FAVRE WINS 2ND TITLE AS MEMPHIS HOLDS OFF CHICAGO, 45-32
Going into this week’s Summer Classic, the general consensus was that a game in the teens or twenties was a great sign for Chicago, while a game in the 30’s or higher was likely going to favor Memphis. When we see that the winning score was 45 points, the winner seems pretty clear. With 4 touchdowns and 403 yards passing from Brett Favre, Memphis outpaced Chicago despite their offense only gaining 33 rushing yards on the day.
For Chicago, the plan was almost a polar opposite. Relying on Michael Turner, who rushed for 115, and hoping to keep pressure off rookie QB Brady Quinn, the Machine tried to slow things down, but pass plays of 57, 46, 45, and more were just too much for the Chicago secondary to handle. Yes, Favre was sacked 5 times, but more often than not, the line held for Memphis and the Showboat receivers got deep. Both Robert Ferguson and Lee Evans finished with other 100 yards in the pass-happy Showboat offense.
The game opened, as championships often do, with a lot of pomp and circumstance. The Hall of Fame Class of 2007 was on hand to assist with the ceremonial coin flip. 2001 American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson sang the national anthem in front of a sold out crowd in Arizona’s new domed stadium. With the dome closed to keep out the sweltering 103 degree temperature at kickoff, it was a comfortable 74 on the field.
Chicago won the toss and opted to defer, going on defense first. The Showboats took the opening kickoff and 4 plays later were faced with a 3rd and 3. In a sign of things to come, they handed off to Cadillac Williams, and their lead back was immediately stuffed by the #1 run defense of the Machine. Williams would finish the game with 14 carries for only 14 yards as Memphis quickly gave up on trying to establish a run game against the front 7 of the Machine.
Following the Costello punt, Chicago took over on their own 23. They would have much more success on the ground, and that allowed them to also take advantage of play action passing. They worked their way to the fringe of the redzone, when Michael Turner would have his best run of the day, a pitch to the left with a guard pulling that allowed the back to break into the second level. Once there he outmaneuvered the safety, held off the corner and scooted 19 yards to paydirt. Chicago was on the board first and the Machine fans who made the trip to the desert were in full voice.
Chicago scored at 5:15 in the first quarter. The response from Memphis would come only 1:22 later as the Showboats found gaps in the Chicago secondary and connected on two big plays on their 2nd possession. The first was a 45-yard pass to halfback Cadillac Williams, his only catch on the day, but a big one as it brought Memphis into scoring territory. 3 plays later Favre would thread the needle between his receiver and a closing safety, finding Robert Ferguson for the first of his 2 TDs on the day. The score was even at 7, but the tone had been set. Chicago would try to play a balanced scheme based on the run game, while Memphis would be looking for the big play.
As the second quarter began, Chicago again conducted a solid drive, this one 56 yards after a good kickoff runback by Maurice Clarett. The drive ended with Brady Quinn’s first touchdown pass, a perfect slant route from the 4-yard line to Donald Driver. Quinn recovered the ball and had it set aside, a milestone for the young Notre Dame QB. It would be the first score of a 2nd quarter that saw 38 points scored between the two teams, as both defenses struggled to hold back the onslaught.
It took less than a minute for Memphis to respond, as again they found huge issues with the Chicago secondary. Anthony Weaver just missed on a possible sack, but that miss meant Favre had time to find Robert Ferguson behind the coverage. The 57-yard strike equalized the score a second time, and sent shock waves down the Chicago defense. They would continue to pressure Favre, but they would also continue to pay the price.
Chicago responded with their biggest gainer of the day, as on their next possession, Quinn found Curtis Conway on a well-run slant & go route. The corner bit, and Conway got outside position on the safety, allowing Quinn to loft the ball to him. The 36-yard score elated the Chicago fans and caused Jim Haslett to throw his headset in disgust. When Chicago added 3 more points to take a 24-14 lead at the 4:59 point in the quarter, Haslett was visibly upset with his defense’s performance. He would have no such anguish with his offense.
Memphis would score on their next drive, a 3-minute sprint down the field, capped by a Cadillac Williams 1-yard run after defensive pass interference on Chicago safety Leomont Evans put the ball at the goal line. Down 3 at the 2-minute warning, and not wanting Chicago to score now and then get the ball first in the second half, Haslett spoke with his special teams coach. The Showboats would go for an impromptu onside kick. They brought out their usual deep kickoff team, but Jeff Hall was instructed to pooch the ball about 15 yards down the left side. Hall complied and the play worked out just as Haslett had hoped, with LB Rocky Boiman falling on the ball and holding on at the bottom of the scrum.
With 1:51 left to play, Memphis would have a chance to go into the half with the lead. They would not need it. Just 2 plays later, Favre faked the ball to 3rd down back Lionel Gates and then lofted an arcing rainbow towards Lee Evans, who was racing down the right sideline. The ball was just slightly ahead of Evans, who reached out, tumbling to the ground with the ball in his possession. Chicago corner Al Harris then made a fatal mistake. Assuming, we think, that Evans had touched out of bounds as he rolled with the catch, he did not touch him down. The Memphis receiver popped back to his feet and scurried into the endzone much to the protestations of Harris. The play was reviewed and video evidence showed that while Evans was close to the sideline, at no point did his body touch out of bounds. The score was upheld and Memphis would take a 28-24 lead into the half.
After what this reporter has to call a mediocre halftime show led by the Black Eyed Peas, the game was ready to resume. Chicago would get the ball first and could again regain the lead. They moved the ball well initially, but on a 3rd and 3, guard Sean Mahan would get called for a false start and Chicago would have to try to connect on a 3rd and 8. Quinn’s pass was off target and the Machine gave the ball back to Memphis. Once again the Showboats would look for the big play, and once again they would find it. Favre would connect with Evans for his 2nd score of the game, part of a 157 yard coming out party for the former Wisconsin Badger. Unlike the first score from Evans, this one was a relatively short 11-yard completion, followed by a mad dash to the endzone. Evans showed off his straight line speed, blowing past the safety and was uncatchable as he raced to put Memphis up by 11, 35-24.
But, this Chicago club is nothing if not tenacious, and they would fight their way back as the third quarter wound down. Following a Williams fumble that halted Memphis’s next drive, Brady Quin connected with Donald Driver for a 22-yard score to bring Chicago within 5 at 34-30. They would go for two and a shovel pass to Maurice Clarett worked to perfection, with the big Buckeye able to plow off the right guard and in to drop the Memphis lead to 3. Just as all USFL hoped for, this game would be decided in the final 15 minutes.
The final period started off slowly. A 3-and-out from Chicago was followed by a deep ball from Favre that was picked off by the Machine at their own 11. Chicago again could not do much with the ball, with Memphis tightening up against the run and shutting down a 3rd and 2 attempt by Turner. Memphis got the ball back with just about 8 minutes left in the game. They would drive the ball all the way to the Chicago 6-yard line, but when Brian Urlacher batted down a 3rd down throw at the line, the Showboats were forced to settle for a Jeff Hall 23-yarder.
Now up by 6, Memphis knew that Chicago would have to score a touchdown. They would allow underneath throws and short runs, but nothing over the top. Chicago moved the ball just over the midfield line when a 2nd and 4 turned into a 3rd and 14 thanks to a timely sack from Memphis DE Julius Peppers (himself just 24 hours away from becoming a free agent). Chicago could not convert, and with just over 5 minutes left to play, Memphis would try something new, possession football.
With the run game absolutely not working out for them. Memphis used short passes on first down, paired with often ineffective 2nd down runs to produce makable third downs. They stacked these one on another, helped twice by 3 of Chicago’s 14 penalties on the day. For the first time all game, Memphis was not going for the quick strike, but was lengthening the time between snaps and shortening the time Chicago had to try to recover. The formula was set. Throw on first, kill clock with a run on second, convert on third. Chicago started to figure this out, but that actually helped Memphis as on a 1st and 10 from the 11 yard line, and perfectly content to kick a field goal to go up 9, Memphis called a draw. Chicago bit on the pass, and backup halfback Maurice Smith had clear sailing to the endzone.
Now up 13 instead of 9, with only 1:29 left to play, the Memphis bench started to get excited. Several players made sure to line themselves up near the Gatorade, hoping to douse Jim Haslett with the sticky blue electrolyte drink. But the game was not over. Memphis would need to get a stop. Now it was Chicago who would have to step out of their preferred style of play and look more like fast strike Memphis.
The transition was not as successful for the Machine. They simply did not have the speed that Memphis had outside, so getting deep was simply not a viable option. They worked the middle of the field as best the could until they were down to only 1 timeout left. Then they tried to work the sideline, but on consecutive downs Memphis defenders were ready to swat the ball away from the out-breaking receivers. On a desperate 4th and 14, Quinn heaved up a prayer into the endzone, hoping for a quick score and a chance at an onside kick. But the ball was not destined to be caught and was swatted down, giving Memphis the ball with only 17 seconds left to play. Favre would come back to the field to the cheers of the Memphis faithful in attendance. One knee and a lot of hugs as the game ended. Memphis would be the 2007 USFL Champions, their second title in franchise history, and the second ring for Favre.
Coach Haslett met Coach Mornhinweg at midfield and the two exchanged pleasantries. Quinn congratulated Favre, an idol of his growing up, and the two went their separate ways. As the red, white, and silver sky confetti poured down on the stadium, the John Bassett trophy was awarded to Coach Haslett, who handed it to Lee Evans, who then passed it to others. Brett Favre accepted the Summer Bowl MVP trophy, and thanked the organization and the fans who embraced this former rival to become a member of their team. A fitting end to an exciting season and a fair matchup of two very solid teams that saw offense overtake defense, a very fitting symbol for the 25 years of USFL football, a wide open, fan-friendly, top flight professional football experience.
Wow Quinn had a great game, especially for a rookie