Two outstanding games showcased the talent and tenacity of the USFL brand of football. The two championship games with a combined 8 points between winners and losers, and with a significant upset in the mix, brought all the excitement of playoff football to two large and enthusiastic crowds. Once again Michigan had over 60,000 in attendance as they faced off against the LA Express, while Tampa had just over 55,000 in attendance for their rivalry matchup against Birmingham. Two great games down and a championship to be played as we near the climax of the 1984 season.
SCORES
LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 26 MICHIGAN PANTHERS 31
All year Michigan had been the front runner, while the LA Express struggled to string together wins, but no one seemed to tell the Express that they were not supposed to stack up against the 14-1 Panthers. Los Angeles came out firing and fought until the very end against the home squad, but in the end, the Michigan offense was just too much for them.
Michigan scored early on an Hebert to Holloway pass, but LA kept clawing back, first with a safety as they caused a Michigan holding call in the end zone on a 3rd and 7 from the 2 yard line. After trading field goals, it was 10-5 when Hebert found Holloway again to build a 17-5 lead. But LA would come right back, as Steve Young hit TE Ricky Ellis over the middle to bring the score back to 17-12. Michigan would have one more shot to score in the first half, and this time it was John Williams, who dove over the line on a 2nd and goal from the 2 to put Michigan up by 12 at the half.
The Second half began both teams trading 3-and-outs, but then LA got hot and after a long 12 play drive, Young hit Kris Haines on a crossing route to pull within 5 at 24-19. Again the two teams would trade scores, as Anthony Carter snagged a 28 yard out & up from Hebert to build the Michigan lead once again. Young again led the Express down the field and with 10:15 left in the game, RB LaRue Harrington busted through the line on a 1st and 10 and ran for 18 yards and a score to bring the Express within 5 at 26-31. Michigan and LA traded short drives and punts, and with 1:07 left, LA had a chance to drive for a winning score, but on a desperation 4th and 12 pass, Young’s ball would sail on him and into the arms of Michigan SS David Greenwood, ending the Express’s hopes for final minute heroics and sending Michigan to the USFL Championship in Tampa.
BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 20 TAMPA BAY BANDITS 17
With a chance to make back to back USFL Championships, and to play this year’s title match at home in Tampa Stadium, the Bandits had all they could want in front of them. But they also had a determined and familiar foe in the Birmingham Stallions. Birmingham knows how to play against the high risk, high reward Tampa offense, and despite going into the game without their starting QB, the experienced backup (1983 starter for the Stallions) Bob Lane was more than capable of pulling out a win against the rival Bandits.
Birmingham started strong, driving on their first possession well into Tampa territory before having to settle for a Scott Norwood 39 yard field goal. On Tampa’s next possession, the Stallions proved they knew the tendencies of the Bandits well, jumping on a quick slant route and intercepting Reaves deep in Tampa territory. It would only take 4 plays for Birmingham to score, Lane to Anderson to put Birmingham up 10-0.
Tampa, unphased by the early success of the Stallions, would score the next 10 points, first a Reaves to Truvillion TD pass and then a 43 yard FG from Zenon Andrusyshyn to level the score at the half. When the two teams came out for the 3rd quarter, Tampa again would strike, Truvillion’s second TD grab of the game. Birmingham came right back, and with 5:22 in the 3rd Lane hit Jonathan Ross for a 16 yard TD to again level the score, now at 17.
The 4th quarter would be a battle of attrition as both defenses proved more than capable of shutting down their opposition. Birmingham would stop Tampa on a 4th and 2 as they stuffed Greg Boone behind the line, while Tampa would get its lone turnover on the day, an errant pass from Lane towards Jim Smith that found its way into Bandit hands. With 3:33 left in the game, Birmingham took over on their 27 yard line, and piece by piece they moved into Tampa territory, killing clock while piecing together first downs. It all would have been over for them had a failed 3rd and 9 pass not been immediately followed by a defensive holding call which gave the Stallions a free first down. They capitalized, and with 47 seconds left on the clock, kicker Scott Norwood put the Stallions ahead for good with a 41 yard field goal. Tampa, desperate and with only seconds left, completed a couple of quick passes to move to their own 45 yard line, but when a 3rd and 10 heave from Reaves towards the endzone was swatted down, the clock expired and the Stallions celebrated a hard earned victory.
NEWS & NOTES
More coaching news from the USFL, as only 1 week removed from a pretty solid display in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Arizona Wranglers have parted ways with head coach George Allen. Allen had hinted that he was considering retirement, and while we do not know how the meeting between Allen and Wranglers ownership went, his sudden resignation does seem somewhat suspicious. Arizona has already made overtures to former ASU Head Coach Frank Kush, currently under contract with the Indianapolis Colts for the 1984 season, but they are also rumored to be reaching out to former University of Texas head man, Darrell Royal. Meanwhile, the Oakland Invaders have been sending feelers out to several NFL coordinators, including George Seifert in San Francisco, New York Giants OC Ron Erhardt, and Seattle Seahawk D-Coordinator Tom Catlin. While it certainly makes sense for the 3-13 Invaders to seek someone with NFL experience, ownership has seemed to indicate that they want to increase the brand recognition of the Invaders and signing a relatively unknown coordinator to lead the team may not be the direction they need to go to do so.
INJURIES
Both Birmingham and Michigan will come into the championship weekend relatively healthy. The big question mark remains the QB position for the Stallions. Bob Lane has played well enough to win in Philly and Tampa, so if Cliff Stoudt can return, does he? For Michigan, they may try to suit up John Corker again, though he clearly seemed less effective than usual against LA. Other than these two questions, both teams looks solid as they head into the season finale.
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE 1984 USFL CHAMPIONSHIP
Birmingham Stallions (10-6) vs. Michigan Panthers (14-2)
Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida
July 15, 1984
One was supposed to be here, the other was not. Michigan at 14-2 has run roughshod over the entire league all year, with their two defeats coming either when Bobby Hebert was out with a minor injury or in the final week of the season, when they rested their starters. Birmingham, while a better than average team all year, was not supposed to get past Tampa last week, shocking the Bandits and denying them the chance to play for a 2nd USFL title at home.
But don’t sleep on these Stallions. Any team that possesses the league’s rushing champion, Joe Cribbs, is a dangerous team. With uncertainty at quarterback, and with Michigan LB John Corker unlikely to play, it is very likely that the Stallions will provide the Panthers with a heavy dose of Cribbs, Cribbs and Cribbs. For Michigan it is all about balance between a power run game, led by the duo of Williams and Lacy, and over-the-top vertical passing with Anthony Carter and Derek Holloway. So it may be smashmouth vs. aerial assault in Tampa.
Both teams have solid coaches with strong pedigrees, both have defenses that can step up and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and both have ball-hawking secondaries, so it may just come down to who makes the fewest mistakes. The Las Vegas oddsmakers have this as a Michigan win by 8, but we are not so sure that the margin of victory will be quite that wide. Our money is on a time-consuming Birmingham offense to keep the ball away from the Panthers and quarterback Bobby Hebert as much as possible.
It should be a good one from Tampa as the Stallions try to win a 3rd straight upset as they face off against the Michigan Panthers.