What a week of action across the USFL! We had overtime thrillers, a world class upset, close games, blowouts, and huge performances across the league. It’s as if the whole league decided to remind us why we love spring football. Beautiful weather across the league, a festive atmosphere, and some great football. What’s not to love?
Picking a game of the week was no easy task this week, with several really huge clashes on the docket, but the combination of gameplay and the significance of this clash atop the Pacific Division made the Denver-LA game our go to for the week. A 60-minute thriller that saw the Gold score 21 points in the final period to grab a much-needed win, this game had everything you could want (except maybe close out defense).
Cade McNown had a 4-TD day, while Mark Brunell would throw for 3 scores, all in the final 15 minutes of action. Yet, for a game with such a high score, neither team cracked 400 yards of total offense, so it was not purely two failed defenses being unable to stop anyone. Denver got a huge game from Defensive POTW Leslie O’Neill, who racked up 3 sacks and 3 forced fumbles, including one sack that produced a safety. LA had no fewer than 18 defensive players record a tackle in a game where the Express just could not seem to find a way to contain Brunell when it mattered most.
Denver and LA did play some defense, evident in the first quarter, where the Gold built up a 12-7 lead thanks to a safety from O’Neill, and two short drives produced by the defense. Rashaan Salaam got the ball rolling with a 7-yard TD run, but LA countered with McNown finding TE Tony McGee for his first of 2 TD catches on the day. After giving up both the safety and a FG on the ensuing drive, LA took their first lead of the day when McNown found Mike Pritchard, the game’s only 100-yard receiver, for a 20-yard TD pass in the 2nd quarter. The two clubs would head into the half with LA up 14-12 on that score.
In the third, Denver briefly took the lead on another Wilkens FG, 15-14, but LA bounced right back with an 82-yard drive that culminated with McNown finding McGee for his second score. Add on a successful 2-point conversion and the Express were up by 7. McNown, who now finds himself among the Top 5 in QBR in the league as a rookie, would finish the day completing only 13 of 30 passes, but with 4 of those 13 completions being for scores. He would be helped out by a good combination of running from Antowain Smith and Michael Pittman, while Denver would rely heavily on Rashaan Salaam (20 carries for 65 yards) to power their offense.
Down 22-15 after 3, something clicked for Denver as they started a drive that would end the 3rd and continue into the 4th. For the first time all game Mark Brunell seemed to find time in the pocket as the LA defenders seemed to tire. That time produced a Brunell to Turner TD throw that leveled the score at 22 points. Again LA would respond in kind, with McNown hitting Darnay Scott from 18 yards out to again go up by 7. An uncharacteristically shanked kickoff from Doug Brien gave Denver the ball at the 40, and in only 4 plays they were back in the endzone, with Brunell hitting former Express wideout Dedric Smith from 22 yards out to again tie the game at 29. Smith would finish the day with 6 receptions for 88 yards and this TD against his former teammates.
LA tried to slow the game and kill clock on their next drive, and in that they largely succeeded. When Doug Brien hit a 29-yard field goal there were only 93 seconds left on the clock for Denver to work with. The assumption was that this one was LA’s game to lose or that it would head to overtime if Denver could get in range for Wilkens, but Denver’s Dick Jauron had other ideas, pushing Brunell to move fast and look deep as the Gold took the field. Brunell responded, finding Keith Jackson 3 times on the drive, before connecting with Odessa Turner on a corner pattern that produced the winning score. Brunell lofted a ball to the outside shoulder of the racing Turner, who just barely got both feet down in the endzone before tumbling out of bounds. The play produced a long delay as instant replay had to verify if his feet were in and the ball controlled, but after the review, the ref threw both hands straight up to declare the play good, and Denver took home a much needed win.
The Gold victory pulls Denver within 1 game of division-leading LA and shakes up the division, potentially creating a race to the finish between the two clubs, with Seattle, Portland, and Arizona also in for the ride. The loss at home for LA was bittersweet. Of course the loss was a rough one to take, but the game pulled a crowd of 41,222, by far the largest to ever attend an Express game since their rebirth in 1995. This season seems to be providing the Express with what they needed most, fans. A run to the playoffs could help add energy to the Express as they finally try to build a fanbase in a city that has been owned by the NFL raiders for years.
STL 17 CHI 20
The second contender for GOTW has to be the huge upset Chicago handed the St. Louis Knights. Down 17-3 at the half, the Machine somehow scored the only points of the second half despite being outgained 421-202 for the game. Five, yes, five uncharacteristic Knight turnovers helped make it happen as Chicago picked off Todd Collins three times in the second half, along with forcing a fumble from WR Amani Toomer. In a disastrous half of football, St. Louis gave Chicago the ball within their own 35-yard line three times, and the short field was enough for Alex Van Pelt to lead the Machine to a once-in-a-generation upset.
WSH 33 TBY 27
Another thriller in Tampa Bay, where the Bandits scored a game-tying TD with 1:03 left but Washington got their Summer Bowl revenge when Stewart hit Herman Moore for a 40-yard game winner in overtime. Despite losing Barry Word early to injury, the Washington offense clicked all game, with Moore finishing with 157 yards receiving to pace the Feds to the win. Troy Aikman was sacked 7 times by the Federals, who balanced timely defensive stops with a solid day from Kordell Stewart to take the W on the road.
POR 27 ARZ 33
Another overtime thriller as the Wranglers get a 63-yard bomb from Plummer to Rocket Ismail in overtime to earn the home win against a very game Portland Thunder squad. Plummer ended the game with 422 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Wrangler run game was all but invisible (15 total yards), while Portland kept trying to force Robert Drummond against the Wrangler defense, but Arizona prevailed, limiting Drummond to 2.4 yards per carry (48 on 20 carries) and had just enough to overcome a big day from Akili Smith (32 of 54 for 327 yards).
MGN 31 NOR 25
In a battle of clubs fighting for playoff relevance, the visiting Panthers did just enough to upend the Breakers in New Orleans, moving over .500 and staying in the hunt in the Central. Jamie Martin again had issues with picks, throwing 3 in the game, while Doug Flutie completed 71.4% of his throws and avoided turnovers to help power the Panthers to a road win.
OHI 41 MEM 38
Another shootout in Memphis and again the Showboats end up on the short end. Ohio got the last laugh as former Breaker and new acquisition Qadry Ismail pulled in the game winner with just 22 seconds on the clock. Memphis outgained Ohio 457-373, but could not close the door when it counted, largely due to an inability to fully contain Eddie George (4.2 average on 18 carries, with 2 TDs). The win pushes Ohio to 5-4 and costs Memphis their share of first place in the South.
PIT 6 BIR 20
The Stallions take over 1st place at 7-2 thanks to an uncharacteristic defensive victory. Pittsburgh contained Brett Favre and the Stallion offense, but the D stepped up big against rookie Sean King, sacking the Tulane product 5 times. Terrell Davis kept Pittsburgh in the game with 106 yards rushing, but the Maulers simply could not find the endzone.
NJ 14 ATL 12
A slow-paced defensive game in Atlanta, where the Generals got TDs from their big names, Terry Glenn and Curtis Enis to take home the win against the homestanding Fire. Atlanta got a potential game-tying TD in the final minutes, but could not convert the 2-point PAT and fell for the 8th time in 9 games. Generals’ CB Gene Atkins put in a bid for Defensive POTW with 11 tackles and 2 picks on the day.
PHI 24 JAX 34
The Bulls get their third win of the season against a Philadelphia team that just cannot find their groove. Sedrick Irvin seems to be gaining confidence for the Bulls as he rushed for 87 yards and 2 scores, while Kenny Bynum had the play of the game, a 56-yard scamper that broke open the game for the Bulls. Bobby Hebert threw 3 TDs and gained 377 yards, but it was not enough as the Stars fall to 3-6.
BAL 42 ORL 23
With Scott Mitchell back under center, the Renegades hoped for a better result, but Trent Green had a field day, going 25 for 31 and tossing 3 touchdowns for the visiting Blitz. Add in a 100 yard game (105, to be exact) for Derrick Fenner and the Blitz had more than enough offense to upend the ‘Gades in the Citrus Bowl.
TEX 33 HOU 17
The Battle of Texas went to the Outlaws this time around as Reggie Cobb had a season best 131 yards on 21 carries to pace Texas to the win. Houston’s offense looked good early, with both Derrick Mason and Antonio Freeman scoring in the first half, but wilted down the stretch as Texas pressured Chuck Hartlieb with blitzes. Add in 4 field goals from Texas kicker Tim Seder and the Outlaws pulled away in the 2nd half.
OAK 13 SEA 56
A truly ugly performance in all phases for the Invaders as Seattle simply overwhelmed Oakland. It was 33-10 at the half and the unusually explosive Dragons just kept scoring. Corey Dillon rushed for 106 yards and 3 scores against an Invader defense that had no answers. Brian Griese even saw action in the second half, as did little-used HB Joe Montgomery, who rushed for another 64 yards against an Invader defense that was just not effective at all.
LOST MOJO
Fans in Oakland are wondering what has happened to their once & future star QB, Ryan Leaf. Leaf began his career in Oakland with a really strong start out of the gate, throwing for 5,432 yards, 43 touchdowns and 17 picks in his rookie season. But his best games were his first 8, with a noticeable decline down the stretch as Oakland fell from the top of the Pacific Division to a Wild Card slot and a quick playoff exit. This year Leaf and the Invaders appear to be a shadow of their former selves. After 9 games Leaf has thrown for only 1,699 yards, his completion percentage is down 7.1 points (from 55.6% to 48.5%), and his TD-INT ratio is not skewing in the right direction, 9 TD to 10 picks in 1999. It seems Leaf is pushing, and not making his way through progressions. Add to this stories of dissent in the locker room and a couple of pretty awkward postgame interview moments and there is growing concern that the golden boy brought in to revive the Invaders as a playoff and division title contender may be either losing focus or simply underutilizing the talent he showed early on. Is it a mental issue? What can the Invaders do to put him back on the right path? Is Dan Reeves the man to do it? All good questions and all questions the Invaders’ front office needs to solve and quickly.
SHOOTING STAR
The opposite end of the spectrum is what we are seeing in LA, where management and their growing fan base is overjoyed by the progress of rookie QB Cade McNown. Already a local hero for his time at UCLA, McNown was seen initially as being a step below the big trio of rookies coming out Couch, McNabb and Akili Smith, but so far McNown is far outshining Smith in the USFL (The other two are headed to the fall league). And what has been really exciting has been the clear progression from Week 1 to now.
In his first 2 games in LA the gameplan was conservative, with Coach Hall protecting McNown. He did not surpass 200 yards in either game, though he did throw 3 TDs with 0 picks in those early conservative games. In weeks 3-6 he started to get the training wheels taken off, with a 381 yard, 3 TD game against Ohio sandwiched between solid but unexciting games. He played only a part of the Week 7 clash against Arizona, knocked out with a mild concussion, but since coming back in Week 8 his gam has been on fire. He threw for 353 yards, 4 TDs and 0 picks in Week 9 at Seattle, and against a much tougher Denver defense this week threw for 251 and another 4 TDs (with one pick). McNown is among the top 5 in QBR and is looking every bit the future of the franchise. He has the Express atop the Pacific Division at 6-3 after 9 games and seems to be getting used to the pro game at a really quick pace. This is all good for an LA Express franchise that has had great difficulty building a fan base and gaining on attendance numbers. LA is on the road this week and next, but has already sold more than 32,000 tickets for the Week 12 showdown with Seattle. That has to be music to the ears of the owners, and McNown is a big reason why.
NO RESPECT AT ALL
One more QB story this week. One day after helping Chicago win only its 2nd game of the season, QB Alex Van Pelt was informed that he would once again be benched as Coach Mornhinweg would be starting newly acquired former NFL QB Jeff George in Week 10 against Texas Outlaws. This seems a common story for Van Pelt, who often plays well only to get the hook as soon as a bigger name or more physically gifted QB is available. This happened with Scott Zolak, with Chris Miller, with Jeff Garcia, and now with Jeff George. Van Pelt could battle to be a starter with another club, but in Chicago it seems he is perpetually cursed to play a yo-yo game of starts and benchings. Sure, he is not a top tier starter, but Van Pelt has shown that, given some talent around him, he can win games, With several clubs around the league struggling at the position, and with 2000’s draft looking like a weak one at the position, some club may be able to upgrade the position at low cost by considering the former Pitt Panther as an option.
COACHING HOT SEAT
As we get past the midseason point and start looking at weeks 10-16, the pressure on coaches to prove they deserve another year begins to mount. It is too late in the season for a coach to be able to claim that his system is not yet in place, and with several teams certainly underperforming expectations, this could be a year that sees lots of turnover. Here is our list of the coaches who are likely feeling the heat right now.
Mike Ditka, New Orleans: Big Mike’s situation is so flammable he needs to be wearing asbestos pants. The Breakers had a rough year last year but surprisingly kept Ditka on, allowed him to trade away most of the draft to sign Ricky Williams, and while Williams has looked good, the Breakers have not. Ditka may need a 6-7 win 2nd half to the year to even think about staying on in a town that seems less than amused by his sideline antics and postgame rants.
Sherm Lewis, Atlanta: The Fire have just not gotten better. We keep waiting, and they have some talent across the roster, but Sherm Lewis does not seem to be turning that talent into wins. Tiki Barber seems wasted on a team that cannot produce a consistent passing game and now just traded away their season starter mid-year. The defense has never developed a clear personality, and the club just seems to be floundering. That is not a good sign for Lewis beyond this season.
Dan Reeves, Oakland: The decline in production from Ryan Leaf, the failure to address the run game in a meaningful way, and a defense that seems to be a step too slow and far too sloppy is making life tough for Reeves. After a playoff season last year that saw a 2nd half swoon, this year has been all swoon. Reeves needs to get this club at least to 7-9 to make a claim that he deserves another year.
Raymond Berry, Philadelphia: There are times when a coach has success with a squad but then simply seems to lose steam. That appears to be the case with the Stars this year. Philly, who won their division last year, and which has had some good years under Berry, is just lacking in energy and urgency. It is not that Berry is a bad coach, but perhaps simply that he is no longer able to get what he needs from this veteran-heavy squad.
Vince Tobin, Portland: Much the same as we said of Berry could be true of Vince Tobin in Portland as well. Tobin’s issue is that he came to Portland with a reputation as a defensive guru but the Portland D has never lived up to the hype. There have been some strong seasons under Tobin, including some deep playoff runs, but all too often the killer instinct is just not there with this club. With a new QB suffering through rookie hiccups, this may just be a time to focus on offense and bring in a coach with a creative offensive scheme to help Akili Smith develop. Tobin is not that guy.
Skip Holtz, Michigan: This is not so much that the Panthers are bad, but more that they are not getting over the hump. Year in a year out Holtz gets decent, but not dynamic, results with his Panther squad. They end up at or near 8-8 and occasionally make a playoff appearance, but they have been unable to move from good to great, and fans in the Motor City are getting a bit antsy about the lack of urgency to do so.
Emmitt Thomas, Pittsburgh: Our last hotseat may be more warm than sizzling, because it was not that long ago that Thomas helped the Maulers upset Houston in the 1995 Summer Bowl, but next year will be 5 since the title and the club seems to be heading in the wrong direction. Yes, retirements and free agency have hurt the core roster, and while he has been adequate, Charlie Batch does not look like the kind of QB who will just throw the team on his shoulders and carry them. Pittsburgh might opt to retain Thomas and look for a new GM, as the draft and signing solid starters has been the biggest issue in the Steel City, but Thomas certainly cannot be considered safe in his position with the Maulers continuing to hover around .500.
Two teams came out of the weekend with major concerns as three key players found themselves on IR and done for the year. Philadelphia, who cannot afford to lose talent, lost two key players for the rest of the year. LT Emory Yates is done after his ailing hip was diagnosed as a fracture. He will be largely immobile for the next 4-6 weeks and then need lengthy rehab time before he can return to action, likely in 2000 if he does not opt to retire this offseason. The Stars also lost their star HB Charlie Garner. Garner went down with a ruptured Achilles tendon, a nasty injury for a running back. Garner hobbled off the field on Sunday and it took no time for the team doctor to diagnose the injury, one that abruptly ends his season. With only Pat Chaffey and Kantroy Barber behind Garner on the depth chart, expect the Stars to rely even more heavily on Bobby Hebert’s arm, a tough thing to do when he also just lost his protection at left tackle.
Baltimore is looking like one of the best teams in the East, but the news this week throws a huge shadow over the season. QB Trent Green, for the second season in a row, has suffered a significant injury and will be out for the rest of the year. Green stumbled awkwardly at the end of the Blitz game this week and he, like Garner, was diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles. While not as devastating an injury for a pocket passer compared to a one-cut back like Garner, the Achilles will cost Green the rest of the season and even the postseason. That puts a lot of pressure on the Blitz to recalibrate the offense as they will have to fall back on Wally Richardson once again to lead the club. It is a team with a solid 1-2 punch at HB with Fenner and Cloud, and a defense that can win games for them, but the loss of their starter 2 years in a row is certainly not what the Blitz and their fans wanted to see.
Other significant injuries this week include Fed’s LB Winston Moss (ACL-IR), Tampa corner Samari Rolle (Wrist, 4-6 weeks), Orland wideout Keenan McCardell (ankle, 4-6 weeks), Seattle CB Al Harris (leg, 2-4 weeks), Birmingham WR Ernest Givens (ribs, 1-2 weeks) and Texas guard Larry Allen (disc, 1-2 weeks).
The Hall of Fame votes are in and we have 5 USFL players headed to Canton. Here is your Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1999:
WR Trumaine Johnson
Chicago Blitz (1983), Arizona Wranglers (1984-1994)
Career Stats: 1,209 Receptions, 16,580 Yards, 119 TDs, 13.7 YPC
All-USFL: 9 Times
The no-brainer that everyone expected. One of the most prolific receivers in the history of the USFL, a playmaker, a flamboyant home run hitter of a receiver, and one of the best interviews in the league. Johnson went over 1,000 yards receiving all 12 seasons of his career, including reaching 1,400 yards 7 times. He also had double digit touchdowns in 6 seasons. He retired with a per game average of 89.1 yards receiving and over 16,500 total receiving yards on 1,209 catches.
HB John Williams
Michigan (1983-1990)
Career Stats: 1993 Att., 8281 Yards, 4.2 YPC, 55 TDs. 153 Rec., 1,813 Yards, 6 TDs
All-USFL: 4 Times.
USFL Champion: 2 Times.
John Williams makes it into the Hall of Fame in his 4th year of eligibility. Big John never had the flash or fanfare of other early USFL backs like Walker, Cribbs, or Rozier, but he had the production to rival anyone, and two rings to boot. In eight seasons with the Michigan Panthers he produced 6 1,000 yard seasons, a career average of 4.2 yards per carry, and 61 total touchdowns.
K Tim Mazzetti
Boston/New Orleans (1983-1994)
Career Stats: 1,590 Career Points. 489 of 491 PAT (99.6%), 367 of 423 FG (86.8%)
All-USFL: 7 Times
League Points Leader 5 Times, Holds record for FG in a season at 49
The Kicking Bartender, Tim Mazzetti, was a mainstay on the Breakers roster from their early days in Boston through the playoff run of 9 straight years, retiring in 1994 as one of the most recognizable and well-renown kickers in league history. His 1990 season produced a record which still stands for field goal attempts with 53, as well as the record for made field goals at 49.
FS Frederick Wilder
Birmingham (1983-84), New Orleans (1985-1993)
Career Stats: 169 Games played, 712 Tackles, 32 Interceptions, 15 Sacks, 106 Passes Defended, 9 Defensive Touchdowns
All-USFL: 5 Times.
Perhaps the biggest surprise in this year’s class, Wilder gets in on his second attempt. The ballhawking safety started an impressive 155 of 169 possible games, racking up 712 tackles and 32 interceptions in his 13-year career. Wilder had a knack for undercutting receivers to snag picks and 9 times in his career those picks were run back for scores. Wilder was one of many Breaker players to take part in a run of 9 consecutive playoff seasons, but, as with the entire Breakers franchise never earned a Summer Bowl title.
WR John Jefferson
Pittsburgh (1985-87), Orlando (1988-1994)
Career Stats: 160 Games played. 878 Receptions, 12,505 Yards, 70 TDs, 14.2 YPC
All-USFL: 5 Times.
A huge surprise, not as an entrant per se, but as a first-time candidate, Jefferson may have been helped by his combination of USFL and NFL stats showing that he was elite in both leagues. Originally part of the Air Coryell attack with the NFL Chargers, Jefferson jumped to the USFL in 1985 as an immediate impact player. He would play 10 seasona in the USFL, becoming one of the oldest players at his position by his retirement in 1994. Over his USFL career he caught 878 passes for 12,505 yards and 70 touchdowns. He becomes the first player inducted from the Orlando Renegades, where he won all 5 of his All-USFL accolades.
So, a shoo-in, a well-deserved accolade for an undervalued player, the Hall’s first USFL kicker, and two players who, while certainly deserving of the honor, go into the Hall sooner than expected. The hall passed on a couple of deserving candidates from the O-line position, an oversight which has many former linemen upset, including candidates William Copley and Antonio Gardiner, who both were semi-finalists. It is something the USFL and the HOF are going to need to reconcile as there simply are not the statistical categories available to linemen that every other position on the field can use as evidence. Looking at 2000 there may be space for a lineman or two to make the Hall, but we also have to recognize that in the new class of 2000 will be two slam dunk players, Herschel Walker and Eric Truvilion, and two possible coaches in Sam Rutigliano and Dick Vermeil. Add in qualified players like wideout Jo-Jo Townsell, LB Kiki DeAyala, and SS Dave Dumars and it could be rough for Copley, Gardiner, and new candidate, tackle Mark Shively to get the votes they need.
It’s another great week of divisional games as all 24 clubs are in division this week. Let’s start in the Pacific where things have gotten interesting. LA is still up one game in the division, but has a tough assignment, traveling to Portland to face the 4-5 Thunder. Denver is a game behind and host the flailing Invaders with a shot at gaining ground if LA stumbles. In Arizona a resurgent Wranglers team can reach .500 if they can cool off the Seattle Dragons, who exploded this week against the Invaders.
In the Central the big game is Michigan at St. Louis. If the Panthers want to join the playoff hunt, they may need this one, but after losing to Chicago last week the Knights are out for blood. Houston hopes to rebound after a tough loss to Texas when they face the Breakers in New Orleans this week. Texas is at home, where they hope to shut down the Chicago Machine and remain at least 1 game up in the division.
Birmingham has raced out to a 1 game lead in the South, and can go a long way to securing a title if they can knock off the Bandits in Tampa Stadium this week. It is a game that Tampa Bay cannot afford to lose if they want any chance to retake the division title. Orlando and Jacksonville battle in the Citrus Bowl, and at 3-6 neither club can afford another loss. Memphis is 1 game behind the Stallions and hope to make ground as they face the 1-8 Atlanta Fire.
And in the Atlantic the parity of the division is on display as 4-5 New Jersey heads to 5-4 Washington and 5-4 Ohio visits 4-5 Pittsburgh in two games that could separate contenders from posers. Meanwhile, the 8-1 Blitz are 3 games up in the division and would love to clinch things early as they head to Philadelphia to face a demoralized and out-of-synch Stars club.
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