the endzone to even the score with a defensive TD, an Express specialty.   Seattle was upset, but angry after the botched pass, and Hundley bounced back in a big way, connecting with slot receiver John Brown for 30 yards on a 3 rd  and 7 throw. That was followed by a 12-yard run from Moreno, his longest of the day, and then a quick strike to Cooper, and finished off with Moreno going the final 6 yards to once again build up a 7-point Dragon lead. All of this in about 7 minutes of game time, and while the score would hold through the end of the 1 st  quarter, it was clear that both teams were ready for the intensity of this game.   Midway through the 2 nd  quarter, Seattle expanded their advantage with Moreno earning his 2 nd  TD of the game, a goal-line plunge after a defensive PI against Richard Sherman (who guarded Cooper all night) put the ball on the 1. Moreno’s score with 6:14 left in the half, gave Seattle a 21-7 lead, but the Express were not impressed. They got in range as the half wound down, but a poor snap cost them a field goal and they went into the locker room a frustrated but motivated team, trailing by 14, but feeling the game was far from over.   LA came out in the 2 nd  half with no interest at all in respecting Seattle’s game. They manhandled the Dragons on 3 consecutive 3-and-out possessions by the Dragon offense. Their own offense found some rhythm as well, turning their 2 nd  possession of the half into 7 points thanks to a 15-play, 7-minute drive that concluded with Paul Perkins crashing into the endzone from the 3. The Express had dominated the quarter and now went into the final period down only 7.   The 4 th  quarter would belong to two players, LA DE Nick Bosa, who recorded 2 sacks, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in the span of 12 minutes, and WR Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who would find the endzone twice in the final 6 minutes of action. The first came on a 1-yard crossing pattern after the Bosa fumble gave LA the ball at the Seattle 22. The Express pounded the ball towards the endzone, with Perkins and Ty Montgomery both effective against the Dragon run defense. Once they got inside the 5, they faked the run and Murray found Brown for the equalizer.   Only 3 minutes later, after yet another 3-and-out from the LA defense, helped by a Jamar Taylor sack on a corner blitz, the 6 th  sack of Hundley on the night, LA was back in action and moving the ball well. Murray, who finished the game only 10 of 21, got 2 of his 10 completions on the drive, including the go-ahead score, a 29-yard out & up that fooled the Seattle secondary and left Brown open for the score. LA was up 7 after trailing by 14, had held Seattle without any points in the second half, and was only 2:54 away from a very needed division win. But 2:54 is an eternity in football, so this game still had some drama left to play out.   Seattle took the ensuing kickoff to the 27 on their return, and took the field hoping to muster one last drive to send the game to overtime. They would abandon the run on the drive, having seen Knowshon Moreno, despite his 2 short TD runs, limited to only 33 yards on 16 carries, a paltry 2.1 YPC average. Hundley would have to carry the team if they were going to even the score in the final minutes. At first he seemed very much up to the task, finding Newhouse for an 11-yard strike on the first play of the drive, then finding TE Kyle Rudolph for 23 only 2 plays later. They were in LA territory, but they needed 7, not 3, and they needed to keep moving closer to get that done.   Hundley took a huge hit on the next play, a blow just as he threw the ball as Bosa again hit home, but as the pass fluttered out of bounds, it did nothing but move the down to 2 nd  and 10. On the 2 nd  down play, Hundley found TE John Bates, but the play gained only 2 yards, creating a 3 rd  and 8. Hundley went to the shotgun, looked first at Newhouse, then back across to John Brown over the middle, but there was nothing there.  He took off running but was brought down after gaining only 2 yards, creating a game-defining 4 th  and 6. Again in the shotgun, Murray thought he had the clean route he needed, throwing a laser towards Amari Cooper, but Richard Sherman recovered quickly, gaining ground on the receiver, and disrupting the catch with his left arm thrust between Coopers. The ball fell to the ground and the possession switched over to the Express.   LA would need a first down to end the game, and they got it in only 2 plays, the first a 5-yards counter by Perkins, the second another 5-yard gainer, this time from Murray on the scramble, and that was all she wrote. The Express, up 28-21, could take a knee, leave the field at 7-7 and remain very much alive in the playoff hunt. The Dragons, winners of 10 in a row, now had their third defeat, and yet, for the disappointment of the day, there would be good news as other results came in over the weekend, locking in the Dragons not only as a playoff team, but as the Pacific Division Champions. A strange way to get there, but they got there nonetheless. NEW JERSEY 24   WASHINGTON 31 As we covered in our Big Story this week, Washington stunned the Generals, with Travis Etienne not only rushing for 119 yards, averaging 6 yards per carry, but he also contributed a key TD through the air. Jacoby Brissett also found Tyreek Hill for a score in the 4 th  quarter, giving Washington a 31-17 lead before a late General TD made the game look closer than it was. POTG:  Federal HB Travis Etienne: 20 Att, 116 Yds, 3 Rec, 23 Yds, 1 TD   OHIO 0   CHICAGO 34 A disastrous performance for Ohio in a game they hoped would propel them to the playoffs. The Glory rushed for a total of negative 2 yards in this game. Yes, even with a dual threat QB and a pretty solid veteran HB in Isaiah Pead, they managed negative rush yardage. Add to that a grand total of only 3 first downs in the entire game, and a defense that allowed Chicago to walk all over them and this was a very bad showing for a team that had playoff aspirations. POTG:  Chicago kicker Daniel Carlson: 6 for 6 on FG.   MICHIGAN 28  PHILADELPHIA 17 LeVeon Bell had only 1 carry before a shoulder injury took him out, but Alexander Mattison and Karlos Williams stepped in and combined for 161 yards and 2 TDs as the Panthers won their 3 rd  in a row to get right back into playoff position at 8-5. The Panthers picked off Carson Wentz twice, including a Dre Kirkpatrick pick-six, and limited Derrick Henry to only 39 yards in a game that was never really close after a 14-0 first quarter from the Panthers. POTG:  Michigan CB Dre Kirkpatrick: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD.   ORLANDO 27   NEW ORLEANS 17 The ‘Gades took care of business, improving to 8-5 despite 3 Russell Wilson picks and a defense that gave up 126 yards and 2 scores to Breaker WR Justin Jefferson. They were helped by a 100-yard game from NFL import Chris Carson, and by a defense that sacked Tajh Boyd 4 times, 3 coming from league sack leader Montez Sweat. The Renegades took a 10-3 lead in the 2 nd quarter and never trailed after that as New Orleans was eliminated from playoff consideration at 4-9. POTG:  Orlando DE Montez Sweat: 5 Tck, 3 Sck, 1 FF   PITTSBURGH 21 DALLAS 33 Dallas won their 3 rd  in a row to move above .500 and they did it in style, with Perine and Johnson combining for 124 yards and 2 TDs on the ground and the defense returning a Dalton pick 29 yards for a score. All you need to know about how this game went for Pittsburgh is that Andy Dalton led all backs with 8 rushing attempts. Pressure was on him all game and the results were not pretty for the Maulers. POTG:  Dallas HB Samaje Perine: 22 Att, 81 Yds, 2 TD   BIRMINGHAM 26  OKLAHOMA 20 Tim Tebow has 2 wins in 2 starts, and this one came with some pretty nice numbers as well, with Tebow going 14 of 25 for 312 yards, 2 TDs and no picks. That is quite a bit better than Jalen Hurts’s 186 yards, though Hurts also added 2 TDs. Oklahoma held a surprising 20-16 lead after 3 quarters, but a Tebow to HB Ben Tate TD throw and a field goal from Chris Boswell helped the Stallions build up a 6-point lead and they blanked Oklahoma down the stretch to move to 9-5 on the season. POTG:  Stallion QB Tim Tebow: 14/25, 312 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int   ST. LOUIS 14  DENVER 20 With Josh Allen knocked out of the game with a foot injury after only 1 attempt, it was Mitch Trubisky who rallied the Gold, with a lot of help from Golden Tate. Tate caught 6 of 9 targets from Trubisky, turning short throws into big gainers with YAC. That includes a 50-yard TD on a 7-yard throw, and another 27-yard TD catch and run. St. Louis played the Gold tough, but Tyrod Taylor was sacked 5 times, 3 in the 4 th  quarter and the Skyhawks just could not come back late. POTG:  Denver WR Golden Tate: 6 Rec, 173 Yds, 2 TD   BALTIMORE 24  NEW ENGLAND 7 The Blitz stay alive in the Wild Card race, with Jake Locker throwing for 3 scores and the defense limiting Ryan Tannehill to 185 yards passing. It was 24-0 after 3 quarters with a late garbage time score finally putting New England on the board. The poor offensive performance by the homestanding Steamrollers likely played a big part in the decision to finish the year with Jameis Winston under center (see story below). POTG:  Blitz QB Jake Locker: 15/25, 144 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   SAN ANTONIO 10   ATLANTA 21 The Gunslingers were feeling good after building up a 10-0 lead at the half, but the Fire adjusted in the 2 nd  half, with Pat White throwing for 3 scores and the Gunslinger D giving up 168 yards to Fire backs. Kenyan Drake, who is rumored to be headed into free agency, rushed for 104 yards on only 6 carries, while Nick Chubb went 18 for 62 as Atlanta, got their first win with White under center. POTG:  Fire QB Pat White: 28/41, 273 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int   CHARLOTTE 13   JACKSONVILLE 17 In what might have been their best shot at a win this season, Charlotte held a 13-10 lead after 3 quarters but could not finish the game out. Jacksonville scored on a Lawrence to Mike Williams 22-yard toss with 5:16 left to play and the Monarchs just did not have a late answer. Kyle Boller threw for 307 yards against the Bulls’ defense but also threw 2 second half picks. The star for Jacksonville was Williams, who caught both Trevor Lawrence TDs on the day. POTG:  Jacksonville WR Mike Williams: 5 Rec, 105 Yds, 2 TD   PORTLAND 9   ARIZONA 35 No doubt about this one as the Wranglers put up 17 points in the 2 nd  quarter to take a dominant 23-2 lead. David Carr threw for 4 scores and both Victor Cruz and Demarcus Robinson both went over 100 as the Wrangler offense is rounding into playoff form down the stretch. DE Bud Dupree added 2 sacks, including a safety against Mariota as each team got one 2-pointer in the game. POTG:  Wrangler QB David Carr: 14/23, 283 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   TAMPA BAY 34  SAN DIEGO 19 The hardest part of this game for Tampa Bay was getting there, as their original coast-to-coast flight had to make an emergency landing in Mobile, Alabama due to mechanical issues. They found their way to San Diego in plenty of time and from there it was pretty simple. Dak Prescott went 14 of 22 for 311 yards and 2 scores, while Dalvin Cook added 87 more and three TDs in a Bandit win that locked up their repeat as SE Division Champs. POTG:  Bandit HB Dalvin Cook: 17 Att, 87 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Rec, 13 Yds, 1 TD   LAS VEGAS 17   OAKLAND 21 A solid debut for QB Davis Mills and a good win for the Invaders, who improved to 7-6. Mills went 23 of 34, throwing for 262with 2 TDs and 1 pick. He was pressured by the Vipers, who recorded 6 sacks, but he stayed on his game and helped Oakland get the win with a 4 th  quarter TD to Taylor Gabriel that proved to be the winning score. Christian McCaffrey also had a good day, rushing for 106 and a score. POTG:  Oakland LB Shaquile Barrett: 6 Tck, 3 TFL, 1 Sck   HOUSTON 44   MEMPHIS 17   The Showboats did not show for this one, as Houston ran up a 34-3 score by halftime. First half scores from Mike Evans, Josh Reynolds, Carlos Hyde and Gerald Everett proved how diverse and how difficult this Gambler offense can be. McCoy threw for 4 scores in the game, while Blake Bortles, getting the start for an injured Paxton Lynch (a Saturday incident at home with a knife, apparently), was sacked 6 times and picked off once in the Houston blowout. Lynch is expected to be back next week, but it may be too late for the 6-7 Showboats. POTG:  Houston QB Colt McCoy: 14/23, 238 Yds, 4 Td, 1 Int   Tebow 2-0 As Stallions Keep Stampeding While Stallion fans can certainly hope for Cam Newton to be back by season’s end, the absolutely cannot complain about the results the past three weeks, with Tim Tebow at the helm. Not only did the former Bulls’ starter and Gator legend help the Stallions pull out a key game against Memphis when Newton went down, but in two starts he has produced over 550 yards passing, 4 touchdowns, no picks, and, most importantly 2 wins. The initial panic and all the hand-wringing about the trade that sent Jameis Winston to New England seems to have been without merit. Tebow has not only played well, he now has Birmingham on the brink of playoff certainty for only the 3rd time this millennium. Birmingham holds a slim 1-game lead over Houston for the division title, but at 9-4, they are almost assured a place among the 12 playoff teams, and they have a real shot at winning their first division title since 1997. You read that right, the Brett Favre-led Stallion team of 1997 was the last division title for Birmingham, a drought that is now 23 seasons long and on the cusp of finally ending.   Tebow has not tried to play Superman, and his game is still a bit rusty, completing only 47.1% of his passes since taking over for Newton, but he is managing the game, spreading the ball around, finding plays at key times, and even using his legs to make plays. He sits with a 106.4 QB Rating after 2.5 games, far better than most starters across the league, and he has the Stallions believing they can finish the regular season atop the Southern Division and possibly even getting a nice bye week for their troubles. That bye could be pivotal, with Cam Newton expected to miss at least 2 more games, but very likely needing even more time. The best case scenario was for Newton to return for Week 17’s season finale at Arizona, but if Tebow continues to win games, Birmingham might be in a position to play some backups and let Tebow make a curtain call in the regular season, with Newton then getting an additional week of rest before coming back under center in the Divisional Playoffs 2 weeks later.   Tebow’s play, and the victories over New Orleans and Oklahoma, has flipped the narrative in Alabama from “Can we survive and make the playoffs with Tebow?” to “What if Tebow goes 5-0? Should we keep him in for the playoffs?”. That last thought was unthinkable only a few weeks ago, but with one SEC legend replacing another and doing it with very positive results, Birmingham is asking questions that are more a luxury than a necessity.   Mills gets Win in First USFL Start Birmingham is not the only team asking some tough QB questions after rookie Davis Mills got his first start and produced a nice win over Las Vegas. His numbers were not eye-popping, but they were certainly very solid for a rookie making his pro debut: 23 of 34 for 262 yards, 2 TDs and 1 pick. Mills looked comfortable under center and Oakland improved to 7-6 on the year, still very much in a crowded pack looking for a Wild Card spot.   The decision to bench Tom Brady was certainly a highly controversial one, but at 6-6 and feeling like the chance for a playoff spot had passed them by, it made some sense to give their rookie some 2021 playing time before possibly taking on the starter mantle full time in 2022. But, what happens if Mills keeps producing wins? Oakland is currently on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, one of 5 teams sitting at 7-6, with Ohio currently holding the tie-breaker advantage for the 6 th  playoff position, but a few more wins from the Invaders and they could easily leapfrog the Glory, Maulers, Express, and Roughnecks to claim the spot. What happens if they do?   Assuming Mills is able to maneuver the Invaders into the playoffs, do you stick with the hot hand, an untested rookie in his first USFL postseason, or do you return to the 5-Time Pro Football Champion and 2-time USFL Champion QB in his swan song season? There will be fans within the Invader Army who feel like Brady deserves the shot at one more playoff run. Others will look at what will have to be a very strong 4-game mini-season by Mills and insist that the rookie deserves the postseason starts. It is a tough situation for Coach Kubiak, but, as with Birmingham’s QB situation, it is one based on abundance, not scarcity, a playoff run facilitated by a new QB and a very solid veteran backup also available. There are plenty of teams that would be envious of those kinds of tough decisions instead of the ones they face as the season heads into its final weeks.   Bell Out vs. Stars But Panthers Prevail The Michigan Panthers have used a 3-game winning streak (and 4 of 5) to get back into the thick of the Central Division chase after falling all the way to 4 th place in the division. Their win this week over Philadelphia was an impressive one, if only for one reason, it was accomplished without 3-time OPOTY winner LeVeon Bell at halfback.   Bell came into the game looking like he was ready to rip through the Stars’ defense, but on only the 2 nd  play of the game, Bell’s first carry, he took the ball on a routine counter run, crashed through the line, gained 3 yards, and was driven to the ground by Philadelphia rookie LB Micah Parsons. Bell popped right back, headed to the huddle, rotating his arm, when he suddenly winced in pain, and called to be taken out. Michigan fans everywhere likely let out some salty language upon seeing Bell head to the medical team, and then the locker room. The good news is that while his shoulder was clearly bruised, he had not suffered a dislocation or a fracture. He would spend the rest of the game on the sideline in a t-shirt but without a sling.   The better news for the Panthers is that with their superstar out of action, they still dominated the Stars, outgaining Philadelphia 314-266 and converting on 8 of 12 third downs. Alexander Mattison got most of the carries in Bell’s stead, and the 3 rd  year back availed himself quite well, averaging 3.9 YPC on his way to 81 carries. Third stringer and occasional 3 rd  down back Karlos Williams also stepped up, rushing for another 80 yards on 12 carries, with a strong 6.1 YPC average. Both Williams and Mattison found paydirt, scoring once apiece, and the Panthers came away with an 11-point victory on the road against a very tough Philadelphia squad.  Bell is expected to suit up this week, when the Panthers match up in a key Central Division game against 7-5 Ohio, and while he may have his snap count limited, it is clear from this week’s Panther victory, that Michigan may well be able to carry on and challenge Chicago without him being at 100%, something the Panther faithful are very happy to see.   Roughnecks Back in Hunt with 3rd Straight Win Another team on a 3-game streak, the Dallas Roughnecks, are hoping they can stay hot and get themselves back in the playoff race. It won’t be easy as their 6-5 Conference record has them currently last among the 5-team cluster of Western Division teams with the same 7-6 record. Of all the 7-6 teams, Dallas is the one most likely to need to gain a game on the others to earn a Wild Card spot. Having already lost to Arizona, Ohio, and LA, the Vipers have some head-to-head issues, but also only have 1 more conference game left, a season finale against Las Vegas.   The Roughnecks, elevated by 3 good wins over that same Las Vegas team, as well as a big win in Denver and this week’s victory over Pittsburgh, may well need to win out, which will be a challenge, but not impossible as the three foes left on the Roughneck schedule (New Orleans, Memphis, and Las Vegas) all sit below .500 after 13 games. They have a chance, and they will likely need a good bit of help, but all you can ask at this point of the season is to be playing well and to have that retain meaning as the playoff races come down to the final weeks.   Steamrollers to Give Winston 3-Game Mini-Season Officially eliminated from playoff contention at 4-9, and coming off two deflating losses to Orlando and Baltimore, the New England Steamrollers have clearly moved into “future planning” mode. The biggest sign of that is the decision from Coach Fox, announced on Tuesday, that Jameis Winston, and not Ryan Tannehill, would be under center for their final three games (@ Washington, @ Ohio and home to the same Federals for the finale). Winston, acquired in a midseason three-team trade that saw the Steamrollers give up both HB Eddie Lacy and 1 st round rookie pick Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, will get his first USFL start against the Federals this week and is expected to have what is essentially a 3-game audition to be the named starter ahead of the 2022 season. The former NFL starter came to the USFL to serve as Cam Newton’s backup in Birmingham after some rough, up and down, seasons in the NFL, including a brutal 30-interception year in 2020. When Tampa Bay released Winston, he got moderate attention from other NFL teams but opted to restart his career in the USFL. Now, with the Steamrollers, he will have a chance to show that he should be reinstated as a starter.   And what of Ryan Tannehill? Himself an NFL import, Tannehill came to the Steamrollers after 1 season in Jacksonville, where he was in Winston’s shoes, trying to prove he could be a viable starter. He had 1 start late in the 2019 season for the Bulls, going 24 of 36 and doing enough to impress John Fox, who selected the former Miami Dolphin in the expansion draft. Tannehill started all 16 games for the Steamrollers in their inaugural season, throwing 15 TDs and 17 picks, and earning a sup-par rating of 68.7. This year has been a bit better, with Tannehill’s numbers improving to a 77.7 QBR, while throwing 9 touchdowns and 8 picks in 11 starts (missing 2 starts to injury early in the season and before Winston's arrival). Well, a lot of what happens to Tannehill depends on how Winston performs in the three final games for the Steamrollers. If he shows a lot of promise, we could see Tannehill free to go in free agency. If there is doubt, however, and Winston struggles, then New England may well scramble to provide Tannehill with an acceptable extension to his original contract.   For Tannehill, the situation must be very frustrating, with his future determined not by his own play, but by the play of a competitor. For Winston, this is the chance to rehabilitate his image, shaking off the “bust” tag that emerged in Tampa Bay, and once again claiming a starting job in the pros. And for New England, who are likely to also give more time to several additional younger players over the next 3 weeks, it is an audition to see if they have caught lightning in a bottle or if they need to reevaluate the most important position on the field.   Two teams are in, both now assured a division crown, as the 11-2 Tampa Bay Bandits, winners of the Southeast Division for a second year running, are joined by the Seattle Dragons, who may have lost to rival Los Angeles this week, but whose 10-3 record now puts them 3 games ahead of any division rival with only 3 to play. Yes, a collapse could allow either Oakland or LA to catch them in the standings, but the tiebreakers all go Seattle’s way, to such a degree that the title is now assured.   Behind the two frontrunners for 1-seeds is a cluster of teams all vying for position or to gain a berth in the next 3 weeks. Each conference has a pair of 9-4 teams, New Jersey and Birmingham in the East, Chicago and Denver in the West, followed by several 8-5 teams and several more at 7-6. With most divisions other than the Pacific and Southeast currently showing only a 1-game margin between first and second place, we may not see another “-y” next to a team any time soon, but we do expect to start seeing some “-x” designations as several teams have a chance to get at least a Wild Card sewn up before their divisions are settled.   The other big story this week on the playoff front is the elimination of 6 more teams, bringing the total to 8 of the 30 USFL franchises. Sitting at 4-9, now 4 games behind the 6 th  and final Wild Card in the East, New England and New Orleans now join the Bulls and winless Monarchs as teams out of the playoff hunt. In the West, 4 teams all joined that group this week, with 3-10 San Diego joined by a trio of 4-9 teams in St. Louis, Oklahoma, and Portland. A Wild Card is out of the question for all 4, though there is still a chance to play spoiler in their final 3 games.   With teams in vital playoff push games this week, even a 1-week injury could be huge. Atlanta knows that and will be hard-pressed to put points on the board with Aaron Murray and now WR Kelvin Benjamin both out in Week 15. Seattle will be without Deshon Hall, but they have perhaps the deepest CB group in the league to help them cope. Baltimore may struggle to pressure the QB with Da’Quan Bowers expected to miss the rest of the regular season, while Michigan is hoping that LeVeon Bell can go this week as they face Ohio.   OUT DE          Dion Jordan              POR      Fractured Arm            2-4 Weeks DE          Da’Quan Bowers            BAL        Abdominal Tear               2-4 Weeks CB          Michael Jackson             ORL       Neck                              2-4 Weeks DE          Deshon Hall                SEA        Collarbone                   2-4 Weeks WR         Kelvin Benjamin              ATL         Abdominal Strain           1-2 Weeks OT          Rashawn Slater               PIT         Hernia                             1-2 Weeks LB           Ramik Wilson                 HOU     Hamstring                    1-2 Weeks G            Nick Easton                  NE          Covid Protocol                 1 Week CB          Kevon Seymour             OHI       Covid Protocol                 1 Week   DOUBTFUL G            Nick Allegretti                  CHI        Foot DE          Jerry Hughes                  ARZ       Hand   QUESTIONABLE TE           Rob Gronkowski             PIT         Concussion OT          Jonah Williams              SD          Hand OT          Tyson Clabo                   LV           Eye HB         LeVeon Bell                  MGN     Shoulder   Are LeBeau, Lathon, and LaFleur Safe or Scared? Too many L’s, that is the problem for three “L” coaches, Dick LeBeau, Lamar Lathon, and Brian LaFleur. Each has at least 4 years with their club, with LeBeau in year 8 and Lathon the senior man with 10 seasons behind him. But with all three already removed from playoff contention and looking at a 10-loss season, what are the odds that these three coaches could become Black Monday sacrifices.   Brian LaFleur (POR) LaFleur’s position seems the most precarious. He is only in his 4 th  year and at 4-9 it looks like the Stags are all but assured a 10-loss season, his second in 4 years. And while the Stags have also had two 9-7 seasons in LaFleur’s tenure, a one-time trip as a Wild Card and a quick one-and-done departure are likely not enough to keep their coach for a fifth season. What is perhaps more damaging for LaFleur is that he came to Portland with an offensive pedigree, ostensibly signed to mentor QB Marcus Mariota and yet the Stag offense is stagnating, sitting at 25 th  in scoring and a nasty 27 th  in rushing. Yes, Mariota has improved, securing a 111.9 rating in 11 games last year, but a dip back into the high 80’s this year, and with 15 picks in 13 games, the results are just not there. VERDICT: Almost certainly receiving a pink slip on Black Monday.   Dick LeBeau (SD) LeBeau’s resume is certainly stronger than LaFleur’s. this is a coach who racked up 4 consecutive 10+ win seasons and 4 straight playoff appearances in San Diego (2016-2019), but after last year’s collapse at 3-13, the Thunder again are sitting on 3 wins this year. Do we think the Thunder will accept a 2 nd  straight 10-loss season and not want a change? LeBeau is known as a defensive guru, but the Thunder rank 27 th  in the league, giving up 25.2 points per game this year. We think that is going to be seen as a failing in the coach’s main area of expertise, and rightly so. VERDICT: We think San Diego will go another way, both at GM and in the Head Coach position.   Lamar Lathon (NOR) Over 9 seasons, Lathon has amassed a 95-48-1 record and has taken the Breakers to the postseason every single season, a remarkable feat. Add to that a league title, the first and only in the 39-season history of the Breakers, and you have a pretty strong case for a Mulligan. So, what do we make of their drop from 11-5 in 2020 to a current tally of 4 wins? Is one bad year enough to force a change in the Big Easy, or does Lathon, as a former star player for the club and a very successful coach, get the benefit of the doubt? We think he has to. The Breakers have the talent to rebound in 2022, and Lathon has proven to be a solid coach with a strong record of success. VERDICT: Lathon will get a shot to rebound in 2022.   Season Awards Could be Real Races With only 3 weeks left in a season, we usually have a really firm grasp of who is going to come away with the individual awards in the USFL. From MVP to Rookie of the Year, we would normally know who the voters will go with after 13 games, but this year is proving a challenge. In pretty much every one of the 5 major USFL honors, there is a debate, and a pretty balanced field of top contenders, so which way will the final weeks of the season break? And who will step up to claim their spot as the best of the 2021 Season? Here is our look at the 5 major USFL awards and where the race stands with each.   MVP: Josh Allen, Cam Newton, Jalen Hurts, or Colt McCoy? We know that the MVP will be a quarterback, it almost always is and without another position putting up a potential record-breaking season, we think the pattern will stick. But, after 13 games there are good arguments to be made for multiple players, and we are not at all sure who wins out. Of these four names, all of whom have their arguments, we think that two may be fading.   Cam Newton’s injury means he can do nothing for the next 3 weeks to rally his team or to bolster his numbers. He was likely the frontrunner after 10 weeks, but that injury, paired with Tim Tebow’s success in relief, makes his case a tough one. Jalen Hurts certainly has the numbers, with over 3,400 yards and 26 touchdowns, but the Outlaws have 4 wins and are eliminated from playoff position, so how can we say his contribution has been the most valuable of any player in the league? That leaves Josh Allen and Colt McCoy. McCoy will get some sentimental vote towards a “lifetime achievement award”, after all, 2021 is just the latest in a long run of strong statistical years. McCoy has not had a season with fewer than 3,000 passing yards, 24 TDs or a QB rating below 90 since 2016. This year’s numbers (4,165 yards, 28 TDs, 12 Ints, and a 98.6 QBR) are among the best of his career. Add to that Houston’s rating as the top passing team in the league and their strong playoff position, and we could see McCoy getting the nod. But don’t count Allen out either. Yes, his fast start has tapered off a bit, but his numbers remain impressive: 3,518 passing yards in 13 games, 28 TDs, 12 picks, and a 108.3 QBR. Allen’s Denver Gold are also one of the surprise teams of the season, sitting atop the SW Division at 9-4, and that is largely due to the success their QB has found in his 4 th  season. We think McCoy has the edge (in numbers and public awareness), but it would not surprise us if Allen got the award if Denver holds on to win the division.   OPOTY: Knowshon Moreno, Golden Tate, or the 2 nd Place MVP Votegetter at QB? The award for offensive player of the year is typically the award for the best offensive player who is not a QB. But we have seen years in which the 2 nd  place votegetter for the MVP award walks away with OPOTY as a consolation prize. So, it is perfectly viable that either McCoy or Allen could snatch this award away from the best back or receiver of the season. Or, how about this for a take, Allen misses out on MVP, but they give the OPOTY to his favorite target, veteran WR Golden Tate? Tate is having the best season of his illustrious career, with over 1,250 yards and 60 receptions in 13 games, not to mention a league best 13 receiving touchdowns. In a way, giving Tate the OPOTY is a way to recognize Allen while still giving McCoy his due as MVP.   But, before we get too focused on Denver, we have to acknowledge that in any other year the clear frontrunner would be Seattle tailback Knowshon Moreno. After 3 straight OPOTY victories by LeVeon Bell, and with the Michigan back dropping all the way to 10 th  in the latest rushing stats, Moreno has become the new face of the run game in the USFL. A back with 13 grueling seasons behind him, Moreno is on pace for a personal best in yardage, and could make a run at 1,400 yards. He has 10 TDs and could beat his personal best from last season (11) with a strong finish, and, perhaps most impressive for a back who turned 32 this year, he is doing it by averaging 4.7 yards per carry, the best among any back with more than 40 touches. We love the season Moreno has put together, and with Seattle as the top seed in the West, the Dragons and their star back deserve this one.   DPOTY: Defensive ends Montez Sweat, J. J. Watt, Calais Campbell, or LB Kahlil Mack Perhaps more than any award other than MVP, the DPOTY tends to be a mix of statistical excellence and team impact. How else could you explain the fact that Calais Campbell missed out on the title during years when the Renegades were not a playoff squad, despite his dominance as a pass rusher. We keep Campbell in the mix this year because he has worked his way into the Top 5 in sacks once again, but it does seem that he will not be able to catch Montez Sweat this year, making it the first in more than a decade where someone else’s name will top the leaderboard. That alone makes Sweat a major contender for the award. Add to that a nice run in the 2 nd  half of the season that has Orlando right in the playoff mix, and the Renegades’ newest edge rushing dynamo has to be considered a frontrunner for the award. In Memphis, J. J. Watt had a fast start, but the wear and tear of a USFL season hot on the heels of his last NFL season has started to take effect, with Watt clearly slowing down and dealing with some injury issues the past month. That leaves only one darkhorse, and again it is a case of a player who is certainly gifted, but who is also on a team that seems to be on a fast track to a Summer Bowl appearance, Seattle LB Khalil Mack.   Mack is not going to lead the league in tackles, a category often won by a player on a bad team that simply gives up more offensive plays, producing more tackles. He won’t lead the league in picks or sacks either, as LB’s never do, but when you put the three major defensive stats together, there is no one who is excelling as a tackler, pass rusher, and coverage linebacker quite like Khalil Mack. In his 8 th  season, Mack leads the Dragons with 3 interceptions, despite the quality of their secondary. He is 2 nd  on the team with 9 sacks, but Chris Long, who leads the Dragons, only came over a few weeks ago from Washington, so in actual sacks for the Dragons, Khalil is again first. Oh, and with 69 tackles, he is only 5 behind team leader Josh Allen. He has a real chance to finish the season atop the team leaderboard in all three categories, and his team is currently 10-3, a division winner, and a clear favorite for the 1-seed. We think that could make him a darling of voters.   ROTY: QBs Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, HB Travis Etienne, or DE Odafe Oweh? We all went into the season thinking that Lawrence was the odds-on favorite, and he certainly has had a good statistical year for a rookie QB, throwing for over 3,000 yards and on pace for well over 20 TDs, but, with the Bulls mired at 4-9 and their offense ranked only 17 th  in passing, the numbers are just not strong enough, not with the kind of games we have seen from Justin Fields in Ohio.   Fields not only has the Glory in the playoff mix at 7-6, but has had some games that were pure highlight reels. The only major knock is that Fields has been mediocre as a passer and only shows up as a dynamic leader when he uses his feet. The former Ohio State dual threat has only 2,337 passing yards after 13 starts, and his TD:INT is not good at 9:12. His rating is 64.4, which is a rating that often gets QBs benched. But, when we look at him as a rusher, the numbers pop: 130 attempts for 733 yards, an 5.6 YPC average and 10 rushing TDs. That is a strong resume for a rookie halfback, much less a starting QB. But, what if the passing numbers drag him down, who then?   Many will point to Washington HB Travis Etienne. That makes sense, as the former Clemson Tiger has 905 yards after 13 games, with a real chance to hit 1,200 as a rookie. He also has 10 total TDs (9 rushing) and is clearly a focal point of the Federal offense. But, we have someone else in mind, a bit of a dark horse, but clearly a player who has had a highly impactful first year. That 4 th  name is Denver Gold DE Odafe Oweh. The former Penn State LB/DE hybrid has been a revelation for the Gold, racking up 19 sacks in 13 games, good enough to be tied for 2 nd  in the league and only 4 behind league leader Montez Sweat. If wins and losses are part of the equation, and impact for a team is also counted, we think Oweh needs major consideration.   COTY: Robert Saleh, John Hufnagel, Todd Haley, Mike Riley, or Ron Rivera We always say that this award goes to the coach who gets more out of his roster than most predicted. Well, this year there are a lot of cases to be made with that criteria in mind. On the one hand, you have teams that have exceeded expectations even as teams some expected to compete for the playoffs, as is the situation with Mike Riley in Seattle or New Jersey’s Robert Saleh. But the other hand holds coaches leading teams that were not seen as contenders, but are now in the mix, such as Birmingham’s Todd Haley or Denver’s John Hufnagel. Our final pick is a coach who many thought might be on the verge of being let go, Orlando’s Ron Rivera. After a 4-4 start, many were critical of Rivera and the underachieving Renegades, but the 2 nd half of the season has seen Orlando get very much in the mix, going 4-1 and now very much a team to be reckoned with as the playoffs approach. Honestly, we think the voters will likely be looking at Hufnagel and Haley simply because their teams were not well-respected ahead of the season and both now have a chance to win their divisions.   Tampa Bay Bandits to Alter Look for 2022 With the Bandits locked in and ready for the 2021 playoffs, the club was ready to reveal their new Under Armour look, safe in the knowledge that they would be donning the gear a bit early. The USFL tradition of teams switching to their new gear in the playoffs prior to the official debut season is one well-established, and one the Bandits expect to uphold as they gear up for the 2021 playoffs.   At an event at the famous Don Cesar hotel in St. Petersburg, the Bandits and Under Armour unveiled the new look for the defending USFL champions. Not to worry, Bandit fans, it is a look that very much pays homage to the team’s 39 USFL seasons and their 4 league titles. The Bandits mixed innovation with trademarks from their past to design the new look. The helmet is one very familiar to Bandit fans, with the traditional silver-grey shell and grey facemask. The traditional striping and the masked rider will be very familiar. Where fans will see a difference is in the new striping on the jersey and pant sets as Under Armor took the traditional 5-stripe pattern (black-white-red-white-black) found on the helmet and gave it a new twist, with the familiar pattern now appearing as angled horizontal stripes on both the grey pant set and both the red and white jerseys, not as a sleeve stripe, but along the ribs. The sleeves of both jerseys will feature the familiar monogram logo with black hat and no striping. The numbers are either red or white with silver and black piping and a black shadow.   The look is one that is both new, in the way stripes are aligned, but also deeply tied to the look that Tampa Bay has worn since the league’s inaugural season. However, if there are Bandit fans that hanker for a more traditional look, they will certainly be happy with the club’s 1983 Throwback look. The original look of the Bandits, including their 1983 logo and the traditional sleeve and pant striping, will be a very welcome and familiar look for Bandit nation.   The final alternate look, known as the “Midnight Rider” will also be one from Tampa Bay’s past, modeled after a short-lived alternate look the Bandits experimented with in the early 1990’s. The all-black design features the team’s secondary Bandit logo on the black helmet, outlined in silver. The black jersey and pants replicate the new striping pattern on the team’s primaries, but with no use of white, using only red and silver striping. The numbers also avoid white, with silver numbers piped in black and red. It is a look we expect to see only when the Bandits play at night, considering that the all black look would hardly be a good idea in the hot summer sun of a June or July day game.   Expect the Bandits to debut the new red jersey primary look when they open the playoffs, almost certainly playing as a home team. If they are able to lock up the 1-seed, that game will be in the Divisional Round, which feels pretty much like a safe bet considering the 10-3 Bandits are 2 games up on both New Jersey and Birmingham for the 1-seed and have only 3 games left on the schedule.   A week for teams to either make a stand or fade away. It is not hard to see why as we have so many teams at either 7-6 or 6-7 and only a couple can have a real shot at a playoff berth. We kick off on Friday with 4 teams, all at 7-6, and all hoping they can make a late run to reach 10 wins. On NBC it will be the Blitz heading to Pittsburgh to take on the Maulers. This used to be a divisional game but is now an interconference matchup, but one that is vital to both teams. The ESPN/EFN game is also an interconference game, but with both LA and Atlanta at 7-6, this is a must-win for both teams.   The drama will continue on Saturday, where we start with the first of 6 divisional matchups. Michigan, sitting at 8-5 and winners of 3 in a row, head down to Ohio to face the 7-6 Glory. Yes, a great battle of rivals built off the enmity of the two states, but also a vital playoff-defining game for both clubs. A win by Michigan and they are all but assured a playoff spot and a shot at Chicago for 1 st  place. Ohio needs the win to stay in the mix in the Central. We will also have 6-7 Memphis hoping to upset 8-5 Philadelphia and return to .500. The NBC Saturday night game will also provide some playoff drama, with 9-4 Chicago facing 9-4 New Jersey in a clash of teams defined by their tenacious play.   Sunday features 4 divisional games, though none have two playoff seeking squads facing off. Washington is still alive at 6-7, as they host the 4-8 Steamrollers (with new QB Jameis Winston), while the 8-5 Renegades and 9-4 Stallions hope wins over Charlotte and San Antonio will boost their playoff positions. Finally, at 4pm, we have Oakland, sitting at 7-6, hoping a win in San Diego keeps them in the mix. But in what will likely be the most watched game this weekend, we have a nightcap on Sunday that could produce some real fireworks, as the Houston Gamblers head to Tampa Bay to face the Bandits. This game will have two of the most prolific offenses in the league going head-to-head, so we expect a lot of big plays and a real “shootout” atmosphere.   FRI @ 8pm ET         Baltimore (7-6) @ Pittsburgh (7-6)                     NBC FRI @ 8pm ET        Los Angeles (7-6) @ Atlanta (7-6)                     ESPN/EFN   SAT @ 12pm ET      Michigan (8-5) @ Ohio (7-6)                             ABC SAT @ 12pm ET      Memphis (6-7) @ Philadelphia (8-5)               FOX SAT @ 4pm ET        Oklahoma (4-9) @ St. Louis (4-9)                 ABC SAT @ 4pm ET     Jacksonville (4-9) @ Seattle (10-3)                 FOX SAT @ 8pm ET      Chicago (9-4) @ New Jersey (9-4)                     NBC SAT @ 8pm ET      Arizona (8-5) @ Las Vegas (5-8)                       ESPN/EFN   SUN @ 12pm ET     New England (4-9) @ Washington (6-7)         ABC Regional SUN @ 12pm ET   Orlando (8-5) @ Charlotte (0-13)                   ABC Regional SUN @ 12pm ET     San Antonio (5-8) @ Birmingham (9-4)          FOX SUN @ 4pm ET        New Orleans (4-9) @ Dallas (7-6)                    ABC SUN @ 4pm ET       Denver (9-4) @ Portland (4-9)                       FOX Regional SUN @ 4pm ET        Oakland (7-6) @ San Diego (3-10)                   FOX Regional SUN @ 8pm ET        Houston (8-5) @ Tampa Bay (11-2)                  ESPN/EFN