Breaking Through: New Orleans Wins First USFL Title
A Summer Bowl that required overtime saw Quincy Carter become the unlikely star as the backup led the New Orleans Breakers to victory in the extra period to win their first league title in the club’s 33-year history. In a game that saw New Orleans start fast, building an early 17-0 lead, only to have Arizona chip away throughout the second half, Drew Brees went down on a controversial play, stayed in the game despite the injury, only to be removed late, and it would be up to his backup to lead the team through the final minutes and into overtime.
Arizona, who kicked off as an 8-point favorite by game time, struggled in the first half as New Orleans broke through to score the first 17 points of the game, but late in the half would find their legs, and over the final 39 minutes of action would slowly build their way back to a tie, seemingly shifting both momentum and the odds as they scored the final 17 points of regulation to send the game to overtime. But in the extra period the Breaker defense got a huge stop on Arizona’s first possession and Quincy Carter, thrust into the game after the Drew Brees injury, came through with a game-winning drive and TD toss to Coby Fleener to give the underdog Breakers, winners of the Southern Division and 2 seed in the East, the victory over the top seed from the West.
This was a game of contrasts, with a clear momentum shift midway through the second quarter, following the injury to Breaker QB Drew Brees. It was also a game which saw both defenses struggle at times and rise up at others. The game saw 10 sacks between the two defenses, with Breaker DE Ty Warren earning two, but Wrangler DT Ryan Carruthers getting the sack-safety in the 4th quarter that would lead to the overtime period. In overtime, it was the Breaker defense that came up big, providing the underdogs from New Orleans the chance to end the game, and their backup QB made it happen, with a drive that he will remember always.
The game began in the heat of an LA afternoon at Farmers Insurance Field, ending in the cooling evening sky under the stars, and as day shifted to night, the momentum of the game also shifted. The USFL title game began with all the star power and glitz that you would expect from Los Angeles in a season dubbed “The Road to Hollywood”. Celebrities from film, television, music, and sports were on hand as Mariah Carey belted out the national anthem and Donna Hudson “America the Beautiful”. The halftime show would feature two LA bands, the Black Eyed Peas and a surprise guest appearance from Guns & Roses, but it would be an evening dominated by the stars on the field, from ageless Wrangler HB Frank Gore’s 105-yard performance to the late heroics of former LA Express draft pick and journeyman backup Quincy Carter, with his 6th different team in New Orleans.
The game started fast for the New Orleans Breakers and Coach Lathon. After choosing to get the ball first after winning the coin toss, and using their standard 15 scripted plays, New Orleans had immediate success, mounting a 13-play drive from their own 22 that saw Jeremy Hill find some gaps in the Wrangler run defense and which saw Drew Brees connect on a 3rd and 11 pass to Kenny Britt for 14 yards to keep the drive alive. Brees would also produce the game’s first score, connecting with DeMetrius Byrd on what would be his only catch of the game, a 6-yard toss over the middle that saw Byrd squirm through the tackle to cross the goal line for a 10-yard score.
Arizona, who would go the entire game without converting on a single third-down attempt (0 for 15), would manage to earn only one first down on their first drive before being forced to punt after a missed throw on 3rd and 7. It would be a rough game overall for Wrangler QB David Carr, who would complete only 9 of his 28 passes on the day (32%) and who would be pursued relentlessly by a cavalcade of Breaker defenders. The Wranglers would find more success with the run game, but not until later in the half.
Following the short Arizona drive, New Orleans got the ball back at their own 17, and once again proved effective in using both misdirection and well-designed plays to get the ball down the field once again. The Breaker’s second drive would last only 4 minutes and 9 plays, but it would end with a similar result to the first, a second New Orleans touchdown. The second score came on a 1st and goal on the 6 yardline. Jeremy Hill, who would finish the game with 82 yards on 24 carries, took a pitch left and found the endzone pylon before rolling out of bounds. The Breakers were up 14-0 after only two possessions and both the pundits and Wrangler fans, both of whom clearly expected the game to start very differently, were on edge as the first quarter came to an end with Arizona holding the ball, but struggling to get their offense going.
The Wranglers and Breakers would trade short 3-and-out possessions to end the first quarter and begin the second. When a holding call forced Arizona into a 3rd and 17 on their 3rd possession, a draw play to Gore got them 11 yards, but they were again forced to punt. New Orleans took over and again found success mixing runs from Hill with quick passes designed to protect QB Drew Brees from the aggressive Wrangler pass rush. Once again the Breakers would drive the ball well into the Arizona red zone, but on a 2nd and 8 at the 14, a questionable hit on QB Drew Brees would shift the nature of the game.
It was a throw away pass out of the back of the endzone as Brees could not find a receiver on the 2nd down play, but Arizona DE Quentin Groves rolled into Brees, awkwardly rolling his right ankle and forcing the Breaker QB out of the game for the 3rd down play. As Brees sought medical attention on the sideline and the Breaker contingent of fans at Farmers Insurance Field cried for a penalty, no flag was thrown. It was debatable whether Groves had been blocked into Brees or if he had lunged at the Breaker QB as the ball was thrown. Either way, the Breaker QB and star of their playoff run was hobbled by the hit to his ankle. Quincy Carter would come in for the key 3rd down play, with the Breakers opting to give the ball to David Wilson on a draw play. Wilson would gain 4, falling short of the first down and forcing New Orleans to send kicker Caleb Sturgis out on the field.
Now up 17-0, New Orleans kicked off to Arizona as Brees sat on the training table along the Breaker sideline, having his right ankle rotated and palpated, with obvious pain on his face. The Breakers might have hoped for a somewhat drawn out Arizona possession to give them time to analyze the damage to their QB’s ankle, but they would not get it. Arizona took the kickoff as a fair catch on the 19. After a 3-yard run on first down from Gore, they would get the first big play of the game.
It was a 2nd and 7 from the 22 and the Breakers were ready for yet another Gore off-tackle run, but David Carr kept the ball, avoided the rush from LB Rocky McIntosh, and found speedster Antonio Bryant with 2 steps on his defender. Carr launched the deep ball, both Bryant and CB Shaquille Robinson went up for the ball, with the Wrangler receiver bringing it down and making a quick turn to get further upfield. He would race down the sideline, outpacing safety Brandon Taylor to the endzone and putting Arizona on the board for the first time in the game.
Kicker Elliot Parson, the league’s All-USFL selection at the position, doinked the PAT off the upright, his first miss in nearly 30 attempts, and Arizona was down 11 at 17-6. But, more importantly, the momentum had shifted. Drew Brees was still shoeless and getting iced on the sideline, and the Breakers would retake the field with Quincy Carter at QB now in a much different game than the first quarter had produced.
Carter would hand off twice on 1st and 2nd downs before missing on a throw to Early Doucet on 3rd and 5. A quick and ineffective possession that gave the Wranglers hope that they could close the score even more before the half. The Wranglers got the ball back with just over 7 minutes left in the half and with a feeling of expectation. They would fail to pick up a first down as Carr was sacked by Safety Mike Doss on a well timed third-down blitz, forcing Arizona to give the ball back to the Breakers. New Orleans, with Carter at the helm once again, would earn a first down, burn quite a bit of clock and then fail to produce a 2nd first down on the 4th run play of the drive. They would punt back to Arizona, but with only 33 seconds left on the clock. Arizona would settle for a deep shot down field that missed out of bounds and then a knee to run out the clock and take the game to the break.
Drew Brees was carted into the locker room as the teams departed the field. The halftime break was a mix of entertainment on the field and discussion of the Brees injury and its impact among the broadcasters. Arizona would get the ball first in the 2nd half, and it was noteworthy that Brees did not emerge from the locker room with the rest of the team as the half kicked off. With the Wranglers receiving the kickoff in the endzone, Arizona’s offense took the field and the Breaker D joined them, understanding that this game may well depend on their ability to hold down the Wranglers.
Arizona wasted no time trying to tighten the score. Using Frank Gore as a battering ram, they methodically moved the ball down the field. David Carr would complete only 2 passes on the drive, one however, saved the Wranglers as he found Larry Fitzgerald with a very nice out route on 3rd and 9 that gave the Wrangles a new set of downs. Carr’s other completion would be a perfect play-action pass on 1st down, finding David Tyree for a 23-yard gain and putting the ball in the New Orleans red zone. From there a 9-yard run from Ka’Deem Carey, his longest of the day, and a strong 6-yard effort from Gore, put the ball on the 1. From there it was a simple matter for the Wrangler line to give Gore a crease and that was all he needed to get Arizona back on the board once again. The Wranglers would go for 2, hoping to bring the score to 17-14, but David Carr was flushed from the pocket by Ty Warren and forced a low throw to TE Daniel Graham, too low for Graham to come up with, leaving New Orleans with a 5-point lead at 17-12.
Quincy Carter started the next drive under center, and after a short completion on 3rd and 2, had a Breaker first down, but it was what happened just before that play that got the Breaker fans on their feet. As Carter was in the huddle, Drew Brees jogged out of the locker room and onto the Breaker sideline. Following Carter’s successful third down throw, Brees would walk out to the huddle, shaking Carter’s hand as the two passed on the field, and the Breaker fans started to make noise once again.
The Breakers’ enthusiasm was muted quickly as Brees was clearly not at full capacity, looking somewhat awkward on his first full drop back and failing to connect with Kenny Britt on the next third down play. It was clear that the injury to his plant foot, now visibly covered in heavy tape, would impact Brees’s mobility and even his throwing motion. He would not be able to scramble away from danger and would need to be cautious even in simple pocket passes.
A short punt gave Arizona good field position on their own 44, and the Wranglers, despite their issues with third down, were able to get the ball into Breaker territory before settling for a 47-yard Parson field goal to pull within 2 at 17-15. Now, with less than a field goal lead, and with Arizona having scored 15 unanswered points, the Breakers were not feeling confident in their chances, even with Brees on the field, but clearly not at 100%.
New Orleans went 3-and-out on their next drive, with Brees taking a sack on third and 8, wrapped up by Karlos Dansby, but able to quickly return to his feet. But the Breakers would get a big play on defense on the next Arizona possession, helping them turn the tide a bit. David Carr, seeking to connect with Larry Fitzgerald on a 2nd down play-action pass, was clipped by a blitzing Kwon Alexander as he threw, and the errant pass fell right to safety Shaquille Richardson for the game’s first turnover. It would be the first of 4 interceptions over the final 16 minutes of action and overtime.
New Orleans took over at midfield, but Brees’s mobility issues would produce another turnover, New Orleans’s first, only 2 plays later as an outside throw to Doucet did not have the zip on it that was needed, allowing Arizona’s Joe Haden to cut in front of Fitzgerald and nab the interception as he fell out of bounds. It was a clear sign that not only would Brees’s injury impact his ability to escape the pass rush, but that it was also impacting his throwing motion and the power of his throws.
Arizona would garner a first down thanks to a nice catch by Daniel Graham on 2nd and 7, gaining 12, but that would be their only chain adjustment on the drive as again the Breaker defense got to Carr, this time Ty Warren with his first sack of the day to force a punt. Punt Returner Tyler Lockett would call for the fair catch on his own 9, but muffed the catch, causing the ball to roll out of bounds at the 4 yard line. That put New Orleans in a precarious position. That position was made even more precarious when Frank Gore’s first down run was stuffed behind the line by Arizona DE Kapron Lewis-Moore, creating a 2nd and 12 from the 2.
Confident in his QB’s ability to get the ball out quickly, Coach Lathon and OC Ryan Day called a pass play for 2nd and 12. But once again Drew Brees’s mobility issues proved problematic as Arizona called a zero coverage with 2 blitzers coming right up the middle. Brees could not avoid the rushers and went down, providing Arizona with the 2 points they needed to tie the score. It was becoming obvious that Brees would not be able to be effective against heavy Arizona pressure.
The Wranglers were again ineffective with the ball and again failed to convert on third down after receiving the free kick from New Orleans. They would punt the ball back to the Breakers, but this time a touchback would give New Orleans breathing room. Drew Brees came out again, and again, the Breakers struggled with pressure. On a 3rd and 9, Brees had a ball tipped at the line, always a danger for the somewhat diminutive QB. Karlos Dansby was in the right spot to bring in the tipped ball and suddenly Arizona was in position to take the lead, with the ball on the Breaker 38.
But, as they had done all game, the New Orleans defense found a way to upend the Wrangler plans. On first and 10, the Wranglers went for the kill shot, with a fake to Gore and a shot towards Daniel Graham up the seam, but the Wranglers were ready. They had feigned a man coverage, but LB Kwon Alexander had backed away from the line at the snap and the Breakers dropped into a cover 2, with Alexander taking position in front of Graham’s route. Carr’s ball did not arc enough to avoid Alexander’s hand, and the linebacker tipped the ball to himself, producing the 2nd pick in as many plays and once again giving the ball back to the Breakers.
Coach Lathon had made the call that needed to be made. Out onto the field trotted Quincy Carter. Drew Brees, visibly upset, sat on the bench. Carter took over on the 29, got a solid first down run from Hill to make it 2nd and 2, then let Hill pick up the first down on another run. The drive would stall after that, but the 5 plays helped New Orleans wind the clock down another 3 minutes, leaving Arizona with just over 2 minutes to go. Punter Matt Allen would play his part, booting a booming 62-yard punt that backed the Wranglers up to their own 13.
Arizona would not find success on their drive, once again coming up short on third down, this time with Graham taking a hard hit 2 yards from the line to gain and going down just short. Rather than risk giving the ball to New Orleans in field goal range if a 4th and 1 failed, Coach Tomsula played it conservatively and punted. New Orleans would run the ball on the next two downs and then take a knee to send the game to overtime.
Arizona, having scored the final 17 points of the game, and looking at a Breaker team with serious questions on offense, opted to take the ball first in the extra period. Caleb Sturgis kicked off and Ka’Deem Carey took a knee in the endzone for a touchback. The Wrangler offense took the field, hoping to pull off one of the bigger comebacks in Summer Bowl history. Frank Gore seemed to hit on a nice 9-yard run on first down, but the Wranglers were called for holding, giving them a 1st and 20 and throwing a wrench into their plans for a game-winning drive. They would get back 14 of the 20 yards, but once again the Breaker pressure got to David Carr before he could find a receiver on 3rd and 6. The combination of Ty Warren and a blitzing Kevin Minter pressured Carr and his ball sailed out of bounds, well over the head of Antonio Bryant. Arizona would have to punt.
The Breakers got the ball on their own 33. A field goal would win the game if they could just get into position. New Orleans sent Carter back onto the field. At this point the QB was only 3 of 10 throwing the ball, but he was certainly more mobile than Brees, and Coach Lathon would do all he could to protect the ball by using Hill and Wilson to run and use short routes to supplement that run game. A short pass to Hill on first down garnered only 2 yards. Hill’s 2nd down run was more successful, adding 6 more. Third and 2. OC Ryan Day called a draw play with David Wilson in the backfield. The midirection worked, with Wilson gaining 3 and giving the Breakers a new set of downs. Day would take a chance on the next play, calling a play action pass to Kenny Britt. The fake drew in the safeties, and Britt had single coverage. Carter lofted the ball a bit, forcing Britt to jump for it, but the lanky receiver brought it down for a gain of 18. That play forced Arizona to step back from their heavy run defense and at least consider that Carter would be given a chance to throw the ball.
Carter would do just that on the first down play, connecting with Joel Dreesen for 8 yards. On 2nd down, Hill would again pick up a first down. With the clock now ticking down under 5 minutes, New Orleans seemed to be finding the plays they needed. After Jeremy Hill was stuffed for only 1 yard on 1st and 10, Carter would line up in the shotgun, an obvious passing down. Arizona brought a blitz from LB Karlos Dansby and Carter threw the ball to the vacated zone where Dansby had been, finding WR Tyler Lockett for 11 yards. The ball was now within range for Sturgis, but the Breakers wanted to see if they could get him even closer to improve his odds.
The next two plays would prove fatal for the Arizona defense, one of the league’s best all season long. On first down from the Arizona 32, tight end Joel Dreesen got an excellent block on SS Troy Polamalu, allowing Hill to reach the corner on a pitch play. The play would gain 14 yards, putting the ball on the Arizona 18. Certainly the Breakers would send out Sturgis. They did not, they put Carter under center in a big formation, bringing in 3 tight ends, fullback Ira Johnson and showing every intention of lining the ball up for Sturgis with an inside run to the right.
But that was not the call. Carter did not hand the ball off to Hill and as the Wranglers crashed the line to stop the back, Carter rolled to his right, looking for TE Coby Fleener. Fleener was there, crossing from left to right with no one in pursuit. Carter almost lobbed the short 5-yard pass, and with only 1 man to beat, Fleener rumbled towards the right corner of the endzone. Free Safety Nate Allen tried for an arm tackle, but the bigger tight end was able to shrug it off and step into the endzone for the game winning score.
New Orleans, in perhaps one of the most surprising final drives in Summer Bowl history, had claimed their first title in the 33 year history of the franchise. The combination of fierce defense, particularly on third downs throughout the game, and the unexpected heroics of backup Quincy Carter had snatched victory out of the jaws of potential defeat. Drew Brees hugged his backup at midfield. Coach Tomsula congratulated Coach Lathon, a former Breaker player himself, and the sky above the field was filled with confetti in the unique Breaker Blue and silver colors of the newest league champion.
The MVP would recognize the defensive impact of Breaker DE Ty Warren, a 12-year veteran in his 10th year with New Orleans. Coach Lathon would thank pretty much everyone from his parents to the owners to the people of New Orleans as he held aloft the John Bassett trophy, finishing off his acceptance speech with the familiar “Who Dey Breakers?” chant familiar to all football fans of the Crescent City. Arizona had shown their mettle, battling back from a 17-0 first half deficit, but in the end it would be a night for Breaker fans everywhere to celebrate as a USFL founding club won its first title, leaving only 1 franchise from the original 12 without a Bassett Trophy (the original LA Express, then St. Louis and Nashville Knights, and current Las Vegas Vipers.) Another season completed, a new champion crowned, and an overtime title game to excite and engage the fans once again in spring football. As the stars came out in Los Angeles over Farmers Insurance Field, the USFL had once again given us a show, and now the Breakers would join the constellation of stars in the USFL with championship rings as their prize.
And so, we shift to the offseason and another long road to a USFL title. 2016 sees the Summer Bowl return to New Jersey and MetLife Stadium as the league will kick off their 34th season in March, culminating with another title game in the heat of summer in the Meadowlands.
What a moment for the Breakers Fans 10 years after Katrina