MEM 17 BAL 6
A defensive battle of attrition in Baltimore as both the Blitz and the Showboats struggled to move the ball. Memphis got two early Mike Kelley TD’s and then played the tempo game, slowing down the action and eating up clock. Baltimore, got 100 yards from Jackie Flowers, but otherwise their offense was largely unable to gain traction against a Memphis pass rush that sacked Chris Miller 6 times.
ORL 27 NJ 13
The Generals drop their 7th in a row as Doug Flutie attempts 52 passes while Herschel Walker only gets 6 carries. That strategy does not pay off at all for the Generals as they lose another one. Collier connected with John Jefferson for 114 yards on 9 receptions and Dalton Hilliard added 85 yards and a score on the ground for the Renegades.
TBY 24 PHI 16
Tampa gets 2 touchdowns from QB John Fourcade and Eric Bienemy adds 83 yards and a score to boost Tampa to a much-needed win. Philadelphia again struggles to score as Browning Nagle tosses two interceptions and the Bandits weak defense still holds Kelvin Bryant to only 69 yards rushing.
BIR 30 PIT 21
In the battle of steel cities, the visiting Stallions come out on top, thanks in large pat to a Darryl Williams 100 yard interception return for a TD that caused a 14-point swing when it looked like Pittsburgh would go up. Louis Lipps had 118 yards and 2 scores for the Maulers, but 3 2nd half Scott Norwood field goals helped Birmingham pull away and secure the win.
JAX 24 WSH 18
Jacksonville backup Timm Rosenbach threw for 3 scores and 327 yards to help the Bulls edge the Federals at RFK. Both Hassan Jones and Brian Blades went over 100 yards receiving and accounted for all 3 touchdowns on the day. Washington got 150 yards from Joey Walters, but it was not enough as they could not score the needed go ahead TD as time waned.
OAK 13 CHI 16
The Machine get a quality win over the defending champs to move their record to .500 at 4-4-1. Scott Zolak, in what looks to be his final game subbing for an injured Chuck Long, throws for 309 and a score as Chicago gets 3 John Carney field goals to edge the Invaders.
POR 18 HOU 16
The Houston D plays tough, but there was simply not enough from the David Klingler-led offense to get the W. Oliver Luck struggled, but found Hart Lee Dykes for a TD in the 3rd to help Portland notch their 5th win and move into playoff contention. Thurman Thomas had a combined 191 yards (74 rushing and 117 receiving) but Houston just could not capitalize.
STL 20 MGN 17
The Knights edge the Panthers on a late Todd Christiansen TD catch to get a key road win. Dan McGwire and Jack Trudeau each toss two scores, and St. Louis wins by the margin of one Scott Olivera field goal. The star of the game for the Knights was Free Safety Roman Lewis, who had 5 tackles and 2 sacks of Trudeau as St. Louis used multiple blitzes to disrupt the Michigan passing game.
DEN 17 TEX 23
Reggie Cobb’s 2 touchdowns and 92 yards rushing were the difference for the Outlaws as Dave Krieg and the Gold played them tough. A Gillespie TD catch late in the 3rd narrowed a Texas lead to 20-17 and both defenses dug in for the final quarter, but a Nick Mike-Mayer FG with 1:57 left helped Texas stave off a potential Gold comeback and earn the win.
ARIZONA WRANGLERS 20 NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 22
A battle of first place clubs came down to the wire as Tim Mazzetti kicked the last of his five field goals to put New Orleans up for good in the 4th quarter. Matt Dunigan struggled to get the team into the endzone, getting only 1 scoring toss to Michael Jackson in the game, but Mazzetti was automatic, hitting on kicks of 48, 50, 37, 29, and 33 to boost the Breakers to the win and helping them maintain the best record in the Western Conference.
A lot of credit also has to go to the Breaker defense in this game, as they held Robbie Bosco to only 1 TD toss (a Courtney Hawkins 9 yarder). Arizona’s only other TD was a return of a poorly thrown Dunigan pass that David Fulcher returned 56 yards. The Breaker defense contained the Arizona rushing duo of Clack and James, limiting them to a combined 64 yards on the day. Even so, as the game entered the 4th quarter, Arizona was clinging to a 20-13 lead. Marcus Dupree helped keep New Orleans in the game, and Dunigan did just enough to get Mazzetti in range for 3 successful field goal tries in the final quarter as the Breakers slowly edged their way back, eventually taking the lead with just under 5 minutes to play. From there it was the defense that stymied the Wranglers and helped the Breakers earn their 6th win on the season.
We are giving our POTW to Timm Rosenbach for his 3 TD performance against that tough Washington defense. Rosenbach has stepped up after Tony Eason went down and is helping Jacksonville stay near the top of the standings at 6-3. Having come to Jacksonville as the presumptive starter a year ago, and seeing himself lose the starting job to injury, there must be some ironic pleasure in regaining a chance to play through injury to Eason. It is unlikely that Rosenbach will unseat Eason permanently, but this game showed that he can be effective and can be a potential starter in this league.
Rosenbach went only 14 of 27, but hit on big plays, allowing him to earn 327 yards passing on the day. Those numbers are slightly inflated thanks to a botched tackle in which a safety and corner collided, leaving Hasan Jones free to sprint to a 91 yard TD in the first quarter. But, they also include a 31 yarder to Brian Blades and completions of 23 yards to James Wilder, 28 yards to Steve Johnson, and 27 yards to Weegie Thompson as the Bulls continued to find players open deep. Rosenbach may have 1-2 weeks left before Eason returns, and needs to treat every game as a highlight tape in hopes of finding a starting position in the future. If this is his first audition tape, it is a good one.
As the USFL starts to enter the home stretch it is not only a time for teams to find their stride and play their best ball, it is also a time for each team’s GM to put their noses to the grindstone and get players resigned before the clock runs out and free agency (both internal to the USFL and between the USFL and NFL) opens up. As per usual, each team is looking at several big name players yet to be signed and the question is whether these vital pieces of their teams’ futures will opt to stay where they are or ply the waters of the free agent-sea. Here is a look at some of the potential free agents on the horizon unless their team’s can ink them to a deal in the next 7 weeks:
ARZ: DT Ed Weaver, G Tom Newberry, DE Jon Carter, CB Issaic Holt
BAL: WR Bill Brooks, T Mark Shively, WR Derek Hill, HB Johnny Johnson
BIR: TE Shannon Sharpe, FS Vencie Glenn, WR Danny Knight, QB Bob Lane
CHI: SS William Cesare, CB Eric Thomas, TE Wessley Walls, C Doug Gamboa
DEN: SS: Patrick Gannon, FS Charles Mincey
HOU: T Howard Ballard, DT Michael Dean Perry, TE Ron Heller, WR Ricky Proehl
JAX: WR Weegie Thompson, HB Owen Gill, CB Maurice Douglas, QB Jason Garrett
MEM: HB Greg Boone, CB Derrick Burroughs, LB Eddie Simmons, QB Cary Conklin, WR Robb Thomas
MGN: CB Garland Rivers, T Arnoldo Gardner, G Ron Hallstrom, HB Vince Workman, WR Daron Carter
NJ: HB Herschel Walker, LB Chris Spielman, SS Gary Barbaro, LB Todd Bell, LB Jaime Kimmel
NOR: DE Jerry Reese, WR Charlie Smith, T Ken Lanier, SS Matthew Fong
OAK: LB Ken Harvey, SS Marcus Quinn, T Randy Dixon, QB Gale Gilbert, LB Randy Kirk, G Guy McIntyre
ORL: T Matt Patchan, CB Melvin Jenkins, DE Ray Childress, WR Nathan Bruce, DE Kevin Brooks
PHI: FB Eddie Colson, DT George Little, WR Gerard Phelan, TE Alex Higdon, HB Vi Sikahema, LB Niko Noga
PIT: T Lance Smith, LB Erik Kumerow, T Doug Reisenberg, HB Lydell Carr, C Roman Fortin
POR: HB Robert Drummond, SS Eric McMillian, CB Gill Byrd, QB Oliver Luck, LB Bobby Houston, HB Terrance Flagler, DT Esera Tuaolo
STL: FB Nuu Faaola, HB Tim Richardson, DE Tony Tolbert, CB Ron Pitts, FS Roman Lewis, LB Joe Mott
TBY: WR Eric Truvillion, G Bob Sims, HB Eric Bienemy, LB Ed Brady, C Ed Miller, G Dan Morgan
TEX: DT Kevin Fagan, TE Theo Young, QB Kelly Stouffer, QB Mike Shula
WSH: DE Charles Haley, DE Dexter Manley, T Jim Lachey, WR Herman Moore, HB Jamie Covington, HB Alfred Jenkins, LB Curtis Taliferro, QB Mike Hohensee
Looking at the injury list, we are seeing a lot of short-term situations popping up this week. Michigan will be without WR Johnny Holloway for 1-2 weeks with a groin pull, while Pittsburgh TE Mike Shaw could miss up to 4 weeks with a knee injury. Philly will be without tackle Mark Van DerPoel with a torn abdominal, and Tampa is down to 1 active QB as Mike Rae went down with turf toe. Birmingham Guard John Bruhin is likely out for several weeks with a fracture in his right leg, while Oakland FS Robert Sparkman is dealing with a stress fracture in his foot that could cost him up to a month of action. Finally, Baltimore DE suffered a neck injury which might keep him out through week 15.
Week 10 starts the 6 week playoff push, and it begins with a lot of important divisional games. Washington has their shot at Pittsburgh in Three Rivers this week, trailing the Maulers by a game. Memphis and Jacksonville will also vie for first place as they meet in the Gator Bowl. Michigan and Houston will tussle, both trying to attain Wild Card position if the Breakers do not crumble. For their part, New Orleans is at home again, this time against the Outlaws. In the Pacific, the big game is between two 5-4 teams as Portland travels to St. Louis to face the Knights. We also have a good inter-divisional game with Birmingham headed out west to face the Wranglers. Other games include Baltimore at Chicago, Denver at Oakland, Tampa at Orlando, and the Generals in Philadelphia to face the Stars.