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Sporting News, April 30, 1991 Once again we reach the midpoint of a USFL season and once again we find ourselves surprised by the storylines which have developed over the first eight weeks of the year. Teams we expected to dominate are struggling, and some we figured as also-rans are surprising us with solid victories over tough opponents. The world is not completely upside down, but there have certainly been a fair share of surprises and new storylines to watch closely. Before we get to the team-by-team breakdown, complete with rankings in 8 major statistical categories), let’s take a look at some of the storylines which are making this season one of the league’s most intriguing. 1. Quarterback Quandries: Several teams have had to use two or more QB’s to complete games this year, and whether by trade or injury we have seen several QB Controversies emerge. Those teams with solid and clear #1s at the position seem in good shape, while those who are struggling seem to also be finding it difficult to decide who should be calling the shots on offense. Right now we would say that there are at least teams who simply do not know who their starter should be. New Jersey: Doug Flutie is in a clear competition with Chris Miller for the starting job, and the pressure is on for Flutie to deliver. And yet, if Coach Perkins goes with Miller you can fully expect Flutie to seek a new home for next season. He has not taken well the pressure first from Rosenbach and now from Miller and will not take a benching well. Baltimore: They brought in Bob Gagliano to compete with Eric Kramer, but now it seems like Coach Schottenheimer is not happy with either. He had better pick a favorite and get some offensive production soon, otherwise he may be shown the door before either Kramer or Gagliano are. Denver: Similarly, Denver trades away a fan favorite in Gagliano, brings in Vince Evans, who is now officially older than dirt, and still opts to start Billy Joe Tolliver. Unless Coach Walton settles on a QB soon and gets Denver back into some semblance of good offensive form, this team will go nowhere. LA: The Express signed Dan McGwire out of San Diego State to be the savior, but he has not walked on water yet. But, what choice does LA have at this point? They are unlikely to turn to Rodney Peete after his mediocre showing last year, so it is hope that McGwire matures into the role and starts to see the game slow down, but that may not happen this year, so what does that mean? Portland: The good news is that David Archer is playing well and the Thunder are winning. The tricky spot is that Kerwin Bell played better and the Thunder won under him as well. So, what is Coach Erickson to do? He named Archer the starter, but if Portland does not continue to show some offensive fireworks, fans are likely to call for a return to Bell. And, of course we also have teams like Oakland and Pittsburgh, where injuries have forced the hand of their coaches, and now the team’s success depends on crafting gameplans that play to the strengths of their backup quarterbacks. 2. What is up with the rookie class? Other than the stunning stats being put up by New Jersey DE Phil Hansen, there is not a lot happening with this rookie class. We have already discussed Dan McGwire’s rough start, but he is the only rookie QB getting into games. Favre, Nagle, Moore and Zolak have been happily toting clipboards behind veteran starters. Ricky Watters of Chicago leads all rookie backs with a paltry 291 yards (2nd on his own team), and Pittsburgh’s Mike Pritchard leads all rookie receivers with 35 receptions and 377 yards, trailed by Rocket Ismael (32 for 510) and TE Adrian Cooper of Portland (30 receptions for 225 yards). At this rate, Hansen will be the run-away winner of Rookie of the Year, perhaps followed by CB Bruce Pickens (DEN) and LB Godfrey Miles (PIT). 3. Is 2,000 yards receiving really going to happen? Boy does it seem possible. Not only is Carlos Carson already over 1,000 yards but he has Eric Truvillion and John Jefferson not far behind. Carson clearly has the best shot at it, but both Truvillion and Jefferson are on pass-happy teams, so there is a real chance that we may not only have one player achieve the seemingly untouchable marker, but perhaps more than one in the same year. 4. Will Thurman Thomas reach 2,000 total yards? Very likely. He is over 1,000 already and his role in the offense seems to be growing each week. If he keeps catching passes at a rate of 3-5 a game, there is a legitimate shot he will hit 2,000 yards from scrimmage while also competing for the league rushing title. 5. Is there a team currently at or below .500 who can have a strong 2nd half and make the playoffs? At .500 we have Tampa, Birmingham, Pittsburgh and Oakland. We think that this is the order of likelihood for a playoff run. Tampa looks the strongest, especially if Aikman can stay healthy. Birmingham has a good shot but needs to leapfrog someone in their division. Pittsburgh seems to be fading, and we just don’t trust Oakland with their QB dilemma right now. Of the 3-win teams (Memphis, Chicago and Arizona), Memphis is the most talented, and Chicago the most tenacious, but honestly, we just don’t know if they can win enough games to overtake the clubs ahead of them. Honestly, the best shot may be Arizona, simply because we see Oakland fading and we still are leary of Portland’s early success. The Pacific is often the league’s weakest division, so if any club can sneak in at 8-8, it would be there. 6. Is there a dominant team in the league right now? Not on both sides of the ball. Philadelphia is good at every level, but not overpowering. Texas has the passing game, Orlando or Michigan the defensive stopping power, New Orleans the offensive balance, and Portland, well, we just don’t know. If any team is going to go 8-0 in the second half and just turn into a juggernaut, our money is actually on Washington. Their defense can be overwhelming, especially against the pass, and their offense is still not hitting on all cylinders. They have added a good run element by having Barry Word carry the ball more, and they still have Majkowski and Walters. A lot depends on if the injured Herman Moore can break back into the starting lineup and be the difference-maker that they drafted him to be. If he shines, this Federals team has a very good chance at running the table and becoming the first USFL club to win back to back championships, but that is a big if, and there are a lot of tough games ahead before we crown anyone. Ok, those are the questions everyone is asking, so now what? Now we look at all 20 teams and try to figure out what the next 8 weeks might hold for us. As we look at each USFL club’s first 8 weeks and prospects for the final 8 weeks, we are including eight team statistics to try to give a clear picture of how each team is faring in comparison to others in the league. The eight statistical categories we will reveal for each team are: Points per game (PPG), Yards per game (YPG), Passing Yards (PYGP) and Rushing Yards (RYPG) on offense. On defense we look at the flip side: Points Allowed (PPGA), Yards Allowed (YPGA), Passing Yards Allowed (PYPGA) and Rushing Yards (RYPGA). Through these team stats, as well as some commentary on each team’s outlook, we will try to predict the rest of the season and who might just be competing for the title this July. ATLANTIC DIVISION PHILADELPHIA STARS (6-2) 26.8 PPG (2nd) 355.2 YPG (10th) 259.8 PYPG (10th) 95.4 RYPG (9th) 20 PPGA (5th) 310 YPGA (4th) 226.7 PYPGA (4th) 83.4 RYPGA (9th) The stars are top 10 in every one of our measures of success, and top 5 in perhaps the two most important (points per game v. points allowed), leading to a solid 6.8 point margin of victory). They are consistent on offense and persistent on defense. So little changes for Philly each year that it is hard to imagine this team not being a contender. It’s Fusina. It’s Bryant. It’s no nonsense defense. It’s not flashy, it just works. WASHINGTON FEDERALS (5-3) 26.6 PPG (3rd) 351.3 YPG (11th) 238 PYPG (14th) 113.3 RYPG (3rd) 19.1 PPGA (4th) 278.9 YPGA (1st) 213.2 PYPGA (1st) 65.7 RYPGA (3rd) Washington feeds off their defense. #1 against the pass and #1 overall, the Federals defense sets up the offense for short drives and easy points. Add to this the balance that shifting Barry Word from FB to HB has provided, with Washington now one of the top teams in the league in rushing, and life is just easier for Don Majkowski, who does not need to throw the Feds to a win each week. This is the formula we saw last year in the weeks leading up to a championship run. And with these numbers, they look primed to make another run this year. PITTSBURGH MAULERS (4-4) 22.3 PPG (13th) 308.7 YPG (16th) 205.6 PYPG (17th) 103.1 RYPG (7th) 24.1 PPGA (15th) 356.7 YPGA (14th) 244.9 PYPGA (8th) 111.8 RYPGA (16th) The Maulers have been waiting for years for either their offense or their defense to become something special. The offense was solid for a while there, but now, with Alan Risher out, it all falls on Jeff Hostetler to try to do more. A bottom 5 finish in passing is not likely to equal a wild card berth. The defense is not horrible, but it certainly cannot sustain the Maulers. They need more from the offense than the reliability of Mike Rozier, and that now is on Hostetler to deliver. NEW JERSEY GENERALS (2-6) 23.6 PPG (10th) 365.1 YPG (5th) 260.7 PYPG (9th) 104.4 RYPG (5th) 23.7 PPGA (12th) 343.3 YPGA (7th) 269.6 PYPGA (14th) 73.8 RYPGA (5th) Hard to figure the Generals. They are decent in several areas but can never put it all together. They rank only 14th against the pass despite having the league sack leader in rookie Phil Hansen. They run the ball well, but do not seem to be able to get the plays they need in the passing game. Wavering between Doug Flutie and Chris Miller is not helping as the team, more than anything, seems to lack direction and heart. Coach Perkins better hope for a second half turnaround like they saw last year or it may be over for him in New Jersey, and if Doug Flutie continues to be vocal about his role on the team, it may be a housecleaning for the Generals this offseason. BALTIMORE BLITZ (0-8) 12.3 PPG (20th) 246.8 YPG (20th) 183.3 PGYP (20th) 63.4 RYPG (19th) 26.3 PPGA (19th) 354.7 YPGA (13th) 260.1 PYPGA (13th) 94.6 RYPGA (12th) You don’t expect there to be a lot of good numbers on an 0-8 team and being dead last in points per game and 2nd to last in points allowed pretty much sums up the issues. Baltimore’s offense has been unwatchable all year. A mid-year trade of both their starting halfback and quarterback is not helping. Bob Gagliano and Barry Foster find themselves moving from a bad team to a truly horrible one. The question now is not whether Marty Schottenheimer will be gone at the end of the year, but whether the Blitz cut him loose sooner than that. SOUTHERN DIVISION ORLANDO RENEGADES (6-2) 25.1 PPG (7th) 363.4 YPG (6th) 290.6 PYPG (3rd) 72.9 RYPG (17th) 17.3 PPGA (1st) 310.7 YPGA (6th) 236.3 PYPGA (6th) 74.3 RYPGA (6th) When most folks talk about the rise of the Renegades, they focus on Reggie Collier (last year’s Offensive Player of the Year) and the passing game, but it truly is the defense that is the star of this club. Even a mediocre offense can succeed when the defense is simply not allowing teams to score, and Orlando has the top scoring defense in the league. The Renegades would love to have a top 10 run game to match their efficient passing game, but if they must win with defense and Reggie Collier’s arm, that is certainly a formula that can get the job done. JACKSONVILLE BULLS (5-3) 25.2 PPG (6th) 362.8 YPG (7th) 288 PYPG (4th) 74.9 RYPG (15th) 27.1 PPGA (20th) 257 YPGA (15th) 256.6 PYPGA (12th) 100.8 PYPGA (14th) The Bulls are this year’s favorite Cinderella story. The sudden success of QB Tony Eason has transformed the Bulls into a winner, but when we look at the numbers we have to be concerned about whether the fairy tale can last. The Bulls have the worst scoring defense in the league and are in the bottom 10 in every defensive category that matters. If Eason slows down the Bulls could see their carriage turn back to a pumpkin. Ideally, they want to boost their run game to shorten games and take some pressure off their passing game, and they need to figure out a way to turn touchdown drives into field goal attempts when on defense. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (4-4) 22.8 PPG (12th) 306 YPG (17th) 189.3 PYPG (18th) 116.3 RYPG (2nd) 21.4 PPGA (7th) 358 YPGA (16th) 280.1 PYPGA (18th) 78 RYPGA (8th) If you are wondering if Birmingham can make a playoff run, you are buoyed by two stats above. First, any team that can run the ball as effectively as the Stallions do is always going to be in games, and second, their defense may not be the best on yardage allowed, but they tighten up in the red zone and teams are finding it hard to score against them. If they can be patient on offense, sustain drives, and limit the number of opponent possessions, they have a real shot at getting back to the post-season. TAMPA BAY BANDITS (4-4) 25.4 PPG (5th) 396.3 YPG (2nd) 326.1 PYPG (2nd) 70.2 RYPG (18th) 22.2 PPGA (9th) 344.2 YPGA (8th) 249.6 PYPGA (10th) 94.7 RYPGA (13th) If Aikman can stay healthy, this is a team that can make a serious run. They currently rank 18th in the run game, but there appears to be hope that Eric Bienemy, the rookie taken by Memphis and traded as part of the huge 4-team deal, could be a good fit for Tampa. He is not going to be a 1,500 yard Walker, Rozier or Bryant, but even getting in the 900 yard range would be a huge help to Tampa Bay’s balance on offense and any balance would make them even tougher to defend. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (3-5) 18.2 PPG (17th) 300.8 YPG (18th) 241.2 PYPG (13th) 59.6 RYPG (20th) 22.6 PPGA (10th) 351.8 YPGA (10th) 246.6 PYPGA(9th) 105.2 RYPGA ( 15th) With the defense Memphis has, they should be better than this, but Reggie White seems slowed this year, we are not sure why, and things have just not been working for the entire team. The run game is horrible, so maybe trading away first Buford Jordan and then Eric Bienemy is not the ideal solution. Tim Spencer came over from Baltimore, but immediately got hurt, so now what? Memphis needs a run game to spare Mike Kelley from all out pressure. This team has the talent to go on a late season run, but they have got to get it together soon or it will be too late to matter. CENTRAL DIVISION TEXAS OUTLAWS (6-2) 27.4 PPG (1st) 443.3 YPG (1st) 364.4 PYPG (1st) 78.9 RYPG (14th) 25.5 PPGA (17th) 351.9 YPGA (11th) 235.4 PYPGA (5th) 116.4 RYPGA (17th) This Outlaws offense is scary good, especially the passing game, which has been flawless both with MVP candidate Kelly Stouffer or with vagabond QB Glen Carano at the helm. The combo of Carson and Metcalf is just deadly, and if you overload on the pass, they start handing off to Reggie Cobb, who is more than capable of grinding out first downs. Texas needs this offense to control the tempo, and stay on the field, because despite the presence of Brian Bosworth, the defense always seems overtaxed and stretched thin. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (6-2) 25.6 PPG (4th) 387 YPG (3rd) 274 PYPG (5th) 112.9 RYPG (4th) 18.3 PPGA (3rd) 286.1 YPGA (2nd) 221 PYPGA (3rd) 65.1 RYPGA (2nd) In past years we have seen New Orleans win despite their defense, relying on their dual backs and a very efficient passing game. This year things feel very different, as it is the defensive unit which seems poised to lead the Breakers deep into the playoffs. Third in the league in points allowed, and 2nd in yards, this defense is coming up big so that every game does not need to be a shootout. The offensive weapons are still there, so even if the defense has a bad day, the Breakers can win a shootout if they need to, but it is refreshing to see that they don’t always need to rack up points to win. MICHIGAN PANTHERS (5-3) 23.3 PPG (13th) 356.4 YPG (9th) 266.8 PYPG (6th) 89.7 RYPG (11th) 17.8 PPGA (2nd) 301.8 YPGA (3rd) 255.9 PYPGA (11th) 45.9 RYPGA (1st) Something just feels right when the Michigan Panthers play shut down defense. The Panthers have been murder to run against all year, and while their pass defense has allowed yards, these have often been empty yards in games the Panthers already have in hand. They have enough offense to get and hold a lead, and they rarely hurt themselves with penalties or takeaways. This is a good team that has the potential to be better, especially if Vince Workman continues to grow into his role as the lead back. HOUSTON GAMBLERS (5-3) 24.3 PPG (9th) 358 YPG (8th) 229.1 PYPG (15th) 129 RYPG (1st) 21.1 PPGA (6th) 353.3 YPGA (12th) 276 PYPGA (17th) 77.1 RYPGA (7th) A solid defense, particularly against the run, and the league’s best running game can win you a lot of games. Houston has improved in both areas this year, and with a top 10 scoring offense and a top 10 scoring defense, they have a shot to be dangerous, if they can avoid trap games where they just don’t show up. Coach Willsey has not exactly lit the football world on fire with innovative play calling, but as long as Kelly can avoid unforced errors, and as long as Thomas can average over 125 combined yards each game, this team can keep climbing up the standings. CHICAGO MACHINE (3-5) 20.7 PPG (15th) 340 YPG (13th) 266 PYPG (7th) 74 RYPG (16th) 24 PPGA (14th) 381 YPGA (18th) 288 PYPGA (20th) 92.9 RYPGA (11th) Once again it seems like those picking Chicago to make the leap from feisty also-rans to legitimate playoff contenders overestimated this squad. They sit with 3 wins in large part because they simply cannot get either their defense or their run game to move from mediocre to good, much less great. They have talent, but something about the scheme or the game plans just does not come together. Barring a strong 5 or 6 win finish to the year, we don’t see Joe Bugel getting another chance. Maybe new leadership and a new philosophy is what is needed to shift gears and make a push for late-season relevance. PACIFIC DIVISION PORTLAND THUNDER (5-3) 24.8 PPG (8th) 367.3 YPG (4th) 263.6 PYPG (8th) 103.8 RYPG (6th) 22.1 PPGA (8th) 340.8 YPGA (9th) 220 PYPGA (2nd) 130.8 RYPGA (20th) The Thunder have been one of the revelations of the season, initially due to the surprisingly good play of backup QB Kerwin Bell, but Coach Erickson still feels that David Archer is more consistent and more reliable, so the Thunder, while not blowing folks away, have been winning with a combo of efficient offense (6th in rushing surprises most folks) and a defense that still has major issues defending the pass, but is at least midrange against the run. That pass defense is likely to be an issue for Portland as the season wears on, but for now, the Thunder seem content to outscore opponents when needed. OAKLAND INVADERS (4-4) 19.0 PPG (16th) 330.2 YPG (14th) 245.3 PYPG (13th) 84.9 RYPG (12th) 23.8 PPGA (13th) 310.6 YPGA (5th) 241.9 PYPGA (7th) 68.7 RYPGA (4th) The season started very strong for Oakland, a 3-0 start and solid play from QB Jeff Kemp, but a season-ending injury to Kemp threw the Invaders into offensive chaos. Gale Gilbert returned, and got himself hurt too, so they picked up Walter Lewis from the street. We expect Gilbert to be the starter as long as he can stay healthy, but we are just not seeing a lot of hope that this club will be able to stay competitive. If they want to do so, they will have to rely more on their defense and try to reduce the number of opposition possessions by slowing down games and handing the rock to Richard Williams. ARIZONA WRANGLERS (3-5) 21.0 PPG (14th) 345 YPG (12th) 248 PYPG (13th) 97.1 RYPG (9th) 22.8 PPGA (11th) 364 YPGA (17th) 273 PYPGA (16th) 90.8 RYPGA (10th) Was this team really in the league title game last year? It is hard to see how. Other than the occasional flash of brilliance from Lionel James or Trumaine Johnson, we don’t see this team as a serious contender this year. They are too erratic on offense, and too forgiving on defense. Unless they can find more consistent play on both sides of the ball, we don’t see a .500 record in their future. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS (2-6) 17.6 PPG (19th) 267.9 YPG (19th) 188.7 PYPG (19th) 79.2 RYPG (13th) 24.6 PPGA (16th) 411.3 YPGA (20th) 281.1 PYPGA (19th) 130.2 RYPGA (19th) The LA Express, in what looks like their swan song, are attempting to rebuild their roster at exactly the worst time. It is bad enough that fans are watching a young team learn how to play competitively, especially on offense, but now to know that the team is almost certainly on their way out of town, is just not going to build any enthusiasm in LA. That the Express cannot even rely on their overtaxed defense to hold up is even more troubling. This was a strength of the team last season, but this year, with the team ranked at or near the bottom in all major defensive categories, it is hard to see them finishing out of the bottom 5 in the league. DENVER GOLD (2-6) 17.6 PPG (18th) 310 YPG (15th) 217 PYPG (16th) 93.5 RYPG (10th) 25.8 PPGA (18th) 386 YPGA (19th) 270 PYPGA (15th) 116.4 RYPGA (18th) Joe Walton cannot be happy with how his tenure in Denver has started. Sure, some breaking down of a past team is needed in order to build something new in your own image, but we don’t suspect that Coach Walton expected the breaking down to lead to a complete collapse. He, of course, contributed to the problems, shaking up the offense by trading away both Barry Foster and Bob Gagliano mid-year. Add to that the fact that in getting Vince Evans and Lars Tate, most consider Denver the big loser in the 4-team swap. If Denver is going to rebound at all, they will need more from their defense, a squad which does not seem to have the energy or focus of past years, and they will need someone to step up as a playmaker on offense. Denver seems built for close games, but they have to play better defense to create those scenarios, and this year the defense is not doing the Gold’s plodding offense any favors. PROJECTIONS So what do we see in our crystal ball for the rest of the season? Well, it is hard to imagine most of our division leaders crumbling, or some of the league’s weaker teams suddenly going on a run. We feel pretty confident that certain teams will make the playoffs and others will finish the year thinking about draft picks. If we had to choose a potential Summer Bowl matchup right now we would likely be looking at either Orlando, Philadelphia or Washington representing the East, while Texas, Michigan and New Orleans look like the best options from the West. We polled our staff, and here is what we came up with: Playoff Teams EAST: 1-Washington, 2-Orlando, 3-Tampa Bay, 4-Washington, 5-Jacksonville WEST: 1-Texas, 2-Portland, 3-New Orleans, 4-Michigan, 5-Houston League MVP Candidates: 1-Kelly Stouffer (TEX) 2-Thurman Thomas (HOU) 3-Carlos Carson (TEX) Rookie of the Year Candidates: 1-Phil Hanen (NJ) 2-Mike Pritchard (PIT) 3-Bruce Pickens (DEN) Coach Who Won’t Last Until Week 16: 1-Schottenheimer (BAL) 2-Tobin (MEM) 3-Bugel (CHI)

BAL 6 JAX 14 Baltimore’s defense managed to cool down the red hot Tony Eason (16/27 for 251 and 1 TD) but their offense continues to spin its wheels. Coach Schottenheimer tapped long-time Gold QB Bob Gagliano to start for the ineffective Eric Kramer, but Gagliano was also unable to find the endzone. He hit on 22 of 32 passing for 233 yards, but no scores on the day. Jacksonville was held in check for most of the game but a late Eason TD to Weegie Thompson gave the Bulls the score they needed to lock up a 5th win and send Baltimore to 0-8 on the year. NJ 17 MEM 27 Memphis got a good game from backup Cary Conklin (270 yards and 75% completions) to outpace the Generals. Coach Ray Perkins stuck to his word and put Doug Flutie back under center. Flutie responded with 296 yards passing, but could not get the Generals into the end zone often enough to counter Memphis on this day, despite both J.J. Birden and Lam Jones going over 100 yards on the day. PHI 31 ORL 28 A big hit from DT John Jurkovic sent Reggie Collier out of the game, but the Renegades still put up 28 points in the first three quarters to take a 28-10 lead into the 4th. There, the Stars lit up, with three scoring drives, including a Kelvin Bryant TD run and a Fusina pass to Eric Green, followed by a 2-point conversion to tie the game. They went into overtime and David Trout finished the game with a 35-yarder to give the visiting Stars the W. PIT 17 TBY 34 Troy Aikman rediscovered his form, hitting on 21 of 26 passing for 424 yards and 3 scores as Tampa sent Pittsburgh to their 3rd straight defeat after a 4-1 start. Newly-arrived Eric Bienemy had his best game, rushing 23 times for 71 yards and a score, but also catching a couple of balls for big gains (54 yards). Aikman also found Truvillion, Coates and Kelly for scores as the Bandits equalized their record at 4-4. CHI 16 DEN 23 Denver won its second in three weeks as Billie Joe Tolliver threw for 223 and 2 scores. Lars Tate and Timmy Smith combined for 127 rushing, and the Denver D snagged 2 Chuck Long passes to end potential Chicago comeback drives. HOU 30 LA 17 An unsettled 18,000 were on hand to watch Houston control the game against LA. Thurman Thomas rushed for 96 and caught 2 balls for another 40, helping Jim Kelly throw for 321 on the day. LA made the game close (20-17) in the 4th, but two straight scoring drives from the Houston Offense helped the Gamblers pull away. MGN 37 OAK 6 Things just keep getting darker after Oakland’s fast 3-0 start this season. First they lose Jeff Kemp for the year and now Gale Gilbert goes down, forcing recently signed vet Walter Lewis into the game. Lewis tossed 2 interceptions, one for a pick-6, and was sacked 5 times by a merciless Panther pass rush. Oakland has now gone 1-4 since starting the year with 3 wins. Michigan, at 5-3 is trying to keep pace in a very tough Central Division. NOR 34 POR 21 New Orleans continued their blistering pace, taking a 27-13 lead at the half against Portland and holding on for a 13-point win. Marcus Dupree rushed for 104 and Matt Robinson threw 3 TD passes on the day, while for Portland, David Archer had to compensate for a run game that simply could not get to the second level (35 total yards on 15 carries). New Orleans ended up outgaining the Thunder 508-283. TEX 23 ARZ 20 Glen Carano came in hot as he subbed for Stouffer, but it was the running of Reggie Cobb that set up the game-winning field goal for the Outlaws. Lionel James was the hero for Arizona, rushing for 100 yards and a score, while Darryl Clack added another 41 yards. Both Eric Metcalf and Carlos Carson had over 150 yards receiving, but it was Cobb who scored the only receiving TD on the day as Texas edged past the Wranglers in Tempe. WASHINGTON FEDERALS 27 BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 29 The Stallions came all the way back to tie the game and then win it in overtime in one of the weirder finishes to a game we have seen. In this one the Federals built up a hefty 24-7 lead in the 3rd only to watch as Cliff Stoudt led the Stallions back to tie the game at 27 as time ran out. It was a game of streaks, and the Stallions finished stronger as time ran out. Washington started off strong, with Majkowski hitting Walters for a 19 yard touchdown on their first drive. The UVa QB would then gift Birmingham, as an errant pass for rookie Herman Moore (back from injury) landed in the awaiting hands of Herb Spencer for Birmingham, who ran it back to even the score. Washington would then score 17 straight, as Travis McNeal caught a TD from Majkowski and Barry Word, still looking good as a halfback, scored from 6 yards out. Word would finish the game with 77 yards on 15 carries, though it would be his back-mate, Kevin Harmon who would be remembered when the game ended. Down 24-10 at the half, Birmingham started pulling their way back, first with a Scott Norwood 35-yarder, and then with a long drive ending in a Joe Cribbs TD run. The game was even at 24 as Washington got the ball back with just over 4 minutes left. The Feds used the run to move down field, eventually kicking the go-ahead FG with only 59 seconds left. But it turned out that 59 seconds were too many. Birmingham got the kickoff and in only 5 plays and 33 seconds, they moved the ball from their own 32 to the Washington32, thanks in part to the Federals getting called for too many men on the field on two different plays as they tried to shuttle in DBs. Scott Norwood kicked true on the 49 yarder and the game was tied. In overtime, Birmingham had the first drive, but it stalled out at their own 49. Forced to punt, they called on James Elmore to pin the Federals back. He did more than that as his high hanging kick bounced at the 7 and was caught by the Stallions’ gunner at the 1 yard line. Washington would have to be careful, backed up to their own 1-yard line. They played it conservatively, with a dive play called to Kevin Harmon, but the exchange was awkward and when Harmon hit the line, the ball popped back into the endzone. There was a mad scramble and Harmon ended up recovering the ball, but well within his endzone. Birmingham was awarded a safety, and that ended the game, with the Stallions winning 29-27. The win evens the Stallions’ record at 4-4, tied for third with Tampa Bay, while Washington now falls a game back of Philadelphia in the Atlantic Division. It took several weeks after returning from injury, but Tampa Bay Bandits QB Troy Aikman seems to have rediscovered his Rookie of the Year form. Against Pittsburgh this week Aikman took over the game, throwing for 424 yards on only 21 completions as the deep ball once again dominated the Bandits offensive scheme. Aikman threw to 7 different receivers, and hit on several deep balls to break open the Mauler secondary. He found Eric Truvillion 5 times for 115, including a 36 yarder, sent 5 balls to Chris Collinsworth, for 133 yards, including a 39 yarer, hit TE Ben Coates 5 times for 62 yards, completed a 49 yarder to their other receiving tight end, Chris Kelley, and, while not exactly bombs, used the screen effectively, with new halfback Eric Bienemy gaining 29 yards on one such play, and 25 on a second. Aikman had struggled in his first weeks back, and fans were beginning to get nervous that there had been some lingering effects of the injury which had sidelined him, but he shook off those rumors this week with a classic dissection of the Mauler defense. It helped, of course, that rookie back Bienemy had greater success on the ground, rushing for 71 yards and a score, but even with the effective ground game, the Maulers were focused on the pass, sending blitzers often against Aikman. They were able to sack him 5 times but despite the pressure, Aikman completed 21 of 26 passes (an 81% clip) and consistently placed the ball in a position where his receivers could run through the catch and gain significant yardage after the catch. The timing of Aikman’s return could not be better as the Bandits face three straight games against teams whose secondaries have been erratic or just plain bad this season (Denver, Arizona, Texas) before a big showdown in Orlando with the Renegades. If Tampa can make a run now, they could find themselves in a position to snatch the division from the Renegades in a month’s time. The news we all anticipated became official this week, when official papers were filed with the USFL main office in New York, announcing the intention of Alan Harmon and Ted Field to sell the controlling interest in the LA Express to what has been dubbed the Orthwein Group, a consortium of St. Louis-based investors led by James Orthwein, with the intention of having the team relocate to the Gateway City. While the terms of the sale were not revealed, we expect that the amount to be paid by Orthwein and his associates will dwarf the previous USFL franchise sales (Breakers and Blitz in 1986) due to the increased value and profitability of the league in general. LA has been a lagging franchise in both attendance and overall revenue, playing in an expensive market, sharing a stadium with a MLB club, and suffering from declining attendance, largely due to the loss of top players to the NFL and persistent rumors of this very sale suppressing fan interest. The league now will have to contend with the sale in the context not only of losing the league’s 2nd largest market, but also one of the three franchise locations which could trigger significant reductions in TV revenue from the contracts with ABC and ESPN. A similar situation occurred when the Blitz left Chicago in 1986, and was remedied by guaranteeing an expansion franchise for the 1987 season. It is unlikely that the USFL will expand within a 1-year timeframe to replace an LA franchise, but almost certain that a plan will have to be put into place to restock the LA market if the sale is approved and the TV contracts enter a required recalibration. It is almost certain that some owners, particularly those in Texas, Pittsburgh, Oakland, and Portland, who rely heavily on shared revenue, will look to block the sale, but it is also unlikely that the sale will be prohibited. Far more likely is that the USFL will look to structure the sale in such a way that it helps to offset any revenue dip from their television contracts. This, most likely, will require that the Orthwein group include additional funds in the sale agreement to offset reductions in TV revenue to the league. While Orthwein will almost certainly balk at covering the full cost of this lost revenue, some portion may be part of the negotiations. Expect also that the USFL will attempt to work with ABC/ESPN to minimize the damage by once again guaranteeing a return to the LA market as soon as is viable for the league. We expect that the sale will be approved, and that the Express will be relocated to St. Louis for the 1992 season, but how soon and in what fashion the LA market will be restocked with a USFL franchise is likely to be the biggest question for the league. Do they commit to an expansion, perhaps in 1993 or 1994, or will there be another franchise that would uproot their team to fill the gap. We remember that Fresno-based Texas Outlaws owner Bill Tatham had originally been approved for a San Diego franchise, so there may be some interest in the Outlaws relocating, though, with a contract already in hand to relocate to the soon-to-be-completed AlamoDome, there may be incentives to stay in Texas. The Portland Thunder are the other franchise that could be looking to relocate as negotiations with the city on expansion of Civic Stadium from its current 24,120 seats to a more financially viable 35,000+ have been stymied on several occasions. Expansion is, of course, an option, and with ownership groups representing cities as diverse as Atlanta, Columbus (OH), Kansas City, and Seattle already pushing for a new expansion round, the league could announce a new round of growth, and, as they did with Chicago, assure that LA would be guaranteed a franchise in that round. A lot of questions, and a lot of financial considerations as the league ponders the loss of its LA franchise, and for the fans in LA a lot of frustration, frustration which will likely be visible over the last half of this season for what appears to be a lame duck LA Express franchise. A pair of defenders highlight the injury list this week. Portland CB Gill Byrd will be out at least 2 weeks with a strained wrist, while Chicago SS William Cesare could miss even longer with a stress fracture in his foot. Memphis will be without newly-acquired HB Tim Spencer at least 2 weeks after the former Buckeye hyper extended his right knee. They may also miss Mike Kelley for one more week as he recovers from his hamstring injury last week. In other QB news, Alan Risher’s injury was confirmed this week as season-ending, so it will be Jeff Hostetler guiding the Maulers through the rest of the season. Better news in Orlando, where Reggie Collier should be cleared to play next week. The same is true for Oakland’s Gale Gilbert. Both Doug Flutie and David Archer are day to day, but since both played this week, we expect them to get the start again in Week 9. The second half of the season starts in earnest with 8 divisional games on the slate. Pittsburgh will try to end its 3-game slide as they travel to Philadelphia, while New Jersey hopes a trip to bungling Baltimore will help them start the season’s second half with a win. In the South, surprising Jacksonville will try to hold off the Birmingham Stallions, while Orlando is in Memphis to face the Showboats. Texas takes their high-flying offense to Chicago in the Central, where we also have a big game brewing at the Silver Dome, when Michigan hosts the New Orleans Breakers. In the Pacific it will be Oakland traveling down Hwy 1 to face the Express while Portland will be in the desert to face the Wranglers. Our two inter-divisional games are also looking interesting as we have a battle of 5-3 teams when Houston faces off against the Federals in RFK, and 2-6 Denver, hot off their home win vs. Chicago, will now travel to Tampa Bay to face Troy Aikman and the Bandits.

BIR 22 BAL 14 Joe Cribbs rushed for 108 to pace the Stallions, who relied on the leg of Scott Norwood to earn a win in Baltimore. Norwood kicked 5 FG as Birmingham struggled in the redzone, but still had enough to defeat the Blitz. Baltimore went with Kramer over newly arrived Bob Gagliano, and he struggled to move the ball. Barry Foster got the start for the Blitz, and managed only 42 yards on 19 carries. MEM 24 PHI 27 Backup Cary Conklin got the start for Memphis and the Showboats looked pretty solid, led by HB Greg Boone. Newly-arrived Tim Spencer did see some action, gaining 22 yards on 4 carries. For Philadelphia it was the usual story, Fusina was efficient, Kelvin Bryant rushed for 115 and 2 scores, and Mike Quick was the leading receiver. ORL 24 PIT 14 Alan Risher returned under center, completing 60% of his throws for 143 yards, but Pittsburgh simply could not keep pace with Orlando as the combo of Fowler and Bledsoe rushed for 97 yards. Curvin Richards saw his first major action, rushing for a TD in the final minutes of the game to salt away the win for Orlando. TBY 10 WSH 16 Troy Aikman was sacked 8 times as the return of Charles Haley to the Washington D-line made the squad even more deadly. Haley had 2 sacks, as did Manley and Jerome Brown as Washington simply did not let Aikman get settled in the pocket. The Feds’ D-line also squashed the debut of rookie HB Eric Bienemy, holding the quick-footed back to only 25 yards on the day. ARZ 24 CHI 17 A big road win for the Wranglers to get them within 1 game of .500. Robbie Bosco had a strong game, completing 73% of his passes for 232 yards and 3 scores. Lionel James and Darryl Clack returned to 1990 form, combining for 153 yards. Chicago could not keep pace, despite 274 yards from Chuck Long. Rookie HB Ricky Watters only touched the ball 16 times and was simply unable to break the big play against the Wrangler LB group. DEN 7 HOU 23 Denver started Billy Joe Tolliver and newly-acquired back Lars Tate, but to no avail. The Houston defense kept both the run game and Tolliver’s arm in check all game. Meanwhile, Thurman Thomas had a combined 134 rushing and receiving, and Brett Perriman hauled in 8 passes for 80 yards and a score as Houston improved their record to 4-3. LA 9 MGN 17 Michigan’s D was again in fine form as they held LA out of the endzone all day. Vince Workman rushed for 80 yards and Trudeau found Holloway for 145 yards and a score as Michigan won the defensive matchup by keeping LA from the redzone. Despite the loss, it was a good day for LA’s Raphel Cherry, who had 8 tackles, a sack, 2 passes defended and a pick of Trudeau. OAK 6 NOR 34 Gale Gilbert struggled in his return to the starting role, throwing 2 picks and suffering 4 sacks against a well-prepared Breakers squad. Oakland’s only points came on 3 safeties (1 intentional from New Orleans late in the game) as the Breaker D was dominant all day. On offense, New Orleans got a 3-TD day from Matt Robinson as Oakland focused on the run game. Dupree and Hilliard did not do much, but Robinson’s 3 scores were more than enough against a lifeless Oakland offense. POR 10 TEX 34 The Outlaws were dominant at home against Portland as backup Glen Carano had a career day, throwing for 328 yards and 4 TDs against the overwhelmed Portland secondary. Reggie Cobb chipped in 102 on the ground, but it was 133 yards form Carlos Carson and 3 scores to TE Theo Young that put the Thunder away. JACKSONVILLE BULLS 31 NEW JERSEY GENERALS 23 In a game featuring two of the league’s biggest QB controversies, both Chris Miller and Tony Eason made their case to retain the starting job. Miller was solid with 211 yards and a TD, but Eason was once again unstoppable, throwing for 409 and 4 scores and winning a third straight AP Offensive Player of the Week award. It seems absolutely unthinkable that Coach Galen Hall would go back to Timm Rosenbach at this point, with Eason gaining over 1,000 yards in his last 3 games. Despite the outstanding game from Eason, the Generals were right there all day long, thanks in large part to 149 yards and 8.4 yards per carry from Herschel Walker. But, on three key drives the Generals had to settle for field goals instead of punching it in, and that, in the end, was the difference in this close game. For Jacksonville it was Eason to Blades all day, 8 connections for 195 yards and a score. Eason also found Weegie Thompson, Hassan Jones and TE Steve Johnson for scores as the Bulls moved their record to 4-3 with a third straight win. Jacksonville wiped out an initial 0-3 deficit with two Eason TD passes in the first quarter and then traded scores with the Generals in the 2nd to take a 21-13 halftime lead. New Jersey responded in the third with another field goal to make it a 1-score game, but 10 points by Jacksonville to start the 4th, including a beautiful tiptoe catch by Weegie Thompson to put the Bulls up 31-16 was enough to keep the Generals down. The Bulls are still 2 games behind Orlando in the South, but their 4-1 run over the last 5 weeks, largely the product of Tony Eason’s play, have them right in the mix and one of the teams no one wants to face right now. For the third straight week Tony Eason has won the Offensive Player of the Week award, and who can argue against it. Here are Eason’s boxscore stats over that period. Week 5: 20/34, 406 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int Week 6: 14/20, 303 yds, 5 TD, 0 Int Week 7: 14/26, 409 yds, 4 TD, 2 Int Eason was 20 attempts short of qualifying for the QBR rankings, but he would be the league leader in QBR had he qualified. This run has been simply stunning, and while there are still critics who remember how hot and cold Eason has been in past years, particularly in New Orleans, there is no denying that he is the hottest player in the league. No way does he lose his job now to Timm Rosenbach. He is the new starter for the Bulls, and with results like this you cannot deny that he has earned it. But let’s give some kudos as well to the outstanding receiving corps that Coach Hall has put around Eason. Brian Blades, coming off his first 1,000 yard season in 1990 (1,517 yards and 9 TD’s to be exact) is at the prime of his career and playing like an All-USFL stud. He already has 61 receptions for 750 yards and 7 TDs on the season, well on pace to break his records from last year. Hassan Jones has 44 receptions for 511 yards, with an outstanding 22.2 yards per reception average, and Weegie Thompson, who never seems to get much press, has hauled in 29 balls for 235, with an even gaudier 26.1 yards per reception average. This trio, combined with Jacksonville’s new dual-back run game (Morris and Wilder) has helped both Rosenbach and now Eason look good. Not to take away from what Tony Eason is doing, he is playing at an unbelievable level, but he is not doing it alone. Can we talk league records for a moment? This season is proving to be one of amazing performances and potential record shattering stats. Aside from Tony Eason’s stunning run of 3 straight games with at least 4 TD’s, our eyes are on Carlos Carson, who is already over 1,000 and is the latest to apparently make a run at the seemingly impossible 2,000 yards receiving mark. Perhaps even more unexpectedly, it is a rookie, New Jersey’s Phil Hansen, who is on pace to reach Junior Ah You’s record of 22 sacks in a season. There is a long way to go and we have to expect Hansen to start seeing more double teams, but his 10 sack start over 7 games is truy eye-opening. Finally, Texas QB Kelly Stouffer’s current ranking of 125.3 is well above the record for QBR set by Bobby Hebert in his astounding 1984 season. If Stouffer can stay above 122.2 by season’s end, he will be the new standard bearer for QB excellence. But, along with these challenges to the record book, we have to recognize that there are some records which look untouchable this year. With no back yet reaching 700 yards rushing by game 7 it is unlikely that Herschel Walker’s 1983 record of 1,767 yards is likely to fall. Even more secure is John Reaves record from 1984 of 44 TD passes, with no QB above 14 TD’s at week 7. And while the passing game this year has been dynamic, we are not holding our breath expecting anyone to touch the reception record of 143 set by Mel Gray in 1987 or the TD record of Eric Truvillion’s 25 in 1985. A few big injuries to report this week. Pittsburgh saw Alan Risher return to action this week, only to see him fall again, this time with a broken leg suffered late in the game against Orlando. Risher will likely miss the rest of the season with the injury. Also out for the year is Portland receiver Hart Lee Dikes, after tearing his bicep muscle on the right arm. Chicago will be without Wessley Walls for the year after doctors confirmed the severity of his broken hip. Baltimore will miss FS Joe King for at least 6 weeks with a torn hamstring and Jacksonville’s secondary will be without FS Mark Carrier at least a month with a fracture in his left forearm. Expected back this week are QB’s Doug Flutie, David Archer, and Timm Rosenbach, though questions about whether any of them will get the starting nod over their impressive replacements are still very much in the air. It’s conference play again in Week 8 with the two divisions in each conference matching up. You will not want to miss Philly at Orlando on Saturday night as both teams have been ripping through the league this year. The other biggie is a Sunday afternoon tilt between the 5-2 New Orleans Breakers and the surprising 5-2 Portland Thunder. We also have a lot of matchups between teams one game above or below the .500 line. It’s a battle of 4-3 clubs when Michigan faces Oakland out west. 4-3 Pittsburgh hopes to sneak past 3-4 Tampa Bay, and a couple of 3-4 teams are underdogs to reach .500 as Arizona hosts 5-2 Texas while Birmingham plays host to 5-2 Washington. In other action Baltimore will have a tough time getting their first win as they travel to play red hot Jacksonville in the Gator Bowl. New Jersey and Memphis battle in the Liberty Bowl, and Chicago hopes to even their record with a trip out to Mile High to face Denver.

PHI 27 BAL 6 An overwhelming win for the Stars, and one which may have triggered Coach Schottenheimer to make this week’s stunning trade (see News & Notes). Philadelphia got a dynamic performance from Mike Quick (9 receptions for 152 yards and a TD) and the defense once again shut down the Baltimore Blitz offense in a game where Erik Kramer scrambled for more yards than Tim Spencer gained. WSH 27 PIT 21 The Federals get a tough road win in Pittsburgh as Kevin Harmon and Barry Word combine for 109 yards. Alan Risher had to shoulder the offense as the Feds focused on limiting Mike Rozier, and they did, holding him to only 33 yards rushing on the day. Both teams relied heavily on their tight ends as Mike Shaw and Travis McNeal were the leading receivers for each team. The big play, however, was from a familiar duo, as Majkowski hit Walters on a 34 yard TD pass to give them the eventual game winner. MEM 21 BIR 14 With Mike Kelley out (ribs), Greg Boone dominated with 105 yards and a TD as he kept pace with Joe Cribbs’s 109 yards and helped Memphis pick up their 2nd win. The big day from Boone certainly helped pave the way for Memphis to trade away rookie Eric Bienemy (see below). For Birmingham, Cribbs’s day did not make up for a shaky performance from Cliff Stoudt, who only completed 12 of 25 passing against the Memphis pass rush. TBY 12 ORL 16 Troy Aikman was sacked 6 times by the Orlando D but still had Tampa up 12-9 in the 4th, but Reggie Collier led the Renegades on their only TD drive of the day in the final period, hitting Danta Whittaker for the game winner with 2:25 left to play. Aikman had time to move Tampa into range for a final play hail mary, but the pass failed to find a receiver’s hands and Orlando eked out a huge divisional win to move to a league best 5-1 on the season. TEX 21 MGN 47 The Panthers came into this game angry after a tough loss last week, and they took that anger out on the Outlaws all day. Vince Workman had 95 yards rushing, and in his first major action for Michigan Lydel Carr added another 77, including a dynamic 22-yard TD run in a game that the Panthers dominated from start to finish. It helped that a late hit out of bounds on a scramble ended Kelly Stouffer’s day, leading to Glen Carano coming in. Carano played well (16 of 25 for 338 and 3 TD’s) but was also sacked 7 times by the ferocious Panther D. OAK 19 DEN 27 In a game marred by a truly frightening injury (see below) the Denver D helped push the Gold to their first win of the year. Timmy Smith also took on the role of lead back and was able to score twice on 14 carries as Denver tried out some new offensive wrinkles. Twp rookie defenders came up huge as Bruce Pickens had a huge day with 12 tackles and CB William Booth stripped Mark Duper and recovered the fumble to kill a promising Oakland drive and turn the momentum towards the homestanding Gold. POR 29 LA 15 Portland matched Orlando for the league’s best record with a flurry of 4th quarter points to outpace the Express. Portland scored 19 in the final period, including TD runs by Flagler and Drummond to pull away as the game wound down. A rowdy, and ill-tempered LA crowd was in no mood to celebrate as regular chants against ownership rang through the stadium. 5 LA turnovers did not help the mood as rookie QB Dan McGwire was picked 4 times, twice by LB Cedric Figaro. CHI 31 NJ 30 A wild shootout that ended with 4 scores in the final 10 minutes, including the game winner, a Chuck Long toss to 2nd TE Cap Boso with 1:28 left that gave Chicago the narrow win. Both Miller and Long had huge days as the General went 23/37 for 452 yards and 3 scores while Long threw for 327 and 3 scores of his own. Chicago amazingly held Herschel Walker in check, limiting the back to ony 18 carries for 38 yards, while Albert Bentley and Ricky Watters combined for 93 yards on the day. ARZ 29 JAX 34 The Eason-led Bulls looked like a solid team as they took out the defending Western Conference Champs. Eason threw for 5 scores to earn Offensive POTW honors as he led the Bulls to an impressive win over a pretty solid defense. Hassan Jones was at the top of his game, hauling in 154 yards and 3 TDs on the day. The win pushes Jacksonville to 3-3 and tied with Tampa for second in the division, while Arizona slides to 2-4. New Orleans Breakers 23 Houston Gamblers 18 In a classic Central Division battle, New Orleans and Houston traded the lead all day, with the final possession for the Breakers proving to be the game winner. Houston’s huge disappointment was their red zone offense as all 18 points came from the foot of John Kasay. The Gamblers settled for field goals as they simply could not find paydirt despite moving the ball well between the 20’s. New Orleans won the game the way they always seem to, relying on their HB duo to grind out yards and pick up short third downs, and then getting timely connections from Matt Robinson to Charlie Smith and newly-acquired Michael Jackson. The Breakers ran the ball 38 times, with Dupree getting most of the carries, rushing 20 times for 105. Dalton Hilliard got 14 carries and nearly reached the century mark as well, gaining 89 on the day. For Houston the run game was not clicking as Thurman Thomas was held to only 41 yards rushing, and while it was good to see Keith Woodside back on the field after a nagging ankle injury kept him out most of the early season, his 19 yards rushing did not help Houston find the endzone. In the middle of the field the Gamblers played well, with Kelly tossing 252 yards on a 73% completion rate, but once they reached the red zone it was as if a different New Orleans defense showed up. Frederick Wilder started playing closer to the line, man to man was swapped for a tight zone, and Houston receivers just could not find holes. Second year LB Lamar Lathon had several big plays in scoring territory to help New Orleans force the Gamblers into field goal attempt after field goal attempt. Meanwhile, two Dalton Hilliard TD runs and a late pass from Robinson to Smith were more than enough for the Breakers to end up on top. The win, paired with a Texas shellacking at the hands of the Panthers, helped move New Orleans into a tie with the Outlaws at 4-2, and the rest of the division, sitting at 3-3, is waiting in the wings in what may end up being a year-long rotation at the top. For the second week in a row Tony Eason has been on fire, leading the Jacksonville Bulls to another win and a .500 record after 6 games. With Timm Rosenbach likely to be cleared to play next week, Coach Hall may have a situation on his hands. Does he go with the hot hand, but with a player known for erratic play, or does he stick with the player he invested in bringing to Duval County with designs as the starter? Eason made it a tough call this week by proving that even when the other team expects him to start, he can be not only effective, but devastatingly good. Eason began the day by completing his first 10 passes, including early TD’s to both Hassan Jones and Brian Blades. He would finish the day with 14 completions on only 20 attempts, but with an astounding 15.2 yard average and 5 scoring tosses. Despite significant pressure from the Arizona defense (5 sacks), Eason was able to fid Jones 2 more times and toss a 5th TD to Weegie Thompson as the Bulls outlasted the Wranglers at home. But this has always been the way with Eason. He has had these types of games before, in both Jacksonville and New Orleans, and he has often followed them up with real stinkers, where he seems unable to distinguish his receivers from defenders, completes under 40% and throws several picks. But, perhaps maturity and time to study the game has helped Eason overcome those issues. It will be up to Coach Hall to determine if he believes that is the case. The Bulls are set to play at New Jersey next week, and with Rosenbach expected to be off the injury report, Coach Hall has to set his lineup. Do you go with the Eason for a third week (at risk of snubbing the thin-skinned Rosenbach) or do you return to your week 1 starter to demonstrate that injuries do not cost starters their jobs? A tough call to be sure. It may just be the biggest trade in USFL history, and it certainly is one of the most complicated. With Denver and Baltimore floundering at the bottom of their divisions, Memphis struggling to keep pace in the South, and Tampa Bay hoping to find a run game to compliment Troy Aikman, we ended up this week witnessing a monumental 4-way trade that saw starting players, two of whom could be considered institutions with their teams, being sent away midseason. It is clear that desperation for Baltimore’s Marty Schottenheimer made this possible, as the Blitz offense has been absent all year and Schottenheimer is feeling immediate heat to turn things around. The same could be said in Denver, though new coach Joe Walton is likely not on the hotseat yet, but a 1-5 start has clearly led to a desire to put his stamp on the roster. For Memphis, the rise of Greg Boone as the clear starter and the desire to find a 2nd back who can get the tough inside yards seems to be the main motivation, while for Tampa it is a desire to find a back who can replicate the early years of Gary Anderson. The combo of Tate, Bell and Neal has simply not proven effective enough to keep pressure off of Troy Aikman, so a change was due. And what a change it is. Four running backs shifting teams, two perennial starters at quarterback now on new teams, and a flurry of draft picks to boot. With few direct swaps, the 4-team tangle is quite a mess, but here are the basics of who gets whom in the deal. DENVER: Tampa Bay lead back Lars Tate and Baltimore QB Vince Evans will now be Gold players and likely starters within a week or two. Along with two potential starters, Denver also adds Memphis’s 3rd round pick in the 1991 draft. BALTIMORE: The Blitz will acquire longtime Denver QB Bob Gagliano, who will likely sit for a while behind Eric Kramer before getting a shot with a new offense. Baltimore also gets Denver power back Barry Foster, who will almost certainly start off next week with at least shared carries in the Blitz run game. Baltimore also adds Tampa Bay’s 4th rounder in next year’s draft. MEMPHIS: The Showboats get their power back in Baltimore’s Tim Spencer. He will share carries with Greg Boone in the Memphis power run game. Memphis also acquires Denver’s 3rd round pick in the 1991 draft. TAMPA BAY: The Bandits acquire the type of dual-threat elusive back that their offense prefers in rookie Eric Bienemy. The former Colorado Buffalo did not gel with Memphis’s power attack, but should slot in well in the pass-happy Tampa Bay attack. Tampa also acquires Baltimore’s 3rd rounder after losing a 4th rounder in the deal. While this next week may see only limited carries for some of these backs, and while Evans and Gagliano now have to learn new offenses, likely keeping them on the bench as Erik Kramer and Billy Joe Tolliver take over on offense in Baltimore and Denver, within the month we may see very different offensive plans in all 4 cities. We like the fit for Tampa, as Bienemy could prove to be a real dual threat in that offense, and we understand why Memphis would prefer a power back like Spencer to the diminutive Bienemy, but we are just not sure that swapping out your starting halfback and quarterback mid-season is the right move for either Baltimore or Denver. At least in B’more they know that Eric Kramer is capable, and may never relinquish the position to Gagliano, but in Denver, they are putting a lot of trust in Billy Joe Tolliver to come through, at least in the short term, as they get Vince Evans into the film room and familiar with Joe Walton’s offense. It is a risk for all parties, but it has added some excitement to the three clubs who were looking pretty dire, and it also gives Tampa another weapon to make a run at Orlando this year. A scary injury shocked the league this week as Oakland QB Jeff Kemp had to be carted off the field in a back brace. A big hit from Denver LB Ron Rivera late in the game sent Kemp crumpling to the ground. The medical teams braced his back and took him immediately to the hospital with concern for his spine. On Monday, the doctors reported that it was not a break but that Kemp has a significant contusion to his spinal cord, an injury which is causing ongoing concerns of paralysis and numbness in his lower extremities. Doctors feel confident that Kemp will, in time, see improvement in both sensation and movement in his legs, but warn that he is unlikely to return this year and would be at significant risk in the future should he opt to return to football beyond this year. The news, while optimistic that Kemp will regain full function, puts a shadow over his career in a year when he was just beginning to grow into his role as a starter, and a pall on the entire Oakland franchise. We wish him the best on his recovery and will await news on his decision about his football future. While the news out of Oakland is sobering, the biggest surprise on the injury report this week was that of another quarterback, as Memphis signal caller Mike Kelley has been listed as “out”. Turns out that Kelley was not pulled from the Week 5 game vs. the Express due only to poor play, but had suffered a rib injury on a previous play, thought he could play through it, but was having some difficulty breathing. Mid-week Memphis reported that he had suffered 2 cracked ribs and would be out at least 2 weeks. The other big hit was for Chicago, who see their promising young TE Wessley Walls likely to miss the rest of the regular season with a broken hip. Walls took a hit on the hip and landed awkwardly making a catch this week, and had to be carted off the field in visible pain. Isolating a hip is tricky, and the recover time can be slow, so we are not sure if Walls could return if Chicago were to make a playoff appearance. Week seven once again matches the South against the Atlantic Division and the Central hosting the Pacific. The most intriguing game of the week is Orlando at Pittsburgh, with both hoping to hang onto first place in their respective divisions. The Tampa Bay-Washington clash is another one to watch in the early games. In late games the Invaders will be at New Orleans, with Gale Gilbert back under center. Texas hosts the 5-1 Thunder in a battle of upstart division leaders, and after this week’s major 4-team swap, we will be watching to see if Lars Tate plays for Denver in Houston, if Memphis gets carries from Tim Spencer at Philadelphia, if Baltimore HB Barry Foster gets the nod against Birmingham, and if Tampa throws Eric Bienemy into the mix as well. In other games it is Jacksonville (likely with Eason still at the helm) at New Jersey and Arizona heads to Chicago.

BAL 9 PIT 23 Baltimore continues to struggle to find an offense and the Pittsburgh Maulers continue to show that they have what it takes to win games, on both sides of the ball. Alan Risher returns under center and completes 84% ofh his passes (21 of 25) to lead the Maulers to victory over a punchless Blitz squad. Mike Rozier chips in 114 yards and TE Mike Shaw scores twice as Pittsburgh moves to 4-1 on the year. NJ 18 WSH 17 After falling behind 17-2, Chris Miller leads three late scoring drive to give the Generals a much needed win against the heavily-favored Federals. TD catches by Scott Schwedes and Derrick Walker punctuate the come from behind victory, while Chris Spielman picks off Majkowski twice and rookie sensation Phil Hansen garners another sack to take over the league lead. BIR 10 ORL 34 Orlando finds its stride at home against a division rival as Reggie Collier throws for 320 and 3 TD’s against the Stallions. John Jefferson hauls in 108 yards and a score, and the Stallion D picks off Cliff Stoudt twice to pace Orlando to a comfortable win and sole possession of first place in the division. JAX 36 TBY 33 The Bulls show up big for their rivalry game, thanks mostly to a superior game from backup Tony Eason. With Timm Rosenbach knocked out of the game after only 3 pass attempts, Eason came in and went 20 for 34 for 406 yards and 4 TD’s against an ill-prepared Tampa D. Brian Blades caught 6 for 104 and 2 scores, including the game winer with only 26 seconds left to play, as he proves a major weapon. Troy Aikman returning to action for the first time in 3 weeks, looked a bit rusty, though he did find Truvillion for 153 yards and 2 scores as Tampa thought they had the game won. ARZ 16 DEN 10 Coach Walton has simply been unable to get anything from the Denver offense as they drop to 0-5. The defense plays well as they hold Arizona to only 9 points, but a 60-yard punt return by Vince Buck proves fatal for Denver as they lose by 6. The questions now begin to surface as to whether Walton will stick with veteran Bob Gagliano or try to add a spark by putting in young gunslinger Billy Joe Tolliver. OAK 19 POR 16 OT The Invaders knock off the previously unbeaten Thunder in overtime to take a share of first place. In a very even matchup, both clubs moved the ball well, with Oakland having the better ground game behind Richard Williams. The Invaders had a 16-3 lead at one point ,but Archer to Cris Carter closed the gap and an Al Del Greco field goal sent the game to overtime, where it was Kevin Shea’s 36-yarder sealed the deal for the Invaders. CHI 16 HOU 21 Gamblers QB Jim Kelly had a strong day (3 TD to 1 Int) and Thurman Thomas added 90 yards rushing to power the home team to victory in a slugfest with Chicago. Ricky Proehl stepped up with 110 yards and 2 of the 3 Kelly TD tosses on the day. Chicago rookie Ricky Watters had a breakout game as well, averaging 6.5 yards per carry on his way to a 97-yard day. MGN 13 PHI 40 A surprising result as the game simply got away from the Panthers early. It was 24-3 at the half, thanks to an INT return and two Fusina TD passes to his TE’s. Eric Green would finish the day with 97 yards and 2 scores, and Alex Higdon added a score of his own as Philly ran over and around a deflated Michigan squad. LA 16 MEM 13 Coach Tobin benches an ineffective Mike Kelley in an effort to pull out a victory, but a late TD from McGwire to Eric Martin proves to be enough to keep the Showboats down. Neither offense looked good on the day, but LA’s defense was impressive, garnering 3 interceptions and keeping the Memphis run attack in check. CB Raphel Cherry made 11 tackles, helping on the run game and blanketing former Express wideout Jo-Jo Townsell. New Orleans Breakers 20 Texas Outlaws 24 A huge win for the Outlaws as they come back from a 13-0 deficit in the 2nd to beat back the Breakers. Reggie Cobb scored all three TDs, including the game-winner as Texas outlasts the Breakers to take over first place in the tough Central Division. Cobb would finish the day with 91 yards on 19 carries, two rushing TD’s and a receiving TD, while QB Kelly Stouffer contributed 301 yards passing to outpace the Breakers. New Orleans looked the better team in the first quarter as the combo of Hilliard and Dupree helped the Breakers get on the board three times, the biggie being a Michael Jackson TD catch on a playfake that pulled in the Texas safeties. Texas rebounded, and while they allowed the Breaker RB duo to rush for a combined 123 yards, they did not overreact to the run and held Matt Robinson in check for most of the game. On offense, Texas used the short passing game and Reggie Cobb’s legs to score 17 unanswered points and steal the lead from the Breakers. They got good games from both Carlos Carson and Eric Metcalf, but it was Reggie Cobb and his 3-TD day that were the story. The only negative for the Outlaws was an injury to kicker Nick Mike-Myer in the 3rd quarter as he was caught in a pileup on a kickoff and left the field hobbling. Punter Kelly Salisbury had to come in for the final PAT to put Texas up by 4 instead of 3. The win puts Texas atop the Central Division as they prepare for another big divisional game against Michigan next week. New Orleans falls a game behind at 3-2 and now gets ready for the second of their two straight Texas matchups as they face the 3-2 Houston Gamblers next week in the Astro Dome. I feel like we have done this before, but we have to praise QB Tony Eason for his ability to come into a game cold and just take it over. In his long USFL career we have seen how Eason can come alive and simply overpower a defense, particularly if that defense has prepped to face a different QB, but we have also seen that Eason tends to be very erratic and can equally produce some horrible games. The fact that you never know which Tony Eason will show up on a given week is a challenge, but with Timm Rosenbach also showing signs of erratic play, and now listed as questionable for next week’s game against Arizona, there may be a shot for Eason to make a case that he should be the starter. He certainly proved that he can be effective this week against Tampa Bay. His stat line (20 of 34, 406 yards, 4 TD, 0 Int) is one any QB would be touting. He connected well with both Hassan Jones and Brian Blades, and demonstrated that he could shoulder the burden of a Bulls offense which still struggles to mount an effective run game. Tampa’s defense, though unprepared to face Eason, is not one of the league’s cupcakes, so the 400-yard day makes a strong argument for Eason. He will likely start this week against the Wranglers, and beyond that, who knows? A troubling report out of LA for Express fans as unconfirmed accounts seem to indicate that Express owners Alan Harmon and Ted Fields are in serious negotiations with an ownership group out of St. Louis to sell the Express franchise and potentially relocate the team to the Gateway City. The St. Louis group, led by James Orthwein (a member of the Anheiser Busch family) seems to have set their sites on the Express as their best option to return pro football to their city. The Express ownership, while aggressive in the offseason to sign some big-name rookies in wideout Rocket Ismael and QB Dan McGwire, seem open to a sale that will likely net them a healthy profit, something that has been hard to come by in the tough LA market. If the Express are sold, the question of relocation will have to come before the owners at the next league meetings, as loss of the LA market will have a significant impact on the league’s TV deals with ABC and ESPN. A similar situation occurred in 1985 with the relocation of the Chicago Blitz to Baltimore. In that instance the league made an arrangement to bring a team back to Chicago within 2 years to help stave off the loss of TV revenue. Questions over whether ABC/ESPN would be open to such an arrangement again are in the air, and, of course, for fans of the Express, the thought that they would be losing their franchise is not sitting well. Expect there to be a pretty vocal reaction to these rumors when the Express return home to Angel Stadium next week to face the Thunder. As mentioned above, Texas will be in the market for a kicker as Nick Mike-Myer is expected to be out at least 4-6 weeks with a partial tear of his hamstring after getting caught up in a dogpile in the game against the Breakers. Texas also lost SS Kevin Porter in that game, likely for the season as a hard helmet to helmet hit produced much more than a concussion, with x-rays revealing a skull fracture. Porter is doing well, and is expected to make a full recovery, but the healing process for an injury like this is lengthy. New Jersey’s top TE Jeff Spek will likely miss a month of action after fracturing the radius in his right forearm, and Houston will have to be without All-USFL guard John Rienstra (out 1-2 weeks) after he dislocated his right elbow. On the mend, but not ready to return are NJ quarterback Doug Flutie (doubtful), Philly CB Lorenzo Lynch (doubtful), Texas LB Garth Jax (questionable), and Jacksonville QB Timm Rosenbach (questionable). Expected back are PIT LB Erik Kumerow, Jacksonville guard Duval Love, and Denver HB Barry Foster. Some good matchups in divisional play in Week 6. Washington gets a shot at 1st place again as they head to Pittsburgh. Tampa has the same shot as they travel to Orlando. It’s New Orleans and Houston, both at 3-2 and hoping to jump into the division lead, while Texas has a tough road matchup at Michigan. In interdivisional play we have Chicago at New Jersey and Arizona in Jacksonville. Other games include Oakland @ Denver, Portland @ LA, Memphis @ Birmingham, and the Stars at the winless Blitz.

BAL 10 MEM 16 In a battle of 0-3 teams, Memphis had just enough to edge Baltimore. Coach Schottenheimer made the switch, starting Eric Kramer, but Kramer was only able to complete 50% of his passes for a mere 124 yards. Mike Kelley fared significantly better, thanks in large part to an effective run game from Boone & Bienemy (106 yards combined). NJ 26 ORL 31 Chris Miller rallied the Generals late, but the Orlando 31-12 lead after 3 was too much for the Generals to overcome. Wamon Buggs scored twice for the Renegades, who also ran back a Miller interception for a score in a game that got away from the Generals early. PIT 13 BIR 49 Hostetler struggled and Joe Cribbs outdueled Mike Rozier as the Stallions evened their record at 2-2 and gave the Maulers their first defeat of the season. Three Mauler turnovers helped Birmingham take a 14-10 halftime lead and run away with the game, scoring on 2 pick-six plays in the 3rd and getting TD’s from Cribbs and Clarence Collins. WSH 41 JAX 14 Don Majkowski had a near perfect day against the suspect Bulls defense, completing 24 of 26 passes for 259 yards and 3 TD’s. Kevin Harmon rushed for 97 yards as well as Washington turned to the run in the second half, after establishing a 27-7 lead after 3 quarters. Jacksonville could not get anything going on the ground, which put pressure on Timm Rosenbach, and allowing the Washington D to tee off on pass rush. Dexter Manley got 3 sacks on the day to take over the league lead. CHI 21 LA 20 The Express again blew a late lead as Chicago scored on a Chuck Long to Wessley Walls TD with just over a minute to play. Long finished the day with 287 yards and 2 TD tosses, while rookie Dan McGwire survived 4 sacks to throw 2 scores himself. LA’s Scott Olivera missed on 2 of his 4 FG attempts, including a 33 yarder that would have put Chicago out of reach in the 4th. HOU 27 OAK 21 Jim Kelly found a new favorite target in former Bandit Brett Perriman. Kelly hit Perriman 4 times for 1332 yards, including a huge 47 yard TD in the opening quarter. Thurman Thomas contributed a TD run himself, and the Gamblers survived a late rally by Jeff Kemp and the Invaders to take their second in a row and even their record at 2-2. MGN 16 POR 24 It was billed as a big test of Portland’s legitimacy, and the Thunder passed with flying colors. After falling behind 9-7 at the half, Portland scored the next 17 points before giving up a late TD to Danny Knight to make the game look closer than it was. Gill Byrd scored on an errant Trudeau pass, and David Archer, despite a mixed home reaction when he came onto the field, played well, completing 74% of his passes and hitting both Cris Carter and Hart Lee Dykes for scores to help move the Thunder to an unexpected 4-0. NOR 20 ARZ 10 In classic Breakers form, the duo of Dupree and Hilliard ran over and around the Wrangler D, combining for 128 yards. The Breaker defense helped by sacking Robbie Bosco 6 times and forcing some poor throws, particularly on 3rd down. Arizona would complete only 2 of 16 attempts on the vital down, and were just not able to string together first downs to drive towards the endzone against a well-structured New Orleans defense. TEX 30 DEN 27 Denver was game, but in the end it was too much of Kelly Stouffer and the Texas offense. Denver held Reggie Cobb in check, but that meant playing the run and allowing Stouffer to use play action to his advantage. He did so for 341 yards and 4 TD’s in the game. Denver’s offense did well to keep pace, but in the end they simply did not have enough possession to overcome the Outlaws. Philadelphia Stars 31 Tampa Bay Bandits 33 A classic matchup of two proud franchises that included a huge lead from Tampa, a furious comeback from Philadelphia, and a final minute kick for the win. Tampa had more success on the ground than many expected, with Tate, Bell, and Neal combining for 84 yards and 3 touchdowns for the Bandits. Philadelphia vet Tom Donovan had a strong game as well, reeling in 2 TD tosses from Fusina. The game began well for both offenses, with Tampa managing a long drive ending in a 1-yard Lars Tate plunge on their opening drive, though rookie kicker Robbie Keen missed the extra point. Philly responded with a TD drive of their own, with Chuck Fusina finding Tom Donovan in a mismatch against a linebacker for the go-ahead score. Tampa would finish the quarter with a field goal to retake the lead. They added to their lead in the 2nd, as Oliver Luck completed the longest pass in league history. Well, in actuality it was an 11 yard toss, but when TE Chris Kelley shook off the safety, there was no one left to tackle him, and with HB Speedy Neal running alongside for protection, the 11 yard play turned into a 94 yard TD for one of the longest plays in league history. But, again Philadelphia would respond, this time with a 9 play drive that saw Kelvin Bryant put another 7 on the board. Tampa once again drove, this time with Speedy Neal getting across for the score, and Tampa led at the half 23-14. The only score of the third quarter was a second Lars Tate short run, putting Tampa up 30-14 and looking to keep the Stars at a distance, but the 4th quarter belonged to Philadelphia. Their first drive in the half led to a David Trout field goal to bring them within 2 scores. This was followed by a Quinn Early TD catch, but with little over 2:00 left in the game, time was not on their side, still down 30-24. The Stars went for the onside kick, and found paydirt as the ball bounced off the chest of a Tampa lineman and was recovered, under the pile, by Philadelphia. 4 plays later Fusina found Tom Donovan again, and suddenly the Stars were up 31-30. With just over a minute and a half left, Tampa got the ball on the touchback and went to work. An encroachment penalty by Philly gave them an initial boost. Luck then found Ben Coats for 16, Chris Collinsworth for 13, Davis for another 13, and after calling a time out, trotted out Keen for the winning field goal with only 4 seconds on the clock. Keen was true and Tampa won 33-31. The win, and especially the final drive, was a moment of triumph for much-maligned QB Oliver Luck, who finished the day with 331 yards passing and a fourth quarter comeback victory to boast about. Luck is clearly not going to replace Aikman as the starter, but this type of clutch performance will likely quiet many of the critics who have not felt that he was adequate even as the primary backup to Aikman. Coach Spurrier, who also has Mike Rae, a former starter for LA, on the roster, has been adamant that he has faith in Luck as the backup, and this game may just provide both Spurrier and Luck with the type of evidence needed to shut down those voices asking that a new option be found. After an 0-2 start, the Birmingham Stallions have rebounded with two straight wins to level their record and get back in the mix in the Southern Division. In this week’s home win against the previously unbeaten Pittsburgh Maulers, it was both the offensive firepower of HB Joe Cribbs, and the defensive tenacity of Kevin Greene that helped Birmingham pull off the upset. Cribbs is a known commodity in the league, having been among the best backs since coming over from the NFL’s Buffalo Bills in 1984, and yet he still finds ways to upend defenses that are targeting him. This week his 133 yards rushing (a 7.8 yard average) and 2 scores were the difference for the Stallion offense. Greene, on the other hand, has not always produced the way Birmingham fans would want. He had a strong season in 1989 with 102 tackles, but last year had only 87 despite starting in 15 of 16 games for the Stallions. Well, this week Greene played like the top draft choice he was, securing 6 tackles (1 for loss), two pass defenses, and a highlight reel interception on the Birmingham 15, which he ran back for six. The score was part of a 28-point third quarter which turned a modest 14-10 halftime lead into a blowout victory for the homestanding Stallions. If Birmingham is going to compete with the very talented Bandits and Renegades, it will be through their top players playing their best. We are used to seeing that from Joe Cribbs, who has been a consistent threat regardless of the Stallions’ record, but Greene is just the type of player who has to step up for Birmingham to return to playoff form. With Doug Flutie expected to miss another 1-2 weeks, and Chris Miller struggling against the Orlando defense, things are getting interesting in New Jersey. After an 0-2 start, fans seemed anxious to see if Miller could replace Flutie (who went down with a knee injury) and potentially oust the longstanding vet from his starting position. Miller looked ready for the challenge in his first start, a 31-21 win over rival Philadelphia, but against Orlando Miller had the stats (333 yards passing) but was not able to drive New Jersey consistently. Playing catchup most of the second half, Miller threw the ball often, but New Jersey was unable to complete plays on crucial drive-sustaining third downs. Now 1-3 on the season, fans in the tough NY-NJ market are splitting into two camps. There are many who revel in the unorthodox style and late game magic of Doug Flutie, while a new camp, perhaps made up of those who had sided with Timm Rosenbach in his hopes to be made the starter, are now siding with Chris Miller, as a more polished pocket passer with a more traditional skillset. Miller is likely to have only one more chance to prove himself, this week as the Generals face the division-leading Washington Federals. If New Jersey can pull off the upset, and particularly if Miller is instrumental in leading them to victory, then it could be a rough week for Coach Perkins as he determines whether to start Doug Flutie in Week 6 against Chicago, or go with Miller. That decision is likely to outline the tack which Perkins will take for the rest of the year. Despite Flutie having helped New Jersey win the league title 2 years ago, there remains significant pressure to go with the more archetypal QB in Miller, a pressure which could build if New Jersey is looking at another lost season. If, however, Flutie can return in Week 6, and plays well, then we may see a delay in any transition. As we see with so many teams, the QB position is the most important, and often the most controversial on a team. Texas will have to reshuffle their line as they look to be without their All-USFL center, John Adickes for at least a month after he suffered a dislocated knee this week. Likewise, New Jersey guard Dave Widdell will be out for at least the next 2 weeks and Philly tackle Mark Van DerPoel cold miss up to 6 weeks with a knee issue as well. New Jersey is hit with another tough injury in an ankle issue for J.J. Birden, which will likely keep him sidelined at least until week 7. In Oakland the concern is for WR Henry Ellard, who is still nursing a hamstring injury and will likely miss another week, while Pittsburgh is hoping that LB Eric Kumerow is able to return, moving him from doubtful to probable this week. Also potentially returning to action are Denver wideout Odessa Turner, Michigan DE Ronnie Paggett, Pittsburgh QB Alan Risher and Tampa QB Troy Aikman. Back to divisional play in week 5, including the New Jersey-Washington matchup already mentioned, and a rough game for struggling Baltimore as they head to 3-1 Pittsburgh. Birmingham will try to prove they are a contender as they face the Renegades in Orlando, while Jacksonville tries to get a 2nd straight win at rival Tampa Bay. Arizona travels to winless Denver and a big matchup in the Pacific as 3-1 Oakland heads to 4-0 Portland in a battle for first. In the Central, we have a battle of 2-2 squads as Chicago heads to Houston, and atop the division it is 3-1 New Orleans visiting 3-1 Texas in a Saturday Night game that is sure to get a lot of viewers. In the two inter-divisional games we have 2-2 Michigan facing 2-2 Philadelphia in a game that neither team feels they can lose, while 1-3 LA are at Memphis, who are stunned to be 1-3 and hoping for a spark to head them in the right direction.

We look at why 1991 may be the year of the QB controversy. We wonder if Portland, Oakland, and Pittsburgh are for real, and just what is wrong in Memphis, Denver and Baltimore. It's week three of the season and some fanbases are already overreacting. We will try not to as we review the week that was in the USFL. PHI 21 NJ 31 It is exactly what Doug Flutie did not want to see. Forced to leave the game with an injury, new backup Chris Miller comes in and plays exceptionally well (3 TD’s and 63% completion rate) to lead the Generals over their biggest rival. It helped that the defense picked off Chuck Fusina twice, but it was a late Miller to Lam Jones TD that sealed the deal for New Jersey, once again potentially placing Flutie in a QB battle. TBY 6 BIR 17 Playing without Troy Aikman, the Bandits were ineffective against Birmingham’s defense, and the combo of Joe Cribbs and Brent Fullwood did just enough to give the Stallions a much-needed home victory. Cliff Stoudt was on target, hitting on 20 of 28 passes to lead Birmingham to the victory, while Oliver Luck was only able to hit on 48% of his attempts. MEM 22 JAX 36 Something is wrong in Memphis and Coach Tobin had better soon figure it out. Jacksonville scored on 8 of 10 possessions in the game, and while 5 of those were field goals, it still was enough to outpace a sluggish Showboat offense. Mike Kelley was picked off twice, and Eric Bienemy only touched the ball 4 times as the Memphis offense was ineffective and inefficient against Jacksonville’s defense. MGN 9 CHI 10 Michigan gained 405 yards on the day, but gave back 110 in penalties as the Machine held their division rival out of the endzone for most of the game. It would all come down to a final touchdown for Michigan, which thy got on a Trudeau to Smiley TD pass, but when Brad Daluiso missed the extra point, the game was lost. Chicago got the win largely on penalties and pressure on Trudeau, who was sacked 7 times, including 2 each from LB Gary Reasons and DE Ray Agnew. TEX 21 HOU 27 Houston gets their first win of the year, defeating their in-state rival, thanks largely to 29 touches by Thurman Thomas (24 carries, 5 receptions) including 2 Thomas touchdowns. The Houston D focused on Reggie Cobb, holding him to under 1 yard per carry thanks to a combination of line stunts and run blitzes. That strategy paid off as the Outlaws were forced into a one-dimensional attack. LA 10 ARZ 35 Arizona found holes in the LA defense, as Darryl Clack had a career best 135 yards rushing to power the Wrangler offense. Robbie Bosco also went 19 for 26 for 26 and three scores as the Wranglers earned their first win of the season against the visiting Express. POR 24 DEN 13 Despite pressure to keep Kerwin Bell under center, Coach Erickson kept his word that David Archer was the starter. He played adequately (16 of 26 for 140 yards) but HB Robert Drummond was the surprise story, rushing for 156 yards on only 15 carries. Add in another 48 from backup Terrance Flagler and it was Portland’s biggest rushing day in their short history. Denver’s offense sputtered and the defense looked disorganized in the loss. NOR 19 PIT 31 Pittsburgh’s oft-maligned defense came up big, corralling the Breaker run game and providing opportunities for short drives for QB Jeff Hostetler. Hostetler responded with a 3-touchdown day and Mike Rozier added 156 yards rushing and a score as the Maulers moved to a surprising 3-0 by downing the heavily favored Breakers. OAK 16 ORL 13 Oakland too has surprised a lot of USFL fans by jumping out to a 3-0 start, and by winning a cross-country road game against a tough Orlando squad. The low-scoring affair was highlighted by two key takeaways for the Oakland D, which lost its best player, CB Tory Nixon to injury mid-way through the first half. LB Ken Harvey was the star, with 10 tackles and a timely interception in the red zone, preventing a game altering score. Washington Federals 39 Baltimore Blitz 33 It took overtime, but the Washington Federals got the win over their rivals, thanks to a Majkowski to Mathis TD pass. Washington would finish with 444 yards of offense against the Baltimore defense, including a 335-yard day from Majkowski, but the Blitz stayed competitive throughout, getting a TD run from QB Vince Evans and two from Tim Spencer. They tied the game with only 27 seconds to play, sending the game into overtime, before bowing to the Federals in the extra period. The experiment of using FB Barry Word as a workhorse runner appears to be working for the Federals, as the UVa grad had 22 carries for 79 yards. His inside run game has freed up Majkowski on play action, and the Majik Man threw 51 passes in the game, including 5 TD’s. Mathis caught two, and the venerable Joey Walters nabbed 9 balls for 109 yards and a score of his own. For Baltimore, four field goals, along with the three rushing touchdowns, helped them keep pace with the Federals. Questions about the Blitz offense seem to have been answered as the team gained a respectable 329 yards against a tough Federals front, but now fans have to wonder what is wrong with their defense. With the loss, Baltimore drops to 0-3 and we expect to see some changes coming as Coach Schottenheimer, a controversial figure in league circles, is unlikely to survive another 10-loss season as head man for the Blitz. In a week that saw three different rushers gain over 130 yards (Rozier, Drummond, Clack), and in which Don Majkowski threw for 5 scores, it seems a bit odd to give the POTW award to a defender, but we are going to do that. Portland’s quick 3-0 start has a lot to do with new offensive schemes, but the Thunder have always had issues on defense, issues which Coach Erickson seems to be addressing through a rotation scheme on both the D-line and within the LB group. One player who has not been rotated out in situational play is linebacker Billy Ray Smith, and this week we got to see why. Smith helped Portland shut down Bob Gagliano and the Denver offense with 11 tackles, a key interception, and a forced fumble. He seemed to always be in the backfield on run plays and always effective in coverage against the pass. If this is a sign of a new Portland Thunder defense, then fans in the Pacific Northwest might just be looking at a playoff season. Of course, we saw Portland have a fast start last year, and it all fizzled away, so despite the efforts of Billy Ray and others, we might hold off on anointing the Thunder this year, at least for a little while. Is it us or is this potentially the year of the QB Controversy? We have Doug Flutie looking over his shoulder at Chris Miller in New Jersey. We have Kerwin Bell playing lights out football only to be replaced by David Archer in Portland. In Denver fans are beginning to call for Bob Gagliano to be pulled in favor of Billy Joe Tolliver, and in Baltimore, some are wondering if the ageless Vince Evans should give way to Eric Kramer. About the only place we don’t see controversy is in Tampa where once again an injury to Troy Aikman is demonstrating to everyone why Oliver Luck is not the answer. Cliff Stoudt must also be feeling pressure as he knows that many in Birmingham are hoping to see what rookie Brett Favre can do, while in Pittsburgh, Jeff Hostetler, not Alan Risher, is getting praise for leading the Maulers to their current 3-0 record. In Oakland, the preseason decision by Coach Vermeil to swap Jeff Kemp for 3-year starter Gale Gilbert has been a success, but should things turn south, there will again be a chance for the debate to reheat. We don’t expect entrenched starters like Jack Trudeau, Don Majkowski, Reggie Collier, or Troy Aikman to be going anywhere, but it seems that this year there is a lot of potential competition for starts among league QB’s and it will take a lot of intestinal fortitude for coaches to pick one man and stick with him, even if things head south. Life as a USFL QB is not without its dangers, and this year, one of those is the need to keep looking in the rear-view mirror to see who is on your tail. We mentioned it earlier, but the last thing Doug Flutie needed was an injury to allow Chris Miller to shine. Flutie could be out as long as 4 weeks after a partial tear in the MCL of his left knee. And he is certainly not the only player to get bad news this week. Among the worst injuries we saw was a ruptured Achilles to Oakland CB Tory Nixon, one likely to keep him out the entire regular season. Baltimore DT Joe Klecko also suffered a likely season-ending injury as x-rays confirm that his hip injury is a fracture to the hip socket. Washington rookie wideout Herman Moore will miss at least 2-4 weeks with a broken bone in his left forearm, while Philly CB Lorenzo Lynch is expected to be out at least 2 weeks nursing a tear in his hamstring. Denver will be without HB Barry Foster for a week or two, along with injuries to DT Mike Taliferro and guard O’Neill Glenn as the Gold have one of the longest injury lists in the league. Coming back this week after a short absence or a game removal in Week 3 we find Troy Aikman, Jamie Morris, Robert Blackmon, Hassan Jones, Ben Apuna and Brian Blades. A lot of folks in Tampa will be happy to see Aikman back after a poor day from Oliver Luck led to the first Bandits loss. Week Four is highlighted by a game between Philly and Tampa Bay, in Tampa. Another big game is Michigan heading to Portland to face the undefeated Thunder. New Orleans is in Arizona and Houston will test the Oakland Invaders out by the bay. The Surprising Pittsburgh Maulers head to Birmingham in the Battle of the Steel Cities, while Chicago is in LA, with both teams hoping to even their records. In other action, Baltimore is in Memphis, New Jersey, with Chris Miller at the helm, will be in Orlando, Washington is in Jacksonville, and Texas heads up to Mile High to face the Denver Gold.