We all went into the week confident that the Arizona-Houston game would be our GOTW, and then we saw New Jersey upset Birmingham, so maybe that would squeak out the award, but we simply could not ignore a true barnburner between two edge-of-playoff teams fighting for their lives. Portland @ Texas was the clear game of the week despite the hype of the other games. It was a game that saw 5 turnovers, a 5 TD quarterback performance, and a breakout day for a WR largely lost in the shuffle. And what was most interesting was that the game did not build up to intensity, it started there and just stayed at that level.
Portland showed they were playing for keeps from the first moments of the game, taking the opening kickoff down the field in only 5 plays, with Kerwin Bell hitting TE Clint Didier with a 29-yard TD only 1:02 into the game on what felt like a 2-minute drill from the opening play. Texas seemed stunned by the ease of Portland’s first drive, but managed to put a field goal on the board with their first drive as well. The score was followed by another quick-action drive from Portland, but one which went a bit too fast, leading to a tipped ball, intercepted by Texas’s Kevin Porter. The Outlaws capitalized 6 plays later with rookie Roosevelt Potts diving in from a yard out. Potts, starting in place of Reggie Cobb, who is now on IR and done for the year, would not have a great game, gaining only 51 yards on 18 carries, but the feeding of the ball to the big back kept Texas’s ability to use play action alive throughout the game.
Portland struck back, down 10-7, on the first drive of the 2nd quarter, with Kerwin Bell again finding TE Didier covered by a slower LB, this time a 27-yarder was enough to retake the lead. Texas was unphased, and ripped off 21 consecutive points to build a 31-14 lead during the quarter. The first score was a rare run by 3rd stringer Willie Strange. This was quickly followed on consecutive drives by Stouffer TD passes to Dokie Willams and Steve Wilkes. It seemed the Outlaws had found a rhythm, and were going to put Portland away, but in their 2-minute drill Kerwin Bell connected on 4 consecutive pass plays, to bring the Thunder back, the final one being an 8-yard TD to Hart Lee Dykes to pull back within 10. Dykes, who would finish the day with 112 yards receiving, was the surprise star of the day for Portland, who lost Cris Carter early to injury, pushing the 4th wideout into a starting role opposite Webster Slaughter.
The third quarter started slowly, with both teams missing on big plays and each QB throwing a drive-killing interception. It was only when Kelly Stouffer threw a second pick in the quarter, this time deep in his own half, that someone got on the board. Portland took the short field and within 4 plays Webster Slaughter was in the endzone with a score that pulled Portland to a 3 point deficit at 31-28.
Texas would try to build some distance in the 4th quarter, but were only able to muster a 31-yard Nick Mike-Myer field goal, to build up to 34-28. That 6 point lead was precarious and everyone in the stadium knew it. When Portland got the ball back with 3:02 left to play, every fan in the stadium could feel the tension on the Texas sideline. Only 31,500 had shown up in the Alamo Dome to see a game against a midling Portland team, but all 31,500 were cheering and urging the Outlaw D to hold. But, this was Kerwin Bell’s day, and the plucky QB moved Portland deep into Texas territory, thanks in part to a defensive holding call on 3rd and 11 that gave the Thunder a first down. On a 2nd and 9 on the 11, Bell dumped the ball down to FB Mike Cade, and the big man made a bee line for the corner pylon. With CB Jerome Henderson draped on his right arm, Cade crashed into the pylon and into the endzone, giving Portland the 34-34 tie. Al Del Greco did the rest, driving the ball between the uprights for the PAT and giving the small scattering of Thunder fans in attendance the win they had hoped to see.
JAX 10 PHI 16
The Stars’ defense played lights out all game, knocking both Tony Eason and Mike Shula out of the game at different points, leading to a very ineffective Sam Garcia sighting. Kelvin Bryant’s 87 yards included a 1-yard over-the-top plunge in the 2nd quarter that helped the Stars take a 13-0 halftime lead, one they would never relinquish.
MEM 10 PIT 38
You have to feel for Showboat fans. They started the season so strong only to lose their QB and realize that they did not have much else on offense. Shawn Moore got the start again, but could not produce points (Expect to see Torretta get a start next week). For Pittsburgh, Alan Risher had a strong day again, throwing for 402 yards and 4 scores.
ORL 10 WSH 27
Reggie Collier kept Orlando in the game early, going 10 for 12 to start the game, but spent too much time running for his life. Sacked 4 time, the final one, a rough Dexter Manley hit, sent Collier out of the game and his backup, Craig Erickson would not have the same success. Meanwhile, Barry Word and Curvin Richards both did well, with Richards scoring an early TD and Word carrying the ball 20 times to help Washington wind down the clock late.
TBY 23 BAL 17
Tampa Bay earned a bit of respect at the hands of the Baltimore Blitz, who started the year strong but have now faded away. Two Aikman to Truvillion TD’s one a 58 yard bomb, helped remind fans of what the team can be when they have a solid line and the passing game is working. Harmon and Bienemy still struggled to gain yards on the ground, combining for only 74 yards rushing, but Tampa had enough to outlast the Blitz.
ARZ 18 HOU 21
This was the game everyone wanted to see, and we got what we expected. Houston opened strong, with 2 Thomas TD’s in the first half, an da Keith McKeller TD reception to go up 21-7 at the break. Arizona then clamped down, and added 10 points in the second half, but it was not enough as Houston frustrated QB Scott Mitchell all day. Despite a strong 94-yard performance from Lionel James, Mitchell was forced to make early throws too often and the Wranglers fell to the Gamblers.
DEN 19 MGN 10
The Gold showed up ready for a defensive struggle in the SilverDome, and that is what they got. Neither team amassed 300 yards of offense as defense and field position ruled the day. It was Michigan up 10-0 early, but over the course of 3 quarters, Denver added field goal after field goal (4 in total) to take a 12-10 lead into the 4th, and then, on a busted play, Krieg hit Mark Carrier for the deciding score as Denver put space between themselves and the ineffective Panther offense.
OAK 24 NOR 35
The Breakers had one of their best offensive games of the year as Oakland again proved to be out of sorts all day. Tim Rosenbach hit on 3 TD passes and Marcus Dupree, despite carrying the ball only 8 times, scored twice as the Breakers outpaced the Invaders. New Orleans used blitzes to get to Hebert, who threw for 410 yards but was sacked 4 times, hurried another 8 times and only managed 1 TD pass.
STL 31 CHI 40
The Knights stayed in a nickel defense practically the entire game, a strategy that largely paid off, holding Bernie Kosar to only 2 passing TD’s and 2 interceptions. The problem was they could not shut down John Carney’s right foot. Carney kicked 4 fieldgoals, and HB Ricky Waters scored twice as the Machine simply scored on more drives, though both teams put up solid yardage and points on the other.
BIR 17 NJ 27
It was not that the Generals upset the Stallions that shocked folks, it was how effective they were against Brett Favre that surprised most observers. Favre completed only 17 of 34 passes, with 2 TD’s but also threw 3 interceptions and was sacked 5 times in a really bad showing at the Meadowlands. The blitzing Generals got sacks from 5 different players and FS John White had a huge game, picking off Favre twice, and breaking up 3 more passes. Both Flutie and Walker also had strong games, as the Generals proved that they were a team to reckon with, winning their 5th in a row and knocking off the league’s best team.
We have to highlight both the AP Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week this week, because without their efforts, their two teams would simply no longer be in the playoff hunt. On offense the biggest star of the week was much-maligned Portland QB Kerwin Bell. Against Texas, in what would be a 1-point victory, Bell accounted for all 5 Portland touchdowns. He found TE Clint Didier twice for scores, and with only seconds left in the game, threw his 5th TD of the day to little-used FB Mike Cade to upend the homestanding Texas Outlaws. Bell, who has struggled all year with consistency, had his best performance of the season, completing 27 of 52 passes for 372 yards and the 5 scores. With Robert Drummond again hampered by a hamstring and held to only 40 yards, it was Bell who took over on offense and helped the Thunder to a vital win.
On the other side of the ball, Philadelphia DE Steve Bryan was vital in helping the Stars pull off a tough defensive win against the favored Jacksonville Bulls. Bryan’s 3 sacks included one that sidelined Tony Eason for the rest of the day, one that pushed Jacksonville out of a safe field goal range, leading to a Stoyanovich miss, and finally, one that killed a huge drive on a 3rd and 5 late in the game, helping Philly hold on to their slim 16-10 lead and preserve the win. Bryan, with the 3-sack day, leapfrogged both both Charles Haley and Phil Hanson to take over 2nd on the season sack list. Paired with William Fuller, the Stars “Malachi Crunch” has produced a combined 29 sacks, helping to set the tone for the Philadelphia defense.
We have our first two clinches this week, with both Houston and Birmingham locking up a playoff spot. Both are also 1 win away from clinching the division title, and Birmingham can even lock up the #1 seed with a win and a Federals loss. Looking to lock up playoff berths this week are Arizona (9-4), Chicago (8-5), Washington 9-4), Pittsburgh, and Jacksonville (both 8-5). The Maulers and Bulls would need help, both counting on losses by Philadelphia and Memphis to lock in their berths. Mathematically only Tampa Bay is fully eliminated from playoff scenarios, but the paths for Baltimore, Orlando, Michigan and New Orleans are as close to impossible as you can get without being officially eliminated.
In the “no one is shocked” department, Tampa Bay has already been rumored to have a short list of possible coaching candidates ready to go. One candidate they can already speak with is former Denver Broncos head coach Dan Reeves. Reeves was let go by the Broncos this past February, and he is a prime target for several teams, including the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and the USFL Bandits.
Another name being mentioned often, at least on local sportsradio, is that of former Chicago Bears Head Coach Mike Ditka. Ditka seems an odd fit for the Bandits, but stranger things have happened. Others receiving attention are Chargers D-line coach George O’Leary, former Clemson head coach Danny Ford, and Dolphins defensive coordinator Tom Olivadotti. Current interim coach Ron Zook is not expected to be retained, so the search is wide open. And, with Tampa’s defensive woes this year, do not be surprised if the Bandits retire “Banditball” and seek to find a coach with a defensive pedigree. That is one of the reasons why we cannot ignore the rumors about Ditka, and why either O’Leary or Olivadotti make sense as well. No current NFL coach can be contacted until August and the NFL-USFL transfer window, but that does not impact the Bandits being able to speak with “free agent” coaches like Reeves, Ditka, or Danny Ford.
A big hit for Birmingham as guard Guy McIntyre went down for the rest of the season with a knee injury during the loss to New Jersey. While McIntyre is not essential to pass protection, the already struggling run game of the Stallions will sorely miss the big road grater. Another big loss is Philly DT Leon Lett, who will miss the rest of the regular season for the Stars. Oakland got more bad news as LB Ron Rivera is expected to miss a month. New Jersey did not walk away unimpacted by their game in Birmingham, as tackle William Israel may miss the next 2 weeks. Other shorter-term injuries to report include Portland’s Cris Carter, who is out with a wrist injury, Memphis rookie Deon Figures, who will miss a week or more with a shoulder injury, and Arizona’s Courtney Hawkins, listed as doubtful with a sprained knee. Jack Trudeau is listed as Questionable, but most in Michigan expect him to start this week despite a rib injury.
It’s that rarest of events in the USFL next week, Inter-conference play, and some big games to test teams in both conferences. We start with New Jersey at Houston. The Generals take their 5 game win streak to face the best team in the West. Can they stay hot or will the Gamblers cool those high rollers down? Birmingham, fresh off a surprising loss to New Jersey has no easy task ahead of them either, as they travel to the desert to face the 9-4 Arizona Wranglers. In another marquee matchup we have 8-5 Jacksonville at 7-6 Denver. Playoff qualification will very much be on the minds of the Chicago Machine as they host Baltimore, the Pittsburgh Maulers as they travel to New Orleans, and the Federals as they face off against the Outlaws in Texas.
Philly’s faint playoff hopes rely on a win in Michigan as two teams who have seen better days renew their rivalry. In Oakland, two teams that looked like playoff contenders early on try to stay relevant as the 6-7 Showboats face off against the 5-7 Invaders. In Portland, a win by the home team over the visiting Orlando Renegades will boost them to 7-7 and keep their playoff hopes alive. And finally, in St. Louis, the Knights try to stay mathematically alive as they face a quickly-collapsing Tampa Bay Bandits team just hoping to do well in the draft this year as they look to rebuild a proud franchise.