OK, If you called it that Texas would be 4-0 and that Tampa Bay would be 0-4 at this point, maybe go get a lottery ticket, because you are on a hotstreak. Week 4 proved that our preseason prognostications may have been a bit off. But, we also remember Orlando starting 1987 at 4-0 and Birmingham at 0-4, so maybe a grain of salt is needed as well. That said, we love a season when “any given Sunday” is in full effect and no teams feel completely outmatched each week. We love seeing Chicago at 2-2 alongside Michigan. It means that a lot of fans in a lot of cities still see good things coming for their home town team, and that is good for everyone.
SCORES
JAX 21 LA 24
Eric Martin caught 6 for 116 and Steve Young found Todd Christiansen and Jo-Jo Townsell for early scores as LA built up a 24-10 lead and then held on to win at home, moving to 3-1 on the year. For Jacksonville, Chris Miller played well, but just did not have enough time to come all the way back.
TBY 23 ARZ 38
Tampa’s defense once again let them down, and 3 picks by John Reaves didn’t help either as the Bandits fall to an unexpected 0-4 start. Robbie Bosco threw for 303 and James Wilder punched it in 3 times to give Arizona a needed home win and evened their record at 2-2.
BIR 18 DEN 21
Another nail biter in Denver where the Gold held off Birmingham, containing Joe Cribbs to only 70 yards on 20 carries. Bob Gagliano threw for 3 scores, including a beaut of a deep ball to J.T. Smith in the 3rd to build up a 21-10 lead that would hold until the final seconds, when Stoudt hit Danta Whittaker for a very late score, but too late for Birmingham to get a shot at the win.
ORL 20 POR 9
Orlando once again starts the season strong, building to a 3-1 record with a tough win in Portland. Reggie Collier threw for 2 scores and despite 95 yards by Portland HB Rodney Carter, the Thunder could only cross the endzone once as they fall to 1-3.
PHI 23 NOR 38
New Orleans rebounds from the tough loss v. Pittsburgh by keeping the offensive pressure on. Matt Robinson throws for 4 scores, including a 57 yarder to new arrival Herman Fontenot. Philly gets 93 from Kelvin Bryant, but cannot keep pace as the Breakers show some firepower at home.
NJ 34 MGN 17
New Jersey came ready to roll in the Silverdome. The Panthers held Herschel Walker to only 69 yards on the ground, but he also caught 4 for 56 and a score. Flutie would throw for 3 scores on the day and Kerry Glenn ran back a punt 73 yards for a back-breaking score for the Generals. The win puts New Jersey at 2-2 and sends Michigan to the same record.
WSH 17 CHI 18
Chicago grinds out a second win as rookies again come up big. Former Michigan HB Jamie Morris runs for 148 and a score in the close win. Chuck Long completes 68% of his passes and avoids turnovers as he guides Chicago to another home win. For Washington it was a frustrating day as Craig James is held to only 69 yards rushing and Neil Lomax gets picked twice in the loss.
BAL 16 HOU 19
Baltimore’s D pressures Jim Kelly all day, but the Gamblers have just enough to hold on for a three-point win. The Houston D also had all sorts of issues with Vince Evans, who rushed for 77 yards, including a dynamic 39 yarder on a 3rd and 17. Houston got 4 FG from Dave Jacobs and a late Kelly to Fowler TD pass to hold off a tenacious Blitz team.
PIT 27 TEX 33
The Outlaws hold off the Maulers in San Marcos to move to a shocking 4-0 on the season. Doug Williams has a brilliant game against the suspect Pittsburgh pass defense, throwing for 306 and 4 scores. Alan Risher tried to keep pace for the Maulers, throwing for 270 and 3 scores of his own, but Texas maintained focus on Mike Rozier, holding him to 43 yards, far below Stump Mitchell’s 101.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Memphis Showboats 31 Oakland Invaders 34
We seem to be developing a trend where teams in low profile games on the weekend ABC package end up playing some of the best football. That was the situation when 1-2 Memphis headed out to play 0-3 Oakland. The Invaders finally got to see the Richard Williams they signed this offseason as the former Showboat showed up against his former club, rushing 22 times for 200 yards and 2 scores. That effective run game slowed the game down for Gale Gilbert, allowing him to have a solid game, including a drive that ended with the winning score, a short pass to Henry Ellard, with 5:27 left in the game.
The other star of the game for Oakland was rookie LB Ken Harvey, who picked off two Mike Kelley passes while playing in a cover 2 rover position. Harvey, who also sacked Kelley once and garnered 8 tackles, was a monster in the middle for the Invaders. For Kelley, it was not pressure but an apparent blindspot for the MLB that led to the two picks. In both cases he was looking to dump the ball to his top receiver, rookie TE Keith Jackson, and both times he simply did not see the Harvey closing on Jackson.
The game, despite the picks, was Memphis’s to win. They had a 31-24 lead with 13 minutes to play, but the Invaders were aggressive in the final quarter and followed a 45 yard Kevin Shea field goal with a long drive ending in the Ellard TD catch to take the lead back at 34-31. The Invader D then held Memphis without a first down the rest of the way to take the win, their first of the year.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK
While the Offensive Player of the Week went to Richard Williams, we are going to give our POTW to Doug Williams of the Texas Outlaws. And this is perhaps more of a lifetime achievement award highlighted by his 4 TD performance this week. Williams has been a top calibre QB in the USFL for 4 years now, and after suffering a simply horrific year in Oklahoma last year, Williams and the newly-formed Texas Outlaws are making up for lost time.
Maybe the distribution of talent from last year’s Oklahoma and San Antonio teams was too generous, or maybe Williams and Coach Widenhofer finally have the pieces in place, but the 1988 Outlaws are a totally different experience than 1987’s 2-16 Outlaws. Williams is now the top-rated QB in the league, has real weapons in Carlos Carson and Dokie Williams at wideout, and a run game in the combo of Stump Mitchell and Scott Stamper that is keeping defenses honest. Yes, the Outlaws have played 3 potential lightweights in Portland, Chicago and Pittsburgh, but their win in Houston proves that this team is dangerous, and a big reason they need to be feared is the experience and skill of QB Doug Williams.
NEWS & NOTES
Four weeks in and we are already seeing that the rookie class of 1988 may be one of the best yet. We already highlighted the great game by Oakland LB Ken Harvey, but he is not alone among first year phenoms. Former Gator Kerwin Bell is the only starter at QB, but despite the struggles of the Thunder, he is looking like a solid starter already. Houston’s Thurman Thomas is a dual threat in Houston, where his receiving skills have shown almost as much as his ability to tote the rock. Brian Blades is now a regular in the Bulls’ receiving corps, and Keith Jackson is quickly becoming a favorite target for Mike Kelley in Memphis. On defense, DE Al Noga (ARZ), LB Fred Strickland (DEN), LB Marcus Cotton (LA), and LB Chris Spielman (NJ) have all proven to be key contributors.
But no team seems to have had more success in the draft, and more opportunities for their rookies than the Chicago Machine. Rookie HB Jamie Morris leads the team with 305 yards, while rookie wideouts Michael Haynes and Wendell Davis are first and third in receptions on the team. Chicago had room to grow, and these rookies are showing they are ready to step up. While there is a lot of football left to play, the rookies of 1988 are showing they are ready for prime time.
INJURY REPORT
A rough week for defenders in the USFL, and not just because of the dynamic offenses they faced. Jacksonville’s Terry Kinard broke his wrist when a receiver landed on it awkwardly. He will likely miss at least 6 weeks. In Baltimore, DE Nate Hill will miss at least 3 weeks after a hip injury. Texas CB Gregg Butler is a bit luckier, after a suspected broken arm is just strained tendons. Orlando LB Winston Moss is listed as doubtful with a hamstring, while Pittsburgh CB Quintin Jones is questionable after suffering a concussion. Jack Trudeau had to come out late in the Michigan game after getting shaken up, but is expected to be back this week, while Philly wideout Mike Quick is expected to play despite a hyper-extended knee.
LOOKING AHEAD
We are back to divisional play in Week 5, with a few early season pivot matches where both teams need to get their season kickstarted. Baltimore is hoping to get back into the mix as they head to Pittsburgh. New Jersey and Washington, both 2-2, hope this is the game where they can set a tone for the year. In the South, 2-2 Birmingham is hoping to upend Orlando in the Citrus Bowl while the two other Florida teams are both desperate for a win as 1-3 Jacksonville heads to 0-4 Tampa. Arizona has a tough road ahead as they head to Denver, while the Invaders hope to garner a 2nd win up in Portland. In Houston, the surprising Chicago Machine will face off against the Gamblers, while the Breakers head to Ft. Worth, for Texas’s “Across the State” game away from San Marcos. In inter-division play the Showboats host the Express, and in a great Saturday Night matchup, the Panthers are in Philly for a rematch of the 1986 Championship.
Comments