SCORES
NJ 10 BLT 27 Evans to Flowers for 2 scores and Baltimore wins at home.
MEM 24 BIR 28 Stallions keep playoff hopes alive with tough 4 point win.
JAX 34 TBY 27 Bulls clinch the South with a huge road win at Tampa Bay.
PIT 28 NOR 24 Alan Risher finds his groove against the Breakers.
MGN 13 HOU 20 Gamblers stun the Panthers as Michigan loses 2nd straight.
DEN 17 ARZ 27 Neuheisel’s 3 scores lead to Gold’s 4th loss in a row.
LA 20 OAK 27 Invaders take over 1st place with a big home win over LA.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Philadelphia Stars 33 Washington Federals 27
If Washington misses the playoffs they will have to point to one key factor, their inability to win division games. The Feds fall to 0-5 in the division, vs. 7-3 outside the Atlantic. In their most important game ever at RFK, the Federals fell just short of a key victory which would have put them in the driver’s seat for their first ever playoff spot. Philly’s win all but guaranteed them a playoff spot, as they were able to hold off a late Washington comeback to take home the W.
It was a game of swings, as a 14-13 Philadelphia lead at the half blew up in the 3rd quarter as Philly scored on 4 straight possessions. It started with a safety as Curtis Bledsoe could not escape the endzone, then Fusina found Folsom wide open on a blown coverage for a 56 yard score. After a 3-and-out by Washington, the Stars boosted the lead on a Johnnie Hector plunge from the 1, and then David Trout hit on a 44 yarder to give the Stars a commanding 33-13 lead. In the 4th Washington fought back, scoring twice in the first 4 minutes of the quarter, a Curtis Bledsoe touchdown, followed 3 plays later by a Brendan Zavala pick-six. But, now down only 6, the Federals would never challenge again. Philly used the legs of Kelvin Bryant, who finished the day with 125 yards, to slow the game down and milk the clock. Washington QB Reggie Collier watched and waited but never got his shot for a game-winning drive and the Stars finished the game and quite possibly the Federals playoff hopes.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK
Alan Risher staked his claim to be the Mauler’s long term quarterback solution this Sunday. In an otherwise meaningless game for the Maulers, Risher did more than manage a game and hand off to Rozier, he was surgical in the pass game, completing 73% of his passes and finding both John Jefferson and Danny Buggs for two scores each on the way to a 28-24 win. Playing on a 1-year contract after being cut by the NFL Buccaneers, Risher is trying to unseat top draft pick Todd Blackledge and secure himself a long term deal in Pittsburgh. The former Arizona Wrangler demonstrated the same penchant for playmaking and escapability that he had shown the Arizona fans before taking a shot at the NFL. And while the Maulers’ season has been a lost cause since an 0-7 start, finding a QB like Risher may be just the thing to provide some hope for the hard luck Maulers.
PLAYOFF PICTURE
One week left and here is what we know. Baltimore and Michigan are the #1 seeds in each conference. Jacksonville is the #2 seed in the East. Oakland is in. LA is now out of contention. And the clinching scenarios are complex. Here are the best shots for those teams not locked into a slot:
JOCKEYING FOR POSITION
Oakland: Win and they win the division. Lose @ Denver and they are a wildcard.
IN CONTROL OF THEIR DESTINY
Philadelphia: Win and they are in as the #3 seed. Still have good odds with a loss.
Denver: Win at home v. Oakland and they take the division. A loss plus an Arizona win
and they are out.
Tampa Bay: Win and they are in. Lose and they could be bumped by a Federals win.
NEED SOME HELP
Arizona: Their best hope is a win and for Oakland to take out Denver. They would be
the #4 seed.
Washington: Win + TBY/BIR losses and they are the #4 seed. They cannot leapfrog
Philly for #3.
Birmingham: A win over Jacksonville and a Tampa loss and they are 2nd in the division.
Add a Philly loss and Birmingham could slip in as the #4 seed.
NEWS & NOTES
With only one week left, and a lot of playoff impact games in week 17 to boost attendance, the league has to be pleased with the advances in gameday attendance this season. 1986 looks to be the best year yet for attendance, after 1985 saw a significant slip (30,738) from 1984 (35,918). Current year attendance average leaguewide stands at 36,830 and only 3 teams --Memphis, Pittsburgh, and Washington-- have been unable to pull their average above 30,000 a game.
The relocation of Boston and Chicago to New Orleans and Baltimore is a big reason for the boost as both teams have found solid fanbases in their new homes and now lead the league in attendance. Baltimore tops the league at 47,955, with New Orleans at 46,380, just ahead of Jacksonville (45k), and Denver (44k). With 9 teams at or above 38k per game, the league seems solidly on their way to financial viability. Pair this with a strong TV contract and growing local and national sponsorships and we could see a financially profitable league as soon as 1988. A lot will depend on the success of the 4 expansion franchises, and the ability to avoid teams at the bottom of the standings from losing fans if they cannot improve year to year, but it looks like the long-term viability of the league may be getting more and more secure each season.
INJURIES
Week 17 will see some teams resting players and others hoping to win without some key starters. Craig James is still questionable for the Feds. Birmingham may be without SS William Cesare after a foot injury. Denver will miss DE Larry White, and New Orleans is hoping that a mask worn by Marcus Dupree will allow him to play more snaps in this vital week. Tampa is still without John Reaves, and will depend on Jimmie Jordan, while Memphis, who are simply wrapping up a lost season, will do so without their top 2 quarterbacks, as Damon Allen is out with a broken arm.
LOOKING AHEAD
For many teams, it all comes down to this week. Philly may have an easier path to the playoffs as Baltimore is expected to rest some starters. Jacksonville may do the same, which helps Birmingham and potentially hurts Tampa. The Bandits have what should be an easy game against the shorthanded Showboats. Michigan, after 2 tough losses, is unlikely to rest Hebert against New Orleans as they need to get their rhythm back before the playoffs. In the Pacific division the game of the year is Oakland at Denver. The Gold win the division with a home victory, and if the Wranglers can win at LA, Denver would be out of the playoffs altogether with a loss. The only game without playoff implications is in Pittsburgh, where the Gamblers will try to win their 5th straight to once again finish the year at 7-9 (a dubious streak) while the Maulers are hoping to snag one more win to finish 5-4 after an 0-7 start.