Wranglers Rustle Up a Win for Title Number Two

It did not look good early, but Arizona rallied and wrangled a win away from the Memphis Showboats to win their second title in four years, becoming the ninth team to win multiple titles and the early frontrunner for team of the decade in the USFL. Memphis started the game strong, putting up the first 14, but Arizona adjusted and went on a 27-3 scoring run to put away the upstart Showboats and finish the year the way they started it, as the league’s best team. David Carr would also get the double up, winning Playoff MVP after his earlier Season MVP award. Larry Fitzgerald would be the game’s only 100-yard receiver, while 3 other Wranglers would haul in touchdowns from Carr. The star on defense would be rookie linebacker Scooby Wright, who came up big in the biggest game of the year, recording 9 tackles, and a sack-fumble combo. 

Alicia Keyes Kicks Things off with the National Anthem.

On a beautiful 85 degree evening at MetLife Stadium, the game began with the usual pomp and circumstance, and just a bit of New Jersey style as cast members from Jersey Boys from Broadway singing “America, the Beautiful” and Alicia Keyes belting out a gorgeous rendition of the National Anthem. Following a three C-130 flyover from McGuire Air Force Base, we were ready for the game to start. Memphis won the coin toss and deferred, so Arizona started with the ball. 

It would be a quick 3-and-out with 2 incompletions and a NaVorro Bowman sack of Carr on third and 10. Memphis would have no better luck on their first possession, with Manning sacked by Adam Carriker on 2nd and 10 and completing a short pass on third down. Arizona got the ball back on their own 17 for their second drive as both offenses tested out the opposition early. Arizona would get the game’s first down after a 9-yard Gore run led to a quick Carr’s first completion of the game, a 19-yard strike to Larry Fitzgerald. But, two plays later Carr was sacked a second time, this time by DT Dontari Po, leading to another punt and the first big play of the game. Memphis brought pressure on the punt and backup safety Scott Silva clipped the ball on its way off Chad Lester’s foot.  Memphis would recover the kick on the Arizona 38 in prime position to turn the blocked kick into points.

Memphis would need only 5 plays to turn the big special teams play into 7 points. A Todd Gurley run pushed the ball into the red zone, and 2 plays later Manning would find his tight end Jay Finley in the endzone for the score. Memphis was playing well in all three phases, with 2 sacks in the early stages of the game, a blocked kick, and Manning connecting on early passes. 

Manning's First Half Success Faded in the 2nd.

After the kickoff Arizona’s issues continued, Carr would be sacked for a third time, this one a poorly chosen scramble out of pressure that cost the Arizona QB 11 yards and forced a tough 3rd and 18 throw. After 3 possessions the league MVP was 2 for 8 with 3 sacks against him. Arizona would get the ball off cleanly on the punt, but once again Memphis was back on offense after a very short Wrangler possession. The ensuing drive would last 10 plays, take the game into the early 2nd quarter, and give Memphis a 2-score lead. After completions of 8, 13, 10, and 38 yards, Memphis was at the Arizona 2 yard line. The big play had been a dump down pass on 1st and 10, a pass that backup HB Anthony Allen took nearly 40 yards down to the 2 before Troy Polamalu caught up to him.  Memphis appeared to not only have figured out how to pressure David Carr, but how to find weaknesses in Arizona’s defense as well. On 2nd and goal from the 2, Manning threw his second TD of the game, a quick flat route to Robert Woods, and the Showboats had stunned the crowd by taking a 14-0 lead on the Wranglers.

Carr would miss on his next two passes, forcing another punt and dropping his completions to 2 of 10. Memphis had seemingly figured out how to defend what had been one of the league’s best big play offenses. However, when a Manning pass to Finley came up short on 3rd down the Showboats chose to punt. Arizona got the ball on their own 12, much in need of a play to show they were in this game. After 2 runs from Gore got the Wranglers a first down, they got the play they were looking for.

On 1st and 10 from the 27, Carr faked the pitch to Ka’Deem Carey, rolled to his left and saw Larry Fitzgerald in single coverage. He did not hesitate and uncorked a deep ball to his favorite target. Fitzgerald brought the ball in over his shoulder, tightrope walking the sideline until eventually pushed out by Calvin Pryor. It would be a 66-yard catch and run, putting Arizona on the Memphis 6-yard line. The Showboats would come up strong in their goal line defense, stuffing Carey on 2nd down and forcing two incompletions from Carr, now only 3 of 13, and when Coach Tomsula sent out the field goal team there was a sense of disappointment, but Arizona had proven that the big play was still possible and that would motivate them for the remainder of the game.

Memphis would gain only 1 first down on their next drive, with Ryan D’Imperio stopping Frank Gore short on a 3rd down catch. Arizona, with 1:23 left in the half, would get the ball back. A poor kick by Memphis’s Pat McAfee was returned 17 yards by Carey and Arizona took over in Memphis territory at their 33 yard line. Arizona shifted up formations, trading WR David Tyree for more protection and Carr used the extra time to hit on 4 of 5 passes on the drive. After a 9-yard completion to Demarcus Robinson, Carr turned back to the little-used receiver and this time he hit Robinson for his biggest catch of the season, a 15-yard TD strike. It appeared as we reached the half that Arizona had started adjusting to Memphis’s surprisingly strong start and had found their feet. They would go into the half down only 4 points, Memphis up 14-10.

Halftime was the kind of production you might expect this close to New York City. Alicia Keyes returned to the stage, accompanied by Jay-Z, for a rendition of “Empire State of Mind” and also entertained the 62,304 in attendance with “If I Ain’t Got You” before an unannounced appearance by New Jersey’s favorite son, the Boss.  Bruce Springsteen joined with Keyes for a huge crowd pleaser, “Born to Run”, before the two combined for a peppy “Born in the USA”. Meanwhile, in the locker rooms, each coach was pushing his team to stay focused, to do their jobs, and to not let the moment be too big for them. Arizona was now focused on pass protection and third down defense, Memphis on continued QB pressure and on trying to get the run game established more solidly.

When the second half started, both coaches told the ABC sideline reporters that there was good and bad in the first half but that they had 30 minutes to show what they could do. Memphis would get the ball first in the half and would look very much like the confident team that started the game. With Todd Gurley rushing the ball and Manning using Allen, Mark Clayton, and Finley to turn short completions into first downs, the Showboats moved the ball well on their opening drive. A nice tackle by Carriker on Gurley on a 3rd and 3 run led to a decision from Coach Ryan, who opted to send out his kicker for a 36-yard field goal and the 17-10 lead.

Carr started slow, but got hotter as the night went on.

Arizona got the ball on their own 14 and once again the Wranglers found a big play, though it turned out to be big for an unanticipated reason. Carr hit Antonio Bryant on the second deep ball of the game, a 57-yard play based on a double move by the speedy receiver.  The play took the ball from the Arizona 14 to the Memphis 28, but even more damaging, it ended with Showboat MLB Ryan D’Imperio on the field in pain. He would be carted off with a game-ending injury that would impact the Memphis defense for the remainder of the Summer Bowl. While the medical staff took D’Imperio to the locker room, the Wranglers made short work of the final 28 yards to paydirt. Gore would slash for 9 yards on first down and Carr would then go for it all with another nice ball to Bryant. The 19-yard play would see Bryant tip-toe the final two yards along the sideline before falling into the endzone for the score-equalizing 7 points. Despite a strong early game from Memphis on both offense and defense, the Wranglers had evened up the scoreboard and found their big play offense.

Memphis would drive once again on their next possession, benefitted by a bad taunting penalty against Carriker. Manning hit Mark Clayton on back-to-back plays, first for 19 and then for 10 more, and the ball was on the Arizona side of the field, but a nice tackle for loss on Gurley from Polamalu and a dropped 3rd down pass forced the Showboats to go for the long 48-yard field goal. Lewis Ward’s kick was no good and Arizona took over on the 38.  Seven plays later the Wranglers would take their first lead. 

Fitzgerald topped 100 yards for the Wranglers.

The pivotal Arizona drive started with a swing pass to Gore that gained 28. Carr, now finding his receivers with more regularity thanks to better protection, then connected with Michael Egnew for 6, Fitzgerald for 12 and on the scoring play found Ka’Deem Carey on a circle route over the middle for a 16-yard completion that saw the back slip past the tackle attempt of the safety and slide into the endzone for the Wranglers to take over the lead of the game.

The kickoff following Arizona’s score finished up the third quarter and set us up for a huge 4th quarter. Memphis would take over at their own 28 after a nice return from Antwuan Molden. After a false start call, Memphis found themselves with a 1st and 15, which turned to a 2nd and 15 after an incompletion, and then got much worse. On 3rd down, Manning dropped back, but rookie Scooby Wright raced untouched into the pocket, catching Manning’s arm, popping the ball out and falling on it to give Arizona the ball on Memphis’s 22 yard line. But Arizona had their own issues, they too were called for a false start, and on third and 14 they gained only 4 yards, forcing Coach Tomsula to go for the short field goal, a 39-yarder that made the score 27-17. Memphis was now down 10.

Time ticked away as both teams went three and out on their next possession. Memphis got the ball back after the exchange, 7:57 left, down by 10, on their own 21. Manning would hit Finley on two consecutive plays to get a first down, then 9 yards to Clayton, a 1 yard run by Allen and a 2nd first down. They got their third on an 11-yard pass on 3rd and 9 as Manning found Woods on an out route. Then a 4th as Allen rushed for 10 on 1st down. The Ball was now at the Arizona 29, but it would go no further. Todd Gurley was stuffed on first down, Manning threw to Cordarelle Peterson, but the ball was dropped. On third and 10  Manning found Woods for 6 yards, making for a 4th and 4 call from the 23. Coach Ryan opted not to send out the kicker, hoping he could get the touchdown now, with 2;33 left to play. He was wrong.

Gurley took the ball from Manning on 4th and 4, hit the line, but was turned back by the Wranglers. The ball was marked at the 20, a yard shy of the line to gain. Coach Ryan used a timeout to call for a review, but the video evidence did not change the verdict. Memphis had turned the ball over on downs with only 2:29 left to play and now need desperate plays to make up a 10-point deficit. Arizona moved the ball from their own 20 to the Memphis 43, hitting David Tyree for 26 yards on a surprise pass play, but two plays later fate would hand Memphis an opportunity. Marcus Tubbs broke through the Arizona line, caught Carr just as he was aiming to pitch the ball to Gore, causing a fumble which Tubbs was able to recover.  Memphis had the ball back at the 2-minute warning, needing 2 scores.

The Showboats would again try to get the touchdown first, needing both a field goal and a TD to tie the score. Despite using their last timeout and Manning spiking the ball whenever possible, they reached the 6-yard line with only 18 seconds left. A 2nd and goal produced another sack, this time Quentin Groves blitzing to catch Manning by surprise. Memphis would have only 1 play left, and down 10 they had no way of catching up. Manning threw to the endzone, and the ball failed to find a target.  

Coach Tomsula was all smiles after the game.

The Showboats had performed admirably, putting a real scare into Arizona, but in the end, the Wranglers were just too solid on both sides of the ball to take the loss for a 2nd year in a row. Arizona players celebrated as copper and red confetti showered the field. They had a 2nd title in only 4 years and could rightfully be called the dominant team in the league over the past 4 seasons. David Carr would finish the game 17 of 34 for 307 yards, 3 TDs and no picks, winning the MVP for the playoffs and getting himself a second ring. Scooby Wright, in his first season had made the championship, and been a big part in winning it, his sack, fumble, and recovery being perhaps the most important play in the game. As Coach Tomsula presented the John Bassett Trophy to his owner, the state of Arizona celebrated and the state of New Jersey did as well, getting a great game to cap off a great season. 

And so we move on, preparing for the offseason, gearing up for the NFL, or perhaps awaitig the draft, the opening of USFL camps, and another season in 2017 to come. Next up the Summer Bowl returns to New Orleans, so you know that will be a party. And you know we will bring it all to you, from the offseason moves to every game of the regular season, and into the playoffs before the league's 35th title game next year.