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SCORES BAL 19 JAX 6 Nothing was working for the Bulls as they got shut down by a resurgent Blitz defense. Baltimore outgained Jacksonville 312-172 on the day as Chris Miller threw for only 172 and George Adams was completely shut down, rushing for only 9 yards on 12 attempts. For Baltimore, 4 Luis Zendejas field goals were more than enough after an early Stanley Morgan TD gave the Blitz a 7-0 lead that would never be challenged. NJ 9 MEM 21 Touchdowns beats field goals every time. Both teams got 3 scores but Memphis was able to find the endzone while New Jersey was not. The Memphis D contained Herschel Walker (87 yards on 15 carries) and held New Jersey to only 1 successful third down on the day while Mike Kelley overcame two interceptions, with a lot of help from Greg Boone (42 yards) and Buford Jordan (53 yards) to take the win. PHI 20 ORL 6 Another game where a usually potent offense got shut out. Philadelphia’s D, led by Sam Mills and safety Scott Woerner, held the Orlando offense in check and Philly won the takeaway battle 2-0 to help the Stars escape the Citrus Bowl with a key win. Neither offense looked great as Philly only garnered 198 total yards, but two early Fusina TD tosses would be more than enough. PIT 14 TBY 25 After losing John Reaves for the year, Tampa traded to get Blitz backup Stan Gelbaugh for depth, but with a full week of practice to prepare, Oliver Luck looked solid, completing 20 of 35 for 248 and two scores. Eric Truvillion found gaps in the Pittsburgh D and ended the day with 118 yards and a score. Tampa’s D also contributed, holding Mike Rozier to only 52 yards rushing on the day. CHI 29 DEN 14 Chicago came to Mile High undaunted by the altitude or the Denver D, and gave their most complete game of the year. Chuck Long completed 73% of his passes, with rookie Michael Haynes catching 8 for 106, as the Machine dismantled the Gold defense. Chicago also proved they could play D, picking off Bob Gagliano 4 times (though 2 of those were tip drills). The win moves Chicago to 3-4 and proves that this is not last year’s sadsack Machine. HOU 24 LA 10 Jim Kelly had his best game of the year with 3 TD passes and no interceptions, as the Houston offense once again focused on a hurry-up format. Kelly found open receivers largely because LA had difficulty handling rookie HB Thurman Thomas. Thomas ended the day with 142 yards rushing and his ability to make men miss forced LA to clog the box, leaving Sanders, Verdin and others with man coverage. MGN 33 OAK 13 Jack Trudeau returned to action for the Panthers and immediately improved their offense, throwing for 325 yards and 3 scores. The Michigan D also held Oakland’s Richard Williams to only 59 yards on the ground and limiting the Invaders to 187 total yards of offense in a lopsided victory. NOR 51 POR 12 Sometimes it all goes wrong, and a game just gets away from you. That certainly was the case in Portland, where the Breakers built up a 20-3 halftime lead against the Thunder and then exploded in the second half, eventually taking a 51-3 lead before a softer defense and a lot of backups playing allowed for a Portland TD. New Orleans gained 555 yards on the day, including 373 for Matt Robinson, and a combined 116 for Dupree, Hilliard, and Williams. TEX 7 ARZ 31 It was a reality check for the Outlaws as they ran into a buzzsaw in Tempe. While statistically the game was close, the result was not. Robbie Bosco uncharacteristically ran in two scores (4 and 1 yards) and then found Trumaine Johnson for a 3rd to lead the Wranglers. And while Williams and Mitchell had decent numbers, they just could not produce points for the Outlaws this week. GAME OF THE WEEK Washington Federals 16 Birmingham Stallions 19 In a week with a lot of blowouts, the Feds-Stallions game was the only one with any real drama. In what was largely a battle between kickers, Birmingham’s Scott Norwood kicked 4 to Washington vet Ray Wersching’s 3 to edge the Feds. The star of the game was, as it often is, Birmingham’s Joe Cribbs, who averaged 7 yards a carry to gain 162 on the day. For Washington, Craig James was held to 63 total yards, and Neil Lomax, while efficient (73% competion rate) could not find the big play against a solid Stallion defense. Birmingham started strong, building a 13-6 halftime lead, but Neil Lomax found Mike Holmes for 6 to start the 2nd half, evening the score at 13. The Feds would take the lead early in the 4th on a 41 yarder from Wersching, only to watch Scott Norwood hit from 21 and 19 after two Stallion drives stalled in the red zone. It was not the type of game that the USFL will hype on their weekly recap show, but it was a solid win for the Stallions, who now move to 4-3 and edge closer to Orlando. For Washington, the loss drops them to a disappointing 2-5 as the season seems to be slipping away from a team that had high hopes after last year’s playoff appearance. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK We are going to give this one to Houston’s dynamic rookie back, Thurman Thomas. The Oklahoma State product used a 142 yard rushing day to move into the Top 5 in the league, but it is his versatility that has fans in Houston cheering. Thomas is an excellent receiver and seemsto have a natural instinct for the screen game, using blockers to turn short passes into long gains, as seen this week when he wove his way through the LA defense on a screen for 26 yards and a score. Thomas was not the most highly-rated HB to come out of the college ranks this year, but he is proving that Houston chose wisely in drafting him. With Jim Kelly struggling with interceptions this year, Houston would be wise to make full use of their young back and incorporate him more fully into the passing game. NEWS & NOTES When the season started there was a lot of talk about how much stronger the East was than the West, but as we approach the midpoint of the season it seems clear that the Central Division is pulling their weight. New Orleans and Houston top the power rankings this week, and Texas has been a surprise at 5-2. Michigan is also on the good side of .500, and even Chicago has proven a tough out, as their 3-4 record attests. Meanwhile the two Eastern conference divisions are largely hovering around .500. Perhaps they are stronger, but that balance of strength means that every week they are knocking each other off. With Baltimore and Pittsburgh proving that they are not as far from Philly and New Jersey as we originally thought, the entire Atlantic Division could continue to knock each other down, avoiding a single team from jumping out to a 12 or 13 win season. The South is also tightening as Orlando has lost 2 of 3, Birmingham has won 2 straight to move to 4-3 and even Tampa seems to be trying to right the ship. We said earlier this year that this may be the most parity-defined season in the USFL’s early history, and with 11 of the league’s 20 teams at either 4-3 or 3-4, that certainly seems the case. The key to the second half will be the ability of teams to piece together win streaks. Even a 3-game streak could help a team pull away from the rest and secure a coveted playoff spot. INJURY REPORT The grind of a long season is clearly beginning to have an effect as several more players may be lost for the rest of the year. In Baltimore, DE Charles Buchanon will miss at least 8 weeks with a torn quad, and may be placed on IR. Texas may have to do the same for starting left tackle Rene Dudley who suffered a core abdominal tear. In Tampa a groin injury could keep guard Jeff Zimmerman sidelined for over a month, while Washington CB Eric Thomas is likely out at least 2-3 weeks with a hamstring. Good news in Chicago where Steve Beurlein was able to begin practicing with the team, an din Arizona they expect DT Dan Saleamua to be back in action next week after leaving their win over Texas with a sprained wrist. Others who left the game last week but should be able to play this week include Houston’s Greg Anderson, Oakland CB Tory Nixon, Orlando LB Winston Moss, and Washington CB Lester Lyles. LOOKING AHEAD Week 8 marks the halfway point in the season and we are back with 8 divisional games to build up some drama. In the Atlantic it is New Jersey at upstart Pittsburgh, while Philly travels to RFK to take on the Federals. In the South, Jacksonville has a tough matchup at Orlando, while Tampa will try to win a 3rd against the Showboats. Chicago heads down to the red hot New Orleans Breakers, while Michigan hosts Houston. Arizona will take on Oakland in Oakland, while Denver travels to LA in a key matchup of 4-3 clubs. Out of division this week we have Baltimore flying coast to coast to take on Portland, while Birmingham visits San Marcos and the Texas Outlaws.

SCORES PHI 15 BAL 23 The Blitz get a vital win at home to pull into a cluster of teams at 3-3 in the division. Stanley Morgan proved to be the key with Philly double covering Jackie Flowers. Morgan snagged 8 balls for 107 yards and a key TD to help Baltimore even their record at .500 and pull the Stars down to 3-3 as well. WSH 17 PIT 30 This may be a very different Maulers team, as Alan Risher again went off for over 300 yards and the Maulers now find themselves also at 3-3 and right in the thick of things. TE Mike Shaw was a big part of the offense today, catching 5 for 109 and a score while Mike Rozier racked up 106 yards and 2 scores to lead the Maulers over the Federals. MEM 17 BIR 44 A romp for the Stallions, who got key performances in all three phases, including an interception return for a touchdown, 3 TD’s from Cliff Stoudt and another from Joe Cribbs to defeat the Showboats. Mike Kelley played catchup most of the day, accounting for his 321 yards passing. TBY 18 ORL 28 Another “Changing of the Guard” game in the USFL as Orlando moves to an impressive 5-1 while sending Tampa deep into trouble at 1-5. The game was over midway through the 2nd quarter when John Reaves was hit hard and went out in obvious pain. Oliver Luck came in but was clearly unprepared to lead a comeback. For Orlando, Curtis Bledsoe had one of his best games in his 6 years in the USFL, racking up 144 yards on 23 carries, while Reggie Collier threw for 245 and 3 scores. NOR 27 HOU 21 Jim Kelly again struggled, and the Breakers were able to contain Thurman Thomas, holding him to only 73 yards rushing. Meanwhile, the Breaker run game was in full effect. All three backs, Dupree (76 yds), Hilliard (51 yds) and rookie Warren Williams (22 yards) combined to give New Orleans 150 yards rushing on the day. Add a TD from Robinson to Franz and New Orleans pulls even with Houston at 4-2. OAK 17 DEN 16 A rare home loss for the Gold as Oakland garners their second win on a last second field goal by Kevin Shea. Oakland outgained Denver 327 to 240 on the day, with the biggest performance coming from TE Raymond Chester, whose 84 yards helped Gale Gilvert to his best performance of the year. POR 16 LA 21 Portland has yet to win on the road this year, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t give LA all they could handle. With Christian Okoye still on the mend, LA had difficulty rushing the ball (84 yards total) and needed a stellar game from Steve Young to pull out the win. Young delivered, completing 82% of his passes and throwing 3 touchdowns, two to TE Todd Christiansen, as the Express move to 4-2 atop the Pacific Division. CHI 20 NJ 23 Chicago was game as John Carney hit on 4 FG and Chuck Long found Reggie Langhorne to take a 20-17 lead in the 4th, but New Jersey mustered a game-tying field goal to head into overtime, where Herschel Walker helped push the ball down the field and gave Dave Jacobs an easy 24 yard FG for the win. Walker would end the day with 120 yards rushing and the current rushing lead in the league. ARZ 28 JAX 21 The Bulls’ brutal season continues as they fall at home to an erratic Wranglers squad. Robbie Bosco threw for 296 and a key TD to Trumaine Johnson in the 4th, while the rushing attack for Arizona, which has not impressed most weeks, managed just enough. Darryl Clack found the endzone twice for the Wranglers as they edge Jacksonville to even their record at 3-3. GAME OF THE WEEK Texas Outlaws 27 Michigan Panthers 24 We mentioned that Orlando beating Tampa Bay was a “Changing of the Guard”, well, you can certainly look at this game as one as well. The longtime Central Division bullies, Michigan look very vulnerable this year, and the upstart Outlaws, in their first year since the merger of San Antonio and Oklahoma, are looking like they are for real. The key for Texas is the ability to alternate between the effective rush attack of Stump Mitchell and the deep ball of Doug Williams. In this game Houston chose to focus on Mitchell, holding the usually effective back to only 22 yards on 15 carries, but that left them vulnerable to the pass, and Doug Williams took advantage, completing 20 of 30 for 262 yards and 3 scores. Meanwhile, Ed Luther, who once again had to sub for the dinged up Jack Trudeau, threw two costly interceptions, which all but offset his own 3 TD passes. Michigan looked good early, building up a 17-3 lead on two TD’s from Luther to Jonathan Smiley and Johnny Holloway, but the 2nd half began poorly for the Panthers as an Ed Luther interception led to a Williams to Young TD pass. Texas added another, a Carlos Carson catch, on their next drive, and suddenly it was all tied at 17. At the start of the 4th, Doug Williams hit Dokie Williams for a third score and the Outlaws were up 7. Michigan drove, and Ed Luther found TE Butch Rolle for an equalizer, but there was still too much time on the clock and Texas had all 3 timeouts. Doug Williams managed the clock, moved the ball down the field, and with only 38 seconds left Nick Mike-Myer put the ball between the goalposts to give Texas the road win and knock Michigan to 3-3 and a solid 2 games behind the now 5-1 Outlaws. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Curtis Bledsoe is not the best known or the highest rated halfback in the league. After toiling behind Craig James for 4 years in Washington, he got his shot to start last year as a signee with the Orlando Renegades. It was a solid year for Bledsoe, who gained 956 yards in his first year as a starter. But, this year feels different. Orlando is looking more balanced and more dangerous, and Bledsoe is averaging a solid 75 yards a game. Still not superstar levels, but he currently ranks 10th in the yardage ranks, but what we are seeing from Bledsoe is solid contribution in all phases of the offense each week. He is a sturdy blocker, a solid runner, and he can catch the ball when called on to do so. His game this week was one of his best, averaging 6.3 yards per carry and breaking off a beaut of a 49 yard rush on a key 3rd and 4. He may not top the leaderboards, but Curtis Bledsoe is winning where it counts, and the Renegades are 5-1 and all alone atop their division in large part due to his steady performance each week. NEWS & NOTES Let’s talk New World Order. We admit, in our preseason picks we saw names like Michigan, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia and Denver and we thought we knew what to expect this year. But as we look at the Week 6 standings it is time to recognize that things may be shifting in the USFL. When the top two teams in the league are the newly-formed Texas Outlaws and the 2nd year Orlando Renegades, and when Jacksonville, Tampa, and Oakland are at or near the bottom of their divisions, there is something happening. It is undoubtedly a good thing that teams like Pittsburgh, Arizona and Memphis see themselves as contenders. It is also good that there are no givens, that we cannot just assume that Philly would beat Baltimore or that Houston would crush New Orleans. It adds excitement, it provides hope, and it shows that the league is not one of haves and have nots. Any Given Sunday used to be the theme in the NFL, but these days it seems that the senior league has more of a division between elites (San Fran, Chicago, the Giants, the Broncos) and also-rans, while the USFL is unpredictable and exciting to watch because you just don’t know who is going to come out on top. Here is to hoping that the balance breeds a long and dynamic playoff race, and that we get some new blood in to challenge the traditional powers. Change is inevitable, and it can be a very good thing, especially if you live in Orlando or central Texas. INJURY REPORT Tampa Bay’s already bad season got another major blow this week, as John Reaves was forced to leave the game on a cart. It took until Tuesday to get a final analysis, but it was announced then that Reaves’s season would be done, with a torn MCL in his left leg, his plant leg. The MCL tear was complete and will take several months and a surgery to reattach and rehab. That means that Tampa will have to rely on backup Oliver Luck to dig their way out of a 1-5 hole. Tampa was not the only team to receive season-altering news. Denver DT and core of the D-line Laval Short will also miss the rest of the season, again for a knee. Short has a tear of his anterior cruciate ligament, a tricky injury which can take a year or more to heel. He will be placed on IR and Denver will start scouring the waiver wire for a new DT to fill into their rotation. LA will miss their star CB Raphel Cherry for at least a month with a broken collarbone, while Jacksonville CB Terry Kinard could be out even longer with a broken wrist. On the positive side, players expected to return to action this week include LA wideout Eric Martin (knee), Oakland CB Derrick Martin (Thigh), Arizona DE AL Noga (Ribs) and Houston LB Kiki DeAyala (Ankle). LOOKING AHEAD Week 7 brings us closer to the midpoint of the season and this week we have key conference matchups as the Southern Division hosts the Atlantic and the Pacific hosts the Central. Key games to watch include Philly at Orlando, Washington @ Birmingham, Houston @ LA, Michigan @ Oakland and Texas & Arizona. In other action, New Orleans heads to Portland, Chicago is in Denver, Pittsburgh visits Tampa, New Jersey is in Memphis, and the Blitz visit Jacksonville.

In a week that saw the last of the unbeatens fall, and the last winless team get a W, and with so many teams hovering around .500, the question of who is actually good is a tough one to answer. Houston is 4-1 but Jim Kelly is playing horribly. Texas is 4-1 too but are they really that good? Is Denver someone to fear this year? Is Orlando? In a year when it seems teams are struggling to put together 2 or more wins in a row, we could be in for a long season of upsets and a potential logjam come playoff time. Or, will the quality teams start to pull away once depth becomes an issue? A lot of questions after 5 weeks. SCORES BAL 35 PIT 24 A high-scoring affair in Three Rivers as the Blitz score 22 points in the 4th quarter to upend the Maulers. The Maulers blow a 24-13 lead, allowing 3 scores in the final 15 as fans watched in disbelief. Spencer, Flowers and Vince Evans all scored as the Blitz steal one that looked lost after 3 quarters. NJ 21 WSH 13 A tough fight in RFK as the Generals score 14 in the first to open up a lead and then hold on as the Feds try to claw back. Flutie again looked good with 3 TD passes, despite only throwing for 149 yards. Neil Lomax threw for 235, but just could not consistently find a path to the endzone as Washington drops another heartbreaking divisional game. BIR 25 ORL 28 Despite a furious comeback by the Stallions, it was too little, too late against an Orlando team that is looking pretty solid this year. Reggie Collier was 19 of 26 for 285 in the win, while Cliff Stoudt threw more than Coach Dotsch usually likes, completing 31 of 43 for 316 as the Stallions tried to erase what started as a 28-10 Renegade lead. JAX 28 TBY 30 OVERTIME One of the weirder walk-off plays ever seen as Jacksonville sent the game to overtime with a Gary Clark pass from Chris Miller, only to have them lose on a botched snap. First and 10 on their 2nd possession in overtime and the ball sails over Chris Miller’s head and into the endzone. Both teams scramble for it. George Adams falls on it for Jacksonville, but he is still in the endzone, so it is a safety and Tampa walks off the field with their first win of the year, but a bizarre one. ARZ 10 DEN 32 Either Arizona is just inconsistent, or Denver is just that good. The Gold shut down the Arizona offense, holding the Wranglers to only 171 total yards. Meanwhile, Timmy Smith and Harry Sydney both carried the ball 13 times, and between the two combined for 124 yards and 2 scores. Things were so good we even got a rare Cody Carlson sighting, when Gagliano was allowed to rest after building up a 32-3 lead. OAK 13 POR 26 The Thunder double up the Invaders for their second home win of the year. Al Del Greco gets Man of the Game honors for his 4/4 field goal day as Portland wins despite being outgained 332 to 163 for the game. The key? Four Oakland turnovers, including 2 forced fumbles by Portland LB Billy Ray Smith. CHI 13 HOU 27 As we will comment below, Houston moves to 4-1 but Jim Kelly does not look sharp, throwing for 3 INT’s and keeping the Machine in the game. Despite his struggles, Kelly finds Sanders for 122 yards, while Thurman Thomas rushes for 104 and a score. MGN 7 PHI 6 The Saturday Night game was played in just horrific conditions in Philly. A rainsoaked turf left players sliding all over and made any offense pure luck. For Michigan, Jack Trudeau came out early and Ed Luther was left to play in the rain. Luther threw an early TD to Derek Holloway and Philly spent the rest of the game settling for field goals, as Michigan pulled out an unlikely win with an even less likely final score. LA 17 MEM 19 The Memphis defense just would not allow anything on Sunday, as Christian Okoye averaged less than 1 yard per carry. Meanwhile, Mike Kelley found some open spots and hit rookie Anthony Miller on a key 2nd half TD to build their lead. The lead held and Memphis picked up their 2nd win of the young season. GAME OF THE WEEK New Orleans Breakers 42 Texas Outlaws 40 What is it with the Breakers and offensive shootouts? First they score 40 in a loss to Pittsburgh, and now they outgun the Outlaws to win another 80+ point offensive explosion. The star of the day was Matt Robinson, who tied Alan Risher’s recent record, throwing 6 touchdowns in the game, 3 to the elusive Charlie Smith. Doug Williams and Stump Mitchell kept pace for Texas, as Williams threw for 250 and 3 scores while Mitchell rushed for 93 and 2 scores of his own. But, unlike the Breaker-Mauler game, this one was not as close as the score would indicate. After 3 the Breakers led the homestanding Outlaws 42-24 and then let up a little too much on the gas. Texas scored 17 in the final quarter to make it interesting, but in the end the clock was a foe they could not beat. The game did not set records as the earlier Mauler game had, but it was still an amazing show of offensive talent. With the win, New Orleans moves over .500 and both they and Houston find themselves only one game behind the Outlaws in the Central Division. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Of course we could, and maybe should, recognize Matt Robinson for his 6 TD game in Texas, but with the way New Orleans is playing these days (all scoring, no defense) we feel we will have plenty of chances. Let’s also celebrate when a player knows his team needs something extra and he takes the reins. That is exactly what 5-year veteran John Reaves did for the previously winless Bandits. Reaves knew that an 0-5 start in the tough Southern Division meant the end of the season. He knew that in facing Jacksonville and Chris Miller, it would take a major scoring flurry to keep pace, and he delivered. Reaves threw for 335 yards and threw a TD pass in each of the game’s 4 quarters, finding Eric Truvillion twice, but also getting Willie Gillespie and Chris Collinsworth into the game. With Jacksonville shutting down Gary Anderson and the ground game, the Bandits needed Reaves to step up, and like a true leader he led by example. NEWS & NOTES After 5 games, one of the big mysteries this season is “What happened to Jim Kelly?”. After setting team records last year, leading the Gamblers to a 13-3 record and walking away with the MVP tropy, Kelly is starting this year in a definite funk. Yes, the Gamblers are 4-1, but Kelly is one of the 5 lowest rated QB’s in the league, having thrown only 10 TD’s to 11 INT’s in the league’s first five weeks. It just does not look like the same man as we saw last year. Some of this is on the line, which has allowed more sacks to date than in 8 games last year, but it may also be the strategy. Unlike last year, when Houston used a hurry-up offense nearly 80% of the time, this season the huddles are longer, the check-downs more frequent, and Houston is just not tiring out the opposing defense over the course of the game. Yes, some of the issues have to lie with Kelly, but it also seems that others around him are not putting him in a great position to excel, even if the Gamblers keep finding ways to win. INJURY REPORT Normally we go around the league to look at how injuries might impact different teams, but this week we just have to look at what just happened to the Chicago Machine. In one game, this week’s matchup against Houston, Chicago lost not one, not two, but all three centers on their roster to injury in the same week. And, to make it worse, all three are out at least 6 weeks. Starter Frank Winters looks to have a disc issue in his mid-back, an issue that could cost him even longer if he cannot rehab it properly. Backup Charles Sikes, partially tore his ACL just minutes later, and emergency center Doug Gamboa went out later in the game with a shoulder injury that will also keep him out at least 6 weeks. So what do you do when this happens, well, in the moment you move tackle Brian Williams over to Center to finish the game. Then you sign the most able bodied former college centers you can find. For Chicago that is Melvin Wallace, a former Alabama product who has been kicking around the CFL and some USFL practice squads for the past 5 years. Chicago is likely to keep Williams as their starter, but now have to carry 4 centers on their roster unless they decide to move one of the three onto Injured Reserve, ending their play for the year. LOOKING AHEAD Week Six has some fascinating divisional games on the docket. In the East, Baltimore will host Philadelphia, hoping to gain ground and bring the entire division to 3-3. That cannot happen of course as both Washington and Pittsburgh will be at 2-3 when they meet this week. The other Eastern player, New Jersey, is hosting Chicago and hoping they can move to 4-2 and take over first place. In the South Tampa hopes to win a 2nd in a row with another in-state game, visiting the Citrus Bowl and the 4-1 Renegades. Memphis, fresh off their 2nd win, will be in Birmingham, also at 2-3. Two huge games among contenders in the Central as New Orleans heads to Houston while Texas is in Michigan. In the Pacific, 1-4 Oakland gets no favors as they head to 4-1 Denver, while Portland will be in LA to take on the Express. Our final game of the week is a rare clash between Arizona and Jacksonville at the Gator Bowl.

OK, If you called it that Texas would be 4-0 and that Tampa Bay would be 0-4 at this point, maybe go get a lottery ticket, because you are on a hotstreak. Week 4 proved that our preseason prognostications may have been a bit off. But, we also remember Orlando starting 1987 at 4-0 and Birmingham at 0-4, so maybe a grain of salt is needed as well. That said, we love a season when “any given Sunday” is in full effect and no teams feel completely outmatched each week. We love seeing Chicago at 2-2 alongside Michigan. It means that a lot of fans in a lot of cities still see good things coming for their home town team, and that is good for everyone. SCORES JAX 21 LA 24 Eric Martin caught 6 for 116 and Steve Young found Todd Christiansen and Jo-Jo Townsell for early scores as LA built up a 24-10 lead and then held on to win at home, moving to 3-1 on the year. For Jacksonville, Chris Miller played well, but just did not have enough time to come all the way back. TBY 23 ARZ 38 Tampa’s defense once again let them down, and 3 picks by John Reaves didn’t help either as the Bandits fall to an unexpected 0-4 start. Robbie Bosco threw for 303 and James Wilder punched it in 3 times to give Arizona a needed home win and evened their record at 2-2. BIR 18 DEN 21 Another nail biter in Denver where the Gold held off Birmingham, containing Joe Cribbs to only 70 yards on 20 carries. Bob Gagliano threw for 3 scores, including a beaut of a deep ball to J.T. Smith in the 3rd to build up a 21-10 lead that would hold until the final seconds, when Stoudt hit Danta Whittaker for a very late score, but too late for Birmingham to get a shot at the win. ORL 20 POR 9 Orlando once again starts the season strong, building to a 3-1 record with a tough win in Portland. Reggie Collier threw for 2 scores and despite 95 yards by Portland HB Rodney Carter, the Thunder could only cross the endzone once as they fall to 1-3. PHI 23 NOR 38 New Orleans rebounds from the tough loss v. Pittsburgh by keeping the offensive pressure on. Matt Robinson throws for 4 scores, including a 57 yarder to new arrival Herman Fontenot. Philly gets 93 from Kelvin Bryant, but cannot keep pace as the Breakers show some firepower at home. NJ 34 MGN 17 New Jersey came ready to roll in the Silverdome. The Panthers held Herschel Walker to only 69 yards on the ground, but he also caught 4 for 56 and a score. Flutie would throw for 3 scores on the day and Kerry Glenn ran back a punt 73 yards for a back-breaking score for the Generals. The win puts New Jersey at 2-2 and sends Michigan to the same record. WSH 17 CHI 18 Chicago grinds out a second win as rookies again come up big. Former Michigan HB Jamie Morris runs for 148 and a score in the close win. Chuck Long completes 68% of his passes and avoids turnovers as he guides Chicago to another home win. For Washington it was a frustrating day as Craig James is held to only 69 yards rushing and Neil Lomax gets picked twice in the loss. BAL 16 HOU 19 Baltimore’s D pressures Jim Kelly all day, but the Gamblers have just enough to hold on for a three-point win. The Houston D also had all sorts of issues with Vince Evans, who rushed for 77 yards, including a dynamic 39 yarder on a 3rd and 17. Houston got 4 FG from Dave Jacobs and a late Kelly to Fowler TD pass to hold off a tenacious Blitz team. PIT 27 TEX 33 The Outlaws hold off the Maulers in San Marcos to move to a shocking 4-0 on the season. Doug Williams has a brilliant game against the suspect Pittsburgh pass defense, throwing for 306 and 4 scores. Alan Risher tried to keep pace for the Maulers, throwing for 270 and 3 scores of his own, but Texas maintained focus on Mike Rozier, holding him to 43 yards, far below Stump Mitchell’s 101. GAME OF THE WEEK Memphis Showboats 31 Oakland Invaders 34 We seem to be developing a trend where teams in low profile games on the weekend ABC package end up playing some of the best football. That was the situation when 1-2 Memphis headed out to play 0-3 Oakland. The Invaders finally got to see the Richard Williams they signed this offseason as the former Showboat showed up against his former club, rushing 22 times for 200 yards and 2 scores. That effective run game slowed the game down for Gale Gilbert, allowing him to have a solid game, including a drive that ended with the winning score, a short pass to Henry Ellard, with 5:27 left in the game. The other star of the game for Oakland was rookie LB Ken Harvey, who picked off two Mike Kelley passes while playing in a cover 2 rover position. Harvey, who also sacked Kelley once and garnered 8 tackles, was a monster in the middle for the Invaders. For Kelley, it was not pressure but an apparent blindspot for the MLB that led to the two picks. In both cases he was looking to dump the ball to his top receiver, rookie TE Keith Jackson, and both times he simply did not see the Harvey closing on Jackson. The game, despite the picks, was Memphis’s to win. They had a 31-24 lead with 13 minutes to play, but the Invaders were aggressive in the final quarter and followed a 45 yard Kevin Shea field goal with a long drive ending in the Ellard TD catch to take the lead back at 34-31. The Invader D then held Memphis without a first down the rest of the way to take the win, their first of the year. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK While the Offensive Player of the Week went to Richard Williams, we are going to give our POTW to Doug Williams of the Texas Outlaws. And this is perhaps more of a lifetime achievement award highlighted by his 4 TD performance this week. Williams has been a top calibre QB in the USFL for 4 years now, and after suffering a simply horrific year in Oklahoma last year, Williams and the newly-formed Texas Outlaws are making up for lost time. Maybe the distribution of talent from last year’s Oklahoma and San Antonio teams was too generous, or maybe Williams and Coach Widenhofer finally have the pieces in place, but the 1988 Outlaws are a totally different experience than 1987’s 2-16 Outlaws. Williams is now the top-rated QB in the league, has real weapons in Carlos Carson and Dokie Williams at wideout, and a run game in the combo of Stump Mitchell and Scott Stamper that is keeping defenses honest. Yes, the Outlaws have played 3 potential lightweights in Portland, Chicago and Pittsburgh, but their win in Houston proves that this team is dangerous, and a big reason they need to be feared is the experience and skill of QB Doug Williams. NEWS & NOTES Four weeks in and we are already seeing that the rookie class of 1988 may be one of the best yet. We already highlighted the great game by Oakland LB Ken Harvey, but he is not alone among first year phenoms. Former Gator Kerwin Bell is the only starter at QB, but despite the struggles of the Thunder, he is looking like a solid starter already. Houston’s Thurman Thomas is a dual threat in Houston, where his receiving skills have shown almost as much as his ability to tote the rock. Brian Blades is now a regular in the Bulls’ receiving corps, and Keith Jackson is quickly becoming a favorite target for Mike Kelley in Memphis. On defense, DE Al Noga (ARZ), LB Fred Strickland (DEN), LB Marcus Cotton (LA), and LB Chris Spielman (NJ) have all proven to be key contributors. But no team seems to have had more success in the draft, and more opportunities for their rookies than the Chicago Machine. Rookie HB Jamie Morris leads the team with 305 yards, while rookie wideouts Michael Haynes and Wendell Davis are first and third in receptions on the team. Chicago had room to grow, and these rookies are showing they are ready to step up. While there is a lot of football left to play, the rookies of 1988 are showing they are ready for prime time. INJURY REPORT A rough week for defenders in the USFL, and not just because of the dynamic offenses they faced. Jacksonville’s Terry Kinard broke his wrist when a receiver landed on it awkwardly. He will likely miss at least 6 weeks. In Baltimore, DE Nate Hill will miss at least 3 weeks after a hip injury. Texas CB Gregg Butler is a bit luckier, after a suspected broken arm is just strained tendons. Orlando LB Winston Moss is listed as doubtful with a hamstring, while Pittsburgh CB Quintin Jones is questionable after suffering a concussion. Jack Trudeau had to come out late in the Michigan game after getting shaken up, but is expected to be back this week, while Philly wideout Mike Quick is expected to play despite a hyper-extended knee. LOOKING AHEAD We are back to divisional play in Week 5, with a few early season pivot matches where both teams need to get their season kickstarted. Baltimore is hoping to get back into the mix as they head to Pittsburgh. New Jersey and Washington, both 2-2, hope this is the game where they can set a tone for the year. In the South, 2-2 Birmingham is hoping to upend Orlando in the Citrus Bowl while the two other Florida teams are both desperate for a win as 1-3 Jacksonville heads to 0-4 Tampa. Arizona has a tough road ahead as they head to Denver, while the Invaders hope to garner a 2nd win up in Portland. In Houston, the surprising Chicago Machine will face off against the Gamblers, while the Breakers head to Ft. Worth, for Texas’s “Across the State” game away from San Marcos. In inter-division play the Showboats host the Express, and in a great Saturday Night matchup, the Panthers are in Philly for a rematch of the 1986 Championship.

SCORES WSH 28 BLT 10 Washington gets a key divisional win against their closest rival as Neil Lomax throws for 306 and Mark Bavaro gets the longest TD of his career, a 69 yard highlight reel catch and rumble. Baltimore QB Vince Evans was scrambling all day: Sacked 3 times, hurried another 9, and with an eventual rushing total of -16 yards on 13 carries as the Federals D contains and confounds the dual threat QB. PHI 22 NJ 14 Like two heavyweight fighters these two danced around each other and waited for key moments to deliver haymakers. Flutie to Jones for 60 yards, Fusina to Quick for 20, rookie Quinn Early caught 6 for 53 and in the end the Stars simply had 1 more in them than the Generals. TBY 24 BIR 27 OVERTIME After Saturday’s game this looked like a lock for Game of the Week. An overtime thriller that saw Ernest Givens catch the game-tying TD with just over a minute to play and then Scott Norwood booted home the winner. Givens would have 153 on the day, matching Eric Truvillion’s 145 as both teams found big plays throughout the game. MEM 14 JAX 13 Another monsoon game in Jacksonville as Tropical Storm Alice made this one tricky. The storm never made landfall, but the winds and rain made this a tough offensive slog. Greg Boone’s 1 yard plunge in the 3rd would be the difference maker as Memphis pulls out a tough win in tough conditions. Despite the horrible weather, over 32,000 Bulls faithful showed up to watch. TEX 25 HOU 17 The Texans showed off that they are for real, forcing Jim Kelly into one of the worst games of his career. Kelly threw for 291 but also tossed 4 picks to the aggressive Outlaw defense, three to NFL import Najee Mustafaa, who blanketed Ricky Sanders all day. Meanwhile Texas used a balanced approach with Doug Williams throwing for 203 and the combo of Mitchell and Stamper rushing for 104 against the usually stout Gambler D. The end result is that at the end of the day Texas is alone atop the Central at 3-0. MGN 10 CHI 20 Just as Texas shocked the Gamblers, the Ed Luther-led Michigan Panthers were clearly looking past Chicago and paid the price. The Machine outgained the Panthers 336-279 as QB Chuck Long found his rookie receivers early and often, gaining 260 and tossing 2 scores. Michael Haynes was the hot target, cathing 6 for 116, but Wendell Davis also caught 5. TE Scott Eccles is becoming a red zone favorite, catching 2 TD’s on the day. LA 34 ARZ 14 Christian Okoye ran over the Wrangler D to the tune of 135 yards and 2 scores as the Express ruined the home opener in Tempe. Robbie Bosco contributed to the bad day as well, tossing 3 interceptions to help LA turn a 7-3 deficit after one into a 24-7 lead by halftime. It was over from there as LA contained Bosco, Wilder and the Wranglers. POR 10 DEN 21 Kerwin Bell had another good day, outgaining Bob Gagliano 363-141 on the day, but the Thunder could not find the endzone often enough against a steady Gold defense. Bill Brooks looked in top form, catching 7 balls and a key 4th quarter TD to end the drama in Denver. The Denver D also held Portland to 3 of 11 on third down and 0 for 3 on fourth down to salt away another home victory. GAME OF THE WEEK New Orleans Breakers 42 Pittsburgh Maulers 46 The New Orleans – Pittsburgh clash was not a high priority game on ABC, but it was perhaps one of the wildest games in USFL or pro football history. In a game where it seemed neither team could effectively stop the other, Alan Risher threw a whopping 6 touchdowns and Breaker HB Marcus Dupree rushed for a staggering 255 on only 16 carries. It was a bad day to bring your parents to the game if you were eithet teams’ punter as the two teams combined for over 900 total yards of offense and put up a combined 88 points. After Pittsburgh built up early 7-0 and 14-7 leads, New Orleans had a strong 2nd quarter, with Charlie Smith catching 2 Matt Robinson tosses for scores to take a 21-14 halftime lead. But, while the first half was exciting football, it paled in comparison to what happened in the 3rd quarter. The quarter began with New Orleans backed up after Charlie Smith bobbled the kickoff and got stuffed at the 7 yard line. After a poorly-executed play action pass led to a sack of Matt Robinson at the 3 yard line, the Breakers opted to give the ball to Dupree on 2nd and 14. The likely did not expect to gain the full 14 on that play, much less 97 yards and a score. Dupree, went off tackle, split the difference between two racing linebackers, then spun out of the grasp of a safety and it was off to the races. 97 yards later a clearly winded Dupree was celebrating in the endzone after the longest rush in USFL history. On their next possession, New Orleans would increase the score to 35-17 on a Nolan Franz TD. Pittsburgh answered with a Danny Buggs catch from Risher, his 3rd TD on the day. Dupree then broke off yet another astonishing TD run, this time from 68 yards out, again off-tackle left. But, as the 3rd quarter wound down, it was Pittsburgh’s turn for the big play as Risher found TE Mike Shaw on a seam pattern that ended up going 73 yards for a score. 5 TD’s in the 3rd and New Orleans was up 42-31, a good lead, but not good enough. In a heroic 4th quarter the Pittsburgh D finally made some key plays, while Risher led the Mauler offense on two scoring drives to pull back to 42-38 and eventually take the lead 46-42. He hit Buggs again from 26 for his 5th TD toss, made the 2 pointer and then came back on the very next drive to find Willie Collier for his 6th and the win. In the end Risher would have 376 on the day, would complete 31 of 39 and would set the USFL record with six TD tosses. There has not been a lot to root for at Mauler games, other than the skill of Mike Rozier, these past 4 seasons, but if this game is any indication, the Maulers are going to be a much more entertaining team this season. Coach Bugel is opening things up and Alan Risher is beginning to show signs of the fun-loving gunslinger we saw when he was with Arizona. For New Orleans another tough loss, and despite the success of Marcus Dupree, the Breakers have to be concerned that their defense is so vulnerable in the air. They got no sacks on Risher, and gave up 435 total yards despite holding Mike Rozier to only 79 yards on the day. So, for them, time to rethink their defensive schemes, while for the Maulers, it is time to start thinking about something other than a 10-loss season. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK We could have given this to Risher, but since we highlighted his record-breaking exploits above, we thought we would give some kudos to a defensive star, Texas Outlaw NFL import Najee Mustafaa had a game that few have been able to pull off guarding Houston’s Ricky Sanders. While some of the credit should go to the Outlaw D-line, which kept the pressure on QB Jim Kelly all day, Mustafaa’s three interceptions of Kelly showcased his instincts, timing and playmaking ability. He gave up a few to Sanders, but he also defended 4 balls and ended 3 Houston drives with well-timed drives on curl or incutting routes to steal the ball and keep Texas on top throughout the game. Mustafaa will likely be lined up against every opponent’s #1 receiver for the rest of the year, and if he shows his stuff like he did this week, he could possibly walk away with a Defensive Player of the Year award. NEWS & NOTES League owners met over conference call for their first check-in of the season. The biggest item on the agenda was the TV contract with ABC/ESPN. The contract has a buy out for one game a week and the USFL seems to be looking at taking it in order to confirm a contract with the fledgling FOX Network for a Saturday night showcase game begining next year. FOX is looking to get into the sports market, and a weekly showcase game would give them a quality option during the slower spring and early summer months. The league owners also discussed a moritorium on expansion at least through the 1990 season as there is great interest in both consolidating the current franchises after a tumultuous year and in renegotiating the league's revenue sharing plan. Finally, there was discussion regarding the Championship game, which is scheduled to be played in Philadelphia this year and Michigan the next. There are some within the league who are hoping to set up either a permanent home for the game, while others are hoping to push forward a divisional rotation which woudl guarantee that the game rotated between the clubs in each of the 4 divisions. Nothing decided at this stage, but something to keep an eye on as we progress through the year. INJURY REPORT Very few long-lasting injuries this week, with the worse being a back injury to Memphis CB Derrick Burroughs which may keep him out for several weeks. Pittsburgh rookie CB Quintin Jones also went out and is listed as doubtful for next week after getting his bell rung trying to shut down Dupree. Arizona tackle Kirk Lowdermilk may miss a couple of weeks with tendinitis in his left patella, while DE Jerry Reese for the Breakers suffered a stress fracture in his foot which will take some time and rest to heal. Among those likely to return to action after missing a week or two we have Dave Dumars for Baltimore, Jack Trudeau for Michigan, Ron Pitts for LA, and DE Bob Buckowski for Texas. LOOKING AHEAD Week Four matches up the Pacific and Southern divisions as well as the Central and Atlantic Divisions. Of the inter-conference games, the best matchups appear to be New Jersey at Michigan, Tampa at Arizona and Birmingham at Denver, but don’t sleep on the Texas-Pittsburgh matchup, as both teams are impressing early. In other games Memphis will be in Oakland, Jacksonville is out in LA, Orlando heads out to Portland, Philly is in the Super Dome to face the Breakers, Baltimore is in Houston and Washington takes on the Machine in Chicago.

It took a second week of USFL action, but some of the league's best offenses started finding their rhythm. Philly, Jersey, Michigan, Tampa and Houston all scored over 30 in the second week of the season, and even Portland showed some potential with a big upset win at home. SCORES BAL 3 NJ 35 It was utter domination at the Meadowlands as New Jersey used every weapon in their arsenal to overwhelm the Blitz. Walker, Byars, Jones, Schwedes and rookie J.J. Birden all scored as the Generals took Baltimore to the woodshed. PHI 38 PIT 10 An 87-yard run highlighted a 21-point first quarter for the Stars, ending the game as soon as it began. By the half it was 35-0 and the Stars could ease their way to a 2-0 start. For Pittsburgh the lone brightspot was the play of LB Manu Tuiasosopo, who recorded 6 tackles, a sack and an INT (of Philly backup Wayne Walker). BIR 26 JAX 17 This was a close one throughout, but eventually HB Joe Cribbs’s 168 yards and 2 scores were too much for the Bulls. Birmingham got the win despite going 2 for 11 on 3rd down thanks to 4 field goals by Scott Norwood and their ability to grind out the clock with Cribbs and Brent Fullwood toting the rock. MEM 20 ORL 23 OVERTIME A really fun back and forth game between the Showboats and Renegades in front of a rowdy Orlando crowd. Curtis Bledsoe had a banner day, rushing for 130 and a score, while Greg Boone returned to Florida and had 126 of his own. New Renegades kicker Fuad Reveiz was the late hero, hitting a 45 yarder to send the game to overtime and then connecting from 29 for the Renegades win. CHI 6 TEX 27 Chicago again struggled under Chuck Long as Texas moved to 2-0 after another win against fellow expansion teams. IT was a good day for Doug Williams (73% completion rate against the Machine D) and Stump Mitchell (another 86 yards on the ground), but the best day was that of wideout Carlos Carson. The former Chief had 10 catches for 135 and a score. MGN 31 NOR 20 It became a battle of backups as Ed Luther got the start for Jack Trudeau (knee sprain in practice). Matt Robinson got poked in the eye on his only pass attempt, leading to Matt Dunigan taking over. Marcus Dupree rushed for 112, but it was not enough as John Williams paced the Panthers with 145 and 3 scores. Despite getting sacked 7 times by the Breaker D, Luther kept it together and led Michigan to the win. LA 20 OAK 17 The Express got 85 yards and a score from Christian Okoye and their new power run offense did just enough to stay ahead of the Invaders. Oakland QB Gale Gilbert threw two costly picks that ended Invader drives, while Steve Young, while not awe-inspiring, did enough to keep LA on track. Eric Martin had his best game in a while, catching 6 balls for 119 yards in the Express win. ARZ 3 POR 17 This is what happens when you take a team from the desert and ask them to play in a monsoon. Portland’s field was a slippery mess as it rained throughout the game, but somehow this did not seem to affect Willie “Flipper” Anderson. The player named after a famous dolphin looked right at home in the rain, catching two early TD’s that ended up being enough for the Thunder to get their first win in front of a pretty full and very wet Civic Stadium crowd. WSH 13 DEN 28 Washington got a taste first hand of one of the best home field advantages in football, as Denver used the one-two punch of Harry Sydney and Timmy Smith to grind out a win on a cold, blustery day in Mile High Stadium. Neil Lomax was held to only 223 yards in the wind and the Denver D built up an insurmountable 28-0 lead before letting off the gas late in the game. GAME OF THE WEEK Tampa Bay Bandits 28 Houston Gamblers 34 It was billed as a matchup of two high octane offenses led by two top gun QB’s and it ended up playing that way. The overtime thriller saw John Reaves throw for a 76% completion rate and hit Eric Truvillion 9 times for 93 yards and a score. Not to be outdone, Houston’s Jim Kelly threw for 335 and 4 scores, including 2 each to TE Victor Hicks and his favorite target, Ricky Sanders. Hicks would finish the day with an impressive 131 yards as well as the 2 scores. The other big performer on the day was Houston’s rookie HB, former OK State Cowpoke, Thurman Thomas. Thomas rushed 27 times for a whopping 177 against the Tampa defense. The rook has clearly taken over the #1 slot ahead of veteran Todd Fowler, who got only 6 carries on the day. The highlight for Thomas was a 46 yard scoring romp at the end of the 1st that will be sure to be shown on Gambler highlight reels for the rest of the year. After bursting through the line untouched, he put a move on SS Tyrone Davis that left the defender standing flat-footed as Thomas raced past him and into the endzone. Davis is not going to like the look of that play as it is replayed again and again. Tampa now falls to 0-2, another slow start for a team that seems to do this every year, while Houston is off to a 2-0 start and seems laser-focused on returning to another USFL Championship after falling by only 1 point in last year’s beauty of a game. But despite Tampa’s slow start, they did play well in this game, keeping pace throughout. When Benny Ricardo hit the game-tying kick in the 4th, many in the stadium were noticeably nervous about the overtime outcome, but the Houston offense left no doubt, marching the ball down the field before Kelly found his go-to guy, Sanders on a beautiful corner route, fooling the CB with an inside move before sprinting to the pylon and the winning score. A good win for Houston, a tolerable, if unwelcome loss for the Bandits, and a great show in front of over 45,000 in the Astrodome and a huge TV audience on Saturday night. A clear win for the USFL and the Gamblers. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK There were a lot of outstanding games this week, from Kelly’s 4 TD day, Thurman Thomas’s breakout performance, a 2 sack and 1 forced fumble day for Birmingham’s Bob Barker, and another 130+ yards for Texas’s Carlos Carson, but with the pressure on, playing with a backup QB, Michigan’s John Williams proved why he should not be left out of the discussion when we talk about the best running backs in the league. Williams came through, carrying the Panthers on his back, as he rushed for 145 yards against the Breakers, and scored 3 touchdowns to lead the Panthers to a much-needed division win. And these were not all 1 yard plunges either. Williams started the day with a 29 yard scoring run on an off-tackle scamper in the first, and followed it with a 2nd quarter 39 yard run on a beautiful toss sweep. His 9.1 yard average, against a defense that did not have to contend with Jack Trudeau, was exactly what Jim Stanley needed and just what the few Michigan faithful in the Super Dome came to see. NEWS & NOTES It may be early in the season to start thinking about what might happen with free agency and player movement this summer, but there is a potential concern for the league that they may want to address early. Most USFL coaches are on 3-year deals, and what we saw in Year 3 of the league was a lot of extensions offered early to the top coaches. That has not happened this time. Look around the league and you see some of the league’s best coaching minds on the final year of their contracts. Michigan’s Jim Stanley, Tampa’s Steve Spurrrier, Birmingham's Rollie Dotsch, and Philly’s Jim Mora are all on the last year of their 2nd three-year deal. If their owners cannot get them an extension during the season, the NFL could come calling. And for Mora, Stanley, and Spurrier, who have done all there is to do, including winning championships in the USFL and making the playoffs every single season, the temptation to prove themselves in the NFL could be a tough urge to resist. If we were working in the front offices in Pontiac, Tampa and Philadelphia, we would be doing all we could to make sure these three were happy to stay put. INJURY REPORT While the eye poke which took out Breakers’s QB Matt Robinson should be fine by next week’s game, Michigan’s Jack Trudeau may need to sit out at least one more week, putting the ball into the hands of Ed Luther once again. Michigan, of course, is still reeling from the injury to John Corker in week 1, now confirmed as a severe knee strain, and likely to require several weeks before he is back to his usual terrifying self. Philly lost an often underrated, but important player in fullback Eddie Colson this week. Colson who suffered what had to be a painful groin pull, was shown to have torn a key muscle connecting to the hip and is likely to be out at least 2 months. In Arizona, rookie DE AL Noga got some bad news when x-rays showed that he will miss at least a month with 2 fractured ribs, while Houston’s Kiki DeAyala may be out at least 1-2 weeks with an badly turned ankle. LOOKING AHEAD We stick with a heavy slate of divisional games again, including some key early matchups. It will be a war when the Generals host the Stars this week, and the Battle of I-95 is renewed when the Federals make the short trip to Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. One of the league’s best rivalries is on display at Legion Field when the Bandits come visiting the Stallions. Memphis gets an early test as well, heading down to Jacksonville for a Week 3 clash. In the Central it is a battle of underdogs and heavy favorites when Chicago hosts Michigan and the new Texas Outlaws play Houston in the Dome. LA will head to the desert to face the Wranglers while the Thunder get to experience Mile High Mayhem in Denver. In inter-divisional play, the Breakers will be in Pittsburgh to take on the Maulers and Oakland will fly cross country to play in Orlando against the Renegades. A good week with some key early season divisional battles to enjoy.