Search this site

Houston wins USFL Championship with dramatic 4th Quarter Comeback The Houston Gamblers looked like a ship without a rudder for three quarters, falling behind the Memphis Showboats 13-3 and unable to find the endzone through 45 minutes of play, but the final quarter turned the storyline around as QB Jim Kelly threw two touchdown passes to rally the Gamblers and win the franchise’s first title. The game was highlighted by defense as both teams were able to move the ball in the middle of the field but both also found it tough sledding to get into the red zone. It was a great game for those that love smashmouth, hard hitting, solid defensive football. While Jim Kelly was named the game’s MVP it could have easily gone to LB Kiki DeAyala, who forced a fumble, Memphis’s lone turnover, late in the third quarter to spark the Houston comeback. Before we get into the game action, we want to acknowledge the sad news that was released by the league this past Saturday during the annual Commissioner’s Address. During his address Commissioner Chet Simmons announced that Birmingham Stallions head coach Rollie Dotsch has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and would be stepping down from his duties to seek treatment and be with his family. Defensive Coordinator Carl Reese will serve as Interim Head Coach until such time as Rollie can return to his duties. The entire USFL community wishes Rollie Dotsch a speedy recovery and our thoughts and prayers are with his family. We hope that despite the news Rollie was able to find some joy in this year’s Championship, as the tough defensive game was exactly the type of football he enjoyed most. The game began with defense as Memphis won the toss, opted to defer for a 2nd half kickoff, and Houston recevied the opening kickoff. They quickly realized that Memphis’s defense was here to play and play hard. Houston moved the ball well on the first drive, relying on Thurman Thomas for several key runs, but also catching Memphis on a 2nd and 4 as Kelly connected with Ricky Sanders for 18. Three plays later, Memphis made a statement as a 3rd and 10 turned into a Booker Reese sack of Kelly. Dave Jacobs trotted out for a 49 yard field goal attempt, and on the balmy July day in Philly the ball sailed true to start the scoring. On Memphis’s first drive, Houston also asserted their defensive prowess as Simon Fletcher sacked Mike Kelley on a irst and 10, forcing a fumble that Kelley was able to recover, but setting up Memphis with a brutal 2nd and 17. The Showboats would be forced to punt. On Houston’s next posession, it would be Reggie White getting into the action, garnering his first sack to turn a 2nd and 12 into a 3rd and 18. Houston punted from their own 8 yard line and Memphis got the ball in solid field position at the Houston 40. Memphis capitalized for their only touchdown drive of the day on the next drive. It began with a Kelley to Moffett 19 yard completion on 1st and 10, folowed by a Greg Boone 14 yard run. 2 plays later Kelley found Moffett again, this time for a score and Memphis was up 7-3. The three following possessions were short drives followed by punts. It would have been four, but Memphis opted to go for a 4th and 4 on the Houston 39 and turned the ball over on downs. Three more drives ended in punts, one despite a 58 yard rush by Thurman Thomas, before someone would again get on the scoreboard. Memphis had one of its longest drives of the day as the 2nd quarter wound down. After a failed Dave Jacobs 50 yard FG attempt, Memphis began with the ball on their own 40. Spiking the ball frequently to preserve their time outs, the Showboats moved down to the Houston 30 and with 19 seconds left in the half expanded their lead to 10-3. Memphis would get the ball to start the second half, and they again added to their lead as Ali Haji-Sheikh connected from 38 yards out to put the Showboats up by 10. Houston had two possessions in the third, but simply could not get through the smothering Memphis defense. It would be up to their defense to impact the game, and that is exactly what happened. On a 2nd and 7 from the Memphis 49, Kiki DeAyala blitzed and caught the guard flat-footed, leaving him free to swipe at Mike Kelley’s arm. The ball popped loose, and there was a mad scramble at the 40 as both Houston and Memphis players piled onto the ball. The referees gave possession to Houston and the Gamblers were set up in Memphis territory with a new sense of urgency. Thurman Thomas carried the ball twice to set up a Houston short yardage play, and Kelly used the threat of the rookie back to fake the defense and find Clarence Verdin for 11 on 3rd and inches. Kelly would then hit Verdin again for 9 yards, then Solano, then Thomas on a screen for 4, and then Greg Anderson for a first down at the Memphis 9. It appeared that Kelly and the Gamblers had found new life after the key turnover. After two short runs by Thomas and Fowler, Kelly found Ernie Jones for the score on 3rd and goal, and Houston was back in the game, down only 13-10. Memphis had a chance to drive a stake into the heart of the newly inspired Gamblers, but on their next drive back to back penalties, an unnecessary roughness call on wideout Tim Moffett and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on HB Buford Jordan, put Mepmhis in an impossible 3rd and 41 hole. Memphis would punt and Houston’s offense would have a chance to take the lead. The drive began on the Houston 42 after a solid return by Ernie Jones, the touchdown scorer. Kelly went to work immediately, finding Verdin for 6, then again for 5 and a first down. On 1st and 10 Memphis’s Booker Reese sacked Kelly on an ill-advised bootleg. But on the very next play Reese was called for offsides on a hard count and Houston moved back to 2nd and 12. He would find Ricky Sanders for 7 and on 3rd down hit Johnson for 8 and another first down in Memphis territory. With 1st and 10 on the Memphis 31, Kelly pulled off the biggest offensive play of the game, finding Ricky Sanders for 30 yards on a perfectly thrown corner route. Sanders appeared to get into the endzone, but upon review the ball was placed at the 1 yard line. With 1:07 left in the game, Thomas carried for no gain and Houston called for a time out. On the next play, Kelly faked to Thomas, rolled to his right and had 2 receivers to choose from. Fowler, who had lined up as an H-back was short of the endzone, but drew the attention of the safety, leaving Sanders on the corner and racing across the back line of the endzone. Kelly threw a perfect strike to Sanders and with only 59 seconds left in the game the Gamblers took their first lead of the day, on top 17-13. Needing a touchdown and with less than a minute left in the game, Memphis simply did not have enough time to recover. They moved the ball to the 44 but a key sack of Kelley by David Peace cost them their final time out and time simply got away from them before they could get into Houston territory. As the clock struck double zeroes, the Houston bench erupted, Coach Pardee was lofted atop some linemen’s shoulders, and Thurman Thomas knelt at the 50 in ecstasy. After coming so close the year before, the Houston Gamblers had won the USFL Championship and brought the first major sports championship to the Space City Jim Kelly would be recognized as Championship MVP, surviving the Memphis defense which sacked him 3 times, while Thurman Thomas finished the game with 102 yards rushing on 18 carries. For Memphis it was a disappointing end to a magical run. Mike Kelley finished the game with 191 yards passing and the lone Memphis touchdown, while Greg Boone (91) and Buford Jordan (58) combined for 149 rushing yards on the day. Booker Reese had 2 sacks but the costly penalty, while Houston’s Simon Fletcher and Kiki DeAyala both forced fumbles (with DeAyala’s leading to the pivotal takeaway that gave Houston its spark). For fans of old school mud and glory football this was a game to remember. For the casual fan, particularly those tired of NFL blow out Super Bowls, the USFL again proved to be an exciting and balanced league, with solid play and talent on both sides of the ball. For the first time in 5 years the USFL Championship does not go to either Philadelphia or Michigan, and we have a new king of the mountain in professional football. And so, from a celebratory Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia we say goodbye to the 1988 USFL season and start the long and intriguing offseason before the 1989 season. Congratulations to both teams, and we will be back in 1989 with the Houston Gamblers as our defending USFL Champions.

We have our Championship teams set. With victories in the Conference Title games, Houston and Memphis punched their tickets to the 1988 USFL Championship. For Houston it is a return for a 2nd consecutive year, while Memphis makes it to the title game in their first ever playoff season. It will be the battle of Kelly v. Kelley, or maybe it will be a coming out party for one of the league’s best defenders, Reggie White. In this week’s column we will look at how both teams got there by recapping the Conference Title games, then preview the matchup in the USFL’s 6th title clash. We will also reveal the 1988 USFL award winners, and highlight an intriguing coaching rumor. USFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND NEW JERSEY GENERALS 14 MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 24 Defense wins championships, that is the old axiom about football, and apparently it holds true. Memphis held New Jersey to only 74 total yards rushing, shutting down Herschel Walker and containing Doug Flutie, on their way to the Eastern Conference title. In the battle of big time backs, Walker’s 45 yards and 3 YPC average were blown away by Greg Boone’s 131 yards and 6.6 yards per carry. It simply came down to which team won the line of scrimmage and on both offense and defense the answer was the Memphis Showboats. The tone was set on the game’s first drive, as Memphis took the opening kickoff and marched the ball down the field, killing 6 minutes on a drive that saw only 3 passes. Memphis gave Boone the ball 7 times on the drive, benefitted from 2 New Jersey penalties, and eventually punched it in on a Boone dive over the left guard. Throughout the drive Memphis’s o-line took control of defenders, created holes for Boone and allowed Memphis to pick up first downs without the need for a big third down play. This would be the story all game long, as the Generals’ defense was simply unable to win battles up front. They would not sack Mike Kelley all game, and they would be unable to contain Boone. The same was not true for the Generals’ offensive line, which struggled to create holes for Walker and saw Doug Flutie harassed, chased, and sacked 3 times. The pressure was a consistent theme of the day, leading to two Flutie interceptions and hamstringing the New Jersey run game. Flutie would hit Brent Jones with a scoring toss as the 1st quarter closed, but that would be the final General score until the game was settled. The second quarter belonged to Memphis, as they scored 17 unanswered points on two Mike Kelley touchdown passes and a Haji-Sheikh field goal. All three drives demonstrated Memphis’s ability to run the ball and use play action to confound the Generals’ defense. Memphis finished the day with no receiver gaining over 50 yards, but Kelley hit7 different receivers on the day, while focusing the attack on the ground game. Surprisingly Buford Jordan got only 4 carries on the day, though with Boone averaging over 6 yards per carry it is easy to see why coach Tobin kept the ball in his hands. New Jersey, which had found ways to work through Philadelphia’s #1 ranked defense a week earlier, were unable to do the same against Memphis, which used run blitzes to support their defensive line and mixed zones with effective man on man against the Generals. One of the more interesting twists was the use of LB Derrick Jacks as a shadow for TE Brent Jones, often in combination with a safety to prevent Flutie from using his favorite safety valve when feeling pressure. Flutie ended up dumping the ball to Walker on multiple occasions, leading to gains, but not the type of break-out plays that would keep drives going. New Jersey would score again in the 4th, but by this point, Memphis’s 17-point lead had all but assured victory. The Showboats, before a second straight huge crowd at the Liberty Bowl (estimated at 56,000) milked the clock and ended the game without a real threat from New Jersey to get closer than the 10 points that we see in the final score. It was a solid victory, highlighted by a well-conceived defensive game plan from the former Stars Defensive Coordinator and now Head Coach of the Showboats, Vince Tobin. And now the Showboats, in the playoffs for the first time in the franchise’s 5 seasons, find themselves in the USFL Championship. HOUSTON GAMBLERS 27 NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 21 OVERTIME Memphis will face Houston in the title game after the Gamblers held the explosive New Orleans Breakers in check, withstood a comeback, and pulled out a thrilling victory in overtime. Houston overcame a 263-387 yardage deficit and 2 Jim Kelly interceptions by equalizing the turnover total, intercepting league MVP Matt Robinson twice. They contained the rush attack of the Breakers, while relyiing on rookie Thurman Thomas to drive the offense. He would finish the day with 132 yards rushing on 25 attempts, clearly outpacing the combined total of 91 yards from Dupree and Hilliard. The game started out looking like New Orleans had Houston’s number once again. The Breakers held Houston to a 3-and-out on their first drive, and then scored quickly, with Robinson hitting All-USFL receiver Nolan Franz on a 40 yard scoring strike. They would add a Tim Mazzetti field goal on their second drive to take an early 10-0 lead, and for the fans that packed the Super Dome, things were looking good. Houston finally responded on their third possession as Kelly found Ricky Sanders for a 17 yard catch to get the ball into Breaker territory, then, 4 plays later, Thurman Thomas found space on a well-designed draw play, breaking into the New Orleans secondary and juking free safety Frank Wilder off balance to find paydirt. New Orleans responded 2 drives later with another Mazzetti field goal, and at the half it was the Breakers up by a tenuous 13-7 margin. The third quarter saw only one scoring drive, as both teams managed to hold the other out of the red zone and force punts. The score was a Kelly to Sanders TD pass to end a 7 play drive which began with a Clarence Verdin kick return to the 48 yard line. The short field was enough for Houston to take advantage and take the lead, 14-13. They would begin the 4th with a second strong drive, this time powered by Thomas, who not only toted the rock 6 times on the drive, but also caught 2 balls, including the scoring play, as he leaked out of the backfield late and powered his way into the endzone to put Houston up by 8. New Orleans was looking to be in trouble as they went 3-and-out again on the following possession, but with 3:41 left in the 4th they got a break on a blown defensive play that ended up in an 86 yard touchdown from Robinson to Charlie Smith. Cornerback Domingo Bryant had position on the play but went for the interception instead of the tackle, when he missed on the attempt to snag the ball, it fluttered into the hands of Smith, who was then able to turn and race past safety Keith Moody to provide New Orleans with the much-needed score. They would still need a 2-point conversion to tie the game, and they got it when Dan Ross found space along the endline and Robinson hit him on a looping pass for the equalizer. The game would go to overtime as Houston could not get in field goal range for Dave Jacobs on the game’s final possession in the 4th. New Orleans was unable to move the ball on their first possession, and Jim Kelly was picked off on Houston’s first possession of the extra period, but on three straight plays the Breakers were stuffed by the Houston defense, and once again would have to punt. Houston quickly moved down the field on an 16-yard Kelly to Verdin pass, suplemented by a facemask penalty on the tackle. 2 plays later Kelly hit sanders on a corner route on 3rd and 3, a daring call that caught the Breakers’ defense thinking run and Houston took the game 27-21. The Gamblers now return for a second shot at the title, having won two road games to get there, and with the knowledge of prior experience to guide them as they head to Philadelphia for the USFL Championship Game. CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW We have what looks like another well-matched championship in the USFL, as both Houston and Memphis are capable of playing lock-down defense, both have backs who are threats in both the run and passing game, and both have QB’s who are not afraid to throw the ball into tight coverage. If there is a clear advantage on either side it is the quality of Houston’s starting receivers, with Sanders and Verdin a notch above Memphis’s lineup of Billy Joe Edmunds and Tim Moffett. Memphis’s best weapon may be first year tight end Keith Jackson as they are still without veteran Mel Gray, who has missed most of the playoffs with a bum knee. Houston will try to get Thurman Thomas going early, and hope to use the run game, and timely screens to slow down Reggie White and the Memphis pass rush. Memphis will likely use a short passing game, focused on Jackson and HB Greg Boone to get playmakers in space, as Houston rarely allows big rushing totals with a straight power game. With both quarterbacks prone to some risky throws (Kelly threw 18 interceptions this year, Kelley just behind him with 16) it may be a question of which defensive backfield capitalizes on some poor decisions and turns incompletions into interceptions. Our pick: We like the pluck of these Showboats, but there is nothing like the experience of coming so close only to fail to motivate a team. We think Houston learned some lessons in their close loss to Philadelphia last year, and they will enter the game motivated, focused and disciplined. Memphis, with so little playoff experience behind them, is sure to feel the pressure and get caught up in the hype, so we give the mental edge to the Gamblers, and that may be just the edge they need. Our pick is Houston 24 and Memphis 20. USFL AWARD WINNERS Some controversy this year as the USFL’s tendency to avoid multiple awards to the same player created some challenges for the league in their annual awards. While each of the winners was certainly worthy of praise, there are many who feel that deserving players were slighted in favor of statistics that may not have led to W’s. USFL MVP: This one was not controversial as Matt Robinson had a season to remember for the New Orleans Breakers. He led the league with 38 TD passes, threw for over 3,600 yards, and helped the Breakers become the league’s most dangerous offense. OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Here Robinson could have won again, and many expected the award to go to either Herschel Walker, the league’s leading rusher, or to Pittsburgh QB Alan Risher, who led the league in passing yards, but the league went a different direction, recognizing the dual achievements of leading the league in both receptions and receiving yards, by awarding the OPOTY to Texas Outlaw wideout Carlos Carson. While Carson’s 116 catches for 1,775 yards were impressive, they were not the mind-blowing numbers we have seen from receivers in the past, and that led to some questioning of why Carson would stand out above Walker or Risher. DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kurt Gouveia, Denver’s star linebacker, did it all this year. He finished the season 2nd in tackles with 119, 2nd in sacks among linebackers with 8, and forced a league-best 11 fumbles this year. While some wanted to make the case for Texas CB Najee Mustafaa, Gouveia’s game was the most balanced, and his leadership on Denver’s defense was a key factor in their division title run. COACH OF THE YEAR: Bill Arnsparger, in his first year in the USFL, made quite an impression. Leading the Breakers to the best record in the league and turning the Breaker offense into a dynamic force in the league. It is not unusual for a first year coach to win the award, and certainly not surprising considering the Breaker’s 9 game win streak and offensive 3-ring circus. OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: This one was a no-brainer as Thurman Thomas put together a year that would be the envy of every back in the league. He rushed 342 times for 1,331 yards and 9 scores, but he also caught 51 balls, gained 423 yards in the air and added 3 more touchdowns as Houston’s lead back. While Chicago’s Michael Haynes and Jamie Morris also had solid years for the Machine, there was simply no comparison with Thomas’s impact on the Houston offense. DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: There were a lot of solid contributors among rookies on defense this year. Ken Harvey became a team leader in Oakland by season’s end. LB Chris Spielman notched 100 tackles for the Generals, and Memphis’s Derrick Crudrup snagged 5 interceptions, but the award rightfully went to a rookie who gave veterans Reggie White and Larry White a run for their money and ended the year tied with these two All-USFL defensive ends with 16 sacks. Orlando’s Rueben Davis had a monster year and deserves to be recognized as a high impact defensive rookie. BALTIMORE COACHING NEWS We wrote last week about how a potential signing of either QB Dan Marino or LB Lawrence Taylor could send shockwaves through the NFL-USFL relationship, but perhaps that tectonic shift will come from a very different direction. The Baltimore Blitz are rumored to be close to a deal with disgruntled Cleveland Browns coach Marty Shottenheimer. Shottenheimer, who has led the Browns to the edge of greatness with several playoff appearances, is apparently unhappy with the Browns and looking for a bigger and better deal, but, only weeks away from NFL camps, the idea of a head coach, much less a very successful one, jumping ship to join the USFL would certainly be a scandal. If the rumors are true, we could see an escalation of tensions between the two leagues, but we could also see one of the best coaches of the NFL headed to the one of the toughest divisions of the USFL. Next week is Championship Week. Someone call Ben Franklin because the atmosphere in Philadelphia will be electric. It’s Houston vs. Memphis. Kelly v. Kelley. The Minister of Defense vs. the Houston Hit Squad. It should be a lot of fun. See you there.

Four big games, four teams disappointed and four moving on. It’s Divisional Playoff Weekend and there is a lot to report. We will focus on the four games leading into the Conference Championships, preview next week’s big games, and then talk Resignings and Free Agents in the USFL. Let’s get to it. BIRMINGHAM 7 MEMPHIS 31 The Showboats turned some heads and opened some eyes this week with a complete manhandling of the Birmingham Stallions. The two teams had jockeyed for the division title all season and clearly home field advantage was huge for Memphis. Over 61,000 fans attended the game on a glorious Saturday afternoon in July. While there were a solid 15,000+ who came from Birmingham to watch, they were drowned out by the Showboats home crowd and got very quiet as Memphis built up a 21-0 lead by the middle of the 2nd quarter. Everything seemed to work for Memphis as Mike Kelley completed 83% of his passes (19 of 23) and the duo of Greg Boone and Buford Jordan combined for 124 total yards and 3 TD’s. With Mel Gray sidelined, the lead receiver role went to the young Billy Joe Edmunds, who stepped up with 100 yards on 7 catches and a score as Memphis blew out the Stallions. For Birmingham it was a humiliating end to a season that started off going their way. After sliding out of the division crown by losing to Portland at home, the Stallions could not get anything going against Memphis, as Reggie White and the Memphis D-line harassed Cliff Stoudt, leading to 4 sacks and several more hard hits. Joe Cribbs averaged a respectable 3.8 yards per carry, but it was not enough as Memphis rolls to the win and the Eastern Conference Championship. LOS ANGELES 13 NEW ORLEANS 17 The night game on Saturday was expected to be a blowout, but LA proved that they are tough enough to hang with the Breakers and to limit the explosive New Orleans offense. The Breakers got the win, but the Express got a lot of respect for how they played the game. As expected LA relied on the run game to keep the Breakers off the field. Christian Okoye ended the day as the leading rusher in the game, with 19 carries for 91 yards, while both Tony Richardson and Nua Faaola also got carries in LA’s grind it out strategy. That strategy kept it close all game, and led to LA outgaining New Orleans 361-239, but It could not entirely keep the ball away from the Breaker offense. New Orleans got two key scores from their big guns as Matt Robinson found Nolan Franz for one, and Dalton Hilliard rumbled into the endzone from 2 yards out for the other. In between those two Steve Young called his own number for a score and both teams traded some field goals. In the end it was a combination of Express penalties (9 on the day) and New Orleans’s strong 4th quarter that gave the Breakers the edge, and gave the fans a relieved sigh at the end of the game. The #1 seed advances and will host the Western Conference Championship next week. NEW JERSEY 24 PHILADELPHIA 21 Sunday’s early game was perhaps the best of the weekend as two bitter division rivals went toe to toe. It was Walker against Bryant, Flutie against Fusina, and Spielman against Mills as the two traded haymakers all day. Philadelphia struck first as Fusina found Mike Quick for a score to open up the game, but New Jersey struck back immediately, with Walker finishing off a 9 play drive with a 2 yard plunge into the end zone. Philly again took the lead on a Jaime Mueller run from 9 yards out to make it 14-7 with 4 minutes gone in the first, but again New Jersey would not go away. Walker scored again, on his way to a 109 yard day, to equalize the score at 14 with 6:59 left in the half. After a Philly 3-and-out, the Generals took their first lead as Doug Flutie found Brent Jones for the score as time expired in the first half. There would be no scoring in the third as both defenses dug in their heels. New Jersey’s Gary Jeter got a key sack on a Stars 3rd and 7, and Philly’s Jumpy Gaether returned the favor on the General’s next drive, pushing New Jersey out of field goal range with a sack of Flutie. But New Jersey was putting together some drives, and on their next posession they would score what would be the decisive points, a 50 yard field goal by veteran kicker Roger Ruzek gave New Jersey a 10-point lead at 24-14. Philly needed only 3 minutes to score and get back to within 3 as Chuck Fusina evaded a John Offerdahl sack attempt and found TE Abraham Davis in the endzone to make the score 24-21. They would get the ball back once again with over 5 minutes left, plenty of time for Kelvin Bryant, who finished the day with 140 yards on 22 carries, to push the ball down the field. Philadelphia got as far as the New Jersey 22, but then back to back penalties pushed them back to the 37 and gave them a brutal 3rd and 25. Fusina tried to hit Early deep, but it was swatted away by veteran Gary Barbaro, and on 4th down David Trout could not connect from 54 yards out. New Jersey held on, milking the clock and ending the game with a Flutie kneel down. High drama in Veterans Stadium as the always underachieving Generals took one from the usually unbreakable Stars. HOUSTON 24 DENVER 10 The final game of the weekend was another road win for the underdog, though few saw Houston as a true underdog to the Denver Gold. Jim Kelly and the Houston Gamblers came into the game flush with confidence and it showed as they put up 342 yards of offense against the stingy Denver D. Kelly would go 26 for 33 for the day and find Greg Anderson twice for scores. Rookie Thurman Thomas also found his playoff legs after misplacing his helmet and missing the first few plays of the game. Thomas would run for 107 yards and a score as Houston overpowered the Gold. Denver tried to keep pace, and got an early score from Harry Sydney as they hung tough 14-10 at the half, but when Bob Gagliano went out injured in the 3rd quarter you could see the air go out of Denver’s offense in the second half. Cody Carlson completed only 2 of 11 passing and the Gamblers shut down the run on their way to the 14 point victory. They will now face New Orleans in a divisional battle for the Western Conference Title. CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND PREVIEW Two really intriguing matchups highlight the USFL Championship weekend. We know for certain that we will have at least one first-timer in the USFL Championship in two weeks as both New Jersey and Memphis are in the Conference title game for the first time. In the Western Conference it is a divisional battle between last year’s runner ups, the Houston Gamblers, and this year’s #1 seed, the New Orleans Breakers. NEW JERSEY GENERALS (4) @ MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (2) Two teams with no history of playoff success meet in Memphis with a trip to Philadelphia and the USFL Championship on the line. No one expected this to be the matchup when the season began, but here we are with two exciting teams and two of the league’s biggest stars in Herschel Walker and Reggie White facing off. We give Memphis the edge on defense, but that assumes they have an answer for Herschel Walker. New Jersey’s defense will likely focus on disrupting Mike Kelley, who led the league in pass attempts this year, but the General’s are not known for their pass rush, so blitzing may be necessary, and that leaves receivers open. Memphis will be without Mel Gray again, but as they proved against Birmingham, that does not mean that they are without weapons. Our prediction, New Jersey by a hair, 23-22. HOUSTON GAMBLERS (3) @ NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (1) It’s explosive offense against stifling defense when the Breakers host the Gamblers. New Orleans won both matchups in the regular season, and they have been to the playoffs each of the past 4 years, so they are not lacking for playoff experience. Houston, on the other hand, has the experience of championship games, having won the Western title last year before falling by 1 point to the Stars in the USFL Championship Game. And while Houston’s D has struggled with the Breakers this year, they are a veteran group, whereas New Orleans is still a bit shaky on defense, which could be expoited by Kelly and Thomas. This one is likely to be a back and forth affair, and while we think it will be high scoring, we could be surprised if New Orleans shows the defensive fortitude this week that they showed against Los Angeles. We cannot go against the Breakers at home, so we are going to pick them to take the Western Title, but don’t be shocked if Houston gives them a serious scare along the way. FREE AGENCY BEGINS While official signings of USFL players cannot begin until after the Championship Game, non-playoff teams can negotiate with both USFL and NFL free agents during this “gap” in contracts. What we know so far is that several well-known players did not have their contracts renewed and could be hitting the market. Among those testing the free agency waters are: ARZ: LB Stan White and CB Nolan Cromwell BLT: HB Calvin Murphy and CB Vic Bellamy BIR: WR Jim Smith DEN: TE Bob Niziolek and QB Craig Penrose JAX: K Vince Abbot LA: QB Mike Rae and WR Mel Renfro MGN: RB Boby Morse and QB Caleb Brown OAK: CB Derrick Martin and T Clifton Flowers ORL: DT Greg Meisner, HB Eddie Hunter, and QB Todd Blackledge PHI: SS Todd Bowles and G Glenn Kohler PIT: DT Alfonso Carreker, QB Glen Carano and RB Stanford Jennings POR: LB Billie Ray Smith and WR Frank Lockett TBY: TE Sam Bowers and T Basil Byrnes TEX: CB Emmanuel Carrol and WR Richard Johnson WSH: CB Lester Lyles, WR Duane Gunn, and LB Cliff Odom Meanwhile rumors are flying that several teams are going to try to sway Miami Dolphin QB Dan Marino to jump leagues. Marino is contracted for one more year with the Dolphins, and the timing would be rough if he were to jump from the NFL to the USFL after a playoff run with Miami, but that is not stopping his agent from speaking to USFL teams. The other big NFL prospect that has a lot of USFL teams drooling is Lawrence Taylor, who has expressed an interest in testing the free agency market after the 1988 NFL season. The NY Giants are in no way looking forward to that, but there is already word that both New Jersey and LA are seriously considering signing LT to a futures offer before the season is even over. Either signing could fuel a full on legal and roster war between the two leagues. Meanwhile, waiting in the wings in this year’s draft are some major talents the USFL would love to sign, including UCLA QB Troy Aikman, Oklahoma State HB Barry Sanders, West Virginia QB Major Harris, and Florida State CB Deion Sanders. The USFL could even go after a sophomore or junior player as they did in 1983 with Herschel Walker. There are many who feel that sophomore QB Todd Marinovich might want to jump into the pro ranks early, and there is also a lot of interest in Penn State HB Blair Thomas who had over 1,300 yards rushing for the Nittany Lions last year.

Four teams entered, two teams advance, it’s playoff time and that means it is all on the line. We will report on the two Wild Card clashes, on Black Monday, and on the announcement of the All-USFL Team for 1988 and, of course, preview next week’s 8 team Divisional Playoffs. WILD CARD WEEKEND SCORES TEXAS 14 LOS ANGELES 43 You can spend a week preparing for an opponent, but sometimes it is the on-the-fly halftime adjustments that make or break a game. That never appeared truer than when Texas and LA clashed in Angel Stadium this week. Texas and LA battled in a roughly even first half, with LA going into the half with a slight 20-14 edge, but the second half told a very different story as LA adjusted both their defensive and offenive game plan, shutting down Texas’s offense, forcing 3 turnovers in the half, all as the Express offense lit up the Outlaws for 23 unanswered points. Midway through the 2nd, it looked like we would have a full fledged shootout on our hands. Both teams had moved the ball well, LA had scored on an Okoye run and a Townsell reception, Texas had responded with two Doug Williams TD tosses, and this game looked to be a back and forth affair. LA caught a late first half break as a Scott Olivera field goal was followed by an Outlaw fumble, allowing LA to kick a second field goal to end the first half. But, despite this turn, a 6 point lead hardly looked safe at the break. The second half would be another story. Steve Young caught fire, tossing three more TD’s and spreading the ball among his receivers (Renfro, Martin and Townsell all scored), while Christina Okoye rumbled for 105 yards (71 in the half after a slow start). The defense picked off Doug Williams twice, triggered several false starts and a key holding call on a 3rd and 3 that shut down an early Outlaw drive, and shut out the Outlaws as LA built up a lead that soon put the game out of reach. LA Linebacker Bob Crable would win game MVP with a day that included 10 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception and 2 forced fumbles, and well deserved, but if it were up to us we would have awarded MVP to Coach Hadl and his staff for the masterful adjustments at the half that turned a close game into a runaway win for the Express. PITTSBURGH 20 NEW JERSEY 30 We suspected that the Week 16 win by Pittsburgh in New Jersey did not show us the real capabilities of the Generals. A week 15 win against Arizona had all but guaranteed a playoff spot to the Generals, so they played with less determination and kept their strategies very vanilla in the loss to Pittsburgh that assured that the Maulers would be New Jersey’s foe this week. Once the stakes were raised this week, New Jersey raised their intensity and outlasted the Maulers in a game that was very close through three quarters. Doug Flutie had one of his best games as the Pittsburgh D was forced to load the box after a strong first quarter by Herschel Walker. Walker rushed 10 times for 48 yards in the 1st quarter, forcing the Maulers to reinforce their line with additional defenders. That fed the play action and bootleg game where Doug Flutie excels. Flutie would finish the game 25 for 31 for 306 yards and all three New Jersey touchdowns. Pittsburgh seemed equally dangerous through three quarters as well, taking an early lead on a Mike Shaw TD reception, then jumping up again 14-7 after a Walker TD with a quick strike from Alan Risher to Raynard Brown. They would go into the half leading 17-10 as both teams exchanged field goals in a contentious 2nd quarter. Flutie rolled in the 3rd, finding Lam Jones on a perfect fly pattern for a 76 yard score only 34 seconds into the half, and then returning on the next possession to hit Brent Jones for another score, giving New Jersey a 24-17 lead. And while Pittsburgh would again shift their strategy and move to more zone coverage to defend Flutie, the trade off was that the New Jersey run game could slow down the game and milk the clock. Pair that with a largely ineffective Mauler offense in the second half and the Generals were able to hold on, trade some field goals with Pittsburgh, and walk out of the game with a 10-point win. If this was a 2-game strategy for coach Ray Perkins, it worked just as planned, assuring that New Jersey would have back to back games vs. Pittsburgh rather than facing Baltimore or Orlando this week, and paving the way for the Generals to get a divisional matchup against their fiercest rivals, the Philadelphia Stars. DIVISIONAL MATCHUPS The Wild Card results set up our next round of games. We have divisional rivals going head to head, and upstarts trying to knock off returning playoff teams with experience. Four games this week in what is often the season’s wildest weekend. Here are the matchups to watch: New Jersey (4) @ Philadelphia (1) These two teams know each other so well, it is hard to imagine that there will be any surprises here. It is Philly’s top notch D against New Jersey’s mixed attack. The Stars swept the regular season series, but both games were close, 22-14 in Week 3 and an almost identical 23-14 in Week 12. We all know the axiom about beating the same team 3 times in a season, so the Stars had better be ready for a motivated Generals squad. Birmingham (3) @ Memphis (2) The Stallions are still fuming that they let the division title and a chance for a home game slip away in Week 16 with a bizarre loss to the Portland Thunder. Memphis is reveling in their first playoff game, and in hosting their closest rival. The stadium will be packed as both Showboat and Stallion fans will show up in force for this one. The key to the game? The run game. If Joe Cribbs goes off, it could be a long day for the Showboats, but Memphis has their own rushing studs as well in the combo of Greg Boone and Buford Jordan. The team that can run the ball effectively is most likely to also free up some passing through play action. With two of the league’s best pass rushers in Memphis’s Reggie White and Birmingham’s Bob Barber, the ability to fool the defense on early downs could be the difference, and that all comes from the ability to force defenses to commit to the run. Los Angeles (4) @ New Orleans (1) LA got a solid win at home against the Texas Outlaws, but now they have to travel to face the #1 offense in the league and a rowdy New Orleans Super Dome crowd. New Orleans can beat you on the ground with the duo of Dupree and Hilliard, but they have also proven that Matt Robinson can throw the rock and beat teams in the air. The Express have to try to slow the game down, use Okoye to stay on the field and keep the ball away from that potent Breakers offense. It is a tough task ahead of them, but LA does have a lot of veteran leadership with playoff experience, so the Breakers should not underestimate this Express squad. Houston (3) @ Denver (2) A rematch of last year’s Conference Championship, but this time Denver has the home field advantage. Most years that is a huge advantage as the altitude and the strong Denver fanbase usually provide a solid home field challenge for visiting teams, but this year the magic seems to have faded a bit. Denver lost three home games in the regular season, including upsets by Chicago and Oakland, so Houston may not be as intimidated as in past years at the prospect of playing at Mile High. The Gamblers defeated Denver in Week 1, but both teams have grown since then. That said, it still looks like a familiar story as Houston’s 2nd rated offense will face off against Denver’s 2nd rated defense. Can Kelly and Thomas overpower Kurt Gouveia and the Denver D? Or will Bob Gagliano find a way to outpace the Gamblers? COACHING CHANGES Black Monday came to the USFL again, following the conclusion of Week 16, and this year we have three teams making changes. Let’s look at each change and where we think teams will look for their next coach. ARIZONA: After a solid 10-6 opening season in 1985, Frank Kush has led the Wranglers in the wrong direction, going 8-8 in ’86, 5-11 in ’87, and 7-9 this year. A lot was expected of the former Arizona State head man, and it just has not panned out. Kush was let go following back to back losses to end the season, but it is unclear if the Wranglers have a plan for where to look now. They could look to a coordinator from top defensive teams like Philly or Houston, or they could look to the college ranks again to find a coach with some innovative offensive ideas. The Wrangler job is an attractive one as the team has talent on both sides of the ball and a solid QB to build around in Robbie Bosco. BALTIMORE: It is still unclear if Marv Levy was forced to resign or if this was his decision, but after early success with the Blitz, including a Championship Game appearance in their last year in Chicago, the team has slipped into mediocrity. 7-9 last year and 8-8 this year are not what fans in the Charm City expect, and it appears that it is not what Marv Levy expects either. He stepped down on Black Monday, and is expected to look to the NFL for a possible OC or Assistant Head Coach position. For the Blitz, they will almost certainly look to rebuild with youth as they have one of the older rosters in the league. A coach with a college pedigree may help them form a new younger core, but don’t be surprised if they look to the NFL to hire a coach with a philosophy of hard nosed football, something needed to win in the tough and balanced Atlantic Division. JACKSONVILLE: Not a shock at all that Lindy Infante was a Black Monday casualty. The Bulls, after back to back playoff runs (well, one-and-done runs) in ’85 and ’86, have seen things get worse since Doug Williams left town. Infante, known as an offensive innovator, has not been able to build a consistent offense around 2nd year QB Chris Miller. An 8-8 campaign last season was followed by a slide to 6-10 this year. Rumors are already flying about possible coaching choices for the Bulls. They may look to “local” NFL clubs like Atlanta, Miami or Tampa to find a coach, but there are already rumors that they may “rescue” beleaguered U. of Florida head coach Galen Hall from the barrage of NCAA investigations and potential recruiting violations that are troubling his tenure as the Gators’ lead man. Don’t be surprised if the Bulls snatch Hall away from Gainesville. He is a popular coach with Gator fans, and that is a good group to get on your bandwagon when you play ball in Jacksonville. ALL-USFL TEAM There is no better evidence that the USFL is undergoing a regime change than this year’s ALL-USFL Team. No longer dominated by Panthers, Stars, and Bandits, this year’s roster of top performers is testament to the leveling of the league and the rise of new challengers to the established powerhouse franchisess. Here is your 1988 ALL-USFL TEAM: QB: Matt Robinson (NOR), Alan Risher (PIT), Doug Williams (TEX) HB: Herschel Walker (NJ), Joe Cribbs (BIR), Kelvin Bryant (PHI) FB: Keith Byars (NJ) TE: Todd Christiansen (LA), Mike Shaw (PIT) WR: Carlos Carson (TEX), Trumaine Johnson (ARZ), Wamon Buggs (ORL), Nolan Franz (NOR), Ricky Sanders (HOU) G: Kevin Gogan (OAK), Kevin Carter (ARZ), John Rienstra (HOU) C: Dermontti Dawson (MGN), Jeff Wilkins (ORL) T: Bruce Armstrong (POR), William Israel (NJ), Bruce Wilkerson (MEM) DT: Jumpy Gaethers (PHI), Roland Putzier (POR), William Perry (TBY) DE: Reggie White (MEM), Larry White (DEN), Reuben Davis (ORL) LB: Brian Bosworth (TEX), Kurt Gouveia (DEN), Brandon Zavala (WSH), Brian Noble (ARZ), Marcus Marek (NOR) CB: Najee Mustafaa (TEX), Derick Martin (DEN), Eric Allen (TBY) FS: Elmo Gardiner (PHI), Frank Wilder (NO) SS: William Cesare (CHI), Bill Bates (ORL) K: Scott Norwood (BIR) P: William Moss (MEM) That’s all for this week. Join us next week when we recap the Divisional Round and take our first look at Free Agency.

Sporting News, June 30, 1988 The regular season is over, sixteen weeks of sweat and struggle to get here, the playoffs. From twenty teams there are now ten who will continue to strive for the chance to be called Champions. We have new faces, new cities, and some old favorites all vying for their title shot and all glad that there is football to be played this week. It all gets under way this weekend with 4 Wild Card hopefuls battling for a shot to go after the top seeds and make a name for themselves. We will start by looking at the two Wild Card Weekend matchups and then preview the other 6 teams waiting for their shot to win and advance. Western Wildcard Matchup TEXAS OUTLAWS (8-8) @ LOS ANGELES EXPRESS (9-7) 8pm EST, Saturday, July 2 Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA Two veteran quarterbacks, two bruising backs, two top-tier receivers, and two defenses with talent face off in Anaheim this Saturday as the Outlaws, in their first year of existence, take on the LA Express, back in the playoffs after two straight disappointing years. It’s Steve Young vs. Doug Williams, John Hadl vs. Woody Widenhofer, and Christian Okoye running head first towards Brian Bosworth. Let’s look at the tale of the tape on these two teams. TEXAS OUTLAWS Stars: QB Doug Williams, HB Stump Mitchell, WR Carlos Carson, LB Brian Bosworth, CB Najee Mustafaa Rankings: 23.8 PPG (4th), 340 YPG (3rd), 23.1 PPGA (15th), 314 YPGA (10th) Last 5 Games: 1-4 Texas started off the season on fire, going 5-1 in the Spring, but as the San Marcos sun has started to heat up, the Outlaws have wilted, losing 4 of their last 5 and showing signs of concern for coach Woody Widenhofer. A big win over the Denver Gold helped get them here, but season ending losses against two non-playoff teams (Michigan and Baltimore) have to worry the Outlaws. This is a team with talent on both sides of the ball, including the league’s leading receiver (in yards and receptions) in Carlos Carson, and the league’s tackle king in Brian Bosworth. And yet, this is also a team that has been inconsistent over the past 2 months. They have firepower, but often misfire. They have stopping power, but too often bend. Look, it’s an 8-8 team, so to say they are inconsistent is pretty easy. They have a good chance against another inconsistent team, but will need to play well in all 3 phases of the game this week, and especially if they head to New Orleans next week. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS Stars: QB Steve Young, HB Christian Okoye, WR Eric Martin, TE Todd Christiansen, CB Ron Pitts Rankings: 20.4 PPG (8th), 318 YPG (9th), 18.5 PPGA (5th), 319 YPGA (11th) Last 5 Games: 3-2 To say that there is pressure on Steve Young to produce is an understatement. Signed as the savior of the Express in 1984, and producing two straight playoff years in 84 and 85, things were looking solid for the former BYU Cougar, but after two straight losing seasons, the Express faithful are getting restless. Young has the talent around him to win. Okoye is a beast of a back who demands gang tackles to bring him down. In Townsell, Martin and Christiansen the Express have a dangerous set of receivers, and their line has been one of the league’s best this year. So offense should be possible for the Express. Their defense, while solid in points per game, has not been able to consistently slow down opposing offenses between the 20’s. Texas has a dangerous offensive roster, so the Express D is going to have to find a way to turn drives into punts, or at the least into Nick Mike-Myer field goals while the offense finds ways in to the end zone. Our Pick: This is truly a toss-up, but with more talent on defense, we are going to pick the Outlaws to get the slight upset and the road win. Eastern Wildcard Matchup PITTSBURGH MAULERS (8-8) @ NEW JERSEY GENERALS (8-8) 5pm EST, Sunday, July 3 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ The Maulers edged Baltimore for the final playoff spot, while New Jersey backed their way into this game after seemingly turning the corner and rising up to potential division champion status. It feels very much like a battle between an over-achiever and an under-achiever. On paper the Generals have the talent to wipe the floor with the Maulers, but Pittsburgh has shown grit and teamwork all year long. Are they just happy to be here after 4 losing seasons at Three Rivers, or are they here to shake things up? Is New Jersey a legitimate contender who simply lost focus, or are they once again going to disappoint the Garden State with a lackluster effort? Lace them up and let’s see. PITTSBURGH MAULERS Stars: QB Alan Risher, HB Mike Rozier, TE Mike Shaw, WR Danny Buggs, DE John Bosa, CB Quintin Jones Rankings: 24.1 PPG (2nd), 328 YPG (7th), 23.9 PPGA (18th), 328 YPGA (14th) Last 5 Games: 3-2 Pittsburgh handily defeated New Jersey last week in the regular season finale, but we all know that those games can be traps as the Generals had already all but locked up a playoff spot. Pittsburgh cannot assume it will be that easy this time around. But, this is a plucky, determined Mauler squad. And it is one that surprises a lot of people. Let’s be honest, when you saw that they were the #2 scoring offense in the USFL you were surprised. A lot of that has been thanks to the resurgence of Alan Risher at QB. The former Arizona Wrangler took 2 years to get back into starting form after a stint on an NFL bench, but he has been on fire this year, a likely MVP or OPOY candidate. The defense, however, still needs some more pieces. They finished the year 18th in points allowed, and while they have some solid contributors there is really no one player they can turn to for the big play at the right time. If they want to win it will take all 45 men working together to make it happen. NEW JERSEY GENERALS Stars: QB Doug Flutie, HB Herschel Walker, TE Brent Jones, WR Lam Jones, DE Gary Jeter, CB Terry Daniels Rankings: 20.3 PPG (9th), 311 YPG (14th), 19.8 PPGA (9th), 297 YPGA (5th) Last 5 Games: 1-4 New Jersey always seems to be a February Favorite, a team folks get excited about in the offseason, but they never seem to pull it together once the games start. This year felt different as the Generals started off hot and at one point held the lead in the division, but they have lost 5 of their last 6, and the offense has simply not produced the way we expected. They are one of the better teams against the run (allowing fewer than 80 yards per game) which will be key as they hope to slow down Mike Rozier, but we also know that all eyes will be on rushing champion Herschel Walker to make the difference. He was the league’s first big signing, and a huge face for the franchise for 6 years, but this may be his best shot at proving that he is more than a back, he is a leader. Our Pick: We don’t buy that last week’s performance was the real Generals. This is a team with a lot to prove and we expect they will be well-prepared for what Pittsburgh throws at them this week. We are picking New Jersey to finally show what they can be and set themselves up for a grudge match against the Philadelphia Stars by beating the Maulers this week. WAITING IN THE WINGS Four teams play their way into the Divisional Round next week. These are the six teams waiting in the wings and preparing for their time in the sun. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (9-7) 3rd Seed Stars: QB Cliff Stoudt, HB Joe Cribbs, WR Jim Smith, DE Bob Barber, CB Kenneth Howard Rankings: 23 PPG (5th), 333 YPG (5th), 19.6 PPGA (6th), 329 YPGA (15th) Last 5 Games: 2-3 The one time presumptive Southern Division Champs let it slip away by going 2-4 down the stretch. Despite being one of the top 5 offenses in the league, far too often the Stallions have scored fewer than 20 points and that won’t cut it in the playoffs. A 30-13 loss to Memphis two weeks ago will fuel the fire in their divisional matchup against the same Showboats, but the fire they need to see is in the heart of HB Joe Cribbs. His legs are the engine that drives this offense, and if he gets rolling the Stallions are tough to beat. Cliff Stoudt cannot do it with his arm. He needs the play action game to be available to allow for open receivers and big plays. If Cribbs is on, it will be there, if Memphis can contain him, the Stallions may struggle again. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (10-6) 2nd Seed Stars: QB Mike Kelley, HB Greg Boone, WR Mel Gray, DE Reggie White, LB Eddie Simmons Rankings: 22.1 PPG (6th), 329 YPG (6th), 18.6 PPGA (6th), 307 YPGA (7th) Last 5 Games: 4-1 The Showboats come into the playoffs on a tear. They have won 6 of their last 7 and 8 of 10 over the back of the season. Other than a very bizarre 9-0 loss in Michigan the Showboats have been scoring points and shutting down opponents. Mike Kelley led the league in attempts and completions on his way to an All-USFL season, and Greg Boone has found new life as the starter at halfback after years in Gary Anderson’s shadow in Tampa. The defense is anchored by one of the nicest, but most feared, players in the USFL, DE Reggie White. This is a team that can outscore you or can simply shut you down. If both sides of the ball are at their best, they can dominate. PHILADELPHIA STARS (10-6) 1st Seed Stars: QB Chuck Fusina, HB Kelvin Bryant, WR Mike Quick, DE William Fuller, LB Sam Mills Rankings: 19.3 PPG (13th), 309 YPG (15th), 14.8 PPGA (1st), 274.9 YPGA (1st) Last 5 Games: 4-1 With their offenses sputtering all year, and trailing New Jersey in the standings for a good part of the season, many were saying that Philly’s run as a dominant force in the league was ending, but the Stars came on as the season drew to a close, and their defense started taking over games. When you are #1 in the league in scoring defense and yardage, you can win a lot of games, even if your offense is mediocre at best. This is not a team that will win a shootout, this is a team that will make sure a shootout does not happen. Expect Philadelphia to be prepared to stop the run regardless of whether it is Walker and the Generals or Rozier and the Maulers in their first game. Coach Mora is going to have this team prepared and ready to take away their opponents top weapons. They are once again the #1 seed and they are still the defending champions, so don’t sleep on the Stars. HOUSTON GAMBLERS (11-4-1) 3rd Seed Stars: QB Jim Kelly, HB Thurman Thomas, WR Ricky Sanders, LB Kiki DeAyala, DE Simon Fletcher Rankings: 23.9 PPG (3rd), 357 YPG (2nd), 17.3 PPGA (4th), 295 YPGA (4th) Last 5 Games: 3-2 Any team that has a Top 5 offense and a Top 5 defense is a dangerous squad. Houston can outpace you with their mult-look offense, or they can shut you down with their swarming defense. They have the second best record in the league for a reason, and they have the experience and the hunger to return to the Championship after falling inches short of a title last year. We expect Houston to give Denver all they have in the divisional round, having beaten them in last year’s playoffs to advance to the Championship Game. Expect Coach Pardee to have some new gadgets and new looks in store on offense, and expect that defense to play aggressively against a Denver offense that can be sporadic at times. DENVER GOLD (10-6) 2nd Seed Stars: QB Bob Gagliano, HB Harry Sydney, WR Bill Brooks, DE Larry White, CB Solomon Wilcots Rankings: 21.5 PPG (7th), 290 YPG (19th), 15.9 PPGA (2nd), 283.7 YPGA (7th) Last 5 Games: 3-2 Denver is your classic smashmouth football team, surprising for one led by Coach Mouse Davis, but that is who they have always been. They play solid defense, pressure the QB, shut down the run, and they play ball control on offense. The D helps set up short drives, which allows them to be 19th in total yards as a team and still a Top 10 scoring offense. It is all about field position and ball control. In their game against Houston, they will need both. They will also need a good game from QB Bob Gagliano. We have seen games where Bob Gagliano looks like a Top 5 QB, and we have seen games where we wonder how he still has a starting job. The Gold need him to be on his game to get past a very tough Houston squad. Both Houston and Denver have defenses that can keep the score low, so it will be about turnovers, field position and taking advantage of opportunities. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (13-3) 1st Seed Stars: QB Matt Robinson, HBs Marcus Dupree & Dalton Hilliard, WR Nolan Franz, LB Markus Marek Rankings: 30.8 PPG (1st), 366.4 YPG (1st), 22.2 PPGA (14th), 331.3 YPGA (16th) Last 5 Games: 4-1 What a difference a year, and a new coach, can make. Bill Arnsparger came to New Orleans from Baton Rouge and has the Breakers playing the best ball of their 6-year existence. It is all about offense with these Breakers as they have one of the best 1-2 punches in the run game with Dupree and Hilliard, but the key to the quick rise of the tide in New Orleans is the play of QB Matt Robinson. An NFL castoff, Robinson languished behind Tony Eason for years, and even this year Coach Arnsparger brought in CFL starter Matt Dunigan because he was unsure what he had in Robinson. Well, what he has is the presumptive League MVP and a quarterback who can lead the Breakers to a possible championship. This is a team that will have to score points to win it all. They do not have a dominant defense despite the talent of 6 year vet Marcus Marek. They are a shootout ready team that hopes to get up early and then focus on slowing down the game as teams try to come back. That is the formula that has worked all season, and it is what we expect to see in two weeks when they take on the winner of the Texas-LA Wild Card game. OK, there are your matchups, your team outlooks, and your stars. Time to put on the pads and get on the field to start the 1988 USFL Playoffs.

SCORES PIT 38 NJ 10 Alan Risher was determined to lead the Maulers to the playoffs, and he did just that, crushing the Generals with 273 yards passing and 4 TD’s as Pittsburgh punched their ticket to next week’s Wildcard game. New Jersey was already a virtual lock for a playoff spot, and their loss this week simply means that they will face off against the Maulers again next week, and again in the Meadowlands. WSH 17 PHI 27 Philadelphia could not rest their starters in case New Jersey won, so they did their best to remove any doubt and in the process elimated the Federals from the post-season. Their win, combined with a shocking Stallion loss gave the Stars another #1 seed. It was a full team effort for Philly as Chuck Fusina connected with rookie Quinn Early for 101 yards in the rook’s best game to date, while Kelvin Bryant gained 94 and a score to help Philly to the win and the top seed. ORL 6 JAX 17 Jacksonville upends the Renegades thanks to a solid defensive gameplan and 17 unanswered 2nd half points. For Orlando, high hopes of edging into the playoffs at 8-8 fell flat as their offense completely fizzled in the game. Reggie Collier was held to only 142 yards passing and was sacked 4 times by a Bulls defense that was playing for pride. TBY 21 MEM 23 Memphis got the win and their first Southern Division crown, but Tampa did not make it easy. The Bandits hung tough the whole game as Oliver Luck threw for 3 scores, but in the end, the Showboats did just enough to win and to edge the Stallions for the division crown. NOR 22 CHI 19 The Chicago Machine were a much more competitive team in 1988, but New Orleans was the better team on this day. Nolan Franz caught his 14th TD on the year to lead all receivers and Tim Mazzetti scored the winning kick in overtime for the Breakers, who finish the year with the league’s best record at 13-3. They will now take a well-earned rest and see who comes calling after the Wild Card round. MGN 7 HOU 16 Michigan had a shot at a Wild Card berth, and Houston had nothing to play for, but don’t tell that to these Gamblers. Their rivalry with Michigan fired up the Gambles and their defense held Michigan to only 1 score on the day despite a solid 100 yard performance from Anthony Carter. The loss eliminates the Panthers from postseason play for the first time in team history, while Houston will host a game against Denver in two weeks. OAK 30 ARZ 14 It was too late for a playoff run, but the Invaders end the season on a hot streak and move their record to a respectable 7-8-1 with some late season victories. Gale Gilbert found Henry Ellard twice for scores and Richard Williams added another 93 yards to his rushing total as the Invaders had what it took to score a season-ending win on the road. TEX 7 BAL 27 Texas could not do much against the Baltimore Blitz, and yet it is the Outlaws, not the Blitz who will be playing next week. Texas got help from Oakland, who eliminated Arizona from contention, while Baltimore loses out on a tie breaker to the Pittsburgh Maulers. LA 6 DEN 24 Denver’s defense came alive in this one, shutting down the Express and granting the Gold another Pacific Division title. The offensive star for the Gold was wideout Bill Brooks, who caught 8 balls, including a key TD to seal the deal. LA still makes the playoffs at 9-7 and will host the upstart Texas Outlaws next week, while Denver hosts Houston in 2 weeks. GAME OF THE WEEK Portland Thunder 14 Birmingham Stallions 13 Call it malaise, call it a trap game, call it overconfidence, but you never want to go into the playoffs losing the last game of the year, and certainly not the way the Stallions lost this one. Birmingham had a chance to win the Southern Division, but with Memphis’s victory well in hand, it seemed that the air went out of the balloon for the Stallions. Birmingham played tough early, building a 13-0 lead by the half, but the killer instinct just wasn’t there to put away the Thunder. Portland only put together 198 total yards in the game, as Brent Pease was largely ineffective, throwing 19 for 36 for only 170. The run game wasn’t there either, as Owen Gill only gained 22 total yards on the day, but one of those runs was a 2 yard plunge for Portland’s first score in the 3rd. It brought the lead down to 13-7 Birmingham, but the Stallions seemed unimpressed and unfased. That attitude changed when a Stallion punt was received by Portland receiver Aubrey Matthews, who proceded to juke, spin, and fly past defenders on what would become a 90 yard TD return. Suddenly it was 14-13 Thunder, and the Stallions were deflated, stunned, and unable to mount a serious comeback. Portland played the clock as much as they played the Stallions for the rest of the game, and Birmingham seemd unable to find their offensive mojo as drive after drive stalled. When the final whistle blew, they had lost a game no one had expected to be close, and they had lost their shot at a division title at the same time. The Stallions will still get a bye before having to face Memphis in 2 weeks, but this loss will still sting, and it certainly does not put them in a mindset to face as tough a rival as the Showboats. This one will hurt, and if the Stallions cannot get past the Showboats next week, it could be a game that lives in infamy among the Birmingham faithful for years to come. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Tight ends rarely get the accolades they deserve, so let’s celebrate one of the USFL’s best this week. Pittsburgh big man Mike Shaw has been a solid weapon all season long, often leading the team in receptions as Alan Risher’s favorite safety valve. This week he caught only 4 balls, but proved to be a dangerous man in the open field, gaining 95 yards and scoring twice in those 4 catches. Shaw caught a 28 yarder for a score on a perfect seam route, and then, one quarter later, returned to the endzone on a 40 yard out route that included a devastating stiff arm to the safety as Pittsburgh just demolished the Generals and gained their first ever playoff appearance. For Shaw, who is 2nd in receptions at 74 (tied with rookie Keith Jackson and behind only Todd Christiansen), 2nd in yards (again Christiansen), and tied for first (guess who) with 7 touchdowns, this year was just another in a series of solid outings for the Maulers. His best year was still the first for the Maulers, when he caught 87 balls for 1037 for the talent-deprived expansion club, but he has been over 700 yards and 50 receptions every year since. A solid player who deserves more attention, and may just get it from the Generals’ D next week after the way he carved them up this Sunday. PLAYOFF PICTURE OK, here are the basics, with details to come in our playoff preview. Next week we have two very different matchups in the Wild Card round as Pittsburgh returns to New Jersey for a rematch of this week’s beat down of the Generals. Out West the Texas Outlaws get their first taste of playoff football as they travel to Angel Stadium to face Steve Young and the LA Express. The Wild Card winners would next face the #1 seeds in each conference, so Philly and New Orleans are waiting. Meanwhile the #2 seed Division Winners and the #3 top Wild Cards face off as well. Denver hosts Houston in a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Championship. In the East it will be a brutal divisional battle between the Birmingham Stallions, who led the division almost all season, and the homestanding Memphis Showboats, who stole the crown thanks to this week’s games. The Liberty Bowl is sure to be rocking as we expect thousands of Stallion faithful to make the trip alongside a huge Showboat crowd for their first ever playoff game. No News & Notes this week, as we prep for our Playoff Preview. News about Black Monday and other league business will be part of our Wild Card Weekend coverage next week. For now, let’s revel in another amazing season of USFL football, let’s congratulate the Maulers, Showboats, and Outlaws for their first franchise playoff appearance, and let’s lament the absence of two franchises that have never missed the playoffs before, as both the Michigan Panthers and the Tampa Bay Bandits will be sitting this one out. It’s on to the playoffs and a chance for glory for one of ten teams still alive.

SCORES BAL 3 PHI 23 A big day for Kelvin Bryant leads Philly to the win and clinches a playoff berth for the 6th straight year for the Stars. Mike Quick also contributed 126 yards receiving as Bryant scored twice against the Blitz. The Blitz just could not run the ball, with Vince Evans leading the team with only 17 yards rushing. BIR 13 MEM 30 The Showboats get a franchise-defining win at home against the Stallions to even both teams at 9-6 with one game yet to play. Both teams have clinched playoff spots, but the division title remains up in the air. Mike Kelley threw 3 TDs on the day, while Cliff Stoudt was picked twice in the rivalry game. ORL 20 TBY 21 Orlando needed the win to keep pace for a wildcard, but the Bandits outplayed them, and much-maligned QB Oliver Luck had his best game of the year against the ‘Gades, throwing for 206 yards, no picks, and all three Bandit TD’s, including 2 to tight end Sam Bowers. HOU 14 NOR 31 In one of the highest rated USFL games ever, the Breakers proved they were the team to beat this year, scoring 24 unanswered points in the 2nd half to blow past the Gamblers. But, before the Breakers get too cocky, they need to recognize that with Sean Salisbury at the helm, the Gamblers offense was not its usual self, despite 123 and a score from rookie Thurman Thomas. MGN 27 TEX 16 The Panthers proved they were still in the playoff hunt, with a vital win at the Outlaws. The win ties Michigan with Texas at 8-7, and keeps their playoff hopes alive. Jack Trudeau looked good, throwing for 244 and 3 scores, while Doug Williams struggled. Anthony Carter returned from injury and immediately reminded everyone of his championship seasons, gaining 129 in the air. DEN 24 OAK 38 The Invaders’ late hot streak continued, as Denver let another important road game slip away. The Gold outgained Oakland 392-259 but three Gagliano interceptions cost the Gold dearly. Denver is now tied with LA in the division, with next week’s clash to determine the division title. LA 30 POR 10 LA dispatched the Portland Thunder handily to win their 9th game and tie Denver atop the division. Christian Okoye rumbled for 98 yards on the day, and Jo-Jo Townsell caught 10 for 106 and a score as the Express dominated Portland and backup QB Brent Pease. NJ 34 ARZ 14 The Generals remain a game behind Philly and one up on the rest of the division with their win over the Wranglers. Herschel Walker was a madman with 217 yards rushing and 2 scores against a totally incapable Wrangler D. Add in 2 more scores from Doug Flutie and it was a cakewalk for the Generals. JAX 21 CHI 17 In the only game all week without playoff implications, the Bulls got their 5th win of the year by upsetting Chicago in Chicago. Chris Miller had an up and down day, throwing for 3 scores but also 2 picks, while Chuck Long threw 55 passes in the game despite never trailing by more than 10. GAME OF THE WEEK Pittsburgh Maulers 27 Washington Federals 30 In a battle between two Atlantic Division teams struggling for both respect and a potential Wild Card, the Federals had just enough at home to hold off the Maulers. Both now sit at 7-8, with a chance to snag the last wildcard spot with a win next week. Pittsburgh looked good early, going up 14-0 early in the 2nd on a 4-yard Risher run, but Washington would score the next 27 points as backup Don Majkowski threw 3 scores (2 to Mark Bavaro and 1 to Craig James) and Ray Wersching added 2 kicks to flip the score to 27-14 Washington after 3. Pittsburgh regained their composure in the 4th, scoring on 2 consecutive drives to pull to 27-20. The last Ray Wersching field goal gave Washington the 10-point lead, and, though they could not stop Pittsburgh from scoring one last time, the Danny Buggs TD with only 31 seconds left did not leave the Maulers with time to mount another drive, and they fell by 3 to the Federals. And so, now both Pittsburgh and Washington are tied with Baltimore (and Orlando in the Southern Division), with very likely only 1 playoff spot left to be won. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK We have to give this to Herschel Walker, right? 217 yards and 2 scores in a must-win inter-divisional game is exactly what the Generals needed. New Jersey has looked like a potential championship contender some weeks and an absolute pretender on others, and while Walker’s week-to-week performance is usually not the reason for the ups and downs of the team, when he is on, like he was this week, the Generals’ offense becomes very tough to stop. Walker sucks in backers and safeties, allows Flutie to bootleg and find open receivers with ease, and it allows the defense time to rest by soaking up the time of possession. Walker was the USFL’s first big star, and he remains a pivotal figure for the league to this day. As he goes, so will go the Generals, and right now he looks healthy, powerful, and dangerous. PLAYOFF PICTURE We can finally say that we have a sense of what is happening, and with only 1 week left to play, that is pretty amazing. Here is what we know: WEST New Orleans has clinched the Central Title and the #1 Seed. The winner of the Denver-LA game next week will win the Pacific and the #2 seed. Houston is the #3 seed at 10-4-1. Texas, Michigan, and the Denver-LA loser are battling for 2 remaining slots. EAST Philly, Birmingham and Memphis are in. New Jersey is in with a win. Pittsburgh, Washington, Baltimore, and Orlando are fighting for 1 Wild Card spot. Baltimore needs the most help, because their division record is the worst of the 3 Atlantic 7-8 teams. Orlando still has a shot with a win, depending on who else wins, as head-to-head may determine this. Out: Portland, Chicago, Jacksonville, Tampa, Oakland. NEWS & NOTES Next week means a lot for the teams who can win a playoff spot, but it could also mean major changes for those who may fall short. We all expect that next week’s game will be Lindy Infante’s last as coach of the Bulls, but it could also be the end of a long run for several other coaches. There are rumors that Marv Levy is prepared to step down if he cannot guide Baltimore to a playoff spot. Jim Stanley has publicly mentioned possible retirement after leading Michigan to 2 championships, and even the seemingly secure position of Tampa’s Steve Spurrier may be in doubt after next week. Frank Kush is also on the hot seat as his 4 years in Arizona have proven less than inspiring. And, with the NFL returning from a rough year of arbitration and union woes, there is also a very good chance that as soon as the season ends the poaching of USFL Free Agents will begin. Among those whose contracts expire this year are some major USFL stars, including the following: QB: S. Young (LA), M. Kelley (MEM), J. Trudeau (MGN) HB: T. Spencer (BAL), H. Sydney (DEN), J. Williams (MGN), D. Hilliard (NOR), K. Byars (NJ), K. Bryant (PHI) TE: T. Christiansen (LA), R. Chester (OAK), WR: L. Lipps (ARZ), L. Jones (NJ), H. Ellard (OAK), J. Walters (WSH) OL: M. Tracy (HOU), M. Baab (NJ), T. Ponder (PIT), M. Behning (TBY) DL: R. White (MEM), W. Fuller (PHI), D, Butz (TEX) LB: K. Greene (BIR), C. Bratton (JAX), C. Banks (LA), J. Offerdahl (NJ), P. Choate (POR), DB: D. Martin (DEN), J. Restic (NOR), T. Bowles (PHI), L. Lyles (WSH) INJURY REPORT Just what no one wants to see, some big injuries right as teams prep for the playoffs. Birmingham has lost DE Art Still for the rest of the season and postseason with a torn ACL, a devastating blow. Washington, who had hoped to return Neil Lomax in as the starter, will play the rest of the year with Don Majkowski under center as Lomax’s hip has proven to be a much bigger concern than originally thought. Arizona will play again without LB Brian Noble, whose ribs are not yet healed, while Arizona loses another LB as Stan White hyperextended his knee. Jim Kelly is listed as probable for the season finale, but may rest as the game has no bearing on Houston’s #3 seed. Some players returning to action for the pivotal final week include Arizona TE Terry Orr, Denver FS Vencie Glenn, Orlando LB Tim Green, and New Orleans DE Jerry Reese. LOOKING AHEAD It all comes down to this. Every game but one has playoff-altering potential. The one exception is New Orleans @ Chicago, which has no impact on positioning. Denver hosting LA is the most obvious win & in game, with the winner taking the Pacific title and the loser hoping to get the breaks needed to be a Wild Card. Unlike most years where there are teams feeling good and resting players, that is not the case in almost every case. Pittsburgh faces New Jersey, hoping to get a playoff spot for the first time, while the Generals could still catch Philly. The Stars host Washington, who also need a win to make the playoffs. Orlando hopes to get in with a win over Jacksonville and losses among the Maulers, Federals and Blitz. Baltimore, meanwhile, is out of division, hosting a Texas squad who now need a win to hold off the Panthers. Michigan is at Houston and may be hoping that the Gamblers continue to rest the dinged-up Jim Kelly. Birmingham and Memphis are both hoping for a win and for the other to lose, so that one can wrap up the Southern Division. Memphis hosts Tampa while Birmingham hosts the 2-13 Portland Thunder. Finally, Arizona has slim playoff hopes, but must defeat the streaking Oakland Invaders and get help. So much to play for, so many big games. Should be another great week of USFL action.

SCORES BAL 13 MEM 33 Another tough loss for the Blitz as Memphis rolls to a 20-point victory behind the arm of Mike Kelley and 3 TD runs from Buford Jordan. Mel Gray has his best game of the year with 10 catches for 115 yards as Baltimore’s defense simply cannot find an answer. NJ 12 ORL 17 We expected a tough matchup for the Generals in Orlando, but what we did not expect was that this would largely be a defensive struggle. Walker was held to only 67 yards on the ground, and Flutie threw for only 189. Two Reggie Collier TD tosses were enough as the Renegade defense held the Generals to only 12 total points and 270 total yards on the day. PHI 16 TBY 6 A rough day in the rain for the Stars, but they still had enough to prevail over the Bandits. Kelvin Bryant’s 105 yards and 1 TD were enough as the Stars defense smothered Oliver Luck and limited Gary Anderson to only 95 yards rushing. 3 David Trout field goals helped clinch the win for Philadelphia. PIT 23 BIR 26 Alan Risher threw for 3 scores, but a wild 16 point rally in the 4th gave Birmingham the home win. Scott Norwood was the hero as he kicked 3 field goals in the 4th, including the game winner with 19 seconds left on the clock as Birmingham rallies late. WSH 16 JAX 28 This was a game the Federals needed to win to stay alive in the Eastern Conference Wild Card chase, but they fell flat as the Bulls outgained them 281-371 and George Adams garnered 107 yards and 2 scores. Neil Lomax completed only 56% of his passes and was sacked 3 times by a motivated Bulls defense. CHI 21 LA 13 Too many teams this year have expected to face off against last year’s sad sack Chicago squad and have been surprised to find that the 1988 edition of the Machine are no pushovers. Chicago kept pace with LA all day and scored the final 10 points in the game to take the win. 4 John Carney field goals, an early safety and a 4th quarter Long to Haynes TD sunk the Express in a game they expected to win. MGN 30 POR 7 Michigan’s defense again proved to be on its game as they held the punchless Thunder to a total of ony 107 yards in the game. The only points for Portland came late on an 86 yard interception return off of backup Panther QB Ed Luther, in because Michigan held a 30-0 lead. NOR 24 ARZ 31 Arizona clawed and fought all day and it proved enough to snap the Breaker’s win streak as Robbie Bosco outperformed Matt Robinson. The Breakers would run up 453 yards of offense, but were unable to hold the lead and Arizona earned a much-needed win as they pursue a playoff berth. TEX 26 DEN 13 The Texans helped to tighten the Western Division race by upsetting the Gold in Denver. Doug Williams found holes in the Gold defense and threw for 3 scores despite facing a tough pass rush all day. The gameday decision not to start a gimpy Harry Sydney hamstrung the Gold offense, as Timmy Smith rushed for only 15 yards on the day. GAME OF THE WEEK Houston Gamblers 24 Oakland Invaders 24 Overtime We knew it had to happen one day, the USFL’s first tie in 6 seasons of football finally occurred as Oakland rallied from a 14 point deficit in the 4th to tie the game on a late Henry Ellard TD catch and a 2pt conversion. It all looked good for Houston through three as Jim Kelly found both Ricky Sanders and Ernie Jones for scores and the defense held Oakland to 3 field goals as Houston took the 24-9 lead into the 4th, but the Invaders have been giving teams trouble of late, and they gave Houston all they could handle. On Oakland’s first possession of the final quarter, Richard Williams, who would end the day with a stunning 160 yards against the usually stingy Houston D, plunged in from the 2 to get the Invaders back within 8. It was the culmination of Oakland’s best drive of the day, a 67 yard, 11 play drive against a clearly tired Houston defense. But with only 2:56 left in the game, Houston still controlled their own destiny. Oakland’s D then came up with the series of the game, as they held Houston without a first down, shutting down Thurman Thomas, as they had all day (only 28 yards rushing), and when Houston tried to fake out the D on third and 6 by calling a draw to Todd Fowler, the Invader defenders were all over it, forcing Houston to punt. Oakland got the ball, only 60 yards away, but with just over 90 seconds left in the game. A quick screen pass to Williams garnered 5, and forced Houston to respect the short game. The Gamblers stayed true to their name and gambled with a safety blitz on 2nd down. Gale Gilbert, who had one of his best days against the tough Houston D, throwing for 329 despite being sacked 5 times, saw that Henry Ellard was in single coverage, and as he rolled to his left, Ellard took off down the sideline and gained a step on the cornerback. Gilbert found him and in just 2 plays the Invaders were in the endzone and within 2 points of a tie. Coach Vermeil called his offense over to the sideline before the 2-point play, using his last time out, and called for a misdirection play that would fake the ball to Williams and hopefully lead to backup TE Frank Moreno being uncovered. The play worked to perfection as the aggressive Houston D bit on the fake and Moreno delayed his route just enough to sell the run before bleeding out to the flat for an easy completion and a tie game. In overtime both teams struggled to muster much offense as the extra period saw 5 punts before the clock ran out. Oakland was happy to take the tie against a tough Houston squad, while the Gamblers had to feel that they let one slip away, a game they could not afford to lose as they tried to keep pace with the Breakers in the Central Division. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Clay Matthews helped Chicago to its best defensive performance of the year and pulled off a play that no one saw coming to earn Defensive POTW honors and our attention. Matthews, who signed with Chicago after a strong career with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, has largely toiled in anonymity with the struggling Machine, but on this day he reminded everyone that he is not a player to be ignored. He led the Machine with 9 tackles, helping to rein in the Express offense, and he turned in one of the best one-on-one tackles of the season, earning a safety after standing up and bringing down the usually bruising Christian Okoye. With the Express backed up to their own 2 yard line after a brilliant special teams play by CB James Washington, LA did the expected thing and called an off-tackle run for their thundering Nigerian halfback. Matthews read the play immediately, flew into the gap and gained lower position against Okoye. He timed his hit perfectly, crashing into Okoye just as the back tried to shift his weight to get outside, and the hit stood up the imposing back 2 yards deep in the endzone. Okoye lost all momentum and by then it was too late as 3 other Machine defenders joined Matthews and brought Okoye down for the safety. It was a textbook tackle against a nearly unstoppable back, and a highlight that epitomized Matthew’s game. PLAYOFF PICTURE Not a lot of clarity gained this week as races remain tight across the league. Houston’s tie with Oakland means that there is unlikely to be a 2-team tie in the Central Division, as that tie will likely either keep Houston a half game back, or allow them to go a half game up on New Orleans by season’s end. In the Atlantic, all 5 teams are within 1 game of .500, with Philly taking a slight edge as New Jersey has lost 4 in a row to fall back to the pack. In the Pacific, Arizona’s win brings them within 2 games of division-leading Denver, while the Central looks to be another nail-biter as Birmingham is trying to hold off a charge from the Memphis Showboats, with Orlando still in the mix. Three weeks left and we are looking at 15 of 20 teams having a viable path to the playoffs. This is likely going down to the wire, so prepare those tie-breakers and expect that we will see at least one, and likely more 8-8 teams in the postseason this year. INJURY REPORT Looking at the final playoff push, there are very few teams without some concerns. Let’s take a look at the top contenders and what they may be facing over the season’s final 3 weeks. Codes include D (Doubtful), Q (Questionable), and players who are out will have weeks listed. PHI: TE A. Higdon (2-4 wks), T W. Wolford (D), FS E. Gardiner (D) NJ: DE G. Jeter (Q) BLT: DE C. Buchanon (4-6 wks) PIT: C T. Ponder (8-12 wks) WSH: QB N. Lomax (D), CB L. Lyles (D) BIR: T E. Yates (Q), WR C. Collins (Q) MEM: WR A. Miller (4-6 wks), G J. Dukes (1-2 wks), HB G. Boone (Q) ORL: TE K. Arroyo (2-4 wks), LB T. Green (Q), G. D. Cadigan (Q) NOR: WR N. Franz (Q), DE J. Reese (Q) HOU: WR C. Verdin (D), QB J. Kelly (Q), LB D. Peace (Q) TEX: TE M. Tice (2-4 wks), T L. Sessions (6-8 wks), FS E. Shelley (D) DEN: WR M. Carrier (4-6 wks), DT L. Short (2-4 wks), TE B. Niziolek (1-2 wks), HB H. Sydney (Q) LA: T P. Smith (Q), FS J. Skinner (Q) ARZ: TE T. Orr (Q), QB R. Bosco (Q), LB B. Noble (D), TE K. McKeller (Q) LOOKING AHEAD Week 15 brings us some outstanding and likely playoff-determining games. In the east, both games will loom large as Baltimore is in Philly and Pittsburgh is in DC. Birmingham faces Memphis in a vital Southern Division Clash, as Orlando travels down the road to Tampa. In the Central, it could all come down to this as Houston is in New Orleans. Michigan is also in Texas in a game that could have Wild Card implications. In the Pacific Denver travels to Oakland while LA is in Portland. In our inter-division matchups, New Jersey is in Tempe to face the Wranglers, while Jacksonville is in Chicago to play the Machine.

SCORES WSH 27 NJ 19 A big win for the Federals and backup QB Don Majkowski and a bad loss for the Generals. Majkowski throws for 222 and 2 scores, Craig James rushes for 128 and Webster Slaughter earns Offensive Player of the week for his 118 yards and 2 scores as the Federals shock the Generals in the Meadowlands to pull back into the playoff race at 6-8. New Jersey now at 7-7 in a division that no one seems ready to lead. ORL 9 BIR 31 Birmingham dominates at home as Joe Cribbs rushes for 139 and a score. The Stallions are outgained by Orlando, but the Renegades commit 3 turnovers, including two costly fumbles, and 7 penalties in the loss. Cliff Stoudt again looks like an MVP candidate, going 21 for 25 and throwing 3 scores in the win. TBY 16 JAX 13 Tampa builds a 16-0 lead only to watch Jacksonville battle back throughout the second half. In a rare USFL game with no turnovers, the key to Tampa’s victory is their ability to hem in George Adams. Tampa’s defense has been shredded most weeks, but they came up big this week, limiting Adams to only 36 yards on the ground. DEN 23 ARZ 3 Robbie Bosco comes back from injury, but gets an unwanted welcome from the Denver D, who sack him 4 times and pick him off on a key 2nd quarter drive. Bob Gagliano finds Bill Brooks for two scores as the Gold return to the top of the Pacific Division with the win. POR 10 OAK 37 Kerwin Bell goes out early with what looks like a season-ending injury and once again Portland can get nothing going on the ground with Owen Gill struggling to only 1.4 yards per carry. Oakland rolls behind 91 yards and 3 scores from Richard Williams. HOU 37 CHI 14 Three Kelly TD passes in the 2nd quarter take Chicago out of their game plan and force Chuck Long to throw 49 passes, with 2 going back to the Houston D. The Machine limit Thurman Thomas to 51 yards on the ground, but he adds another 52 and a score through the air as Houston garners their 10th win of the year. TEX 24 NOR 34 The Breakers stay a game ahead of Houston with a 10-point win over the Texas Outlaws. Texas’s D holds Matt Robinson to only 221 and 1 TD, but the combo of Dupree and Hilliard gain 110 and account for 3 scores as the Breakers pull away in the 3rd and keep Texas out of range despite two late scores in the 4th. PHI 20 LA 28 LA notches a quality victory at home against the Philadelphia Stars as a late Young to Townsell 30 yard TD toss gives them the 8-point lead with 4:42 in the game. Philly mounts a final drive, but it falls short as the LA Defense holds. MEM 0 MGN 9 In one of the more bizarre games of the year, Michigan earns only 3 fieldgoals as Jack Trudeau completes a mere 39% of his passes, but it is enough against a Memphis offense that suddenly can’t even line up straight, gaining only 161 total yards. The absence of Greg Boone from the lineup certainly hurt, but Buford Jordan rushed for a stunningly bad -4 yards on 13 attempts as Memphis simply could not get anything going. John Williams gained 120 on 25 carries to lead Michigan to a bizarre but much-needed win. GAME OF THE WEEK Pittsburgh Maulers 25 Baltimore Blitz 23 These are not the same old Maulers. In a tough divisional game, with a chance to move above .500 this late in the season, the Maulers almost revert to their old ways by giving up 17 points in the 4th quarter to fall behind 22-23, but this year the team from the Steel City has more firepower and more grit, and the Maulers mount a final drive that ends with a winning Rafael Septien fieldgoal as the final seconds come off the clock. A big win for a team that is trying to change its stars. Pittsburgh looked to have this game in hand early, as Mike Rozier’s effective running and some big plays from the much-maligned Mauler defense, help to build a 15-3 halftime lead. Defensive POTW Sean Smith sacks Vince Evans in the endzone for what would turn out to be a crucial 2 points, and Stanford Jennings finds the corner on a 10 yard run that helps Pittsburgh build a solid lead. It was 15-6 after a largely uneventful 3rd quarter when things started to unravel for the Maulers. They went up 22-6 early in the 4th on a Mike Rozier plunge from the 1, but then, on the first play of the next drive, Evans finds Jackie Flowers on a perfect fly route and Flowers goes 73 yards for the score. The Blitz get the 2pt Pat and then use an unexpected onside kick to regain the ball. They drive to the Pittsburgh 3, but are stymied by a solid goal line stand, leading only to a Zendejas field goal. Baltimore’s D holds on the next drive, and the Blitz again turn to Jackie Flowers, this time on a short fade route, to take their first lead of the day 23-22. But Pittsburgh, despite the apparent 4th quarter melt down, is not accepting defeat. They get the ball back with just under 2 minutes to play, and they get to work. Risher hits on a 12 and then a 24 yard completion to move the ball down the field. Another completion to Buggs, and the Maulers are within range, though a tenuous one, for Rafael Septien. They use a Rozier run to set up what would be a 48 yard field goal, and despite an attempt by Marv Levy to ice Rafael Septien with a late timeout, the former Cowboy kicker lines up the kick and drives a stake in the heart of the Blitz as the ball sails through the uprights to give Pittsburgh the win with no time left on the clock. For the Maulers, this is the type of game that can help them define themselves as a plucky blue-collar team that is miles from the sad sack Mauler squads we have seen in past years. Alan Risher has started to pay dividends for the Maulers after returning from a lackluster stint in the NFL, while Mike Rozier is clearly enjoying being part of a winning team after years struggling through 10-loss seasons. The Maulers still have 3 weeks of tough games to try to secure the franchise’s first playoff berth, but this is a squad that seems to be heading in the right direction. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK He did not win Offensive POTW, but we have to give kudos to Washington’s Don Majkowski. Subbing for the injured Neil Lomax, the “Majik Man” has again proven to be one of the best backups in the league. In a game the Federals desperately needed, against a team that many expect will win the Atlantic Division, Majkowski attempted only 16 passes, but completed 12 of them for 222 yards and 2 key scores. He helped Washington gain 457 yards on the day, and avoided costly mistakes, earning a whopping 156.2 QBR on the day. All this, of course, was done with only limited snaps with the first team all week. When Lomax went out midway through the 2nd quarter, Majkowski came off the bench and continued to impress, as he has done in past games, as a QB on the rise. Lomax is expected to return next week, as tests on his injured hip showed no bone damage, but the Federals have to feel good knowing that if he cannot go, his replacement will be able to keep the ball moving. PLAYOFF PICTURE I don’t think we have ever seen the kind of neck and neck races that we are seeing this year. The Atlantic is a huge cluster as 4 teams sit at 7-6 and the 5th is 6-7. To say that this is anyone’s race is about the only thing that can be said. In the other divisions, there is no team with more than a 1 game lead on the division title. Memphis is within 1 of Birmingham, LA trails Denver by 1, and Houston is keeping pace with New Orleans despite the Breaker’s 10 game win streak. So what can we say definitively? Well, we can say that Portland, Jacksonville, Tampa and Chicago are definitely out of the picture, but any of these 4 could impact the playoff race in a big way with late season upsets. We can say that Arizona, losers of 3 straight, and Orlando, losers of 4 straight, seem to be fading out of contention, though there is time to turn it around. New Jersey appears to be blowing their chance to win the Atlantic, losing 3 in a row down the stretch, but they remain tied in that 4-team cluster at 7-6. We also feel confident saying that the winner of the Central Division will get the #1 seed while the 2nd place team will be a very dangerous Wild Card club. Other than that, it is all open, all to play for in the season’s final 3 weeks. NEWS & NOTES We mentioned earlier that Cliff Stoudt was in the MVP running, and that made us want to look at all the award candidates to see where we are. MVP: While Stoudt, Joe Cribbs, and Herschel Walker are having outstanding seasons, it looks clearly that the MVP will go to an unexpected winner this year, New Orleans QB Matt Robinson. Robinson has a legitimate chance to break the league record for TD passes in a season and is the only QB rated over 100 in the league’s QBR. If New Orleans finishes as the overall #1 seed we don’t see how he doesn’t win the MVP title. Rookie of the Year: Thurman Thomas, with over 1,000 yards rushing and a chance to reach 500 yards receiving, now seems the obvious choice as well. Jamie Morris is perhaps his closest rival, with Oakland LB Ken Harvey a distant 3rd. Coach of the Year: It has to be Breaker’s 1st year coach and former LSU head man, Bill Arnsparger. The Breakers are a completely different team under Arnsparger than they were under the affable, but largely ineffective Dick Coury. Arnsparger has this team on a 10 game win streak and they look like a solid contender for the title, so another relatively easy pick. Trailin, though likely to get some votes, are Birminghman’s Rollie Dotsch, Texas’s Woody Widenhofer, Pittsburgh’s Joe Bugel, and Birmingham’s Marv Levy. Defensive Player of the Year: This one is tough. Brian Noble and Brian Bosworth are battling for the tackles title, but we also cannot overlook the strong season that Kurt Gouveia has had for Denver. And don’t count out Najee Mustafaa, Texas’s shut down corner, who leads the league with 7 interceptions. Offensive Player of the Year: If Robinson takes the MVP title, and Thomas is the clear Rookie of the Year, the league, which hates to double up award winners, may look to Cliff Stoudt here, or could go with whichever back (Walker or Cribbs) wins the rushing title. If it were up to us, we would go with Carlos Carson, the Texas Outlaw receiver who leads the league in yardage and is a close second in receptions. Comeback Player of the Year: This one is tougher, but we like Herschel Walker, who has never really been gone, but has simply not produced in recent years as he has this year. There really isn’t anyone who has returned from a devastating injury to retake the lead on his team. So rising back to the top of the rushing leaderboard after several years of struggles to make the Top 5 seems like a comeback of sorts to us. LOOKING AHEAD Week 14 has the Atlantic facing the Southern Division and the Central traveling to the Pacific. Within those inter-divisional matchups, we have some interesting matchups. Baltimore will be in Memphis, with both teams pursuing a playoff spot. New Jersey has a tough challenge in Orlando, while Philadelphia revives an old rivalry with Tampa Bay. The Maulers face an uphill challenge at Birmingham, while Washington hopes to notch another win in Jacksonville. Out West, Chicago is in LA to face the Express, while Denver hosts the Texas Outlaws in a key matchup. Oakland will welcome the Houston Gamblers, while Michigan, hoping to get back in the playoff hunt, is in Portland. Finally the Breakers hope to keep their win streak alive as they face the Wranglers in Tempe.