With week two of the USFL now over and week three quickly approaching, it’s time to recognize the top performers from the previous week of games. While TV ratings dropped significantly, the quality of play improved overall, giving fans a mix of takeaways to think about. In this article, though, the players are the main focus. Without further ado, here are your week two USFL standouts.
Offense
QB:
Bryan Scott (Stars)
Kyle Sloter (Breakers)
RB:
CJ Marable (Stallions)
Mark Thompson (Gamblers)
WR:
Maurice Alexander (Stars)
Bailey Gaither (Maulers)
TE:
Marcus Baugh (Panthers)
Bug Howard (Stars)
OL (unit):
Stallions
Gamblers
Defense
CB:
Will Likely (Gamblers)
Jaylon McClain-Sapp (Maulers)
S:
Manny Bunch (Gamblers)
Orion Stewart (Panthers)
LB:
Lorenzo Burns (Stallions)
Donald Payne (Gamblers)
DE/DT:
Carlo Kemp (Maulers)
Chris Odom (Gamblers)
Special Teams
Nick Vogel (K, Gamblers)
Brandon Wright (P, Bandits)
Honorable Mentions
Garrett Groshek (RB, Maulers)
Tyshun Render (DE, Generals)
Adam Rodriguez (DE, Stars)
J’Mar Smith (QB, Stallions)
Headlines
McClain-Sapp Keeps Maulers Close With Stars
Despite a 30-23 loss to the Stars last Saturday, the Maulers had some positives to take away from the game, the most notable of which was the performance by cornerback Jaylon McClain-Sapp. The former Marshall product had both an interception and fumble return touchdown, both of which kept Pittsburgh alive down the stretch. Their offense may still need to be tweaked, but the defense has once again shown strengths in multiple areas.
Sloter, Breakers Crush Tampa Bay
In what was viewed as one of the USFL’s best rivalries before the season, the first matchup between the Tampa Bay Bandits and New Orleans breakers was nothing to write home about. The game was never even close, with the Breakers jumping out to a large lead early on. Quarterback Kyle Sloter officially performed as advertised, throwing for 266 yards and scoring 3 touchdowns. Three New Orleans receivers each caught 5 passes, and the defense hadn’t lost a step from week one. Tampa Bay, on the other hand, looked like a complete mess. The team couldn’t get into rhythm once, and Jordan Ta’amu only completed 8 passes before being replaced by Brady White. Hopefully, they can rebound in week three.
Gamblers Defense Stays Hot Despite First Loss
If you haven’t figured it out by now, defense has been more productive in the USFL than offense (atleast in most games), and the Gamblers are making an underrated case for best unit in the league. While they did give up 33 points to Birmingham, Houston fans should remain hopeful, as the on-field chemistry between defensive players almost looks NFL-caliber. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a few players from this team make the jump in a few months, as long as they can keep up their high level of production.
