Wild Card Weekend, or should we call it Once More Weekend, as two wily veterans dominate both games. With retirement speculation roiling, Pittsburgh’s Mike Rozier goes off against the Memphis Defense, while in Michigan QB Doug Flutie shows he still has a little magic left as he leads a Panther attack that catches New Orleans unprepared. It’s all part of the joy of playoff football as the USFL heats up under the summer sun.
The Liberty Bowl was rocking as nearly 54,000 sat in 88 degree heat to cheer on their Showboats and interim head coach Cam Cameron. But the day belonged to veteran halfback Mike Rozier, who showed off some moves we don’t often see from a 32-year old halfback, proving his retirement may not be eminent after all. The 13 year veteran defied Father Time and rattled off 148 yards on 20 carries to lead the Maulers to the road victory in the Mid-South.
Memphis’s offense also had its moments, including their opening drive, which was more of a blitz than a march down the field. It took Memphis only 3 plays and 48 seconds to get on the board as Heath Shuler completed 3 consecutive passes of over 15 yards to rocket the Showboats into the Red Zone, and from there, after one lone Moe Williams run, he found Carl Pickens for a 12-yard strike to put the Showboats up top, much to the delight of the partisan Memphis crowd.
Pittsburgh needed only 3:22 to even things up, as their offense also looked ready to rock the house. Robbie Bosco, the midseason transfer who many credit with saving the Mauler season, connected with Raynard Brown on a key 3rd and 8, and Mike Rozier carried the ball 4 times for 31 yards, including a 15-yard scoring run which included a dynamic spin move against the safety, as Pittsburgh evened up the score at 7 apiece. They would take the lead for good on the next possession, when Bosco found Brown, slotted into Louis Lipps’ usual position as the X receiver, and the Maulers went up by 7. It would be a 4 point lead at the half as Memphis was able to add a Kevin Shea 45-yarder midway through the 2nd quarter.
The third quarter belonged to Mike Rozier, as he gained nearly 80 yards on the ground in this one period alone. Pittsburgh would garner the only score in the quarter as Rozier took it down to the 1, but the Maulers used the threat of the run to free up Dwight Pickens for a scoring toss by faking to their lead back. Up 21-10, the Maulers set off to shorten the game and used a combination of short passes and Rozier runs to do it. How dominant was the 13-year vet? Pittsburgh normally subs in Dorsey Levins on occasion to spell Rozier, but in this game the bulkier backup only touched the ball once, as Rozier just kept picking up yards, a 7.4 YPC average.
After a Septien field goal put Pittsburgh up 24-10, Memphis clawed back into the game with Shuler finding Adrian Cooper for a score mid-way through the 4th, but they would get no closer. The combination of clock killing runs and a botched 4th and 2 by Memphis ensured that this game would not be heading to overtime. After the game Coach Marchibroda, who is set to step down as soon as Pittsburgh’s run is over, said “Mike carried us today. I would not be surprised if he came back next year and was still a force in this league.” Rozier, whose retirement has been speculated since the 1994 season, didn’t want to hear it, stating “Don’t ask me about next year, we still have games to play right now. We’re going to Baltimore and we know what we have to do next.”
In the Pontiac Silverdome it was another savvy vet who is beginning to show some grey on the temples who led the Panthers on a route of their division foes from New Orleans. Doug Flutie threw for 4 TD’s, all in the first half as the Panthers lept out to a 27-0 lead before the Breakers knew what hit them. Flutie had a first half to remember, and then slowed down the pace in the second half, relying on the run game more to preserve the win. Touchdowns to Jeff Campbell (2), Muhsin Muhammad and Weegie Thompson ended the first four of the Panther’s first half drives, while New Orleans saw 3 punts and a pick as their results before Herman Fontenot scored just before the two minute warning. A late Brad Daluiso kick and Michigan took a comfortable 30-7 lead into the half.
The crowd in Pontiac, counted as 48,274, stayed throughout to cheer on the Panthers, who never let the Breakers get back to within 20 points, adding scores by Rodney Culver of 5 and 7 yards. They even got a Sean Salisbury sighting as Flutie came off the field to a standing ovation early in the 4th quarter with Michigan up 47-14. Flutie finished with only 232 yards, but all the accolades after leading the Panthers to those four consecutive scoring drives. Tyrone Wheatley remained a huge part of the offense all day, as his 2nd half numbers (101 yards on 11 carries) helped him finish with 160 yards rushing on the day. Flutie found 9 different receivers on the day, including hitting all 3 of his starting wideouts with 6 passes and welcoming back TE Butch Rolle with 5 catches for 60 yards.
For New Orleans, the defensive breakdowns of the first half and the inability to shut down the run in the second threw their entire gameplan out the window. Jamie Martin would throw 3 TD’s, all to flanker Herman Fontenot, but the defense just did not have what it took to slow down the Panthers on this day. The huge Michigan lead all but took Terrell Davis out of the game, as he finished with only 12 carries. With Martin forced to play catchup, the Panthers defense stayed in nickel for most of the game and the lanes were simply not there for Martin to find big plays.
“They outplayed us, got us behind and we just could not shut them down” Coach Ditka told reporters after the game. “Flutie doesn’t get enough praise in this league”, he added, “that little guy can play this game.”
So two games down, and now we head into the biggest weekend of football this summer, the Divisional Round, with 4 games and 8 teams all vying for a shot at their conference titles. Life does not get easier for either Pittsburgh or Michigan as each must now face the top seed in their conference. Both will face familiar divisional foes as Pittsburgh heads to Baltimore to play the Blitz, while Michigan heads down to Houston and an offense which can keep pace with Flutie magic, the Gamblers, led by Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas. Let’s take a look at all 4 matchups as we prep for Divisional Playoffs in the USFL.
Pittsburgh Maulers (5) @ Baltimore Blitz (1)
Memorial Stadium, Baltimore
3pm EDT, Saturday, July 13
The Maulers head into Baltimore to face the top seed in the East, knowing full well that the Blitz are looking for a bit of revenge after they were mauled 24-7 a month ago. The Blitz boast the league’s top scoring defense, and can make the passing game nearly unworkable with a combination of pressure and tight coverage. If Pittsburgh is going to have a shot, they are going to need to lean on Rozier and Levins to keep the ball moving on the ground. The Blitz have a balanced, but somewhat erratic offense. Both Chris Miller and Barry Foster had their best seasons in blitz blue this year, but both also relied heavily on short fields and post-turnover drives to get on the board.
Our pick this week? We have to go with defense here. Baltimore let things slip a bit after clinching the #1 seed, but with 2 weeks to prep and a chip on their shoulders, we have to like the Blitz to take care of business here.
St. Louis Knights (3) @ Denver Gold (2)
Mile High Stadium
7:00pm EDT, Saturday, July 13
This could be the most balanced game of the week, and will likely be the lowest scoring, as both clubs play solid defense and both have some offensive challenges. Denver likes to rely on the efficiency of Mark Brunell’s short passing game, balanced with an inside-outside run game with Rashaan Salaam. For St. Louis, it is much the same, with Todd Collins rarely taking deep shots, while a combo rushing attack using Darrell Thompson, Alfred Jenkins, and big man Craig “Ironhead” Hawyard, keeps the defense honest. Looking at the rankings you have Denver, with the 4th best scoring offense in the league balanced against the #9 scoring defense, while St. Louis boasts the 8th best offense and the 3rd best defense. What that tells us is that this one could come down to the wire.
Denver will have some key pieces missing, as guard O’Neill Glenn is out, while his opposite on the right side, Evan Pilgrim, is doubtful, which could impact the run game quite a bit. Both Kurt Gouveia and Anthony Tuggle are expected back on defense, which will certainly help the Gold. St. Louis comes in much healthier, with only backup tackle Greg Bishop on the injury report. Their main concern is how to handle DE Leslie O’Neill and the Gold pass rush.
Our pick here is still a matter of debate. Home field is a real thing in the USFL, so there is a slight lean towards the Gold, but it is by no means certain.
Philadelphia Stars (3) @ Tampa Bay Bandits (2)
Tampa Stadium
1pm EDT, Sunday, July 14
Tampa Bay look poised for a deep run, having ended the regular season on a 7-game winning streak, while Philadelphia seem to have lost a bit of the mojo they held earlier in the year. The Philly run game has not been able to gain traction, and Chuck Long came back from a brief injury respite looking a bit rusty and out of synch. That does not bode well when you are facing a club like Tampa Bay, which can rattle off points like a Gatling gun. Troy Aikman has had his best season under Coach Glanville, thanks to a new offensive philosophy which allows him to make use of the speed of his top receivers, Shannon Baker and Robert Brooks. The emergence of Ben Coates as a legit threat at the TE position, and the balance available with Errict Rhett at tailback make the Bandits one of the league’s most dangerous offenses. The Stars cannot afford to get in a shootout. They will rely on a defense led by a solid pass rush and the speed rush of outstanding rookie Regan Upshaw to keep the game close. Philly does not have burners on the outside, with Cris Carter being more of a possession & red zone receiver and Eric Green at TE lacking deep speed.
Philly also has to face far more injury concerns than Tampa, with key players likely out on both sides of the ball, including center John Flannery, WR Stepfret Williams, FS Tim Hauck, and TE Marcus Pollard all likely to be out. Tampa has a pretty clean sheet, except for the absence of Chris Doering in the slot, but that has been their situation for weeks, and Freddie
We like Tampa here. Philly might hold it close for a half, or even 3 quarters, but at some point Aikman is going to hit a deep ball and this game will get away from the Stars.
Michigan Panthers (4) @ Houston Gamblers (1)
Houston Astrodome
4:30pm EST, Sunday, July 14
This is the game that could give us our best chance for a shootout. Both of these clubs have a ton of offensive weapons, and both can take the ball away on defense. The combination of Flutie and Wheatley proved they could be dangerous against the Breakers, and we all have seen the record-breaking pace of Jim Kelly and that Houston offense this year. Expect both defenses to be on their heels all game. Michigan will try to balance the run with the pass, but so can Houston with Thurman Thomas toting the rock. And if either defense opts to load up against the run, it won’t take much for Flutie or Kelly to start looking for quick strikes. This one should be fun. Due to the unbalanced divisional schedule these two met only once this year, a 35-31 barnburner in the Silverdome. We expect much the same in Houston this time around.
Injuries will impact both clubs, but perhaps most for Houston, who will be without Mike Adams and Kerry Glenn in the secondary. DT Luther Ellis is expected back, as is passrusher Michael Sinclair. For Michigan, the main concern is LB Ted Johnson, who is likely to miss his second consecutive playoff game. DT Sam Adams is probable for the start, which could help against the run.
We think this game will be close, and will be high-scoring, but we think the Gamblers have both the fire to win one more for Kelly and Thomas, and to get back to another title game. Michigan has been a revelation this year, and the trade for Flutie has certainly paid off, but the Gamblers seem to be on a mission.
Just a couple of items around the league as most of the news comes out of the playoffs. First off, news out of Memphis as the late run which got them in the playoffs was enough for Showboat ownership to remove the “interim” from Coach Cameron’s title. The young offensive guru will become one of the youngest coaches in the league, taking over for Buddy Ryan, who is still protesting his dismissal. Cameron will need to bolster a defense which has been slowly eroding over the past few years, and may want to find another weapon for Heath Shuler. There is no word yet on whether or not he will make changes to the coaching staff, especially on the defensive side, now that he has locked up his own role with the club.
In other coaching news, the Atlanta Fire and Arizona Wranglers have begun their search process, with each seeking permission to speak with coordinators around the league, as well as a few feelers in NFL circles. Arizona has got to get some offensive help without weakening a defense which has been their calling card for several years. The prospect of seeking a rookie QB (We all know who) means that they will want to get an established offensive mind either at the Head Coach or OC positions. Atlanta, on the other hand, may be looking for a defensive mind. Their offense needs help, to be sure, but they suffered too many blowouts to ignore a defense that ranked 24th in the league in points allowed and 23rd against the rush. Whoever steps in for the Fire will also have to deal with a potential QB issue as ownership clearly wants Eric Zeier to be the face of the franchise, but fans and many on the team feel that Cliff Stoudt, should he remain active and not retire, gives the Fire a better chance to win now.
Finally, the first few retirements have been announced, and some teams will now be scrambling to replace key pieces of their squads as some pretty important components of their teams are heading off into the sunset.
LA will have to start over after their one big name player, HB Marcus Allen, after suffering 2 rough seasons with the Express, has opted to step away from the game. A potential NFL Hall of Famer, Allen struggled with the expansion club, a team not built to support him with effective run blocking.
In Washington, All-USFL Left Tackle Ken Lanier has said his goodbyes, leaving a hole for the Federals to fill. Many expect Don Majkowski to do likewise, but so far there has been no word from the veteran QB.
A surprise in Portland, where HB and return specialist Amp Lee has opted to step away from the game, despite being a league leader. Lee joins LB Billie Ray Smith as departures from the Portland franchise.
Orlando will be looking at bringing youth in at LB after veterans Tim Green and Van Waiters have opted to put their cleats away for good. This was not unexpected, unlike in Oakland where the Invaders were shocked that Ken Harvey has also decided to retire. He joins fellow LB Randy Kirk as newly-dubbed ex-Invaders. Coach Mora has mentioned the need to revitalize a defense that clearly did not have enough athleticism this year, and it looks like LB will be the first place to start the rebuild.
In New Jersey, Coach Knox will have to start with the O-line as their one stalwart, center Mike Baab, has stepped away from the game. The Generals need upgrades across the entire roster but losing Baab’s leadership will certainly be a blow to an already undermanned offense.
The QB position remains one where most eyes around the league are keeping a close watch. In addition to Don Majkowski and Cliff Stoudt, there are rumors that Jim Kelly may be ready to step away, and could be hoping to do so on top as league champion. Doug Flutie has confirmed that he is coming back for 1997, having found new life in Michigan, and Bobby Hebert has brushed off numerous questions about his future in Oakland. We expect some news soon on the players on non-playoff teams, but the question of Kelly will remain unanswered as long as the Gamblers remain in contention during the playoffs.