As we start the home stretch, the cream rises and the dregs sink.
TBY 42 WSH 16—In a game that was really not a surprise for anyone, the 1-loss Tampa Bay Bandits absolutely dominated the 2-win Federals in front of only 13,450 mildly interested Federals fans. The Federals’ collapse from 2-1 now to 2-10 has been brutal, and this game may have been the most painful. Tampa gained over 440 yards of total offense, including 365 yards and 4 TD passes from MVP candidate John Reaves. Meanwhile, the Feds, who turned back to Kim McQuilken at QB, were stymied at every turn. Craig James averaging only 2.6 yards a carry was a big factor, and a 3-1 turnover deficit also did not help the Federal’s cause. Washington is clearly in need of an overhaul this offseason, and it is not entirely certain that coach Jauch will be here to oversee it.
MGN 36 NJ 27—While New Jersey needed a win to try to catch up with Boston and Philly, the Panthers needed one just as badly to keep pace with Birmingham, and a win over NJ would also help with tiebreakers for a possible wild card berth. In the end, Michigan’s defense did just enough, and a surprise play from an unheralded player turned the tide. Gary Kay, a little used backup RB had only 2 carries on the day, but one of them was an 87 yard score that crushed the New Jersey gameplan. It was a simple 2nd and 3, but somehow the Generals called exactly the wrong defense and the little-used Kay found a hole, and then a lot of open space down the field. In a game with so many stars, Walker, Carter, McConnaughey, Holloway, Williams and Hebert, it was the guy no one expected who helped propel the Panthers to 8-4 and knock New Jersey back to 6-6.
OAK 6 BIR 41—Call it a statement game. Birmingham just dominated the Oakland Invaders in every way possible on their way to a 35 point win. The Stallions rushed for over 200 yards, using 3 backs and led by Quarles, who is still trying to overtake Herschel Walker for the rushing title and who added 2 more scores to his league-leading total. The Stallion D was also dominant, holding Oakland’s vaunted passing game to only 204 yards and containing Alfred Whittington to a 2.6 yard average. It was an ugly win, but a much needed one for the Stalliions as they keep pace with Michigan for a possible wild card.
ARZ 24 CHI 35—All good things must come to an end, and so was the Arizona Wrangler win streak. Having won 5 in a row after a miserable 0-6 start, the Wranglers ran into a 4-7 Blitz team that has never stopped playing hard for coach George Allen. The Blitz came out hot, scoring on 3 drives in the first quarter to roll up a 21-0 lead, and knocking Wrangler QB out of the game with a concussion on Arizona’s first series. The rest of the game was a battle of attrition, with Chicago playing more conservatively and Arizona’s Dan Manucci chucking the ball all over the field in an attempt to get back in it. The Wranglers outgained the Blitz by game’s end, but the all-important final tally was still a win for the homestanding Blitz.
PHI 28 DEN 21—The Denver Gold put up a good fight, but were just not able to overtake the Philadelphia Stars in a game Philly had to have to keep pace in the Atlantic Division. Both teams were able to run the ball, with Sydney gaining 104 for Denver and Kelvin Bryant 117 for Philly. The difference in the game was on 3rd down, where Denver failed on 6 of 7 attempts to convert. This, along with an untimely fumble by Sydney, proved to be the difference in a close, hard fought game. With the loss, Denver falls to 6-6 but retains the lead in the Pacific Division, while Philly climbs to 8-4 with the win, keeping pace with Boston in the Atlantic.
BOS 38 LA 10—Knowing that Philly had won in Denver earlier in the day was all the incentive the Breakers needed to take it to LA in front of a sparse crowd of less than 9,000 in the Coliseum. LA suffered their tenth defeat to only 2 wins as their 4 turnovers kept them from mounting a serious challenge to the Breakers. Boston, behind the wiles of veteran QB Johnnie Walton (303 yards and 3 scores) and a solid, if not spectacular game from Richard Crump, was able to buid a 28-3 lead by the early stages of the 3rd quarter, a lead that Tom Ramsey and the Express simply never challenged. With the win Boston keeps pace with Philly at 8-4 and LA joins Washington in the hunt for the first pick in next December’s Collegiate Draft.