It is getting chippy out there. So many games that have an impact, so many chances to move towards playoff contention, or chances to spoil it for someone else. Hardly a game that does not mean a lot to one, if not both clubs involved, and it showed this week, with a lot of heart out on the field and a lot of pain for the losers.
We had several good games to choose from this week for our Game of the Week, but we decided to go with the spoiler performance from the Ohio Glory, who severely damaged Baltimore’s late playoff run. It was a game that saw two scores in the final 2 minutes, and left the Ohio Stadium crowd cheering for more. Baltimore had come in as winners of 3 of 4, and at 6-6 had a shot at moving to .500 for the first time since week 5. But don’t look past the Ohio Glory, they have won 3 of their last 4 as well, including a huge win at Washington just the week before.
In the first half it looked like it was all Ohio, as the Glory lept out to a 13-0 lead at the half, thanks to a Hostetler to Galloway connection and two Silvestri kicks. But Baltimore made some good adjustments at the half, They would score twice in the quarter to not only catch the Glory but take a 1-point lead into the final period. Their offense was not exactly dynamic, but had done enough, first with a short Miller to Alexander Wright TD toss, and then with Miller hitting Ferrell Edmunds from 5 yards out to take a 14-13 lead.
But, just as Baltimore thought they had the game heading their way, tragedy struck. After a Glory punt, their 4th of the half, landed at the Blitz 3-yard line, Chris Miller turned the wrong way, missed the handoff to Foster, and was sacked in the endzone for a safety. Ohio had retaken the lead on a fluke play. The Glory got the ball back on the kick, but one play later Baltimore was given new life as Mario Perry fumbled on his only carry of the game.
Baltimore took advantage, and in a long drive that stalled after 9 plays, they settled for a 27-yard Luis Zendejas kick. But, they left 1:48 on the clock for Ohio. The Glory had struggled the entire second half against the Blitz and their complex zone blitz strategy. But in the 2-minute drill, Baltimore played softer zones, and Ohio used the no huddle very effectively. Within 3 plays they were into Baltimore territory, and then, on a seemingly innocuous 1st and 10, the Glory faked a handoff to George and Baltimore fell for it, something almost inexcusable in a prevent defense. The corner missed on his attempt to jam Floyd Turner at the line, the safety stayed to the center of the field, spying on George, and Turner found room down the sideline. Hostetler hit Turner with a perfect looping ball and 43 yards later the Blitz had not only a lead, but one that would require a TD to surpass.
Baltimore did not have it in them to make it down the field in less than a minute, and when a desperation heave from Miller fell to the ground, the Glory and their fans celebrated another big win down the stretch. For Baltimore, the loss dropped them to 6-7, in a cluster of 6-win teams all 1 game behind the final Wild Card spot. Ohio at 5-8 is still mathematically alive, but at this point in the season, ending with 7 or 8 wins may be all the Glory can take away from the season, a late surge that likely could keep Nick Saban at the helm of the club.
PHI 13 WSH 17
The Stars had taken the lead in the razor-thin Atlantic thanks to Washington’s upset loss to Ohio last week, but this week the Federals had the chance to take it right back, and that is exactly what they did, beating the Stars in RFK thanks to 118 yards from wideout Herman Moore and a gutsy call on 4th and goal that produced a Barry Word TD. The Feds now jump back into 1st by a half game over the Stars and clinch a playoff spot as well.
PIT 19 NJ 16
Pittsburgh’s 5 game losing streak comes to an end as they upend the Generals and pull themselves within a game of a Wild Card spot. Louis Lipps’ return to action, combined with a solid 81-yard day from Rozier helped the Maulers overcome that tough General D, while the Maulers’ D had one of their best games of the year against Spence Fischer and the Generals.
BIR 41 MEM 24
Brett Favre reminded everyone how potent the Stallions can be as they manhandled the Showboats in Memphis. Over 58,000 attended the game, including quite a good number in Birmingham crimson & gold, and they saw their QB throw for over 400 yards and 5 TDs (to 5 different receivers) against an overwhelmed Memphis secondary. Reggie White got to Favre twice, but it was not enough as he combined with Dawsey for 127 and with Givens for 176 on an epic day for the Stallion offense.
JAX 20 TBY 17
The Bulls kept pace with Birmingham by edging the Bandits in Tampa. With Natrone Means a bit gimpy, Kenny Bynum stepped up with 105 yards rushing to pace the Bulls. Tampa countered with Aikman throwing for 2 scores, but a late Pete Stoyanovich FG put Jacksonville up 6 and Tampa could only muster another field goal as time ran down.
ATL 16 ORL 24
Orlando became the only 6-6 club to pull out a win this week, giving them the inside line on the 5th and final playoff spot in the East. Atlanta put up a fight, thanks to a Ronde Barber pick-6 and a late Lake Dawson TD catch, but it was too little too late, as Orlando got 2 TD runs from Kantroy Barber to edge out the Fire and move over .500.
HOU 24 CHI 38
Chicago moved one step closer to a Wild Card with their 9th win, and pushed division rival Houston further from a distant playoff hope by capitalizing on 6 of 9 drives, including 3 TDs from wideout Wendell Davis. Alex Van Pelt continues to impress and may very well be the QB for Chicago down the stretch.
NOR 31 MGN 28
New Orleans stayed alive, now only 1 game behind Denver for the 5th and final Western playoff spot, by beating Michigan in Michigan. They did it despite Jamie Martin being removed from the game after a head injury in the 3rd quarter. Bobby Hoying came in and threw 2 scoring tosses, while Chris Canty contributed a pick-six off of Doug Flutie to help the Breakers upend the Panthers.
TEX 31 STL 16
Texas holds a 2 game lead with 3 to play as they get their 11th win of the year. Tony Sacca had an up and down game, with 3 TDs but also 2 picks. Thankfully Texas’s defense stepped up, picking off Todd Collins three times, including a scoring play from Elbert Shelley as he ran one pick back 43 yards for a score
DEN 28 ARZ 33
Denver has now lost 4 of their last 6, including a loss this week to a team they had beaten by 30 points earlier in the year. Arizona is proving to be a tougher out towards the end of the season, and Denver learned that as Jake Plummer had his best game as a pro, completing 35 of 44, for 333 yards and 3 TDs. Mark Brunell played well (22 of 32 for 244 and 4 TDs) but it was not enough as Plummer found Rocket Ismail for 2 scores, including the game winner.
SEA 20 POR 23
Portland became the first clinched division winner, their first ever, as they upended a game Seattle team in their annual rivalry. Portland had a 20-7 lead at one point, but Seattle battled back only to see Al Del Greco kick the game winner to give Portland the division.
OAK 28 LA 16
In a game only 13,566 came out to see in LA, the Express again underwhelmed as Oakland, led by a recuperated Bobby Hebert, overcame a 13-7 halftime deficit and cruised to a 12-point win. Antowain Smith was the one highlight for LA as he rushed for 145 yards on 21 carries in LA’s 10th loss of the year.
COACHING HOTSEAT:
Looking at the records and end-of-season form around the USFL, there are several coaches who may need to be worried about getting a call into the GM’s office. Atlanta, after a solid start, has lost their last 4 games, and while first year coach Sherm Lewis is still talking optimistically about the future, the Fire need to decide if they are going to look to youth down the stretch, and that means Eric Zeier at QB. Seattle’s 10th loss cannot be good news for Woody Widenhofer, who just has not been able to get over the hump with his Dragons, and seems a very likely candidate for some bad news on Black Monday.
Memphis head man Cam Cameron has not impressed in his first season after moving from interim to full time head coach prior to the season. We would not be surprised to see the Showboats go a totally different direction next year. We mentioned that Jim Mora may be stepping down in Oakland, and a 4-9 record to date may all but guarantee that. Our most intriguing situation may be New Orleans, where an 8 or 9 win season may just be enough to quiet those calling for Mike Ditka to be let go. The Breakers have hardly resembled the ’85 Bears in Ditka’s regime, but if they can squeak ahead of Denver and nab a Wild Card, Big Mike may just be safe.
QB MOVES
With 3 games left in the season, and a wild free agency period almost guaranteed by a lack of movement on the labor front, there are a lot of teams who may be reevaluating their QB situation. Atlanta may play Eric Zeier down the stretch just to see if they are comfortable standing pat or if they will test the free agent market. New Jersey has a tough decision ahead as Spence Fischer has outshown both Rob Johnson and Tommy Maddox. They won’t keep all 3. Michigan had success with Jeff Lewis under center, but they cannot be thinking of moving on from Doug Flutie already, can they?
And what about the confusing QB situations in Seattle (Rosenbach v. Kitna), LA (Pease v. Garcia), and St. Louis (Is Collins good enough?), there are a lot of teams looking at the potential USFL free agent QB’s if and when teams can sign players. If all current unsigned players become true free agents, there are some names to keep an eye on: Chris Miller, Brett Favre, Dan McGwire, Doug Flutie, Rob Johnson, Tommy Maddox, Jeff Hostetler, Jon Kitna and Chuck Long could all be free to sign (with the USFL or the NFL).
LAST LEGS?
As the season winds down for some teams, careers also may be at an end for some of the league’s most recognizable players. Yes, we are going to speculate on Mike Rozier again. Both he and Thurman Thomas are 33 years old, and there are not a lot of backs who play beyond that. Both are also having what they would consider sub-par seasons with teams that appear to be rebuilding. Rozier may still make 1,000 yards, but he is not among the league leaders in rushing for the first time in a long time. Thomas has 822 yards rushing, but seems to be lacking that burst that made him so dangerous for so long.
Among QB’s there are several who may simply call it a career this offseason. Mike Kelley turns 36 this year and has been relegated to the bench in Memphis for 2 years now. Cliff Stoudt is still the starter in Atlanta, but at 35 he is taking a beating each week and may finally give way to Eric Zeier. Chris Miller is having a rough year as well, leading the lead in picks, and far from the team success he saw in 1996. Bobby Hebert is still only 33, but he has not found success in Oakland, and if Jim Mora leaves, as many suspect, Hebert may also be looking to move on.
On the defensive side, Old Man Time could be making a housecall to several big names, including DE’s Dexter Manley (35), Charles Haley (34) and Charles Buchanon (33). Chicago LB Gary Reasons turned 35 this year, and while Kevin Greene (34) is having a great year in Birmingham, this could be a swan song year, especially if he can go out on top with the Stallions. We also have heard rumors that Houston FS Todd Bowles (35) and Michigan CB Chris Snyder (35) may be in their final season as each has struggled this year after good seasons in ’96.
Finally, among the receiver group, the ageless Mike Shaw (actually 35) may also be looking at calling it a career as the Maulers retool. The league’s most senior wideout, New Orleans’s Herman Fontenot may also be looking to retire, while both Louis Lipps in Pittsburgh and Cris Carter in Philly, both also 34, seem ready to keep plugging as they are both having strong years.
Washington punched their ticket to the postseason this week with a huge win against the Stars. The division is still very much up for grabs, but the Feds at least know they will play a 17th game. Texas and Portland were in last week, but the Thunder locked up their first division title this week, with their 4th straight win. Wins this week will clinch playoff spots for Chicago Michigan, Philadelphia, Jacksonville and Birmingham. And if either Orlando or Denver lose this week, things will get very interesting at the cusp of the playoff rankings. No fewer than 4 teams at 6-7 (PIT, BAL, NJ, TBY) could be right in the mix if Orlando stumbles, while Denver now has to worry abou the New Orleans Breakers, winers of 3 in a row and only 1 game back.
The stretch run is always complicated when it comes to injuries. Some players minimize their pain and try to play through but are not 100%, others are looking to rest ahead of the playoffs, and for teams that are not headed to the postseason incentive clauses in contracts can be a huge factor in who plays through pain and who calls it a year. Around the USFL there are teams that are actually looking pretty healthy, clubs like Birmingham, Denver, Houston or Jacksonville with only 1 player on the injury report each, while others, like Baltimore (5), Texas (4), New Orleans (4) or LA (4) are filling gaps. And with only 3 weeks left, a 1-month recovery, which is viewed as good news in the early season, could be a season ender for many players.
Among those getting bad news this week we find Memphis FS Bubba McDowell (broken leg), NJ tackle Marvin Elam (broken wrist), Baltimore LB Mike Junkin (broken leg), and Texas CB Corey Sawyer (broken foot). Atlanta will be without Mo Lewis down the stretch, and Tampa will miss DE Orpheus Roye at least for 1-2 weeks. Rodney Harrison’s strong season for St. Louis hits a bump as he is listed as doubtful for Week 14, while Arizona loses both LB Winfred Tubbs andFS Martin Bayless.
Is ownership on the verge of caving? That seems to be sense of how the past 3 weeks of on-again, off-again meetings have gone. There is a sense that the players and their union remain much more unified, while within the USFL ownship group there are significant factions and splinter groups, each trying to find a path to a deal that works for them. On the one hand you have some large market, or high attendance clubs towing a hard line, and on the other you have several teams that quite simply would not weather a protracted lock out or player walk out very well. Portland, with only a 34,000 seat stadium is having a great season but would be deeply hurt by a work stoppage, even if in the offseason. Others like LA, Seattle, Atlanta, and St. Louis can hardly afford more bad press and a potential exodus of talent to the NFL, while clubs like Chicago, Houston, Birmingham, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville and Washington seem prepared to suffer short term pain to gain a longstanding budgetary restraint.
The end result of the split among owners could simply play towards the players’ interests of ensuring that current contracts do not lose value and that future ones continue to show a steady growth in both player salary and mobility. More pressure from the NFL, including what may be a good number of defections if there is no CBA by the end of the regular season, can only drive up the cost of signing USFL talent, and provide the players more leverage as they seek to find good fits, a chance at a championship, and, of course, greater compensation. The union and the owners are expected to reconvene for talks in New York later this week, but right now there seems to be enough obstinance on both sides to prevent a quick wrap up to the talks or a fair compromise. The losers, of course, are the fans, who simply don’t get much say in how the league or the union go about settling this major issue.
Week 14 and a lot on the line, though many view this inter-conference week as almost a pause before the divisional battles to come. Still, these games could move teams up and down the standings in ways that will impact the final push for many clubs. Among the more intriguing games we have two 6-7 clubs still trying to reach the promised land as New Orleans heads to Baltimore to face the Blitz. We have Michigan and Washington matched up in a game neither can afford to lose. Denver needs to get off the snide, but they are in Jacksonville, no easy place to win.
Other clubs are trying to avoid a letdown this week as they face teams they are expected to beat. Orlando needs to win at home against the LA Express to maintain their slim playoff lead over the 6-7 pack. Birmingham has what should be a very winnable game at home against Arizona, while Philly is at home against Houston and Texas travels to pesky Ohio. In other action, New Jersey hosts the St. Louis Knights, Pittsburgh hosts Chicago, Portland is in Atlanta, Seattle travels to Memphis, and Oakland makes the long flight to Tampa Bay to face the Bandits.
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