Pittsburgh Maulers vs Michigan Panthers Predictions, Odds, Picks

• After two weeks of play, only these two USFL franchises remain winless
• Mauler’s 6th ranked run game is scoreless; The Panthers average 9 points per game
• Watch the Maulers vs Panthers on Sunday, May 1, 2022, at 2:30 PM ET on USA

Maulers vs Panthers Odds

Odds taken from BetMGM. Click on the links below to head to the sportsbook and place your bet.

Maulers vs Panthers Pick

With two of the lowest-scoring offenses playing each other, chances are there is not going to be a lot of scoring in this one so take the under here.

Under 39.5 (-115)

USFL Player Bailey Gaither as a wide receiver on the San Jose State

After two weeks of play, only two USFL franchises remain winless, and in Week 3 the 0-2 Pittsburgh Maulers look for their first victory against the 0-2 Michigan Panthers, two North Division teams still attempting to find their identity as newly formed spring football teams.

Despite Maulers HC Kirby Wilson expecting his group to be a run-first team early on, so far Pittsburgh’s rushing attack remains scoreless and ranked sixth in the league, perhaps a sign that their offensive line is not creating the holes that their running backs need to succeed.

In the two weeks that the USFL has been up and running, the Panthers are only averaging 9 points per game despite their defense allowing opponents to average 13.5 points per game, their inability to consistently stop the rush a big factor in this scoreboard imbalance.

Here are our best predictions, odds, and picks for Maulers vs Panthers – good luck, win big!

Pittsburgh Maulers vs Michigan Panthers Predictions

Can the Maulers Rushing Attack Find Life Against Michigan?

Ranked third among USFL running backs is Pittsburgh Mauler Garrett Groshek, a Wisconsin alum who has carried the ball 34 times in two games and has run for 132 yards but no touchdowns, his 3.9 yards per carry only ranked 16th among his rushing peers in the league.

Undrafted in 2021, Groshek spent some time in some NFL camps (Las Vegas Raiders and Minnesota Vikings) but was waived, no doubt a disappointment for the 5’ 11” 220-pound dual-threat back who averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 7.7 yards per catch for the Badgers.

Now with the Pittsburgh Maulers, the 24-year-old Groshek plays under head coach Kirby Wilson who seems interested in featuring the run game during his offensive attacks, so expect them to rush often against these Panthers who let their opponents gain 106.5 ground yards per game.

Can the Panthers Stop Maulers QB Love from Finding Success?

After two weeks of play, Michigan has allowed opponents to score more total points against them (47) than any other team in the league, so if the Panthers expect to win many games this season, they better figure out how to keep opponents from finding the endzone so often.

That could be a huge problem against Pittsburgh QB Josh Love who averages almost 180 passing yards per game (178.5) and who just threw for two touchdowns last week after throwing none on opening day, a sign that he might be getting more comfortable under center now.

With two of the ten regular-season games already played, the Michigan Panthers defense has allowed opponents to throw for almost 220 yards per game, though two of their DB’s – CB Jameson Houston and S Orion Stewart – have already posted an interception apiece.

Maulers Key Player: (WR) Bailey Gaither

Leading the league in receiving yards right now is Pittsburgh Maulers wideout Baily Gaither, a 25-year-old San Jose State alum who went undrafted in 2021 and spent some time in the Green Bay Packers training camp before he retired and was subsequently waived before joining the USFL.

In the four seasons he played for the Spartans, Gaither pulled in 135 receptions for 2,227 yards and 18 touchdowns on top of carrying the ball 6 times for another 47 yards, his speed and quickness (runs the 40-yard dash in 4.48 secs) keeping him a half step in front of defenders.

Maulers QB Love has targeted Gaither 16 times in two games and the WR has caught 10 of those passes for 159 yards and a TD averaging almost 16 yards per catch, the perfect target against the Panthers secondary who keeps opponents to just 109.5 passing yards per game.

Panthers Key Player: (WR) Lance Lenoir

Michigan Panthers WR Lance Lenoir has enough pro football experience to make him dangerous, the 27-year-old Western Illinois alum who started in 2017 spent time in several NFL camps including the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills before being waived.

Now the 6’ 0” 210-pound Lenoir, a former member of the All-MFVC All-Newcomer Team (2013) and a 2× All-MFVC (2014, 2016), has been running routes for Panthers HC Jeff Fisher and OC Eric Marty and now Lenoir has 10 catches off 18 targets for 94 total yards and one touchdown.

Michigan is playing a Pittsburgh team that could be considered soft against the pass after allowing opponents to gain 219 yards through the air this season, so watch for Lenoir and his QB Shea Patterson to connect with each to help their Panthers earn the first win of 2022.

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