The Michigan Panthers look to win their third straight as they head to Houston for a crucial matchup against a Conference opponent with significant playoff implications. If the Panthers can win in week 7, they will nearly have their place secured for the playoffs with a strong chance to push for the top seed in the USFL Conference.
Game Details:
Date/Location: Saturday, May 17 / TDECU Stadium, Houston, TX
Kickoff Time: 1 PM ET, 10 AM PT
Channel: Fox
Odds:
Spread: Michigan -6.5 (-110), Houston +6.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Michigan -270, Houston +220
Over/Under: 43.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
Michigan Panthers (5-2):
The Panthers won last week in remarkable fashion, stealing victory from the jaws of defeat in the 25-24 win over Arlington. Michigan’s final drive saw them go 56 yards in 11 plays in the final 2 minutes, capped off by a 1-yard Toa Taua rushing touchdown with 1 second left and then a successful 1-point conversion for the win.
Bryce Perkins saw his passing percentage dip as he completed 15 passes for 28 yards for 231 yards, and a touchdown while adding 60 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. He continues to make big plays and sees defenders miss. Last week saw 5 missed tackles against him by my count.
Houston Roughnecks (3-4):
The Roughnecks have been a positive story as of late to climbing back from an 0-2 start to their current 3-4 record. They were briefly at a .500 record before losing a close game 25-33 on the road in Birmingham last week.
While the Roughnecks have had some recent success, they have yet to beat a team with a winning record. 2 of their wins came against the Memphis Showboats, who are 1-,6 and another against the 1-6 San Antonio Brahmas.
Jalan McClendon completed 15 of his 23 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown last week. Running back Zaquandre White rushed 9 times for 69 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 52-yard touchdown run.
Panthers Keys to the Game
Stop the Run
Houston has struggled getting their rushing game going at times, with often the first point of contact being behind the line of scrimmage. If Michigan can limit Houston’s rushing game, things will be very difficult for Houston’s young quarterback.
Frequent Pressure on McClendon
You never want to let any quarterback feel too comfortable, but when you’re up against a young QB with only a few starts to his name can sometimes present an opportunity to deny him finding his rhythm if there is frequent pressure.
Strong Game on the Ground
Last week saw the Panthers’ running backs combine for 44 yards on 15 carries. While there were some good moments, Michigan will need to see the production return to the higher level that we saw out of the ground game in recent weeks before their win over Arlington.
Panthers to Watch
4 WR Siaosi Mariner
Mariner caught 5 of his 9 targets last week for 49 yards. He is currently third in receiving across the league after catching 25 passes for 387 yards.
17 WR Malik Turner
Last week saw Turner catch 4 of his 7 targets for 49 yards and a touchdown. He is currently 7th in receiving across the league, having caught 31 passes for 294 yards and 3 touchdowns.
5 MLB Frank Ginda
Ginda led the team in tackles last week with 11, including a solo run stop and 2 shared run stops.
97 DE Ron’Dell carter
Last week saw Carter recorded 3 tackles, including a solo run stop and a shared run stop. By my count, he led the team in pressures generated with 7 total pressures (2 of which were a secondary form of pressure on the play).
42 DE Mika Tafua
Tafua had 3 tackles last week, including a sack, a solo run stop, and a shared run stop.
Roughnecks to Watch
8 QB Jalan McClendon
Last week, McClendon completed 15 of his 23 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown. So far this season, he has completed 79 of his 114 attempts for 723 yards and 2 touchdowns with 2 interceptions. He has played in 4 games with 3 starts.
6 RB Zaquandre White
Last week, White rushed 9 times for 69 yards and 2 touchdowns, with the longest being for 52 yards. He has rushed 65 times this season for 241 yards (3.71 average) and 4 touchdowns.
11 WR Justin Hall
Hall leads the team in receiving, having caught 36 passes for 261 yards and 2 touchdowns.
15 WR Lawrence Keys III
Keys caught 4 of his 5 targets last week for 65 yards.
LB 28 Marvin Moody
Moody leads the team in total tackles with 55 (39 solo).
Depth Charts, Injuries, Inactives
Score Prediction:
I predict the Michigan Panthers to win 28-14.
