SCORES
PHI 16 BLT 30
The last of the undefeated teams falls as the Baltimore Blitz stun the Philadelphia Stars in a rowdy Memorial Stadium. Tim Spencer and Jackie Flowers both shone in the game as Spencer bounced back from a horrible week 5 performance by rushing for 103 against the usually stingy Stars D. Jackie Flowers found success on deep routes, catching only 4 passes, but 2 were scores and all were big gainers.
WSH 23 PIT 22
The Federals got Neil Lomax back under center and they needed every ounce of magic from him as it took a late 4th quarter TD drive, capped off by a Lomax to Walters TD to give the Federals a win in Pittsburgh.
MEM 13 BIR 27
Birmingham wins their second in a row with a big game from Joe Cribbs and a 17-point 2nd quarter to crush the spirit of the Showboats. Ernest Givens continued to impress for the Stalliions, racking up 120 receiving yards on only 4 receptions, one being a 52-yard score.
HOU 34 NOR 7
Matt Robinson struggled after being named the starter and the Houston D shut down the Breakers’ vaunted run game on their way to an easy win. Houston is now 5-1 behind their underappreciated defense and the strong arm of Jim Kelly, who again threw for 3 scores, finding Ricky Sanders twice for points.
SAN 6 MGN 45
A likely season-ending injury to QB Rick Neuheisel and an absolute beat down by the Panthers is not what San Antonio had in mind this week, but that is what they got. Michigan scored 35 points between the 2nd and 3rd quarter and Jeff Kemp even got to play some football in mop up time as he replaced Trudeau after the young Illinois grad’s 4th TD on the day.
OAK 7 DEN 31
Bob Gagliano must have heard the boo birds last week, because he came out angry this week, throwing for three scores and leading the Gold to their best offensive performance of the year. Bill Brooks and Mark Carrier each scored, and rookie HB Timmy Smith saw his first solid action with 5 carries, 1 reception and a TD.
OKL 31 LA 35
It was an old-fashioned shootout in Angel Stadium this week as Doug Williams, back from injury, matched Steve Young shot for shot. It came down to a final drive for the Express, and when Steve Young found former Raider Todd Christiansen for the game-winning score, the deflated Williams could do nothing but applaud the performance and encourage his teammates on a tough loss.
CHI 13 NJ 30
Chuck Long helped make the case for his own benching, throwing 6 interceptions in an absolutely horrific day at the Meadowlands. New Jersey’s defense shut down everything Chicago tried to do, and although Herschel Walker still did not look 100% (rushing for only 44 yards), his presence on the field was more than enough as the Generals D served up short field after short field for Flutie and Walker.
ARZ 31 JAX 37
Another great offensive show in the Gator Bowl as Ed Luther had his best game of the year, throwing for 4 scores and 294 yards. Robbie Bosco kept pace for the Wranglers, throwing 3 scores of his own as the two clubs went back and forth on the scoreboard. In the end it was the outstanding day by Luther and by HB George Adams (131 yards rushing) that made the difference as the Bulls pulled their record back to .500 at 3-3.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Tampa Bay Bandits 25 Orlando Renegades 19
It was the Renegades’ second consecutive loss, but no one is overlooking these expansion darlings anymore. They played Tampa Bay tough for 60 minutes and evened the score as the clock ran out. Reggie Collier was solid throughout, throwing for 2 scores, including a last-minute fade to Vic James to even the score and send the game to overtime.
But, for all their efforts, Orlando could not find a solution to the Tampa Bay offense. On a day when HB Gary Anderson rushed for 119, and Eric Truvillion caught 8 balls for 90 yards, it was unheralded backup Speedy Neal, who had the final say. Neal, who only had one carry on the day, made the most of it, as he subbed for Gary Boone in overtime, took an innocent-enough looking pitch, and juked his way past the defense and into the endzone on a spectacular 25-yard rush that ended the game and moved Tampa up to sole possession of first place in the Southern Division at 5-1.
Orlando has impressed a lot of folks as they started the year 4-0, but after two straight divisional losses (to Tampa and Birmingham), the Renegades have to figure out where things have started to go wrong. Meanwhile, for Tampa Bay, Banditball is cruising along as John Reaves and company continue to effectively mix the run and the pass, providing highlight reel moments each and every week. They return home to the 1-win Pittsburgh Maulers next week and hope to further solidify their position as a division leader and Championship favorite.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK
Ed Luther had his best game of the year and helped to hold off any thoughts of giving rookie Chris Miller a shot under center. Luther not only rallied the Bulls to tie the game with 1:04 left, but also led the Bulls to the win on their first possession of overtime, hitting Daniel Corral for the winning score only 3 minutes into the extra period. While his 282 yards passing is not eye-popping, his 75% completion rate, and a 6 for 7 completion rate on 3rd down throws was. With Hasssan Jones out, Luther focused on Gary Clark as his reliable chain mover, and newby Daniel Corral as his deep threat. It was the kind of game that the 3-3 Bulls can build on as they play catchup with Tampa and Orlando in the division.
NEWS & NOTES
So far, the 1987 season has been a pretty simple script, follow the QB. Whether it is teams like Michigan and Jacksonville replacing lost superstars and finding great success with new leaders, or expansion clubs like Orlando and San Antonio getting great return on investment with their QB play, the position is clearly key to this league. Teams like Chicago, New Orleans, and Pittsburgh are flailing because their on-field generals are not getting it done. Others, like New Jersey, Washington and Houston are looking like they have found the right man for the right system, or vice versa, and are riding their QB play to victories. And now, as we get closer to the midpoint of the year, injuries will be a factor. We have already seen this in Oklahoma and Tampa, where missed games lead to a lot of nervous coaches and fans, and now, very clearly, it will be a key issue for the Gunslingers. If you want to win in the USFL, you better have a stud at QB, and a system around him to lead to success week in and week out.
INJURY REPORT
The nasty looking shoulder injury to Rick Neuheisel, one in which his arm essentially hung limp as he came off the field, has been the news of the week. San Antonio knew about Neuheisel’s reputation as a bit of a injury magnet, but a season-ender so early into their first year will be tough. They will now turn to Damon Allen to lead the Gunslinger offense. For Neuheisel, it marks yet another year marred by injuries, and this one will likely have lasting impact on his arm strength and ability to make deep throws. It was a nasty injury to see occur, and one which puts his entire future in jeopardy.
LOOKING AHEAD
Week Six sees the entire Atlantic battle the Southern Division as the Central takes on the Pacific. The marquee matchups are Philadelphia at Orlando, Baltimore @ Jacksonville, and Houston @ LA. Expect good action as well when San Antonio, now with Damon Allen at the helm, face Arizona, when Michigan travels to Oakland, and when the Federals take on the Stallions at Legion Field. Potential lopsided games include New Jersey @ Memphis, Chicago @ Denver, and Pittsburgh @ Tampa Bay. The one game that thankfully is not on a national broadcast is New Orleans, giving Matt Robinson one more week, facing off against Oklahoma in Tulsa.