This does not happen often, but for the 2nd time in 3 weeks two USFL Central Division teams faced off, and for the second time in 3 weeks the game turned into the game of the week. After edging Texas 23-22 in San Antonio in Week 2 play, thanks to a last second John Kasay field goal, the Gamblers hosted the Outlaws in Week 4 and again it was a one point affair. Once again Texas had a late lead only to see the Gamblers find a way to win at the end.
Houston came into the week unsure if All-USFL QB Jim Kelly would be able to play, but when the game began there he was in the huddle. Kelly would have a very strong day, throwing for 316 and 2 TDs to help lead Houston to the win. As usual he got a lot of help from HB Thurman Thomas, who paired 89 yards rushing with 65 yards receiving as he once again leads the league in total yards from scrimmage.
Texas was game as well, with Reggie Cobb rushing for a respectable 82 yards and wideout Eric Metcalf racking up 141 yards and a score on 7 receptions. Former Philadelphia Star Quinn Early also had a strong game, catching 5 balls, including a 3rd quarter TD.
The game opened strong for Houston, which built up a 19-0 lead in the 2nd quarter on two Kelly TD passes, a field goal and a safety caused by a holding call in the Texas endzone. But, Texas got on the board late in the 2nd with a Nick Mike-Myer field goal, and then rattled off 21 consecutive points, dominating most of the second half. It was Metcalf first, from 5 yards out, then Quinn Early, and finally TE Theo Young put Texas up 24-19 with 12 minutes left.
Houston, which had looked ineffective in the second half, woke up just in time, taking a late 4th quarter punt and driving the ball down the field, with Thurman Thomas diving in from the 1 with just over 3 minutes to play. A failed 2-point PAT left Houston with a one-point lead again, but with 3 minutes left, there was plenty of time for Texas to turn the tables one more time. But, after a short run by Cobb, Stouffer threw two incompletions and the Outlaws punted back to Houston, hoping they would have time for one more drive.
The Gamblers did not let that happen. With Thomas on the sideline, Kelly faked a handoff and then found Keith Woodside in the flat. Woodside sidestepped a tackle and was off to the races. The 42 yard play was his only reception of the game, but it set Houston up with the option to kill the clock or kick a field goal as time expired. Jim Kelly would end up taking a knee twice, and Houston got the sweep of their in-state rival.
WSH 24 BAL 31
Baltimore gets their second straight win, both in division, as they knock off Washington thanks to a 28-0 scoring run over the second, third, and 4th quarters. Washington got a late Duane Gunn TD to pull within 7, but it was too little too late for the Feds, who now drop to 1-3.
PIT 21 NJ 13
The Maulers grab a share of first and return to .500 with a win in the Meadowlands. Herschel Walker outgained Mike Rozier 84-69, but it was not enough as the Mauler D picked off Doug Flutie 3 times. Alan Risher threw for a score and ran one in to lead the Maulers to a key Atlantic Division win.
TBY 10 BIR 27
Birmingham had trouble running the ball against Tampa, but with 327 yards from Favre they easily dispatched the Bandits, who seem to be having something of an offensive crisis of identity with Eric Truvillion still on the injured list. Dawsey and Givens kept up their blistering pace for the Stallions as both eclipsed 100 yards on the day.
ORL 24 JAX 28
Orlando looked better but still fell to 0-4 against the homestanding Bulls. A late Brian Blades TD reception undid a brief Orlando lead of 24-21 and sunk the winless Renegades. Blades finished the game with 117 yards and that key score, while Vince Workman had a solid game with 73 yards on only 13 carries. John Jefferson was the lone bright spot for Orlando, catching 10 balls for 136 and 2 of Orlando’s 3 touchdowns.
CHI 28 MGN 21
A huge road win for the Machine, moving them to 3-1 and pushing the Panthers to 1-3. Bernie Kosar had another outstanding game, completing 85% of his passes for 325 yards and 4 TDs against a Michigan defense that clearly did not have any answers. Chicago only ran the ball 15 times all game as the passing game was proving effective throughout the game. Jack Trudeau did his best, throwing for 3 scores, but without defensive support it just was not enough.
ARZ 21 OAK 13
Arizona gets the sweep over 1992 Division Champ Oakland as they win another tight game against the Invaders. Two more TD runs by Darryl Clack help the Wranglers overcome the Invaders, who did not reach the endzone until the final 3 minutes of the game, when Hebert hit McCaffrey to make the game look closer than it was.
DEN 27 STL 14
Denver continues to find success for Coach Phillips as they knock off the Knights in St. Louis. Natrone Means had 78 yards and a score as he split time with Timmy Smith, and Dave Krieg avoided the pick while throwing two TD’s to put Denver over the top. After the game Coach Elway was questioned about Dan McGwire, and his answer lead many to expect David Archer to get a start next week for the 0-4 Knights.
NOR 13 PHI 37
Danny McManus had a rough outing, completing only 42% of his passes and getting sacked by Philadelphia 5 times. Meanwhile, Chuck Long played well, throwing for 2 scores, but he was knocked out of the game in the 3rd, giving Browning Nagle a chance to play. Nagle went 9 of 10 in garbage time to stoke the fires of controversy in Philly, but a win is a win, and this one was pretty one sided.
POR 10 MEM 31
Portland gets trounced for a second straight week as Kelley and Boone overwhelm the Thunder defense. Boone gets his first 100 yard game of the year and Kelley throws for 2 scores as Memphis dominates the Thunder. CB Dennis Cudrup also has a strong game, picking off Kerwin Bell and running it back 41 yards for the score in a one-sided affair that was 31-3 until the game’s final minutes.
This week’s AP Offensive Player of the Week, and our POTW, goes to Baltimore QB Chris Miller. Miller has had an up and down career since being drafted by Jacksonville in 1987. He started 49 games in 4 years for the Bulls, racking up 75 TDs to 42 interceptions, but his tenure there was controversial. A trade to New Jersey proved even worse, as Miller got wrapped up in a battle with Doug Flutie for the starting job. He would only start 7 games that year, managed to throw 18 TDs to only 7 interceptions, but still lost the battle of public opinion. The offseason between 1991 and 1992 he saw himself traded to Denver, but before he could even get off the plane in Colorado, the Gold sent him back east to Baltimore.
In Baltimore Miller has gotten a solid shot to start. He started 15 games last year and has become the established starter for the Blitz this season. Over the past 3 weeks his play has continued to improve, as have the outcomes for Baltimore. He threw for 2 TD’s but 3 picks in Week 2, but last week threw 3 scores with no picks, and this week topped that with a very strong game against the stingy Washington defense, throwing for 350 yards, 4 scores and no picks. If Miller can continue this streak of strong performances the Blitz may well be in the hunt in the Atlantic Division, where their 2-2 record has them as part of a 4-way tie atop the division.
After nearly 6 months of review, the USFL has released its finalists for the 1995 expansion. The league received 10 bids for expansion franchises to partner with the already-approved efforts of William Tatham to return the LA Express to the City of Angels. This week the expansion committee revealed 6 finalists. The fact that so many bids remain alive lead most in the know to believe that the league is looking at a 4-team expansion, rather than the more modest 2-team option. This would fall in line with the 4-team expansions already completed in 1984 and 1987 and would bring the USFL up to 24 teams, a more manageable number for divisional alignment than a 22-team league. With 24 teams the USFL could maintain its' 4 division format, with 6 teams in each division, or could opt for a 6 division format, with three 4-team divisions in each conference.
A 4x6 format would likely reduce the number of interdivisional and interconference games. One would expect that each team would play 10 games within the division (home & away with each rival) and then have only 6 games to split among single games against the remaining 14 clubs of the league. A 6x4 format would have the opposite effect, with each club playing only 6 divisional games and 10 interdivisional or interconference games. One could envision each team playing their division rivals once, playing 4 games against a second division, and then splitting 6 more games against the other 4 divisions. Personally, I like the feel of the 4x6 format as it provides more local rivalries and fewer cross-country flights.
But enough about format, here is the news you have been waiting for. Here are your six bids for what we expect to be 3 expansion clubs in 1995:
Atlanta (GA): An ownership group made up of several Georgia businessmen, with Augusta's William Shivers Morris in the lead position, has what looks like a strong proposal to bring another USFL to the South. With tentative agreements already in place to utilize Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium (43,719 capacity) the group would not be competing for time in Atlanta-Fulton Co. Stadium or the newly-built Georgia Dome (home to the NFL Falcons).
Boston (MA): The Breakers left Boston after 3 seasons due to inadequate stadium options, with both Foxoboro Stadium and BU's Alumni Field unwilling to work with the league. In 7 years has that situation changed? Proposing owner Paul Fireman (of Reebok fame) thinks it has. The bid proposes putting a team in Alumni Field, although Fireman's group also cites Foxboro Stadium as an option, which surprises most, who believe that owner Robert Kraft has little empathy for the USFL.
Columbus (OH): A bid in a football-rich state sounds like a good idea, and both Cleveland and Cincinnati have proven that football fandom in Ohio is certainly strong. This bid, which aims to use Ohio State University's Ohio Stadium as its home venue. "The Horseshoe" woudl be one of the largest stadiums in the USFL, which worries some as we have already seen what happened in LA with the Coliseum. But, ownership led by local real estate magnate Daniel Galbreath and including, surprisingly enough, Ann Arbor based Domino's Pizza President Thomas Monaghan. Who would imagine a team in Ohio Stadium owned in part by a guy from Ann Arbor?
Dallas (TX): Is the USFL ready for a third Texas franchise? Possibly, if bidding owner Richard Rainwater (a Ft. Worth investor) has his way. The Cotton Bowl is available if Texas Stadium is off-limits to a USFL franchise, but we would not be surprised if the NFL's Jerry Jones saw an opportunity to add more revenue through rental should Dallas be selected.
Miami (FL): If adding a third team in Texas concerns some USFL owners, adding a 4th to Florida has to raise some red flags. Even with solid ownership, having 3 votes, including the influential votes of Tampa Bay owner John Bassett, against it, may make this one a tough sell. If they were approved, they might have to play in the Orange Bowl Stadium, as Joe Robbie Stadium, home of the Dolphins is almost certainly off limits.
Seattle (WA): The Seattle bid is an interesting one in that they have two solid stadium options (The King Dome and UW's Husky Stadium), a strong ownership group, but also a bit of leverage. Even with the expansion of Portland's Civic Stadium to 34,000 it would still be one of the smallest stadiums in the league. If Portland ownership does not see a path towards sustained profitability, the risk is there for a Seattle group to snatch up the Breakers and move them to the Emerald City. If the USFL wants to avoid that, they may just accept a bid for a Seattle franchise just to keep the Portland market engaged.
WHAT CITIES DO YOU SEE AS THE BEST OPTIONS FOR THE USFL?
Use the Comments Section below to give us your picks for the next USFL franchises.
Bad news for several teams as key players could miss multiple weeks. Houston will be without one of their top pass rushers as Michael Sinclair tore the meniscus in his left knee, which is expected to take up to 2 months to heal. Oakland will be without wideout Mark Duper almost as long with an abdominal tear. A few others who will likely miss action next week include Breakers’ wideout Herman Fontenot, Philly WR Gerard Phelan, Memphis tackle Bruce Wilkerson, and Birmingham DE John Copeland, all of whom are listed as questionable.
Week 5 brings us to interdivisional play with the South hosting the Atlantic and the Pacific hosting the Central Division. Undefeated Birmingham will face Baltimore, who have won 2 in a row after a slow start. Jacksonville will try to keep pace but have to get past Herschel Walker and the Generals. Memphis is hosting Philadelphia in the Liberty Bowl and Pittsburgh will try not to be Orlando’s first victim. Washington finishes out the Eastern Conference play with a game in Tampa Bay between two teams no one expected to be 1-3.
In the Western Conference, Chicago will test their 3-1 record in Arizona against the 3-1 Wranglers. Houston will head to Mile High to play the surprising Denver Gold and two teams that are stuck at 1-3 will hope to turn things around as Bobby Hebert and the Invaders host his old team, the Michigan Panthers. New Orleans will hope to rebound against Portland, themselves losers of 2 straight. Finally, Texas at 2-2 will be in St. Louis where the Knights are hoping to break their rough 0-4 start.