An exciting week of divisional action, but one marred by a major injury likely to impact a major contender. With all 24 clubs in divisional play this week we knew we would get some good games, and we certainly did, but the injury to Alan Risher overshadowed much of the action as his potential loss for the season rattles the entire calculus of who is the frontrunner in the Eastern Conference. With Risher down for at least 10-12 weeks can the Maulers continue to be a frontrunner for the Atlantic Division? Are the defending champs now at a disadvantage even within their own division? And just who can take advantage and step into a potential void at the top?
No game was more anticipated this week than the battle of undefeateds in Pittsburgh between the upstart Blitz and the reigning league champion Maulers. Everyone hoped for a slugfest, but no one saw the overtime thriller coming, much less the potentially season-ending injury to Alan Risher that impacted not only this game but the rest of the season for the Maulers.
The game started off slowly, with both defenses playing solidly against their opponents. Late in a scoreless first quarter a Pittsburgh pick of a Chris Miller pass gave them solid field position in Baltimore territory, but the Blitz defense held, leading to the lone score of the quarter, a Septien 27-yard field goal. The second quarter saw things begin to move, as both offenses adapted and started to make headway. Baltimore got on the board with a long Luis Zendejas Field Goal, and then, on the next possession, Alan Risher tried to scramble for a first down on a 3rd and 4 play, but took a wicked shot to the knee, totally legal, but clearly impactful as well. He would hobble to the sideline in visible pain, and Shane Matthews would come on to relieve him. Baltimore took advantage, holding Pittsburgh to consecutive 3 and outs in their next 2 possessions, and using the short field provided by these defensive stops to add 14 points o their total, a Kyle Brady TD reception and a Barry Foster 24-yard run.
Foster would become the primary weapon for the Blitz, and he responded with his best game in 3 years, 143 yards on 28 carries. Chris Miller would take advantage of the strong running game, using play action to complete 30 of 41 passes for 263 and 3 scores. But Pittsburgh was not out of this game yet, though, down 17-3, they needed to find an answer. Just before the half, Pittsburgh finally got a drive to stick by switching to a no huddle offense, and with 1:38 left on the clock Shane Matthews found Louis Lipps for a 26-yard TD toss to pull Pitttsburgh within 7.
After a scoreless third quarter, Pittsburgh was able to mount a successful drive and just as the 4th quarter began, Matthews plunged over his center on a QB sneak to equalize the score at 17. Despite a shaky 11 of 24 performance, Matthews was doing enough, thanks in part to the always reliable Mike Rozier (21 carries for 101 yards) and Pittsburgh was still in this game.
Baltimore responded 8 minutes later with a scoring drive of their own as, for the 2nd time on the day, Miller found Kyle Brady open in the endzone to put Baltimore up 24-17 with 7:49 left to play. Pittsburgh’s next drive went nowhere and they returned the ball to Baltimore with only 37 seconds elapsed. Baltimore too failed to gain ground on their final drive, though they milked the clock a bit, and with 5:02 left to play the Maulers got the ball back on their own 7 yard line, needing a TD to tie the game and send it to overtime.
The ensuing Mauler drive was a sporadic one, but it slowly made its way down the field, aided by an offsides penalty on a 3rd and 3, and by a key 4th down run by Rozier against a stacked box. Facing a 3rd and goal at the 7, Matthews found 3rd receiver Yo Murphy in the back of the endzone, just barely avoiding a tip from LB Eric Kumerow, and the game was tied.
Baltimore won the toss and opted to receive in overtime. They were determined not to let Pittsburgh see the ball, and 7 plays later Miller hit HB Derrick Fenner in the flat and Fenner gained steam, plowing over the safety and into the endzone to give Baltimore a huge road win over the defending champs.
The Blitz would move to 4-0, and Pittsburgh would suffer their first defeat of the season. More importantly, they soon received news that Risher had suffered a complete tear of the MCL on his right leg. The injury required immediate treatment, likely a re-attachment surgery, and the recovery time would be measured in months, not weeks. The combination of the Risher injury and the Baltimore victory might just have shifted the balance of power in the Atlantic Conference, with Baltimore and Philadelphia suddenly gaining in the eyes of the Las Vegas bookmakers, while Pittsburgh fell from a 1 in 8 chance of repeating to a 1 in 20 longshot. Such was the impact of the game and the loss of their long time starter.
While the Baltimore-Pittsburgh game was the most viewed, and one of the most dramatic of the weekend, it certainly was not the only game that proved pivotal in the early stages of the season.
NJ 10 PHI 17
The rivalry between the Stars and Generals renewed in Veterans Stadium, where a 4th quarter TD toss from Chuck Long to rookie Stepfret Williams was the difference. This game saw its share of injuries as well as Philadelphia lost Pat Chaffey, possibly for a month, while New Jersey saw RT Herb Wester go down with a concussion.
OHI 10 WSH 20
Kordell Stewart helped Washington even their record at 2-2 with a 10-point home win over Ohio. Stewart went 22 of 34 and threw a nice 44-yard TD pass to Herman Moore. The game was tied at 10 after 3 quarters, but Washington’s D helped pull out the win as Lester Lyles picked off Jeff Hostetler and ran it back for a late score to put the game well into the Federals’ hands.
JAX 31 TBY 35
A great game to watch in Tampa, where Troy Aikman’s 4-TD day helped the Bandits overcome the Bulls in a shootout. Both Aikman and Chandler threw for well over 300 yards and 4 scores apiece, but it was a last minute Aikman to Ben Coates 84-yard stunner that caused the Tampa crowd to get to its feet. The final minute score answered a Dokie Williams TD that looked like a potential game winner for the Bulls.
BIR 21 MEM 20
A rowdy crowd of nearly 53,000 in Memphis witnessed another great game as the Stallions got a late Cedrick Tillman TD to upend the Showboats and even both clubs at 2-2 for the year. Three picks on the day by Heath Shuler helped keep Birmingham in range, even as Brett Favre struggled, sacked 5 times and going 1 for 8 on third down. The bomb to Tillman was a huge play on a day when Memphis had allowed almost no big plays, but it was a decisive one.
ATL 24 ORL 45
Orlando rolled to a 31-3 halftime lead and never looked back as both Terry Kirby (141 on 16 carries) and rookie Kantroy Barber (111 on 9 carries) went over the century mark against a Fire defense that had no answers up front. Scott Mitchell only completed 12 passes on the day, but the run game of Orlando was, for the first time in a long time, a dominant factor in the game.
MGN 28 CHI 35
Another great game in Chicago, where the Machine eked out a win over the very game Panthers. Ricky Watters outpaced Tyrone Wheatley 93 yards to 65 and Mario Bates added a late TD to give Chicago a 35-21 advantage, but Michigan came close, scoring first on a Jeff Campbell TD toss from Flutie, then recovering an onside kick, but the Panthers, needing a TD to tie, could not get magic from Flutie as his attempt at a hail mary fell to the ground in the endzone as time expired.
STL 17 HOU 17 OT
A weird one in the Astrodome, as the Gamblers, despite the return of Thurman Thomas to the offense, simply could not get in synch. Todd Collins and the Knights kept Houston in check, and, trailing 17-7 after three quarters, came back with a late Emile Harry TD catch to tie the game. Both teams struggled in overtime, with John Kasay missing on a 48-yarder while Cole Ford came up well short on a desperation 57-yarder as time expired, leaving both clubs with that unpleasant feeling of a tie game.
TEX 21 NOR 31
New Orleans takes over sole possession of first place in the Central as their defense limited Reggie Cobb to 12 carries, got off the field on 3rd down, and pressured Kelly Stouffer all day. Terrell Davis carried the load on offense for the Breakers, toting the rock 22 times for 66 yards and a score, while Jamie Martin had an amazing day, completing 25 of 27 for 301 yard and 3 TDs.
LA 32 DEN 17
The LA Express now share the top spot in the Pacific after a surprising road win against the Denver Gold. LA scored on 4 consecutive second half drives to overcome a 17-6 deficit and upend the Gold in Mile High. Brent Pease got protection all day from his line, and completed 30 of 40 passes for 330 yards and 3 second half TDs, rushing for a 4th, as the Express took it to the Gold.
POR 38 OAK 16
The battle of surprise winless teams went to the Thunder as Jack Trudeau threw for 4 scores against an Invaders defense that seemed confused and out of place all day. Coach Mora cannot be happy with that performance as Portland racked up points while the Oakland offense sputtered, with Bobby Hebert picked off three times in the game.
SEA 10 ARZ 30
Coach Tollner’s shift from Robbie Bosco to Trent Green was shortlived, but the message was received loud and clear by the former starter. Up 7-0 in the first, Green was hit across the head and suffered a concussion, leading to Bosco finishing up the game. He led Arizona to 23 points and a solid win over the offensively-challenged Dragons, who also lost their starter to injury early in the game. Both are expected to return next week, but the benching seems to have motivated Bosco, though not Coach Tollner, who already announced that, if healthy, Green will get the start again next week.
LA Story: The 2-2 start of the Express may not seem like a major news story, but this expansion club has already knocked off 2 division foes (Denver and Oakland) and found their offense in doing so. After a rough first 2 weeks which saw the Express score a total of 17 points combined, they have rattled off 33 and 32 in consecutive games. Their defense has also stiffened up after their first two games (33 and 37 points) to allow only 18 and 17 points in weeks 3 and 4. And while not all aspects of their game is working the way they would like (Marcus Allen is still struggling to find lanes to run) the Express have to be pleased with both their young QB Brent Pease (1,066 passing yards and 8 TDs) and their pass rush, which has generated 12 sacks in 4 games. Santana Dotson is among the league leaders with 5 sacks to date, and they have also gotten help from his opposite, Antonio Edwards (2 sacks) and the LB corps. LA sits atop the Pacific Division, and with clear issues in both Oakland and Arizona, their main obstacle may be the Denver Gold, who they have already defeated at Mile High. Could the 2nd year franchise led by former USFL QB Rick Neuheisel actually make a run at the division title? It seems so, but there is still a lot of football to play.
Oakland Woes: On the other side of the sprectrum, if you are looking for a reason behind the Oakland Invaders’ 0-4 start, don’t look at Bobby Hebert. His 306 yards per game is among the league leaders and his QB Rating of 88.7, while not among the league’s best, is hardly a major concern. Yes, Hebert has thrown 6 interceptions in 4 games, but he has spent a lot of time playing catchup, so it is understandable that he would be pressing a bit. No, it seems clear where the issue is. While the offense is averaging a slightly under par 18 PPG, the defense is allowing a league worst 35 points per game. You are not going to win many games when the opposition is scoring 5 TDs a game. The Invaders have gotten no pash rush at all, with their sack leader being backup DT Jeff Alm. They also are not pressuring QBs into mistakes, with a lone Ron Rivera pick as the only one for the club in their first four games. Coach Mora had better get more out of this defense and quickly or this could be a long season in Oakland. We all respect Coach Mora, but his new system on defense either does not have the right personnel to be successful, or is too complex for his club to pick it all up. Whatever the issue, the odds are already stacked against an Invaders playoff season this year.
Orlando Runs to Glory: When you think of the best rushing attacks in the USFL, the Orlando Renegades are not the club that typically comes to mind, but they seem to have found something this year with the combination of veteran free agent signing Terry Kirby and midround rookie pickup Kantroy Barber. The combo of Kirby-Barber (Kirbarber?) has produced 405 yards on the ground this season, better than any single back in the league. The duo were in rare form this week against Atlanta, when Kirby rushed for 141 yards on 16 carries and Barber went for 101 on only 9 carries. If this dynamic duo continues at their pace for the full year, we could have the first double 1,000 yard tandem in league history. It is a tall order, but Coach O’Leary seems eager to win with a ground game, taking pressure off of Scott Mitchell, and adding the ability to run down the clock as well. Orlando was on the cusp of playoff football last season, and now, with a run game they can rely on, they may be ready for the next step up.
Pittsburgh Signs a QB: With Alan Risher officially placed on injured reserve, Shane Matthews moves up to the starting position and Pat O’Hara occupies the 2nd slot. Pittsburgh, looking for additional depth, and perhaps some experienced words of wisdom at the position went out this week and signed former Tampa Bay Bandit and NFL QB John Fourcade. While it is unlikely that Fourcade will see action in a Mauler jersey, his veteran presence can only help Matthews or O’Hara as they face the challenge of leading a championship caliber team.
Injury Report: While the Risher injury is clearly the story of the week, there are a few other teams looking hard at that injury report and wondering how they will adapt. Pittsburgh’s foe this week, Philadelphia, will be without both starter Charlie Garner and backup Pat Chaffey, forcing them to activate Troy Ham from the practice squad. Ham will share carries with 3rd stringer Kevin Boule and FB Eddie Colson, at least for this week, before Garner is expected back in Week 6.
Houston is also feeling the pain as they will likely be without two starters on the O-line this week as well as their reliable slot receiver, Ricky Proehl. Proehl is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a torn biceps, while starting LG John Rienstra could be out the same amount of time with a knee injury. Center Aaron Graham is listed as questionable with a hip injury, but should at least be back for week 6.
Washington’s Kordell Stewart will likely get the nod for at least 2 more weeks as Don Majkowski recovers, but now will also have to deal with an injury to All-USFL LT Ken Lanier, who could be out this week and possible one more. In Seattle, Lomas Brown may miss this week just as Timm Rosenbach looks to return to action. And in Memphis, CB Derrick Cudrup is expected to join WR Joe Horn on the injured list after suffering a concussion in practice on a freak collision with a TE during 7 on 7 drills.
The USFL welcomed their 1996 Hall of Fame class this week. With five eligible spots available, a split among voters, particularly at the HB position, means that only 4 candidates received the required 75% of votes. Leading the pack was former Philadelphia Stars QB Chuck Fusina, who garnered 95% of the vote in his first year of eligibility. WR Mel Gray and former Panther defensive captain John Corker both also scored more than 85% of the votes. Longtime LA Express corner Raphel Cherry rounded out the four, named on 79% of the ballots.
Just missing the cut were Washington Federals back Craig James, whose 73% just missed the cutoff. Craig was likely hindered by voters splitting their ballots among three intriguing candidates, with Gary Anderson and John Williams also both named on more than 50% of ballots. Former Breaker WR Nolan Franz also missed the cut by fewer than 10%, named on 67% of ballots. The HOF ceremony recognizing these 4 league legends will be held in July, during Wild Card Weekend of the USFL season. They will join John Reaves, Junior Ah-You, Anthony Carter, Marcus Marek, and owner John Bassett in the new USFL wing within the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
James, Williams, Franz, Anderson, Doug Williams, and others will be eligible for the next 4 years as they return to a pool that will include 1992 retirees such as legendary Birmingham Stallion HB Joe Cribbs, Blitz receiver Jackie Flowers, former LA Raider and Express TE Todd Christiansen, Stallion DE Bob Barber, SS William Cesare, and FS Mike Fox of the Express and Machine as part of the 1997 HOF contenders.
Week 5 blends divisional matches in the East with inter-divisional games in the West once again. The biggest game by far has the 3-1 Maulers, with Shane Matthews under center, going to Philadelphia to face the 4-0 Stars. Philly’s offense has not taken off yet, so if the Maulers can hold them, they have a chance despite losing Alan Risher for the year last week. The Keystone Clash is only one big rivalry game as we also have Washington traveling just up the road to take on the Baltimore Blitz. The Blitz knocked off Pittsburgh last week in a statement game. Can they keep the same energy or will the 2-2 Federals work their way into the divisional mix behind the dual threat of QB Kordell Stewart?
In the South the key matchups all involve Florida clubs as we have a battle of 2-2 clubs when Orlando heads up I-95 to face the Jacksonville Bulls. Meanwhile, alone at 3-1, the Bandits head to Birmingham to face the Stallions. The other two East Conference matchups, Ohio @ New Jersey and Memphis @ Atlanta may not have the same allure as the highlighted games, but could still turn out to be a lot of fun to watch.
In the Western Conference we have a few great matchups as well, with New Orleans headed up to Mile High to face the Denver Gold, Michigan out in the desert to face Trent Green and the Wranglers, Texas in Oakland as the Invaders try to score their first win of the year, and Chicago up in Portland hoping to move over .500 with a win. Houston is out in Seattle, and, in a surprisingly intriguing game we have the former LA Express, the St. Louis Knights, in LA to face the New Express. Both clubs have surprised with their performances so far this year, and this could actually be a really interesting matchup of potential up & comers this season.