Tampa Bay locks up their division while Philadelphia completes a stunning comeback to sweep the Stallions. Boston rolls over Arizona and Oakland gets back in the win column with a squeaker over the Federals. Sipe returns to action, and 2 more QB's get knocked out as the rough and tumble USFL heads down the home stretch.
SCORES
JAX 28 NJ 31 Sipe returns and leads the Generals to a last minute score for the W.
MEM 13 TBY 45 Memphis has no answers for John Reaves and the red-hot Bandits.
LA 27 CHI 20 Rookie Kevin Mack scores the decisive TD to give LA the win in Chicago.
MGN 34 HOU 27 Houston loses their 5th in a row despite Kelly’s return to action.
DEN 11 PIT 9 A defensive slugfest in which Denver wins on 3 FG and a safety.
WSH 21 OAK 24 Oakland contains Craig James and snaps their losing streak at home.
BOS 43 ARZ 27 Crump & Jordan combine for 150 yards rushing to trample Arizona.
GAME OF THE WEEK Birmingham Stallions 24 Philadelphia Stars 25
Philadelphia gets a taste of revenge as they surprise the Stallions by starting rookie QB Jeff Hostetler. In a stunning comeback victory, Philadelphia erased a 24-3 deficit as former West Virginia Mountaineer Jeff Hostetler survived a rocky first half and came out guns blazing in the second half. Birmingham had built up a solid lead on 3 Cliff Stoudt TD passes and at the half seemed to have the game well in hand.
Philadelphia, having lost their leader, Chuck Fusina, in last week’s game, seemed to be spiraling as the rookie QB had a rough first half, completing only 36% of his pass attempts. But, in the second half the Stars found their rhythm. Kelvin Bryant broke out some big runs and Hostetler started to find open receivers. At the same time the Stars defense came out as if possessed. They sacked Stoudt twice in the 3rd quarter and got a vital interception in the 4th to preserve provide Hostetler with a short field. The young signal caller found Tom Donovan for a sore, and then, at 5:02 in the 4th, hit Willie Collier with the go ahead score. The Stars missed out on two attempts to get the 2-point PAT, but the Collier TD gave them a 25-24 lead, which they would hold for the remainder of the game.
Philadelphia fans were certainly glad that the management had invested in the rookie QB, despite Chuck Fusina not having missed a game in his first 26. You never know when your leader will succumb to injury, and having Hostetler on the bench proved to be pivotal as the Stars swept the Stallions in the bizarre back-to-back matchup, sending Philadelphia to the top of the Atlantic, while all but guaranteeing the Stallions will once again miss out on a division title with a late season losing streak.
NEWS & NOTES
The playoff picture is beginning to shape up (see below) and there is a good chance that with the expanded playoff format of 8 teams, 4 for each conference, a team with an 8-8 or even a losing record may make the playoffs. Only Oakland is mathematically eliminated from contention in a league where many of the 16 squads are hovering only 1 game away from the 500 mark. Parity or Parody one must ask.
INJURIES
Two more quarterbacks fell victim to the injury bug this week, leading both fans and USFL officials to wonder if their “star-focused” economic model puts their stars at risk by not signing higher level linemen to protect them. Chicago looks like they will finish the year without Blair Kiel, who suffered a back injury vs. LA. This certainly complicates any attempt to snag a wild card. The same is true in Memphis, where Walter Lewis suffered what looks to be a hip pointer and may miss next week’s game. Memphis as well is in the hunt for a wild card, but recent losses put that in question.
PLAYOFF PICTURE
Three weeks left and a lot still to be decided. Here is where we stand at present. EAST: 1)Tampa Bay (Division Clinched), 2) Philadelphia, 3) Birmingham, 4) Boston. Outside looking in: 5) Washington, 6) New Jersey, 7) Memphis, and 8) Jacksonville. Washington is only ½ game behind Boston, who have their very late bye in Week 16. The Federals could catch them and currently hold the tiebreaker in a better division record.
In the West we see the following: 1) Michigan (Division & #1 Seed clinched), 2) Los Angeles, 3) Denver, 4) Arizona. Outside looking in: 5) Chicago, 6) Houston, and 7) Pittsburgh. The final wildcard slot could come down to the Wranglers-Blitz matchup in week 16. Arizona won the first matchup and a sweep would all but lock it up for them.
LOOKING AHEAD
Week 15 has the capacity to shed some light on the wild card picture as well as the Pacific Division title. LA hosts Houston while Denver hosts Oakland. An LA win plus Denver loss would give the division to the Express. Arizona has a tough game, hosting Michigan, if they wish to keep pace. Chicago and Boston both have matchups against teams hurting, Pittsburgh and Memphis respectively, while New Jersey can try to get back in it by stealing a win at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Birmingham will try to rebound this week, but the Washington Federals have been tough at home. Tampa can remove Jacksonville from any wild card hope with a win at the Gator Bowl.
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