We did it, people! We made it to the final regular-season week of the inaugural USFL season. From a bettor’s perspective, and from a soccer fan’s perspective, the final 9 weeks have been a deal with.
From fading Jeff Fisher to using the Stallions, a few of my greatest bets had been predictable. At instances, although, some weren’t so surefire. Underdogs lined once I predicted they would not, and we had a combined bag went it got here to the overs and unders. But, it is a new league, and we’re getting higher by the week.
Either manner, we made it! Week 10 is right here, and the playoffs are proper across the nook. So let’s dive into my greatest bets for the final week of the common season, with all odds by way of FOX Bet.
These groups rank first and second in offensive effectivity, and so they additionally come in at sixth and seventh in defensive effectivity. The Stars have scored probably the most factors in the league whereas the Generals are third in that class.
New Jersey additionally leads the league in speeding whereas Philadelphia has the worst speeding protection in the league, permitting a whopping 148 yards per sport. The Generals ought to find a way to transfer the ball on the bottom for some scores.
On the flip aspect, New Jersey has solely sacked the quarterback 10 instances all season, which suggests the Stars’ QB Case Cookus ought to cook dinner.
Look for a monitor meet in the primary sport of the weekend.
I’m going to do one thing I assumed I’d by no means do in this 10-week USFL season. I’ll wager on the Jeff Fisher-led Michigan Panthers staff towards the Pittsburgh Maulers.
Oh, boy.
Michigan lined for solely the third time this season final weekend in a 1-point loss to the Stars. The Panthers continued their excellent protection, holding the highest-scoring staff in the league to simply 17 factors. So far this season, they’ve allowed the second-least passing yards and rank fourth-best in speeding protection.
On offense, the Panthers aren’t something particular and they’re on their fourth quarterback. But in accordance to Eric Eager of Pro Football Focus, they’re a good fifth in offensive effectivity. Despite the quarterback points, the Panthers are first in the league at transferring the chains. Imagine that.
Fisher and his Panthers are dealing with a Maulers staff that has an an identical document of 1-8, however Pittsburgh received to its dismal document in a different way.
The Maulers’ offense continues to be putrid, scoring solely 126 factors in their first 9 video games. They’ve failed to rating greater than 18 factors in their final 4 video games. The Maulers rank seventh in passing yards per sport, and with underneath simply 100 speeding yards per sport, in addition they rank seventh in the league there. No shock however in addition they rank seventh in offensive anticipated factors answered.
All of that is to say, sure, I’m using with Fisher this weekend. Guess there is a first time for all the pieces.
The 8-1 Stallions clinched a playoff berth after beating the Maulers 26-16 in Week 7. Since that win, the Stallions — who enter Week 10 as the third-ranked offense — seem to have shut it down on offense. They’ve scored 10 and 15 factors the final two weekends, and now face a Bandits’ protection that ranks third in defensive anticipated factors added (EPA) and permits simply 18.9 factors per sport.
On the opposite aspect is the Bandits’ poor scoring offense. Tampa Bay scores the second-fewest factors in the league. The Bandits are additionally unfastened with the rock. They’ve given the ball away 19 instances this season and have a minus-13 turnover margin. TB additionally solely converts simply 34.1% of its third downs.
While the Stallions’ offense has stalled, their protection is legit, permitting the second-fewest factors in the league. Key stat: Birmingham hasn’t allowed greater than 17 factors since Week 2.
This might be a slugfest. I’ll take the underneath in this defensive-minded sport.
Geoff Schwartz performed eight seasons in the NFL for 5 totally different groups. He began at proper sort out for the University of Oregon for three seasons and was a second-team All-Pac-12 choice his senior yr. He is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him on Twitter @GeoffSchwartz.
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