In third of four weeks of divisional byes, the Atlantic recouped, while the Southern, Central and Western divisions battled. This week we saw Michigan play shutdown defense, we saw the run & shoot actually running and shooting, and we saw upstart Arizona proving they are legit. All this plus a monster day from oft-injured Rick Neuheisel in his return to action.
SCORES
PIT 20 HOU 41 The Run & Shoot stopped misfiring as backup RB S. Howell scored 3 TD.
MGN 17 CHI 3 A surprising defensive struggle. John Williams’s 149 yards was huge.
MEM 10 LA 37 Young & Co. continue to roll, starting the game 27-0 in this one.
JAX 24 OAK 31 The Invaders outlast Jacksonville in a back and forth shootout.
TBY 27 ARZ 42 Reaves passes for 428, but Rick Neuheisel’s 5 TD are too much for Tampa.
BYES: BOS, NJ, PHI, WSH
GAME OF THE WEEK
Birmingham Stallions 23 Denver Gold 20
While not a star-studded game by any stretch of the imagination, the return of Bob Lane under center, while rocky, was enough to help Birmingham win their first game since opening week. The Gold had their focus on Joe Cribbs, and were able to both keep him out of the endzone and contain him to only 58 yards rushing. Bob Lane had a mixed game in his return as the starter in Birmingham, throwing for 317 yards and 2 scores, but also throwing 3 costly picks in the game.
It was a well-matched game all the way through, with the two teams trading scores on their way to a 14-10 Birmingham lead. In the third both teams tightened up and 4 of 5 scores in the second half were field goals. With the game tied at 20 with just over 3 minutes to go, Birmingham mounted what would be the game winning drive. With only 2 seconds on the clock Stallions kicker Scott Norwood hit on a 34 yarder to give Birmingham their first win in 8 weeks and sending Denver down to a 3-6 record as they head into their bye week. There are rumblings that the new majority owners of the Gold are none too happy about the work that Craig Morton has done this year, but will they go the route of the Generals and ditch their coach mid-season, or wait until the end of the year to see what Morton can do with 7 more games to play?
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK
Some weeks this is a tough call, but this week it is a no-brainer. After spending the past 2 ½ weeks on the bench with a bum wrist, and after watching Greg Landry have a career day last week, it is clear that Rick Neuheisel was itching to get back in the game and show why he was Arizona’s starter. The UCLA product (as pictured to the right) threw for 373 scores on a 21 of 29 day, and hit on 5 scoring throws, including 2 to slot receiver Wamon Buggs. He also found Trumaine Johnson, RB Mike Pruitt and 2nd TE Rosendo Howe for scores. Neuheisel had no trouble finding open receivers, averaging an amazing 12.9 yards per completion. While his two interceptions make his scoreline look less than perfect, it has to be said that one was a late half hail mary and the other a tipped ball that fell into a DB’s arms, so nothing that will keep the coaches up at night. Arizona moves to an impressive 7-2 with the win, and Neuheisel was successful in reminding everyone why the Wranglers drafted him, signed him, and made him their starter.
NEWS & NOTES
Today’s theme, the shifting sands of fate. For two years the USFL’s Southern Division has been one of its best, placing a team in both USFL Championship games and boasting Tampa Bay as the league’s first champion. Meanwhile the West has been a bit of a laughingstock, with all 4 teams struggling to make it to .500 by season’s end, and having had some of the worst performances in the league for the past 2 years. Well, that was then and this is now. Arizona is one of the top teams in the league at 7-2, and the 6-3 LA Express have also been impressive. Even Oakland and Denver have had their moments this year. And at the same time the Southern Division is looking like a shadow of its former self. Once mighty Tampa leads the division at 3-5, tied with an equally erratic Jacksonville team. Memphis and Birmingham have struggled to 2 wins each, but neither looks like they will make a late run. While the South may still be kings of attendance in the USFL, something has shifted and this year the usually powerful division may be lucky to get more than 1 team in the playoffs.
INJURIES
Another week, another slew of players with dings, bruises, strains, and a few serious issues. Looking across the league we see some lesser injuries which will keep some big name players out at least a week: Clarence Verdin (concussion), Scott Woerner (wrist), Vince Evans (knee), Reggie Collier (concussion), Chuck Fusina (shoulder). Bob Lane, in his first start this year, dislocated a finger, so we may see Stoudt back in Week10. Arizona’s Stan White is doubtful with a groin pull, while Philadelphia’s William Fuller may miss time with a potential fracture to his collarbone.
LOOKING AHEAD
Week 10 is the last of the league’s 4 bye weeks, this time with the Pacific Division getting a much-needed rest. In the meantime, the Atlantic returns with two important head-to-head games. Boston will try to stop its losing streak at 5 games as they head to the Meadownlands to take on the 2-6 Generals and their interim head coach. Washington will try to claw back into playoff contention as they play the Stars at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. In other matchups, it’s the Central visiting the Southern Division. Earlier in the year the 4 Central teams swept their Southern opponents. Will they do it again as Pittsburgh faces the Stallions at Legion Field, Chicago rolls downriver to Memphis, Houston plays Jacksonville and the undefeated Michigan Panthers try to keep the 3-5 Tampa Bay Bandits on the wrong end of .500.