2018 USFL SUMMER BOWL IN REVIEW
- USFL LIVES
- 39 minutes ago
- 12 min read
Houston Goes All In, Dominating 2nd Half to Win Their 5th Title
The Houston Gamblers, down 24-17 at the half in an exciting back-and-forth Summer Bowl, made their moves at halftime, changed up their defense, and burst out of the gate with 21 points in the period and 31 in the half to secure their fifth Summer Bowl title and end Arizona’s quest for a third title in 6 years. In a game that saw the offenses make big play after big play and convert drive after drive, Houston made the stops they needed in the second half to turn a 7-point deficit into a 17 point victory, one of the widest margins of victory in Summer Bowl history.
This was a game that saw the biggest stars shining brightest. For Houston it was HB Carlos Hyde with a combined 187 yards from scrimmage (102 on the ground, 85 in the air), Mike Evans with touchdowns in consecutive drives to push Houston from one point down to 14 points up, and it was Colt McCoy throwing for 419 yards and 3 scores in his 2nd consecutive Summer Bowl appearance. For Houston it was veteran Frank Gore, playing in what we now know was his last game, averaging 8.1 yards per carry and scoring his final USFL touchdown, it was Larry Fitzgerald, Antonio Bryant, Ka’Deem Carey and TE Jimmie Graham each catching a 40-yard or longer field-flipping pass from Ryan Nassib.
This was a game for those who love offense, who appreciate when one stop can turn the tide of a game, and who love to see two teams throw abandon to the wind and just go for haymaker haymaker. The result was over 1,000 yards of offense between the two teams, 35 combined first downs, and 18 plays of over 20 yards. It was everything the USFL first won hearts with back in 1983, the drama of wide open football, played with joy and passion, and a hell of a lot of skill.
Sure, this was a title game, so there was pomp and circumstance before kickoff, and in New Orleans that means music, but even the pregame performances by Aaron Neville and Carrie Underwood, and the halftime show with New Orleans’s own Lil Wayne, Master P and southern rockers Kings of Leon, while certainly high energy, could not compare to the performance of the Wranglers and Gamblers in one of the most fast-paced, pedal to the metal championships in league, or pro football, history.
The fireworks began early, as in the 4th play of the game, when Ryan Nassib, an unknown backup when the season began, found TE Jimmie Graham on a 50-yard touchdown toss on the game’s first drive. The Wranglers had taken possession on their 31 after a nice kick return from Taywan Taylor. After a couple of mid-range gainers to get to midfield, Arizona went deep, and in doing so found their tight end open on a seam route straight up the middle. Only 1:25 into the game the Wranglers had put points on the board and big play football was served up as the order of the day.
Houston replied with a quick drive of their own, but one that ended in frustration. Following some nice gainers to Mike Evans, and a 17-yard run by Hyde that nearly got into the endzone, the ball was placed at the 1 and the Houston fans, expecting an easy dive play for the equalizer, got ready to cheer their team. But, a false start on Houston pushed them back to the 6. A run by Hyde and a short toss to TE Tony Moeaki only got them back to the 1, and when a 3rd down throw from McCoy to JuJu Smith-Shuster was ruled out the back of the endzone, a play Coach Phillips challenged, but lost, Houston settled for a 17-yard field goal from Younghoe Koo to put points on the board.
Arizona would add a field goal of their own on their next possession, extending their lead to 10-3, but the fast pace of the game meant that Houston would have time to equalize the score before the first quarter ended. They did just that on their 2nd possession, taking only 7 plays to get into Arizona territory and then giving the Gambler fans the Carlos Hyde run that did not come when they were on the goal line. It was a first and 10 from the Wrangler 38, a simple toss play, but when TE Vernon Davis pushed LB Travis Goethel out of the play, it gave Hyde the ability to cut back and find a lane right into the Arizona secondary. A stiff arm on safety Nate Allen and Hyde was off to the races. Troy Polamalu almost caught him at the 3, but Hyde was able to survive the hit long enough to extend himself over the endline and in for 6 points. With the Koo kick Houston had tied things up in a 1st quarter that saw 4 possessions and 4 scores.
The second quarter would start off with more of the same. Arizona responded to the Houston drive with one of their own, using barely 2 minutes to get down field and put another 7 on the board. The key to their drive was a 2nd and 4 play that turned into a 40-yard catch and run for speedster Antonio Bryant. 3 plays later it was Nassib to Larry Fitzgerald for the All-USFL receiver’s only TD of the game, fade to the corner from the 1-yard line that Fitzgerald caught above the reach of CB Siran Neal. With 16 minute of action and 5 drives in the books, we had 5 scores, and Arizona led 17-10.
Houston did not want to be the first to blink, so they too found a big play to equalize the score a second time, and for the second time in the game it was their halfback, Carlos Hyde, getting the job done. After several more pedestrian plays got the ball into Arizona territory, Coach Phillips and OC Zac Taylor called up the perfect play, a screen to the wide side that sprung Carlos Hyde into the secondary once again. This time it was Mike Evans who gave the key block, forcing Troy Polamalu out of position and allowing Hyde to scramble 44 yards down the field for his second huge scoring play of the game. With only 18 and a half minutes of game time down, the game had seen 34 points put up and we had a battle of big plays on our hands.
But, just as everyone in the Super Dome were gearing up for another huge drive, they got what no one expected, a 3-and-out from the Houston defense. Ryan Nassib missed on a 3rd and 6 throw to Antonio Bryant and Cody Bojorquez came out to punt, clearly stunned that he needed to even be dressed for this game. As stunned as Bojorquez must have been, Houston punter Chad Lester must have been even more shocked when 5 plays later he was called on. Houston had gotten a first down on a McCoy toss to Smith-Schuster, but then failed to pick up another first down and sent Lester out to punt. Arizona would come out again, and, while they did manage to get two first downs before sending Bojorquez out for a 2nd time, they again failed to get into scoring range. With 2:17 left in the half, Houston had a chance at taking their first lead of the game.
The Gamblers came out and immediately hit on a big play, a 30-yard completion to slot receiver Josh Reynolds. Clearly, they were going to be able to take the halftime lead. Well, not so fast, my friend, as Lee Corso would say. On a 2nd and 7, Colt McCoy was certain that the read would send Smith-Schuster on an in-cutting route, but the speedy receiver saw it differently and cut towards the sideline. The miscommunication put CB Mike Mickens in perfect inside position to snatch Colt McCoy’s throw, giving Arizona the first turnover of the game and a chance to take the lead for themselves.
Arizona would not squander that opportunity. In only 4 plays they moved the ball 63 yards, finding Antonio Bryant and Demarcus Robinson on back-to-back plays to get inside the 35. After a run by Gore, it was time for an endzone shot, and again it was TE Jimmie Graham, in single coverage over the middle, who got position on the safety and Jimmie Graham who caught the laser throw from Nassib to score the final points of the half. Arizona had scored on 4 of 6 possessions and went into the half with a well-earned 24-17 lead.
While the fans in the Super Dome were enjoying their halftime show and their scramble to the concession stands, in the two locker rooms the coaching staff of each team were doing their own scramble, trying to get their players ready to make changes in the second half. For Coach Phillips, the focus was on doing more to control the clock. Houston would take their shots and have their big plays, but he wanted Arizona to have fewer opportunities, and he wanted the defense to force the Wranglers to slow their own drives down, less blitzing, more shell zone to avoid more deep balls. For the Wranglers it was quite the opposite message. Coach Tomsula urged his defense to be more aggressive, to take more chances, and come up with some big plays.
When the two teams emerged for the second half, both messages would be received, but one strategy shift would prove far more effective than the other. Houston received the second half kick, having deferred when they won the toss before the game. After a touchback, the offense took to the field, ready to pace themselves just a bit more. The Gambler offense started to do just that, taking longer between plays, running more on first down, McCoy taking the underneath route instead of the riskier deep throw. The strategy proved effective. Arizona, still wary of the big play, was giving up the underneath routes. Both Evans and Smith-Schuster were able to make plays underneath. Carlos Hyde was able to find room between the tackles, and Houston moved the ball steadily over 4 minutes. When a 1st and 10 from the 12 produced an 10-yard play stopped just short, Houston did not rush to the line. They took their time, surveyed the defense and McCoy checked to a simple dive play over right guard. Alfred Blue was in to pound the ball, and from the 2 he ground his way over the line and in for a Summer Bowl TD, tying the game at 24 apiece.
Arizona came out for the next drive, planning to do just the opposite, still looking for the big strike. After achieving a first down on a nice throw from Nassib to Bryant, they went for a deep ball and immediately paid the price, the ball finding the waiting hands of FS Jessie Bates instead of Larry Fitzgerald. Bates came down with the ball just outside the Houston 25, and the Gamblers were back on offense. Again the high-powered Gamblers opted to stick to the underneath routes, to mix in the run, and to be patient. Again this strategy helped them wind their way into the red zone, and for the second time in a row, it would be Alfred Blue taking the ball into the endzone, this time on an inside handoff that he cut back to the left, avoiding the blitzing linebacker and creating a hole that led him 7 yards to paydirt. Houston finally had a lead, and even with a yip from Younghoe Koo causing them to whiff on the PAT, they were up 30-24.
Undeterred by the pick on the last drive, Arizona again came out looking for the big play. This time they found two of them, first with Nassib connecting with Antonio Bryant for a 40-yard completion, and then with Frank Gore turning a 3rd and 2 into a 26-yard TD run as his refusal to go down when contacted led to him finding a gap behind the run blitz, and that gap turned into a rumbling touchdown for the veteran. With Parson hitting on his PAT, Arizona was back on top 31-30.
Houston took over with 4:55 in the third quarter, and for the third time in the period, they used a slow and steady approach. This time, however, they got the reaction Coach Phillips had hoped for as the Arizona defenders started to creep closer to the line and to jump on the undercutting routes. That adjustment gave McCoy the chance he needed to set up a double move route for Mike Evans. A hook turned into a hook & go, and with the defenders moving up, Evans was able to get behind them for a big 27-yard play. Evans would again use the double move when the Gamblers reached the red zone. This time, an inside move drew in the corner, allowing Evans to race towards the back corner of the endzone, where McCoy’s pass was waiting for him. The league’s TD leader had his first of the game, and, after a nice 2-point play, Houston had themselves a 7-point lead. They did not know it at the time, but that score would be the game winner. Arizona would not score again.
The fourth quarter began with the Wranglers driving, but just as they reached midfield a call of hands to the face put them in a 2nd and 18. They got back 7 of the yards, but could not convert and turned the ball over to Houston. The Gamblers, now playing about as slowly on offense as we have ever seen from this group, would hold the ball for nearly 7 minutes on their way to the endzone. When they eventually did get into range, it was Evans again, this time faking the fade and cutting inside, where McCoy hit him with a low ball that only Evans could slide to the ground to catch. With his 2nd score of the game, Evans gave Houston the first double-digit lead of the day, now up 45-31 with just over 8 minutes left to play.
Arizona had no choice. They would have to press to get 2 scores. It was a situation the Wranglers and QB Ryan Nassib really had not encountered all year, having to play fast and play catchup at the same time. As it turned out, it was a scenario that did not fit them well. Nassib, under pressure from the Gamblers’ front, took a sack on a 2nd and 5, leading to a 3rd and 12. Then, trying to make something out of nothing, he threw the ball late over the middle, and that is where Houston LB Jelani Jenkins was waiting. The errant throw produced Nassib’s 2nd pick of the game, and a crushing one based on the timing of it.
That pick would lead to another slow build-up drive from Houston, producing a 23-yard field goal by Koo that made the Houston advantage 17 with only 3:44 to go. It was clear that the Gamblers had won the second half, that their strategy had worked and they had left Arizona with too much to do and too little time to do it. The final 3 minutes of action saw Ryan Nassib sacked twice more, for 6 on the day, and in the only 4th down play of the day, the pressure forced him to throw the ball underneath, finding a receiver in Peyton Barber, but not a first down.
Houston would finish the game on offense, their All-USFL quarterback calling every player’s favorite play, the victory formation. A knee, a timeout, and a knee and the game was over. The Houston Gamblers had won a league-best fifth title. Wade Phillips had his second as the coach of the franchise, and Colt McCoy, Carlos Hyde, Mike Evans, and company, after coming so close in 2017, now felt the joy that comes with hoisting the John Bassett Trophy.
Arizona had started well, but the halftime adjustments worked against them. They watched almost helplessly as Houston outscored them 31-7 in the second half. They had made it to a fourth Summer Bowl, but for the second time they were returning to the desert as the 2nd best club in the league. Within 2 days, there would be a pall over this defeat as three of their biggest stars all announced that they were leaving the game. Frank Gore, Larry Fitzgerald, and Troy Polamalu would all announce their retirements on the day before Free Agency kicked off, marking what very much feels like the end of an era for the Wranglers.
For the Gamblers, their second straight Summer Bowl, and their fifth title felt very different, like a club that could still accomplish a lot. Nearly all of the offensive stars of the Gamblers would be back next year. Yes, they did lose some talent on defense (Albert Haynesworth and Antwan Applewhite would be free agents by Wednesday), but there was a core group of Gamblers who could continue on to see if Houston could be a team to reckon with for years to come.
But, for now, it was the 2018 Gamblers that were the talk of the town, a group that could not win their division despite a 12-4 season, but came together in the playoffs. Carlos Hyde would be named game MVP and MVP of the playoffs thanks to his 4-game run of stellar performances. It would be on to the offseason, but for Houston an offseason of celebration that would include fittings for championship rings and another trophy on display at NRG Stadium next March.
Players of the Game:
HOUSTON
HB Carlos Hyde:
15 Att, 102 Yds, 1 TD, 3 Rec, 85 Yds, 1 TD
WR Mike Evans:
8 Rec, 129 Yds, 2 TD
LB Jelani Jenkins:
4 Tck, 2 TFL, 1 PDef, 1 Int
ARIZONA
HB Frank Gore:
9 Att, 73 Yds, 1 TD
TE Jimmie Graham:
2 Rec, 77 Yds, 2 TD
CB Mike Mickens:
4 Tck, 1 PDef, 1 Int
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