This was the week to root for the defenses. Of the 10 games played, only 1 saw the losing team score more than 20 points (Memphis at 21) and even winning teams squeeked by with 17, 19, 20, or 21 points as defense ruled the weekend. In what has been a trend all season, teams are winning by making their opponents one-dimensional, by forcing takeaways, or by simply limiting the opposition to field goals instead of touchdowns.
SCORES
WSH 30 PIT 17
Craig James and Kevin Harmon combine for 149 yards on the ground and two scores as the Federals get their second win of the year by knocking off the Maulers in Pittsburgh. The game was tied at 17 at the half, but a big second half from the Feds and 2 Alan Risher interceptions seal the Maulers’ fate.
MEM 21 BIR 30
Birmingham gets a huge game from Cliff Stoudt to knock off the Showboats in a rowdy Legion Field. Stoudt hit 24 of 32 passes for 327 yards and 2 scores, including 110 yards to Ernest Givens. The Stallion D created three Showboat turnovers, including 2 interceptions of Mike Kelley on the day.
TBY 20 ORL 24
With no run game to rely on, Troy Aikman struggled against the Renegades. Orlando held Gary Anderson to only 12 yards rushing, forcing the Bandits to be one-dimensional. Meanwhile Curtis Bledsoe had a respectable 77 yards on 18 carries and Reggie Collier found rookie TE Marv Cook for a key TD as the Renegades move to 2-4 and knock Tampa back to 3-3.
NOR 13 HOU 19
Once again last year’s Breakers offense did not show up as the Houston D held the Breakers to 260 total yards and allowed only a late Robinson to Johnson TD when the game was out of reach. Five turnovers for New Orleans haunted them all game long. Matt Robinson was particularly flustered as he threw 4 interceptions in the game, three into the hands of veteran CB Domingo Bryant of Houston.
TEX 10 MGN 17
The Panthers come up with 10 points in the final period to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Derek Holloway came up big when called on, scoring the lead-flipping TD with only 1:37 left in the game for the Panthers.
OAK 14 DEN 27
Denver just keeps rolling along, this time thanks to 2 Harry Sydney touchdowns. Bob Gagliano also hit Bill Brooks with a key TD to pull away. The Denver D did the rest, holding backup Invader QB Jeff Kemp without a TD. The gam would have been even worse for Oakland had LB Ken Harvey not picked off an errant Gagliano pass and run it back for a score.
POR 7 LA 31
Even with Steve Young knocked out of the game, the Thunder cannot muster enough offense to capitalize. Express rookie backup Rodney Peete threw for 172 and 2 scores to pace LA, while Kerwin Bell threw 3 more interceptions. Fans have to be wondering if and when Coach Patera will pull him in favor of the newly acquired Ed Luther.
CHI 17 NJ 20
Herschel Walker put on a show on Sunday, rushing for 128 and a score, while also leading all receivers with 5 catches. Chicago was game, however, and kept the game close throughout. They simply could not get John Carney in range for a final attempt to tie the game as New Jersey emerged victorious for the 4th time this season.
ARZ 26 JAX 16
The Wranglers win a costly game as Robbie Bosco was knocked out of the game and Kelly Stouffer came on in relief. Arizona built up a 26-0 lead after 3 and then eased up, allowing Jacksonville to crawl back in but never really threaten the Wranglers. Darryl Clack had a big game, rushing 23 times (to only 5 for James Wilder) and gaining 101 yards in the process.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Philadelphia Stars 21 Baltimore Blitz 19
Philly makes it two wins in a row with this nail-biter in Baltimore. Relying on the foot of David Trout, the Stars got only 1 offensive TD, a Steve Howell run in the 4th, while they scored on a safety and 4 field goals and limited Baltimore to 4 field goals as well. The final difference in the 2-point game was Tim Spencer’s slip and fall in the endzone which cost Baltimore a safety when the score was 12-3 Baltimore. That safety changed the momentum of the game, as Philly scored on 4 consecutive drives (3 FG and finally a TD). Baltimore would get their first touchdown with only seconds left in the game, but there was simply not enough time to get the ball back and try for a game winning field goal.
The Stars did well on the ground even without Kelvin Bryant suited up. Backup Jamie Mueller rushed 27 times for 90 yards and Steve Howell chipped in another 11 carries for 58. For Baltimore, the ground game was simply not there as Tim Spencer only gained 21 yards on the day. The Blitz relied on Vince Evans and the passing game, but Philadelphia’s secondary is perhaps its strongest defensive squad, and Evans struggled to complete passes on key downs. The Blitz went 1 for 10 on third down and were forced to punt 5 times and kick field goals on 4 other drives.
The win moves Philadlephia up to 2-4 and now in the thick of a balanced Atlantic Division. Baltimore, which began the year 3-0 have now lost three in a row and have fallen back to the pack, 1 game behind New Jersey.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK
While the AP defensive player of the week was Oakland’s Ken Harvey, we would have preferred to see Domingo Bryant of Houston get the award. Yes, Harvey ran back an INT for a score, but it was a single play in a game that the Invaders lost. Bryant cancelled out three New Orleans drives in a game that Houston won by a slim 19-13 margin. Without Bryant’s blanket coverage of Breaker wideout Nolan Franz, the game could have ended very differently. In a season where defenses seem to have the upper hand, at least in the first third of the schedule, Bryant’s performance helped Houston get a vital division win and keep pace with 5-1 Michigan.
NEWS & NOTES
As anticipated, word has clearly gotten around the USFL that the NFL is coming and teams had best tend to their free agents now, rather than wait for an open free agency season. Resignings have begun in earnest, and It seems that many USFL players are happy to get a raise, but stay put with their current teams. Recent contract extensions over the past week include several of the bigger free agent targets anticipated for this summer.
Arizona locked up their best defender by locking Brian Noble in for another 4 years. Baltimore protected their future at QB by adding 3 more years to Eric Kramer’s contract. Birmingham made sure their defensive captain Bob Barber would retire a Stallion, adding 4 years to his contract. In Chicago they have a tough choice, with both Chuck Long and Steve Beurlein at the end of their contract. Long has been the starter for most of the franchise’s 3 seasons, and they rewarded that with a 4 year deal estimated to be worth $17M.
In Denver they know where their bread is buttered. They locked in two of their best defenders by signing a new contract with DE Larry White and having Kurt Gouveia agree to a 3 year extension of his deal. Houston locked up Clarence Verdin for at least another 2 years, but now have to worry about Kelly, Sanders and DE Simon Fletcher. Jacksonville activated the extension clause in Chris Miller’s contract, but have to be concerned with both Hassan Jones and Gary Clark still unsigned beyond this year.
LA continues to negotiate with Steve Young and Christian Okoye, but they have extended the contract of star CB Raphel Cherry for another 4 years. Memphis also quickly activated Greg Boone’s extension clause in his contract, giving them another 2 years with the former Bandit. Michigan star LB John Corker was happy to add another 3 years to his time in the Silver Dome, and was joined by HB John Williams who also resigned. Down in New Orleans the priority has been resigning Marcus Dupree, a fan favorite and the team’s leading rusher. $8M for 4 years seems to have done it. The Breakers also announced the extension of Nolan Franz’s contract, though terms were not revealed.
There are rumors that New Jersey HB Herschel Walker has been approached by the Dallas Cowboys, which could be tempting, but at least the Generals know who their General will be, as they extended Doug Flutie for another 3 years. In Oakland, Ken Harvey agreed to the added years in his rookie contract rather than test the waters after only 2 years. In Orlando, Reggie Collier has extended (and has reported that the lack of NFL attention has been concerning for him and his agent.)
Philadelphia had the longest list of top name free agents, and they have begun trying to resign those they could as soon as possible. Center Blair Bush was the first to add years to his deal, but he was quickly followed by QB Chuck Fusina and punter Sean Landeta. The big worry for the Stars has to be HB Kelvin Bryant, who is garnering NFL interest, as well as DE William Fuller.
In Pittsburgh, two key signings were the combo of QB Alan Risher and WR Danny Bugg. While in Portland, LB Billy Ray Smith has agreed to give it 2 more years to try to build a solid D in the Rose City. Tampa WR Eric Truvillion, with a new QB in hand, has opted to remain with Tampa for another 3 years, while safety Roy Gee also resigned with the Bandits.
Texas has activated the additional year in Brian Bosworth’s rookie contract as well. Finally, in DC, the Federals have resigned veteran wideout Joey Walters, DT Jerome Brown, and now can turn their attention to resigning both QB Don Majkowski, getting his first full year as a starter, and his safety net, TE Mark Bavaro. Of course, Craig James is also at the end of his contract, but Washington may have to make a tough choice on the older HB.
LOOKING AHEAD
Week Seven has the South and Atlantic again clashing, as do the Pacific and the Central. Birmingham will be in Baltimore, both hoping to keep pace in their divisions. Jacksonville travels to New Jersey and the Showboats are in Philadelphia. Pittsburgh will host the Renegades and 3-3 Tampa are at RFK to face the Federals. In the Western Conference Arizona travels to Chicago to face the Machine, while Denver has a huge game at Houston in what is becoming a great inter-divisional rivalry. LA has the unenviable task of trying to win in the Silverdome against the Panthers, while Oakland travels to New Orleans. Finally, Portland takes on their “evil twin” the other product of the 1988 reconfiguration of the Oklahoma Outlaws and San Antonio Gunslingers, when the Thunder head to San Marcos to play the Texas Outlaws.
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