Boston Erases 12-Point Deficit to Win USFL Title in Final Minutes
It was a shocking comeback, or a shocking collapse, that turned the final few minutes of Summer Bowl 2009 into one to be remembered. The Boston Cannons, who had been held without a touchdown for the first three quarters exploded in the final three minutes to score two and steal a win that many Invader faithful were already celebrating. It was a stunning turn of events and may well be the greatest comeback (or choke) in Summer Bowl history.
It was also a Summer Bowl that fully benefited the folks who got to their office’s scoring table bets very late, with the first quarter score 2-0, then 2-10 at the half, and 13-5 after three quarters. Those are some unpopular number combinations on the typical betting grid, but thanks to an early safety the game was bound to have an odd score throughout. It only ended up with what looked like a pretty normal final scor due to a failed 2-point PAT. But more on that later.
The game began in earnest after the usual fanfare, singing of the anthem and “God Bless America”, the flyover from nearby Joint Base Andrews, the coin toss (won by Boston), and then on to the opening kick. And, as expected, the game began with both teams feeling each other out, very typical in a title game between two teams that had not faced off in the regular season. Boston gained a first down on a short pass to Jurevicius before being forced to punt 3 plays later. Oakland went three-and-out on their first possession, and so it went throughout the first, with neither team finding much success. There were a few first downs, but there were also a couple of drive killing penalties (both on Boston) and a sack of Harrington that ended another.
Playing for field position in a game that was slow to start, Boston got the first break of the game when Mark Whittaker, Boston’s punter, placed the ball at the 2-yard line with a perfect coffin corner kick. Whittaker, who would have 7 punts on the day would place 6 of those 7 inside the 20, an impressive outing for sure. Starting at the 2, Oakland attempted a dive play to Williams, but got nowhere on first down. On second down it got even worse, as Harrington and Williams all but collided on a botched counter play, the ball did not make it to Williams’ hands and Harrington was swarmed under by Boston’s Hugh Douglas, producing the game’s first points and a 2-0 Boston lead after one quarter of play.
Boston took the safety kick, but another penalty (holding) pushed them back as they ended up with 2nd and 18 and then 3rd and 18. Unable to get in range for Stephen Haushka, the Cannons punted and Oakland took over at the 17. The Invaders would get their first big drive in response to the safety, moving the ball in fits and starts, with Williams and Norwood splitting carries and Harrington connecting with Joel Dreesen on a key 3rd down. The found themselves inside the 5 with a 3rd and goal, but a good defensive stop from Fred Smoot on a throw to Jennings forced them to make a decision. Oakland opted to go for the kick, a chipshot 17-yarder for the lead, 3-2 Oakland.
After a Boston drive that ended on the Oakland 48, Whitaker again placed the ball inside the 20, and Oakland again started a slow-progressing drive towards the Cannon endzone. This time they would not stop short, scoring from well outside the redzone thanks to a perfectly set up toss left that found Jerious Norwood with 2 blockers out in front and a nearly-untouched race to the endzone. Under two minutes to go in the half and we finally had our first touchdown. Oakland had not looked pretty, but they went into the locker rooms up 10-2, having shut down one of the highest scoring offenses in the league in the process.
While Alicia Keyes and Ne-Yo were performing at halftime, Coach Fox was reading his offense the riot act. They had simply not been connecting all game. Chad Johnson and Joe Jurevicius had been targeted 9 times in the first half and had 3 receptions to show for it. Rashard Mendenhall was not finding room to run and drives were getting stunted before they could even get into range for All-USFL kicker Stephen Haushka. Meanwhile, on the Oakland side, Dennis Green was praising his defense, while also trying to remind the squad that there were 30 minutes of some of the toughest football they would ever play ahead of them.
Oakland started the second half with the ball, but a 3rd and 3 run by Williams was stopped a yard short and the Invaders were forced to punt. Boston’s offense came out onto the field, and Drew Bledsoe immediately connected with Percy Harvin for a 13 yard gain to get the Cannon fans in attendance back into the game. Mendenhall had his best run of the game, an 11-yarder, and Boston crept into scoring range. They would not reach the endzone, thanks to the Oakland defense, but it was close enough (the 32) for Haushka to connect on a 49-yard field goal to make the score 10-5 and put Boston within one TD of the lead. Oakland responded, using up 5 minutes on a long drive that eventually got bogged down inside the 20. They too would have to settle for a field goal, but a 30-yard Hollis kick would put them up by 8, ensuring the Cannons could not take the lead with one good drive.
As we entered the final period of play, Boston had the ball, and Oakland had the lead, a stunningly low-scoring lead at 13-5. The Oakland defense had spent much of the day hurrying Drew Bledsoe and keeping the receivers in front of them, breaking on the ball and effectively breaking up passes. On the first drive of the 4th quarter that formula worked once again, as Boston was forced to punt after only 3 plays. Oakland failed to make a first down on its first drive of the final period, after Jerious Norwood could not wrangle a low ball on a 3rd down screen play. Boston got the ball back at the 12 minute mark and, working mostly underneath, managed to drive into Oakland territory before getting bogged down. They would have to settle for another Haushka field goal, but that score would again put them into a one-score game.
Oakland could not be comfortable with the Cannons within 7 and their urgency showed on the following possession. The Invaders slowed down the clock, snapping the ball within 3 seconds of a delay of game each play. They also relied on Norwood more than Williams for the first time in the game, clearly seeing that Williams was being bottled up, but Norwood was able to find space outside. They slowly worked their way down field, and, thanks in part to a defensive holding call on a 3rd and 8, they found themselves in the red zone. A short pass to Greg Jennings got them inside the 10, and then a swing route to Williams, not typically a big part of the passing game, caught Boston off guard and the big back carried the safety into the endzone. Oakland was back up by 2 scores at 20-8, and with only 4:56 left to play, the Invader fans at M&T Bank Stadium were beginning to feel festive.
That feeling would quickly fade. Now with a true sense of urgency, Boston moved to a no-huddle, hurry up offense with nearly 5 minutes left to play. Consecutive sideline patterns to Jurevicius and Johnson were successful in providing Boston with two quick first downs. A draw to Tony Hunt got them a third, and very quickly Boston was looking like a threat to score. The Cannons’ progress slowed down inside the Oakland 40 and they found themselves stuck with a decision at the 37, a 4th and 2. Coach Fox opted not to bring out Haushka. Adding 3 points would still leave them 2 scores away. They set up in the shotgun, then shifted to a wildcat formation. The move surprised Oakland, and as the linebackers were adjusting, the ball was snapped to Mendenhall, who followed Ciatrick Fason to the right for a gain of 3, just enough to keep the drive going. Three plays later, Bledsoe pump faked to Johnson on the right side, pulling the safety off of Percy Harvin, who then received the ball and scampered 23 yards to the endzone untouched. Boston was back within 1 score at 20-15. But they would need the ball back quickly.
Boston opted to kick the ball deep, trusting their defense to get them a 3-and-out. It was by no means a guarantee, the Invaders had proven they could mount a drive, but Boston had all 3 timeouts. First down saw Norwood runs for 3 yards, timeout Boston. On second down they tried to pound Williams up the middle: 1 yard and the 2-minute warning saved Boston a time out. Third and 6, would Oakland throw the ball and risk stopping the clock with an incompletion, or try to gain 6 yards with a running play? They went for the run and the clock run off. Norwood again, but only for 2 yards. Boston used its second time out. They would get the ball back on a Bidwell punt with just under 2 minutes to play, trailing by 5.
Bidwell’s punt was not solid, traveling only 34 yards. Boston was at their own 42 yard line, with a time out and 58 yards to go to steal this game. The drive did not start well. Bledsoe was immediately pressured and went down for a 10 yard loss, a timely sack by Israel Idonije. The Cannons raced to the line, but the 2nd down throw to Johnson was incomplete. Third and 20 from the 32. Bledsoe again lined up in the shotgun, with 4 receivers. Whalen shifted over to Israel Idonije’s side to chip block the DE, and Bledsoe had the time he needed. He connected with Jurevicius on a pass that initially was short, but Jurevicius spun out of the grasp of the corner, gaining 25 in total and giving Boston life. First and ten from the Oakland 43. Bledsoe spikes the ball. Second and 10 and this time it was Aaron Schobel getting to the Boston QB. Another sack, setting up another 3rd and 20. Again Boston spread out the formation. Again Bledsoe found his receiver, this time it was Chad Johnson on the sideline. The play would be reviewed by the officials, unsure if Johnson got his 2nd foot in bounds before falling out of play at the 19. They ruled he had touched both feet in bounds for a 34-yard gain on 3rd and 20. Boston was still alive.
First and 10 from the 19 with 13 seconds left. Time to go for the endzone. Bledsoe did just that with a toss to Harvin on first down. The ball was a bit behind his receiver and Harvin could not bring it in. Second and 10 from the 19, 8 seconds left. The crowd was on its feet at this point, with a lot of visible nerves from both Oakland and Boston fans. Bledsoe lined up in a shotgun formation, trips receivers to his right, Johnson, Harvin, and Cedric Wilson. Jurevicius the only receiver on the left side. The trio of receivers formed in a tight bunch. At the snap, Bledsoe looked towards Jurevicius, then back across the field, before quickly throwing a ball towards the back right corner of the endzone. It would be a throw for Johnson, and the league’s top receiver would be there. Johnson hauled in the pass, took a hit from cornerback Eric Wright, and run into the back wall padding. The heavily Boston-sided crowd went wild. The announcers called it a miracle drive, and Chad Johnson danced with his teammates in the endzone. With only 3 seconds left on the clock, Boston had taken the lead, 21-20.
Coach Fox called for a 2-point play, hoping to build the lead to 3 just in case a miraculous Oakland finish allowed them a shot at a field goal. Rashard Mendenhall was unable to cross the plain so the score remained a 1-point lead. The kickoff would not be a squib, but a full kick that laid up just shy of the endzone. DeSean Jackson made the first man miss, but was quickly swarmed by Boston players, and the game ended with Boston’s bench clearing and racing out to the field. The Cannons had done the improbable, perhaps the unthinkable, they had scored twice in the final 3 minutes, scored twice when they had been unable to get in the endzone all game. Oakland had been up by 12 with only 3 minutes to play, but somehow had let this one slip away.
The game MVP went to Bledsoe, perhaps more for emotional reasons than statistical ones as Bledsoe had completed only 14 of 36 throws. He had, of course, led the way on the two final drives which turned the game from defeat to unexpected victory, but this was more about celebrating his triumphant return after last season’s disappointment. Boston had their championship, one which had eluded them in their prior playoff runs. For Oakland it would be a bitter pill to swallow. They had played so well, particularly on defense, only to have it all melt away in devastating fashion. As the confetti in Boston’s navy, grey, and yellow rained down on the field, Bostonians celebrated. They had a champion, the first pro football title for the city in either league in the long history of professional football. The Cannons were the newest USFL champions and the John Bassett Trophy would soon be winding its way along a parade route in Bean Town.
(For those who are wondering, the USFL signing Tom Brady out of college and him then going to Dallas after several years in New Jersey, left New England with a series of pretty bad QBs. Even when Cade McNown came over from the Express, he did not find success. Without a QB, the Patriots floundered, Bill Belichick was let go in 2006, and in 2009 is a defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. This means that the Cannons are the first league champion for Boston in pro football. What can I say. As a lifelong Bills fan, I had to be a bit mean towards the Patsies and Belichick.)