The Michigan Panthers fulfilled their dream season by bringing home the USFL title, defeating the Birmingham Stallions 33-27 in overtime in an exciting matchup of two strong clubs. The Panthers, who began the year 11-0 behind a stingy, hard hitting defense and the dynamic play of quarterback Bobby Hebert, were the odds on favorites to win as they entered the playoffs having only lost twice all season (with one of those being a Week 17 resting of their starters.) Hebert got some payback after the Panthers were bumped from the playoffs in 1983 as he sat on the bench with an injury. Hebert would not be denied this year, throwing for 310 yards and 3 scores, including the overtime winner, to lead the Panthers to victory. For Birmingham, the return of starting quarterback Cliff Stoudt produced a conundrum, as their backup, 1983 starter Bob Lane, had played very well in two playoff games to get the Stallions to the Championship. Coach Rollie Dotsch went back to his starter, but Stoudt struggled against the stingy Panther defense. Relying heavily on league rushing champion Joe Cribbs, the Stallions were able to put a scare into the Panthers, mounting a fierce second half comeback, but in the end, the league’s best team proved themselves just that with an overtime score to take the title. The game did not begin auspiciously for Panther QB Bobby Hebert. His third throw in the game was tipped, picked off, and returned for a score by Birmingham’s Frederick Wilder. But, the Panthers offense was undaunted and over the course of the first half, they would mount several successful scoring drives to take what seemed like a commanding 20-7 lead into the half. Two Bojovic field goals and two Hebert TD passes, one to TE Mike Cobb and an acrobatic 34 yarder to wideout Derek Holloway, gave Michigan the advantage. When Michigan scored again on the a John Williams 2 yard run to begin the 2nd half, the Panthers must have felt like the game was theirs, up 27-7, but there is a lot of fight in these Stallions. Cliff Stoudt rallied the troops and the Stallions would score the final 20 points in regulation over a quarter and a half to tie the game and send it to overtime. Behind 115 yards from Joe Cribbs, the Stallions turned momentum their way, leading to a Michael Haddix plunge for their 2nd score of the day. In the 4th they would add on a Scott Norwood field goal and a short Stoudt to Ross TD pass to pull back to within 3. Scott Norwood would once again be called upon to save the Stallions as, with 11 seconds left to play, he hit a 33 yard FG to tie the game and send it to overtime. Michigan had struggled for much of the second half, but their firepower quickly became apparent and came alive in overtime. After winning the toss and receiving the kickoff, the Panthers started the drive on their own 22 yard line. A quick slant to Holloway got them a first down at the 34. John Williams ran for 2 to get them to the 34, and then, on 2nd and 8, the Panthers took a shot. Anthony Carter ran a slant and go, and with the success of the slant two plays earlier, the CB bit on the short route and found himself trying to pursue the lightning fast Carter down the sideline. Hebert threw a perfect arcing ball which Carter caught in stride, allowing him to glide down the sideline untouched for the 64 yard score to win the game. It was a fitting final play for a team that had depended on the big play all season. Hebert would be named MVP of the Championship, to go along with his regular season and playoff MVP titles. In a year when it seemed the Panthers could do no wrong, they proved their dominance by fighting off a game opponent, and pulling out a championship moment when one was most needed. And for a second year in a row the USFL put on quite a show in its Championship Game. The overtime thriller followed a 1983 Championship decided by only 4 points, proving once again that the USFL knows how to put on a show, and that this upstart league is making a name for itself as the “More Fun League”.

Two outstanding games showcased the talent and tenacity of the USFL brand of football. The two championship games with a combined 8 points between winners and losers, and with a significant upset in the mix, brought all the excitement of playoff football to two large and enthusiastic crowds. Once again Michigan had over 60,000 in attendance as they faced off against the LA Express, while Tampa had just over 55,000 in attendance for their rivalry matchup against Birmingham. Two great games down and a championship to be played as we near the climax of the 1984 season. SCORES LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 26 MICHIGAN PANTHERS 31 All year Michigan had been the front runner, while the LA Express struggled to string together wins, but no one seemed to tell the Express that they were not supposed to stack up against the 14-1 Panthers. Los Angeles came out firing and fought until the very end against the home squad, but in the end, the Michigan offense was just too much for them. Michigan scored early on an Hebert to Holloway pass, but LA kept clawing back, first with a safety as they caused a Michigan holding call in the end zone on a 3rd and 7 from the 2 yard line. After trading field goals, it was 10-5 when Hebert found Holloway again to build a 17-5 lead. But LA would come right back, as Steve Young hit TE Ricky Ellis over the middle to bring the score back to 17-12. Michigan would have one more shot to score in the first half, and this time it was John Williams, who dove over the line on a 2nd and goal from the 2 to put Michigan up by 12 at the half. The Second half began both teams trading 3-and-outs, but then LA got hot and after a long 12 play drive, Young hit Kris Haines on a crossing route to pull within 5 at 24-19. Again the two teams would trade scores, as Anthony Carter snagged a 28 yard out & up from Hebert to build the Michigan lead once again. Young again led the Express down the field and with 10:15 left in the game, RB LaRue Harrington busted through the line on a 1st and 10 and ran for 18 yards and a score to bring the Express within 5 at 26-31. Michigan and LA traded short drives and punts, and with 1:07 left, LA had a chance to drive for a winning score, but on a desperation 4th and 12 pass, Young’s ball would sail on him and into the arms of Michigan SS David Greenwood, ending the Express’s hopes for final minute heroics and sending Michigan to the USFL Championship in Tampa. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 20 TAMPA BAY BANDITS 17 With a chance to make back to back USFL Championships, and to play this year’s title match at home in Tampa Stadium, the Bandits had all they could want in front of them. But they also had a determined and familiar foe in the Birmingham Stallions. Birmingham knows how to play against the high risk, high reward Tampa offense, and despite going into the game without their starting QB, the experienced backup (1983 starter for the Stallions) Bob Lane was more than capable of pulling out a win against the rival Bandits. Birmingham started strong, driving on their first possession well into Tampa territory before having to settle for a Scott Norwood 39 yard field goal. On Tampa’s next possession, the Stallions proved they knew the tendencies of the Bandits well, jumping on a quick slant route and intercepting Reaves deep in Tampa territory. It would only take 4 plays for Birmingham to score, Lane to Anderson to put Birmingham up 10-0. Tampa, unphased by the early success of the Stallions, would score the next 10 points, first a Reaves to Truvillion TD pass and then a 43 yard FG from Zenon Andrusyshyn to level the score at the half. When the two teams came out for the 3rd quarter, Tampa again would strike, Truvillion’s second TD grab of the game. Birmingham came right back, and with 5:22 in the 3rd Lane hit Jonathan Ross for a 16 yard TD to again level the score, now at 17. The 4th quarter would be a battle of attrition as both defenses proved more than capable of shutting down their opposition. Birmingham would stop Tampa on a 4th and 2 as they stuffed Greg Boone behind the line, while Tampa would get its lone turnover on the day, an errant pass from Lane towards Jim Smith that found its way into Bandit hands. With 3:33 left in the game, Birmingham took over on their 27 yard line, and piece by piece they moved into Tampa territory, killing clock while piecing together first downs. It all would have been over for them had a failed 3rd and 9 pass not been immediately followed by a defensive holding call which gave the Stallions a free first down. They capitalized, and with 47 seconds left on the clock, kicker Scott Norwood put the Stallions ahead for good with a 41 yard field goal. Tampa, desperate and with only seconds left, completed a couple of quick passes to move to their own 45 yard line, but when a 3rd and 10 heave from Reaves towards the endzone was swatted down, the clock expired and the Stallions celebrated a hard earned victory. NEWS & NOTES More coaching news from the USFL, as only 1 week removed from a pretty solid display in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Arizona Wranglers have parted ways with head coach George Allen. Allen had hinted that he was considering retirement, and while we do not know how the meeting between Allen and Wranglers ownership went, his sudden resignation does seem somewhat suspicious. Arizona has already made overtures to former ASU Head Coach Frank Kush, currently under contract with the Indianapolis Colts for the 1984 season, but they are also rumored to be reaching out to former University of Texas head man, Darrell Royal. Meanwhile, the Oakland Invaders have been sending feelers out to several NFL coordinators, including George Seifert in San Francisco, New York Giants OC Ron Erhardt, and Seattle Seahawk D-Coordinator Tom Catlin. While it certainly makes sense for the 3-13 Invaders to seek someone with NFL experience, ownership has seemed to indicate that they want to increase the brand recognition of the Invaders and signing a relatively unknown coordinator to lead the team may not be the direction they need to go to do so. INJURIES Both Birmingham and Michigan will come into the championship weekend relatively healthy. The big question mark remains the QB position for the Stallions. Bob Lane has played well enough to win in Philly and Tampa, so if Cliff Stoudt can return, does he? For Michigan, they may try to suit up John Corker again, though he clearly seemed less effective than usual against LA. Other than these two questions, both teams looks solid as they head into the season finale. LOOKING AHEAD TO THE 1984 USFL CHAMPIONSHIP Birmingham Stallions (10-6) vs. Michigan Panthers (14-2) Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida July 15, 1984 One was supposed to be here, the other was not. Michigan at 14-2 has run roughshod over the entire league all year, with their two defeats coming either when Bobby Hebert was out with a minor injury or in the final week of the season, when they rested their starters. Birmingham, while a better than average team all year, was not supposed to get past Tampa last week, shocking the Bandits and denying them the chance to play for a 2nd USFL title at home. But don’t sleep on these Stallions. Any team that possesses the league’s rushing champion, Joe Cribbs, is a dangerous team. With uncertainty at quarterback, and with Michigan LB John Corker unlikely to play, it is very likely that the Stallions will provide the Panthers with a heavy dose of Cribbs, Cribbs and Cribbs. For Michigan it is all about balance between a power run game, led by the duo of Williams and Lacy, and over-the-top vertical passing with Anthony Carter and Derek Holloway. So it may be smashmouth vs. aerial assault in Tampa. Both teams have solid coaches with strong pedigrees, both have defenses that can step up and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and both have ball-hawking secondaries, so it may just come down to who makes the fewest mistakes. The Las Vegas oddsmakers have this as a Michigan win by 8, but we are not so sure that the margin of victory will be quite that wide. Our money is on a time-consuming Birmingham offense to keep the ball away from the Panthers and quarterback Bobby Hebert as much as possible. It should be a good one from Tampa as the Stallions try to win a 3rd straight upset as they face off against the Michigan Panthers.

Four big playoff matchups as the USFL's expanded 8-team playoff swings into action. The playoffs get off to a fiery start with domination from two division winners, a feisty 4th seed and a backup quarterback rising to the occasion. SCORES Birmingham 31 Philadelphia 28 Proof once more that having a solid backup quarterback is worth the investment. Bob Lane, who had barely played all season, was tabbed to start against the Stars when Cliff Stoudt was unable to go due to lingering concussion-related issues. All Lane did was throw for 3 scores and a 73% completion percentage. Relying predominantly on play-action off of Philly’s focus on RB Joe Cribbs, Lane was able to hit three different receivers for scores, including the tying score midway through the 4th quarter. Philadelphia QB Chuck Fusina also played well, throwing for 334 yards and 4 scores as the Stallions defense equally focused on stopping the run. Fusina found all three of his top receivers for scores, Fitzkee, Donovan and Collier. Kelvin Bryant scored the fourth TD at the end of the 3rd quarter to give Philly a 28-21 lead, but it would not hold. In the 4th, Birmingham killed 7 minutes on a long drive that led to the Lane to Lonnie Parker TD pass. They then held Philadelphia and got the ball back with 3:35 left in the game. Another time-consuming drive ended with a Scott Norwood field goal with 58 seconds left to give the Stallions the road win and propel them into the Conference Championship game next week. Boston 17 Tampa Bay 44 It did not take long for Tampa to put to rest any Boston ideas of an upset. The Bandits scored on 3 of their first 4 possessions, and, along with a safety when Buford Jordan could not get out of his own endzone, and Tampa built a 23-3 second quarter lead that they would never relinquish. While Boston had some good series, it was not enough against Tampa’s offensive onslaught. John Reaves threw for 2 scores, and RB Gary Anderson scored three times, from 1 yard, 3 yards and 1 yard again to cap long Tampa drives. Boston avoided the long bombs that typify the Tampa offense, but they could not get off the field on 3rdd down and Tampa just kept adding scores. The Bandits will face off against a familiar foe next week, division rival Birmingham. Arizona 27 Michigan 37 Give it up for the Wranglers. Most pundits had this game as a total blowout, but the Wranglers came in with a strategy to contain the Michigan offense, and for 3 quarters it worked pretty well. They played hard, and proved that despite their 7-9 record, the Wranglers were a solid squad. Despite having little luck running the ball with Tim Spencer or Mike Cade, the Wranglers managed to stay in the game, trailing at the half by only one score, 24-17. Despite over 60,000 fans cheering him on, Michigan QB Bobby Hebert was clearly bothered by Arizona’s defensive plan, as he threw 3 interceptions and no touchdowns, a season worst for him. But, despite these issues, the Panthers proved they were a tough out, with 3 scores from RB John Williams and another from Ken Lacy as they pulled away at the end. Michigan will face Steve Young and the Express next week, again in front of what should be a great crowd at the Silverdome. Denver 3 Los Angeles 32 Denver Gold fans came into the game hopeful that Bob Gagliano would be able to return to lead the Gold once again, but it was not to be. It was a game-time decision, but Craig Morton was forced to go with Craig Penrose, and, unfortunately for the Denver faithful (who seemed almost as prevalent at Angel Stadium as Express fans) Penrose was not up to the task. The reluctant starter completed only 39% of his passes, was sacked for a safety, and fumbled away a ball that gave LA a very short field right before the half. LA, led by QB Steve Young (22 of 28 for 249 yards) and a RB trio of Mack, Boddie and Harrington ate up the clock, winning the time of possession by 39:10 to 20:50. By halftime it was 17-0, and by the end of the 3rd quarter backup QB Mike Rae was able to get into the game. With the win, LA now moves on to face Michigan in the Conference Championships. NEWS & NOTES The USFL named its ALL-USFL Team this week, and to no one’s surprise, the team is led by several Michigan and Tampa Bay players. Both Bobby Hebert and John Reaves make the squad, as do receivers Eric Truvillion and Derek Holloway. New USFL players also made an impact, including league rushing champion Joe Cribbs, rookie wideout sensation Gary Clark, and the likely defensive rookie of the year, Memphis' Minister of Defense, Reggie White. Here is the full roster of the 1984 All-USFL Team: OFFENSE QB B. Hebert MGN QB J. Reaves TBY QB D. Williams JAX RB J. Cribbs BIR RB H. Walker NJ RB M. Rozier PIT FB M. Davies MEM TE M. Shaw PIT TE L. Gilbert TBY WR T. Johnson ARZ WR E. Truvillion TBY WR G. Clark JAX WR D. Holloway MGN T A. Gardner MGN T W. Israel NJ T D. Massey PIT G B. Aydolette BIR G D. Navarro CHI G A. Regan BOS C K. Hull NJ C B. Oates PHI DEFENSE DE J. Ah You CHI DE R. White MEM DE R. Paggett BIR DT L. Short DEN DT E. Weaver LA DT K. Lathrop ARZ LB J. Corker MGN LB J. Fahnhorst ARZ LB M. Marek BOS LB S. Morris CHI CB D. Martin DEN CB R. Osborne PIT CB J. George TBY FS H. Bonner MEM SS L. Hale JAX S S. Woerner PHI P W. Moss NJ K E. Herrera MEM KR A. Allen LA INJURIES A couple of potentially gameplan-altering injuries as we head into the conference championships. LA will be without rookie RB Kevin Mack, who suffered a torn knee ligament this past week and will likely need surgery in the next few weeks to be able to return to the lineup next Spring. Michigan may be without league leading tackler John Corker, listed as questionable for this week’s games with a hand injury. Tampa will miss ALL-USFL TE Lewis Gilbert, who suffered a shoulder injury in their game against Boston. And in Birmingham, Cliff Stoudt is still listed as questionable. Backup Bob Lane played well in the Stallions upset win over Philadelphia, but the Stallions are certainly hoping that Stoudt can return for the big matchup against the Bandits. LOOKING AHEAD #2 Los Angeles @ #1 Michigan LA has the talent and a solid roster, and could challenge the Panthers. If they follow the gameplan demonstrated by Arizona, they could again frustrate Bobby Hebert. That said, our money is on Michigan. They have just so many weapons, and even when their MVP candidate QB has a rough week they still scored 37 to beat the Wranglers. We are just not confident LA can do better. #3 Birmingham @ #1 Tampa Bay As division foes, Tampa and Birmingham have already played twice this year, splitting their series. The Stallions match up well against the Bandits, again, if Cliff Stoudt can return and play or if Bob Lane has one more super-sub day left in him. Tampa is the clear favorite, playing at home and with a healthier team, but Birmingham does 2 things you want a playoff team to do. They run the ball well and they defend against the run. They have the 5th rated scoring defense in the league and the 4th rated rush defense, but the big question is if they can contain John Reaves and the Bandit Ball deep passing attack. They were 12th against the pass this year, but played well both games against Tampa. Our money is still on the Bandits to return for a 2nd year to the Championship, but Birmingham is capable of the upset.

This week we watched the final jockeying for playoff positions and we got to witness the debate about resting vs. playing star players come to a painful conclusion. Several teams with their playoff lives secured opted to rest their starters, one did not, and it may have cost them dearly. SCORES MEM 7 NJ 38 The Generals make their charge for a playoff spot with win over Memphis. TBY 6 PHI 17 Philly does just enough to win the Atlantic with win over Tampa backups. JAX 31 WSH 17 Jacksonville finishes strong and crushes Federal postseason hopes. PIT 12 CHI 17 Both teams lack fire as they play out the string in final week. DEN 14 HOU 24 Houston win costs Denver a shot at Pacific Division title. ARZ 14 LA 45 LA cruises to division title, while Arizona backs into final playoff spot. MGN 7 OAK 33 Michigan rests most starters as Oakland tries to impress new ownership. GAME OF THE WEEK Birmingham Stallions 24 Boston Breakers 30 Birmingham opted not to rest its starters in a game that meant little for them, while Boston needed the win to wrap up a playoff spot. The result was a surprisingly close and hard-fought game. It seems that Birmingham coach Rollie Dotsch does not subscribe to the “rest your starters” philosophy, favoring a “keep the edge” attitude as his Stallions head into the playoffs secure in their wild card spot. The Stallions played like they had a lot to lose, and it showed. But that strategy may have cost them dearly, as QB Cliff Stoudt went out with a concussion which may impact his ability to play in next week’s playoff game. Stoudt played well in the first half, hitting Greg Anderson for the game’s first score and then leading Birmingham on a second scoring drive to take a 10-7 lead. Then, after Boston took back the lead on a Richard Crump run, the worst case scenario for Birmingham hit. Stoudt tried to avoid a sack by scrambling to his right, but did not spot LB Marcus Marek until it was too late. Marek’s tackle caused Stoudt’s head to hit the turf hard, and he was out of the game. Last year’s starter, Bob Lane, came in and played well, but the bigger issue is what this means for Birmingham next week. If Stoudt is not cleared to play, Bob Lane may have to up his game in order for the Stallions to advance. Boston spent most of the day focused on slowing down league rushing champion Joe Cribbs. They succeeded, holding Cribbs to only 38 yards on the day. Meanwhile their own running game fared much better, with Crump rushing for 84 yards and Buford Jordan adding another 26 for an even 100, including the game winner in overtime. Johnnie Walton also contributed 259 yards passing and two TD passes, one each to Nolan Franz and Mariano Alarcón. The win, paired with a Philly win, means that Boston will be the #4 seed and will head to Tampa next week to take on the Bandits. Birmingham will return to the North East to face the Philadelphia Stars in their matchup next week. NEWS & NOTES As expected, the first day after the end of the regular season was Black Monday in the USFL. This year, however, there were fewer casualties than usual. With 4 of the 8 non-playoff teams being expansion teams in their first year, the coaches have not yet begun to feel pressure to win, while Chicago, New Jersey and Chicago all also have first year coaches, who tend to get at least 2 years to turn a team around. That leaves only Oakland with a coaching question. The Invaders, as expected, parted ways with John Ralston, paving the way for the new majority owner, William Millard, to seek a higher profile head man. Chicago opted to retain coach Marv Levy, though they did release OC Ron Waller from his duties. There were rumors that Wranglers head man George Allen might be considering retirement, but any news on that front was delayed as Arizona will play in next week’s first round of playoffs despite a 7-9 record. So, a relatively quiet Black Monday as the USFL’s non-playoff teams largely still see themselves in building mode rather than rebuilding mode. INJURIES Many playoff-bound teams rested their starters, so, with the notable exception of the Cliff Stoudt concussion, there were few star players impacted by injury this week. Depth may be in issue, as it always is this time of year, but when we look at the teams that still have games to be played, the most notable injuries are to reserve players. Arizona has some depth issues on their O-line as no fewer than 5 members of that position group are on the injury report. Birmingham lost the services of backup RB Earl Gant, but with Cribbs still firing on all cylinders, we don’t see this as a major setback. Denver may be able to get Bob Gagliano back, which certainly would improve their chances against LA next week. Philly is hoping that ALL-USFL safety Scott Woerner and starting LT Irv Eatman will be back in action next week. PLAYOFF PREVIEW As one might expect, the #2 v. #3 seed games are viewed as the most interesting in the first week of playoffs as most pundits do not give Arizona much chance at Michigan, and while Boston could give Tampa some troubles, the Bandits remain heavy favorites. EAST #3 Birmingham (10-6) @ #2 Philadelphia (9-7) Home field advantage is Philadelphia’s main benefit this week, that and the possibility that QB Cliff Stoudt will be out for the Stallions. Expect a lot of running from both teams, as Joe Cribbs and Kelvin Bryant are both Top 5 backs. Earlier this season the two had a bizarre, back to back, series in weeks 13-14, and Philadelphia was able to take both matches by a combined 4 points (17-14 in Alabama and 25-24 at Veterans Stadium). It is tough to beat the same team 3 times in a season, so the Stars have to beware, but if Stoudt is unable to go, we give the nod to the healthy play of Chuck Fusina and the Stars. #4 Boston (9-7) @ #1 Tampa Bay (12-4) Boston had an up and down year, never winning more than 2 consecutive games, and they dropped both matchups against the Bandits by 10+ points. While Walton, Jordan and Crump have been playing better in the second half of the season, we just do not see them keeping pace with the quick strike Bandit Ball offense of John Reaves, Gary Anderson and Eric Truvillion. Tampa is primed for a return to the USFL Championship, and it would be a major upset for them to fall at home to the Breakers, who seem relieved and happy just to be here after a tough season-long slog in the well-balanced Atlantic Division. WEST #4 Arizona (7-9) @ #1 Michigan (14-2) Congratulations, Wranglers, on making the playoffs despite losing in week 17 and having a sub-.500 record. And condolences as well, as you now travel to the Silver Dome to take on the 14-2 juggernaut Michigan Panthers. With Hebert back to full health, a brutal RB tandem of Williams and Lacy, and two of the top 5 wideouts in the league, Michigan can kill you in numerous ways. We like Arizona’s moxy, but moxy won’t be enough against the Panthers. We see Michigan walking away with this one as they have a healthy team, unlike 1983, when Hebert missed their playoff game against Denver. #3 Denver (8-8) @ #2 Los Angeles (9-7) These two were neck and neck for the entire second half of the season. After an 0-4 start, the Denver Gold found their stride under new QB Bob Gagliano and won 8 of their final 12 to challenge the Express for the Division Title. Unfortunately for Denver, Gagliano may not be able to go, which leaves the erratic Craig Penrose at the helm for the Gold. LA comes into the game much healthier, and rookie QB Steve Young’s combination of scrambling skills and accurate arm have helped the Express win 4 of their final 5 to take the division crown. We think this game may be a close one, but we expect that the Express will find a way to pull it out. The only question now is whether or not LA fans will show up.

Playoff Seeds: EAST-- 1) TBY 2) PHI 3) BIR 4) BOS WEST-- 1) MGN 2) LA 3) DEN 4) ARZ

SCORES JAX 23 PHI 20 In a game they had to win, Philly stumbles, unable to contain Gary Clark. MEM 30 WSH 35 James & Walters shine as Washington edges into playoff position. TBY 17 BIR 31 Birmingham makes a statement as they prepare for the playoffs. ARZ 34 CHI 16 Down to their 3rd QB, Chicago is unable to keep pace vs. the Wranglers. OAK 10 PIT 34 The Maulers still have a thin hope for the playoffs after this win. BYES: Boston, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Denver GAME OF THE WEEK Houston Gamblers 29 Michigan Panthers 35 The Gamblers came into the game desperate, their playoff hopes in the balance. For Michigan it was a tune up game as they had already locked up the #1 seed. But, as so often happens, pride and talent outperform desperation. In a close game with quite a few twists, the Panthers again found a way to win, thus knocking Houston out of contention. In a battle of gunslinging quarterbacks, Jim Kelly outgained but did not outscore Bobby Hebert. Kelly went 30 of 45 for 39 yards and found 3 different receivers for scores. Hebert countered this, throwing for 276 yards and 4 scores to 4 different receivers. The combination of John Williams and Ken Lacy added another 89 yards of offense on the ground to power Michigan to the win. In a game with few miscues, Houston had two big ones that turned the final tide. The first was a missed Toni Fritsch 47 yard FG as time ran out in the 2nd quarter, the second was a brutally-timed holding call on what would have been a Kelly to Verdin 38 yard TD pass in the 4th quarter. The 10 yard penalty not only wiped out the score, but also pushed the Gamblers out of field goal range. With the win, Michigan moves to 14-1 and will almost certainly rest some key starters in week 17. Houston drops to 6-9, and with tie breaker issues vs. both Pittsburgh and Arizona, they are eliminated from playoff contention and will play for pride in Week 17. NEWS & NOTES As expected, the USFL this week announced that both the LA Express and Oakland Invaders had found additional investors to join their ownership groups. Both California teams have had difficulty with poor attendance, though at least LA has had a solid product on the field. In Los Angeles, current lead owner, Alan Hanson, introduced Frederick Woodruff “Ted” Field as a new majority owner. Hanson will stay on as team president, but Mr. Field will be the principal financial power behind the franchise. Mr. Field, who came into a sizeable inheritance, is most noted as the founder of Interscope Communications (the film production company which had a huge hit this year with “Revenge of the Nerds”). With Steve Young as the face of the franchise, Mr. Field spoke primarily about building a brand in the LA market. With 2 more years on their lease with Angel Stadium, it will be his task to try to develop what has been a somewhat unenthusiastic LA fanbase for the Express, who find themselves competing with the Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, Clippers, and Kings for Spring sports fans. In Oakland, the problem may be deeper. There is some talent on the Invaders squad, but the frugal ways of current ownership, including lead owner Ted Taube, means that there are few “big name” players on the squad. Oakland-Alameda Stadium is also not an ideal venue. The new investor, Mr. William Millard, comes from a technology background, as owner of a computer development company as well as the lead computer retail chain, ComputerLand. Mr. Millard will take on day-to-day operations, so we may expect to see the Invaders make changes to the front office, which is not surprising after 2 initial sub-par seasons. Mr. Millard, a Bay Area resident, has committed to keeping the Invaders in Oakland, and hinted that he is already looking at making a splash with some offseason signings to bolster the Invaders’ roster. INJURIES There were several injuries this week which may impact playoff-bound teams. Birmingham will have to shuffle their offensive line after losing center Michal Morgan to a back injury which will end his season. Washington, who are looking for one more win to make the post-season, will need to go with Mike Hohensee at QB after their breakout star Reggie Collier dislocated his shoulder. If the Federals do make the show, it is hoped that Collier will return for the first round of playoffs in 2 weeks. Denver will make some adjustments to their game plan as well this week to cover for the loss of TE Bob Niziolek, expected to miss 2 weeks or more with a hamstring injury. PLAYOFF SCENARIOS One week left and so much to play for. Only 5 of 16 teams have been eliminated, though there are several who need help to get into the show. Here is what it looks like going into week 17. IN THE PLAYOFFS Tampa Bay: Has locked up the Division and #1 seed in the East Birmingham: Has locked up #3 seed in East Michigan: Has locked up the Division and the #1 seed in the West. Denver: Guaranteed a playoff spot. Win or LA loss and they win the Pacific Crown for a second year. LA: Guaranteed a playoff spot. Win + DEN loss and they win the Pacific Division. STILL ON THE BUBBLE Philadelphia: Win and they are the #2 seed and Atlantic Champ. Boston: Win and in as #4 seed. Win + PHI loss and Boston is Atlantic Champ and #2 seed. Washington: Win + either PHI or BOS loss and they are in. Both lose = Division title. New Jersey: Win + loses by WSH and BOS and they snag a playoff spot. Arizona: Win and they wrap up a wildcard slot, regardless of other scores. Pittsburgh: Beat Chicago + ARZ Loss and they can snag the final wildcard spot. ELIMINATED Jacksonville, Memphis, Houston, Chicago, Oakland. LOOKING AHEAD With playoff spots on the line, there are several inter-divisional games to watch along with a key game in the Pacific. Birmingham will likely rest some starters, which is good news for Boston, who needs the win to possibly take the Atlantic title. Their key rival, Philadelphia also will face a weakened roster in Tampa Bay, so it is possible both will win, giving Philly the title and Boston the Wild Card. Washington is hoping that won’t happen as they face off against the Bulls. Denver will travel to Houston looking to win the division by beating the Gamblers. Out West, both Arizona and Los Angeles will be doing their best to win, as both need to do so, LA for a possible division title, and Arizona to lock up the last playoff spot in the conference. By this time next week we will know who is in and who fell short.

Birmingham is in, Memphis and Jacksonville are out, and everything else up for grabs after a surprising Week 15. The Atlantic could go to pretty much any of its 4 teams, while out west it looks like we have to wait until Week 17 to determine who wins the Pacific, LA or Denver. SCORES NJ 27 PHI 20 Bryant outduels Walker, but the Generals get the last laugh. TBY 28 JAX 21 Doug Williams 3 TD day keeps Bulls in the game, but cannot get the W. BOS 27 MEM 17 Memphis comeback from 24-0 falls short in 4th quarter. CHI 3 PIT 31 Without Evans or Kiel, the Blitz cannot mount an offense in Pittsburgh. MGN 28 ARZ 9 Hebert preps for playoffs while Greg Landry looks very rusty. OAK 20 DEN 34 Strong game from Penrose propels the Gold to 1st in Pacific Division. HOU 30 LA 10 Gamblers playoff hopes remain alive with big win in LA. GAME OF THE WEEK Birmingham Stallions 27 Washington Federals 20 In a game that both coaches claimed were “must wins” only one could emerge victorious, and that team was Birmingham. It was a well-matched game, as the two teams traded the lead for 3 quarters before the Stallions took control on a turnover-aided drive. The Federals looked good coming out of the gate, as they scored on a Collier to Walters fade route at the end of a 7-play opening drive. Memphis responded on their first drive, a 6-play trek aided by a defensive pass interference call, but ended with a perfectly executed sweep left that had Joe Cribbs run 27 yards for the score. The 1st quarter ended with a Nick Mike-Myer field goal to put Washington up 10-7. In the second quarter the two teams would trade TDs (Cribbs’ second and a 5 yard rumble by Craig James). Birmingham opened the 3rd quarter with a short field goal to even the score at 17. The Federals began the next drive backed up due to a holding call on the kickoff, and on their 2nd play, a botched handoff between Collier and James was recovered by the Stallions at the Federals’ 13 yard line. It took only 2 plays for the Stallions to score as Stoudt hit WR Jim Smith with a 9 yard out pattern, followed by a bruising TD run from backup HB Earl Gant. Birmingham would take the lead, and they would not relinquish it for the remainder of the game. Washington could only muster a late field goal to draw within 7 but were unable to complete an onside kick and Birmingham came out of the game not only with a much-needed win, but with a playoff berth as well. For Washington, there is some consolation in that New Jersey edged a Chuck-Fusina-less Stars team to keep Washington in the hunt for the Atlantic Division. With that division and a wild card berth still in the mix, the Federals still have a chance to punch a ticket to the postseason over the final 2 weeks of the year. NEWS & NOTES It seems appropriate at this time to talk about two things which seem to make the USFL stand out, offense and close games. We have briefly touched on how the tendency of USFL teams to invest in skills players rather than trying to poach NFL linemen has led to high scoring games, but I think we have to acknowledge that the combo of offensive fireworks has not led to a plethora of blowouts. Sure, there are the odd cases here and there but the USFL week in and week out has produced some great back-and-forth games, with final minute heroics. This is good football, with apologies to the defensive purists out there. It looks like we may well have at least 6 QB’s with over 4,000 yards passing (Williams, Reaves, Walton, Hebert and Kelly), 9 likely 1,000 yard rushers, and we could also very well have 2 different receivers score 20+ TD’s this year (Truvillion and Holloway), all impressive numbers. But what is more impressive is that, with the possible exception of the Michigan Panthers on one end and the Oakland Invaders on the other, there is an “any given Sunday” feel to the USFL. Some of this is due to key injuries on the top teams in the league, but it is also do to a strong player allocation system, the innovative salary cap & exemption system, and good coaching throughout the league. All in all the league owners and executives have a lot to be proud of when it comes to the product on the field this season. INJURIES Oakland continues to be the poster child for bad injuries, as they lose two more key players this week, DT Monte Bennett is done for the year with a torn quad muscle, while DE Samuel Baker broke his foot and will almost certainly miss the final 2 games of the season. Tampa also lost a key defensive player as CB Warren Hannah had a gruesome leg break and will need several months to rehab. In Houston, the Gamblers will have to get by as they make a playoff push without speedy Ricky Sanders, who injured his knee and will miss at least 2-3 weeks. And as Philly tries to win out and snag the Atlantic title, they will be challenged on offense. Just as Chuck Fusina is expected to return to action, the Stars lose LT Irv Eatman to a hamstring strain and star RB Kelvin Bryant may miss the next game with some swelling in his left knee. PLAYOFF PICTURE Birmingham punched their ticket with a big win over Washington this week, but other than that it is very murky. We know Michigan and Tampa are both in, easily winning their divisions, but the other two divisions are still to be won. In the Atlantic, Philly has a ½ game lead over Boston, with both Washington and New Jersey still in the mix. Out west it looks like a final battle between LA and Denver. Both have a good chance of making the playoffs with 2 more wins each than the next wildcard contenders (Houston and Arizona at 6-8). Our predictions with 2 weeks left: We still like Philly for the Atlantic Title, with Boston snagging the final Eastern wild card. Out West we see LA coming on to win the division, with Denver and Houston snagging the two wild cards. But please don’t hold us to this. If anything, we have proven that this year anything can happen. LOOKING AHEAD The final (and ridiculously late) byes happen in Week 16, with 4 teams (BOS, NJ, DEN, LA) getting their long-awaited week of rest. Almost seems unfair, particularly with the playoff drive in full swing. Of the games to be played, there are few without some playoff impact. Philly hopes for a win as they visit the eliminated Jacksonville Bulls. Washington, facing Memphis at home, can eliminate the Showboats and help themselves catch up in the Atlantic. Arizona takes on the Blitz in a must win for both, while Houston has to hope for a resting Michigan if they want to get the W and stay in the wild card hunt. The final two games have no playoff implications. Tampa plays Birmingham in a grudge match, but both will likely play very vanilla so as not to tip off playoff plans. Finally, Oakland rolls into Pittsburgh, whose slim mathematical hopes for a playoff spot are not very realistic, so we consider this a pride game.

Tampa Bay locks up their division while Philadelphia completes a stunning comeback to sweep the Stallions. Boston rolls over Arizona and Oakland gets back in the win column with a squeaker over the Federals. Sipe returns to action, and 2 more QB's get knocked out as the rough and tumble USFL heads down the home stretch. SCORES JAX 28 NJ 31 Sipe returns and leads the Generals to a last minute score for the W. MEM 13 TBY 45 Memphis has no answers for John Reaves and the red-hot Bandits. LA 27 CHI 20 Rookie Kevin Mack scores the decisive TD to give LA the win in Chicago. MGN 34 HOU 27 Houston loses their 5th in a row despite Kelly’s return to action. DEN 11 PIT 9 A defensive slugfest in which Denver wins on 3 FG and a safety. WSH 21 OAK 24 Oakland contains Craig James and snaps their losing streak at home. BOS 43 ARZ 27 Crump & Jordan combine for 150 yards rushing to trample Arizona. GAME OF THE WEEK Birmingham Stallions 24 Philadelphia Stars 25 Philadelphia gets a taste of revenge as they surprise the Stallions by starting rookie QB Jeff Hostetler. In a stunning comeback victory, Philadelphia erased a 24-3 deficit as former West Virginia Mountaineer Jeff Hostetler survived a rocky first half and came out guns blazing in the second half. Birmingham had built up a solid lead on 3 Cliff Stoudt TD passes and at the half seemed to have the game well in hand. Philadelphia, having lost their leader, Chuck Fusina, in last week’s game, seemed to be spiraling as the rookie QB had a rough first half, completing only 36% of his pass attempts. But, in the second half the Stars found their rhythm. Kelvin Bryant broke out some big runs and Hostetler started to find open receivers. At the same time the Stars defense came out as if possessed. They sacked Stoudt twice in the 3rd quarter and got a vital interception in the 4th to preserve provide Hostetler with a short field. The young signal caller found Tom Donovan for a sore, and then, at 5:02 in the 4th, hit Willie Collier with the go ahead score. The Stars missed out on two attempts to get the 2-point PAT, but the Collier TD gave them a 25-24 lead, which they would hold for the remainder of the game. Philadelphia fans were certainly glad that the management had invested in the rookie QB, despite Chuck Fusina not having missed a game in his first 26. You never know when your leader will succumb to injury, and having Hostetler on the bench proved to be pivotal as the Stars swept the Stallions in the bizarre back-to-back matchup, sending Philadelphia to the top of the Atlantic, while all but guaranteeing the Stallions will once again miss out on a division title with a late season losing streak. NEWS & NOTES The playoff picture is beginning to shape up (see below) and there is a good chance that with the expanded playoff format of 8 teams, 4 for each conference, a team with an 8-8 or even a losing record may make the playoffs. Only Oakland is mathematically eliminated from contention in a league where many of the 16 squads are hovering only 1 game away from the 500 mark. Parity or Parody one must ask. INJURIES Two more quarterbacks fell victim to the injury bug this week, leading both fans and USFL officials to wonder if their “star-focused” economic model puts their stars at risk by not signing higher level linemen to protect them. Chicago looks like they will finish the year without Blair Kiel, who suffered a back injury vs. LA. This certainly complicates any attempt to snag a wild card. The same is true in Memphis, where Walter Lewis suffered what looks to be a hip pointer and may miss next week’s game. Memphis as well is in the hunt for a wild card, but recent losses put that in question. PLAYOFF PICTURE Three weeks left and a lot still to be decided. Here is where we stand at present. EAST: 1)Tampa Bay (Division Clinched), 2) Philadelphia, 3) Birmingham, 4) Boston. Outside looking in: 5) Washington, 6) New Jersey, 7) Memphis, and 8) Jacksonville. Washington is only ½ game behind Boston, who have their very late bye in Week 16. The Federals could catch them and currently hold the tiebreaker in a better division record. In the West we see the following: 1) Michigan (Division & #1 Seed clinched), 2) Los Angeles, 3) Denver, 4) Arizona. Outside looking in: 5) Chicago, 6) Houston, and 7) Pittsburgh. The final wildcard slot could come down to the Wranglers-Blitz matchup in week 16. Arizona won the first matchup and a sweep would all but lock it up for them. LOOKING AHEAD Week 15 has the capacity to shed some light on the wild card picture as well as the Pacific Division title. LA hosts Houston while Denver hosts Oakland. An LA win plus Denver loss would give the division to the Express. Arizona has a tough game, hosting Michigan, if they wish to keep pace. Chicago and Boston both have matchups against teams hurting, Pittsburgh and Memphis respectively, while New Jersey can try to get back in it by stealing a win at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Birmingham will try to rebound this week, but the Washington Federals have been tough at home. Tampa can remove Jacksonville from any wild card hope with a win at the Gator Bowl.

SCORES BOS 17 WSH 27 Craig James (25-146, 3 TDs) has his best game of the year vs. the Breakers TBY 44 MEM 7 Reaves to Truvillion for 3 scores is more than enough to down Memphis. DEN 14 CHI 33 Penrose struggles as Chicago’s C. Murphy pounds out a win. OAK 7 ARZ 22 Wranglers hold Oakland under 200 total yards as Greg Landry returns. PIT 16 LA 34 Young, Boddie & Townsell lay waste to the Mauler defense. NJ 48 HOU 23 Sipe returns with 4 TD day, as Garcia cannot lead the Gamblers. Byes: Michigan & Jacksonville GAME OF THE WEEK Philadelphia Stars 17 Birmingham Stallions 14 If you never believed in momentum before, this game would prove it. Birmingham builds up a 14-0 lead by 10:29 in the 3rd, only to have a costly fumble turn the tide as Philadelphia takes over and scores 17 unanswered to stun the crowd of 58,500 in Legion Field. What made this turnaround all the more surprising was that early in the game, Philadelphia’s unquestioned leader, Chuck Fusina, was knocked out of the game with what appears to be a significant knee injury. Rarely used backup Wyatt Walker was pushed into action, and while he relied heavily on the running of Kelvin Bryant, he made enough plays to provide Philly with three scoring drives in the final quarter and a half, enough to knock off the Stallions. After a Byrant TD run opened the scoring for Philly, Walker led a 78 yard, 9 minute drive to open the 4th quarter, and found TE Steve Folsom for the tying score with 5:33 to go. When Birmingham went 3 and out on their next drive, Walker again led the Stars into scoring range, providing reliable kicker David Trout the chance to give the Stars their first lead of the day. He connected on a 29 yard field goal and the Stars held off a late Birmingham charge to take the victory. The win gave Philadelphia sole possession of first place in the contentious Atlantic Division, while another loss pushed Birmingham 2 games below Tampa. The late season fade for the Stallions parallels what happened last year, and cannot make Stallion fans feel comfortable, even with a significant lead in the Wild Card chase. NEWS & NOTES If the 1984 season is proving anything it is that teams need to invest in backup quarterbacks. We have seen most of the top names in the league miss action, including Vince Evans (CHI), Bob Gagliano (DEN), Greg Landry (ARZ), Brian Sipe (NJ), and in recent weeks Bobby Hebert (MGN), Jim Kelly (HOU) and now Chuck Fusina (PHI), who is expected to miss at least 1 more week with a knee injury. In nearly every case, teams have struggled to produce without their star signal caller. Arizona was perhaps in the best position, already in the process of grooming former UCLA star Rick Neuheisel for the starting role, while teams like Houston and Denver seem to have no answer at QB without their starter. As we near the playoffs, healthy starting QB play seems to be a key factor in who will be able to make a push and a playoff run and who may fall to the wayside. We saw this last season when the loss of Bobby Hebert led to an early exit from the playoffs for the Panthers. It appears that the same fate could befall several teams if they are unable to get their starters back sooner rather than later. INJURIES In addition to the loss of Philadelphia’s field general, Chuck Fusina for at least the next week or two, this week we saw several other players felled by injuries. This includes Houston LB Kiki DeAyala, expected to be out 1-2 weeks with a shoulder injury, Oakland wideout Gordon Banks, and LA center Gerald Bradley. Those potentially returning to play next week include Philadelphia ALL-USFL safety Scott Woerner, Houston FS Donald Dykes, Birmingham DE Ronnie Paggett, and, the Gamblers hope, QB Jim Kelly. PLAYOFF SCENARIOS With 4 weeks of play left, there is little that is certain. We can report that with a 5 game lead, the Michigan Panthers have clinched the Central Division despite a loss last week and a bye this week. And while Tampa Bay has not yet clinched the division, they are guaranteed a playoff spot with their 10 wins in place. On the other side of the spectrum, Oakland is officially eliminated from contention, which shocks no one as they have only 2 wins on the season and have lost their last 7. LA holds a tenuous ½ game lead over Arizona, and 1 game over Denver in what looks like a nip & tuck battle for the division. Philadelphia now is 1 game up on Washington and 1.5 games up over Boston. LOOKING AHEAD No byes in Week 14 as all 16 teams will battle this week. The big matchup this week will be a rematch of the Philadelphia-Birmingham game (This year’s schedule really is poorly designed), but there are several games which have the potential of putting some distance between some of the Wild Card contenders, including Denver @ Pittsburgh, Boston @ Arizona, and LA @ Chicago. Houston hopes to have Jim Kelly back as they face the division winners, Michigan. Tampa will try to lock up the division with a win at home vs. Memphis and a Stallions loss to Philly.