Week 10: Playoffs? We're Talking About Playoffs?

Playoff Races Heating Up

The race for the USFL/WFL's final playoff spots just got a little tighter.

Chuck Johnson, CB, Detroit Wheels

Shreveport (6-4) continues to hang on to the sixth spot in the National Conference, but the Steamer's 21-12 loss to Jacksonville cut their margin of error to one game. The Tampa Bay Bandits (5-5) have won four in a row. The defending World Bowl champion Florida Blazers (5-5) finally ended their five-game losing streak. The Baltimore Stars (5-5) took over second place in the Atlantic Division by beating the Washington Federals.

The good news for Shreveport is, they only play one team with a winning record the rest of the way.

In the American Conference, Detroit (6-4) is currently on the outside looking in, but it wouldn't take much for the Wheels to exchange places with the Portland Storm (7-3), Oklahoma Outlaws (7-3) and Honolulu Hawaiians (7-3).

The bad news for Detroit is, the Wheels still must play unbeaten Chicago twice.

Week 10 Roundup

• There were 20 points scored in the final 2 minutes of Baltimore's wild 30-27 win over Washington. The Stars had a seemingly safe 27-17 lead, but Federals QB Joe Richardson fired a 17-yard TD pass to WR Matt Ellis with 51 seconds to go and, after Washington recovered an onside kick, Matthew Eno kicked a 52-yard field goal with 14 seconds left to tie the score. Baltimore got the ball back and did not play it safe. QB Victor Gorman made a hot read and found WR David Reed all alone down the left sideline for a 72-yard completion that set up Bernard Twiggs' game-winning 26-yard field goal with 1 second left.
• The most boring game of the week at least had an exciting finish, as Samuel Hoye's field goal with 2 seconds to go lifted the Pittsburgh Maulers over the New Orleans VooDoo, 6-3. Hoye's game-winner was set up by Michael White's 16-yard pass to WR Vito Moffat on third-and-11.
• Detroit CB Chuck Johnson was credited with 13 tackles and intercepted two passes as the Wheels moved back into the postseason picture with a 23-6 win over the Cleveland Thunderbolts.
• Florida DT Shaun Saunders returned an interception 16 yards for the winning TD as the Blazers finally got off the schneid with a 22-17 victory over the Orlando Renegades.
• The Houston Gamblers nearly came all the way back from a 21-6 deficit, but Memphis LDE Nathan Branch sacked Gamblers QB Chester Dougherty on the 2-point attempt to preserve the Showboats' 21-19 win.
• A back-and-forth game finally ended in Chicago's favor when CB Robert Davis intercepted a William Hill pass with 1:15 remaining, preserving a 34-33 Blitz victory. Chicago is 10-0, with six of those wins coming by 6 or fewer points.
• The Denver Gold are showing signs of life, having won three of their last four after pummeling the Arizona Wranglers, 38-19. Denver QB Dustin Nichols threw five TD passes, including a 68-yarder to WR Jimmy Rupe just before halftime.
• The Birmingham Stallions (9-1) won their eighth in a row by stampeding the New Jersey Generals, 30-8. The Stallions limited New Jersey to 175 total yards as CB Dusty Edwards made five tackles, intercepted a pass, and recovered a fumble.

Week 11 Preview

A pair of division leaders square off when the Chicago Blitz (10-0) travel to San Antonio to face the Gunslingers (8-2). The Honolulu Hawaiians (7-3) will try to extend their four-game win streak at Birmingham (9-1). The Stallions have won eight in a row. The Oklahoma Outlaws (7-3) have won four in a row entering their home game against the Houston Gamblers (4-6).

It's in the Bag: Studying the Sacks

This analysis is courtesy of Booger926. Please note these sack numbers through Game 9. You can see which teams are living by the sack and dying by them.

The Baltimore Stars have the worst plus-minus sack ratio and you wonder how much longer they can play "chicken" with just one QB on their roster. Conversely, a solid pass rush is a big reason why the Georgia Force has gone from 5-11 last season to 8-1 this season and why Detroit and San Antonio and Birmingham are so good. And, when Arizona Wranglers QB Ralph Trowbridge isn't throwing an interception, he's getting sacked.

Here's an interesting tidbit—Memphis Showboats QB Joseph Cantwell has only been sacked 18 times this season. He was brought down behind the line 78 times last season with Birmingham. BUT, Agustin Cook, Birmingham's new QB, has only been sacked 21 times. Did Cantwell (9 speed, 83 scramble) suddenly become more mobile? Is the Memphis offensive line that much better (remember, Birmingham had two All-Pro OL last season)? Has the change in game versions made that big of a difference?

Week 9: And Then There Was One

Week 9 Roundup

Roland Ellis, Chicago Blitz

The Chicago Blitz are now the only unbeaten team in the USFL/WFL.
Roland Ellis kicked a 55-yard field goal with 5:27 to play and the Blitz defense made that lead stand up as Chicago edged the previously unbeaten Oakland Invaders, 16-13, at Soldier Field.
Oakland could advance no farther than its 47-yard line during its final two possessions.
Jason Brooks of the Invaders rushed for 105 yards on 18 carries and FS Anthony Dickey was credited with 10 tackles. Chicago CB Robert Gonzales had six tackles. Neither team committed a turnover. In other Week 9 games:

• The defending World Bowl champion Florida Blazers took their fifth consecutive loss in shocking fashion, falling 14-10 to the Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte QB Chas Schneider gave his team a 14-0 halftime lead with a 31-yard TD pass to WR Clair Wyche.
• The New Jersey Generals recovered from a 20-7 deficit to edge the Boston Breakers, 24-20. New Jersey WLB Mike Weddington made 11 tackles and recorded a sack and QB Doug Fluty fired three TD passes.
• Another comeback took place in a key Southwest Division game as the Oklahoma Outlaws fell behind the Houston Gamblers, 23-14, before recovering for a 32-23 win.Oklahoma RB Patrick Hiebert returned kickoffs 102 yards and 100 yards, both for TDs.
• Shreveport QB Fred Murphy hit WR Cleo Davis with a 78-yard TD pass with 5 minutes to play, giving the Steamer a 34-24 lead in a 34-31 win over the San Jose SaberCats.
• Orlando Renegades LDE Chris McDuffie recorded five sacks during a 16-3 loss to the Baltimore Stars.
• Georgia Force LDE Ronald Rivera sacked the QB four times, forced two fumbles and recovered two more, and had six sacks in a 47-7 win over the Philadelphia Bell.
• Washington Federals QB Joe Richardson passed for 481 yards and four TDs, but his team fell, 41-34, to the Tampa Bay Bandits.

Coach Profile/Predictions

Otterpop Warner

User Name: Otterpop
Team: Pittsburgh Maulers
Playing MFN Since:System says a year but I have been playing about 6 months.
Hometown (town, state):Lakewood, CA
Current residence (town, state):Anaheim, CA
Day job:Human resource/payroll manager
Favorite teams (all sports):Dodgers/Lakers but football is by far my favorite sport. No favorite football team, though. Whoever is on my fantasy football team, who I am betting on (when in Vegas) and/or who I have in Draft King is who I am cheering for.
A real-life sports experience: Baseball (college)/Football (high school)
A fantasy sports experience: I have won over $6,000 one year in fantasy football. My ultimate fantasy, though, was to be a GM of a professional football team. I even applied for another position with the Washington Redskins. They sent me a "sorry but you do not have the qualifications for the position" letter. LOL.
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach):My biggest tip I can think of is to look at every player at the position you desire. Not all the super studs will lead your team there are players out there that will surprise you if you play them.

Otterpop's Week 10 predictions

Pittsburgh Maulers @ New Orleans Voodoo
Pittsburgh Maulers go to New Orleans to face Last Season Division winner Voodoo. Pittsburgh Offense proves to be too much and covers the 6 points.

Cleveland Thunderbolts @ Detroit Wheels
Cleveland Thunderbolts are up against the division foe Detroit Wheels. Both teams are trying to stay close to the Blitz. Detroit suffered a loss in their first meeting. Detroit will win the game but will not cover the 12 points.

Jacksonville Bulls @ Shreveport Steamer
The Bulls find themselves on the road again and face the 6-3 Steamer. The Bulls defense is tough the Steamer is trying to stay close to the front-runners in the division. In a low scoring affair, the Bulls do not allow Shreveport to cover the 8 points.

Washington Federals @ Baltimore Stars
This Atlantic division sees the Federals go into Baltimore to face the Stars. Both teams are 4-5 and are trying to keep their eyes on the Division Leader Maulers. The Stars come out ahead and cover the 3 points.

Florida Blazers @ Orlando Renegades
Last season champion Blazers go into Orlando to face the Renegades. The Renegades are on a seven-game skid and that will continue with the Blazers winning this game outright.

Tampa Bay Bandits @ Charlotte Hornets
This game is Even according to Vegas. But is it? Charlotte has approved from last season. Have they approved enough? The Bandits prove to be too much and come out of this game with an even record of 5 and 5.

Memphis Showboats @ Houston Gamblers
The Gamblers host their Southwest Division rival the Memphis Showboats. Controversy surround the Gamblers when cult hero kicker Jason Peeler was questioned about his accuracy. Fans were in an uproar over the thought of releasing their cult hero. Controversy aside the Showboat is a 3 point underdog and on a four-game losing streak. The Gamblers come out on top and Jason Peeler celebrates with his fans.

New York Stars @ Boston Breakers
The leagues' 2nd Stars teams go into Boston to face the Breakers. The New York version of the stars have not won a game this season and I am sorry they won't have a victory after this game. The Breakers cover the 13 points and win this game.

Georgia Force @ San Jose SaberCats
The SaberCats have fallen on hard times. Georgia is showing team owner tribewater has some magic in his play calling. Do not sell the SaberCats short they did go 12 - 4 last season. But the Force is strong in Georgia :) and they overcome the spread and defeat the SaberCats.

Honolulu Hawaiians @ Southern California Sun
The Hawaiians invade Southern California and make themselves at home. The Hawaiians show the Sun what true paradise looks like and defeat the Sun.

Michigan Panthers @ Oakland Invaders
Michigan is showing the league they are an up and coming team. Oakland suffered their first loss last week falling to the Blitz in Chicago. Panthers try their best to keep the Invaders down but cannot and Oakland covers the 14 point spread.

Chicago Blitz @ Portland Storm
The Blitz comes into Portland as the league's last undefeated team. Oddsmakers have surprising made the Blitz a 7 point dog. The Storm and the Invaders are battling it out in the West. The Storm comes out ahead with a last minute field goal, but fail to cover the point spread.

Arizona Wranglers @ Denver Gold
West Division rivals Arizona and Denver are trying to keep up with the division rivals Oakland and Portland. There questions in Denver after early season moves have come into question. Can the Wranglers overcome the chill in Denver? The Gold has to win this game by 3 but fail to do that.

Los Angeles Express @ Oklahoma Outlaws
The 6 - 3 Outlaws are on a 3 game winning streak. The 4-5 Express is on a two-game Winning Streak. The 6 point dog Express are trying to keep up with the Hawaiians in the Pacific Division. The Outlaws are on a similar mission of staying in striking distance of the Gunslingers of San Antonio. Oklahoma defense proves to be too tough and hold the Express and cover the 6 points.

New Jersey Generals @ Birmingham Stallions
The South Vs The North in a battle of Division leaders. Birmingham is 8 and 1 and tied with Georgia Force for the South Division. The Generals are leading the East. New Jersey and vaulted defense are once again ready to show under team leader its strength. In a close game, Stallions win the game but fail to cover the 5 points.

Philadelphia Bell @ San Antonio Gunslingers
The 3-6 Bell go into San Antonio hoping for the unset over the much-favored Gunslingers. The Gunslingers are just too much for the Bell and cover the 13-point spread.

Week 8: The Halfway Point

Where We Are

Les Lacy, QB, Oakland Invaders

First, we enter the second half of the season with 31 of the 32 coaches that began the preseason. Considering the state of MFN in most leagues, that is outstanding.

There have been some surprises in the first half of 1975, and there are certainly more to come. I don't think anyone would have expected half of last year's playoff teams to be nowhere near contention after eight games (assuming the Florida Blazers' downward spiral continues). While we may have expected improvement out of Oakland and New Jersey, we probably didn't expect the Invaders to be 8-0 with an average margin of victory of 24.63 points or the Generals (6-2) to hold a three-game lead in the East Division.

Will Oakland go 16-0? The Invaders still have to play the Portland Storm (twice) and Chicago Blitz. The Pittsburgh Maulers (6-2) play Jacksonville (6-2) this week, then don't see a plus-.500 team the rest of the season. Detroit (4-4) still has a chance to return to the postseason, but must play Chicago twice. The Birmingham Stallions (7-1) have made all the right moves and go into the second half with a six-game win streak.

The real entertainment will come in the Southwest Division, where the resurgence of the Oklahoma Outlaws and Houston Gamblers has their fans talking about a three-team battle down the stretch. The San Antonio Gunslingers must still play Oklahoma (twice) and Chicago. Oklahoma must still play San Antonio twice and Houston twice. Houston has the toughest row to hoe. The Gamblers play Oklahoma twice in the next three weeks and also have games remaining against New Jersey, Oakland, and the Pacific Division-leading Honolulu Hawaiians.

Week 8 Roundup

• San Antonio Gunslingers WR Donnie Baker had a day to remember, catching 13 passes for 346 yards and TDs of 85, 79 and 3 yards during a 46-40 win over the San Jose SaberCats. Thomas Canale of the New Orleans VooDoo set the USFL single-game record with 384 yards on nine receptions in a 1974 game against the Orlando Renegades.
• Denver Gold RDE Dennis Rivas returned an interception 63 yards and recorded three sacks and five tackles in a 51-3 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
• Shreveport's David Ryan intercepted two passes (something you don't see every day from a DL) in the Steamer's 35-23 win over the New Jersey Generals.
• The Detroit Wheels defense (sort of) shut down Portland Storm QB William Hill (236 yards, 3 INTs), but the Storm's defense preserved a 13-10 victory when Jose Fouche (sort of) missed a 55-yard field goal attempt with 1:26 to go. Did that one look short to you, eyeballll?
• Honolulu CB Walter Gabbert's interception with 11 seconds to play clinched a 13-10 victory for the Hawaiians over the Southern California Sun.
• Jacksonville recovered a Florida fumble at its 21 late in the fourth quarter to claim a 17-13 victory and hand the Blazers their fourth consecutive loss.

Week 9 Preview

The long-awaited battle of the league's superpowers takes place Saturday when the Chicago Blitz (8-0) host the Oakland Invaders (8-0). MFN rates Oakland a 1-point favorite. Two more of the best the league has to offer collide when Jacksonville (6-2) travels to Pittsburgh (6-2). The Oklahoma Outlaws (5-3) play at Houston (4-4) in the first of many second-half games in the Southwest Division with playoff implications.

Coach's Profile

UKRAIN

User Name: UKRAIN
Team: Charlotte Hornets
Playing MFN Since: 4/13/17
Hometown (town, state): Kharkiv, Ukraine
Current residence (town, state): Kharkiv
Day Job: Accountant
Favorite teams (all sports): Titans, Eagles, Ravens
A real-life sports experience: School basketball team
A fantasy sports experience: Playoff

How did you become interested in American football? Soviet television showed reviews of the German League in American football. With the advent of torrents, I watch NFL and NCAA.

Week 7: No Bull – Jacksonville is For Real

The Jacksonville Bulls are shutting down opposing offenses at a rate never before seen in the USFL/WFL. If their offense can keep pace, this league is going to be a Bulls market.

Jacksonville edged the Orlando Renegades, 13-9, for its fifth win in the last six games. The only loss in that span was a 9-6 decision to the powerhouse Chicago Blitz. QB Ty Fleming hit WR Shawn Trevino with a 78-yard pass against Orlando for that game's only TD, a win that put Jacksonville into sole possession of first place in the South Division.

Following a 34-7 defeat at the hands of the Detroit Wheels in the season opener, the Bulls have not allowed ANY of their last six opponents to reach double figures. Jacksonville is 5-2 despite ranking No. 31 in a 32-team league in yards from scrimmage per game (272.4). Why? Because they are No. 2 in yards allowed from scrimmage per game (281.4) and points allowed (11.3).

Booger926 noted the rise of the Bulls in a recent forum post. I have updated the contents below.

Through game 7 of the 1975 season, the Jacksonville Bulls have a turnover margin of +9, second in the league to Chicago (+13). The Bulls had a five-game streak of +1 or better snapped against Orlando. During the last six games, Jacksonville's secondary has nine interceptions and the team has recovered nine fumbles. The Bulls have converted those turnovers into 16 points. The interception against Orlando came with 2:33 to play, killing the Renegades' final drive. The Bulls currently have seven players with an INT and six players with a fumble recovery, with DT Raphael Alvarez tied for the league lead with four recoveries while forcing one.

Week 7 Roundup

• The Houston Gamblers scored 10 points in the final 2:49 to surprise the San Antonio Gunslingers, 38-34, and reclaim the I-10 Construction Zone Trophy. Houston trailed by 10 points on three different occasions, but went ahead for good when RB Robert Carroll turned a short swing pass into a 64-yard TD from QB Chester Dougherty with 2:49 to go.
• Cleveland WR-turned-RB Bert Eichelberger turned in the longest run from scrimmage all season, a 91-yard scamper in the fourth quarter that gave the Thunderbolts a 13-10 win over the Arizona Wranglers. The league record is 99 yards, by Boston's Matthew Brinkley against the New York Stars in 1974.
• Washington RB Gary Munch scored from 12 yards out to give the Federals the win in a 23-22 nail-biter against Charlotte. The Hornets led, 22-10, at halftime.
• Portland QB William Hill threw for 453 yards and three TDs, but Pittsburgh RB John Murray scored the clinching TD with 1:56 to play as the Maulers edged the Storm, 32-29.
• Georgia Force WR Dean Williamson tied the USFL/WFL record for longest kickoff return (110 yards) during a 65-9 win over the New York Stars. The other 110-yard returns were by Los Angeles Express RB Jordan Devers (now with Birmingham) and Oklahoma Outlaws WR Kevin Contreras, both in 1974.
• The New Jersey Generals outscored Boston, 24-0, in the second half of their 31-17 victory over the Breakers. The Generals picked off Boston QB Jonathan Keefe three times, including this one by CB Gregory Johnson that set up New Jersey's go-ahead TD.
• Birmingham RB Jordan Devers, acquired in a Week 6 trade with the Los Angeles Express, rushed for 187 yards and the clinching TD in a 34-20 win over the Shreveport Steamer.

Week 8 Preview

The Jacksonville Bulls (5-2) will try to extend their South Division lead over the defending World Bowl champion Florida Blazers (4-3), who have lost three in a row. The Cleveland Thunderbolts (3-4), who have won three of their last four, host the unbeaten Chicago Blitz (7-0). The Pittsburgh Maulers (5-2) are at the Baltimore Stars (3-4) in a battle of 1974 playoff teams. So is the Portland Storm (5-2) at the Detroit Wheels (4-3).

Studying the Guards

Brandon Roberge, Bandits (55)

Last time, we looked at the league's quarterbacks. This time, we will look at the offensive guards. Why? Because my team's guards are awful and I needed to trade for one. So, since I was doing my research anyway, figured I would kill two birds with one stone.

I only searched players who were actually playing guard at the time I did the search (their position would be RG or LG in parentheses when you do a player search). The weights are mine. Each team had at least three guards. OG1, OG2, OG3 were based on ratings only.

Here you go:

Average guard: 54.42
Average OG1: 72.56
Average OG2: 59.78
Average OG3: 49.22
Average OG4+: 39.55

Thomas Watson, Panthers (61)

Top four OG1: Earl Murtagh, Birmingham Stallions, 92; Tim Kaufman, Pittsburgh Maulers, 88; Thomas Watson, Michigan Panthers, 85; Rick Brun, Oakland Invaders, and Brandon Roberge, Tampa Bay Bandits, 83.

Top four OG2: Levi Smith, Cleveland Thunderbolts, 76; Andrew Keating, Orlando Renegades, 73; Bryan Black, Oklahoma Outlaws, 69; Wayne Harris, Charlotte Hornets, Ronald Davis, Michigan Panthers, and Herman Winn, Pittsburgh Maulers, 66.

Top four OG3: Francesco Chang, Cleveland Thunderbolts, Jesse Doolan, San Antonio Gunslingers, and Dale Gregory, Southern California Sun, 63; Tony Robinson, Michigan Panthers, 59.

Here are the combined average ratings for the top three guards for each team:

Team TmAvg. Cleveland Thunderbolts 72.67 Michigan Panthers 70.00 Pittsburgh Maulers 69.00 Orlando Renegades 67.00 San Antonio Gunslingers 64.67 Oklahoma Outlaws 64.33 Boston Breakers 63.33 Tampa Bay Bandits 63.33 Southern California Sun 63.00 Birmingham Stallions 62.33 Portland Storm 62.00 Charlotte Hornets 61.67 Shreveport Steamer 61.67 Baltimore Stars 61.33 Oakland Invaders 61.00 New York (NY) Stars 60.67 Detroit Wheels 60.33 Chicago Blitz 59.33 Los Angeles Express 59.33 Denver Gold 59.00 New Jersey Generals 59.00 Philadelphia Bell 59.00 San Jose SaberCats 59.00 Honolulu Hawaiians 58.67 New Orleans VooDoo 58.00 Washington Federals 58.00 Georgia Force 57.00 Houston Gamblers 55.00 Florida Blazers 54.00 Memphis Showboats 53.33 Jacksonville Bulls 52.67 Arizona Wranglers 47.00

Week 6: Hornets Show Their Sting

Week 6 Roundup

Longsuffering Charlotte fans and head coach UKRAINE were finally rewarded with their first victory of the season in Week 6 as the Hornets held off the New York Stars, 26-12.

Chas Schneider finished the game with a 116.67 QB rating. He fired TD passes of 44 yards to RB Shawn Ayala and 29 yards to WR Clair Wyche in the first half. Wyche and WR Joe Doyle both accumulated more than 100 yards receiving. The defense took over in the second half and RDE Kevin Staten sacked New York QB Jason West in the end zone for a safety with 2:49 to play.

The Hornets are definitely making progress. Last season in Week 6, the Hornets lost to the Stars, 58-7, and Charlotte was being outscored by an average of 41-8. This season, if you elliminate one outlier (a 78-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Maulers), that margin is 22-13. Yards from scrimmage per game is up from 232 to 296.

• Talk about addition by subtraction. The New Jersey Generals waived much-maligned RG Dave Lapham, then went out and topped the previously unbeaten Georgia Force, 29-14. The Generals defense forced seven turnovers including Freddie Gilbert's sack that forced a fumble promptly recovered by James Lockette in the end zone for a New Jersey TD.
• The only remaining unbeaten teams, the Oakland Invaders and Chicago Blitz, square off in Week 9. The Blitz rolled past the Florida Blazers, 30-7, in a rematch of World Bowl I. Chicago QB Daniel McKee fired three TD passes. The Invaders edged the Cleveland Thunderbolts, 21-14, on Lee Lacy's TD pass to WR Jerry Tucker with 1:50 to go. Cleveland drove to the Oakland 30 before MLB Edward Ryan's clinching interception at the Oakland 15.
• There were four ties and SEVEN lead changes before James Hooper kicked a 26-yard field goal to give the Shreveport Steamer a 34-31 win over the Boston Breakers. Boston K Timothy Riley, last season's All-Pro kicker, missed wide left from 23 yards with 4:15 to play.
• The Oklahoma Outlaws took their third straight loss after a 3-0 start, losing 23-17 to the Philadelphia Bell.
• Donald Gary's 53-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter gave the Southern California Sun a 13-10 win over the Memphis Showboats.
• 
  

Week 7 Preview

The Detroit Wheels meet the crosstown rival Michigan Panthers with second place in the Midwest Division on the line. The New Jersey Generals will try to put more distance between themselves and the Boston Breakers.The San Antonio Gunslingers are a 12-point favorite over the Houston Gamblers in the Battle of the I-10 Construction Zone.

Booger's Bits

In case you missed this post on the league forum:
As of game 6 of the 1975 season, QB William Hill of the Portland Storm has thrown

• 2 straight regular season games of over 500 yards
• 3 straight regular season games of over 400 yards
• 7 straight regular season games of over 300 yards

The last time Hill was under 300 yards was December 15, 1974, against the Arizona Wranglers where he was 17/42 for 250 yards and 1 TD while being INT twice. During that span, he threw 34 TDs and 5 INTs while being sacked 8 times.

Coach Profile: Danny-G96

User Name: Danny-G96
Team: Southern California Sun
Playing MFN since: January 2, 2017
Hometown: Houston, TX
Current Residence: Orlando, FL
Day Job: Student
Favorite Teams: Tampa Bay Bucs, Chicago Bears
Real-Life Sports Experience: Getting beaned in the head my very first at-bat in Little League baseball as a kid.
Fantasy Sports Experience: Not really into fantasy honestly, this is the closest I get to it.
Coach's Corner: Just because a player has a high rating doesn't always mean he's going to be a star player. Busts do exist and not every player fits into every scheme. 

Studying the QBs

What follows is a brief statistical study of the quarterbacks in our league. I hope to be able to do this for all positions as we move along, but I don't want to promise anything. My wife and I bought a fixer-upper and we are still fixing up. Saturday we caulk. Sunday, we rest. Monday we hang new interior doors. And so it goes. Maybe some of you have been there.

Victor Gorman, Stars

For the purposes of this study, I limited each team to two QBs. We have teams that are keeping five QBs on their roster. Why, I don't know. My teams experience too many injuries to keep a bunch of guys sitting around getting paid for nothing. I counted Victor Gorman of the Baltimore Stars as both QB1 and QB2, since he has no backup (the MFN equivalent of playing "chicken").

I used my weights. I classified QB1 as those with the highest rating. I only saw three instances where the QB with a lower rating was actually starting, and one of those was due to an injury.

Here goes:

QB Average: 68.15

QB1 Average: 75.63

QB2 Average: 62.69

Agustin Crook, Stallions

Four highest QB1: Agustin Crook, Birmingham Stallions, 88; William Hill, Portland Storm; Les Lacy, Oakland Invaders, and Gene Nowlin, Los Angeles Express, 85.

Four lowest QB1: Victor Gorman, Baltimore Stars, 64; George Melton, Charlotte Hornets, 65; David Judkins, Orlando Renegades, and Henry Prieto, Detroit Wheels, 67.

Four highest QB2: Brandon Robertson, Michigan Panthers, 76 (Robertson is actually starting, but my weights have backup Michael London at 77); Ty Fleming, Jacksonville Bulls, 73 (Fleming is also starting); Roger Boyer, Boston Breakers, 72; Adam Schroeter, Washington Federals, 70.

Four lowest QB2: Carlos Miller, San Antonio Gunslingers, 47; Bill Rodriguez, Chicago Blitz, 49; Willie Skinner, Memphis Showboats, and Cody Joseph, Denver Gold, 56.

Week 5: Book 'Em

Week 5 Roundup

The state of Hawaii includes 137 islands and 15 islets, rocks, coral reefs and atolls, but only seven islands are inhabited. Fans on all seven were celebrating Tuesday after the Honolulu Hawaiians fended off the Los Angeles Express, 21-17, to take a two-game lead in the Pacific Division. Cue the theme from Hawaii Five-O as you watch the highlights.

QB Michael Laboy threw a pair of TD passes for the Hawaiians (3-2), which thrilled all 170 fans on Niihau. They cheered on Molokai for FS Brent Sylvain's two interceptions. On Lanai, they were digging DT Richard Worthen's three sacks.

But the noise echoed from Kauai to Oahu to Maui to the Big Island when Express QB Gene Nowlin, who had led a final march to the Honolulu 17, fumbled with 41 seconds to go, sealing the outcome.

In other games:

• Pittsburgh Maulers backup QB Brandon Rocha may earn the Waiver Pickup of the Year Award. Rocha, who took over when starter Michael White was sidelined with a neck injury after three games, fired seven TD passes and earned league player of the week honors in a 78-14 rout of the Charlotte Hornets. Rocha has QB ratings of 107.33 and 140.80 in his two starts, both wins. He was cut loose by Memphis in the preseason despite having accumulated 5,254 passing yards for the Showboats in 1974.
• Oakland RB Christopher Curtis accumulated 307 all-purpose yards (193 rushing, 114 receiving) and had three TD receptions in a 48-31 dismantling of the Arizona Wranglers. Teammate Scotty Gray added 142 yards rushing and three TDs on the ground as the Invaders improved to 5-0.
• The Cleveland Thunderbolts have won back-to-back games for the first time in their short history, building on last week's upset of the Detroit Wheels with a 34-24 win over the Tampa Bay Bandits. Cleveland rolled up 527 yards as Adam Velasco ran for 111 and Jerry Montalvo completed 17 of 21 passes, including three TDs.
• The San Antonio Gunslingers retained the I-10 Construction Zone trophy with a 38-11 win over their cross-state rival, the Houston Gamblers. San Antonio WR Donnie Baker caught 10 passes for 209 yards, including a 40-yard TD.
• The Chicago Blitz (5-0) have won four consecutive games by six points or fewer. Jacksonville's potential game-tying field goal with 2:16 to play was nullified by a holding penalty. The Bulls punted instead, and Chicago escaped with a 9-6 victory.
• The Boston Breakers handed the Florida Blazers their first loss, 21-14, clinching the win on Nicholas Wingfield's 22-yard TD run with 1:48 to go.
• The New Jersey Generals recorded their second shutout in five games, skunking the Oklahoma Outlaws, 16-0. LDE Freddie Gilbert had two sacks for New Jersey.
• Michigan QB Brandon Robertson was 24-for-36 and threw five TDs as the Panthers stormed past the Denver Gold, 38-11.
• Home teams were 12-4 in Week 5.

Week 6 Preview

A rematch of World Bowl I (sort of) is in the offing for Week 6 when the Florida Blazers (4-1), in their first game under new coach MarshCorn98, meet the unbeaten Chicago Blitz (5-0). Division leaders battle when the New Jersey Generals (4-1) host the Georgia Force (5-0). Another matchup of division leaders takes place when the Honolulu Hawaiians (3-2) host the San Antonio Gunslingers (4-1). And, somebody has to win (don't they?) when the Charlotte Hornets (0-5) face the New York Stars (0-5).

Booger's Bits

Arthur Smith, RDE, Arizona (52)

Booger926 posted this on the forums before the Week 5 games. I found some of this stuff pretty interesting, so I thought I would post it again and update it with the most recent statistics.

1) The BEST offensive team from scrimmage (Arizona Wranglers @ 516 yards/game) also has the NEXT-TO-LAST overall defense (460 yards/game) ... anyone remember the 1979 Chargers?
2) The third-best passing offense (Memphis Showboats @ 365 yards/game) also has the fourth-worst passing defense (330 yards/game) ... gee, you would think a passing team would be able to defend it.
3) Speaking of which, the  No. 1 rushing team (Oakland Invaders @ 216 yards/game) also is the worst team to try to run against (47 yards/game) ... play your strength.
4) The Georgia Force has the No. 2 QB in the league in passing yardage (Phillip Anderson, 1,912) even though he is rated 65 potential. (Editor's note: This must be by Booger's weights. Anderson's potential is higher by both my weights and the default).
5) RB Jaime Giles (Florida Blazers) is on a pace for 1,814 rushing yards even though his team is fifth in rushing attempts/game (36).
6) RDE Arthur Smith (Arizona) has now sacked every opposing starting QB except Chicago's Daniel McKee. Smith has 13 sacks in five games, including games of four and five sacks and is third in the league with 26 hurries.
7) CB Edward Alston (Oakland) is currently the favorite challenge of opposing QBs, having been thrown at 66 times this season, and ...
8) CB Edward Alston (Oakland) has established himself as an Island ... knocked down a league-high 16 passes, intercepted 3, and has a league-leading catch allowed percentage of 27.3. Beat me if you can. Survive if Alston lets you. The nearest threat among those having been tested at least 30 times is rookie Juan Bonnett of my Gamblers and Florida's Dillon Zimmerman, both with 29 percent allowed.
9) New Jersey Generals RG David Lapham is on a pace to allow 32 sacks this season (owners insight moment ... the right side is the best side to run toward, but if the OL in those positions are weak (>50 pass blocking), I, as a owner, will put my better pass rushing DL to the right side ... Lapham is 18 pass blocking ... just my opinion).

Week 4: Trouble With a Capital T

Week 4 Roundup

Jerry Montalvo, Cleveland Thunderbolts

The story of Week 4 is that there is trouble brewing for some teams, especially a few who made the playoffs last season.

Four teams that qualified for the 1974 postseason – San Jose SaberCats, Denver Gold, Detroit Wheels, and Boston Breakers – fell to 1-3 with Week 4 losses. The veteran-stocked Breakers are giving up 32.3 points per game, second-worst in the USFL/WFL. Detroit is on a three-game losing streak after opening with a win over the Jacksonville Bulls. San Jose is also on a three-game skid after a victory in its opener. Denver has taken two tough-luck losses in the last three weeks.

• The Cleveland Thunderbolts picked up their first win by stunning the Wheels, 24-17. Cleveland WR William Dolloff's only reception of the day was a 40-yard TD from QB Jerry Montalvo with 2 minutes to play. The Wheels drove to the Cleveland 7 with 36 seconds to go, but two sacks snuffed out that final drive. Montalvo was 14-for-19 and threw three TDs and SS Brady Kizer made 10 tackles.
• The New Jersey Generals (3-1) took over first place in the East Division with a 20-10 win over the Philadelphia Bell. Doug Fluty's TD pass to Maurice Carthon with 2 minutes to play broke a 10-10 tie. New Jersey CB Mike Williams, who had eight interceptions in 1974, picked off two passes, including one at the Philadelphia 32 that set up the decisive score.
• The Arizona Wranglers handed previously unbeaten Oklahoma (3-1) its first loss, shutting out the Outlaws, 32-0. Arizona QB Ralph Trowbridge balanced out his five interceptions (sort of) with three TD passes.
• Winston Hampton kicked a 50-yard field goal to give the Los Angeles Express a 35-33 lead, but Birmingham gained 48 yards on what looked like a middle screen (does anyone else have the middle screen in their playbook?) to set up Roger Reed's 43-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining, giving the Stallions a 36-35 win.
• The Chicago Blitz (4-0) remained unbeaten, but just barely, edging Denver, 17-11. Chicago QB Daniel McKee found TD Michael Leonard for a 65-yard TD with 1:13 to go on a play in which the Gold was penalized for defensive overuse.
• The Houston Gamblers won their second in a row, outlasting the New York Stars, 19-10. Houston CB Wayne Mashburn, who intercepted five passes last season, recorded his first pick of 1975.
• Honolulu QB Michael Laboy threw three of his four TD passes after intermission as the Hawaiians broke away from a 10-10 halftime tie to best San Jose, 44-20. All four of Laboy's TDs were from 50 or more yarda away, including this 75-yard bomb to WR Michael Hunter.
• The Portland Storm (3-1) reversed last year's surprise loss to Michigan, beating the Panthers, 38-13. Portland QB William Hill threw for 490 yards and five TDs and RDE Norman Paulk had three sacks.
• Shreveport (3-1) shut out New Orleans (2-2) until just 27 seconds remained in the Steamer's 17-8 win over the VooDoo. New Orleans QB Vincent Goode was 18-for-39 and picked off three times.

Week 5 Preview

The Florida Blazers (4-0) travel to Boston (1-3) to face the Breakers, a rematch of last season's National Conference championship game. The Chicago Blitz (4-0) are at Jacksonville (3-1) in a matchup of 1974 playoff teams. The New Jersey Generals (3-1) host the Oklahoma Outlaws (3-1) in a battle of division leaders. It's a big day in the South Division, with the Georgia Force (4-0) hosting the Shreveport Steamer (3-1) and the New Orleans VooDoo (2-2) at the Birmingham Stallions (3-1).

Pernbronze

Coach Profile/Predictions

User Name: Pernbronze
Team: Portland Storm
Playing MFN Since: 4/1/17
Hometown (town, state): Eugene OR
Current residence (town, state): Coos Bay OR
Favorite teams (all sports): 49ers, Jaguars, Oregon Ducks
A real-life sports experience: In football, returning a kick that was high and getting hit as I tried to catch it, doing a backflip and suffering a possible concussion and arm injury. I came back in after laying on the bench for a series because someone else got injured and we didn't have enough players. I ended up springing two long TD runs and two short ones as a TE that game. I played football in grades 4, 5 and 7 and junior in high school due to knee injuries. In wrestling, tying up with someone who was a favorite to be state champion and beating him in 15 seconds with a toss over my hip. I wrestled in grades K-4 and my junior year in high school.

A fantasy sports experience: Been doing fantasy for as long as I can remember.
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Try your hardest and always learn from your shortcomings. If you don't know something, look it up and ask.

Predictions: Pernbronze declined to offer Week 5 predictions

Booger's Rookie Report Update

On Sept. 28, Booger926 filed his rookie report, a review of, in his opinion, the top rookies at every offensive position. Today, Booger brings us an update on their progress.

Quarterback | David Schmitt (6’2” 218# - Oregon) | San Jose Sabercats 1-9
Update: Has yet to play

James Connelly, Gamblers

Running Back | James Connelly (5’11” 238lbs - Miami, Florida) | Houston Gamblers 2-45
Update: 33 rushing attempts / 141 yards / 4.3 average / 5 receptions / 79 yards

Running Back | Michael Chumley (5’11” 235lbs - Arizona State) | Shreveport Steamers 4-118
Update: Has yet to play

Wide Receiver | Michael Popa (6’1” 209lbs) | Tampa Bay Bandits 1-3
Update: 10 Receptions / 271 yards / 27.1 average / 3 TDs
 
Wide Receiver | Michael Sonnenberg (5’10” 196lbs – Florida) | Denver Gold 1-4
Update: 16 Rushing attempts / 104 yards / 6.5 average / 13 receptions / 307 yards / 23.6 average / 3 reception TDs

Wide Receiver | Steve Cody (5’11” 197lbs - Appalachian State) | Arizona Wranglers 1-15
Update: 24 Rushing attempts / 206 yards / 8.6 average / 1 Rushing TD / 11 receptions / 290 yards / 1 Receiving TD
 
Tight End | James West (6’3” 266lbs - Brigham Young) | Washington Federals 2-38
Update: 3 receptions / 21 yards / 47 pass blocks / 75 run blocks

Damon Fisher, VooDoo (62)

Offensive Tackle | Damon Fisher (6’2” 321lbs – Penn State) | New Orleans VooDoo 1-27
Update: 30 plays, 0 sacks allowed, 1 penalty

Guard | Jerry Huang (6’3” 320lbs – New Hampshire) | Philadelphia Bell 2-37
Update: 21 plays, 0 sacks allowed, 0 penalties

Center | Rodrigo Stephens (6’3” 280lbs – Virginia) | Jacksonville Bulls 2-54
Update: 110 plays, 2 sacks allowed, 0 penalties, sustained an 8-week knee injury in Week 2

Guard | Kenneth Kurtz (6’4” 313lbs – Ohio State) | Orlando Renagades 1-10
Update: 233 plays, 0 sacks allowed, 0 penalties

Offensive Tackle | Willis Friesen (6’4” 312lbs – San Jose State) | San Antonio Gunslingers 2-60
Update: 2 plays, 0 sacks allowed, 0 penalties

Week 3: Coaches Pick Blitz to Win Title

World Bowl Winner Survey

According to the league's coaches, the Chicago Blitz will return to the World Bowl and win it this time.
The survey that started in Week 1 and closed Sunday revealed Chicago and Detroit as the top two picks to win World Bowl II. Chicago nearly won it a year ago, falling to the Florida Blazers in the title game. Detroit was 14-2 in the regular season before falling to Portland in the first round of the playoffs.
Others receiving at least one vote included the Oakland Invaders, Portland Storm, Birmingham Stallions, Pittsburgh Maulers, and Boston Breakers.

Week 3 Roundup

Someone has taken the standings and turned them upside down. After three weeks, six of the eight division leaders are teams that were at or below .500 last season: the Honolulu Hawaiians, Oakland Invaders, Oklahoma Outlaws, Georgia Force, Washington Federals, and New Jersey Generals/Philadelphia Bell. The Hawaiians are actually in a three-way tie with the Los Angeles Express (also below .500 in 1974) and San Jose SaberCats.

• The Federals took a 27-0 lead on Charlotte, then held on to defeat the Hornets, 27-14. Joe Richardson threw TD passes of 74 and 37 yards to WR Joseph Baker.
• The Blitz similarly took a 17-0 lead on the Orlando Renegades before holding on for a 17-15 win. The Renegades moved to the Chicago 38 with 12 seconds remaining, then inexplicibly ran a power sweep on the last play of the game.
• The Denver Gold, in danger of falling to 0-3, came through with a 41-35 overtime win over the Arizona Wranglers.Arizona scored a TD on the first play from scrimmage when WR Steve Cody picked up his own fumble and rambled 75 yards for a TD. The Wranglers led, 35-26, in the fourth quarter before the Gold rallied to tie on Leland Dudley's 74-yard TD reception from Dustin Nichols. Then, with 27 seconds to play in OT, Nichols found Jimmy Rupe for the 66-yard game-winner.
• The Houston Gamblers picked up their first win, edging Los Angeles, 20-18. Houston WR Bradley Sharp caught nine passes for 158 yards and two TDs,
• The Tampa Bay Bandits surprised Detroit, 19-10, limiting the Wheels to 136 net yards.  WLB Roy Edelman had seven tackles for Tampa Bay.Wheels QB Henry Prieto has a 57.63 QBR after three games.
• The Oakland Invaders are 3-0 after mauling Pittsburgh, 31-13. Jason Brooks ran for 162 yards and a TD for Oakland and Lee Lacy fired three TD passes, including this clinching 74-yard strike to RB Christopher Curtis midway through the fourth quarter.

Coach's Profile/Predictions

Big D, Baltimore Stars

User Name: Big D
Team: Baltimore Stars
Playing MFN Since: 8/28/2015
Hometown (town, state): Seattle, WA
Current residence (town, state): Seattle, WA
Day Job: Sales manager
Favorite teams (all sports): Seahawks, Mariners
A real-life sports experience: Once ran a kick back against a team of faster players
A fantasy sports experience: Many, been into fantasy since 1992
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Never trade quality for quantity
Predictions: Big D declined to offer predictions

Week 2: OOOOOOOklahoma ...

There are seven undefeated teams remaining in the USFL/WFL, and one of them is ... the Oklahoma Outlaws.

Dale Brown, QB, Oklahoma

Or, to be more accurate, the Oklahoma Outlaws?

Oklahoma, 5-11 last season, edged the Memphis Showboats, 30-23, in Week 1 before surprising the San Jose SaberCats, 24-16, to highlight Week 2.

The SaberCats, a playoff team last season, led, 16-14, until Dale Brown's 80-yard TD pass to WR Dusty Heckman in the third quarter. San Jose never got closer than the Oklahoma 47-yard line the rest of the way. The Outlaws won despite rushing for only 14 yards. Brown had a nice day (152 QBR), completing 24 of 30 passes and throwing three TDs. All-Pro DB Allen Herrera had nine tackles.

Oh, and it only gets better for Oklahoma. Of the Outlaws' next nine opponents, exactly ZERO of them qualified for the 1974 playoffs.

Week 2 Roundup

• The Orlando Renegades, under new coach taylorman88ca, are also 2-0 after a 28-7 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Orlando's Rick Edwards returned an interception 40 yards for a TD on the third play from scrimmage and intercepted another pass two plays later!
• Last week's Upset Special winner, the Philadelphia Bell, fell 45-10 to Shreveport. Steamer QB Fred Murphy was 16-for-19 for 392 yards and six TDs (a 158 QBR), including TDs of 79, 15, and 75 yards to WR Cleo Davis, all in a span of less than 7 1/2 minutes. 
• Last week's Upset Special loser, the Boston Breakers, survived a scare from the New York Stars to win, 27-17. The Stars were within 24-17 before giving the ball up on downs with 55 seconds remaining.
• The Arizona Wranglers were almost the Week 2 Upset Special winners, but the Chicago Blitz ended the final drive of the game with a 22-yard Roland Ellis field goal as time expired to win, 30-27.
• The New Orleans VooDoo edged the Honolulu Hawaiians, 27-24, on Christopher Rivera's 41-yard field goal at the end of a nine-play drive that started on the New Orleans 17.
• The Portland Storm kicked a field goal with 4:07 remaining to pull within 26-20 of the San Antonio Gunslingers, but San Antonio took the ensuing kickoff and ran out the clock with a nine-play drive.
• Denver scored with 5:32 remaining on Dustin Nichols' 87-yard TD pass to Michael Sonneberg to pull within 23-22 of Washington, but Federals SLB John Hughes made the tackle on the Gold's 2-point conversion attempt and Washington kicked a late field goal to escape with a 26-22 win.
• The Oakland Invaders shut down Detroit, 20-8. Wheels QB Henry Prieto is not the player on the Detroit roster with an 18 default rating, but he might as well have been Thursday: 12-for-47, 160 yards, 30.63 QBR.  FS Anthony Dickey and CB Edward Alston both picked off Prieto, while Alston, DT Steven Martinez and SS Shawn Arzola all recovered Detroit fumbles.

Week 3 Preview

A battle of undefeated teams finds the Chicago Blitz traveling to Orlando to face the Renegades. In a battle of 1974 division winners, the New Orleans VooDoo hosts the Boston Breakers. You may want to do a TV split screen between that game and the Oakland Invaders facing the Pittsburgh Maulers.

Average Current Value: Maybe the Numbers DO Lie

Before the first USFL/WFL season began, I compiled the average current player value for each team, hoping to gain some context on just where everyone's team stood. It was not foolproof, but it was something.

I have done the same thing again, and this is the result. According to this metric, the Baltimore Stars and Cleveland Thunderbolts will be playing in World Bowl II:

Baltimore Stars	67.17
Cleve.Thunderbolts	65.76
Pittsburgh Maulers	65.65
New OrleansVooDoo	65.13
Portland Storm	65.02
Birmingham Stallions	64.92
Honolulu Hawaiians	64.32
Shreveport Steamer	64.31
Georgia Force	64.21
Chicago Blitz	63.94
Florida Blazers	63.91
Oakland Invaders	63.79
Orlando Renegades	63.61
Detroit Wheels	63.04
Oklahoma Outlaws	62.98
Jacksonville Bulls	62.83
Michigan Panthers	62.79
New Jersey Generals	62.43
Boston Breakers	62.39
Houston Gamblers	62.17
San Ant. Gunslingers	62.13
Memphis Showboats	61.96
Arizona Wranglers	61.65
Charlotte Hornets	61.39
Denver Gold	61.19
Los Angeles Express	61.01
Washington Federals	60.38
Tampa Bay Bandits	60.28
Philadelphia Bell	59.83
New York Stars	59.62
San Jose SaberCats	59.47
SoCal Sun	59.32

What does a 20 current value player look like?

While there may be some validity to these numbers, at least as a measure of roster depth, I would not bet the farm on any of it. For instance, the Detroit Wheels' average player value is skewed by the fact they have one guy on their roster with a current rating of 20 (seriously). Without him, Detroit's number jumps almost a full point.

Since the San Jose SaberCats won their division last year, I am not so sure that one offseason has dropped them to the 31st-best team in a 32-team league. And the Philadelphia Bell already showed us what can happen on Any Given Tuesday.

Also, a rating system that values your punter the same as your No. 1 cornerback is obviously not foolproof.

One conclusion that appears valid is that the talent gap, compared to last year's Opening Day rosters, has become much more narrow. Last season, there was a span of 15.25 points between the Boston Breakers (the top-rated team) and the Houston Gamblers (32nd). This season, the gap between the Baltimore Stars and Southern California Sun is only 7.85 points. Some of that is young players maturing. Some of that is just good work on the part of our coaches.

That narrow gap means everybody starts the season with a chance, or at least something that resembles a chance. This puts a smile on my face. This is why I remove coaches who neglect their team--so the next guy also can have a chance. Competitive balance is fun.

Week 1: For Whom the Bell Tolls

Week 1 Roundup

Every week has its Upset Special, and this one was definitely special for Philadelphia Bell fans who suffered through a 6-10 season in 1974. Philadelphia scored 10 points in the final 53 seconds to stun East Division favorite Boston, 31-30, on the Breakers' home turf at Nickerson Field.

Coach Bgartz29, Philadelphia Bell

Boston, led, 30-22, with 43 seconds to go when WR Cory Robinzine turned a flanker hook into a 75-yard TD. The Breakers stopped the 2-point converstion attempt, but Robinzine recovered the onside kick. Bell QB Leo Brixey found John Mandel down the middle for a 30-yard completion, setting up Matthew Williams' game-winning 41-yard field goal that snuck inside the left upright with 2 seconds to play.

• If the Oakland Invaders' 36-3 win over the Denver Gold wasn't an upset, its margin of victory certainly was. The Invaders' defense limited Denver to 111 net yards. Dustin Nichols, who took over at QB when league offensive co-MVP Augustin Cook was traded to Birmingham, had a forgettable debut: a 36.50 QB rating (15-for-46, 180 yards) and was sacked nine times, including by Oakland LDE John Deaton for a first-quarter safety.
• Cook was a winner is his first game behind center for the Stallions, a 31-14 win over the Southern California Sun. His QB rating was 158.33 on 15-for-19 passing and four TDs, including this 75-yarder to WR Bruno Fredericks on the first play of the third quarter.
• The Orlando Renegades were a winner in taylorman88ca's coaching debut, beating the New York Stars, 22-10. Orlando LDE Chris McDuffie stripped New York QB Jason Weston and SS Jerome Stevens picked up the ball at the 8 and ran it into the end zone for a TD that widened a 15-7 Renegades lead to 22-7 in the fourth quarter.
• Florida Blazers backup QB Steve Voll completed his only pass of the game for his team's only TD as the defending World Bowl champions edged the Pittsburgh Maulers, 16-10, in new coach Shiftywxm's first game at the helm.
• The New Jersey Generals led, 31-0, late in the second quarter, then hung on for a 31-28 victory over the New Orleans VooDoo. New Jersey RB Maurice Carthon returned the opening kickoff 106 yards for a TD, breaking three tackles and delivering a vicious stiff-arm to the trailing defender along the way.
• Charolette Hornets QB George Melton and his Arizona Wranglers counterpart, Ralph Trowbridge, combined to throw 12 interceptions. The last pickoff was by Arizona CB Robert Welsh with 1:59 remaining, preserving the Wranglers' 23-17 victory. Charlotte SLB David Bronson intercepted Trowbridge three times.
• The Baltimore Stars are all alone in first place in the Atlantic Division after outlasting the Tampa Bay Bandits, 17-10. Baltimore QB Victor Gorman hit WR Howard Cardenas with the game-winning TD pass in the fourth quarter, then RDE Ambrose Oneil intercepted a Bandits pass at the Stars' 8-yard line with 1:16 to go.

Week 2 Preview

Jonathan Neal, MLB, 'Slingers

Playoff teams from last year square off when the Portland Storm hosts the San Antonio Gunslingers and the Florida Blazers travel to Baltimore to meet the Stars. Are the Oakland Invaders as good as they looked against Denver? We'll find out when they host the Detroit Wheels. The Michigan Panthers and Cleveland Thunderbolts will duel to decide which of them will challenge Chicago and Detroit in the Midwest Division. The Boston Breakers will try to bounce back against the New York Stars. The Philadelphia Bell will try to ride their Opening Day momentum to another victory when they host the Shreveport Steamer. 

Coach Profile/Predictions

Coach: raidergreg69

Team: New Jersey Generals

raidergreg69

Playing MFN since:10/25/16

Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio

Current residence: Dayton, Ohio

Favorite sports teams: Oakland Raiders, Ohio State Buckeyes football, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Celtics, North Carolina basketball.

Real life sports experience: I quit playing sports in ninth grade, so my experience is as a fan. I used to have Bengals season tickets and witnessed history, though it was short-lived. I was in attendance when Corey Dillon broke the single-game rushing record vs Denver, for the Kimo von Oelhoffen game  and the game where the fan stole the ball from Brett Favre, stalling the Packers momentum and basically saving the game.

The Dillon game was during my drinking days. One time early in the game, Dillon ripped off a long run when I went to fetch a beer. A little later, I went up to the concourse to smoke and Dillon ripped off another long run. Upon returning to my seat, I was advised by the people sitting around me to get my ass back up on the concourse for the rest of the game because Corey Dillon scores a TD every time I go. I did and the rest was history until Jamaal Lewis.

Fantasy experience: I have been playing fantasy sports so long, I once played in an XFL fantasy league on an old fanball.com site, Exit 42. Had a perfect season in XFL too. Not only that, I played fantasy sports by mail in the late 80s/early 90s through Big Apple Sports. You would mail in your lineup for the week and they would mail out the results. If you didn't want to wait, they had a phone number you could call. I was a teenager/20-something and I would give my mom money to cover the checks she wrote for it.

Coaching Tips: There are so many pieces of advice new players need, but the simplest might be: Don't ignore the bottom of your roster. While it's important to have the best possible starting lineup, it's equally important to have strong depth. Injuries happen so a guy not starting now may be starting later. In my 18-1 season in CUST 79, my backup QB started 7 games and won them all.

Having solid depth can also improve overall team play. I have 2 or 3 starting caliber RB on my more successful teams and their YPC are similar, meaning I can run 35+ times a game and keep the other team off the field.

Also don't ignore your long snapper and kick holder. You can have the most accurate K but if you have a crappy holder and/or snapper, your K likely becomes inconsistent.

Week 2 Predictions (aka Greg's Guesses):
Boston 41, NY Stars 14
Philadelphia 27, Shreveport 24
Honolulu 31, New Orleans 30
Memphis 28, Houston 17
Portland 23, San Antonio 20
Denver 43, Washington 20
Chicago 31, Arizona 17
Michigan 21, Cleveland 17
New Jersey 26, Jacksonville 24
Florida 20, Baltimore 19
Orlando 16, Charlotte 13
Birmingham 34, Georgia 30
Los Angeles 34, Southern California 20
Oklahoma 28, San Jose 27
Detroit 51, Oakland 31
Pittsburgh 24, Tampa Bay 14