THE UFL: UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2026 POST-SEASON PREDICTIONS

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The UFL is now down to the final 4 teams for the season as the post-season has arrived. The Houston Gamblers, Dallas Renegades, Columbus Aviators, and the Birmingham Stallions failed to make the post-season. They will be home watching the rest of the league try to win the UFL’s 3rd championship. In are the defending champs, the DC Defenders, who could have a home game if they win this weekend. The beer snake would be thriving being fed the craft beers in a championship atmosphere. The Kings are one of the hottest teams in the league coming into the post-season. Orlando will be riding out the Storm in Daytona’s stadium because their normal home venue is being used this weekend. The Storm have been hot as well. Can Ricky Proehl get the BattleHawks out of the first round? Something Anthony Becht could not do when he was head coach of the St.Louis. We are going to throw in our two cents by predicting both post-season games with some witty post-season analysis. Enjoy!! Post-season football is always entertaining.

#3. LOUISVILLE KINGS(6-4) AT #2 ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS(6-4)

The Thunderdome in St.Louis will be hosting another post-season game. The BattleHawks once again showed the UFL they have the number 1 fan base as they had the best attendance in the league. However, can the BattleHawks win a post-season game? Anthony Becht is no longer their head coach. If he was the problem. The BattleHawks come into this post-season with a whimper. They lost to a bad Renegades team in the last week of the season with the number 1 seed in their reach. Renegades lost 7 straight until they upended the BattleHawks in the Thunderdome. Now they face one of the hottest teams, if not the hottest team, in the UFL. The Louisville Kings. Kings come in clicking on all cylinders winning 4 straight games. The Kings started out of the gates this season 0-3. They went 6-1 the rest of the season only losing to the BattleHawks in week six in a barnstormer of a game that finished with a score of 16-3.

After the BattleHawks acquired the King of the Spring Fling, Luis Perez, from the Renegades, I thought it was an instant ticket to a championship for them. In 4 games the King of the Spring Fling has not done well. He is 2-2 as a starter this season. He has tallied 1,018 passing yards . He has 4 touchdown passes to six interceptions. Yikes!!!

Meanwhile the Kings made a QB trade when they sent Jason Bean packing at the trade deadline. The starting job then went to Chandler Rogers who has made 5 starts for Louisville. Rogers went 4-1 as the starter. He’s a duel threat quarterback who tallied 1,119 passing yards with 5 touchdown passes to three interceptions. With his legs he scored two touchdowns. The Kings in the last 4 games have averaged over 30 points a game.

If Luis Perez can get his game straightened out, he has multiple weapons in the passing game. The BattleHawks have plenty of talent at the wide receiver room including Hakeem Butler who may be the tallest target in the league. It was another solid year for Butler who caught 29 balls for 641 receiving yards and three touchdowns. They also have veteran guys like Jahcour Pearson, Blake Jackson, and Steven McBride. The BattleHawks also signed one of Perez’s cronies who played with him on the Renegades, Sal Cannella, who has shown he is one of the best tight ends in the league. Sal came available after the Cleveland Browns cut ties with him this off-season.

The Kings have plenty of weapons of mass destruction as well. They have Lucky Jackson who can be a threat as a wide receiver and gives the Kings a home run threat in the return games. Then Isiah Winstead, who racked up 474 receiving yards this season. Then Kaden Prather gives Rogers a big target to throw to. Then tight end Zach Davidson can be that guy that moves the chains.

Both teams can run the ball well. The BattleHawks use a power back that will run you over in Jarveon Howard. While the Kings have a two-headed monster in their back field that features former Jacksonville Jaguar James Robinson and Ian Wheeler. Two well-balanced offenses as well as two of the better defenses in the league.

The Kings have the sack master on their defense in Cam Gill. Gill led the UFL this season with 11 sacks. The Kings also have Corey Mayfield Jr. who led the league this year in interceptions. The former Brahmas defensive back Mayfield Jr. had 4 interceptions this season. The Kings defense is solid from top to bottom. The Kings defense led the league with 17 takeaways. The Kings defense allows only 21.8 points per game this season.

The St.Louis BattleHawks defense is the best unit in the UFL. It’s a defense that features the last defensive player of the year in Pita Taumoepenu. The BattleHawks can get after the quarterback. They led the league with 31 sacks this season. The BattleHawks defense allows only 18.1 points per game.

This game will be the game of the weekend here. Both teams are pretty much equal. The BattleHawks average 287.1 yards on offense per game. While the Kings average 293.7 yards per game on offense. It’s hard to win on the road in the Thunderdome. The BattleHawks quarterback Luis Perez has won a championship a few seasons ago with the Renegades in the XFL. That was the year Perez was traded in mid-season and then took it from there and got hot in post-season. St.Louis has failed in the first round of the post-season. The Kings are one of the hottest teams right now which means opponents may be scared to play them at this time. I’m going with the road team in this because of Luis Perez struggling.. The Kings are playing well on all three phases of the game right now & that will carry over to the post-season.

OUR PREDICTION: LOUISVILLE KINGS

#4. DC DEFENDERS(5-5) AT #1. ORLANDO STORM(8-2)

After the Defenders and Storm conclude this post-season game, it will end the three game series between the two teams. The Storm and Defenders just finished the season playing back to back games against each other. In which the Storm won both match ups. Maybe it will be the third time is the charm for the Defenders. The Storm come in having the number 1 seed in the post-season as they finished the season strong winning 4 straight games. Meanwhile the Defenders backed into the post-season losing 4 straight games. Once upon a time the Defenders were the top scoring team in the league until they lost their starting quarterback Jordan Ta’amu with a season-ending injury at Louisville.

The Defenders will have a hard time defending their championship run with the quarterbacks they do have. Spencer Sanders has been no good as he was the first guy thrown into the ring to replace Ta’amu. Then a mid-season trade landed the Defenders’ Jason Bean who was the Kings former starter in Louisville. Bean has talent but makes too many mistakes. The Defenders did sign spring journeyman E.J Perry to the roster. Perry played for the Showboats and the Panthers. His play level in the past has been too erratic. The Defenders have the worst quarterback room in the post-season.

The Orlando Storm have the MVP of the league behind center for them. Jack Plummer has shown the UFL world he is the best quarterback in the league. He threw 17 touchdown passes to only 1 interception. He tallied up 2,188 passing yards. He has multiple play makers he can throw to. The Storm lacks a running game where the Defenders need to run the ball to win this game.

Deon Jackson is the Defenders’ entire offense. Jackson led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns. The Storm defense can struggle against the run. The Storm’s defense will also falter on broken plays that get extended with running quarterbacks. If the Defenders use Bean or Sanders they could make big plays with their legs. The Defenders are a one dimensional offense as the Storm want to be a well balance offense. It depends on what the running game can do for the Storm. Some weeks they are well balanced. Some times it’s all about what Jack has.

The Orlando Storm has only given up 18.6 points per game which makes them one of the better defensive units in the league. They have the best red zone defense in the league. Defensive tackle Isiah Buggs can swallow up the run. Keshawn Banks led the league with the most tackles for loss of yardages. The Defenders defense plays very aggressively and thrives on turnovers. They will come after the quarterback with everything including the kitchen sink on some of their blitz packages.

Anthony Becht and Shannon Harris are the only two remaining head coaches from last year. Becht was the long time head coach for the BattleHawks but took most his staff to Florida to coach the Storm. Becht and his staff were part of that testy rivalry between the Defenders and BattleHawks. Last year the Defenders were not favored to win the championship. Harris in his first season got DC to the post-season, coached two victories, and took home the championship. Harris is 2-0 in post-season while Becht is 0-2 in the post-season. His teams have been favored to win it all but the result have been losses. One loss was last year in the XFL Conference Championship when Harris’ Defenders beat up the BattleHawks on Becht’s home turf which was a 36-18 beat down in the Thunderdome of St.Louis.

It would have been cool to see the Defenders hoist the beer snake in the UFL championship game in DC next weekend. I don’t see the Defenders getting past the Storm this weekend. It’s the quarterback play that concerns me about the Defenders. I don’t think Moe, Larry, or Curly can come through behind center against a top defense like the Storm have. Even if they signed a Shemp, it would not matter. I know it’s hard to beat a team three times in a row. Without Jordan Ta’amu, this Defenders team will not get it done. This may be the best team Anthony Becht has coached in his career. He has the horses. I think he will use them wisely and slay his dark demons of the first round action.

OUR PREDICTION: ORLANDO STORM

OUR NHL PREDICTION OF THE 2026 LORD STANLEY WINNER

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STANLEY CUP FINALS

We are down to two teams in the chase for the Lord Stanley Cup, the most prestigious trophy in sports. Remember like the Blarney Stone. do not kiss or lick it because you really don’t know where it’s been. The conference finals were a big snooze fest. I picked Avalanche and Hurricanes in the conference finals games. I went 1-2 in the conference finals match ups. For the entire post-season, predicting each series has given me a 6-8 record to this point. Even if I get the Stanley Cup final prediction right, I will still come away with a losing record. Even though I will get back up off the ground from being thrown off the back of the horse. I will dust myself off and roll the dice on my Stanley Cup pick with all the fixings. Make sure you bet the opposite.

LAS VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS CAROLINA HURRICANES

HOW THEY GOT HERE

Golden Knights eliminated: 1st round, Mammoth, 2nd round, Ducks, 3rd round Avalanche.

Hurricanes eliminated: 1st round, Senators, 2nd round, Flyers, 3rd round, Canadiens

BOTH TEAMS CHASING THEIR 2ND STANLEY CUP

Both teams are (1-1) all-time in the Stanley Cup finals. This will be the 3rd time for both these teams making it to the Stanley Cup finals. The Golden Knights won theirs a few years ago in 2023. While the Hurricanes you have to go back to 2006 when they hoisted the Cup.

TEAM HISTORY

The Golden Knights became an expansion team in the NHL and their first season was the 2017-18 season. Since the birth of the Golden Knights, they have missed the post-season 1 time. They have made post-season 8-9 years in the league. Add three Stanley Cup finals to the equation which is pretty impressive. If you are a fan of another team, it just sickens you reading those stats.

The Carolina Hurricanes were originally the Whalers of New England playing in a different league than the NHL. The Whalers played in the WHA (World Hockey Association.) In 1974 they relocated to the state of Connecticut and became the Hartford Whalers. The WHA ceased operations and the Whalers went to the NHL in 1979. In 1997, the Whalers relocated to North Carolina and changed their name to the Hurricanes.

THE SKINNY

After the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Carolina Hurricanes have lost 1 game in the post-season so far. The Hurricanes are 12-1 and have been playing solid defense in each series. You have to be impressed by the Las Vegas Golden Knights who swept away the Colorado Avalanche in the conference championship. The Avalanche came in as Cup favorites to win it all. The roster is loaded with talent. To lose all 4 games and get swept, you have to think Vegas is doing something right.

GOALIES

We know both the Hurricanes and Golden Knights can play solid defense. Both teams have proven that in the first three rounds. Up to this point, both goalies have been solid. Frederik Andersen for the Hurricanes has had a solid track record in the Stanley Cup post-season and he has lost only 1 game between the pipes this NHL post-season. Andersen has played in way more post-season games than the Golden Knights goalie, Carter Hall. Hall has started 11 games this post-season and has only lost two of those matches. In the 11 starts, the Vegas goaltender has a save percentage of .940 which is remarkable. He has allowed only 1.82 goals against average. Hart has only started 18 games in regular season for the Golden Knights. Andersen has played more games during regular season than Carter and has played deep into the post-season the last few years.

The Golden Knights were very happy to have Mitch Marner in the Avalanche series as he was questionable due to an injury for the conference finals. Marner is a two way play-maker on the ice and has tallied up 21 points so far this post-season. You could say that the Golden Knights have the three best players from both teams. Starting with Marner & then let’s not forget about Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. Then the Golden Knights have some unsung heroes as well in Brett Howden and Pavel Dorofeyev who have tallied ten goals each during this post-season. Can Vegas light the lamp against a great defense like the Hurricanes? They really dismantled Colorado. It is possible.

The Hurricanes can get you with 4 different lines they have. It’s the second line the Canes have that they have done the most Van Damage with. Line number two features Jackson Blake, Taylor Hall, and Logan Stankoven. This line for the Canes has tallied 43 points this post-season. Nineteen goals and 24 assists. The Canes can score goals. They have the snipers. They may have the experienced goal tender in post-season. They cleared their hurdle in the conference championship by finally prevailing after a few years of going home short of the finals. Can the Canes light the lamp versus a great defense like the Golden Knights have?

This will be a great series to finish off the hockey year and the 2025-26 season. It will be better than both conference championships that were just played as those series were one sided. How does an expansion team win their second Cup in such a short history? The Golden Knights have to be Vegas lucky. It’s not even the same head coach who took the expansion team to the finals in the very first year. John Tortorella has been some kind of hockey whisperer to his team as he only managed 8 games in regular season with this bunch. My heart wants the Hurricanes to win it all. My gut feeling is Golden Knights will win this series. It will go the distance. I’ve bet against the Golden Knights in each round and lost. Maybe picking them will reverse their fortune.

OUR PREDICTION: GOLDEN KNIGHTS IN SEVEN

RAMS PULL OFF CHECKMATE MOVE THAT LANDS THEM MYLES GARRETT FROM CLEVELAND

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In 2021 the LA Rams pulled out a blockbuster trade that helped them win the Superbowl in the same year they acquired their quarterback, Matthew Stafford, from the Detroit Lions. The Rams are notorious for trading their number 1 draft picks for established veteran players over the last several years. The Rams have done it again in another CHECKMATE move and acquired one of the best defensive ends in the league, Myles Garrett, from the Cleveland Browns. The Rams will send their much younger defensive end, Jared Verse, to Cleveland with three draft picks of which two are number one selections. The draft picks are 2027 first round pick, 2028 first round pick, and finally a 2029 3rd round pick. This is a trade that can certainly help the Rams get to the Superbowl which their home stadium is hosting next February. It also helps the Cleveland Browns get some of the draft capital they surrendered to the Houston Texans a few seasons ago when they acquired the sexual predator, Deshaun Watson.

Myles Garrett was originally drafted by the Cleveland Browns back in 2017 in the first round number 1 overall from Texas A&M. He is 30 years of age and already has 9 seasons in the NFL. He is the highest paid player in the league that is not a quarterback. He has won back to back years as the defensive player of the year. Last year he tied the NFL single season record of most sacks by a player in one season. He had 23 sacks. He played in all 17 games for the Browns last year, tallied up 43 solo tackles, and forced three fumbles in 2025. He has played in 134 career games in his career and has racked up 125.5 sacks with 293 solo tackles while forcing 23 fumbles. In 9 seasons he has only played in 3 career playoff games with the Browns and has recorded one sack in those games. Garrett is remembered for ripping the helmet off Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolf during a play & then using it as a weapon to hit him in the head with it. Garrett would miss six games including the post-season in 2019 for that incident as he was suspended by the league.

You have to feel sorry for Jared Verse who has two years in the league and has been a starter for the Rams both seasons. Now he leaves a potential team that could make it to the Superbowl to play for a flunky like the Browns. Verse is also a first round pick. He was drafted in 2024 by the Rams number 19 overall from Florida State University. Last year he racked up 7.5 sacks for the Rams as he played in all 17 regular season games. He also had 35 solo tackles and forced 3 fumbles. In two seasons he has racked up 12 sacks and has 71 total solo tackles in 34 games. He has also forced 5 fumbles. He has 45 total QB hits in two seasons. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year for the Rams in 2024. He is a 2x Pro-Bowler as well and has only two seasons under his belt. The Rams are getting a solid piece in return for Garrett who is still playing under a rookie contract. Plus he is 25 years of age which is 5 years younger than Myles Garrett. The Browns in March also restructured Garret’s contract making him easier to trade. The restructuring will allow the Browns two seasons to spread his 41.09 million dollars in dead cap space on the salary cap instead of taking the hit in one season. The Browns also get two number 1 draft picks along with a 3rd. Let’s not forget Verse was picked in the first round. Now you have your draft capital back from the horrific deal acquiring the sexual predator, Deshaun Watson, back in 2022 from Houston. Watson has been terrible most of the time since he came from Cleveland. He has missed a ton of games with season ending injuries. Plus he’s a cancer in the locker room. Then you still hear about more sexual assault cases against him popping up. Hopefully Cleveland can use one of those draft picks and find a QB. Next year’s draft will be loaded with QB talent.

When the Rams won their last Superbowl, they had that one player on that defense who was a game wrecker. Aaron Donald was a beast. He has been retired now for the last few seasons. The Rams defense was solid last year. By bringing in Myles Garrett they have that Donald, a guy that can change the game. He’s a QB killer who has 239 hits on the guy behind center in 9 seasons. If he does not record a sack he will let you know his presence is there. He’s a guy that can close out football games. Let’s face it, the Rams are all in. They have a veteran quarterback approaching 40 years of age in Matthew Stafford who has shown he is capable of still playing at a high level. Last year the Rams went out and got another top receiver in the NFL, in Devante Adams. The Rams went all the way to the NFC Championship game and lost to a division rival, the Seattle Seahawks, who went on to dispose of the New England Patriots in the Superbowl. The Rams feel they need one more player to get them over the top of the mountain to get back to the Superbowl. The Rams feel they get more for their teams by trading their number 1 pick for talented veteran players. They have also acquired Von Mille and Jalen Ramsey in the past. This off-season they made a deal with the Chiefs for their all-pro corner back, Trent McDuffie, for some draft picks. The Rams actually used their number 1 pick this season on a quarterback, Ty Simpson. This Rams team has one of the best coaches in the NFL, the young mind of Sean McVay. Then next year’s Superbowl is in LA. The Rams could do their version of Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, and host the Superbowl in their own stadium. The Rams before the trade landing Garrett, had good odds by Las Vegas to win next year’s big game. Now they should be the lead horse in the race to win next year’s Superbowl. In my opinion this looks like a solid trade for both teams. Cleveland is not getting to the Superbowl any time soon as they need to rebuild that roster. The Rams have done this before and made the big move to put themselves in the best position possible. You can really say, “CHECKMATE!!”

THE MR. OCTOBER OF THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS TAKES HIS OWN LIFE

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The hockey world has lost one of their best post-season players in the history of the game in Claude Lemieux, who was a 4x Stanley Cup winner. On May 28th, Claude’s son found his body in back of the family’s furniture store in Florida around 3 AM. Claude has been battling depression most of his life and took his own by hanging himself. No one would have guessed that as he made a public appearance in Montreal while serving as a torch bearer at the Canadiens’ Eastern Conference finals game vs the Hurricanes. He is survived by his wife Deborah and 4 children. His son Brendan played in the NHL. His own brother, Jocelyn, also played professional hockey and he was in the NHL for 12 seasons. On the ice Claude was a beast. Off the ice he was a gentle giant teddy bear. He was a solid regular season player his entire 21 year career. When it came to the post-season, he was a money player. A hired hit man type that would get the job done each and every night on the ice. He was the Reggie Jackson of the hockey world.

Claude Lemieux was only 60 years of age. He was born on July 16th of 1965 in Buckingham, Quebec. The Montreal Canadiens selected him in the 2nd round of the 1983 NHL draft, 26th overall. He made his NHL debut in the 1983-84 season with the Canadiens. He skated for six different franchises. The three hockey franchises he stayed with the longest was Montreal, New Jersey, and Colorado where he helped them all win at least one Stanley Cup. He also skated three seasons in the desert with the Coyotes. Did one season with the Stars and concluded his career with the Sharks in 2008-09 season where he only played in 18 games. In 21 seasons, Claude played in 1,215 regular season games. Add another 234 playoff games to his hockey resume. In regular season he tallied up 379 goals and dished out 407 assists for a total of 786 points.

Claude Lemieux was that guy you hated if he did not play for your team. If he did wear your team’s jersey, you instantly fell in love with his style of play, especially in post-season. You can ask any Red Wings fan. Claude in a post-season game in the finals laid out Detroit’s Kris Draper which was a game six of the series when he wore a Devils uniform. Draper’s face hit the boards and the hit caused serious facial injuries. Claude became known as a Red Wing killer as it sparked a rivalry that played out with the Devils and lingered into his Colorado days. Claude’s nickname was Pepe.

He was named after that cartoon skunk, Pepe La Pew. The name fits because of his style of play. Claude was an agitator on the ice along with being an enforcer. He also skated well and can put the puck in the net. He elevated his level of play in the post-season like flipping a light switch. When he won his first cup in Montreal for the Canadiens back in the 1985-’86 season, he scored 10 goals with 16 points during that post-season run. He helped the New Jersey Devils win their first cup ever in the 1994-95 season. That was the year Claude became MVP of the cup finals and won the Smythe award. His third cup came the following year wearing the Avalanche sweater in the 1995-96 season.Then Claude would find his way back to Jersey and won another cup during the 1999-’00 season. In 234 games he played in post-season, he scored 80 goals and dished out 78 assists for a total of 158 points. He ranks number 9 all-time on the NHL’s post-season goals list.

After getting the best of the Red Wings in two different uniforms, Detroit got their revenge on their home ice versus Claude Lemieux who was still skating with the Avalanche. Red Wings fans were wanting blood in a regular season game in hockey town with their Wings and the visiting Avalanche. Late in the first period, pretty much a brawl broke out between the two teams. In an epic fight between Claude and Darren McCarthy, the Red Wings fan got their revenge. McCarthy beat the daylights out of Claude that day in that game. They would have a rematch months later. Claude was able to cross that line in post-season play doing the dirty things as he racked up over 500 penalty minutes in post-season play. Claude was a vilian to the Red Wings which made them better as they created their own dynasty after those epic 1990’s clashes between the Devils and Avalanche. McCarthy after hearing about the passing of Claude, called him a brother as they became friends later on in life & he expressed his condolences to the Lemieux family.

Everyone wishes they had that easy button in life. Nothing is ever easy in life. Sure many people make things look that easy. Claude Lemieux probably found hockey was easier than family life in general. I can imagine hockey was his outlet in life. To play the game he has played since he was kid. Push away all those feelings inside that come pimping up in the mindset. Claude has been retired from the game for over a decade. The mind starts to race with too many thoughts. Maybe some regrets in life. Depression is a real thing that many people back in the day would poke fun at. Hockey players beat the shit out of each other on the ice & then shake hands after the match. Whatever happens on the ice stays on the ice. In the real world feelings don’t go away as they linger. Why do people get hooked on drugs and drinking? Trying to force those lingering feelings away. Claude was happy being the torchbearer at the Canadiens game not too long ago. The family could not see it as he obviously had something bothering him to take his own life that way. Leaving his kids and wife. Which is a shame. Most of the world has mental issues. Some may not even know they do. I hope the Lemieux family can cope with this tragedy. Certain deaths of loved ones can linger for a very long time. It’s definitely a sad day in the sports world losing a great player along with a person that way. Hopefully a death like that can prevent someone else down the road from ending their own lives. RIP PEPE!!!

2026 UFL: THE UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE POWER RANKINGS WEEK 10

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First year head coach Chris Redman has his Louisville Kings playing their best football of the year. The Kings are moving up the rankings and could be a thorn in the sides of other teams if they make it to the post-season dance. We go into the final week of regular season with three teams clinching a playoff spot. Two teams fighting for the final spot. Three teams that are eliminated could play spoiler because no seeds have been clinched yet. The number 1 seed is still open for business. We will sort it all out and paint the playoff picture for you with our latest addition of the power rankings.

WEEK 10 UFL POWER RANKINGS

#1. ORLANDO STORM (7-2) Same spot from last week as King of the UFL mountain.

Isaiah Buggs was a beast for the Orlando Storm defense last week. The Storm’s pursuit for the best record in the UFL and the number 1 seed meant they needed to fend off the Defenders and got the job done. Buggs plays defensive line on the Storm’s defense and he was a one man wrecking crew going after the quarterback and stopping the Defenders run which is their strong point right now.

The Beastman Buggs had 1 sack with 4 tackles. Three of them solo and three for yards lost on the play. He was consistently causing problems and being disruptive in the Defenders offensive game plan. The Storms offense was not well-balanced in this one. The running game is the team’s weakness averaging 2.2 yards per carry. The skies, Jack Plummer was once again lighting them up with three touchdown passes for 275 passing yards. He has multiple play-makers he can use every week. Chris Rowland had 8 catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. Elijah Badger had 5 catches for 82 yards and touchdown. Then Cam Camper had 3 catches for 49 yards and a touchdown. The Storm also have KJ Hamler who was quiet versus the Defenders, only catching 1 ball. If this team could run the ball like their passing game, they will be unstoppable in post-season. Plummer could carry this team if the defense can Bugg out like they are doing.

#2. LOUISVILLE KINGS (5-4) Moved up 1 spot from last week

It’s good to be a Louisville Kings fan in the UFL. They are one of the hottest teams in the league. They have won three straight games. They have won 5 out of their last 6 games. This is a team that started the season 0-3 and are right now in great shape to make it to the post-season. The Kings control their own destiny this weekend. If they beat the Aviators, they are in. If the Stallions lose, they are in. If the Storm beat the Defenders, they are in. Last week they completed the sweep on Dallas scoring 37 points which was the week high in week 9. In two games versus the Renegades, they have scored 84 points. Chandler Rogers is getting better each week at the Kings’ quarterback position. He completed 16-21 passes for 266 passing yards with two touchdown passes. No mistakes.

Another play-maker is emerging for the Kings. Wide receiver Tarik Black caught 4 balls for 82 yards while hauling one of those passes for a touchdown. The Kings running game ran wild versus the Renegades. They tallied up 205 rushing yards on the ground. Their two-headed monster running backs both had big games. Ian Wheeler gained 93 yards on the ground with a rushing touchdown. Then James Robinson gained 88 yards on the ground. If the Kings get to the post-season I really don’t think anyone will want to face them.

#3. ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (6-3) Dropped 1 spot from last week.

Are you impressed with the BattleHawks since the King of the Spring Fling took over as the starting quarterback? I thought Luis Perez would put a jolt into this BattleHawks offense with him behind center. The BattleHawks get their revenge on the Gamblers beating them at their place in week 9. This after the Gamblers beat them in Arch-City in week 8. The BattleHawks clinch a playoff spot with the 21-15 win over the Gamblers. St.Louis is only 1 game behind the Orlando Storm and have a chance at the number 1 seed in the UFL post-season.

The Gamblers use two dum-dums every game at the quarterback position. Both guys are not very good and somehow Houston wins one and makes a game out of the other. Luis Perez is not in sync with his new teammates. He threw the ball 39 times. He’s always good for an interception. He did throw a touchdown pass. Why not give Perez some help with the running game instead of putting everything on his shoulders?

The BattleHawks’ featured back is Jarveon Howard who had 55 rushing yards on the ground. The BattleHawks averaged 3.9 yards per carry as a team vs the Gamblers. Kylin James only carried the ball 6 times for 31 rushing yards as well as a touchdown. James needs to get the ball more often if he is averaging 5.2 yards per carry. The BattleHawks defense were gashed by the Gamblers running game. The mighty, at one point this season, hawks definitely have more than one kink in their feathers that will need to be addressed before post-season. Or it will be one and done for St.Louis like last season.

#4. DC DEFENDERS (5-4) Moved up 1 spot from last week.

The Defenders will get a chance in post-season to defend their title from last year. Despite the loss to the Storm, the Defenders have clinched a playoff spot. The Defenders have lost three straight games. They were once on top of the UFL world with a balanced offense that could light the scoreboard up. They lost their starting quarterback Jordan Ta’amu to a season ending injury back when the Defenders played the Kings in Louisville. Ta’amu was the guy that played a big role in helping this Defenders team win it all last year. Now this team has to rely on a run first kind of quarterback in Spencer Sanders.

Sanders completed 10 passes out of 21 attempts for 160 passing yards. He completed 47.6% of his passes which is not good. He did use his legs for 75 rushing yards. The Defenders last week averaged 5.8 yards a carry. They can run the ball. The passing game has suffered with Sanders being QB 1. Their defense needs turnovers to thrive. They most likely will get the number 4 spot and pretty much get back into the post-season. They play the Storm once again this weekend. They could be playing the Storm for a 3rd time in the post-season if Orlando lands the number 1 spot. Three games in a row the UFL will throw Defenders vs Storm at you.

The Defenders fan-base dresses like they are going to Comic-Con. At least they can enjoy the new spin off of the Big Bang Theory coming soon. We do know that Spencer fails to save the Defenders universe.

#5. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (4-5) Dropped 1 spot from last week.

The Stallions did drop the big one losing to the Aviators last week. The Stallions have been playing well in the second half, but lost in a shoot out against Columbus’ second string quarterback who had the game of his life. The Stallions are not dead yet for post-season hopes. However they need lots of help. First, in week 10 the Stallions have to beat the Gamblers. Last time Houston and Birmingham met, the Gamblers beat them. The Stallions also need the Defenders without their starting quarterback to take down the top team in the league, the Storm. Then they must rely on the team they lost to last week, the Aviators, to come through and knock off the red hot Kings team.

My prediction is the Stallions get to 5-5 for the season. No soup for them in the post-season. The Stallions dynasty comes to an end.

#6. COLUMBUS AVIATORS (3-6) Moved up 1 spot from last week.

I hate when teams find the answers to their lingering problems at the very end of the season. The Aviators finally unplugged the Jalan McClendon experiment that failed this season.

The Aviators replaced Jalan with another Jalen, just spelled differently. Who knows nowadays which spelling is correct. I’m not sure the Aviators had the answer at the quarterback position all along. Only completing 46.7% of your passes is not the long term fix either.

Despite only completing 14-30 passes & 213 passing yards, Jalen Morton earned himself player of the week. Morton and the Aviators scored 36 points to knock off a hot Stallions team. Morton threw three touchdown passes with 1 interception. He is a duel threat QB who also ran for 96 yards and scored a touchdown using his legs. It would take the other Jalan weeks to get that production that the new guy got in only 1 week. We will see how Morton does in week 10. Will he have pepper or salt?

#7. HOUSTON GAMBLERS (3-6) Dropped 1 spot from last week.

The Gamblers made a game out of almost beating the BattleHawks in back-to-back weeks.

The Dueling banjos Houston has playing quarterback for them combined for 146 passing yards. Only completing 15-29 passes for 1 touchdown pass and an interception. John Rhys Plumlee along with Hunter Dekkers should be traded to the Arena League. It’s that simple. Houston has a problem at the QB position that has been lingering for years. Either the Roughnecks or the Gambler uniforms can’t hide their issues.

It was the Gamblers running game and defense that helped Houston stay in the game. Kirk Merritt found pay dirt with a rushing touchdown. It was the Gamblers featured back, Marcus Yarns, who gashed the BattleHawks defense with 98 rushing yards on 13 carries. The Gamblers should consider distributing the ball to their running backs more often than relying on their Deliverance theme song at the QB position to get the job done.

#8. DALLAS RENEGADES (3-6) Still under the stairs buying up all the real estate in the bottoms.

The head coach of the Renegades this season is Rick Neuheisel. His first season as head coach in the UFL has been a complete disaster. The Renegades started out strong 3-0, but have lost 6 straight games and have been eliminated from post-season play. Spring football is not Ricky’s thing. When he played quarterback for the San Antonio Gunslingers back in the USFL during the 1980’s, they were not a good team. In two seasons in San Antonio, the team went 12-24 overall. Or it could be a Texas thing that does not go well with Rick. Dallas’ present day is San Antonio in the past. Austin Reed looked like he was going to be MVP of the league. Last week he hit rock bottom as he completed 7-21 passes. That equals out to 33.3% which is awful. Reed did throw two touchdown passes and an interception. He may have done better versus the Kings than he did in his first meeting. Reed’s confidence has to be broken in a million pieces. One time he showed promise in this league and in the NFL in Bears camp during pre-season. What his future will be, I don’t know. Rick should be worried too.

The bright side of the Renegades came from running back Lorenzo Lingard who had 56 rushing yards on the ground versus a difficult Kings defense. He also scored a rushing touchdown. Will the Renegades ever win again?

2026 UFL: THE UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE POWER RANKINGS WEEK 9

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Number 1 on the DC Defenders, Bryce Thompson, is not getting any Christmas cards from the fans in Louisville any time soon. The Chants of “Number 1 sucks,” after Thompson expressed his ill feelings to a Kings fan during the game about how his team, or that number 1 talking in the 3rd person, is better than sliced bread. Number 1 and the Defenders have fallen on their shields in the power rankings. A storm is brewing at the number 1 spot. One team is officially in the post-season. The King of the Spring Fling has a hiccup. Dallas is still at the bottom. Houston has no problems last week. Plenty of movement in week 9 power rankings. We will discuss each team from the best to the worst in our latest addition.

WEEK 9 UFL POWER RANKINGS

#1. ORLANDO STORM (6-2) Moved up 4 spots from last week

With the Defenders and the BattleHawks losing in week 8, the UFL has a new sheriff in the league at number 1 in the power rankings.

Every team will be gunning for a new sheriff and especially the Storm as they are the first team to clinch a post-season spot. They also have the best record in the UFL after 8 weeks of action. Jack Plummer is the best quarterback in the league right now. Plummer did not throw any passing touchdowns in week 8. He did tally 238 passing yards and used his legs to score two rushing touchdowns.

He leads the UFL in passing yardage. He is in the top few in most categories. The Storm beat the Renegades on the road which is not much to brag about as Dallas has been on the electric slide in the wrong direction. The Storm have a well-balanced offense. They have multiple play makers that Plummer can throw to. The Storm’s defense is not lights out but can definitely rain on your parade.

#2. ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (5-3) Fall from top of the mountain one spot to second in the power rankings.

Al Bundy said once on Married with Children, “If you lose to the Rams, your team should get kicked out of the league.” It should apply to the BattleHawks who had a let down last week and took a loss to the Houston Gamblers at home in the Thunderdome. Luis Perez threw for 300 passing yards. Steven McBride had 8 catches for 116 receiving yards. With numbers like that, how the hell did the BattleHawks lay an egg versus the Gamblers?

The King of the Spring Fling, Luis Perez, threw two interceptions of which one was a pick six. The BattleHawks were down 20-9 at halftime. The BattleHawks defense only allowed a field goal in the second half. The BattleHawks only managed a touchdown in the second half which was not enough to be stunned by the visiting Houston team. It was the first loss at home for the BattleHawks.With the loss, the Storm perched themselves in front of the BattleHawks for the number 1 playoff seed. However, help is on the way for St.Louis.

The BattleHawks signed one of the best tightends to have played spring football over the last few seasons. Former Renegades tight end Sal Cannella will come to Arch-City and join his former teammate Perez suiting up for St.Louis. Cannella played in two NFL games for the Browns in 2025 and caught two balls for 11 yards. He became available when the Browns recently cut him from their roster making him a free agent. Cannella has played 4 seasons starting with the USFL’s New Orleans Breakers back in 2022. He has played for the Renegades for the last three seasons which included helping them win an XFL championship. He has caught 175 balls in spring football for 1,765 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. St.Louis’ offense now has become even more potent.

#3. LOUISVILLE KINGS (4-4) Moved up 1 spot from last week

The Kings have the hex over the Defenders, beating them twice in the last two weeks and Louisville has evened their record at 4-4. The Kings are in the mix right now for post-season with 2 weeks left to play. It may have been one of the best games of the year as the Kings win a thriller at home. This game had it all including a kickoff return by Tyler Hudson to tie the game at 7’s.

If you were at the concession stands or in the bathroom, this game had 14 points on the scoreboard in less than a minute. Also on the Kings special teams, Tanner Brown had a big day kicking multiple field goals including nailing a 60 yarder for 4 points.The Kings knocked out the Defenders starting quarterback, Jordan Ta’amu, in this one. Some thought the Kings fans were going to see Jason Bean who was Louisville’s quarterback the first few weeks until he was traded to the Defenders. Instead they dealt with run first/ask questions later Spencer Sanders who is not really much of a passer. Chandler Rogers threw a touchdown pass and had an interception for the Kings behind center. The Kings tallied up 134 rushing yards in this one. Wide receiver Isiah Winstead had 5 catches for 92 yards while hauling in a touchdown pass.

Louisville had over 10,000 screaming fans on hand rooting the Kings on. Out of the gates the Kings looked like a team that would take awhile to get their shit together. In the last few weeks, they are one of the hotter teams in the league and could certainly make some noise in the post-season if they end up getting one of the spots. They play well in all phases of their game.

#4. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (4-4) Dropped 1 spot from last week

The Stallions right now are one of the hottest teams in the league winning three games in a row and are at the .500 mark. Birmingham started off the season 1-3 in their first 4 games. Now they have turned things around going 3-1 in their last 4 games. Since the Stallions landed Dorian Thompson-Robinson, they are 3-1 with him as the starting quarterback. Last weekend the Stallions were shut out in the first half by the Aviators, 3-0. It was the Stallions defense and special teams that won their 4th game of the season for head coach AJ McCarron. The Stallions only scored 14 points which was enough to beat the worst team in the league, the Aviators. The win was not very impressive which is why they dropped a spot in the power rankings.

Defensive back Steven Gilmore blocked a 55 yard field goal attempt by the Aviators and then scooped up the ball and took it to the house for a touchdown. Steven’s brother is Stephon Gilmore who has played multiple years in the NFL.

The Stallions defense held the best rushing team to 61 yards on the ground, which averages out to 2.4 yards a carry. The Stallions defense only gave a field goal in a big win for them as they are pushing for a post-season spot.

#5. DC DEFENDERS (5-3) Fallen 3 spots from last week.

The defending champs are in big trouble. They have lost back to back games to the Louisville Kings. Now they have lost three straight games. The biggest problem they have is last week they lost their starting quarterback, Jordan Ta’amu, to a knee injury early in the contest versus the Kings. He is out for the rest of the season.

It looks like the beer snake is dead as the back up options at QB do not look promising. Last week the Defenders second string quarterback, Spencer Sanders, completed 7-15 passes for 83 passing yards and 1 interception. He used his legs for 5 carries & 27 rushing yards. Not sure why the Defenders did not insert Jason Bean, the X Kings quarterback who started multiple games for Louisville earlier this season. At least he can pass the ball. They landed Bean in a trade with the Kings for Mike Diliello who was the back up to Ta’amu the last two seasons. I bet they wish they did not make that trade because Diliello in my opinion is better than any of the guys that DC has. Look for the Defenders to rely heavily on the running game. The Defenders defense will need to practically shut out teams. The UFL championship will be played in DC. The Defenders will not be there as the X champs are drowning in their big gulp beers right now.

#6. HOUSTON GAMBLERS (3-5) Moved up 1 spot with their big upset last week

Somehow the Gamblers are still alive for the post-season as they found a way to upset St.Louis in the dome.

To upset a team like St.Louis in the Thunderdome you have to play like Mad Max. The Gamblers defense did as they intercepted the King of the Spring Fling, Luis Perez, twice and gave the BattleHawks their first loss at home this season.

It was defensive back Kary Vincent Jr. who took one Perez’s passes all the way to the promised land for a pick six. The Gamblers defense held St.Louis to 16 points for their 3rd win. The new quarterback for the Gamblers, John Rys Plumlee, threw three passes and completed 2 for a negative 3 yards. Luckily the other guy they have behind center here and there, Hunter Dekkers, played well completing 15-22 passes for 155 passing yards which included two touchdown passes and he did throw 1 interception. But it did not matter because Gamblers won the game and are still alive in the playoff hunt. I would not gamble on the Gamblers getting to the post-season.

#7. COLUMBUS AVIATORS (2-6) Drop 1 spot from last week

In week seven, the Aviators defense gave up the most points. In week 8 the Aviators defense gave up really only 7 points to the Stallions. The other 7 points came from a blocked field goal touchdown on special teams. Yes, Aviators gave up 14 points to the Stallions in a loss because Columbus only scored three points in the game. The Aviators bread and butter has been their running game as they are the number 1 rushing team in the UFL. The three-headed monster at the running back position that features Toa Taua, Zaquandre White, and John Lovett along with their quarterback have combined for 11 rushing touchdowns. However versus the Stallions the running game was held in check. The Aviators offense in general was horrific. Jalan McClendon threw two interceptions. Once again he threw a whole heck of lot of passes for not many passing yards.

The Aviators defense played well. Much of the season the Aviators defense was MIA. Versus one of the hotter teams in the league, guys like Smoke Monday who may have the best name in the league, had 5 tackles and help Columbus swallow up the Stallions offense. Even at 2-6 the Aviators are not mathematically out of it for the post-season. Spoiler alert!! I think by next week their time will run out.

#8. DALLAS RENEGADES (3-5) Still holding down the fort under the stairs in the power rankings.

The Renegades may have played their best game in a very long time. However it’s the same results for the Renegades, another loss which makes the current skid 5 in a row. Austin Reed had three touchdown passes versus one of the top teams in the league, the Orlando Storm.

Former Houston Roughnecks wide receiver now in a Renegades uniform, Emmanuel Butler, hauled in two touchdown catches. Reed only tallied up 131 passing yards in a game the Renegades lost by one score and had the early lead. Reed leads the league in touchdown passes. The Renegades started out of the gates 3-0 and looked like their destiny was the post-season. Now their post-season chances have dwindled taking on another loss.

Reed will have to orchestrate two wins in the final two weeks in an asteroid field with no headlights working. Then hope some teams suddenly fall off the map. Perhaps then the Renegades find the post-season. I think someone pulled the plug on the Renegades season weeks ago.

2026 NHL STANLEY CUP POST-SEASON CONFERENCE FINALS PREDICTIONS

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In 12 post-season games in round 1 & 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, I have a losing record. I went 3-5 in the first round. In the second round I went even Steven with a 2-2 record. The overall losing record is 5-7 in all 12 games played so far. Now I will see what I can do with the conference finals. I need 2 wins to get to the .500 mark before the Stanley Cup finals happen. If I can predict the winner in Lord Stanley’s game, I could pull out a winning record. Don’t count on it. I’ve done some research on my two series winners in the conference finals. I did a little more than just asking the hockey know-it-all who was sitting next to me at the bar. I’m confident I can go 2-0 in these two conference series. I may have to do another set of rosary beads in the process to get the hockey gods to give my picks at least a look. Maybe you will agree with who I picked or go opposite and win big bucks. I’m going to let them ride. I hope I come out on top this round.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

LAS VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS COLORADO AVALANCHE

HOW THEY GOT HERE

Avalanche eliminated the Kings in the first round & then the Wild in the second round.

Golden Knights eliminated the Mammoth in the first round & then the Ducks in the second round.

STANLEY CUP FINALS RECORD

Golden Knights will be looking for their 3rd Stanley Cup appearance. The Knights are (1-1) in their franchise history.

The Avalanche will be looking for their 4th Stanley Cup appearance. The Avalanche are a perfect (3-0) in their franchise history.

The Western conference finals consist of two power houses in the NHL world. You could say both rosters are stacked with talent up and down the rosters. The Avalanche have more firepower as the Golden Knights may have the deeper team. The Golden Knights on any given night have been able to light the lamp with the best of any team that has made it to post-season. On even ground of five on five hockey, the Avalanche have outscored opponents this post-season 23-13.

The best of the best for each team is of course Nathan Mackinnon for the Avalanche and for Vegas is Mitch Marner. These guys will be unstoppable and will get their points no matter what. Mackinnon in the last series scored a goal in each game as if he has put himself into the overdrive setting as he scored 5 goals versus the Wild. For Vegas, Marner leads the post-season with 18 points.

Both teams have the other guy and more that you can potentially pick out of a hat who will be the X-factor. Cale Makal is another superstar on the Avs. However 17 different players have scored a goal for the Avalanche in 9 games in post-season so far. The Golden Knights also have Jack Eichel and Thomas Hertl that can light up the lamp. Will Vegas have Mark Stone which his status right now is unknown due to an injury he had versus the Ducks in the last series? Stone can make his presence on both sides of the ice. Offense and defense.

This will be a very entertaining series. To me, the Golden Knights, an expansion team that started in 2017 and became a fixture in post-season is unfair. Especially the franchise I root for. I have whiffed both times picking against the Golden Knights the first two series. I really like the Golden Knights defensive style which will make this an exciting series. Nathan Mackinnon after playing for team Canada looked like a sore loser to many after that loss to USA in the Winter Olympics. He seems like he is on a mission with Colorado to get the job done in winning the Stanley Cup since he could not help his country achieve the gold in those Olympics. The Avalanche I have been perfect picking them to win each series so far. I’m riding them to the Stanley Cup finals.

OUR PREDICTION: AVALANCHE WINS IT IN SIX GAMES

EASTERN CONFERENCE

CAROLINA HURRICANES VS MONTREAL CANADIENS

HOW THEY GOT HERE

Canadiens eliminated the Lightning in the first round & then the Sabres in the second round.

Hurricanes eliminated the Senators in the first round & then the Flyers in the second round.

STANLEY CUP FINALS RECORD:

The Hurricanes will be looking for their 3rd Stanley Cup appearance. The Canes are (1-1) in their franchise history.

The Canadiens being a original six team in the NHL will be looking for their 35th Stanley Cup appearance. The Canadiens are (24-10) in their franchise history.

The Carolina Hurricanes come into the conference finals a perfect 8-0 after two sweeps in the first 2 rounds. The Canadiens have taken a different path than the Hurricanes to get to this point. Montreal has lived on the edge and have won each round in a pair of game sevens to conclude each series. The Hurricanes are on an 11 day rest since they last saw game action. This is the 3rd Eastern conference finals in the last 4 seasons that the Hurricanes have been involved in. Will the Canadiens be the 3rd team to send home the Hurricanes in the last 4 seasons?

Some say the Canadiens were outplayed in both rounds of post-season so far. Here they are advancing to the conference finals. What I noticed is Montreal’s goalie who has a pair of game 7 wins in the net for the Canadiens. Jakub Dobes came up big versus the Sabres in a game 7 that went to overtime. The Canadiens will bring the best offensive the Hurricanes have faced so far in the post-season. With guys like Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, and Nick Suzuki giving Montreal the big three that is needed for an all out attack on the opponent’s goalie. Montreal has had unsung heroes in this tournament so far. Like former Colorado Avalanche Alex Newhook who came up big in game 7. Newhook was the guy that put the fatality on a magical season played by the Buffalo Sabres with the overtime tally.

The Hurricanes have a stout defense. They have a solid goaltender between the pipes. Montreal should be worried about 1 line in particular the Hurricanes have. In 8 games, this line has tallied 14 goals. Logan Stankoven has 7 goals on that line. Jackson Blake has added 4. Along with Taylor Hall adding three goals. The Hurricanes can get enough offense to win games. The Hurricanes defense is the best unit left standing in these conference finals. They also have a penalty kill unit on special teams that just snuffs out the other team’s power play.

I think the Hurricanes could be rusty to start the series. Montreal could start the series off fast living off the momentum of that thrilling game 7 victory days ago. I thought the Hurricanes would be out in round which I must have been high when I went with that crazy idea. I picked them to win last round. The Canadiens I had losing in both rounds. I think this series will go at least six games. I think the Canadiens will be gassed by the end of it which will be better for the Hurricanes who finally get over the hurdle of the conference finals.

OUR PREDICTION: HURRICANES IN 6 GAMES

BEARS BEAM UP SCOTTY MILLER TO THE MOTHER SHIP

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The Chicago Bears brought in veteran wide receiver, Chicagoland native Scotty Miller, for a visit. Miller participated in the team’s rookie mini camp and the Bears liked what they saw. Miller will join the Bears receiving core as he walks out of Lake Forest with a contract for this upcoming season. He’s from the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. He was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 6th round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Bowling Green. Miller is remembered mostly for his best year with the Buccaneers in 2020 where he became a nice target for Tom Brady. Miller has a Superbowl ring as the Buccaneers won it all in 2020 behind Brady.

Scotty Miller is 28 years of age and has been in the NFL for the last seven seasons. Miller spent 4 seasons in Tampa Bay before moving on to Atlanta in 2023. The last two seasons he has played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. For the Steelers in the last 2 seasons, he has played in 26 games and has hauled in only 14 passes for 131 receiving yards. In 2023 his numbers were better than what he did the last two seasons in Pittsburgh. One season with the Falcons he caught 11 balls for 161 receiving yards and two touchdown catches. His best year was when Tom Brady was his quarterback in 2020 when he caught 53 balls for 501 receiving yards and three touchdown catches. In 93 games in the NFL he has caught 99 balls for 1,216 receiving yards with 6 touchdown catches. You have to remember his catch wearing a Buccaneers uniform versus the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game. At Lambeau Field, Miller was wide open as Brady found him & threw him the ball for a 39 yard touchdown pass right at the end of the first half that gave Tampa Bay a 21-10 halftime lead. The Buccaneers would go on to the Superbowl after beating Green Bay on the road and win their second championship in their franchise history. In post-season, Miller has 4 catches for 80 receiving yards and that touchdown catch versus Green Bay.

Scotty Miller is originally from the suburb of Barrington in the Chicagoland area. He attended Barrington High School. He also played youth football with his old and now new teammate from the Bears, tight end Cole Kmet. It is a nice story reuniting two teammates from the past when they were kids who were just starting to play the sport of football. What does Miller right now bring to the table for the Bears? Last year he only had 9 catches for 62 receiving yards. The Bears in the off-season traded one of their top receivers to Buffalo to open up more cap space for the team. DJ Moore will wear a Bills uniform. The Bears have a young core of talented receivers such as Rome Odunze & Luther Burden III who are coming off a big year under Ben Johnson’s offense. The Bears added a veteran Lions receiver that Johnson knows from the motor city in Kalif Raymond. The Bears also have some other young options they’d like to develop in Zavion Thomas and Jahdae Walker. The Bears had a solid 1-2 punch at the tight end position with Cole Kmet and Colston Sutherland last year. That did not stop the Bears adding another tight end in the draft this season by selecting Sam Roush out of Stanford. Miller gives the Bears another veteran receiver who can convert some third downs and has a knack at finding the end zone. Miller gives the Bears depth at the wide receivers position just in case of any unfortunate injuries that occur before the season even starts. Miller has not really had a solid quarterback since Brady retired from the game. I could see Caleb Williams giving a guy like Miller more targets because he is dependable when he gets the ball thrown in his direction. This is a low risk/high ceiling type of move by the Bears here. If he does not serve a purpose, the team could release him back into the free agent waters of the NFL. With Johnson’s offensive system, plenty of balls can feed many of the play makers on this team. Nothing wrong with bringing in the hometown guy to help the team and really revive Miller’s career where he can do the things he did for Tom Brady. You have to like the post-season experience Miller has for being around one of the best all-time. He has seen firsthand how the goat did it. Can Williams be that goat?

2026 UFL: THE UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE POWER RANKINGS WEEK 8

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Do you recall the movie called “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh” which is about a basketball team?

The great fish that saved St.Louis will be Luis Perez who looked pretty good in his first start wearing the BattleHawks uniform. The Renegades traded him, a team that has lost 4 straight games and are in my bottom of the power rankings in the UFL. Now I have St.Louis at the top of my mountain in the power rankings. St.Louis needs to send Dallas a fruit basket or something for the King of the Spring Fling. This week we do not have much movement in the power rankings. The Stallions are hot. The Defenders have fallen. As always we will sort out all the muck of the UFL as we bring you week 8. Starting with the best and ending with the worst.

UFL WEEK 8 POWER RANKINGS

#1. ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (5-2) Moved up 1 spot from last week.

The King of the Spring Fling, Luis Perez, gets his first start in a BattleHawks uniform and it pays off for St.Louis. The BattleHawks acquired Perez through a trade with the Renegades weeks ago, finally put him on the field, and it paid off. The BattleHawks offense looked crisp with Perez behind center. Perez had to knock off some rust in his first start of the season. He tallied over 200 passing yards with a touchdown pass. He lost the starting job for the Renegades because the team liked what they saw in rookie Austin Reed. It looked like the Renegades were correct with Reed after the first three weeks of the season. Since then Dallas looks like they made a colossal mistake trading perhaps the best spring football QB of all-time to Arch-town. Last time Perez was traded away during the season, he landed with the Renegades and guided them to a XFL championship win in 2023. With Perez behind center, the BattleHawks scored the most points in their win versus the Aviators in week 7. In week 3 St.Louis scored 34 points versus the Stallions, which was a comeback win with Harrison Frost starting the second half and pulled off the miracle after a sloppy third quarter in his his debut. With Perez behind center, the BattleHawks should average 30 points per game. Now St.Louis has a complete team with the QB change. The BattleHawks defense is legit as well. My bold prediction is St.Louis wins it all this season.

#2. DC DEFENDERS (5-2) Dropped 1 spot from last week

The Defenders’ 5 game winning streak ends as the Kings upset DC at Snake Mountain. The Defenders beer snake goes limp at home as the Kings rally in the second half to overcome a 13-10 DC lead at halftime. Despite Jordan Ta’amu throwing for over 300 passing yards in this game. He threw two interceptions. He only completed about 50% of his passes in this loss.

The Defenders don’t bend/break defense that loves to blitz did not have a good game and could not overcome their quarterback’s blemishes. Defensive back Gareon Conley was one of the Defenders’ lead tacklers of the week. That’s a bad sign when a corner back on the football field is your lead tackler. The beer snake will travel to Louisville in the rematch versus the Kings in week 8. Let’s see if the Defenders get revenge and start a new winning streak.

#3. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (3-4) Same spot from last week.

Look out the Stallions suddenly have won two straight games as they needed overtime to knock off the Renegades 21-17. It was not a pretty game for the Stallions’ new starting quarterback. Dorian Thompson-Robinson had his worst game as a starter in the UFL only completing 46.2% of his passes. He only threw for 159 passing yards, but had two touchdown passes. He also had 1 interception.

Former Memphis Showboats star Daewood Davis hauled in a 46 yard touchdown pass by DTR. The other Stallions play maker, Jaydon Mickens, had a big day catching six passes for 82 yards with a touchdown. The Stallions defense did a nice job holding the Renegades to only 17 points. Austin Reed did not even have a touchdown pass, a guy who took the league by storm in the first three games of the year. Tae Crowder on that Stallions defense stood up tall versus the Renegades offense making 12 tackles. The Stallions are winning ugly games right now. That’s a good sign, finding ways to win close games they have lost in the first half of the season. The Stallions are in a prime position right now of taking the 4th playoff spot.

#4. LOUISVILLE KINGS (3-4) Moved up 1 spot from last week.

The Kings get a trophy win versus one of the best teams in the league, the DC Defenders, on the road. Louisville, known for their defense, held the Defenders high powered offense to only 13 points. The Kings defense snuffed out the Defenders offense in the second half as DC scored their 13 points in the first half. The Kings D sacked Jordan Ta’amu 4 times and picked him off twice.

Actor Charles Bronson’s son, Josiah, had a big game for the Kings. It would have been a cool story if Josiah was actually the son of Charles. No relation. Josiah Bronson had 4 solo tackles and a sack for the Kings to help them upset the Defenders.

Josiah is a former Memphis Showboats defensive lineman and played in the NFL two seasons. The Kings quarterback, Chandler Rogers, played his best game behind center as he threw two touchdown passes and tallied over 200 yards of passing. The Kings position themselves with the win for that 4th playoff spot with 3 games remaining.

#5. ORLANDO STORM (5-2) Dropped 1 spot from last week

The Orlando Storm snapped a two game losing streak in a much needed victory to stay afloat at the top of the UFL standings. Beating Houston is a must do. Only winning by 1 point against the a bad Gamblers team may make you question how good the Storm are. I like that other play makers on the Storm have emerged over the last few weeks other than just Chris Rowland who has been a staple on the Storms offense the entire season.

Last week it was KJ Hamler who had a big game for the Storm. This week it was Eliijah Badger who hauled in two touchdown catches for the Storm in a must win game for them. Badger had 4 catches for 75 yards including the two touchdown performance. Jack Plummer was just OK. He had no interceptions and the two touchdown passes. The Storms running game may be a concern down the road. As a group they averaged 2.9 yards per carry. They ran the ball 19 times for only 55 rushing yards. However a win is a win and the Storm are part of only three winning teams in the UFL right now late in the season.

#6. COLUMBUS AVIATORS (2-5) Same spot from last week.

The Aviators scored 20 points off one of the best defenses in the league, the St.Louis BattleHawks. However they gave up the most points in week 7 which was 31 points. The Aviators’ two victories come from teams at the bottom of the league. They split the 2 game series versus the Gamblers. They actually gave the Renegades their first loss of the season after Dallas started out of the gates 3-0.

The Renegades have lost 4 straight since opening the season with 3 wins. The Aviators have a solid running game most of the time using multiple running backs. The passing game is hot and cold. Jalen McClendon was more dink and dunk with shorter passes versus the BattleHawks last week. McClendon is not your young 18 years of age and life to go quarterback.

McClendon started his spring journey as a quarterback back in 2020 with the LA Wildcats of the XFL. In 28 games played in spring football, McClendon has started 17 games. He is 7-10 all-time as a starting quarterback in spring football. Which includes going 4-2 last year for Houston and just missing the post-season.

#7. HOUSTON GAMBLERS (2-5) Still in the same spot from last week.

The Houston Gamblers gave the Orlando Storm a scare last weekend. The Gamblers would end up losing this game by 1 point. The new guy who the Gamblers just signed not even a week ago, throws a 49 yard touchdown strike in his only completion of the day. John Rhys Plumlee only threw three passes in the game. The Gamblers gave the bulk of the snaps to Hunter Dekkers, who threw 41 passes in the game. Hunter had 1 interception and did not throw any touchdown passes. However he did score a rushing touchdown for the Gamblers. I would expect to see more of Johnny Plumlee this weekend as Houston searches for Spock at the QB position.

#8. DALLAS RENEGADES (3-4) They have installed a bathroom in the basement of the power rankings as they hold the same spot from last week.

The Renegades are playing in closer games, but the outcomes have been the same. Another loss in the books for the Renegades. This is the 4th loss in a row the Renegades have suffered. This loss comes in an overtime loss versus the Stallions last week. The Renegades defense played better overall than the last few weeks. The Renegades offense only scored 17 points. Austin Reed had no touchdown passes in this game. He completed half of his passes at a high completion rate and threw no interceptions which has haunted him over this long losing streak. He only passed for 166 passing yards.

Ellis Merriweather found the end zone twice in the loss to the Stallions. On 14 carries he only averaged 2.9 yards each rush. The first three weeks the Renegades looked like the best team in the UFL. Now they look like the worst team in the league and may finish the season with a 3-7 record. They still have a chance to get a playoff spot as three teams come into week 8 with 3-4 record. It would be a great time of the season to get hot as a team, not the Texas weather.

2026 UFL: THE UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE POWER RANKINGS WEEK 7

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It looks like the Mighty Stallions have suddenly turned around their season as they found a solution at the quarterback position. I always love when America’s team, the Dallas Cowboys, are bad. I know the Renegades are not America’s team, but the city of Dallas has another bad football team that has hit rock bottom in the UFL.

Remember when the Cowboys traded Herschel Walker to Minnesota in a move that pretty much built a Cowboys dynasty? The Renegades may go down with the worst trade in UFL history trading the King of the Spring fling to St.Louis because they thought they had a better QB than Luis Perez. We have some movement in the power rankings. I can see two teams that are elevated into a tier of their own while the rest of the league is fighting for two playoff spots in a scrum style. We will sort it all out as we bring you lucky week 7 of the UFL.

WEEK 7 UFL POWER RANKINGS

#1. DC DEFENDERS (5-1) Still holding down the number 1 spot.

When it comes to the Defenders and the Renegades, the rivalry goes back years ago to the XFL days. In 2023 the Renegades beat the Defenders in the XFL championship game. The Defenders are the defending champions from last year winning the second UFL championship. It looked like the Renegades were going to be one of those top teams in the UFL this season based on the way they started. Last week the Defenders prevented the Renegades replacement wheels on the bus that continues to skid out of control. The Defenders defense held the once upon a time talented Renegades offense to only six points.

Veteran Defenders defensive back Deandre Baker recorded his first interception in the UFL as he picked off Austin Reed. The Defenders tallied 24 points on offense which is one of their low scoring games of the season. It was the defense that did the heavy lifting in this one. The victory gives the Defenders a 5-2 all-time record versus the Renegades. Which includes one of those losses coming in that championship which both teams still have guys that were on that roster that played in that game. Weeks ago you could have said Renegades vs Defenders was a playoff preview. Now it does not look like that will be possible.

#2. ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (4-2) Still in same spot from last week.

I’m still waiting for the BattleHawks to come to their senses. The Spiderman has a headache with his spidey senses tingling out of control, watching St.Louis continues to march Harrison Frost out there on the field behind center. Why did they trade for perhaps the best quarterback in spring football all-time acquiring Luis Perez the King of the spring fling from the Renegade?. Frost only completed 55% of his passes versus the Kings last week. He threw the ball 40 times. He had two touchdown passes and piled up 242 passing yards but had another interception. St.Louis tallied up only 16 points. Thank the lord that Arch-city has maybe the best defense in the league as they allowed only three points to the Kings. The BattleHawks defense tallied up 1 interception and this group had six sacks.

Former Michigan Panther, now BattleHawk, Taylor Stallworth racked up 1.5 sacks in this game vs the Kings. Then former defensive MVP from last year, Pita Taumoepenu, also chipped in with 1.5 sacks on the day. The Pita has three for the year. Last year he tallied up 7.5 sacks. With this defense and if they insert Perez, this team should win it all. Yes, it’s that simple like an easy button.

#3.BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (2-4) Moved up 5 spots from last week.

What a pretty girl can do for a car. What a car can do for a regular looking girl. The Stallions have found their Mustang at the quarterback position and his name is Dorian Thompson Robinson. DTR lost in his UFL debut last week. However, he haunts his former team the Orlando Storm who traded him to Birmingham only weeks ago.

After throwing 271 passing yards along with a touchdown pass in a huge victory which might save the Stallions season… DTR told his old team, “they should have kept him.”

The Stallions weakness this season was at the quarterback position. DTR fixes that and helps the Stallions escape the glue factory for now. He completed 70.4 5 of his passes. This guy started 5 games in the NFL. He had two starts for the Browns during the 2024 season. This kind of move can propel Birmingham into the post season. They beat a pretty good team in Orlando as well.

#4. ORLANDO STORM (4-2) Dropped 1 spot from last week

Sunny days for the Orlando Storm on the football field lately. Suddenly the Storm has dropped two straight games. The Storm started out of the gates with a strong start going 4-0 before they have hit a few potholes in the last few weeks. In week 5 the Storm’s head coach Anthony Becht was beaten by his former team the BattleHawks.Then last week the Storm were beaten by their former QB, Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The Storm traded DTR to the Stallions a few weeks back. Now the former Cleveland Brown haunts his old team. The Storm have one of the talented QB’s in the league. Jack Plummer tallied up over 300 passing yards and threw two touchdown passes in the loss to Birmingham.

KJ Hamler, one of Plummer’s weapons in the aerial attack, caught 8 balls for 113 receiving yards with a touchdown catch. This Storm team has plenty of playmakers on offense. They can play solid defense. They are 1 of only three teams in the UFL that actually has a winning record right now. The Storm could meet the Stallions again in the post-season.

#5. LOUISVILLE KINGS (2-4) DROPPED 1 SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

Only in the UFL can it be that a team scores 47 points in a win & then the next week manages only 3 points.

The Louisville Kings in week 5 were wearing the legit Kings crown beating up on the Renegades 47-25. Last week these Kings were asking their fan base, “Do you want fries with that?”

The Kings were wearing the paper crown last week scoring three points versus the BattleHawks. The Kings quarterback Chandler Rogers is nowhere close to Aaron Rogers’ talent in the NFL. Do Kings fans miss Jason Bean who they traded away? Last week Rogers completed 15-32 passes for 199 passing yards. That is a completion percentage of 46.9%. Yikes. No touchdown passes yet in two games. He did throw an interception. If the Kings can get better results from Rogers, they are in the mix for the 4th playoff spot. The Renegades are in free fall. The Kings obviously beat the Renegades. If they can rack up 2 or 3 wins in the last few weeks of the season, the Kings could sneak through the doggie door of post-season. Of course wearing the paper crowns, not the gold ones as they are not at that level.

#6. COLUMBUS AVIATORS (2-4) In the same spot from last week

The Aviators split the two games series with the Gamblers by salvaging the rematch last weekend.

The Aviators wide receiver Tay Martin had a big game catching six balls for 103 yards. John Lovett, master thespian, had a nice game on the ground for the Aviators.

Lovett gained 63 yards and found pay dirt with a rushing touchdown. Veteran Quarterback Jalan McClendon beats the franchise he played for last year, as they were the Roughnecks. This win keeps Columbus in the playoff chase for the 4th spot which could be Dallas who are 3-3. Then there’s the Stallions, Kings, Gamblers and the Aviators who all have a 2-4 record. Dallas has collapsed losing three straight games.

#7. HOUSTON GAMBLERS (2-4) Dropped 2 spots from last week

The Gamblers lose the rematch game versus the Aviators after beating Columbus in week 5. Seventeen points was enough to beat the Aviators once, but was not enough in week 6 as Columbus put up 24 points. Houston did score more points than their Texas arch-rival Dallas, who only scored six point in week 6. Houston we know has a problem at the quarterback position. They are trying to address the most important position on the field as they made a signing this week bringing in John Rys Plumlee.

Plumlee had stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars in their camps but never has thrown a pass in the NFL. Plumless played college foot ball UCF. He was drafted by the Renegades a few seasons ago but did not sign. Now he find himself in Texas with the Gamblers.

The Gamblers then get rid of one of the problems they had at the QB position by cutting Tua’s brother, Taulia Tagovailoa. Might be Canadian football for Taulia’s future. In three games he only completed 53.1% of his passes. He did tally up 300 passing yards. Threw two touchdown passes. Ran for 1 touchdown. Had 1 interception. He did appear in last week’s game and pretty much was not an impact. We will see if Plumlee can work some miracles for the Gamblers.

#8. DALLAS RENEGADES (3-3) Dropped 1 spot from last week.

The Renegades have officially hit rock bottom in the power rankings. Dallas started off the season winning their first three games out of the gates. They had a high powered offense. They had a deadly defense. They looked like they had the best quarterback in the league with Austin Reed. They even traded away the best spring quarterback in Luis Perez, the King of the Spring Fling, to the BattleHawks. Now the Renegades have fallen and can’t get up losing three straight games. Last week the Renegades offense managed only 6 points. By far the lowest scoring game they have had all season long. When the other Texas team in the UFL called the Gamblers, who don’t have a quarterback< are scoring more than you something is wrong.

Even during this Renegades skid out of control, wide receiver Tyler Vaughns continues to impress with his play style this year. Tyler scored the only touchdown of the day for the Renegades. This season he has tallied up 34 catches for 438 receiving yards while hauling in 5 touchdowns. In 4 seasons all with the Renegades, he has caught 151 balls for 1,718 receiving yards and 12 touchdown catches. Nice spring football career he has had.