Two big upsets spotlight the week and create some drama in the Pacific Division, as the return of rookie QB Rick Neuheisel inspires Arizona to upset the Houston Gamblers while Denver remains hot, knocking off LA in the first of 2 weeks of games between the two. Elsewhere, Philly wins the Battle of PA, while the undefeated Michigan Panthers get all they can handle from the Tampa Bay Bandits.
SCORES:
BIR 30 NJ 20 Backup QB Jeff Knapple could not keep pace for NJ against the Stallions.
MEM 20 JAX 38 Bulls bottle up Marcus DuPree to take an important division win.
ARZ 27 HOU 26 Rick Neuheisel throws for 322 and three scores to knock off Houston.
LA 22 DEN 24 Denver stays hot as a late field goal upends the Express.
CHI 6 BOS 16 Two INTs of Blair Kiel doom the Blitz in Boston.
PHI 28 PIT 17 Philly comes alive in 4th quarter to knock off the Maulers.
BYES: Washington & Oakland
GAME OF THE WEEK: Tampa Bay Bandits 32 Michigan Panthers 35
A battle of heavyweights and a possible Championship preview as the defending champions come up just short against the undefeated Michigan Panthers. In a game that highlighted offensive fireworks, it was the defenses that dictated the game. Michigan came into the game with a goal of limiting Tampa RB Gary Anderson and turning Tampa into a one-dimensional offense. They succeeded, holding Anderson to 50 total yards (40 rushing, 10 receiving) but the strategy allowed John Reaves to throw for 412 yards and 3 scores. Meanwhile, Tampa hoped to limit Bobby Hebert’s aerial assault, and again they were somewhat successful, limiting Hebert to 239 yards and a 44% completion rate, but Michigan countered with 100 yards from John Williams. In the end, the battle came down to mistakes. Tampa committed 8 penalties for 70 yards, and was only able to complete 2 of 13 first downs, and those two issues led to the small margin that allowed Michigan to win the game.
NEWS & NOTES: Week 10 saw a lot of close games, always good for TV ratings. The biggest surprise was Arizona’s win at Houston, but equally important was Denver’s home win against the division leading Express. With only 6 weeks left, the USFL is happy to see some parity, as 3 teams in the Atlantic are level with 5 wins, while in the Pacific, Denver has made it a race with LA, and possibly Arizona coming on. Tampa and Birmingham are also deadlocked at 7-2 in the Southern. Only Michigan’s impressive 10-0 start has led to a lack of tension in the division race. When we consider that there are 8 of 16 teams at either 5 or 4 wins, the USFL looks like it will have some serious playoff fights ahead in many markets, which is sure to help both attendance and viewership moving into the summer.
INJURIES: After a rough week in Week 9, the injuries in Week 10 are far less severe for their respective teams. The biggest hit was absorbed by New Jersey. One week after losing veteran Jim LeClair from the linebacking corps, they lost team captain Gary Barbaro from the defensive backfield. Barbaro suffered a broken wrist which likely ends his season. In lesser injuries, Washington’s defensive captain Bradley Swearingen is likely out at least a week with a concussion, Michigan TE Mike Cobb will also miss 1-2 weeks, and Philadelphia’s ALL-USFL Safety Scott Woerner is listed as doubtful after a shoulder injury this week.
LOOKING AHEAD: Back to all 16 clubs playing in Week 11, and the playoff race truly begins as we get down to the final 6 weeks. Memphis will try to rebound, but has a tough assignment in Philadelphia. Boston gets a tough game in Tampa, while Denver and LA will finish out their back-to-back battle, this time in Anaheim. Arizona will face a rested Oakland squad and Washington takes their shot at the undefeated Panthers in RFK. It should be a good week as teams try to get a leg up in their divisions or stay relevant to the wild card chase.
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