Birmingham is in, Memphis and Jacksonville are out, and everything else up for grabs after a surprising Week 15. The Atlantic could go to pretty much any of its 4 teams, while out west it looks like we have to wait until Week 17 to determine who wins the Pacific, LA or Denver.
SCORES
NJ 27 PHI 20 Bryant outduels Walker, but the Generals get the last laugh.
TBY 28 JAX 21 Doug Williams 3 TD day keeps Bulls in the game, but cannot get the W.
BOS 27 MEM 17 Memphis comeback from 24-0 falls short in 4th quarter.
CHI 3 PIT 31 Without Evans or Kiel, the Blitz cannot mount an offense in Pittsburgh.
MGN 28 ARZ 9 Hebert preps for playoffs while Greg Landry looks very rusty.
OAK 20 DEN 34 Strong game from Penrose propels the Gold to 1st in Pacific Division.
HOU 30 LA 10 Gamblers playoff hopes remain alive with big win in LA.
GAME OF THE WEEK Birmingham Stallions 27 Washington Federals 20
In a game that both coaches claimed were “must wins” only one could emerge victorious, and that team was Birmingham. It was a well-matched game, as the two teams traded the lead for 3 quarters before the Stallions took control on a turnover-aided drive.
The Federals looked good coming out of the gate, as they scored on a Collier to Walters fade route at the end of a 7-play opening drive. Memphis responded on their first drive, a 6-play trek aided by a defensive pass interference call, but ended with a perfectly executed sweep left that had Joe Cribbs run 27 yards for the score. The 1st quarter ended with a Nick Mike-Myer field goal to put Washington up 10-7. In the second quarter the two teams would trade TDs (Cribbs’ second and a 5 yard rumble by Craig James).
Birmingham opened the 3rd quarter with a short field goal to even the score at 17. The Federals began the next drive backed up due to a holding call on the kickoff, and on their 2nd play, a botched handoff between Collier and James was recovered by the Stallions at the Federals’ 13 yard line. It took only 2 plays for the Stallions to score as Stoudt hit WR Jim Smith with a 9 yard out pattern, followed by a bruising TD run from backup HB Earl Gant.
Birmingham would take the lead, and they would not relinquish it for the remainder of the game. Washington could only muster a late field goal to draw within 7 but were unable to complete an onside kick and Birmingham came out of the game not only with a much-needed win, but with a playoff berth as well. For Washington, there is some consolation in that New Jersey edged a Chuck-Fusina-less Stars team to keep Washington in the hunt for the Atlantic Division. With that division and a wild card berth still in the mix, the Federals still have a chance to punch a ticket to the postseason over the final 2 weeks of the year.
NEWS & NOTES
It seems appropriate at this time to talk about two things which seem to make the USFL stand out, offense and close games. We have briefly touched on how the tendency of USFL teams to invest in skills players rather than trying to poach NFL linemen has led to high scoring games, but I think we have to acknowledge that the combo of offensive fireworks has not led to a plethora of blowouts. Sure, there are the odd cases here and there but the USFL week in and week out has produced some great back-and-forth games, with final minute heroics.
This is good football, with apologies to the defensive purists out there. It looks like we may well have at least 6 QB’s with over 4,000 yards passing (Williams, Reaves, Walton, Hebert and Kelly), 9 likely 1,000 yard rushers, and we could also very well have 2 different receivers score 20+ TD’s this year (Truvillion and Holloway), all impressive numbers. But what is more impressive is that, with the possible exception of the Michigan Panthers on one end and the Oakland Invaders on the other, there is an “any given Sunday” feel to the USFL. Some of this is due to key injuries on the top teams in the league, but it is also do to a strong player allocation system, the innovative salary cap & exemption system, and good coaching throughout the league. All in all the league owners and executives have a lot to be proud of when it comes to the product on the field this season.
INJURIES
Oakland continues to be the poster child for bad injuries, as they lose two more key players this week, DT Monte Bennett is done for the year with a torn quad muscle, while DE Samuel Baker broke his foot and will almost certainly miss the final 2 games of the season. Tampa also lost a key defensive player as CB Warren Hannah had a gruesome leg break and will need several months to rehab. In Houston, the Gamblers will have to get by as they make a playoff push without speedy Ricky Sanders, who injured his knee and will miss at least 2-3 weeks. And as Philly tries to win out and snag the Atlantic title, they will be challenged on offense. Just as Chuck Fusina is expected to return to action, the Stars lose LT Irv Eatman to a hamstring strain and star RB Kelvin Bryant may miss the next game with some swelling in his left knee.
PLAYOFF PICTURE
Birmingham punched their ticket with a big win over Washington this week, but other than that it is very murky. We know Michigan and Tampa are both in, easily winning their divisions, but the other two divisions are still to be won. In the Atlantic, Philly has a ½ game lead over Boston, with both Washington and New Jersey still in the mix. Out west it looks like a final battle between LA and Denver. Both have a good chance of making the playoffs with 2 more wins each than the next wildcard contenders (Houston and Arizona at 6-8).
Our predictions with 2 weeks left: We still like Philly for the Atlantic Title, with Boston snagging the final Eastern wild card. Out West we see LA coming on to win the division, with Denver and Houston snagging the two wild cards. But please don’t hold us to this. If anything, we have proven that this year anything can happen.
LOOKING AHEAD
The final (and ridiculously late) byes happen in Week 16, with 4 teams (BOS, NJ, DEN, LA) getting their long-awaited week of rest. Almost seems unfair, particularly with the playoff drive in full swing. Of the games to be played, there are few without some playoff impact. Philly hopes for a win as they visit the eliminated Jacksonville Bulls. Washington, facing Memphis at home, can eliminate the Showboats and help themselves catch up in the Atlantic. Arizona takes on the Blitz in a must win for both, while Houston has to hope for a resting Michigan if they want to get the W and stay in the wild card hunt. The final two games have no playoff implications. Tampa plays Birmingham in a grudge match, but both will likely play very vanilla so as not to tip off playoff plans. Finally, Oakland rolls into Pittsburgh, whose slim mathematical hopes for a playoff spot are not very realistic, so we consider this a pride game.