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Two games to determine who will appear in the 1990 Summer Bowl, four very different teams, four devoted fanbases looking for their moment in the sun. It all comes down to this, Championship football. Who will rise up to the challenge? Who will move one step closer to the mountaintop? Let's get to the action and find out. TAMPA BAY 14 WASHINGTON 19 There is a distinct difference between offensive production and scoring. This week’s Eastern Conference Championship proved that point as Tampa Bay outgained the Washington Federals by over 100 yards, 366 to 249, and yet it was Washington that prevailed, thanks to 4 Ray Wershing field goals and a defense that bent but would not break. The Federals once again proved that their defense was peaking at the right time, as they frustrated and harassed Troy Aikman all day. The front four of the Federals is proving to be a force in these playoffs, as they led Washington to 7 sacks of the young Bandit QB. The combination of line stunts and the occasional blitz package proved deadly as not only did Washington get to Aikman 7 times, but helped to produce 3 interceptions of the usually accurate quarterback as well. Brandon Zavala led all defenders with 6 tackles and 2 sacks, while 5 other Federals also had their shot to take down Aikman. Meanwhile, Federals QB Don Majkowski came out of the game relatively unphased. He was sacked 3 times but also completed 71.4% of his passes, including the only Federals TD of the day, a short slant route to Terrance Mathis to open the 4th quarter. And while Washington did not light up the scoreboard, they were able to get into scoring range for Wersching throughout the game, slowly building a 19-7 lead which held until the final minute of play. Washington, often maligned as one of the league’s weaker sisters, has shaken off that image this year, playing tough, hard-nosed football and relying heavily on their defense to set up the offense in positive field position. They now find themselves with a ticket to the biggest game of the summer, the USFL Championship, also known as Summer Bowl 1990. ARIZONA 31 NEW ORLEANS 24 The Federals’ opponent in Summer Bowl 1990 will be another upstart team, the Arizona Wranglers. The Wranglers outlasted the New Orleans Breakers, beating the #1 seed in their home through a combination of balanced offense and timely defensive takeaways. Once again New Orleans comes one game short of the Championship with yet another home defeat in the playoffs. The game started Arizona’s way as a first quarter interception of Matt Robinson not only kept the Breakers off the board, but gave momentum to the visitors. It would be the first of four interceptions on the day for the Arizona D, and 5 total turnovers as the Wranglers picked New Orleans’s pockets throughout the game. Arizona would turn this first turnover into immediate points, scoring on a Bosco to Curtis Duncan toss to open up the scoring. They would score only 3 minutes later when a 2nd Robinson interception put them deep in Breaker territory. A short drive was capped off by a Darryl Clack plunge and the Wranglers had a 14-0 lead which New Orleans would never break. The Breakers rebounded and had a stronger 2nd quarter, scoring on a Dalton Hilliard 14-yard TD rumble and then a Mazzetti field goal to make the halftime score a respectable 14-10, but turnovers continued to haunt the Breakers. In the third they would obtain their only lead of the day when Robinson hit TE Dan Ross from 19 yards out to go up 17-10. Arizona could not respond on the next drive, but after punting, the Wranglers once again took advantage of a Breaker miscue, this time a Marcus Dupree fumble, to find themselves in scoring range again. Darryl Clack would run in his 2nd TD of the day only 5 plays later and Arizona was back on top 21-17. The Wranglers would never relinquish that lead. Early in the 4th they got a 43 yard Mick Luckhurst field goal to build on the lead, and then, with only 2:44 left in the game, the back-breaker. Robinson, trying to make something happen for the Breaker offense, and still within 7 of Arizona, tried to thread the needle on a pass to Nolan Franz, but free safety Stan Perry cut in front of Franz, snagged the ball and followed a caravan of Wrangler defenders down the sideline for the score, putting Arizona up by 14 with less than 3 minutes to play. The Breakers would add a late touchdown to bring the score down to 7, but with no timeouts left and only 45 seconds to play, it all depended on the onside kick and Tim Mazzetti’s bounder ended up out of bounds. Arizona chose to take the ball rather than allow a rekick, and Robbie Bocso was able to take a knee and celebrate as the Wranglers schocked New Orleans and punched their ticket to the Championship. It will be a battle of underdogs in Summer Bowl 1990, two teams picked to finish near the bottom of their divisions who turned the world upside down and not only won their division titles, but advanced through the playoffs to make it to Orlando and the first Championship game for each. For Washington the playoff run has been about pressure, not pressure to win but pressure placed on opposing quarterbacks by a defense that has found its calling. Ends Dexter Manley and Charles Haley were #3 and #4 in the sack totals this year, and combined they are a force to be reckoned with. Add in pressure up the middle from All-USFL DT Jerome Brown, and timely blitzes from the linebackers and this Federals team is terrorizing quarterbacks. For Arizona the story of the year has been the effective 1-2 punch of running backs Darryl Clack and Lionel James. Their effective combo has relieved pressure on QB Robbie Bosco, allowing the BYU grad to have his best season to date. Bosco has been able to stay healthy and connect with a talented group of receivers, including Trumaine Johnson, Louis Lipps, and TE Terry Orr. The Wrangler defense, while not as intimidating perhaps as Washington’s, is formidable, and have proven expert at forcing takeaways that help set up the offense. We have two intriguing offenses in the game, both looking for a way to keep pressure off the quarterback so that he can find receivers downfield. Arizona has the better run game, while Washington depends more on the short pass to open up the run. Both have playmakers capable of turning a short catch into a major chunk of yardage, and both have reliable, strong-legged kickers. What is unknown is how these two clubs, inexperienced with playoff success, will react to the spotlight, fanfare, and chaos that is the week leading up to the Summer Bowl. Both are very happy to be in the big game, but neither can rest on their laurels or let the bright lights overwhelm them. Our pick? This is truly a tough one to call. These teams are very comparable and share a lot of qualities. While we like the balance that the run game is able to provide the Wranglers, that front 4 of Washington is one of the best we have seen in the league’s short history, and seem to be putting all the pieces together. And whereas Arizona had a relatively stress-free ride to their division title, Washington faced much tougher opposition in their division from both Philadelphia, a perennial contender, and the former champion New Jersey Generals. We think that experience of tough, hard fought, smashmouth games in their division gives Washington an edge in what we expect to be a slugfest in Orlando. We are picking the Federals to win and take the USFL crown. Just a quick sidenote regarding the coaching vacancies in the USFL. Our suspicions about the resignation of Mouse Davis proved correct, as he just signed on as the new OC for the Houston Oilers in the NFL, where he is reunited with head coach Jack Pardee and will have the chance to design an offense for QB Warren Moon. Denver has moved on quickly and has become the first team to fill their coaching vacancy, signing former NY Jets head man Joe Walton. Walton fits into the Denver philosophy of focusing on consistency, solid defense and a balanced offense. Whereas Mouse Davis grew extremely frustrated with the personnel available in Denver and the inability to fully utilize his famed Run & Shoot offense, Walton is almost certainly going to build his offense around the run game and slowing games down to keep his defense fresh. In other coaching news, the LA Express have interviewed three candidates, and are likely to make an announcement at any time. The favorite at this time appears to be Stanford head coach Jack Elway, father of famed Denver Broncos QB John Elway. Elway, who was let go by Stanford after the 1988 season, has strong California ties, having also coached at San Jose State. The other candidates under consideration are former Atlanta Falcon Head Coach Jerry Glanville and former San Diego State head coach Denny Stolz. The Texas Outlaws have also spoken with Glanville, but seem to have their sights set on someone with Dallas Cowboys credentials, having also spoken with current Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Dave Wannstedt and former Cowboys DB Coach and recently released Arizona Cardinals head coach Gene Stallings. Announcements from both Dallas and LA are likely within the next two weeks as teams want to lock in their staffs before free agency hits all league teams.

Every year the 2nd week of the USFL playoffs provides some of the most dynamic football viewing of the year, with 8 teams looking to advance one step closer to a league championship. This year’s matchups featured veteran squads and relative newcomers, aggressive playcalling and hard hitting. Four teams would emerge victorious, setting up next week’s Conference Championships, and four would be sent home. This is how it all played out on a fun weekend of football. FEDERALS SHUT DOWN RENEGADES ORLANDO 7 WASHINGTON 23 The Washington Federals, led by their dominant front four, pressured and rushed Orlando QB Reggie Collier, disrupting the leagues Offensive Player of the Year (see below) and shutting down one of the league’s most potent offenses. The line, led by DT Jerome Brown and dual pass rushing threats Dexter Manley and Charles Haley, shut down the Orlando run game (26 yards total), sacked Reggie Collier four times and shut down Orlando on three of four 4th down conversion attempts, handcuffing Orlando all day. Meanwhile, QB Don Majkowski completed 74% of his throws and survived two interceptions to lead Washington to a solid 16-point win, and while the Washington run game is not exactly devastating, it did enough to help the Feds shorten the game and turn Orlando miscues into long Federals drives. Lead back Kevin Harmon got the scoring started with a 1 yard plunge over the pile on a 2nd and goal in the first quarter. TE mike Jones would get the second Federal TD of the day, a 44-yard seam route that surprised the Renegades D and caught them flat-footed. Ray Wershing would add 3 field goals to boost the Washington lead, but the 44,000 in attendance (the largest Federals crowd in team history) knew the score and got loud whenever the defenders took the field. This was a game won by a defense that has come on late in the year, trying to shed their reputation as passive and ineffective for a fanbase that is beginning to believe in this team. BIG PLAYS DECLAW THE PANTHERS MICHIGAN 7 ARIZONA 20 In a game dominated by the two defenses, the Arizona Wranglers got two big plays, both Bosco to Trumaine Johnson tosses, to overcome the Michigan zone and power the upstart Wranglers to the win. In a game in which both offenses struggled to sustain drives and which saw a total of 8 sacks, it was two blown coverages that determined the outcome. The first came early in the game, when, on their 2nd drive, Arizona used an effective play fake to Darryl Clack on a 2nd and 2 to draw in defenders, allowing Johnson to get behind the coverage for a 32 yard scoring strike from a bootlegging Robbie Bosco. The second, came in the third, only 4 plays after Michigan tied the game, when Bosco hit Johnson again, this time on a simple slant route, but the Michigan safeties were out of position and Johnson was able to glance off a tackle attempt by FS David Arnold and glide his way 34 yards to build a 14-7 lead. Two field goals for the Wranglers would finish the scoring for the game. While these two plays defined the game, it was the surprisingly effective Arizona defense that had everyone talking. DT Dan Saleamua was named MVP of the game for his disruptive play, which included a rare sack for the big man as well as several key run stops. LB Brian Noble had 6 tackles on the day, but none more important that a fumble-producing hit on Panther HB John Williams just as the Panthers looked good to tie the game at 14. Rookie CB Vince Buck looked like a future star as he blanketed Derrick Holloway all game. He made 7 tackles and deflected away 2 balls aimed at Holloway, keeping the dynamic playmaker from busting loose and limiting him to a 9.1 yard average on his 6 receptions. This was Arizona’s first playoff win since the 1984 season, and their first home playoff game ever. With the win over a veteran Panther team, the Wranglers have set themselves up only 1 game away from the Summer Bowl. ROOKIE BELL TOLLS FOR PHILADELPHIA PHILADELPHIA 14 TAMPA BAY 19 With the Philadelphia defense focused on containing and rattling Tampa QB Troy Aikman, the Bandits were forced to go against character and push the run game to defeat the visiting Stars. Philadelphia was effective in shutting down starter Lars Tate, but rookie backup Richard Bell provided a change of pace which spurred the Bandits on to victory. Philadelphia, for its part, played a good game, and Chuck Fusina was able to find both Mike Quick and Quinn Early for scores. The Stars defense also rattled Troy Aikman, freshly back after an injury that cost him the final weeks of the regular season. The Stars recorded 7 sacks against Aikman, but could not hold a 14-13 lead in the 4th quarter. Midway through the quarter Aikman started feeding the ball to the fresh legs of Richard Bell, and the rookie back from Nebraska outpaced and out-moved the tired Stars defense, gaining 29 of the team’s 41 yards on the drive. Bell finished off the drive with a 3 yard scramble to the end zone pylon that put the Bandits up for good. Bell, who only had 25 carries all season would finish the game with 11 carries for 41 yards and a single reception for another 14, well short of Kelvin Bryant’s 75 yards, but enough, and at the right time to help Tampa move on to a rendezvous with the Washington Federals while Philadelphia would have a long quiet flight home for the offseason. BREAKERS EDGE GAMBLERS IN OVERTIME HOUSTON 17 NEW ORLEANS 20 OT Momentum can only get you so far, and home field advantage is real, just ask the Houston Gamblers. After falling behind 17-3 at the half, Houston got two 2nd half touchdowns from Jim Kelly but could not silence the Breakers faithful at the SuperDome, and New Orleans rallied in overtime to grab the game on a 53-yard Tim Mazzetti field goal. New Orleans looked like they were going to run away with the game, scoring the first 17 points on a Marcus Dupree run and a Nolan Franz TD reception, but just before the half, a costly fumble by punt returner Charlie Smith gave Houston the ability to kick a field goal as time expired and gain some momentum for the second half. Houston took that momentum and scrapped its way back into the game, all the while holding the Breakers in check offensively. Thurman Thomas was the focal point, gaining 106 on the ground and another 66 yards on 5 receptions to make him the team’s leading receiver. His production drove Houston to the Breaker 4-yard line, where Kelly found TE Keith McKeller to bring the Gamblers back to within 7 at 17-10. Houston would score again late in the 4th on a Ricky Proehl TD catch to even the game at 17, and when the Breakers could not get the ball in range for Mazzetti, the game went into overtime. In the extra period, New Orleans regrouped. Starting on their own 25 they initiated a 10-play drive that fizzled on the Houston 36 yard line. Coach Arnsparger opted to bring out Mazzetti, the league’s scoring champion, to try the long field goal. Inside the dome, and with over 45,000 Breaker fans wishing and hoping, Mazzetti’s kick flew straight and true, giving the Breakers a huge win over one of their toughest division rivals, and ensuring that they would be back at home next week with a chance to punch their ticket to the Summer Bowl and a possible league championship. The USFL and Sporting News announced this week the 1990 USFL Award Winners and All-USFL team. With tight races in most of our award categories this was one of the toughest years for the team of USFL coaches and sports reporters to agree on the awards, and some tough choices were made for the ALL-USFL team as well. But, we have winners, so without further ado, here are your 1990 USFL Award Winners and ALL-USFL TEAM: MVP: In a surprise pick, the selection committee opted to reward defense for the first time in the history of the award, giving the 1990 MVP award to Memphis DE Reggie White. White, who has been among the sack leaders in the league since his arrival in 1984 from the University of Tennessee, led the league in both sacks and QB pressures throughout the season, ending with 21 sacks, 1 short of the record by Junior Ah You back in 1985. White was a wrecking ball all season and with the QB vote split between Stouffer and Collier, his dynamic presence was rewarded with the coveted MVP trophy. Offensive Player of the Year: Reggie Collier (QB-ORL)—Collier edges out Texas QB Kelly Stouffer for the title, thanks in large part to the conclusion of the season which saw Texas lose their last 4 while Orlando squeeked into the playoffs. Both QB’s were equally impressive this year, with Collier edging out Stouffer with 34 TD passes to Stouffer’s 32, and with 3,991 yards to Stouffer’s 3,656. Stouffer was likely the favorite in his first year as a member of the Texans and his first year as a starter, but missing the final 2 ½ games to an injury did not give him the chance to leave final impressions. Collier is a solid choice, having carried the Renegades all year as their run game struggled to find footing. Defensive Player of the Year: With Reggie White winning league MVP, the obvious choice for Defensive Player of the Year was Texas LB Brian Bosworth. Bosworth set a league record with 155 tackles this season. He also added 18 Tackles for loss, 5 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 2 sacks and 3 interceptions. The OU product has been the heart and soul of the Outlaws since joining the league in 1987 with the then Oklahoma Outlaws, with this year being his most prolific yet. The most lopsided of the votes, the only other vote getter was LA cornerback Raphel Cherry, whose 9 interceptions are a new league record, but whose team was simply not very good, diminishing his impact on voters. Coach of the Year: There were two candidates who split the vote, both took teams with losing records in 1989 and moved them into the playoffs in 1990. The first was former BC head coach and the new many in Philadelphia, Jack Bicknell, who guided the Stars from a 5-win season in ’89 to 10 wins and a playoff berth in 1990. But, most around the league felt that the 1989 season was a fluke for the very talented Stars team, and the jump back into playoff contention was not unforeseen. The other candidate, and the winner of this year’s Coach of the Year is Arizona’s Ted Tollner. Tollner, in his second year with the Wranglers since replacing Frank Kush, Tollner turned around a Wranglers squad which had not had a winning season since 1985. The 6-10 Wranglers were picked to finish at or near the bottom of the Pacific Division but under Tollner’s guidance reversed the record and won 10 games and their first ever Pacific Division title. Rookie of the Year: This was one of the easier ones. Despite solid seasons from Houston WR Ricky Proehl. Washington WR Terrance Mathis, New Orleans LB Lamar Lathon, and Tampa LB Keith McCants, no first year player proved as impactful and exciting as Texas Outlaw HB Reggie Cobb. Cobb started the year as the starter after a strong preseason and proved to be a vital part of the Outlaws offense all season, gaining 1,108 yards rushing with 7 scores, and while he was not a major part of the passing game, he did score twice through the air for a total of 9 scores. Cobb’s combination of power and initial burst made him one of the most exciting backs in the league, with several memorable straightarm or bulldozer plays making the season’s highlight reels. 1990 ALL-USFL TEAM Every year there are debates and bar bets made about the annual All-USFL team, and we do not expect that this year will be any different. With limited spots there are sure to be some deserving players left off. Here is your 1990 ALL-USFL Team: QB: R. Collier (ORL), K. Stouffer (TEX), C. Long (CHI) HB: M. Rozier (PIT), K. Bryant (PHI), R. Williams (OAK) FB: U. Johnson (TEX) T: A. Gardner (MGN), R. Dudley (TEX), L. Smith (PIT) G: D. Cadigan (ORL), J. Rienstra (HOU), G. McIntyre (OAK) C: J. Adickes (TEX), J. Wilkins (ORL) TE: K. Jackson (MEM), C. Didier (POR) WR: J. Jefferson (ORL), E. Truvillion (TBY), T. Johnson (ARZ), C. Carson (TEX), B. Blades (JAX) K: T. Mazzetti (NOR) DE: R. White (MEM), R. Paggett (MGN), D. Manley (WSH) DT: J. Brown (WSH), M. Perry (HOU), J. Gaethers (PHI) LB: B. Bosworth (TEX), D. Jones (WSH), C. Banks (LA), B. Thomas (ARZ), W. Moss (ORL), E. Kumerow (PIT) CB: R. Cherry (LA), G. Byrd (POR), D. Bryant (HOU), D. Burroughs (MEM) FS: F. Wilder (NOR), B. McDowell (MEM) SS: E. McMillian (PHI), P. Gannon (DEN) P: H. Hardaway (LA) KR: C. Verdin (WR-HOU) PR: T. Nixon (CB-OAK) It is a rare USFL Conference Championship weekend when the top 2 seeds in each conference have advanced to the finals. Two of these teams will advance for a crack at the league title in the first (renamed) Summer Bowl. In a weekend that will boast talented offensive stars like Troy Aikman, Matt Robinson, Marcus Dupree, Don Majkowski and Lionel James, will it be the offenses that take control or will we see defense win the conference title through takeaways and momentum-shifting stands? Two great matchups and 4 teams all with their eyes on the prize await us this week. #2 TAMPA BAY @ #1 WASHINGTON In this matchup we have two quarterbacks with very different trajectories. Troy Aikman came to Tampa as the Golden Boy, a top draft pick from UCLA who Tampa signed away from LA and who was a consensus pick for the Rookie of the Year last season. For Washington, QB Don Majkowski came as a mid-round pick, brought in to learn behind starter Neil Lomax, but when Lomax suffered a hip injury that would turn into a career-ending affliction, Majkowski stepped up and took on the mantle. Both teams can score points in bunches, but both also have defenses which are expert in pressuring the QB and creating turnovers. Looking over the matchups, a key will be Aikman’s protection. He was sacked 7 times in their win against the Stars, and Washington has a D-line that can really shrink the pocket and get in your face. That is a matchup to watch. Our prediction? We are going with the Federals, thanks to that D-line as both teams will focus on the passing game, and we trust Washington to keep Majkowski from feeling the heat that Aikman is likely to face. #2 ARIZONA @ #1 NEW ORLEANS Is this finally the year that the Breakers get over the hump? This is their 8th consecutive playoff appearance, butthey have never been able to break through and get to the Championship game. This year has perhaps been their most dominant, as the defense has finally risen up to complement their explosive offense. In Arizona they face an opponent new to this type of pressure, young and eager but very inexperienced in playoff football. In many ways the Wranglers are modeled after the Breakers, an homage to their success. They have a strong-armed QB and a top flight wideout in Bosco and Trumaine Johnson, and they run a very similar two-back rotation in the Clack-James combo, very similar to New Orleans’s Dupree-Hilliard combo. They too have a lot of talent on defense, led by LBs Brian Noble and Broderick Thomas, and they have a strong special teams group capable of shortening the field. It is a great matchup of two similar teams, but seeing how similar they are, we have to go with the more experienced side and pick the Breakers to finally get that monkey of their backs and punch their ticket to the Summer Bowl in Orlando.

17-Point Swing Sends Invaders Packing OAKLAND 15 HOUSTON 28 An even battle for three quarters turned into a comfortable win for the Houston Gamblers after a 17-point run to end the game. Houston got two late touchdowns, a Keith Woodside run and a Kelly to Proehl toss, to updend the invaders and advance to the Divisional round. Houston and Oakland battled through three quarters before the Gamblers’ offense wore down the Invader defense and pulled away in the final 20 minutes of the game. For 3 quarters the two 8-8 squads battled back and forth, with Oakland looking to have the advantage at half, up 12-10. An early Kelly to Jones TD pass in the 1st was countered by a Mark Duper TD catch in the 2nd, and when Kim Bokamper caught Kelly in the endzone for a safety, Oakland took the lead into the half. They added a second Kevin Shea field goal in the third to up their lead to 5, but it all crashed for Oakland after that. Houston rallied, thanks in large part to the dual threat of Thurman Thomas, who finished the day with 87 yards rushing on 20 attempts as well as 6 receptions for 22 yards. Though he did not find paydirt, Thomas was the key weapon in Houston’s attack. Late in the third that attack put Houston on top to stay as Kelly hit rookie Ricky Proehl for a short touchdown toss, followed by a 2 point conversion that put Houston up 18-15. On their next drive the combo of Thomas and Keith Woodside would move the ball effectively, with Woodside getting the 3rd and goal call that added another 6. Just a few minutes later, with Oakland unable to produce a drive, Dave Jacobs made the Houston lead 28-15, the game’s final score. Kelly would finish with only 184 yards on the day, as Oakland focused their attention on slowing down the passing game, but the combo of Thomas and Woodside found holes all day and the Houston defense shut down Richard Williams (only 24 yards rushing) to keep Oakland one-dimensional. This Houston Gambler squad, who many had written off as dead at the halfway point of the season, has been a wholly different team in the season’s second half, and now find themselves in the Divisional Playoff, facing a familiar foe, division rival New Orleans, next week in the SuperDome. Renegades Rout Showboats to Advance ORLANDO 37 MEMPHIS 17 Memphis came into this game a 6-point favorite, largely on the prowess of their defense, but Orlando’s high octane offense immediately put them on notice and before the Showboats knew what had hit them, they were down 17-0 and forced to play a catchup game that did not suit them well at all. By the game’s end, Orlando walked out of the Liberty Bowl with a 20-point victory and a ticket to next week’s Divisional Playoff in Washington, D.C.. It was all Orlando from the get-go, as the Renegades used their familiarity with Memphis’s defense to confuse and confound the usually tough squad. Reggie Collier ended the game with a 77.4% completion rate, hitting on two touchdown tosses to Wamon Buggs as the Showboats tried to take away league receiving yardage leader John Jefferson. Jefferson finished with 109 yards anyway, but it was Buggs who put the hurt on the Showboats with his two scores. Backup HB Todd Fowler also proved dangerous to Memphis, as he scored twice while spelling Curtis Bledsoe. Bledsoe would finish with 91 yards on the ground but Fowler got the ball in the endzone twice to keep the pressure on Memphis. Down 17 early, the Showboats were forced to largely abandon their dual-back rushing attack and put the ball into the hands of QB Mike Kelley. Knowing the Showboats were passing, the Orlando defenders pinned their ears back and put on a furious pass rush, getting to Kelley 3 times and forcing him to scramble on multiple occasions, a rare situation for the usually pocket-bound QB. Memphis, forced to go for broke throughout the game, ended up completing only 2 of 11 third down conversions, and failed on 2 of 3 fourth down attempts as well. For Memphis it was another disappointment in a season that saw them lose the Division Crown in the final weeks and then exit unceremoniously in the Wild Card game. For Orlando, the win conjured memories of last year’s deep playoff run. The Renegades, boasting one of the most prolific pass offenses in the league, now head to Washington to face the Federals in a game few would have predicted when the season began. No new injuries to report from either Orlando or Houston, so they enter the Divisional Round with full compliments. New Orleans has a concern at DT where T.J. Turner is out, and both Dan McMillen and Jim Wahler are coming off nagging injuries. Both are listed as probable, but are not likely to be 100% by Sunday. For Washington, SS Louis Oliver is out, as is CB Tony Stargell, a frightening prospect when you are facing the Orlando passing game. In the other Divisional matchups, Michigan at Arizona and Philadelphia @ Tampa Bay, there are a few injuries of note. Tampa Bay will be without starting DE Skip McClendon (groin) and right tackle Matt Behning (knee) while Philadelphia lists WR Quinn Early as probably despite a lingering shoulder issue, and, as has been the case for several weeks, CB Lorenzo Lynch is out with his own shoulder injury. In the Panthers-Wranglers matchup we will not be seeing DE Al Noga, FS Martin Bayless or guard Morris Vaught for the Wranglers, while Michigan will be without center Hubert Hicks. DIVISIONAL ROUND PREVIEW #5 Orlando @ #1 Washington 3pm ET, Saturday, July 7 @ RFK Stadium Reggie Collier and the Renegades hope to upend the Federals and will likely look to do this through the air. With both John Jefferson and Wamon Buggs playing well and with the threat of Curtis Bledsoe on the ground, the Renegades may try to jump out of the gate fast as they did vs. Memphis to put Washington on their heels. The Federals are also a pass-happy team, and with Don Majkowski at the helm, they are quite capable of going head to head with the Orlando passing game. After facing Reggie White and his 21 sacks last week, Orlando now faces a dual threat in the DE combo of Manley (15 sacks) and Haley (14 sacks). Can Orlando keep up the offensive pressure vs. this combo or will Reggie Collier be running as much as he is passing? For the Feds the key is getting Majkowski into a rhythm with wideouts Joey Walters. Duane Gunn, and rookie Terrance Mathis. The Feds do not have a solid run game to fall back on, so they need to be efficient with the passing game. PREDICTION: We like Orlando’s pluck, but the Federals have been finding ways to win all year, so we will pick them to win by 3. #3 Michigan @ #2 Arizona 8pm ET, Saturday, July 7 @ Sun Devil Stadium The Wranglers were surprise winners of the Pacific Division, but they won it going away, thanks in large part to a balanced attack with Clack and former NFL back Lionel James combining with efficient passing from Robbie Bosco. Michigan got here largely on the strength of their 2nd rated defense, a defense which allows only 59.6 yards rushing a game and has the 2nd leading sack master on the D-line in Ronnie Paggett. Michigan will try to keep pressure on Bosco, loading the line, blitzing against both the run and the pass, and hoping their secondary can keep Trumaine Johnson, Louis Lipps, and TE Terry Orr from busting out some big plays. For their part, Arizona will hope to contain the run game led by John Williams, forcing Michigan to pass without the benefit of play action. Michigan’s passing game runs through Derrick Holloway, so expect Arizona to line up CB Everson Walls on Holloway all game long, and likely swing over a safety to help when possible. PREDICTION: Arizona’s defense can be erratic at times, and Michigan certainly has the veteran leadership to recognize weaknesses. We are going to pick the upset here and go with the Panthers. #4 Houston @ #1 New Orleans 3pm ET, Sunday, July 8 @ New Orleans SuperDome These two teams know each other well, having played 11 times since the Central Division was formed and the Breakers joined it after leaving Boston. New Orleans has fared pretty well in those games, winning 7, but they have also had a long history of playoff flops. Houston is no stranger to tough playoff games, having appeared in back to back USFL Championships, and they come in hot, having won 7 games out of 9 to get to the playoffs. But, what we see this year is a Breakers team that has had all their pieces working all season long. They were 13-2 before resting their starters week 16, and they were head and shoulders above most of the league. They come into this game with the #1 scoring offense, an offense which also leads the league in rushing with 129 yards per game, thanks to the duo of Hilliard and Dupree. Throw in former league MVP Matt Robinson at QB, and we think that this game is a tall order for the Gamblers. PREDICTION: We like Houston’s pluck, but this is a serious championship contender in New Orleans, and we will not pick against the Breakers this time. #3 Philadelphia @ #2 Tampa Bay 8pm ET, Sunday, July 8 @ Tampa Stadium This is a really intriguing matchup. You have a veteran team, winner of 2 USFL Championships, but with a rookie head coach, going up against a younger, rebuilt, Bandits team, led by one of only 2 USFL coaches to lead their team since the 1983 league founding in Steve Spurrier. You have the return of Troy Aikman from injury, and you have one of the best backs in the game today in Kelvin Bryant. Neither team are offensive dynamos, despite their star power. Tampa finished the season 16th in total yards, and Philadelphia was one notch below that, 17th. The two actually match up pretty evenly across most team categories. The big advantage one way or the other may belong to Tampa Bay, if Troy Aikman is back to full form. Chuck Fusina led the league in interceptions with 21 (equal to his TD number) while Aikman was one of the league’s best at protecting the ball (10 interceptions to 24 touchdowns.) If that pattern stays true to form, it may be the Tampa defense that turns the game and turnovers may be the reason. PREDICTION: We like Philadelphia’s playoff experience, but the younger, hungrier Bandits may just use home field advantage, and the energy it provides, to upend the older, more experienced Stars. We’re picking Tampa Bay.

MEM 16 TBY 27 The Bandits defense set the tone, returning a Mike Kelley interception for a TD on the Showboats’ first possession. Add in TD runs from Speedy Neal and Lars Tate and a defense which forced Memphis to go for 3 instead of 7 on 3 different occasions and you have the Tampa Bay Bandits locked in as the Southern Division Champion. With Troy Aikman expected to be cleared to practice and almost certainly start in 2 weeks, Tamps looks ready to roll. HOU 15 MGN 7 The Gamblers did their part, mostly on defense, to edge into the playoffs. Five Dave Jacobs field goals were all the scoring they needed to defeat the Panthers, who they limited to 243 total yards of offense. Michigan is still locked into the 3rd seed and will get a bye next week, while Houston had to watch the scoreboard. A loss by Texas would leap the Gamblers over the Outlaws and give them a surprising playoff berth. BAL 27 TEX 17 The Stouffer-less Outlaws were unable to muster what they needed to salvage a playoff berth, losing their 4th in a row and dropping below Houston in the standings, meaning they once again finish at 8-8 and once again miss the playoffs. Baltimore got a combined 120 yards from Tim Spencer and Derrick Fenner to upend the Outlaws, who played most of the game without Reggie Cobb (Migraines). ARZ 24 OAK 30 With their #2 seed and bye assured, Arizona gave the start to rookie Scott Mitchell. In his first action Mitchell looked solid, throwing for 254 yards, 3 TD and 1 Int. Oakland got what they needed as well, with 123 yards from Richard Williams and a big TD catch from Mark Duper. The win lifts them to 8-8, where they defeat Texas on a tie-breaker, giving them the #4 seed in the West. They will host Houston next week for a chance to play in New Orleans the week following. JAX 31 ORL 10 With their playoff position secured, Orlando rested several starters, including Reggie Collier and Curtis Bledsoe. Jacksonville, still seeking to regain fan support after a horrific 0-8 first half of the year, finished with a 6-2 second half as Chris Miller threw for 3 scores and both Hassan Jones and Brian Blades finished well over 100 yards receiving. Is this enough to save Galen Hall’s job? NJ 41 PIT 31 The Generals gave Timm Rosenbach the start to end the year and he came through with 4 TD passes and 344 yards passing, once again putting Ray Perkins in a pickle for next season with a lot of fans praising Flutie’s playmaking but also impressed with Rosenbach’s potential. For Pittsburgh Alan Risher finished the year strong, with 339 yards passing and 3 TDs of his own. CHI 16 NOR 13 OT The Chicago Machine took advantage of New Orleans resting starters on both sides of the ball to win their 7th game of the year. Chuck Long added 258 yards to his league leading total, but threw 3 interceptions, keeping the Breakers B-team in the game throughout. Chicago would kick the winning FG in overtime as the Breakers had no real interest in forcing the game to go to a 2nd OT. They now get a bye and prepare to host the Wild Card winner (Houston or Oakland). DEN 26 LA 23 Rodney Peete subbed for an injured Walter Lewis and played well, completing 74% of his passes and tossing 2 touchdowns, but it was not enough against a Gold team trying to put the sour taste of this season behind them. The star of the game was Denver HB Timmy Smith, who rushed for 51 yards and caught 7 balls for 38 yards to lead the Gold to the 3 point victory. BIR 17 POR 21 The Thunder doubled their best prior win total, finishing with 6 wins in Dennis Erickson’s first season at the helm, by defeating a lackluster Stallions squad just playing out the string. Portland got 3 TD’s from David Archer on the day as the Thunder pleased the home crowd with a ticket giveaway to try to pack what otherwise would likely have been a pretty sparse end-of-year crowd. Philadelphia Stars 20 Washington Federals 25 It took a last minute drive and a TD with only 26 seconds left in the game, but the Washington Federals seem to have shaken off their persona as chronic also-rans, knocking off the once-dominant Philadelphia Stars and claiming their first ever Atlantic Division title. Now, admittedly, with Chuck Fusina struggling with tightness in his throwing shoulder, and with a bye week assured regardless of the game result, Washington was facing a Stars team led by Anthony Dilweg, so take this close win with a grain of salt. But, that said, the full Philly defense was on the field and the Feds were able to do what they needed to for a late-game drive and a season-defining win. Don Majkowski was hit or miss on the day. Yes, he found Joey Walters for two scores, and connected with Kerry Simien for a third, but he also threw 3 picks, including one by Robert Herron which the Stars ran back for a TD. Neither team was able to run the ball on the day, a testament to the run-stopping defenses of both teams, but Majkowski, despite his miscues, was clearly a better option than Dilweg. The hero of the day was clearly Washington wideout Joey Walters, who caught 6 balls for 142 yards, including the game winner. Washington also landed 5 sacks of Dilweg, adding to the impressive 1-2 total of Dexter Manley (15 sacks, 3rd in the USFL) and Charles Haley (14 sacks, 4th in USFL). With the win, Washington earns the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, a bye, and a chance to play the winner of the Orlando-Memphis Wild Card Game. Philadelphia finishes the year as the #3 seed and will travel to Tampa Bay to face the Bandits in two weeks. The decision to rest Fusina means that Philly will now have a much tougher path, even with the bye week, as they must travel to Tampa to face a Troy Aikman-led Bandits squad and possibly a rematch in DC if they succeed vs the Bandits. While we appreciate the 4 TD day that Timm Rosenbach had for New Jersey, that was in a meaningless end of the season game when both teams were not fully committed. Looking only at games where meaningful playoff opportunities were on the line, we are going to give the award to the entire Tampa Bay Bandits defense. Tampa knew that they could not expect to win the game on Oliver Luck’s arm, not against one of the league’s best pass defenses in Memphis, so the defense would have to step up, and they did. Yes, the Bandits allowed quite a few yards in the air, with Kelley throwing for 333 yards, but they also picked him off twice, and came up big on third down, limiting the Showboats to only 2 conversions on 14 attempts. In addition to this, the Bandit D kept the run game in check, holding the combo of Boone and Buford to only 38 total yards on the day, a tiny fraction of what they normally produce. Special kudos go out to CB Eric Allen, who broke up 3 passes, intercepted another and ran it back for 6 to give the Tampa crowd an early reason to get on their feet and stay loud all day. While Tampa has no huge names like Memphis’s Reggie White, they are playing solid complementary football, rushing to assist on tackles, keeping zones tight, and not allowing the big play. This formula will only benefit the Bandits as they head into the playoffs, and with Troy Aikman returning the defense may get the added advantage of playing with a lead. With the end of the regular season comes the annual news of Black Monday. This year there were several coaches whose first half performances certainly put them on the hot seat. Both New Jersey (2-6 after 8 weeks) and Jacksonville (0-8) appeared ripe for a change, but strong second halves by both teams (both 6-2 in the second half of the season) has apparently done what was needed for Coach Perkins and Coach Hall to be retained. The same cannot be said for LA Head Coach John Hadl, whose 4 year record with the Express of 27-31-1 was simply not strong enough. After peaking with the team at 9-7 in 1988, LA slipped to 7-9 in 1989 and plummeted to 4-12 this year, when the Express rated as one of the worst franchises in league history, at least on offense, where their 14.2 points per game was among the worst in league history. Hadl was dismissed on Monday and the Express anticipate signing a coach within the next month. The second coach to receive a pink slip on Black Monday was also not a surprise. Texas Outlaws head coach Woody Widenhofer looked to be on his way to a banner season, with the team at one point 8-4 and within range of the division title. The Outlaws finished the season at 8-8, and while many may point to the injury of Kelly Stouffer as the primary reason, it was well known that another 8-8 season, the team’s 3rd consecutive .500 finish, would not be looked upon kindly by the Outlaws. With the team expected to move into the new 64,000 seat Alamo Dome next season, there is a desire to demonstrate that the Outlaws are building something special, and that often is an impetus for change. So, Widenhofer is out and the Outlaws are expected to seek out a new head coach, one likely with some Texas connections, to try to build enthusiasm as they look to expand their fanbase, solidify their position in San Antonio, and augment their season ticket holder numbers in the new, far larger, stadium. While not a firing, there is one more coaching change coming to the USFL. After 5 seasons at the helm of the Denver Gold, Coach Mouse Davis has stepped down. Davis led the Gold to three consecutive playoff appearances between 1987 and 1989, including two division titles and an appearance in last season’s USFL Championship, but it has been well-known that Davis has clashed frequently with ownership (just as Red Miller had before) about personnel decisions, budgets, and facilities. With close friend Jack Pardee the coach of the NFL’s Houston Oilers, it has been rumored that Pardee wanted to bring in Davis again as his Offensive Coordinator, and while a shift from Head Coach to OC is rare, it is not unheard of, especially when the Gold’s notorious tight purse strings are involved. It would not be a surprise at all to see Davis make more as an OC with the NFL Oilers than as the head man for the USFL’s Gold. So, Denver, LA, and Texas will all be in the market for a head coach this offseason. With several NFL head coaches let go over their offseason, and with several college coaches potentially looking for an opportunity to move to pro ball, there will be no shortage of candidates, but timing is of the essence. Once the league hits August and NFL camps open, the number of unsigned or truly available coaches drops quickly. We have already revealed the Wild Card and Divisional matchups which are known at this time. As we gear up for the Wild Card round, let’s take a look at the two matchups, and the potential scenarios for the Divisionals. #5 Oakland (8-8) @ #4 Houston (8-8) Saturday, June 30 @ 8pm ET Astrodome, Houston, TX These two teams come to this game with very different seasons behind them. Houston began the year 1-6 and there seemed little hope that they could return from such a start and qualify, but they proceeded to win 7 of their next 9 games, and enter the week having won their last 3, all in division. Oakland, on the other hand, started strong, winning 4 of their first 6 games, then went through a brutal 4 game losing streak before righting the ship and winning 4 of 6 again to end the year. So what do we make of this? Well, we have to say that Houston comes in as the hotter team, but will that be enough. Oakland depends on defense. Without much fanfare they finished the season as the #2 defense against the run (66 yards per game) and that helped them also finish as #1 overall in yardage allowed. Their offense was in the lower half of the league, although with Richard Williams in the backfield they were a top 5 rushing team. So their plan will likely be to slow the pace, keep the game in the teens if possible, and rely on turnovers and field position to put themselves in a position to win late. Houston is tougher to read. Their defense started the year as the league’s worst, but they have improved dramatically over the second half. They can play lights out when they are on their game, but the Gamblers also have the capacity to outscore opponents, especially if they can get Thurman Thomas engaged in both the run and passing game. Jim Kelly has dropped his interception numbers compared to last year, and that bodes well for Houston, but at the same time the offense is less dynamic than in the past, largely due to a less-experienced receiving corps. The Gamblers use 3 receivers almost interchangeably. Ernie Jones was the leader in yards for Houston, while rookie Ricky Proehl led the team in receptions, and slot back Clarence Verdin led them in receiving TD’s. Thurman Thomas has not been as adept at getting into the passing game, finishing the season with only 21 receptions, compared with 59 in 1989. PREDICTION: We have two teams that each have issues (as most 8-8 teams do), but Houston is both hotter over the past few weeks and has home field advantage. We expect the Gamblers to find some holes in the Oakland D and to punch their ticket to New Orleans and matchup with a Breakers team that defeated them twice in the regular season. #5 Orlando (8-8) @ #4 Memphis (9-7) Sunday, July 1 @ 3pm ET Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN The second game features two teams with similar styles. Both Orlando and Memphis are capable of putting up points in a hurry and both have defenses that can pressure the QB and take the ball away. Orlando was the league’s passing leader with 4,522 yards through the air, led by Reggie Collier’s MVP-contending season in which he threw for over 3,900 yards and led the league with 34 touchdown passes. This allowed Orlando to finish 5th in the league in total yards and 4th in scoring. Memphis was not far behind themselves. Mike Kelley led the league in pass efficiency, completing nearly 70% of his throws for the season and tossing 23 touchdowns. The Showboats use a running back combo with Greg Boone and Buford Jordan. That combo gained 1,486 rushing yards, well ahead of Orlando’s 950 (3rd worst in the league). Using this balanced approach, Memphis finished 6th in the league in scoring, only 21 points beneath Orlando. On defense, we have the Showboats, who finished as the #1 defense in points allowed (278 for the year) and the third best defense in yards allowed. Orlando, on the other hand, finished in the middle of the pack in nearly every category, with the sole exception being rushing yards, where the Renegades finished #6 in the league. If Memphis can use offensive balance against Orlando, they can score against them. For Orlando, the key will be the big play. Reggie Collier has more than enough weapons to overwhelm the Showboat defense if he can find time to throw, and if they can get Curtis Bledsoe to produce a run game that keeps the Showboat defenders honest. PREDICTION: Once again we are going with the home team. Memphis has looked the better team all season, and while Orlando has more firepower on offense, particularly with the season John Jefferson has had, it is defense that tends to shine in playoff football, and there the Showboats have a clear advantage. The winner has a very good matchup in the 2nd round, facing a Washington Federal team that no one picked to be the #1 seed and which has almost no playoff experience to fall back on if things are tight. Before we sign off, a reminder that in 2 weeks we will have the winners of these two Wild Card games facing off against the 1 Seeds, New Orleans and Washington. We will also have the matchup of #2 v. #3 with Philadelphia traveling to Tampa Bay to face the Bandits and Michigan facing the Arizona Wranglers at Sun Devil Stadium. It’s playoff football everyone, Let’s get this show started!!!

H 20 BAL 18 Hand it to the Baltimore Blitz, playing out the string, nothing but pride on the line, they gave the playoff bound Federals all they could handle. Washington struggled to overcome a solid Baltimore defense on the day, and although the Blitz only reached the endzone once (they had 3 FG and a safety as well), they put a scare into the feds, who won the game on a Ray Wersching field goal for their first ever 10-win season. TBY 24 BIR 27 Despite a strong day from Oliver Luck (285 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int), the Bandits could not defeat the spoiler-minded Stallions. Joe Cribbs had another dominant day himself, rushing 23 times for 151 yards and 1 TD as Birmingham edged their record to 7-8 and are still mathematically alive for the final Wild Card spot. Luck, who rebounded from a bad Week 14, found Kelly, Perriman and Neal for scores, but a consistent Stallions offense, paired with a 57-yard punt return TD from Stallion Tyrone Shavers, was enough to turn the tide for Birmingham. MEM 27 JAX 24 OVERTIME Playing perhaps to save Coach Hall’s job, the Bulls nearly upended the Memphis Rebels, but fell short in overtime. Chris Miller threw three touchdowns for the Bulls, and Pete Stoyanovich kicked the game-tying FG with only 2 seconds left to go to an extra period, but in overtime the combo of Greg Boone and a now-healthy Buford Jordan helped set up Ali Haji-Sheikh for the game winning 23 yard field goal. MGN 26 CHI 14 The Panthers locked up a Wild Card and assured Chicago of a losing season with a road win at Soldier Field on Saturday. Jack Trudeau found plenty of open receivers on his way to a 336-yard day, hitting Derek Holloway and TE Mario Perry for scores. The Michigan defense also played well, sacking Chuck Long 3 times and holding the Chicago run game to a season low of only 36 yards rushing. TEX 3 HOU 28 There is no quit in these Gamblers, who kept slim playoff hopes alive with the win. For Texas, the first game with Glen Carano under center did not bode well for their playoff hopes. Carano was sacked 3 times and while he completed 76% of his passes, he was unable to get the Outlaws into the endzone. Thurman Thomas outgained Reggie Cobb 112 to 109, and his 2-touchdown day helped Houston get one step closer to an improbable playoff berth. LA 20 ARZ 23 Walter Lewis had a solid game, helping LA to a 20-20 tie late in the 4th, but the Wranglers, hoping to lock up their first 10-win season ever, got the last laugh as Robbie Bosco led Arizona into range for Mick Luckhurst. Luckhurst nailed the game-winning field goal as time ran out to send LA to an 11th loss on the year. Once again the combo of Clack and James was very effective, combining for 116 yards and 2 Clack TD’s. POR 24 DEN 21 Bob Gagliano’s return has not proven to be a magic bullet for the Gold, as Portland edges them thanks to a strong performance by both David Archer (284 yards and a73% completion rate0 and the redzone defense of the Thunder. While Timmy Smith and Barry Foster combined for 108 yards on the day, the Thunder held when they needed to and earned their team’s best record in their 3-year existence. OAK 3 PIT 45 Utter domination by a Maulers team that is simply not ready to give up on the season. Oakland had a shot to secure their playoff life, but were simply crushed by the homestanding Maulers. Jeff Kemp, in for a dinged up Gale Gilbert, threw three picks and Richard Williams was held to only 67 yards rushing as Pittsburgh dominated all three phases of the game. Most of the damage was done by Mike Rozier, who scored twice on his 117-yard day. Backup Pat Chaffey even added another 55 yards and a late score. NOR 27 ORL 24 The Breakers edged the Renegades on a late Robinson to Fontenot touchdown toss, to move Orlando dangerously close to dropping out of the playoffs at 8-7. Dalton Hilliard took the mantle of the run game and pounded the Orlando D for 107 yards and a 5.9 yard average. Orlando gained the lead late in the 4th on a Curtis Bledsoe run, but left too much time on the clock, giving Robinson and Co. time to march down the field and score the game winner in dramatic fashion. Philadelphia Stars 27 New Jersey Generals 24 OT In an overtime thriller between two bitter rivals the Stars edged the Generals, quite possibly removing them from Wild Card contention at the same time. Philadelphia looked the better team throughout, but New Jersey just would not go away, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter to even the score and bring the game in overtime. Doug Flutie would again account for most of the Generals’ offense, as he busted off yet another long run (a 75 yard TD) and scored on a second, a 9-yard bootleg to the corner of the endzone. However, the even hand and cool nerves of Chuck Fusina eventually got the Stars the win as he guided Philadelphia deep into Generals’ territory on the first drive of overtime, setting up a very makeable 35-yard kick for veteran David Trout. With New Jersey bottling up Kelvin Bryant all day it was Fusina who drove the Philly offense. The league’s oldest player hit on 39 of 49 attempts for 335 yards, finding longtime teammates Gerald Phelan and Tom Donovan for scores. Mike Quick, though he did not reach the endzone, led all receivers with 133 yards on 9 receptions, and Bryant, though stymied in the run game, was able to add 5 receptions to contribute as well. For New Jersey, it was a similar story, with the Stars corralling Herschel Walker (who still does not look 100% after going out for 2 games earlier this season) and forcing Flutie to contribute both in the air and on the ground. The former Heisman winner was only able to complete 53% of his passes, but made his mark on the ground through his ability to scramble out of danger and make the most of his 8 scripted run plays. He would also find Lam Jones for a few big plays, giving the receiver 108 yards on only 6 receptions. But in the end, despite the New Jersey comeback to tie the game at the end of regulation, it was the Stars who took command when called upon and never gave New Jersey the chance to touch the ball in overtime. Fusina guided the Stars on a 7-play drive to open the extra period, and the Stars chose to position the ball with a run on 3rd and 6 from the New Jersey 18 yard line, rather than go for the 1st down, bringing out Trout for the game winner. The win gives Philadelphia 10 on the season, setting up a huge game next week vs. Washington for the division title. For New Jersey, the loss means that they miss the opportunity to even their record with Orlando’s for the 5th and final playoff spot. We gave the POTW last week to Joe Cribbs, and he outshone last week’s performance with another huge game this week, but we are not of a mind to issue two consecutive POTW to the All-USFL back. So, we give the award this week to the back who comes to play every single week, Mike Rozier. Playing his entire career on a Pittsburgh team that has rarely been as good as he is, Rozier is the type of lunchpail, blue collar player that the fans in the Steel City adore. This week he added another 117 yards to his league leading total, and for the 7th straight season he will easily top the 1,000-yard mark, this year already with 1,196. Rozier now stands at 9,660 career rushing yards, behind only Walker, Bryant and Cribbs. His career average of 4.5 yards per carry is the best among the league’s Top 10 all-time backs, and, unlike Birmingham’s Cribbs, New Jersey’s Walker, and Philadelphia’s Kelvin Bryant, Rozier has done this on teams that have barely made a dent in the win column over the years, making the playoffs only once in his 7 seasons with the team. The Maulers have had 10-loss seasons every year but one, the 1988 8-8 campaign that saw them edge into the playoffs for the only time in team history, and yet Rozier remains one of the most feared and respected backs in pro football. And it is not as if he did not have other options. In his last contract year there was serious interest from the NFL’s Houston Oilers, but Rozier opted to stay with the Maulers. When the Jacksonville Bulls approached Pittsburgh hoping to trade for Rozier last offseason, Rozier himself came out publicly saying he had no desire to leave the Steel City and put an end to speculation that he would take the chance to start over in Jacksonville. The Maulers may have a shot at 8-8 again this year, but even if they slip to 7-9, they still have Mike Rozier to hold up as one of the league’s best. Going into the final week, things are pretty clear for 9 of the 10 spots, with just the final Western Wild Card and a lot of positioning in play. Here is the scoop. WESTERN CONFERENCE New Orleans has the #1 seed wrapped up and likely will rest starters against Chicago in the season finale. Arizona too has their division and the #2 seed in hand, so they too may rest some players as they face the Oakland Invaders. That move could be bad news for Houston, who need an Oakland loss and their own win at Michigan to edge the Invaders for the final playoff spot, having defeated Oakland in Week 4. Michigan, at 9-6, may opt to rest some starters, as they would retain the #3 seed even with a loss and a Texas win due to better divisional record. Texas needs to win to avoid being leapfrogged by either Houston or Oakland. For Oakland and Texas it is pretty simple, win this week. For Houston, the easiest path to the playoffs is to win and have Oakland lose. The permutations if they, Oakland and Texas all end up at 8-8 are complex but do not appear to favor the Gamblers. Chicago, Portland, LA and Denver are out. EASTERN CONFERENCE We know the 5 teams that are in the playoffs. The last piece of the puzzle was the 5th Wild Card, but Orlando, by virtue of having defeated both Pittsburgh and New Jersey earlier this year, will win the final spot even if they lose their 3rd straight and end up tied with the winner of the Generals-Maulers matchup this week. Philly, Washington, Memphis, and Tampa are fighting for their respective division crowns. The fun, of course is that we have 2 head-to-head matchups, a rarity in Week 16, between these 4 teams, with Philly at Washington and Memphis in Tampa. The winners of each game are the division champions and will get a bye. It is just that simple. It is all about positioning and getting those bye week games at this point in the East. Let’s focus on the two big matches in the Eastern Conference with this week’s report. Going into these huge games to determine division titles, Philadelphia looks to be in good shape, with their only two injury reports being “probables” for WR Quinn Early and CB Gary Wilkerson. For their opponent, the Federals, there are a few more concerns. Both Jerome Brown and Richard Geary at DT are listed as probable, which is good as they will be called upon to shut down Kelvin Bryant, but FS Mark Kelso is still out with a back strain, and SS Louis Oliver is now on IR with a torn knee ligament in his left knee. This leaves the secondary for the Federals potentially vulnerable, so expect Philadelphia to use a lot of 3-WR sets to take advantage of this potential weakness. In the Tampa-Memphis game, we all know that the biggest loss for Tampa remains QB Troy Aikman. He is listed as questionable, up from doubtful this week, but will almost certainly sit out as Tampa is still guaranteed a playoff spot and they want to assure that Troy can go in the postseason. Their other concerns include the loss of DE Skip McClendon to a groin pull, tackle Matt Behning to a stress fracture, and wondering just how healthy backs Lars Tate and Todd Bell are, as both are listed as probably but are not 100%. For Memphis things look good. Their only injury report is DT Tony Savage, who is out for at least 3 weeks with a hip injury. Memphis’s D-line can certainly compensate for that and it should not negatively impact DE Reggie White’s quest to set a pro football single season sack record. He is at 20 currently and needs only 2 to set the record. You already know the big games. It is all about the division crown when Philadelphia travels down the road to RFK Stadium to face the Federals. The same is true in Tampa where the Showboats and Bandits face off. Houston-Michigan will be another key matchup and Arizona-Oakland could be good even if the Wranglers rest some starters. For most of the rest of the week we have playoff teams vs. non-playoff teams, but with pride always on the line, and with many players looking either for personal bests for the season or looking to make a good last impression before contract season begins, don’t be surprised to see some teams put in maximum effort. The remaining games are New Jersey @ Pittsburgh, Jacksonville @ Orlando, Chicago & New Orleans, Denver @ LA, Baltimore @ Texas, and Birmingham @ Portland.

BAL 13 PIT 3 A crushing blow for Pittsburgh’s faint playoff hopes as they simply do not show up against the Blitz. Baltimore won this one on defense as their offense went 0 for 11 on third down, but they forced 4 turnovers, all picks of Alan Risher, and held Mike Rozier to only 2 yards per carry and 51 total yards. The only TD of the day was a Tommy Wilcox interception return on a day that set back USFL offenses 20 years. NJ 23 WSH 31 A tough day for New Jersey as well as they fell to the Federals on two late scores, with Majkowski hitting Duane Gunn for the go ahead score with just over 6 minutes left, and then the back breaker, a Curtis Taliferro 19-yard interception return on a Flutie pass tipped at the line. Washington was more than ready for Flutie’s run game, spying him all game long and holding him to only 7 yards rushing. BIR 26 ORL 19 The Stallions play spoiler, riding a Joe Cribbs 105-yard day and getting 83% completion rate from Cliff Stoudt to upend the Renegades. Curtis Bledsoe could not get anything going and the Renegades were limited to only 259 yards on the day. JAX 21 TBY 17 Jacksonville also got into the upset role as Oliver Luck had none on the day. Luck threw two picks, and Lars Tate fumbled away an apparent touchdown as the Bulls held on to defeat the Bandits. Yet again, the third time this week, a pick-six was pivotal as Doug Greene returned a 3rd quarter miscue by Luck for 7, giving Jacksonville a lead they would hold through the final whistle. ARZ 24 DEN 6 The Wranglers also received a pick-six on this day filled with them, but theirs was not needed as they thoroughly dominated the Denver Gold. Bob Gagliano threw for only 110 yards and rookie Barry Foster only got 7 carries as the Wranglers controlled the game form the opening whistle. Robbie Bosco connected with Trumaine Johnson 7 times for 128 yards and a 74 yard TD to lead the Wranglers to their 9th win and a near lock on the Pacific Division crown. OAK 35 POR 20 The Invaders kept pace 2 games behind Arizona with a road win in Portland. Richard Williams rushed for 77 with 2 scores and Paul Palmer contributed another 54 yards rushing and a score of his own as run defense still appears to be the big weakness of the Thunder. CHI 10 HOU 17 The Gamblers evened up their record with Chicago at 6-8 thanks to a 97-yard kickoff return from Clarence Verdin and a Thurman Thomas 1 yard plunge. In an even game that saw both defenses play well, Chicago committed 2 turnovers and Houston did not, and that small difference created Houston’s margin for victory, as Houston scored 10 points off of the two miscues by the Machine. NOR 34 TEX 24 The Breakers keep finding ways to win. In this one it was a devastating 31-0 run that did in the Outlaws. Up 3-0, Texas gave up Breakers scores on 8 consecutive drives (5 FG, 2 TD and a safety) as New Orleans simply blew open the game. On the down side, Marcus Dupree suffered a concussion which could impact his ability to play next week. LA 3 PHI 17 Philadelphia stayed even with Washington by dispatching the Express handily. In a sloppy game that saw the two teams combine for 7 turnovers and 13 penalties, the Express simply could not move the ball well, while Chuck Fusina, frustrated by a solid LA defense, did just enough to put 2 scores, both tosses to Mike Quick, on the board. Michigan Panthers 34 Memphis Showboats 33 Michigan needed to snap a 4-game losing streak to keep their playoff chances alive. Memphis would take over a share of first place in the South with a win, and the two teams fought like it was a playoff game in the Sunday nightcap game. Memphis would outgain Michigan by nearly 100 yards (425 to 342) but it was the Panthers who got the final points on the board and used a surprise 2-point play to steal the win in dramatic fashion. In a back and forth battle that saw the lead change 6 times, both the Panthers and the Showboats saw their vaunted defenses fall away under intense pressure from well-designed offensive plans. Both Trudeau and Kelley would throw for 2 scores, and both running games were productive against defenses that had to respect the pass. Memphis got on the scoreboard first with a 1-yard dive by Herman Free midway through the first, a score immediately answered by a John Williams 21-yard TD run for Michigan. Memphis then went up again on a 47-yard field goal, only to have Michigan counter with Williams’s second of three TD runs of the day. Memphis answered with their own star back as Greg Boone took a pitch and dashed 22 yards for a score, only to have Michigan’s Williams respond on the Panthers next drive. Another Ali-Sheikh field goal made the halftime score 21-20 in favor of Michigan. Memphis kept the fast pace going in the third as Mike Kelley hit John Embree with two nearly identical 4-yard tosses on their first two drives of the half, giving the Showboats the widest margin of the day, a 33-21 lead, despite muffing a 2-point conversion attempt. But it was simply not to hold as Jack Trudeau hit Butch Rolle from 9 yards out to pull Michigan back to 33-28 to finish the third quarter. In the fourth, Michigan’s defense was able to hold Memphis at bay for the first time all game. But for most of the quarter Memphis’s defense did likewise, as both teams struggled. It was not until the 2-minute drill that Michigan found an opportunity. Trudeau hit Daron Carter for a huge 23 yard reception on 3rd and 15, and then found Danny Knight for the TD with only 15 seconds left in the game. With a chance to tie, Michigan lined up for the PAT but shocked everyone by faking the kick, having backup QB and holder Brent Pease roll to the left, and hit Rolle for a wide open 2-point play. The daring move won the game for the Panthers, but could have just as easily spelled defeat had it failed. Michigan won for the first time in a month and now move back into 2nd place in the Central Division, leapfrogging the Outlaws, while Memphis remains a game back of Tampa with only 2 to play. It was playoff football 3 weeks early and a heck of a game. While we could recognize John Williams for his 3-TD day, he did not dominate the day for the Panthers, scoring twice from close range on drives where the passing game did most of the damage. The same cannot be said for Joe Cribbs, who showed classic form in rushing for 105 yards, scoring twice (once via the air) and helping Birmingham spoil the day for the Orlando Renegades. Cribbs, who missed 5 games in midseason due to a nasty fracture, was able to return but needed several weeks to get back to prime form. It has been up and down for him all season as a 138-yard bonanza game in Week 11 was followed by a mere 17 yards rushing the following week against Memphis. His 105 against Orlando, while hardly a personal best, was one of his strongest performances this year, showing an ability to juke and evade tacklers that reminds us of past years when he was always at or near the rushing leader board. Birmingham may suffering a down year after 3 consecutive playoff seasons and a surprising 12-4 run in 1989, but Joe Cribbs remains a reliable star for the squad, and one capable of helping the Stallions play spoiler in key divisional matchups. With only 2 weeks to go, here is what we know: --New Orleans, Arizona, Philadelphia, Washington, and Tampa Bay are in. --Orlando, Memphis, Michigan, and Texas get spots with 1 win in their final two games. --Oakland is in with 2 wins or losses by Chicago and Houston. --New Jersey is still alive, as are Pittsburgh, Houston, Chicago, and Birmingham, but need significant help to nudge their way past teams ahead of them. --Arizona and New Orleans have their division crowns locked up, while battles still rage in the Atlantic and Southern Division, with tiebreakers a very real possibility in both. --Baltimore, Jacksonville, Denver, LA, and Portland are out. As we hinted at earlier this season it does appear that the city of St. Louis is going to be in the market for a pro football franchise and that the primary mover will be marketing executive and member of the Busch family James Orthwein. Orthwein has been actively approaching franchises in both the USFL and the NFL to inquire about purchasing a franchise and relocating it to St. Louis. He has apparently been in close communication with Victor Kiam, owner of the New England Patrots of the NFL along with both Alan Harmon of the LA Express and Ed DeBartolo Sr. of the Pittsburgh Maulers. Both franchises are potential targets because of their inability to move into the black in several years. Both are mired in yet another losing season, and both have attendance issues, although, of the two, Los Angeles has truly the worse situation. The Express are the only USFL franchise averaging below 20,000 per game and had a recent game where attendance dipped below 10,000. The market is a tough one with plenty of other pro sports options as well as year-round good weather and a wide range of outdoor and cultural activities to compete with. When the Express lost their two most popular players to the NFL, fans revolted, and that revolt has taken the form of apathy and greatly reduced ticket sales. This can of course be remedied if the Express are willing to use free agency and the draft to sign some big-name replacements. Clearly signing Walter Lewis to replace Steve Young and relying on rookie Darrell Thompson paired with veteran backup Tim Richardson to replace Christian Okoye has simply not produced either the offensive spark or the box office draw that the Express need. With the Express never being one of the league’s high revenue teams, owners Alan Harmon and Ted Field are prime candidates to potentially cash out, recouping the team’s losses over the past 8 seasons, and sell to Orthwein, but the league may block the sale as Los Angeles is one of 4 markets in the league (along with New Jersey, Chicago, and Houston) which would trigger a significant reduction in television revenue from ESPN and ABC. Pittsburgh is another potential target for two reasons, the first is that the Maulers, who have had one playoff appearance in 7 years and who have had 10 or more losses each of the other seasons, are simply not making a profit for the DeBartolo family, unlike their ownership (through another family member) of the very successful San Francisco 49ers NFL franchise. Both failure to turn a profit and failure to produce a winning club may be a major motivator for Ed DeBartolo Sr. to consider selling the franchise. And, unlike LA, the loss of Pittsburgh in favor of St. Louis would not cause any concern for the league’s TV rights, which would ease any concerns about blockage on the league level of a sale. While the Maulers have respectable attendance, surpassing an average of 30,000 for the first time since their inaugural season last year, and averaging over 34,000 this year, local support has been mixed and the corporate sponsorship for the team has lagged other franchises. Pittsburgh, for example, will bring in approximately $9M in local deals this year, compared to well over $20M for nearby franchises in Philadelphia, Michigan, and Baltimore. Even the Washington Federals, who share a somewhat comparable history of on-field failure, have close to $16M in local deals. Only the recently-added and somewhat homeless Texas Outlaws bring in less, with just about $8M per year. As for Orthwein, he appears to be willing to hedge his bets as he speaks with three different clubs in two leagues. The stadium in St. Louis is ready to break ground, the city seems to support his efforts by offering very amenable terms to a stadium lease for either league, and at least on the surface it appears that Orthwein has found three parties willing to talk. The Texas Outlaws received the news they absolutely did not want to get this week. After being helped off the field by teammates, starting QB Kelly Stouffer reported numbness and weakness in both arms, indicating a possible spinal injury. After two days of tests it has been confirmed that Stouffer did suffer a crack to two of the vertebrae in his neck and will be out indefinitely. Doctors confirmed that while there was some initial numbness in his upper extremities, there was no paralysis and they expect that with proper isolation and traction, Stouffer’s vertebrae will heal and the swelling in and around his spinal column will subside. They do not believe this is a career-ending injury, but it is certainly one that will require several months to heal and rehab appropriately, ending Stouffer’s season and putting the playoff run of the Texas Outlaws in doubt. The other significant injury this week, as mentioned above, was a concussion suffered by New Orleans halfback Marcus Dupree. Dupree was visibly shaken as he came off the field, and was taken immediately to the locker room. On Wednesday the team reported that Marcus continued to suffer from significant headaches and occasional dizziness, so they would be removing him from all team activities for at least a week to allow him time to recover. Assuming he is able to recover and no longer demonstrates any negative effects of this week’s hit, he is expected to return for the playoffs, as we are assuming that the Week 16 starting lineup will include a lot of backups for the Breakers and there is no need to risk Dupree before the playoffs begin. Time to put up or shut up as Week 15 includes several games that will go a long way to determining playoff berths and positioning. New Jersey’s slim playoff hopes depend upon them holding home field and pulling out a win against the Stars this weekend. Philadelphia is hoping for a win and an upset by Baltimore over their closest rival, the Washington Federals. In the South, Birmingham is hoping they can pull off an upset again, after beating Orlando last week, as they host the Tampa Bay Bandits and backup Oliver Luck. Memphis Is in Jacksonville and a win there would put them in prime position to take the division title. In the Central Michigan hopes to win 2 in a row by knocking off the plucky Chicago Machine. Texas, now with veteran Glen Carano at QB, are hoping they can hold off the Houston Gamblers in Houston to lock up their playoff spot. Houston needs to win out and have some help to sneak back to the postseason, so this one will be a battle. In the Pacific, Arizona hosts the LA Express with a chance to get to 10 wins for the first time in team history. Denver is also at home against Portland, with both teams stuck at 4-10. In Inter-conference play, Oakland needs to win at Pittsburgh to lock up a playoff spot, while New Orleans can end any hopes Orlando has for a Division crown with a win at the Citrus Bowl.

NJ 24 BAL 9 The Generals’ second half streak continues as they easily put away the fading Blitz to move above .500 and right in the thick of the playoff hunt. New Jersey got another dual output game from QB Doug Flutie a it seems clear that the success with QB runs that they found when Herschel Walker was injured has now been fully incorporated into the offense. Walker finished with 66 yards on only 15 carries, while Doug Flutie had 102 yards and a score to go along with 152 yards passing and 2 TD, as he was named the AP Offensive Player of the Week. PIT 20 PHI 38 Chuck Fusina surgically dissected the Mauler defense on his way to a 4-touchdown day. Hitting 4 different receivers (Quick, Early, Green and Donovan) for scores, Fusina completed 70% of his passes and was not sacked once by the Mauler defense. Pittsburgh outgained Philly by 342-289, but was simply not as efficient, completing less than a third of their 3rd down attempts. JAX 21 BIR 5 With Chris Miller back under center the Bulls won their 4th game in 5 weeks as Cliff Stoudt simply could not get the Stalliions into scoring position. The Bulls defense, led by Vaughan Johnson, sacked Stoudt 4 times and picked him off once to keep the Stallions out of the endzone. Miller hit James Wilder for a 40 yard TD toss on the team’s first drive and the Bulls never looked back. The loss all but removes Birmingham from playoff contention. ORL 16 MEM 10 A huge win for Orlando as they move into a tie with Memphis at 8-5. In a game highlighted by defense, the Renegades got two big plays that put them over the top, a 32-yard TD reception by John Jefferson in the 1st quarter and a 75 yarder from Collier to Wamon Buggs in overtime that gave them the win. The toss, helped Collier make up for 3 interceptions which kept Memphis in the game and helped them tie the score, sending the game to overtime. On the first play of overtime, Buggs took advantage of single coverage, got behind the CB and Collier hit him on a deep ball for the ages. NOR 30 MGN 16 Michigan has now dropped 4 in a row and fade to 3rd place in the Central as New Orleans builds a healthy 3-game lead to all but wrap up the division title and #1 seed. A combined 110 yards from Dupree and Hilliard, paired with a defense that sacked backup QB Mark Hermann 5 times was just the ticket for the Breakers. Hermann, subbing for an ailing Jack Trudeau, was running for his life all game as 5 different Breakers recorded sacks and DE Jerry Reese spent most of the day tormenting the former NFL player. OAK 26 LA 3 Things are just getting worse in LA, where, one week after having barely 9,000 on hand, the Express mustered 11,000 fans for the in-state rivalry game, and many of them wore paper bags over their heads as the LA “Distress” once again failed to show up offensively. Walter Lewis completed only 16 of 33 and their leading rusher, Tony Richardson, gained a total of 21 yards on the day. Oakland, which is still in the playoff hunt behind Arizona, got what they needed from their offense as Richard Williams put up 110 and a score in the decisive win. POR 24 ARZ 27 Portland put a scare into Arizona, sending the game into overtime on an Archer to Cris Carter pass with just over a minute left, but the Wranglers got the win on a Mick Luckhurst field goal on their first overtime drive. Portland actually outgained Arizona 411 to 387 in a very entertaining game that saw Archer and Bosco combine for 6 touchdown tosses. DEN 15 WSH 23 Bob Gagliano returned to action for the Gold after nearly 3 months on the sideline. He looked good, completing 25 of 38 passes, but for only 170 yards as Denver dinked and dunked to avoid the Federal passrush. Washington was also content to use the short passing game, but with scores from both Joey Walters and Terrance Mathis, they were able to overcome the Gold and garner their 8th win. HOU 13 TBY 33 Hoping to give backup Oliver Luck as easy a path as possible in his first start of the year, Tampa turned up the defensive pressure, blitzing Jim Kelly and sacking the Houston signal caller 7 times on the day. Meanwhile, Luck had a very strong game, completing 27 of 38 passing for 306 yards and 2 scores. The defense set up the offense all day as Houston went only 1 for 10 on third down and Kelly completed only 46% of his passes. Texas Outlaws 31 Chicago Machine 34 In a game with significant playoff implications, the Chicago Machine erased a 10-point deficit with 3 scores in the final quarter to overtake the Outlaws and put themselves into the Wild Card race. It was a game of momentum swings as a big Chicago 1st quarter turned to all Texas in the 2nd and 3rd only for Chicago to regain the edge in the 4th. The game began with a Texas TD, as Reggie Cobb continued to impress, but quickly turned as Chicago scored 3 TDs in the first quarter, two Bentley plunges and a Long to Langhorne connection from 14 yards out. A costly Chuck Long interception to start the 2nd gave Texas momentum and over the next 2 quarters they would score 4 times, including a 32-yard toss from Stouffer to Theo Young and a 13 yarder to the always dangerous Carlos Carson. But, as often seems to happen, a key mistake once again shifted momentum. On their own 22, backup HB Lee Rouson fumbled a handoff from Stouffer. It was pounced on by Chicago LB Mark Munford and the Machine were back in control. They would score three times in the final quarter, including a second TD for Langhorne, and with 20 seconds left on the clock kicker John Carney would connect from 40 yards out to give Chicago the final 34-31 lead. The win keeps Chicago in range for the final Wild Card in the West, while Texas now falls 3 games behind New Orleans, though certainly in good position for a Wild Card themselves. We are still trying to figure out why it took Ray Perkins so long to see the value of having Doug Flutie run the ball. Sure, when you have Herschel Walker in the backfield it makes sense to make him your bell cow, and with Flutie barely reaching 5’9” you probably do not want him risking his body too long, but after several years of trying to force Flutie to play the role of a pocket passer, the injury to Walker forced Perkins’ hand and the results have been amazing. In the 4 games since Walker first went down Flutie has had rushing days of 103, 99, and 102 yards. Only in Week 12, when Walker returned and Perkins once again got away from using Flutie that way, were his number significantly lower. The new strategy of using Flutie as a rusher may have come out of necessity, but now seems a viable path forward. New Jersey, after a 2-6 first half, have won 5 in a row and have thrust themselves right into the thick of the playoff hunt, only 1 game behind Philadelphia, Washington, Orlando and Memphis in the standings. A stumble by any of those squads and the Generals could have a shot to repeat as Champions. A huge part of the turnaround has been the emergence of Doug Flutie as a dual threat, free to scramble when needed and now worked into the run game with designed plays. This week, against the beleaguered Baltimore Blitz. Flutie completed 68% of his passes, threw for 2 TDs, and also took off and ran for 102 yards and his third huge TD run of the season (a 60 yarder) as defenders fully bit on the play fake to Walker and left Flutie all alone on a bootleg, the third team in 4 weeks to fall prey to the fake out. Flutie has been able to avoid the big hit that everyone fears, has proved to be an elusive runner, and it has improved his passing game as well, as teams now must commit a spy to cover his scrambles, leaving one less defender in coverage. With the new dimension to his game, Flutie may have given Ray Perkins the answer as to how to revive the Generals’ offense and get the team back into the playoffs. We are coming down to crunch time for USFL teams to make or break their seasons. Here is what you need to know with 3 weeks left. New Orleans, with a 3-game lead on both Arizona and Texas, has all but locked up the #1 seed out West. The Wranglers still have 2 games up on Oakland, so they are feeling good about their chances to win the Pacific for the first time in team history. Philly and Washington look good at 8-5 but have to be worried about the 7-6 Generals and about each other as they battle for the Atlantic crown. Tampa’s 1 game lead over Memphis and Orlando, along with their 4-1 division record puts them in front for the division crown, but with Aikman out, they will need to find ways to generate wins on defense. New Jersey needs Memphis, Orlando, Washington, or Philly to slip so that they can catch up, so watch those final divisional games as the Generals hope to knock off both the Feds and Stars in the next 2 weeks. Oakland and Chicago look like they are going to battle for the final Wild Card spot, but if Michigan, losers of 4 in a row, continue to fall, both the Machine and Invaders could sneak into the dance. Pittsburgh and Houston now need major help to find themselves in the playoffs. They need to win out and hope that at least 2 teams above them fall hard. Not to put a damper on things as we gear up for the final run to the postseason, but this is also the time of year when we have to look at the veterans in the league and wonder about potential retirements. There are a few big name players who may be considering the move as they reach that stage where their souls are willing but their bodies do not agree. Among the senior members of the USFL who may be thinking about hanging up the cleats we find Philly QB Chuck Fusina (36), Birmingham LB Larry McPherson (35), Baltimore safety Tommy Wilcox (35), ageless Memphis WR Mel Gray (35), Michigan DE Ronnie Paggett (35) and New Orleans LB Marcus Marek. Truth be told, we are not seeing much decline in Fusina, Paggett, or Marek, but at 35-36 playing 16 brutal games a year can be an issue even for players at the top of their game. Philadelphia, Michigan, and New Orleans would be wise to start thinking about a replacement plan as they start gearing up for this year’s draft. Even if they do not retire this year, Father Time is coming. The other potential pool of retirements could come from players who are younger but who have suffered multiple injuries, making their physical strains more of a concern. This could include standouts like QBs Jack Trudeau, Tony Eason and Vince Evans, HB’s Richard Williams and Curtis Bledsoe, DT Michael Cline, tackle Long Sessions, or even punter Sean Landeta. The key for these players is rehabilitation and the ability to play without pain. As each club looks at its roster, the issue of retirement is not one they want to leave to chance. Surprises like the retirement of John Reaves 2 years back are exactly what teams want to avoid, so it is imperative that they keep lines of communication open so that plans can be made to replace players whose time has come. Just who that will be this year is open for speculation, but it is well-known that not all who are wearing cleats, pads and a helmet this summer will be back next March. Some good news on the injury report for a change. First off, Tampa has estimated 1-2 more weeks for Troy Aikman, meaning a return for the season finale, and at worst, a first-round playoff game is possible. Likewise, Memphis HB Buford Jordan has been upgraded to Doubtful from Out, so his return for a playoff run seems likely. Gary Barbaro, who has missed most of the season, may be ready to go for the final push for a miraculous 2nd half of the season for New Jersey, as he is listed as questionable for this week. Orlando may also see Ironhead Hayward on the field in limited action this week. The USFL has divisional games all the way through Week 16, so the rivalry games and key playoff position battles will be fierce from now on. In Week 14 we start things off with a huge game for New Jersey as they head to RFK to face the Federals. New Orleans can wrap up the Central if they can beat Texas in San Marcos, while Chicago has a big game in Houston to try to get back into the thick of things. Michigan has a tough inter-divisional game against Memphis as they hope to snap their 4-game slide, while the Philadelphia Stars are hoping their homestand against LA gives them a leg up on DC and NJ. In other games Tampa hosts Jacksonville, Arizona is in Denver, Oakland is in Portland, Orlando gets the Stallions at home, and the Maulers, still mathematically alive at 6-7, hope to hit 7-7 as they play the Blitz in Three Rivers.

PHI 6 BAL 3 In a game that was delayed twice due to thunderstorms in Baltimore, the Stars muddled through the downpour for their 7th win. Neither team could do much on offense, as evidenced by the final score, as high winds and torrential rain buffeted the Atlantic coast. The deciding play was a strip of Blitz QB Vince Evans on his own 33 which set up the Stars for the late David Trout fieldgoal which would determine the game’s outcome. WSH 8 PIT 11 An equally horrible Sunday of storms and high winds kept both the Maulers and Federals from opening up their offenses. Mike Rozier’s 81 yards rushing proved pivotal as Pittsburgh was able to cobble together 3 field goal drives and a safety for an 11-point lead before the clouds finally parted. Washington scored a late Majkowski to Gunn TD but were unable to recover the onside kick to try for more. MEM 17 BIR 10 No weather issues in this game, but still both offenses sputtered quite a bit. Mike Kelley managed two TD passes, including a beautiful catch by Bobby Joe Edmunds threaded between two defenders. Birmingham’s Joe Cribbs struggled all day against a stacked front and finished with a paltry 17 yards rushing and a 0.8-yard average. Meanwhile Greg Boone racked up 72 yards on the ground for Memphis. TBY 20 ORL 17 The Bandits raced out to a 20-3 lead by the end of 3 despite an injury to Troy Aikman which may keep him out for the remainder of the regular season. Oliver Luck found Eric Truvillion for a 3rd quarter TD to boost Tampa’s lead to 17, and despite two late TD’s from the Renegades, the Bandits held on to go a game up on Orlando and keep pace with the Memphis Showboats. NOR 25 HOU 22 One Marcus Dupree TD and 6 field goals from Tim Mazzetti proved just enough for the Breakers to outlast the Gamblers in a tough, back and forth game. Houston’s defense nearly got the win, but the leg of Tim Mazzetti proved deadly as he hit on all 6 of his tries, including a 39 yarder to give the Breakers the lead with only 1:50 left to play. Jim Kelly had a strong game with 3 touchdown throws to only 1 interception, and Thurman Thomas added 101 yards rushing, but it was not to be for Houston, who fall for the first time in a month. TEX 28 MGN 23 Jack Trudeau had to come out of the game late, and with Mark Hermann already injured, it was Brent Pease who would try to rally the Panthers. Down 28-13, Pease helped Michigan put 10 on the board in the 4th but could not find a final game-winning drive against Texas. For the Outlaws, Reggie Cobb scored twice, and Brian Bosworth added 11 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble to help preserve a divisional win. OAK 21 DEN 34 Denver took a shot on 2nd year QB Billy Joe Tolliver and it paid off against the sinking Invaders. Tolliver would throw two touchdowns, and the threat of the passing game opened lanes for Barry Foster and Timmy Smith to combine for 105 yards rushing. It looked like Oakland might pull it out after a late Henry Ellard TD pulled them within 6 but a Patrick Gannon interception of Oakland’s Gale Gilbert gave Denver the security they needed to hold on. POR 22 LA 23 The Express returned to Walter Lewis at QB and he delivered a late drive to set up Scott Olivera for the winning fieldgoal as time ran out. Down 19-13 in the 4th, Lewis also hit Jo-Jo Townsell on a 75-yard TD pass to take the lead, only to watch Portland kick a field goal to regain it with 3:31 left. But Lewis was able to muster the often-lackluster Express offense for one last drive and their 4th win on the year. CHI 20 JAX 26 A missed opportunity for the Machine as Chicago falls to a shorthanded Bulls team on a late TD pass from newly signed Craig Penrose to Brian Blades. Blades has been almost the lone highlight for Jacksonville all year, and his 129-yard day highlighted the win for Jacksonville. Penrose, who was signed on Tuesday, got the start on Sunday and threw for 301 yards and 3 scores to surprise the Machine, who had anticipated that the Bulls would emphasize the run. Arizona Wranglers 17 New Jersey Generals 20 The Generals’ second half surge this season sees them even their record at 6-6 with a 4th quarter rally to knock off the Wranglers. Herschel Walker’s return was not spectacular but allowed New Jersey to balance their offense and Doug Flutie to concentrate on passing instead of scrambling. But all did not look great throughout the game. Arizona built up a 17-7 lead through the first three quarters thanks to two touchdown tosses from Robbie Bosco, the first a 57-yard seam route to TE Terry Orr, the second a short toss to Trumaine Johnson. New Jersey had gotten its first points on a beautifully timed fly route by Lam Jones but struggled to mount consistent offense until the 4th quarter. In the fourth, three consecutive General drives produced 13 points as New Jersey turned a 10-point deficit into a 3-point win. The comeback was highlighted by a Flutie pass to Jeff Spek for a TD with 6:23 left to play. New Jersey then forced Arizona to punt after a Chris Spielman tackle for loss on 3rd and 2 left the Wranglers with no options on their own 33-yard line. Flutie then led the Generals to the Arizona 28, where veteran Roger Ruzek split the uprights and put them up for good. The win ties New Jersey with Pittsburgh for 3rd in the East and puts them one game behind Orlando for the final playoff spot. The loss by Arizona all but guarantees the top seed in the West to the New Orleans Breakers, who hold a 3-game advantage over Arizona and 2 games over Texas. We are going to do something unprecedented in the history of the USFL, just as AP did earlier this week, we are going to give the performance of the week to a kicker. New Orleans was able to keep pace with Houston and eventually win the game thanks in no small part to the right leg of veteran kicker Tim Mazzetti. The only kicker the Breakers have ever had is a regular near the top of the statistics each year and has an All-USFL Team award to prove it. The game this week marks the first 6-field goal effort of his long USFL career and a personal best for points scored in a game. The “Kicking Bartender” has been a key member of the Breakers since day one and has helped them attain 6 consecutive playoff seasons, which looks like it will be 7 with another strong season this year. And while Mazzetti does not get the accolades of a Matt Robinson or Marcus Dupree, he is a popular figure in the Big Easy, often found tending bar in the French Quarter during the offseason and connecting with fans. With four weeks left to play, the playoff picture is still looking quite muddled. New Orleans holds a 2-game lead on Texas, winners of 6 straight, and Arizona has a 2-game lead over Oakland, but beyond that it is anyone’s guess. In the Atlantic we have a battle between Philadelphia and Washington at 7-5, but with New Jersey and Pittsburgh now at 6-6, any one of the four could win the title. In the South the battles between Memphis, Tampa Bay and Orlando rage on, but the injury to Troy Aikman could shake that race up a bit. And back to the Western Conference, at present there are only 4 teams with winning records so even 5-7 clubs like Chicago, Houston and Oakland are still very much in the hunt for a Wild Card. The NFL-USFL arbitration meetings have begun and already there is a clear sense that this could be a game changer for both leagues. Unnamed sources within the meetings have identified a wide range of topics to be discussed including everything from collegiate eligibility, draft timing, free agent right of first refusal, transfer fees, even season schedules, as the representatives of the NFL, NFLPA, USFL and USFLPA try to come to an agreement about structures and processes which will avoid either league, or any of the constituent franchises, from violating existing contracts, undercutting ongoing negotiations between teams and current players, or causing late-preseason departures from one league to the other. The issues are complex, and with the two player unions involved, there are likely to be voices calling for minimal change, since the ongoing raids of one league against the other, along with dual drafts, has led to an inflation of player salaries the likes of which we have not seen in the NFL before. Contracts like Steve Young’s $40 Million deal with the LA Express in 1984 have been rare, but the overall impact of having two leagues competing for players has been a salary bidding war which benefits individual players but is clearly impacting the USFL bottom line and has to be hurting the profitability of NFL franchises as well. While it is generally agreed that there is enough talent in the football world to support both leagues, the awkward timing of the two leagues, with one always entering free agency just as the other is about to start its season, has produced an untenable situation in which players in either league delay signing or resigning with their clubs in hopes of engaging in a bidding with the other league and a higher overall compensation. This has been effective for the players, but extremely disruptive for both leagues and their composite franchises. The hope of this arbitration and mediation period is that agreements can be reached which might regularize the draft and free agency processes so as to avoid the chaos that has ruled since the USFL was founded in 1984. Whether all sides can reach a comfortable middle ground, and just what concessions each are willing to make is very much on the table. There has been early talk of creating free agency windows, but the question of how this might impact scheduling for both leagues, including possibly the shortening or reconfiguring of each league’s season sechedule. That seems far-fetched but may be the best way to create viable free agency space without leading to long player holdouts. The Draft is another issue for both leagues. The December USFL draft is widely despised by the NCAA as it directly conflicts with college football’s bowl season. It is also, and perhaps more importantly, several months before the NFL Draft in April. This leads to many USFL players delaying a decision or eschewing a USFL offer in hopes of an NFL offer in what is now mid-season for the USFL. Likewise, the NFL is not pleased at all to see on average 120-150 draft prospects signed by the USFL before the NFL has even held their combine or completed bowl scouting. Talk of a retimed or reimagined draft program will almost certainly be part of the talks, and likely will be one of the tougher issues for consensus building. The injury to Troy Aikman’s elbow is the main injury news of the week, though certainly not the only impactful injury. Aikman is expected to be out for 2-4 weeks, which means he could be back at the end of the regular season, and if Tampa Bay can qualify for a bye week, certainly by the playoffs. The same cannot be said for Philadelphia punter Sean Landeta, who was undercut by a Baltimore defender on the slick turf during their monsoon game and tore his ACL, putting him on IR at least through the season and likely most of the offseason as well. For Washington, FS Mark Kelso is the main concern, as a mid-back injury, while not believed to be career-threatening, will certainly keep him out for the rest of the season. Much better news for Michigan’s Jack Trudeau, whose concussion in this week’s game may force him to miss next week but does not appear to be serious beyond that. Orlando’s Craig “Ironhead” Hayward also suffered a concussion this week, proving his head may not be iron after all, and is listed as questionable for Week 13. Some players coming back from injury or cleared to play after being knocked out this week include Baltimore’s Joe Klecko, Philly’s Eric McMillian, Washington’s Alfred Jenkins, and Texas TE Mike Tice. LB Manu Tuiasosopo should be able to suit up, as will Generals’ DE James Lockette, and quite possibly Denver QB Bob Gagliano. Week Thirteen is another key divisional week as teams jostle for playoff positions. In the Atlantic New Jersey will try to jump into the fray if they can defeat the homestanding Baltimore Blitz. Philadelphia is in Pittsburgh with hopes of staying in first, but the Maulers at 6-6 are also hoping to jump into the playoff picture with a win. In the South, Orlando has a vital game at Memphis, while the two bottom dwellers, Birmingham and Jacksonville face off in Legion Field. The Central has two captivating matchups as Texas visits Chicago and New Orleans is in Michigan. And out West we find Oakland in LA in what is a must win game for them, and Portland is at Arizona, who hope to rebound after losing to the Generals this week. In the two inter-divisoinal games, we have Houston traveling to a nervous Tampa Bay squad and we have the possible return of Bob Gagliano as the Denver Gold are in Washington to face the Federals.