We knew that with the first quarter of the season wrapping up this week there would be a sense of desperation in the air for the 0-3 clubs, and that certainly proved correct. Texas made a big trade that paid immediate benefits, and we got big games from winless Birmingham, and the Outlaws to put a W on the board. Add another upset as Orlando knocked off Atlanta in Atlanta, and Baltimore knocked Pittsburgh from the ranks of the undefeated with a big win at home. Tampa Bay continued to impress, and that St. Louis defense helped the Knights move to 4-0 as well. A busy week, and a lot to talk about. Let’s get to it with one of the league's best rivalries producing this week's GOTW.
It is always a classic when the Generals and Stars get together, and this was no exception to that rule. Overtime was the result and in overtime the Stars got the big play they needed to pull off the road win in the Battle of the Turnpike. It was a tough one for Philly, as a Mark Chmura score with 3:52 left in the game gave new jersey their first lead of the game. But, new QB Bobby Hebert has been their before and he calmly led the Stars down the field, tossing a game-tying ball to Terry Samuels with only 33 seconds left on the clock.
The Stars managed to stay in the game, and had the lead for most of the encounter, thanks mostly to Hebert’s impressive 455-yard day. He is going to need some ice because New Jersey’s focus on Charlie Garner led Coach Berry to call Hebert’s number 66 times. He completed 47 of those passes, and with his 3 TD’s and 455 yards, got the win for the visitors.
In overtime it was all Hebert as the Stars called 7 straight pass plays before Hebert hit Troy Brown with the game winner from 17 yards out. New Jersey had relied on balance, with rookie Curtis Enis gaining 80 yards on 17 carries and Spence Fischer having a much more conservative 235 yards passing, but when they took the lead in the 4th, they had a chance to shut down the Stars but simply could not get pressure on Hebert when they needed to. The result, a 4-0 Stars squad now takes over sole possession of first in the division.
OAK 35 POR 38
The Thunder are not ready to give up the division just yet, and kept Oakland from gaining ground on them by knocking off the Invaders in Civic Stadium. It was all knotted up at 28 after 3, but Portland got a Trudeau to Slaughter TD and then added a field goal to build a 10-point lead that Oakland challenged but could not overcome, despite 457 yards from Ryan Leaf.
DEN 23 LA 10
The Gold got what they needed from their trip to the City of Angels, a win and some confidence. Jeff Garcia threw two picks and the Denver defense held LA to a miserable 17 total yards rushing as the Gold roll to their second win on the year.
ARZ 16 SEA 14
In the battle of upstart 2-win teams, the Wrangler got the final points, thanks to the foot of Carlos Huerta, and upended Seattle on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Neither team could move the ball well, but 3 turnovers by Seattle gave Arizona short fields, and they connected with 3 field goals and a Hines Ward TD from Plummer to take home the win and move to a surprising 3-1.
HOU 13 STL 44
In St. Louis, that Knight defense stifled the Gamblers and provided Todd Collins with short fields all day. The Knights would end up outgaining Houston 409 to 272 thanks in large part to 78 yards from rookie Ahman Green and 56 more from Darrell Thompson. Collins left at the half, but veteran Frank Reich played well in relief, tossing a TD to Amani Toomer to put Houston up 41-13 and put the game away.
NOR 20 TEX 33
Texas got their man in wideout Carl Pickens, a mid-week trade from Memphis, and they immediately put him to work, with backup Tony Graziani hitting Pickens 8 times for 107 yards and a score. Irving Fryar also found room against a stunned Breaker secondary, catching 7 for 61 and a score of his own. Add in a good day for the Outlaw defense, stuffing Terrell Davis, and the Outlaws get their first win of the season.
CHI 7 MGN 23
Chicago continued to struggle on offense, despite a combined 103 yards from Staley and Watters, while Michigan relied on 94 yards on 21 carries from Tyrone Wheatley, and got a late TD from Jeff Lewis when Doug Flutie exited the game to take the victory. Jeff Campbell returned to 1997 form, catching 8 balls for 101 yards to pace the Panthers to the win.
TBY 53 JAX 26
What was a 19-13 Tampa lead at the half turned into an explosion of points for the visitors in the second half as Troy Aikman threw 5 TD’s in the final 30 minutes, including a 36-yarder and a 27-yarder to Randy Moss, the most exciting rookie we have seen in a long time. Jacksonville simply could not stop the Bandit offense in the second half and the game quickly got out of hand for the Bulls.
MEM 7 BIR 31
All facets of the game worked for the Stallions as they got their first win of the year, a decisive home victory over their arch rivals in Legion Field. Brett Favre had his best game of the year with 4 TDs and the Stallions seemed OK without Ernest Givens, as Lawrence Dawsey and Cedric Tillman combined for 8 receptions, 164 yards and 3 scores for the Stallions. Heath Shuler struggled and Garrison Hearst was held to only 2.8 yards per carry by a Stallion defense that clearly was sick of the bad press they had been receiving.
ORL 24 ATL 21 OT
The Renegades finally notched their first win, and in so doing knocked Atlanta out of the ranks of the undefeated. It took a 10-point 4th quarter comeback, a late Tamarick Vanover TD, and a game winning Baumann field goal in overtime, but Orlando upended the Fire in front of the largest crowd since opening weekend of 1995 in Atlanta.
WSH 34 OHI 26
The Federals got back into winning fashion at the expense of the winless Ohio Glory. It was 24-8 at the half thanks to a brilliant pick-6 from rookie Charles Woodson, and an even more dynamic 69-yard scramble from QB Kordell Stewart. Ohio tried to come back in the 2nd half, but never got within range of the Federals to truly threaten their 2nd win of the year.
BAL 29 PIT 7
The Blitz showed they had the defensive muscle to shut down a solid Pittsburgh team, as they held the Maulers to only 7 points and forced 2 turnovers. Trent Green connected with Cam Cleeland and rookie Tim Dwight to lead the charge. Pittsburgh got Andre Rison into the game with 7 catches for 119 yards, but simply could not maintain offense.
ROTY CANDIDATES
This year is already looking like one that will be known for the depth and strength of the 1998 Draft. There are already several big name signees making waves across the league. Expect a down to the wire race for Rookie of the Year as a lot of players came ready to perform at the next level. Here, at the ¼ mark of the season, are our “way too early” picks for possible ROTY candidates.
QB Ryan Leaf (OAK): Has helped the Invaders start off with a 3-1 record and is on pace for 5,000 yards. He has tossed 14 TDs and 5 picks in 4 games, another outstanding pace.
WR Randy Moss (TBY): His deep ball ability has turned him into a fan favorite in central Florida already. He is only 3rd on the team with 20 receptions, but leads all receivers on the club with 487 yards and 6 scores.
DE Greg Ellis (ATL): is one of two dynamic rookie defenders helping the Fire get off to a great start. Ellis has 5 sacks on the young season to lead all rookies.
LB London Fletcher (ATL): is the second star to emerge for the Fire in this draft. The late-round pick was a surprise starter in Week 1, but in only 4 games has 3 sacks, a pick, a safety, and a forced fumble.
HB Curtis Enis (NJ): Arrived in East Rutherford with a lot of pressure to take over for Bam Morris and has done the job so far. He has 266 yards and a 4.8 YPC average, but has only seen the endzone once for the 2-2 Generals.
CB Charles Woodson (WSH): Still playing the 2nd CB position, Woodson has been dynamic. He has 10 passes defended and a pick to go along with 27 tackles in the young season, demonstrating both athletic skill and poise well beyond his years.
HB Ahman Green (STL): Splitting carries initially with Darrell Thompson, Green has begun to get the lions share of the load, and he has responded, leading the club with 277 yards and a 4.1 YPC average.
LB Takeo Spikes (SEA): The first defender off the board this January has 18 tackles, 5 for a loss as he cycles into the Dragon LB rotation.
WR Germaine Crowell (PHI): has 279 yards on 17 receptions, but has shown a knack for getting open in the red zone, catching 4 TDs already in the young season.
WR Kevin Dyson (DEN): In Denver, Dyson has become a regular target for Mark Brunell, with 37 targets, 23 receptions for 326 yards and an impressive 5 TDs to date.
TE Stephen Alexander (OHI): The starter from Day 1, Alexander has 23 receptions for 195 yards and 2 scores, but with Ohio still winless, those stats are getting lost in the wave of anxiety in Columbus.
CB R.W. McQuarters (JAX): Has had a solid start, with 3 pass defenses, a pick, and 17 tackles for the Bulls.
CB Patrick Surtain (HOU): Surtain has yet to record his first pick, but has 31 tackles, 9 passes defended, and forced a fumble which he then recovered, which is not a bad start for the rookie.
BANDIT BALL
We mentioned Randy Moss’s early success in Tampa Bay, but what must be said is that Coach Seifert, who came to Tampa known for a West Coast Offense, has found success right away with a more vertical game. Seifert, working with QB Troy Aikman, developed a gameplan that takes advantage of the team’s speed at receiver. After 4 games the Bandits are 1st in yards per game, 1st in points per game, and 1st in passing yards per game, with an average over 400 yards a game, truly stunning. Troy Aikman is the early frontrunner for MVP with 14 TDs and 1,465 yards after 4 games. While Moss leads the team in receiving, it is TE Ben Coates who leads in receptions with 22. Robert Brooks is also benefitting from the new offensive scheme, catching 22 balls for 197 yards. TE Troy Drayton and HB Errict Rhett are also getting into the mix, with both already over 200 yards receiving on the year. It truly is Bandit Ball back in Tampa Bay as this offense is white hot.
LA STORY
The same success is something the Express faithful (both of them) wish they could cheer about. Head Coach Wayne Fontes is off to a rough start at 0-4 and with LA currently languishing at dead last in scoring (59 points). They are also second to last (with only Texas worse) in yards per game, 21st in passing yards and rushing yards, 23rd of 24 clubs in points allowed per game (145), and dead last in passing yards allowed. In other words, the Express are looking once again like a good bet for the #1 pick. But what to do with it? Honestly, with all the needs this club has, the best thing they could do may be to parlay that top pick into a trade for several picks, just to get as many shots at signing talent as possible.
This has been a rough year for the wideouts so far. First it was Shawn Collins in Texas and Ernest Givens in Birmingham, and this week we saw Baltimore’s Lamar Thomas go down, a ruptured achilles being the diagnosis that will end his season. In Orlando the issues are doubled, as not only is WR Keenan McCardell expected to miss 2-3 weeks with a deep thigh bruise, but QB Scott Mitchell could miss as much as a month depending on how his throwing shoulder heals after an awkward landing. Not the way the club wanted to end their 3-game losing streak.
Another QB went down in St. Louis, where backup Jim Miller only got off a few snaps in relief of Todd Collins before suffering a nasty elbow dislocation that could prove to be a season ender, as initial MRI’s seem to show some ligament damage. The Knights still have their starter, and they have Frank Reich to back up Collins, but Miller is likely done for the year, meaning that free agent rookie Kris Kershaw will be the 3rd QB. Kershaw was a 1997 pick of the CFL, but was signed by the Knights after failing to make the Edmonton Eskimo roster.
COMMISH RACE HEATS UP
Well, we have our semi-finalists for the Commissioner position in the USFL. Fred Bullard is committed to staying in the position through September, but the hunt for a new permanent commissioner has apparently come down to three men. Here are the finalists as they currently stand:
Former NFL General Manager George Young: Recently stepping down from his position of 18 years with the New York Football Giants, Young is considered an “old school” selection, the consummate football man to run a football league. Strong on rules development, union relations, and franchise development, Young would be a good bet if the focus of the owners is on building a culture of parity, player development, and sportsmanship. Considered weaker at aspects of business such as sponsor and TV contract development or marketing strategies, Young would require a strong council to push the business side of the game.
NBC Sports Executive Dick Ebersol: Known for his development of the Olympics into a winning brand for NBC, Ebersol is also well-familiarized with contract development and the role of television in the profitability of professional football. Ebersol also brings strong connections to the College game as well as to brand recognition, marketing, and technology, particularly that of broadcasting.
Sports Innovator Gary Davidson: One of the true mavericks in the world of sports, Davidson helped to found the short-lived World Football League, the World Hockey Association, and the American Basketball Association. The former two ended with mergers that allowed several clubs to join the more senior NHL and NBA. Davidson served as the commissioner of the WFL back in the mid-70’s. He has been largely unconnected to the USFL in the past, though he is quite close to several USFL owners, including David Dixon of the Breakers and William Dunavant of the Showboats. Considered a bit of a wild card, Davidson could be viewed as the most innovative of the three candidates, though his history of mergers and league foldings could concern several of the league’s more lucrative teams, who have no interest in rocking the boat that is currently sailing along quite nicely for them.
The league anticipates a final round of meetings, interviews, and discussions over the next 6-8 weeks, with hopes that the new commissioner would be named by the end of the regular season, able to take over from Bullard 2 months later.
Week 5 brings us back to divisional games in the Eastern Conference, and inter-divisional action out west. After a rousing week of rivalries last week, more divisional games for the Atlantic and Southern Divisions means more really feisty matchups. The one’s we are most looking forward to include 4-0 Philadelphia headed to Pittsburgh in a very important Keystone Clash, as the Maulers trail Philly by 1 game in the division. In the South, the top clubs are not facing off, so we have to look for potential upsets as 1-3 Orlando heads upstate to 2-2 Jacksonville, or when Birmingham, hot off their first win of the season, heads to Tampa Bay to face the 4-0 Bandits. In MemphisInIn Memphis, the 1-3 Showboats need to right the ship but the Fire are hoping to regain their swagger after losing in week 4. Rounding out the matchups we have 2-2 New Jersey at 0-4 Ohio and the 3-1 Baltimore Blitz hoping to make life tough for their local rival, the 2-2 Washington Federals.
Out West we have upsets on the mind as 4-0 St. Louis travels to 0-4 Los Angeles. Can the Express find a way to score on the Knights or will they again fall short? Arizona has a good test as they travel to Michigan to face an unhappy 2-2 Panther squad. Portland is also unhappy with their 2-2 record, but they travel to Chicago to face an even more distraught 1-3 Machine squad. Denver is in New Orleans, hoping to get over .500 with a win. Oakland is in Texas, where the Outlaws showed signs of life after trading for a wideout to complement Irving Fryar. Finally, 2-2 Seattle is hoping that a road trip to Houston does not derail their recent success.