Cup O' Joe - Midseason Report

We're midway through the first season of play in the American Football League, and you have to wonder if the league has met expectations.

If I may say...the league has far exceeded them.

We've seen some very competitive games, big races, and great teams. We have a lot of surprises and disappointments, and we have an idea of how the rest of the season will go. Without further ado...let's take a look at the winners, losers, and everything in between in the 1990 season.

AFL Top Ten, Mid-Season

1) Los Angeles Marshalls (6-1) - Every team in the HFC is tough (each of the four division leaders is 6-1). But Los Angeles, behind their rookie stars, QB Sammy Baw and RB Sammy Hoambrecker, as well as a top-notch defense, has the best chance to win the first-ever Washington Bowl. They've gone through tough opponents, beating Tampa and Boston, as well as a tougher-than-their record San Diego team. They have Pittsburgh AND Cincinnati on their schedule in the coming weeks, and that should tell the tale of the HFC this season.

2) Pittsburgh Pride (6-1) - They have given up the second-fewest points in the AFL this season (only SF has given up less, with 84), and pose the most intimidating defense in the conference, despite not having a single real standout in the league leaders. This "no name" defense has not given up more than 21 points in any game, and has held opponents to 17 points or less in five of their games. But Billy Rolovich has given life to the defense. He may not be among the league leaders, but he is awfully close. They may not have anyone who is a total stud on this team; but they do define that very word--"team".

3) Seattle Tritons (5-2) - They've struggled throughout the first half. Then again, two losses for almost any team would be a blessing...but not the Tritons. They've managed to win without Monte Meier, which may be the best thing this team could have. So much was made about Meier in the early going, and when he went down with the team struggling, everyone thought this club was going to fall hard. And yet, here they are. I still think they have the best chance to win the conference, which is why they have this place in the rankings.

4) Cincinnati Monarchs (6-1) - Leonard Smith and Barry Robinson make up one of the best pass-rush duos in the league. Both are among the top five in their respective categories, with Smith being a legitimate HFC MVP candidate. They also may be the team who can handle injuries to their key spots the most, making them a very viable option to get to the title game. Hopalong Van Dyke is an absolute monster on the field, catching 38 passes for 549 yards and six scores, and having 21 pancake blocks, good to put him among the league leaders.

5) Houston Oilers (5-2) - Steve Banks is the first-half MVP. Sorry to spoil that for later, but Banks' return showed me just how important he is to the Oilers' success. Nobody is more important to his team. Nobody needs Banks more than Craig Stephens, either. Stephens is a capable back when he has a cast around him. But Banks has the ability to open up the field, something Reno Lamar cannot do. Houston actually has the easiest schedule in the league, which is a double-edged sword for them. We could see them finishing 14-2, but losing in the divisional round of the playoffs. They will face only two more teams (currently) with winning records, and both, Chicago and Michigan, are 4-3. Can they get past Seattle and San Francisco, though? THAT is the real question. It will be fun, though, watching Banks put up numbers that will be hard to break, given the nature of their schedule and aerial attack.

6) Miami Blitz (6-1) - They've managed to defy any and all critics, myself included. They're arguably the hottest team in the league, with six straight wins heading into this week's tough contest in Cincinnati. The next four weeks will determine just how tough this team is, with games at Cincy, Tampa, and Pittsburgh, and a home game against New Orleans. The combined record of those teams is 21-8. But Miami rose to the challenge in routing Tampa last week, and looks the part in being a major conference contender. Darrell Hickerson, considered the worst first-round pick in the AFL initial draft, has been perfect for this offense and the locker room, and Ahmad Davis, considered washed up in the Southern Football League a year ago, is averaging almost 100 yards a game in Miami I'm still waiting for them to drop, but they don't.

7) Boston Minutemen (5-2) - Defense. Flat out defense. That's what you think when the Minutemen come to mind. They're also 5-1 in the conference, good for tops in the CFC. As long as they have Brian Barrett (league leader in rushing) and Butch Nasta (70 tackles, five sacks) anchoring the defense, Boston will have a say in how the conference is won. They also have a favorable schedule, in which only one game, a home contest with Seattle in Week 11, which may pose a problem. This COULD mean the #2, or, if Houston fumbles, home-field advantage in the playoffs.

8) San Francisco Generals (5-2) - They are an enigma, that's for sure. They lost to Kansas City in the final minute, giving the Gamblers the only win of their season. They have since regrouped, and have won their games by an average of 38-8, the only close game coming in a 34-27 game against Philly. 51-6 against Oakland. 42-3 against Portland, who beat Seattle. 40-6 against Boston. 23-0 against Cleveland. This team has a defense. But if they give up a couple of plays, watch out. In their two losses, Seattle ran the ball down their throats, and KC didn't make mistakes. This IS a beatable team, if you don't make mistakes on offense against them. They are not spectacular on offense; but they have four defensive touchdowns, and have nine interceptions. They are a very opportunistic unit, and against some weak opponents down the stretch, this team could be very tough to keep out of the division title hunt.

9) Tampa Blazers (5-3) - They have a high-octane offense, led by rookie QB, and first-overall selection in the initial draft, Dick Dinkins. He's thrown the most passes in the league this year, thrown 21 TD, and only five interceptions. He, along with RB Patrick Putzier and WR Gary Thompson, offer one of the most diverse and explosive offenses in the league. They can outscore anyone. But if they get into a shootout, watch out. Miami went right past them last week, winning a surprisingly easy 43-24 contest. They have stiffened up in some games, shutting out Atlanta and holding Nashville to 10 points in a 38-10 triumph. But they've beaten Louisville 33-31; beaten Houston 51-27 (without Steve Banks for the Oilers)...truth is, this team is going to put up points, but they're going to give up a lot of points, too. This is a candidate to falter down the stretch, with Miami, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and New Orleans on the schedule. They'll have a tough time of it.

10) Michigan Panthers (4-3) - This is the beginning of the hodge-podge of the mediocre. No offense to Michigan, but I don't consider them to be on the level of the top nine teams. However, they are good enough to get into the playoffs, and into the second round. They do have a favorable schedule down the stretch, with the only team that could be chalked up as a major loss being Houston. They do have a hole at the QB spot, with Joe Brown having thrown more interceptions than touchdowns thus far (9-8). But Gene Boselli, considered a backup to whichever team selected him in the initial draft, has rushed for 521 yards and four touchdowns. Not bad at all. They also have a tough defense that can get at the quarterback; DE Ronde Woodbury has six sacks, and DT Vince Beasley has five. OLB Jay Jeter, the team's leading tackler, has gotten at the QB four times. They may not be elite, but they are better than the rest and have an easy schedule down the stretch.

First Half...

Player of the Year AND Most Valuable Player: QB Steve Banks, Houston. It's a toss-up between Banks and Boston RB Brian Barrett. But Banks, in just five games, has thrown for 1500 yards, 15 TD, and 2 INT, at a 73% completion clip. He's been electric for an Oilers' offense that has been an absolute joy to watch. Nobody has meant more to his team more than Banks, and it shows.

Other Candidates, POTY: Brian Barrett, BOS RB; Dick Dinkins, TAM QB; Andre Eisenhauer, NSH WR; OLB Steve Vigorito, CHI LB; Sammy Hoambrecker, LA RB

Other Candidates, MVP: Dick Dinkins, TAM QB; Ladell Suggs, SD QB; Bryce Cross, LOU RB

All-CFC Team

QB: Steve Banks, Houston
RB: Brian Barrett, Boston
FB: Trumaine Ogden, Boston
WR: Flash Gordon, Portland
WR: Jamie Sanders, Kansas City
TE: Jessie Huffman, Houston
OT: Dennis Ruegamer, Philadelphia
OT: Verron Byrd, New York
OG: Tank Brookshier, Portland
OG: Zachary Warner, Chicago
C: Ray Knafelc, Boston

DE: Kamil Jones, Portland
DE: Ronde Woodbury, Michigan
DT: Tyrone Gordon, Philadelphia
ILB: Karl Victor, Kansas City
ILB: ML Donald, Dallas
OLB: Steve Vigorito, Chicago
OLB: Thomas Hollister, Iowa
CB: Tavares Cook, San Francisco
CB: Mike Romanik, New York
FS: Rory O'Connell, St. Louis
SS: Jack McCoy, Philadelphia

K: Filip Williams, Boston
P: Walt Cappelletti, Kansas City
KR: Raleigh Wallner, Iowa
PR: Dhani Whittle, Seattle

All-HFC Team

QB: Dick Dinkins, Tampa
RB: Sammy Hoambrecker, Los Angeles
FB: Scott Burr, Denver
WR: Andre Eisenhauer, Nashville
WR: Dennis Teig, Atlanta
TE: Hopalong Van Dyke, Cincinnati
OT: Lawyer Glass, San Diego
OT: Matt Ofenheusle, Denver
OG: Kyle Ohlmiter, Arizona
OG: Richard Duckworth, New Orleans
C: Kevin Johnson, Louisville

DE: Manny Hernandez, Baltimore
DE: Jason Molden, Pittsburgh
DT: Tom Guman, New Orleans
ILB: Steve Mason, Carolina
ILB: Justin Strong, Nashville
OLB: Aaron Kramer, Arizona
OLB: Cliff Thompson, Nashville
CB: Tom Tuitele, Denver
CB: Billy Schau, Miami
FS: Eric Byrnes, Indianapolis
SS: Lincoln Haze, Nashville

K: Stephen Adams, Indianapolis
P: Donovan Smith, San Diego
KR: Horace Henderson, Denver
PR: Rich Baker, Indianapolis

Biggest Surprise, Player: QB Ladell Suggs, San Diego. Who would've thought that this guy would be a top-flight starter? He had one of the most impressive games this season with his 26-of-30, 3 TD performance in Week 2. He's also run for 408 yards, more than any QB in the league.

Biggest Surprise, Team: Miami. They were considered just another team, and even less than that after a lackluster first game. Now they're 6-1, currently own the #1 spot in the HFC (based on conference record), and are looking better and better each week.

Biggest Disappointment, Player: RB Chick Watkins, Baltimore. Only started three games due to an injury, but even before that, he was very underwhelming. His best game is in Week 1, where he had 68 yards on 15 carries. His longest carry is for 14 yards. He has as many fumbles as he does touchdowns.

Biggest Disappointment, Team: Nashville. They were a preseason favorite to win the Midland, and here they are, 2-5-1. They're 0-3-1 at home, and have been shunned by the hometown faithful. Owner Keene Gionest has suffered from heart palpatations since Week 2, and rumor is it the front office is taking a pool on when he finally snaps. They may not even be around to see who wins that bet.

Best Comeback, First Half: Nashville comes back to tie Indianapolis, Week 8. Yeah, they've had their downs and downs, but Nashville did give the hometown team something to cheer for for two minutes. Nashville tied the game at 14-14 on Drew Thompson's 15-yard TD pass from Thomas Jansen, and subsequent two-point conversion. But, with 1:41 left, Cyril Wyche threw his third TD pass of the game, putting Indy up 21-14. But Jansen, filling in for injured starter Josh Stanley, marched the Nightmare back down the field. And, with 30 seconds left, he tossed a six-yard TD pass to Cliff Howley to tie the game. Unfortunately for Nashville, Indy won the game in overtime, after a missed Nashville field goal that would have won it.

Most underrated player: LB ML Donald, Dallas
Most overrated player: TE Gene Tilley, Philadelphia
Best offense: Houston
Worst offense: St. Louis
Best defense: Pittsburgh
Worst defense: Philadelphia
Best backfield: Los Angeles
Best receiver corps: Tampa
Best offensive line: Atlanta
Most diverse weapon: Ladell Suggs, San Diego
Best player you haven't heard of: S Rory O'Connell, St. Louis
Team of 1991: Tampa
Team of 1992: Kansas City
Team of 1993: St. Louis

Best Game, First Half: We narrowed it to three, and Arizona was involved in two of them.

Arizona 41, Louisville 35, Week 6 - Louisville led 17-7 after one quarter, but Arizona, behind Lamar Burton, led 28-17 at half-time. Louisville tied the game after three at 28-28, but Arizona took a lead on Glenn Thomas' 33-yard INT TD. Louisville came back down the field and scored on Ray Frazier's second TD pass, tying the game at 35-35. Arizona took the lead on a field goal, and finally took the game on a second field goal in the final minute.

Los Angeles 35, Arizona 33, Week 3 - Also known as the game where Sammy Hoambrecker burst onto the national scene. The Home Wrecker rushed for a league record 239 yards and two scores, and single-handedly turned back a comeback bid by Arizona with a 64-yard TD run, as LA won a wild one in the desert. The game also featured two defensive touchdowns by Marcus Milne. Milne returned a fumble recovery 94 yards for a score, and intercepted a pass, and ran it back 63 yards for another one. But Arizona would not go away, and led 24-21 late in the third. The game was 28-27 when Hoambrecker burst out for his second big run of the game. He had an 84-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Portland 26, Seattle 20 (OT), Week 2 - The Interception. Mike Kosier's pick of Monte Meier, deep in Seattle territory, set up a touchdown and shocked the league. Everyone thought that Seattle would run rampant over everyone in the league all the way to the Washington Bowl and the AFL Championship. Portland changed that perception, knocking off the Tritons in a game that received the highest rating for a game this year.

Top Games to Watch, Second Half:

Miami AT Cincinnati, Week 9 - The contest to weed out the top competitors in the HFC will begin here, with a matchup of titans in Cincy. Cincy could vault to the top seed in the conference with a win. But Miami has shrugged off everyone since that opening week rout.

Seattle AT Portland, Week 9 - Portland exposed Seattle in the shocker explained above. The Tritons have guaranteed revenge this week, and with Portland struggling, they could very well get that. This could be a bloodbath as well. Rumor has it that Seattle coaches have placed a bounty on Portland linebacker Mike Kosier, the man who broke Seattle in that fateful game.

Pittsburgh AT Los Angeles, Week 10 - The other two 6-1 teams go head-to-head in Los Angeles. Pittsburgh could convince a lot of doubters by pulling off the upset here. Yes, we said it. Upset.

Cincinnati AT Seattle, Week 10 - A possible...POSSIBLE...Washington Bowl preview.

St. Louis AT Houston, Week 10 - This could be the biggest rout in league history. Steve Banks should produce ridiculous numbers here.

Miami AT Pittsburgh, Week 12 - You see a running theme here, don't you? This seemingly round-robin fight between the division leaders in the HFC continues in Pittsburgh, where Miami has yet another big game. We failed to mention that they play Tampa the previous week.

San Francisco AT Cincinnati, Week 12 - Top defenses will go head-to-head here. You can't help but like Cincy's chances...but Herkie Martini has been lights out in the big games. His veins have ice in them, but against the Royals secondary, will he freeze?

Tampa AT Pittsburgh, Week 13 - The HFC certainly is chock-full of games worth watching in the second half, and this game is no exception. Tampa QB Dick Dinkins faces the Pride defense and the Pride crazies in what could be snowy weather. How will Tampa handle the cold weather? Dinkins went to Louisiana Tech, and has never played in a game where the temperature was lower than 50 degrees. This should be very interesting for the rookie, and for us fans to watch.

Seattle AT Indianapolis, Week 14 - Indianapolis beat Los Angeles earlier this season. Will they knock off the other preseason favorite in Seattle? The Monarchs have been coming on strong lately, winners of their last three, and are now in the playoff chase. Will they slay another dragon, though? Not if the Tritons have anything to say about it.

Cincinnati AT Los Angeles, Week 15 - Cincy will have faced all of the other current division leaders when they come to Los Angeles for this battle. This could be for the top seed in the HFC playoffs, which makes it a huge game by itself. But what will be interesting is how the duo of Leonard Smith and Barry Robinson stack up to LA's duo of Sammy Baw and Sammy Hoambrecker.

San Francisco AT Seattle, Week 15 - This could be for the Frontier division title, which comes as a shock to many. Who would have thought that the Generals would even have a winning record at this point? We're not even sure that their front office thought they could win this season. But here they are, and this potential battle for the division title could ALSO be for home field advantage.

Washington AT Boston, Week 15 - If Boston stumbles, this could be for the division. Boston has won ugly this year, and will probably continue to win ugly...that's to say, with rushing and defense. Washington has won somewhat ugly, too. But the rematch of this game could go either way, I think. Boston is susceptible to lackluster play in spurts. Nobody questions that they are one of the top teams in the league. But their game in San Francisco was just awful, and they have had flat halves before.

New Orleans AT Atlanta, Week 17 - The winner of this game could earn a playoff spot. The loser could go home for its effort. I think this game will be played for a playoff spot, and if so, then it's a great game to watch.

Second Half Predictions

CFC Conference Division Winners and Playoff Predictions

Colonial: Boston. They have too much defense, and Brian Barrett, for teams in this division to overcome. Washington can make a run, but New York and Philadelphia are gearing up for next season.

Midway: Michigan. I don't think Chicago has enough to overcome the Panthers. They ARE 1-2 in the division, but they hit their defensive stride in shutting out Pittsburgh.

Grid: Houston. They have too much offense. Simple as that. Too much offense and too favorable a schedule to lose this division.

Frontier: Seattle. I still think they have all the pieces worthy of a division championship. I don't think they'll take home field, but they should get the division.

Wild Card: San Francisco and Chicago. I can believe San Francisco. They have the defense and just enough offense to get in. Chicago though...that's a reach. I just don't think anyone else can make it. Chicago may get in at 8-8...I'm picking them more on the fact that their schedule is much easier than any of the other candidates.

Playoff Tree:

Home field: Houston
First-round bye: Seattle

First round:

Chicago (6) @ Boston (3): Boston wins with defense. Chicago could make it interesting, but Boston would win this one. Change Barrett's batteries and let him run all over the field.
WINNER: Boston

San Francisco (5) @ Michigan (4): San Francisco could even have a better record than Michigan in this one, and they go on the round. It would not be an upset to see the Generals win this game, and I think they could on the strength of their secondary.
WINNER: San Francisco

Divisional Round:

San Francisco (5) @ Houston (1): This would be a truly great matchup: the wily old quarterback and potent passing offense versus the top secondary in the league. Someone would have to give. I think Craig Stephens pushes this contest in Houston's favor, and as a result, Houston wins.
WINNER: Houston

Boston (3) @ Seattle (2): Tough draw for Boston. This looks like a game that could be 3-0, to be honest with you. But, in the end, it comes down to Monte Meier over Russell Stock. Seattle wins this game.
WINNER: Seattle

CFC Championship:

Seattle (2) @ Houston (1): This depends on how well the defensive line of Seattle can get at Banks. Banks can beat this secondary, especially after seeing San Francisco. But if he's rushed, Seattle wins. This game, as surprising as it sounds, is a toss-up. But I'll take Seattle, on their schedule that prepped them for this game, their defensive line, and that I won't leave them now, after I started with them in the preseason.
WINNER: Seattle

HFC Division Division Winners and Playoff Predictions

Valley: Cincinnati. Their offense is too good for this division. They're 3-0 within the Valley, and while Indy could push them, I don't think Cincy could give up this lead.

Midland: Pittsburgh. As if there's any other team in this division that can take them...

Gulf: Miami. They have a really tough four weeks coming up, and then....nothing. If they go 2-2 over this stretch, they'll win the division by two games. Tampa could make a push, but there are some traps left in their schedule.

Pacific: Los Angeles. Seems academic, doesn't it?

Wild Card: Tampa and San Diego. San Diego? Well, yes. They only have two super tough teams left, Boston this week, and Los Angeles in Week 17. With Ladell Suggs, who may be the most underrated quarterback in the league, they have a chance to really go on the roll they were on in the first quarter of the season. I don't know if Indianapolis, the other favorite to take the sixth spot, could really nail it down. So, I'll take San Diego.

Playoff Tree:

Home Field: Los Angeles
First-Round Bye: Pittsburgh

First Round:

Tampa (5) @ Cincinnati (4): Toughest matchup of the first round, by far. It's a pick-em game. So...after flipping a coin, I'll take Cincinnati for their experience. Tampa will be a great team with Dick Dinkins at the controls...but this is as far as he gets this year.
WINNER: Cincinnati

San Diego (6) @ Miami (3): San Diego may have gotten this far, but I think it's ludicrous to think they'll get further. Miami could make Ladell Suggs' life miserable; these two have faced off, with Miami winning 35-26 in Week 5. In the rematch, I think Miami will take them again.
WINNER: Miami

Divisional Round:

Cincinnati (4) @ Los Angeles (1): Well, there's experience. And there's the Home Wrecker. And when you have the Sammies Two (Baw and Hoambrecker), as well as the defense the Marshalls have...well, the Royals will be crowned, all right.
WINNER: Los Angeles

Miami (3) @ Pittsburgh (2): Another pick-em. I'm taking Pittsburgh on the basis that it'll be frickin COLD in the Burgh. Also, Billy Rolovich has proven capable of winning big games.
WINNER: Pittsburgh

Conference Championship:

Pittsburgh (2) @ Los Angeles (1): Really tough game. I mean...you'll see the steam from LA, and it won't be the smog. The question of the hour is...will the Pittsburgh defense be able to handle Sammy Hoambrecker for an entire game? You know, I think they will, but I think Los Angeles will still win this game in the final minute. Special teams will do in Pittsburgh in this game.
WINNER: Los Angeles

Washington Bowl I: Seattle vs. Los Angeles

The preseason prediction still holds up. And I think Los Angeles has the upper hand here because of Sammy Hoambrecker. I just don't know if Quincy Jones will hold up for the entire playoffs. He may be hurting once the Bowl rolls around. But Hoambrecker is an absolute horse, and seems to be getting better and better as the weeks go by. I think Los Angeles will ride Hoambrecker to the title.
WINNER: Los Angeles by 6

Other predictions...

MVP: QB Steve Banks, Houston
Offensive Player of the Year: QB Steve Banks, Houston
Defense Player of the Year: CB Tavares Cook, San Francisco
Offensive Rookie of the Year: QB Dick Dinkins, Tampa
Defensive Rookie of the Year: SS Jack McCoy, Philadelphia
Coach of the Year: Bill Doran, Pittsburgh
First overall pick next year: Kansas City
First player taken: OT Gene Herron
Biggest free agent next year: FS Cecil Hall
Darkhorse to make playoffs this year: San Diego, New Orleans, Dallas
Could implode: Miami, Michigan, San Francisco