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SCORES BAL 14 WSH 24 The Feds and the Blitz finish out the string with a pretty entertaining game at RFK between these regional rivals. Don Majkowski hit Webster Slaughter and Duane Gunn with TD tosses, and 2nd year back Kevin Harmon got the start and rushed for 5 yards and TD for the Feds. NJ 27 PHI 10 The Generals wrapped up their first Division title and a 10-win season by knocking off the Stars despite resting Doug Flutie and Brent Jones. Herschel Walker played the whole game in his effort to win the rushing title. His 90 yards were enough to take the title and help New Jersey to the win. JAX 16 MEM 20 Memphis thrilled the home crowd with a tighter than expected scrap with the Bulls. Memphis needed a Kelley to John Embree TD with only 1:07 left to earn their 11th win on the year and lock up the top Wild Card spot in the East. Grewg Boone rushed for 93 yards and Mel Gray caught 8 for 77, finishing the year as the receptions leader in the USFL. CHI 17 MGN 18 It took all they had, but Michigan knocked off Chicago and finishes the year with 10 wins and a Wild Card berth. Mark Hermann overcame 2 early interceptions and later found Derek Holloway to pull within 2. He then led the Panthers to the game-winning field goal, despite getting no help from the run game, which notched only 28 total yards on the day. Chicago finishes 7-9, with Steve Beurlein subbing for the injured Chuck Long. HOU 38 TEX 30 Another great shootout between the Gamblers and Outlaws in San Marcos. Jim Kelly had a strong day, throwing 3 TDs to only 1 Int, and Thurman Thomas garnered AP Offensive Player of the Week honors with his 126 yards rushing and 42 yards receiving. His two TD’s helped Houston outpace the Outlaws, who also got 3 TD passes from their veteran QB. ARZ 31 LA 16 The Express had hoped to finish strong and make it to 8-8, but the Arizona defense was not going to give rookie QB Rodney Peete any breaks. They sacked Peete 3 times and picked off a pass in the endzone to help lead the Wranglers to a season-ending victory. DEN 35 POR 3 Denver needed the win to lock up the division, and Portland simply had nothing to play for and it showed. Denver built up a 28-0 lead on 3 Bob Gagliano TD tosses and a strong day for Harry Sydney before coasting down the stretch. The win gives them the Pacific crown and a bye week. PIT 10 OAK 20 Oakland did their part at home, but Denver’s win means the 10-6 Invaders will be a Wild Card team and will be playing next week. Gale Gilbert had a solid day, avoiding turnovers and putting Oakland on the board with a TD pass to Sam Bowers. Richard Williams contributed a score, and Kevin Shea did the rest as the Invaders doubled up the Jeff Hostetler-led Maulers. ORL 13 NOR 34 With Houston and Michigan still on their heels, New Orleans could not rest their starters, so, instead, they put a licking on the Renegades. Dalton Hilliard acted as the lead back, gaining 76 yards on the day, and TD’s to Charlie Smith and Dan Ross were enough to boost New Orleans to an easy win. Orlando, who were already locked into the #5 seed, assisted by resting both Reggie Collier and Curtis Bledsoe to get some playing time for Jimmie Jordan and former Houston HB Todd Fowler. GAME OF THE WEEK Birmingham Stallions 22 Tampa Bay Bandits 19 This was the clear game of the week around the league. A Tampa win and they leapfrog both Memphis and Birmingham to claim the Southern Division crown and a bye week. Lose and they fall to the #4 seed and have to play next week. For Birmingham, a win got them the title, but they would have to play without All-USFL HB Joe Cribbs, whose right knee was still swollen at gametime. It would have to be a conservative game for the Stallions against a wide open attack from Tampa Bay. Tampa came out swinging to begin the game. After holding Birmingham to a 3-and-out on their first drive, Tampa drove the ball the length of the field, with Troy Aikman finding Chris Collinsworth for a short TD catch and the game’s first lead. The Tampa drive took only 2:14 to traverse 74 yards. The contrast in styles would be obvious as Birmingham received the kickoff and proceeded to mount their own drive, one that would last nearly 9 minutes and would end with a Brent Fullwood plunge at the goal line. The game would have been tied, but Scott Norwood, who had not missed an extra point all season, bounced the PAT off the right crossbar. 7-6 Tampa, and the stylistic war had begun in earnest. The second quarter would be a battle of field position and turnovers as both teams had trouble mounting a second successful drive. Tampa initially had the better field position after a poor Birmingham punt, and they managed a field goal out of it, but after another Birmingham punt, the field would flip when Troy Aikman was picked off by Anthony Blaylock in Bandit territory. Birmingham could not move the ball and settled for their own field goal. At the half 10-9 Tampa and the nervous Birmingham fans in attendance in Tampa Stadium were already wondering if Norwood’s miss would be decisive in this close game. Birmingham helped to calm the nerves of their faithful when they moved the ball well on the first drive of the 3rd quarter and once again put points on the board with a 44-yard Norwood kick. They now led 12-10. Only 1 play later, things would get even better for the Stallions, as Tampa’s Speedy Neal muffed the kickoff catch and in the scramble to grab the ball, kicked it forward to an oncoming Stallion. Stallion reserve CB Donnell Woodberry fell on the ball and the Stallions were in position to add more to the scoreboard. It took them 6 plays to get from the Tampa 22 into the endzone, but when Cliff Stoudt hit TE Walter Reeves with the scoring pass, things were looking very good for the Stallions, now up 9. Unphased, Tampa responded with a fast-paced, 10-play drive, that took them from their own 29 to the Birmingham 8 yard line. From there, backup HB Lars Tate bulled through the line, broke a tackle, and plunged into the endzone to bring Tampa back to within 2 at 19-17. On the next possession it looked as if momentum had turned for good. Tampa pinned Birmingham at the 17 on the kickoff, and on their first play from scrimmage, the Stallions were called for holding, moving the ball within the 10. A Fullwood run cost them 3 more yards and now they were at the 5 with a 2nd and 18 in front of them. They called a play fake, but the Tampa defenders did not bite on the run. DE Skip McClendon made a B-line for the slow-footed Stoudt, and pulled him down just inside the endzone for a safety and a tie game. Tampa received the safety kickoff and could do nothing, with Aikman missing Gillespie on a 3rd and 5 toss. Tampa punted and Birmingham went to work on what would end up being the game-winning drive. It took them 13 plays, and they milked the clock down to just under 2 minutes before trotting Scott Norwood out on the field. The long-time Stallion kicker put the ball between the uprights and Birmingham had a slim lead at 22-19. The division would depend on their 2-minute defense. After a touchback on the kickoff put the ball on the 20, Tampa struck quickly, with Aikman finding Truvillion for 12 on the first play from scrimmage. A Gary Anderson run of 4 made it 2nd and 6, and then Birmingham started to assert themselves. On 2nd down, Aikman retreated, intending to throw to TE Chris Kelley, but he felt pressure from DE Art Still and pulled the ball back down. Still recorded a sack and forced a 3rd and 12. Aikman found Collinsworth, but only for 10 and it would be a 4th down call that would determine whether Tampa could come back or not. Coach Spurrier eschewed the run option in favor of a bootleg with Aikman, looking for Gillespie crossing the center of the field. Aikman got the throw off, but Gillespie was covered too tightly by FS Roman Lewis, and Lewis’s left hand got between the ball and the receiver. Gillespie cried pass interference, but neither the on-field referee nor the replay official agreed with him. Birmingham had held on and claimed their prize, the Southern Division Title, a #1 seed and a bye week. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK To say Houston missed HB Thurman Thomas during his injury is an understatement. Thomas was injured Week 10 against Baltimore on only his 3rd carry of the day. The Gamblers would go on to surprisingly lose that game. He would then miss the next 2 weeks of action before returning in Week 13. Houston would barely beat Jacksonville in Week 11, and lose to New Orleans in Week 12. The Blitz and Breakers loses would be their only two losses in the season’s entire 2nd half. With Thomas back in Week 13, he gained 166 combined yards as Houston knocked off Tampa. The next two weeks he had modest games (75 yards and 58 yards) against Chicago and Michigan (both division wins for Houston). And that brings us to this week. With the Lone Star Rivalry on the line, and playoff positioning to be had, Thomas came out and just decimated the Outlaw defense. He rushed for 125 and 2 scores, he was also the team’s 3rd leading receiver, catching 3 balls for 42 yards (2 of those being key 3rd down pickups). The big final game helped Thomas get over 1,000 yards rushing for the year, finishing with 1,126 to go along with 570 yards receiving and a combined 11 touchdowns (3 receiving). In only 2 years, Thomas has become one of the most respected, feared, and admired players in the league. His chemistry with QB Jim Kelly is a thing to behold, and with these two playing well down the stretch, and with plenty of playoff experience on this squad, no one looks forward to playing the Gamblers in the postseason. PLAYOFF PICTURE After 16 weeks, we are down to 10 teams left. Some knew their position going into this week, and some needed the W to move up the seeding. For teams like Baltimore and Texas, whose fade down the stretch cost them a chance at the post-season, this will be a bitter memory. For others, like New Orleans and New Jersey, who came on strong in the season’s final quarter, it is hoped that this is just the beginning. So, what do we have in store as the post-season begins? EAST Birmingham is your #1 seed. They will await the winner of the Wild Card play-in winner. New Jersey as the #2 seed already knows who they will play, as they have 2 weeks to prepare for a tough foe, #3 seed Memphis. The two play-in opponents know each other well and are in-state rivals as #5 seed Orlando will head down the highway to nearby Tampa Stadium to face off against the #4 seed Bandits. WEST New Orleans, on the strength of a season-ending 5 game win streak, earns the #1 seed and a bye. Denver, winners of the Pacific Division by virtue of their 6-2 division record, also gets a bye before they face the top Wild Card entrant, the Michigan Panthers, in the Divisional Round. The last two entrants, Houston and Oakland, came down to a 3rd tie breaker before it was decided that Oakland would be the #4 seed and host the Wild Card game, while Houston would need to win 3 road games if they wished to return to the Championship. The winner of the Wild Card game will head to New Orleans next, to face the Breakers. The other side of the final standings provide us with our first 10 picks in the 1989 Collegiate Draft, with Portland the #1 selection at 1-15 for the year. Philadelphia will select 2nd, a very unfamiliar position for them, while Pittsburgh will be third. The next 3 picks will require some tie-breakers as Arizona, Washington and Jacksonville all finished at 6-10. Pick 7 belongs to Baltimore, pick 8 to LA, pick 9 to Chicago, and pick 10 to the once 8-4 Texas Outlaws, who fell to 8-8 on four straight season-ending losses. NEWS & NOTES We are accustomed to Black Monday being a period when disappointing teams let their GM’s and Head Coaches go, in hopes of finding glory with new leadership. And in most years it is pretty predictable who that will be. We had listed several coaches on the hot seat this year, but a surprising thing happened this past Monday. Not only did several losing teams not cut loose their coaches, but a team no one expected to lose their head man found themselves shocked by a resignation. OK, first things first. As expected, Rusty Tillman’s tenure in Portland is officially over. He stepped in as the interim head coach upon the release of Jack Patera, but he had only been the Special Teams coach prior to the sudden promotion, so no one was surprised when the Thunder announced on Monday that they were already working on signing a new coach, and that Rusty Tillman was not a finalist. That we knew would be the case. We were surprised that a 7-9 season was enough for LA’s John Hadl to keep his position, but the Express have confirmed that he will remain the Head Coach in LA for the 1990 season. The same essentially happened in Pittsburgh, where Ted Marchibroda, after a very disappointing 6-win season was retained, and in Chicago, where progress towards 7-9 was seen as a good sign for Joe Bugel. What shocked the league, was the story out of Philadelphia, where the Stars’ only Head Coach in franchise history, a two-time League Champion coach, Jim Mora, announced his resignation from the Stars after a 5-win season. Mora was not seen as being in any way under pressure this year. One bad year after 7 straight playoff seasons was not going to cause the Stars to lose faith on a coach who brought them two league trophies. Speculation is running wild that Mora resigned not because he had suffered a significant setback with his team this year, but because greener pastures had been calling. With another year on his contract with Philadelphia, it would not be appropriate (and possibly not legal) for the NFL to officially come calling, but with 3 NFL teams surprisingly still without head coaches this late in the offseason, there is rampant speculation that somehow word got to Mora that he had a job waiting if he left the Stars. If that is the case, expect an announcement soon, and then expect the USFL’s attorneys to start exploring whether or not the NFL or one of their clubs engaged in any unethical or illegal tampering with the Stars coach. We suspect that the surprising story of Jim Mora’s resignation in Philadelphia is not over, and may be the beginning of something big. Possibly even a retaliatory strike after last year’s NFL complaints about the signing of Marty Schottenheimer by the USFL Blitz. INJURY REPORT This week, we are going to look only at the 4 wild card teams, as we can see how the rest helped the remaining 6 bye-week teams to recuperate when we report next week. So, here are players likely to miss (or to return for) the Wild Card Round. ORLANDO: LT R. Curry (Out), RG D. Cadigan (Out), WR Alfred Jackson (Probable) TAMPA BAY: WR Ch. Collinsworth (Out), CB L. Pritchard (Probable) HOUSTON: LB Todd Howard (Out), LB David Peace (Out), SS Keith Moody (Doubtful) OAKLAND: WR W. Henderson (Out), T K. Robbins (Probable), SS M. Quinn (Probable), HB R. Williams (Probable) The injury to Collinsworth has to be a concern for Tampa, as Willie Gillespie is best suited as a slot receiver. They may move Brett Perriman into Collinsworth’s spot to keep Gillespie in the middle of the field. For Houston, being down 3 defensive starters means they are going to have to count on team defense as Jesse Small and Chris Chenault step in at LB, and John White replaces Keith Moody at strong safety. Expect less blitzing and more zone for Houston as they try to cover for each other. With Oakland having two strong outside receivers, that could be trouble for the Houston D, so it may come down to Kelly and Thomas outpacing Gale Gilbert and the Oakland Offense. LOOKING AHEAD We will have a full playoff preview before next Sunday’s two Wild Card games, but we have the schedule ready now so you can start salivating. Sunday, July 2—1 pm Eastern Time: Orlando Renegades (5) @ Tampa Bay Bandits (4) Sunday, July 2—4:30 pm Eastern Time: Houston Gamblers (5) @ Oakland Invaders (4)

SCORES PIT 10 NJ 20 The Generals guaranteed themselves a winning season with their 9th win by knocking off the Maulers 20-10. Herschel Walker gained 116 on the ground, while Pittsburgh played without both Alan Risher and Mike Rozier (gimpy ankle). The lack of two key offensive starters made for a rough day for the Mauler offense, as New Jersey held them to 211 total yards on their way to a decisive victory. WSH 14 PHI 24 Don Majkowski returned but looked out of synch with his offense as Philadelphia got a big day from WR Quinn Early (6 receptions for 126 yards). Kelvin Bryant rushed for 90 yards and a score and Chuck Fusina completed 72% of his passes on the way to the Stars victory. Both teams now sit at 5-10 for the year. ORL 37 JAX 20 Orlando took care of business to move over .500 and closer still to the final Wild Card in the playoff hunt. Curtis Bledsoe contributed 107 on the ground and John Jefferson had his biggest game of the year, catching 6 balls for 108 as the Bulls double-covered #1 receiver Wamon Buggs. NOR 21 CHI 7 With Chuck Long shaken up in the 1st quarter, it was up to Steve Beurlein, but without pre-game reps, Beurlein struggled to connect with his receivers. Meanwhile Matt Robinson continued his late push for a 2nd consecutive MVP award by throwing for 2 scores. Rookie Wesley Walls had a solid game for Chicago, catching 6 balls for 42 yards. MGN 12 HOU 20 In a game both teams desperately wanted for playoff positioning, Houston got the better of Michigan thanks to two Jim Kelly touchdown passes. The Houston D made life rough for Mark Hermann, sacking the Panther QB 6 times on the day. Both teams are now at 9-6 and may be resigned to a Wild Card behind New Orleans. OAK 25 ARZ 20 Arizona was game, but backup QB Jeff Kemp was able to guide the Invaders to a 22-13 lead and then drive the squad for a late game-clinching field goal. The offensive star of the day was Arizona’s Louis LIpps, who had 8 catches for 115 yards, but Oakland managed to eke out the win thanks in large part to the very accurate right foot of Kevin Shea. LA 29 DEN 17 Oakland now finds themselves tied with Denver after the Gold were upset by an LA Express team led by rookie QB Rodney Peete. Peete had an outstanding game, completing 18 of 26 for 229 yards and 2 scores in the Express win. Bob Gagliano struggled against LA’s complex zone schemes, tossing two interceptions. TEX 14 BAL 27 The Blitz played spoilers at home against the Outlaws, with Eric Kramer rebounding from a bad outing last week to throw 3 TD’s against the Texas defense. Neil Balholm caught two of them for his best game of the year. Texas had the game tied at 14 with a score to start the 4th quarter, but Baltimore ran off 13 unanswered points to take the win and put a dent in Texas’s playoff hopes. POR 16 BIR 31 The Stallions played well at home against the 1-win Thunder, building up a 21-3 halftime lead and then cruising to a 15 point victory. Joe Cribbs’ OPOTW performance of 27 carries for 167 yards helped him leapfrog over Herschel Walker for the league rushing lead, while two former Generals, Clarence Collins and Danny Knight both caught scoring tosses from Cliff Stoudt in the Stallions’ win. GAME OF THE WEEK Tampa Bay Bandits 27 Memphis Showboats 23 Tampa Bay put themselves in a great position to be able to claim an unexpected Southern Division title with a win at Memphis. One game behind Birmingham, if Tampa can tie either the Stallions or the Showaboats atop the division, their better division record will give them the title. They needed this game to do it, and they needed a late touchdown to get this game won. It did not start out looking like such dramatics would be needed as the first quarter belonged to the Bandits. Troy Aikman found Kevin Starks for a score early in the quarter and then hit Eric Truvillion for a second to build a 14-0 lead. But, these Showboats are no slouches, and Memphis roared back with 13 unanswered points in the second quarter, getting to within 1 at 14-13 before a late Benny Ricardo field goal boosted the Tampa lead to 17-13 at the half. The second half began with Memphis taking the lead for the first time in the game. Mike Kelley led Memphis on an 11-play drive that was capped off with a Greg Boone touchdown run. Up 20-17 after 3, the Showboats and Bandits would trade field goals, and with 3 minutes left in the game, Memphis held onto a slim 23-20 lead over the Bandits. It would be up to Troy Aikman and the Bandits offense to pull this one out. With just under 3 minutes to play, and the ball backed up to their 14 yard line, Tampa began an epic drive to steal a win in Memphis. Aikman hit Anderson on a screen to start off the drive, then got the needed first down on a Lars Tate 7-yard run. Aikman then hit Truvillion and Gillespie on consecutive plays, moving the ball into Memphis territory. A run by Anderson and a quick hitch to TE Kevin Starks, got another set of downs, and a roughing the passer call against LB Eddie Simmons moved the ball into the red zone. 3 plays later the ball was on the Memphis 5 and Aikman hit Tampa’s 2nd TE, Starks, with his 3rd catch on the day, and his 2nd touchdown. The win pulls Tampa even with Memphis and still only 1 game behind Birmingham. If the Stallions lose next week, Tampa can pull even and win the division only one year after finishing in the cellar. Coach Spurrier has reinvented the team, building an offense around rookie Troy Aikman, while retaining the elements which had worked so well when John Reaves was managing the offense. The Bandits are assured of a playoff spot (as is Memphis) at 10-5, but they have their eyes set on a possible division title and #1 seed. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK For the performance of the week we will go back to the crucial Tampa Bay-Memphis game, and to wideout Eric Truvillion. Truvillion has been a stalwart for the Bandits since the franchise first arrived in Tampa in 1983. He was John Reaves’s favorite target and he has quickly become Troy Aikman’s. This week he caught 9 balls for 168 yards and a score. No one was surprised. Why? Well look at his entire career. This year, one in which he has 67 receptions for 1188 yards and 11 touchdowns is clearly his worst season to date. He caught 108 balls in 1986 for 1959 yards, the closest anyone has ever come to a 2,000 yard season. In every other season he has caught a minimum of 59 balls and his lowest yardage total ever was 1408 last year (when Reaves was injured). He has had double-digit touchdowns each season, including his astounding 25 touchdowns in the watermark year of 1986. This season, even with a new QB he has 67 receptions and not a single drop on the year. The simple fact is that Eric Truvillion has been one of the best, if not the best, receiver in the USFL for the league’s entire existence. That he had a strong week 15 weeks into a season with a new QB (a very good new QB) is not a surprise to anyone. PLAYOFF PICTURE Here is what we know. New Jersey has won the Atlantic and will play the #3 seed (top Wild Card team) next week. Birmingham wins the South with a victory over Tampa Bay next week, but a loss could bump them back to 3rd in the division and a Wild Card game in the first round of the playoffs. Lots of pressure there. Denver and Oakland are tied at 9-6 and while both are likely to make the playoffs, the bye is waiting for the Division Winner. Denver is at Portland with a good shot of wrapping up the title due to better division record, but if they stumble, Oakland will need to beat Pittsburgh in a final week inter-division game to claim the title. In the Central New Orleans wins the title and the #1 seed with a win next week against Orlando. Even with a loss, they can still win the division, depending on what Michigan and Houston do. Michigan is home to a tough Chicago squad while Houston plays their in-state rivals at Bobcat Stadium. An upset in one or both games is not inconceivable. As for the Wild Cards, the Eastern Conference is all wrapped up. We know the five playoff teams are New Jersey, Birmingham, Tampa, Memphis and Orlando, the question is just who gets a bye week and who does not. In the Western Conference we know that New Orleans is in, but with a cluster at 9-6 or 8-7 between Houston, Michigan, Denver, Oakland, and Texas, one of these teams is going to be out. We just don’t know who. INJURY REPORT With a lot of teams boasting long injury reports, it is tough to sort out what impact injuries will have on next week’s action. Here are the injuries we see which may cause issues for the key teams battling for their playoff lives: Birmingham may have to play without Joe Cribbs, who has developed some swelling in his knee. If they can win without him this week, the rest before the Divisional Round may be key. Orlando T Robert Curry is out and that opens up Reggie Collier to potential pressure. Alan Risher being out for Pittsburgh could help Oakland clinch a playoff spot. Denver playing without DE Larry White is a disadvantage, but against Portland not a huge loss. Memphis will be without WR Bobby Joe Edmunds, putting more pressure on Mel Gray this week. Texas LB Brian Bosworth is still only questionable for this week’s game with the stress fracture in his foot. Texas may also be out Stump Mitchell due to migraines which have flared up towards the end of this week. LOOKING AHEAD The biggest game of the week is undoubtedly Birmingham at Tampa Bay. That game will essentially determine the division and the #1 seed in the East. The Chicago-Michigan and Houston-Texas games are also huge for all four clubs, while the other key playoff matchups are teams facing non-playoff squads and needing to avoid an upset. This includes Denver @ Portland, Oakland @ Pittsburgh, and Jacksonville @ Memphis. Games with no playoff ramifications include Baltimore @ Washington, New Jersey @ Philadelphia, and Arizona @ LA. The week’s final game, Orlando @ New Orleans will not impact playoff berths, but could alter the rankings and seeding for the playoffs.

SCORES PIT 26 BAL 3 In a battle of backups, the Maulers’ Jeff Hostetler looked a lot sharper than Baltimore’s Eric Kramer, despite Kramer being several weeks into his starting gig. Hostetler completed 73% of his passes, finding Raynard Brown for an early score and leading 6 different scoring drives, while Kramer completed only 41% against the often-porous Pittsburgh D, and tossed two interceptions in the loss. WSH 3 NJ 17 The Generals took care of business and won the Atlantic Division title with a strong defensive showing at home. Herschel Walker rushed for 98 yards and Flutie hit on 2 TD passes to lead the Generals, but it was the D that completely shut down Washington backup Mike Hohensee and secured the title for the home squad. ORL 20 BIR 33 The Birmingham Stallions kept on track to win the South by knocking off the Wild Card hopeful Renegades. Joe Cribbs rushed for 118 and a score, while the D contributed with a pick-6 of their own, one of 3 picks thrown by Reggie Collier on the day. Orlando is still in a position to snag a playoff berth but are now out of any range to compete for the division title. TBY 24 JAX 21 In a back & forth battle, the Bandits ended up on top, knocking Jacksonville from playoff contention and keeping one game behind the division leaders with 2 games to play. Gary Anderson was a beast with 148 yards rushing, while Eric Truvillion also shone with 2 scores and 111 yards receiving. POR 6 OAK 19 Portland’s D played a respectable game, but the Ed Luther led Thunder offense simply could not get much done in Oakland. The Invaders, starting Jeff Kemp again as Gale Gilbert continues to struggle with his health, were hardly dynamic, but 2 touchdowns from Richard Williams were more than enough to lead the Invaders to victory and a possible playoff spot. HOU 20 CHI 17 Houston burst out to a strong 17-0 lead and then held on as Chuck Long tried to lead the Machine back. A later Dave Jacobs field goal kept Houston in front, but it was not an easy win for them against a Machine club that outgained the Gamblers. With the win, Houston moves closer to a playoff return after a very shacky season so far. TEX 23 NOR 33 New Orleans continues to show that their offensive rhythm is back, gaining 413 yards of total offense, largely on the legs of DuPree and Hilliard who rushed for a combined 181 yards. Texas kept pace through three quarters but could never get closer than a 7-point deficit as New Orleans kept the pressure on throughout the game with timely scoring drives. PHI 13 LA 17 The Express keep their slim playoff hopes alive, despite Steve Young going down with a 4th quarter injury that could cost him the next 2 vital weeks. LA’s defense came up big, limiting Kelvin Bryant to only 42 yards on 19 rushes, and picking off Chuck Fusina twice. Christian Okoye rumbled for 103 yards to help LA pull out a close win. MEM 42 MGN 23 Mark Hermann played well for the Panthers, despite being sacked a stunning 10 times on the day, a USFL record. Despite the constant pressure, Hermann threw for 3 touchdowns and no picks, but without John Williams the Panther run game just was not there. The same cannot be said for Memphis. Greg Boone may have only had 75 yards rushing, but he added 4 touchdowns on the day, single handedly outscoring the Panthers. Add in TD catches from Mel Gray and Tim Moffett and this one got out of hand pretty quickly. GAME OF THE WEEK Denver Gold 24 Arizona Wranglers 19 Denver found themselves behind the 8-ball once again, down 9 to start the 4th, but once again they found the internal drive to fight back and pull out a much-needed win. Trailing 19-10 with one quarter to play, the gold got a Harry Sydney run and a Bill Brooks TD catch in the final 6 minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The loss eliminates Arizona from playoff contention. For Denver, they still find themselves in a heated battle with Oakland for the division title. The game began well for Arizona as the defense chipped in a safety after a botched snap rolled into the endzone and Bob Gagliano could do nothing but fall on it, giving the Wranglers 2 points. Denver would get back on top, putting 10 points on the board in the 2nd, but Arizona was also game, as Robbie Bosco hit Trumaine Johnson in the 2-minute drill to produce a 10-9 Denver lead at the half. In the second half, Arizona played the field position game, and it paid off with a Mick Luckhurst field goal and a James Wilder run helping them move from 10-9 down to a 19-10 lead. They seemed to have the game well in hand, killing off 8 minutes in the 4th quarter, only to end a drive with a missed fieldgoal. Denver built momentum off the miss, marching down field and using a no-huddle approach to save time. The strategy worked, and with 6:52 left in the game, Denver got to within 2 on the 7-yard Harry Sydney TD run. They would hold Arizona on the next drive and took over with just over 2:30 left in the game. Once again Denver found holes in the Arizona defense. Bob Gagliano wisely threw the ball away on a 2nd and 10 rather than take the sack, and on 3rd and 10 he found Jay Novacek for a first down in the series most pivotal play. 3 plays later it was Gagliano to Brooks for the score and Denver was up by 5. With just under 2 minutes left, and no time outs, Arizona had to try to go 76 yards for the score. Denver allowed them short passes, primarily in the middle of the field, and the clock kept ticking. When Bosco spiked the ball with 2 seconds left, Arizona was on the Denver 44, and the Hail Mary remained the only option. Denver put in 7 DB’s (including putting Bill Brooks in the game as a deep safety) and while Bosco’s pass made it into the endzone, it was quickly swatted down by Denver defenders, ending the game with a Gold victory. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK While there were lots of individual accolades this week, with Gary Anderson winning Offensive Player of the Week from the AP, we are giving our focus this week to the performance of the Memphis defense, particularly the pass rush. We all expect some pressure from the DE combo of Reggie White and Booker Reese, but what Memphis did this week was special, and we expect, horrifying for poor Mark Hermann. Memphis, recognizing that certain blitzes would work to bottle up HB Vince Workman as well as pressure Hermann, brought pressure from linebackers and safeties in addition to their usual 4-man rush with Reese and White. The result was a stunning 10 sacks on the day, along with 6 other hits on Hermann. Reese recorded 3 sacks, more than doubling his year-to-date total of 2. Reggie White got 2, boosting his total for the year to 14 (one behind the league leader). In addition to these five, there were sacks recorded by LB’s Mike Douglass and Mike Junkin, FS Bubba McDowell, CB Derrick Cudrup and backup DE Gerald Robinson. It was a showcase of schemes, stunts, and blitzes that bewildered the Michigan offensive line and flustered Coach Stanley. That Memphis, who rarely blitzed in earlier games, found such success even with Anthony Carter, Derrick Holloway and Butch Rolle on the field, may inspire them to bring out the high-pressure, blitz-heavy strategy in future games, including the playoffs. If this game is any indication, that may be their ticket to a deep playoff run. PLAYOFF PICTURE Speaking of playoff runs, we are finally getting some sense of what to expect. New Jersey has clinched the Atlantic Division title and will host the highest rated Wild Card team in the second week of the playoffs. In the South, it is down to a 3-team race, with Tampa waiting in the wings if either Birmingham or Memphis stumble. The Division winner will almost certainly have the #1 seed and will face the weaker 4th or 5th seed after the Wild Card round. The 2nd place finisher will be off to New Jersey for their divisional round game. In the Pacific it is also a lot clearer, with Denver a game up on Oakland. Only a 2-game flip will give Oakland the division. If they tie, Denver has the better division record and would take the title. LA is now in the hunt for a Wild Card but need a lot of help from Central Division teams ahead of them in the rankings. In the Central, Michigan’s 3-game slide since losing Jack Trudeau has allowed New Orleans to pull even, and with Houston and Texas only a game back, the Panthers’ prospects are slipping away. All 5 teams remain in contention, and it is possible, though unlikely, that all 3 Wild Cards could go to the Central if Oakland stumbles. NEWS & NOTES There is a lot happening in the league this time of year, with teams jockeying for playoff berths, teams testing out younger players, player resignings coming down to the wire before the season ends and the NFL can swoop in, and with the upcoming transition from Chet Simmons to Wayne Duke as commissioner. But, the business of the USFL never stops either, and this week the league office and outgoing commissioner Chet Simmons made an announcement that is sure to thrill younger fans of the league. The USFL is getting into the video game business. The Japanese company Tecmo, the USFL, and the USFL Players Association, have agreed on terms which will allow the popular arcade and Nintendo home gaming system product, Tecmo Bowl, to now feature all 20 USFL teams, with current players. The game made popular in its arcade version, but now available on the Nintendo gaming system for home use, will feature team logos, uniforms (in a basic form) and players. Gamers will be able to play individual games with USFL teams or play out an entire season with their favorite club. It is expected that TECMO will release a modified version of the game with the USFL branding in time for the 1989 Christmas season and the 1990 USFL season. The timing is likely to mean that 1989 draftees will not be present in the game, but veterans like Kelvin Bryant, Doug Flutie, Steve Young and Joe Cribbs could soon see a version of themselves in the game. At the joint press conference, USFL Commissioner Chet Simmons hailed this as a great collaboration, one that will place the USFL in the hands of millions of young fans, while providing Tecmo with a real-world connection for its popular game. Simmons suggested that the agreement may lead to annual versions of the game to be produced, allowing Tecmo to update rosters and, of course, sell multiple versions of the game over time. The arcade and home arcade markets are expected to grow exponentially over the next few years, with Atari, Mattel’s Intellivision, and Nintendo all anticipating new game systems, and with Tecmo looking to provide a version of this popular game for the new Sega Genesis. That the USFL has signed on with the leading American Football simulation game is viewed as a huge boost for the league, beating out the NFL into the gaming market. While it is far too early in the development stage to see visuals of the game with the USFL trademarks, TECMO did have a mockup of a cartridge box on display at the press conference (shown here) and the USFL and Tecmo announced that they have worked with ABC and ESPN to utilize Tecmo-styled imagery in 1989 playoff game telecasts as an early marketing campaign for the new USFL Tecmo Bowl. With the USFL expected to redub their Championship Game for the 1990 season, one now has to wonder whether this agreement may lead the USFL to hold their own “real world” Tecmo Bowl next year. LOOKING AHEAD Week 15 could determine a lot of playoff outcomes as the USFL is back with 8 divisional matchups. New Jersey could still catch the Southern Division Winner if they win out, so don’t expect them to rest their starters against Pittsburgh. Washington and Philadelphia may test out some young talent as they play out the string with this game at Veterans Stadium. Orlando looks to keep their playoff hopes alive as they take on the 5th place Bulls in Jacksonville. In a huge matchup, Tampa can knock off one of the two teams ahead of them with a big game at Memphis, but now have to worry about that blitzing defense. In the Central, New Orleans will try to get past Chicago and one step closer to the division title. Houston and Michigan will also face off in a matchup of possible wild cards, though the title is not out of range for either. Oakland heads to Arizona needing a win to keep pace with the Gold. Denver is at home, where they have been very good again this year, but the LA Express are playing better ball right now. The big question is whether or not Steve Young will be able to play, and if not, can rookie Rodney Peete step in? In inter-divisional play Texas hopes they can snag a road win against the now-eliminated Baltimore Blitz, while Portland may play sacrificial lamb to the 10-4 Birmingham Stallions.

SCORES BAL 6 NJ 16 Baltimore fell short in a game they needed to win to catch New Jersey and a share of the division lead. The Generals’ D proved too tough for Eric Kramer, who was forced to throw 54 times (completing only 25 and tossing two picks), while New Jersey relied on balance between Herschel Walker’s 95 yards and Doug Flutie’s 173. PHI 7 PIT 28 After years of one-sided Keystone State clashes, Pittsburgh got a measure of revenge against the Stars with this win. Pittsburgh scored 28 points to open the game and held Philly scoreless until the 4th quarter. Alan Risher had a stunning 30-yard TD run, but was later knocked out of the game (and possibly the rest of the season), only to watch as Jeff Hostetler went 4 for 6 with 2 TD passes as Pittsburgh rolled over a deflated and desheveled Stars squad. CHI 45 TEX 21 Chicago came down to San Marcos and absolutely stunned the Outlaws. By the 10-minute mark in the 2nd quarter it was already 24-0 Chicago, and Texas just did not have the opportunities needed to climb back. Chicago got a 1st drive TD from Long to Michael Haynes, but it was a 58-yard Mike Fox interception return for a score that really broke the back of the Outlaws. Albert Bentley also rushed for 82 yards and 2 scores. MGN 14 NOR 27 Another game where one team built up an insurmountable lead. This time Robinson hit 3 different receivers (Smith, Franz, Fontenot) with scores and the combo of DuPree and Hilliard kept Michigan from getting enough time on offense to come back, despite both Carter and Holloway gaining 100 yards apiece. LA 9 OAK 10 Sometimes a 10-9 score might indicate two solid defenses putting on a show of hitting and strategy. Not this time. Both LA and Oakland simply could not do much. The only player who seemed to have a good day was Oakland HB Richard Williams, who rushed for exactly 100 yards on 14 carries, but overall this was simply an ugly game, with 16 penalties between the two teams. Someone had to win it, and Oakland did that on a late Kevin Shea field goal. ARZ 38 POR 21 Robbie Bosco threw for 2 scores and James Wilder added 70 yards rushing as once again the Thunder defense was not up to the task. Ed Luther had a decent day, throwing for 3 scores, but he also threw 2 picks trying to be the hero for the Thunder. WSH 24 DEN 23 This one was a much more entertaining game as Washington just would not go away and the two teams swapped leads 6 times over the course of the game. Mike Hohensee had to come in after Majkowski was shaken up in the 3rd, and he managed to find Joey Walters for a score and end the game with a final drive to put Ray Wersching in position to win the game. Wersching connected from 41 yards and the Federals knocked off the Gold. TBY 13 HOU 28 Two big returns for Houston in this game. Thurman Thomas returned from injury and proved his value immediately, leading the team in rushing with 112 yards, and in receiving with 6 catches for 54 yards. The other big return was Houston’s aggressive defense, which harassed Troy Aikman for 60 minutes, and limited Gary Anderson in both the run and pass game. The strategy worked as Tampa managed only 1 TD on the day, an Aikman to Brett Perriman strike in the 1st quarter. GAMES OF THE WEEK Birmingham Stallions 20 Jacksonville Bulls 23 OVERTIME Memphis Showboats 20 Orlando Renegades 23 OVERTIME It is so rare to have two games go to overtime with the same score, and for both to finish with the underdog home team knocking off the favorite in the same fashion, that we had to celebrate both. And for both games to be in the same division is even wilder. So, we have the Bulls stunning the Stallions and the Renegades upending the Showboats by the same score, but not in the same way. Jacksonville got the win by playing a patient game on defense, bending on defense but not breaking, while on offense the Bull got just enough from Chris Miller, and even more from rookie kicker Pete Stoyanovich to even the score at the end of regulation and then take the opening drive of overtime down to field goal range, where the Indiana grad kicked the game winner from 45 yards out. Birmingham had a lot of success between the 20’s, with Joe Cribbs running for 100 and Brent Fullwood gaining another 65 on the day, but the Stallions simply could not score in the redzone, with 4 drives ending in field goals. In Orlando the story was quite different, even if the final result was the same. The Renegades focused on pressuring Mike Kelley, and they succeeded in sacking him 3 times, and hurrying him many more. One of those hurries led to a costly drive-ending interception. On Offense, Orlando got big days from both Reggie Collier (271 yards and a TD) and Curtis Bledsoe (138 yards rushing and a score). If there was one similarity with the Bulls victory for Orlando it was that in the end it all came down to their kicker. Fuad Reveiz tied the game at 20 with only 2 seconds left to send the game to overtime. In overtime both teams struggled to move the ball, but with only 2:46 left in the game, Reveiz was in position and his kick gave the Renegades a huge divisional win. The combination of overtime upsets means that the Southern Division is now tighter than ever, with all three of the top teams losing and both trailing teams winning. Memphis and Birmingham now each have 9 wins, with Tampa having 8, Orlando 7, and Jacksonville hanging in with 6 wins. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK This may be the toughest decision we have made all season. In a week that did not see any 4-TD days for QB’s or monstrous production days for other skill players, the temptation is to look at the defense, but when we look there a lot of the biggest plays ended up happening for teams that ended up losing the game. We had 2 overtime games, but no big heroics, unless we want to award kickers this week. And why not honor the kickers? With defenses more evenly matched with offenses all season, it has often come down to the skilled leg of USFL kickers to determine games, as we saw this week with clutch kicks by both veteran Fuad Reveiz and rookie Pete Stoyanovich. Among kickers, we should highlight Oakland’s Kevin Shea, who has not missed a kick all season (27 for 27 on field goals and 26 of 26 on PATs). In Denver, Brian Speelman is hitting kicks at a 91% rate, including several 50-yarders. In Portland Al Del Greco is clearly the biggest offensive threat on the team, as he has hit 27 of 30 attempts. The league leader in points is veteran Scott Norwood, who has attempted 40 field goals (hitting on 36) to lead all in the category. In New Orleans, Tim Mazzetti is getting used to kicking for 1. He has a league-leading 40 PAT attempts and has hit every one. Sure, they are often funny looking, often quirky, often overlooked, but perhaps we should pay a little more respect to the kickers of the USFL. We are sure that folks in both Orlando and Jacksonville are sure glad they have good ones this week. PLAYOFF PICTURE With only 3 weeks left normally we would expect things to be much clearer, but this year every race seems tight. New Jersey seems in the best position with a 2-game lead over Baltimore for the division title and 2.5 games over Washington. In every other division it is even tighter. Michigan’s lead has slipped to 1 game over both Texas and a surging New Orleans. Memphis and Birmingham are tied 1 game up on Tampa, and Denver has slipped back to the pack in the Pacific and is back to only 1 game ahead of Oakland. We feel safe saying that Portland is out, and that it is unrealistic for Philly or Pittsburgh to get back in this. It is iffy as well for LA and Arizona, but we cannot guarantee that they don’t have a shot at least for a Wild Card. All 5 teams in the Central and Southern Divisions are very much alive, with no team in either division having either a win streak or lose streak of more than 2 games. It is tight and may stay that way until the end of the year. NEWS & NOTES Just as the standings show a tight playoff race, the chase for League MVP is equally tough to call. Earlier this year it looked like Jack Trudeau had the inside track, but his season-ending injury all but eliminates him from contention. So, who is impressing us? When you look at the top passers, you have Majkowski, who is on a losing team, a major hurdle. Votes could go to Doug Williams, but Matt Robinson is coming on fast and does lead the league with 26 TD passes. Among the rushers you have Mike Rozier leading the pack, but his team is even worse than Majkowski’s Feds. Herschel Walker could overtake Rozier, as he only trails by 18 yards, but if New Jersey cannot solidify the division title in the Atlantic, that hurts Walker as well. Among receivers we have to recognize both the longevity and the numbers being put up by Memphis’s Mel Gray, leading the league with 105 receptions and 2nd in yardage with 1195, but he has only found the endzone 5 times, well below the leaders. Maybe this is the year when a defender could win the title. But again, we run into issues here. Eric Kumerow is having a stellar season for the Maulers, with 125 tackles, but the Maulers as a whole are not looking good. Jerry Reese, the Breakers’ DE is leading the league with 14 sacks, but with so many others within 2 sacks of him, we could end the season with a cluster of players at the top, which does not make any one player stand out. In a year with so much parity across the standings it should not be a surprise that we see so much parity as well on the individual level. Troy Aikman is running away with Rookie of the Year honors, at least on offense, but among the veterans there is just not one player who has been clearly better than his peers. What may have to happen is for the voters to look at the final playoff push and see if anyone can jump out as the reason why their team surged at the right time. Otherwise, it will be a very divided and contentious vote at season’s end. INJURY REPORT A big hit for Pittsburgh as Alan Risher’s season is over. The disappointment in Pittsburgh had hit long before this, and it may actually be a blessing in disguise as the Maulers will get a better look at what Jeff Hostetler can provide. Jacksonville is not looking at the loss of DE Jim Reynosa as anything but bad, since they need the pressure he provides to stay alive. Baltimore feels the same way about losing LB Ben Apuna for at least 1-2 weeks with a fractured bone in his left arm. Washington may miss their starting QB for a week as Don Majkowski was really shaken by a blow to the head this week. For the top playoff contenders, the good news is that no major contributors went down this week, and a few who have been dinged up area coming back, including WR Chris Collinsworth for Tampa, WR Mark Carrier for Denver, HB Paul Palmer for Oakland and LB Kiki DeAyala for Houston. LOOKING AHEAD Another key week of divisional games in Week 14. Ranking them in order of playoff importance we would go: 1-Memphis @ Michigan, an interdivisional game between two division winners), 2-Texas @ New Orleans, a key clash in the Central as both are 1 game behind Michigan. 3-Houston @ Chicago, the loser probably falling too far back to contend for the division. 4-Orlando @ Birmingham, a win by the 'Gades and they have a real shot at the division. 5-Tampa @ Jacksonville, the Bandits need this win to contend with the Stallions and Showboats. Jacksonville needs it to stay in the hunt. 6-Denver @ Arizona, the Gold can stay ahead of Oakland and essentially remove Arizona from consideration with a win. 7-Washington @ New Jersey, The Generals can all but clinch the division with a win, while Washington still has feint hopes for a Wild Card. 8-Pittsburgh @ Baltimore, the Blitz need to win out and hope New Jersey stumbles down the stretch. 9-Philadelphia @ Los Angeles, a tough game to play for two teams who expected so much better this year. 10-Portland @ Oakland, Oakland needs to avoid a trap game, but we do not see this one going Portland’s way, so it should be a W for the Invaders.

SCORES BAL 34 PHI 24 This may be the game that comes to end an era in Philadelphia. The Blitz score a 10-point win and guarantee that the Stars will not have a winning season for the first time in league history. Tim Spencer’s 114 yard day, and 2 QB keeper touchdowns help seal the deal for the Blitz, who still remain in the thick of the hunt for the division title. PIT 14 WSH 31 Washington bounces back after their embarrassing home loss to Portland by trashing the Maulers. Don Majkowski hits on 3 TD passes and Craig James adds another to dispatch Pittsburgh to their 7th straight loss. ORL 13 TBY 23 Tampa flexes a little defensive muscle to go along with 2 Gary Anderson scores as the Bandits hold court at home against the Renegades. The win pushes Tampa to 8-4, only 1 game behind the two division leaders. HOU 38 NOR 48 Houston’s usually tough defense was no match for the resurgent Breakers, and even a 4 touchdown day from Jim Kelly could not provide a win for the Gamblers. Matt Robinson had himself 4 scores, and both Dupree and Hilliard found the endzone as well on a day when punters need not have shown up to the game. MGN 12 TEX 17 Mark Hermann’s surprising 2-0 start replacing the injured Jack Trudeau had to come to an end, and Texas found just enough offense to make it happen. A late Williams to Carson TD sealed the fate of the Panthers and pulled Texas to within a game of Michigan’s division lead. DEN 15 OAK 13 Denver continues to win ugly, and with this win they boost their division lead to 2 games, all without ever scoring a TD. Five field goals were enough as Denver’s defense held Oakland scoreless until the 4th quarter. With Gale Gilbert struck with an unidentified stomach virus the day before the game, it was up to Jeff Kemp to guide the Invaders, and he struggled through three quarters before mounting a comeback in the 4th. But, despite these heroics, the Invaders could not get the ball often enough to come all the way back and fell by 2 to the Gold. LA 34 POR 19 No win streak for the Thunder as LA scored the first 19 points of the game and kept the pressure up all day. Christian Okoye paced the Express with 135 on the ground, while Robb Thomas, thrust into a starting role with both Townsell and Martin out, garnered 2 TDs to help LA to their 2nd win in a row. It’s a long way to playoff contention, but LA may not be out of it yet. NJ 24 ARZ 20 The Generals played the late Sunday game at Arizona, knowing they needed a win to stay a game up on Baltimore, and they got that win thanks to a Flutie to Brent Jones TD pass with only 22 seconds left in the game. The other Jones, Lam Jones, was the game’s MVP with 6 receptions for 121 yards as New Jersey pulled over .500 and kept ahead of the Blitz for the division title. JAX 3 CHI 19 Chicago is .500 after 12 weeks thanks to a big day for John Carney, whose 5 ield goals, paired with a Jamie Morris TD run, helped the Machine knock off a lackluster Bulls squad. Jacksonville got little form George Adams (only 36 yards rushing) and Chris Miller threw two picks against an opportunistic Chicago D. GAME OF THE WEEK Birmingham Stallions 18 Memphis Showboats 21 Nearly 65,000 fans packed the Liberty Bowl to watch these southern rivals go at it for first place in the division. They did not leave disappointed, as the two teams battled down to the last seconds of the game before the homestanding Showboats pulled out the win. In a game that got chippy at points (Birmingham ended the day with 10 penalties, including 4 unsportsmanlike conduct calls), the yards were hard to acquire and the scores were even tougher. Memphis started the day’s scoring on their 2nd drive, when Mike Kelley found improving WR Tim Moffett from 9 yards out. Memphis would double up that lead only 5 minutes later when Greg Boone, who only managed 17 yards on the day, got the 2 he needed as he dove off tackle for a score to build Memphis up 14-0. But Birmingham was not going anywhere. They would score a field goal to get on the board in the 2nd. And then, after a scoreless third quarter, they started the 4th off right with Cliff Stoudt hitting Ernest Givens for a score, and then converting the 2-point play to pull within 3 at 14-11. Memphis tried to counter, and moved the ball well on their next drive, but a costly fumble by WR Bobby Joe Edmunds gave Birmingham the ball back, and with only 2:33 left in the game, a dynamic 8-yard run sent Joe Cribbs into the endzone and put Birmingham up 18-14. Mike Kelley and the Showboat offense got to work from their own 22 with 2:30 in the game, and Kelley ran an outstanding 2-minute drill, aided by a 23-yard defensive pass interference call. With barely over a minute left, Mel Gray appeared to get into the endzone for a lead-changing score, but on replay he was ruled down on the 1 yard line. Memphis tried a bit of trickery on 1st down as a sweeping Boone tried to hit TE Keith Jackson in the endzone on a HB pass, but the ball was too high and the outstretched Jackson could not bring it in. The Showboats went back to basics on the next play, giving the ball to fullback Michael Coates, his first and only carry on the day, but it was a good one. Coates plowed just off center and found the endzone for the Memphis score. The Stallions were down 3 with 1:10 left to play, but, as they had done all day, the Memphis D chased and harassed Cliff Stoudt. Reggie White barely missed bringing him down for a sack on a 3rd and 9, but his pressure caused Stoudt’s pass to sky over the receiver. On 4th and 9, Birmingham had no choice but to go for it, but when a pass intended for Danny Knight was deflected by CB Derrick Cudrup, the ball turned over on downs and the estimated 20,000 Birmingham faithful who drove up to Memphis for the game were drowned out by the 40,000+ Showboat fans who cheered in glee. The game left the two teams tied atop the Southern Division, with both a division title and a bye clearly up for grabs with 4 weeks left to play. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK New Orleans has won 5 of their last 6 and have crept back up into serious contention at 7-5, after a 2-4 start. Perhaps the biggest reason for this climb has been the return of the passing offense that we saw last year. Matt Robinson has not been having the MVP season that we saw in 1988, but this past week, in a key matchup against Houston, we got to see some of the magic that won him the award last year. Robinson completed 17 of 26 passes for the run-heavy Breaker offense, but those 17 completions were often mid-to-deep balls that created chunks of offense for the Breakers. Robinson would gain a total of 328 yards on the day, and 4 of his passes, would go for scores, including two bombs to speedster Charlie Smith, a 50 yarder and a 59 yarder that simply broke the back of the Houston defense. Robinson matched Jim Kelly pass for pass and TD for TD, and without the interceptions that have plagued Kelly all year. Both Smith and Nolan Franz would end the day with over 100 yards, and both tight ends, Dan Ross and Ron Heller, would catch their fair share as well. In a game both teams needed, it was the Breakers who looked more like playoff contenders and their win pulls them right back into the thick of things in the suddenly very tight Central Division. PLAYOFF PICTURE With 4 weeks left, things are getting tight indeed. Denver has a 2 game lead over Oakland in the west, but every other division is down to 1 game difference, with 2 teams tied atop the Southern Division. Memphis and Birmingham are fighting for both the division title and the #1 seed in the conference, but they have to beware because Tampa Bay is only 1 game behind as well. In the Atlantic, New Jersey has a tenuous 1 game lead over Baltimore, and with only 1 team likely to make the postseason, the division title is all or nothing. In the Central all 5 teams are at or above .500, and with Michigan’s loss this week we now have 3 teams all within 2 games of the title. Even 6-6 Houston and Chicago still have a legitimate playoff shot as they are very much in Wild Card range. While it seems unlikely that Pittsburgh, Philly, Arizona or even Jacksonville can snag a playoff spot, they are all still mathematically alive, with only Portland having been officially eliminated at this time. NEWS & NOTES Four weeks left, and the coaching hot seat has already been heating up. After Portland sacked Jack Patera in week 10, the question has been who else is looking like they might be coaching for their job these final weeks. Pittsburgh, despite a down year, is almost certainly going to give Ted Marchibroda another season, as is Jacksonville with Galen Hall. Washington’s Sam Rutigliano may be feeling the heat as his Federals have simply not progressed since he came on board. And after predictions of a division title, fans have been pretty vocal in LA that John Hadl may have used up his time. If New Jersey cannot win the division, it may be the end for Ray Perkins as well, though last year’s deep playoff run may shield him for another year. And we are just not sure what to make of Dick Vermeil’s tenure in Oakland. While he has not turned the Invaders into a juggernaut, he has had more success than his predecessor, but is that enough? We anticipate that this year’s Black Monday may be an interesting one, not only because several coaches are beginning to feel pressure, but because there remain persistent concerns that the NFL is simply waiting to pick off some USFL coaches, as several clubs remain with interim coaches despite the NFL offseason being well underway. It would be odd to wait until July for an NFL team to hire a head coach, but with interim coaches in place with the Oilers, Saints and Falcons, it is not entirely impossible that their may be some poaching on the minds of NFL clubs. It may not only be free agent players being lured to the fall league, but USFL coaches as well, making the upcoming offseason one to keep an eye on. INJURY REPORT After a rough season which saw him benched for 3 games, Kerwin Bell came back for one win, and then was knocked out for the rest of the season with a torn posterior cruciate ligament. Bell will be placed on IR by Portland and the question is whether he will return to the Thunder at all next year. In Philadelphia their loss was compounded by a broken leg for DE William Fuller, costing him the rest of the year. As if that were not bad enough, CB Lorenzo Lynch may also be out for the final 4 games with broken ribs. Denver’s defense will be challenged by the loss of both DE Larry White and LB Fred Stickland (2 weeks at least). While Oakland lost backup HB Paul Palmer for at least another week with a hamstring injury. LOOKING AHEAD We are back in divisional rivalry games for Week 13, with some major playoff battles to be had. New Jersey hosts Baltimore with a chance to build their lead to 2 games and all but clinch the division title. Memphis is in Orlando, hoping to push the Renegades back under .500 and themselves to 10 wins. The Central has two important matchups as Texas hosts Chicago and New Orleans face 1st place Michigan. LA’s slim playoff hopes depend on a win at Oakland this week, while Portland will try to get their 2nd win of the year, with Ed Luther at the helm, against Arizona. Philly is at Pittsburgh, Birmingham is in Jacksonville, and out of division we have Washington visiting Denver and a big game between Houston and Tampa to end the week.

SCORES POR 24 WSH 17 New coach, new energy for the Portland Thunder as Rusty Tillman leads the Thunder to the upset and their first win of the season. Washington looked to be in charge of this one, leading 17-0 at the half, but Portland rallied in the second half, putting up 24 unanswered points on their way to their first win of the year. Kerwin Bell, given the start after 3 weeks on the bench, threw for 3 scores and Rusty Tillman’s focus on the power run worked, as the combo of Owen Gill and Robert Drummond rushed for 122 yards. OAK 13 BAL 10 A tough loss for the Blitz as Oakland absolutely shut down the run game. The defensive struggle limited both teams, but Eric Kramer and the Blitz were simply unable to get anything going, gaining a paltry 149 total yards on the day and losing the time of possession battle 38 minutes to 22. LA 30 PIT 27 Los Angeles gets the win in this nip & tuck battle at Three Rivers, but at what cost. Both Jo-Jo Townsell and Eric Martin have to leave the game with injuries late in the game. Steve Young rebounds from a horrible week 10 game to throw for 305 yards and 3 scores, including the late toss to Emile Harry for the game winner. ARZ 12 PHI 23 Robbie Bosco’s second start goes poorly and he is yanked for Stouffer in the 3rd. The Stars, meanwhile, get 131 yards and a score from Kelvin Bryant in one of his best games of the year. Philly is keeping pace in a lackluster division, while Arizona is fading fast. DEN 19 NJ 31 Denver loses their second in a row as the Generals use 3 Flutie TD passes to earn a home win. New Jersey used a balanced attack, with Flutie throwing for only 168 while Walker rushed for 75 and Keith Byars contributed another 46 on the ground. Denver ran well also, with Sydney & Smith combining for 116 yards, but Bob Gagliano struggled, throwing two early picks that set the tone for the game. TEX 38 TBY 35 A shootout between Outlaws and Bandits in Tampa. Troy Aikman threw for 4 scores and Gary Anderson had a combined 228 yards rushing and receiving, but it was not enough as Doug Williams tossed 3 scores of his own and Stump Mitchell ran it in twice. Texas built a 38-28 lead and held on in the final minutes to take an important road win. MGN 19 ORL 3 Michigan has to win with defense, and they did this week, limiting the Renegades to 230 total yards of offense and keeping them clear of the endzone. Tony Franklin contributed 4 field goals and Mark Hermann found Jonathan Smiley for the decisive score as the Panthers win their second in a row without Jack Trudeau. CHI 20 MEM 24 Memphis has 2 receivers (Gray and Edmunds) top 100 yards as Mike Kelley throws for 303 against the Machine. Chicago is forced to be one dimensional on offense as Memphis allows only 19 total yards on the ground. Compare that with 131 between Boone and Buford Jordan and this game goes to the Showboats. HOU 27 JAX 6 Houston cools off Jacksonville’s win streak with a decisive win. Kelly hit both Verdin and Sanders for scores, and backup HB Keith Woodside rushed for 101 on the day. Add in 2 Chris Miller interceptions and it was a bad day for the Bulls all around. GAME OF THE WEEK New Orleans Breakers 22 Birmingham Stallions 23 The USFL has built up a reputation for amazing comebacks as it seems teams live and die with momentum. That was certainly the case in Birmingham this week, where the Breakers built up a 20-3 halftime lead only to see Birmingham storm back in the second half to take the narrowest of victories. New Orleans was certainly hot early, pleasing the large Breaker contingent who made the drive up to Legion Field. Touchdowns by Dalton Hilliard and Charlie Smith, paired with two Tim Mazzetti field goals gave New Orleans a comfortable 20-0 lead. But, a late first half field goal from Scott Norwood started to turn that around. After a sack of Cliff Stoudt in the endzone gave New Orleans a 22-3 lead at the start of the 3rd, the momentum shifted. The Breakers fumbled the ball away on their next drive, and Birmingham was able to get in the endzone on a Joe Cribbs 12 yard run. That was followed almost immediately by a poorly thrown pass by Robinson, leading to a Stallions interception and another short field. This time it was Brent Fullwood who ran it in, shifting the score to 22-17. Birmingham would add another field goal to start the 4th and then shut down the Breakers’ offense when it mattered most. On a key series late in the 4th, Birmingham sacked Robinson to create a 3rd and 13, and then, when Robinson tried to hit Charlie Smith over the middle, a jarring hit from LB Kevin Greene popped the ball into the air, where Anthony Blaylock was able to bring it down. With yet another short field, Birmingham milked the clock before settling for a 3rd Norwood field goal on the day, this one giving the Stallions the 23-22 lead with 2:10 left on the clock. Birmingham’s defense would once again prove pivotal as the Stallions forced New Orleans into a desperate 4th and 14 playcall from their own 34. Robinson could not connect with Nolan Franz and the Breakers turned the ball over on downs. Birmingham moves to a conference best 9-2 record with their ninth straight win, while New Orleans remains in a dogpack in the Central Division at 6-5 and trailing Michigan by 3 games. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK While kudos could certainly go to Troy Aikman or Gary Anderson for strong performances on a losing side, or to Doug Williams for pulling off the shootout win, we are going to look at the LA-Pittsburgh game and give this week’s award to QB Steve Young. Young has struggled this year, as has the entire Express offense. He has thrown 11 interceptions to only 13 touchdowns, and he has failed to live up to high expectations for the season. In Week 10 he had a horrific outing, throwing 3 picks in a home loss to Jacksonville. But this week he not only reversed his fortune, he found a way to lead LA to a win despite losing his top two receivers to injury. Trailing the Maulers for most of the game, and with Christian Okoye largely managed by the Mauler defense, the offense fell to Young. He would hit 8 different receivers in the comeback win, including 7 balls to Jo-Jo Townsell before a late injury took him out of the game. By the final drive, LA’s two receivers were rookie Robb Thomas and little-used Emile Harry, and yet it was Harry who would win the day as Young found him for a 24-yard score as time ran out. In addition to 303 yards passing, Young used his legs to keep LA in the game and on the path to victory. He avoided the Mauler DE’s, evading several sacks, and ended the day with 7 rushes for 25 yards. The Express are still a long way away from where many prognosticators pictured them this season, but on this day Steve Young played the type of game that tantalizes so many football fans. Now, can he do it again? PLAYOFF PICTURE As we have come to expect of the USFL, things are a bit messy with only 5 weeks left in the season. Michigan, even without Jack Trudeau, is finding ways to win and has the largest margin of error, a 2-game lead, over their closest division rival. Denver, New Jersey and Birmingham all have 1 game leads in tight division races. It seems clear that only 1 team from the Atlantic Division is likely to make the playoffs, so that 1-game lead for New Jersey is key. It also means that 4 teams from the 5-team Southern Division are likely to get in, so while Birmingham holds a slim 1-game lead over Memphis for the division title, the Showboats, Bandits, Renegades and Bulls are all looking at the potential for a Wild Card even if the Stallions cannot be denied. In the Western Conference the battle looks like it will be among the cluster of 6-5 teams, with 3 currently vying for 2 playoff spots if we assume Texas can stay ahead at 7-4. Chicago is still not out of the picture at 5-6, but we might be calling it a season for LA and Arizona at 4-7. A lot of hurdles for them to leap in order to get back in the playoff hunt. NEWS & NOTES Another big week for league signings as many key player resignings ahead of free agency were announced. It seems the USFL is taking seriously the potential for the NFL to ransack their rosters, as teams across the league seem eager to resign as many veterans as possible. Among those signed over the past couple of weeks we have: BAL: WR Jackie Flowers and CB Leslie Frazier BIR: T Emory Yates and QB Bob Lane DEN: WR Mark Carrier HOU: Safety Donald Dykes JAX: WR Hassan Jones LA: G Gary ZImmerman MEM: CB Derrick Burroughs MGN: DE Ronnie Paggett NOR: TE Dan Ross and LB Marcus Marek NJ: HB Herschel Walker and C Mike Baab OAK: HB Richard Williams and WR Henry Ellard ORL: FB Craig “Ironhead” Hayward and LB Winston Moss PHI: HB Kelvin Bryant, DT Jumpy Gaethers, and CB Lorenzo Lynch PIT: HB Mike Rozier POR: DT Mike Golic TBY: DT William Perry TEX: WR Carlos Carson and C John Adickes WSH: DE Charles Haley and QB Don Majkowski While USFL bigwigs have to be pleased to see stars such as Young, Walker, Rozier, Majkowski, Ellard, and Kelvin Bryant resign, the list of players still unsigned has to be troubling. Among those unsigned we still find QB’s Jim Kelly, Doug Williams, Steve Beurlein, Steve Young, and Vince Evans, HB’s Harry Sydney, Curtis Bledsoe, George Adams and Christian Okoye, Craig James, Stump Mitchell, and Gary Anderson; wideouts Webster Slaughter, Chris Collinsworth, Flipper Anderson, Mike Quick, John Jefferson, Derrick Holloway, Anthony Carter, Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders. On Defense there are several big time players still to sign, including Baltimore LB Sam Norris, Birmingham DE Art Still, Chicago LB Clay Matthews, Houston DE Simon Fletcher, LA safety Chuck Cecil, Memphis DE Reggie White, Oakland DE Kim Bokamper, Orlando SS Bill Bates, and Philly DE William Fuller and CB Chris Dishman With salary cap exemptions limited to 5 per team, and several teams facing multiple signings, the balance of retaining talent and keeping within league-mandated salary caps will put a lot of pressure on teams to find options. Expect to see several trades hit the block as soon as the season ends, as teams close to the cap trade unsignable players to other USFL squads for draft picks and lower-cost position players, and expect that some teams will simply lose talent to the NFL. It will be a crazy August for sure as we expect major efforts by the NFL to sign USFL talent and major scrambling by USFL teams to retain their top players. INJURY REPORT A very rough week for the LA Express as they lose Jo-Jo Townsell for at least a month with a broken wrist, and then, only 2 plays later, lose Eric Martin for at least 2 weeks with a hamstring injury. Denver also took a big hit as their top DE, Larry White, suffered a back injury which may cost him the rest of the regular season. Philly’s defense is looking even thinner as both CB Lorenzo Lynch and LB Frank Stams are expected to miss at least 4 of the season’s remaining 5 weeks. Returning to action this week are NJ wideout J.J. Birden, Breaker WR Herman Fontenot, Houston’s Ernie Jones, Birmingham’s Clarence Collins and Portland TE Clint Didier. LOOKING AHEAD Week 12 begins the final push with division games for 16 of the league’s 20 squads. Out of division we have New Jersey in Arizona and Jacksonville visiting Chicago. The Bulls and Machine are both in playoff contention, so a win here would loom large for either club. Within divisional play we have some important matchups for playoff positioning. Baltimore is in Philly with the winner having the chance to possibly catch New Jersey if the Generals fall. Pittsburgh and Washington have much slimmer hopes, both at 3-8. Birmingham has a huge game at Memphis this week. If the Stallions can win on the road they would build a 2 game lead with only 4 left to play, but if Memphis wins, then the division lead is tied between the two. Orland and Tampa also see their in-state rivalry having major playoff implications. In the Central, Houston and New Orleans, both 6-5, are hoping a win launches them on a late season streak to the postseason, while Michigan has a tough matchup in San Marcos against the Texas Outlaws. Finally, in late games out West, Denver is in Oakland hoping to build on their 1 game lead over the Invaders, while LA is hoping that Portland’s win this week does not turn into a 2-game streak.

SCORES MEM 33 OAK 20 Memphis builds up a 26-0 lead before errors (3 Ints) and overconfidence let Oakland climb back into the game. After Oakland got within 7 at 26-20, the Showboats put one last score on the board to assure the win. Mel Gray keeps on churning out good games, this time with 7 catches for 118 yards and a score. JAX 17 LA 13 We may have written off the Bulls too soon. Another good defensive performance against the reeling Express, and the Bulls are at .500. Steve Young again struggled, with 0 scores and 3 Ints. Chris Miller had a better day, throwing for 2 scores and no picks. TBY 19 ARZ 14 Robbie Bosco returns, but looks rusty, and James Wilder can only muster 43 yards for the Wranglers. Tampa relied on backup HB Lars Tate, who outgained starter Gary Anderson despite having 10 fewer carries. Add two Aikman to Truvillion scoring throws and Tampa now finds itself at 7-3. BIR 22 DEN 14 In a battle of division leaders and defensive stalwarts, Birmingham gets the better of Denver at Mile High. The combo of Cribbs and Fullwood outgained the Sydney-Smith duo 101 yards to 71 to power the Stallions. Two Denver fumbles and a safety for the Stallion D helped Birmingham get the edge and the win. ORL 42 POR 18 Another blowout loss proves to be the last for Coach Patera (see below) as Orlando just runs wild over the punchless Thunder. Reggie Collier throws for 4 scores and Curtis Bledsoe rushes for 153 and two touchdowns as the Renegades just manhandle Portland’s defense. NJ 10 MGN 14 In a season-changing blow, the Generals sack Jack Trudeau early in the game and may cost him the rest of the season. With Mark Hermann at the helm, the Panthers still manage to score two early touchdowns to build a 14-0 lead and their defense simply does not let New Jersey fight back. A big win for Michigan, but a very costly one. WSH 14 CHI 27 Washington again comes up short and Chicago evens their record at 5-5 with a home victory. The Machine were humming, accumulating 423 yards of offense, including Albert Bentley’s first 100-yard game in over 2 years. Chuck Long also completed 74% of his passes as Chicago controlled the clock for 35+ minutes of the game. BAL 27 HOU 24 OVERTIME Houston stakes a 24-10 lead after 3, but the Blitz come storming back in the 4th as Eric Kramer tosses two late touchdowns to send the game to overtime. In the extra period Coach Schottenheimer trusts his kicker and Luis Zendejas just edges a 57 yarder over the crossbar to give Baltimore a come-from-behind victory and get them right back in the Atlantic Division hunt. PIT 23 TEX 28 Williams to little-used rookie FB Undra Johnson in the 4th gives Texas the win in a game where Stump Mitchell outgaines Mike Rozier 104 to 65 and Williams tosses three touchdowns. Pittsburgh had a chance to win, but a drop by Raynard Brown in the endzone with 17 seconds left preserved the win for the home team. GAME OF THE WEEK Philadelphia Stars 30 New Orleans Breakers 34 Don’t look now but the Breakers have won four in a row and it would appear that their offense has found its groove. New Orleans outgains Philadelphia 407-276 as the combo of Dupree and Hilliard gain 113, with each scoring on the day. Philadelphia hangs tough however, and it comes down to a 2-minute drill by Matt Robinson to win the day. The first half of this game saw both teams move the ball well, with Philadelphia getting two early scores, one each from Mike Quick and Quinn Early. New Orleans countered with a DuPree TD run and 2 Mazzetti field goals. The game was even at the break as Philadelphia’s David Trout got two scoring tries while Robinson hit the reliable Nolan Franz for a last second TD before the half. 20-20 in an exciting first half. Things calmed down a little in the second half, as the defenses began to gain their footing. A 3rd quarter interception by Stars safety Todd Bowles turned into 7 points for the Stars, but was equaled by Dalton Hilliard’s 12 yard TD run to end the 3rd at 27-27. In the final quarter Philly went up on a Trout field goal, but New Orleans used the 4 minute drill perfectly, killing clock and driving the length of the field for the eventual game winner. Franz’s touchdown with 1:27 left in the game gave Philly time to try to score the win, but the Stars could not muster the offense needed and the game ended on a hail mary that fell harmlessly to the turf at the Breaker’s 10 yard line. The win moves New Orleans to 6-4 and only 2 games behind the now suspect Michigan Panthers. For Philadelphia, their 3-7 record, while certainly not good, is still only 1.5 games out of first place in an Atlantic Division in which no team has a winning record after 10 weeks. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK It feels almost unfair to once again give the POTW to players who faced the Portland Thunder defense. It seems clear that Portland is simply not on a par with the other teams in the league and their defense is frequently overmatched and overwhelmed. But, even so, the combination day that Reggie Collier and Curtis Bledsoe had should be acknowledged. Collier threw for 279 yards and 4 scores on the day while Bledsoe had his best day of the year, rushing for 153 yards on only 21 carries, and also found the endzone twice. The Renegades, who began the season 1-4, have now won 5 in a row, and are edging closer to a possible Wild Card slot. With the Atlantic Division looking like only one team will reach playoff contention, that leaves 3 Wild Cards in play for the Southern Division, a division where all 5 teams are at or above .500. Orlando has come close to playoff contention the last 2 seasons, but if they can keep up their solid play on both sides of the ball, this looks like a year when they can get over the hump and play a 17th game. NEWS & NOTES Another week, another crushing defeat for the Portland Thunder, and the decision we all expected to come at some point has come early. Portland’s ownership group, led by Nike Sporting Goods CEO Phil Knight, simply could not continue to watch their franchise become a joke. Coach Jack Patera has not been able to mold the roster into a viable team, leading Portland to a 3-23 record and on pace to boast the worst defense in the USFL’s short history. Knight and the front office had seen enough. They released Patera on Monday, named Special Teams coach Rusty Tillman as the interim Head Coach, and will begin the search for a new coach for 1990 immediately. Tillman inherits an 0-10 squad that has a real shot at going winless for the year. He also inherits a QB room that has absolutely no confidence, as veterans Ed Luther and Craig Penrose and 2nd year former starter Kerwin Bell seem unable to rally the offense. Likewise on defense, the few solid performers on the team, DE Roland Putzier and veteran LB Mike Weddington, are publicly venting frustration that there is not a winning attitude on their side of the ball. It is, quite honestly, a mess up in Portland. Tillman is expected to put Kerwin Bell back under center, but with only modest production from the run game and event talented receivers like Flipper Anderson and Aubrey Matthews seemingly out of synch with Bell all year, there is not much hope that the Thunder can turn things around. To improve the Thunder are going to need to hit free agency hard, make solid draft picks, and find a new leader who can change the culture of the team, because they are starting behind the eight ball. We have seen expansion teams rise quickly in the USFL, but Portland looks like they are going to need time, investment, and new leadership to get there. INJURY REPORT Jack Trudeau becomes the second offensive standout lost by the Panthers in 2 weeks as their surprisingly strong season may be in jeopardy. Following HB John Williams’s season-ending hip injury last week, Trudeau’s torn MCL on only the 2nd play from scrimmage this week leaves Michigan with major challenges if they want to hold on to their lead in the Central Division. Houston is one of the teams chasing Michigan, but they too suffered a setback as their star 2nd year HB Thurman Thomas will miss at least 2-3 games after landing awkwardly on his right wrist in their loss this week. Backup Keith Woodside will be expected to step up. Orlando’s big win this week did not come without some setbacks, most notably the loss of wideout Alfred Jackson for at least 4-6 weeks with a partially torn ACL, while New Jersey’s offense will be without J.J. Birden for at least the next 2 weeks with a high ankle sprain. Oakland got a scare when their top back, Richard Williams went out looking very woozy after a big hit on Sunday, but Williams has been cleared to play this week. Also returning to action are LA strong safety Al Burleson, Birmingham WR Clarence Collins, and Houston wideout Ricky Sanders. LOOKING AHEAD Week Eleven has cross country matchups as the 5 Pacific teams face the Atlantic division. Likewise the Central Division will travel to face Southern Division foes. Portland tries to get their first win at slumping Washington, while Oakland and Baltimore are both hoping they are still in the playoff hunt. LA and Pittsburgh, both 3-7, try to turn things around with a win this week. Arizona faces Philly at Veteran’s Stadium, and in a battle of division leaders, Denver is in the Meadowlands to face the Generals. Some great matchups as well as the two strongest divisions in the league battle. Texas will be in Tampa to face Troy Aikman and the Bandits while New Orleans has a regional rivalry game in Birmingham. Michigan, now trying to build a new offense, is in Orlando to face the Renegades, while Chicago heads south to face the Memphis Showboats at the Liberty Bowl. Finally, Houston and Jacksonville, both 5-5, seek to get on the winning side of the standings and gain ground in the hunt for a playoff spot.