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USA Today, July 6, 1987 Wild Card Weekend gave us exactly what the USFL had hoped, 4 teams, each intent on getting through to the next round and two games that went down to the wire. The two hosts, both crushed by Week 16 losses which placed them here, and two visiting teams who had to scratch and claw just to qualify. The results were intense, hard hitting, and highly entertaining games. WASHINGTON 21 TAMPA BAY 24 Tampa had led the Southern Division for most of the year, so their final game loss to Memphis and sudden dethroning by Birmingham was a shock. But the Bandits have been to this rodeo before and knew that you had to come out strong. They did, scoring on two Gary Anderson runs in their first two drives to stun the Federals and take a 14-0 lead after only seven and a half minutes. But this Washington team had been resilient all year. Led by NFL import Neil Lomax, and a defense that quickly got the measure of Tampa’s strategy, the Federals slowly built back, moving the ball into Bandits territory on three consecutive drives spanning the end of the first and beginning of the second quarter. Each time they would be stymied as they reached the red zone and each time they had to settle for field goals. But, back in the game at half 14-9, Washington was not going down without a fight. Tampa began the third with a field goal of their own to extend the lead to 17-9, but on the next drive, Washington finally found the endzone. Craig James, who was a cannonball all day, going off tackle left or diving right, able to average 5.5 yards on the day, for a total of 155 by game’s end, dove in from 2 yards out. The Feds tried to tie the game on a 2pt conversion, but Lomax was unable to connect with Joey Walters and the Bandits held a precarious 17-15 lead after 3. In the fourth Washington again moved the ball well, but was unable to punch it in, settling for two more field goals to move the score first to 18-17, their first lead all day, and then to 21-17 with only 40 seconds left in the game. It looked like the long, slow push for the lead had paid off and the Federals were on their way to the next round. But this is the USFL, so the game is never over until the whistle sounds. With only 40 seconds to play, Tampa did the unthinkable, they went the length of the field in only 2 plays. The first was the kickoff runback. Halfback Speedy Neal got the kick at the 3, made the first man miss and found a seem down the right side, taking the ball all the way to the 31 to give Tampa solid field position. But, with only 33 second left, it would take either a brilliant 2-minute strategy by Tampa, who had only 2 timeouts left, or a major Washington defensive bungle to get in the endzone and upend the Federals. Tampa got the latter. On the very first play of the drive, Tampa shifted CB Eric Truvillion into the slot and Washington did not shadow him with their best corner, Lester Lyles. They left nickel corner Eric Thomas on Truvillion, counting on deep safeties to provide help. But the safety now had both Truvillion and Gillespie to deal with. He chose poorly, shadowing Gillespie on a post route. Truvillion started up the seam and then cut to the corner where John Reaves found him with a perfectly placed ball. Thomas went for the deflection, and just missed, which meant that Truvillion was free to run down the sideline. A last gasp diving tackle attempt by free safety Mark Kelso came up short and in just one play the Bandits had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. For Washington, this will be a defeat that lingers for a long time. For Tampa, this dramatic example of Bandit Ball could only provide them confidence as they moved on to face the Philadelphia Stars in the divisional round. And for the fans who were there at Tampa Stadium, it confirmed all the hype about Bandit Ball and the USFL as exciting, well-played football. NEW ORLEANS 20 MICHIGAN 23 (Overtime) Those who tuned into the Tampa-Washington game and then prepared for Michigan-New Orleans could not have anticipated yet another heroic comeback, but that is what they got. Many had predicted that the savvy, battle tested Michigan Panthers would dominate from whistle to whistle, but New Orleans dominated early, requiring a Panther comeback and an overtime period to decide the game. The first quarter looked as many do, with both teams testing and probing the defense, setting up future plays and trying not to give too much away. The only score of the quarter was a 44-yard Tim Mazzetti field goal set up by a 15 yard Dalton Hilliard run. Hilliard would be the run game for New Orleans with Marcus Dupree unable to rehab his hamstring in time for the game. He would carry the ball 17 times for 74 yards on the day, helping to take the pressure off Eason on several key drives. Michigan, as always, would use John Williams (83 yards on the day) to set up deep ball throws to Holloway and Anthony Carter, but they would be plagued on the day by errant throws and tipped balls, leading Trudeau’s final stat line to include no touchdowns and three picks. In the second quarter, following the first of the three Trudeau picks, the Breakers expanded their lead on a short Eason to Mark Boyer pass. Boyer feigned staying in to protect Eason and then leaked out into the flat where no one from Michigan followed him. An uncharacteristically easy score against the usually methodical Michigan D. Only 2 plays later, the Breakers would shock the Panther faithful in the Silver Dome with their 2nd interception of Trudeau and a runback for another 6 to make the score an unexpected 17-0 in favor of the Breakers. With the game slipping away from them, the Panthers changed strategies as the 2nd quarter winded down. They started hitting receivers on curls, short crosses and swing routes, moving the ball methodically down the field until John Williams was able to dive in from 2 yards out to tighten the score with Michigan’s first points of the day. They would receive the kickoff for the 2nd half, having deferred at the game’s start, and again the short passing game would prove effective against a Breaker defense that was doing all it could to avoid giving up the deep ball. Again Williams crashed over the line and in for the score, and now it was only a 3 point lead for the Breakers. The fourth began with another Trudeau interception, though this time we really need to put the blame on wideout Daron Carter, who let a well-thrown Trudeau pass slip through his hands and into the arms of CB Andrew Kitchens, for his third pick of the day. The game’s defensive MVP had to dive to get the ball, but it was ruled a catch after the instant replay review, and it allowed New Orleans to expand the lead back to 6 with another Mazzetti field goal. But from here on out the Panthers defense would not allow Eason and the Breakers to pass midfield, and the foot of kicker Novo Bojovic would slowly chip away at New Orleans’s hopes for an upset. The Breakers defense gave up significant yardage on two 4th quarter Panther drives, both times stiffening up in the red zone, but Bojovic hit from 22 and from 34 yards out, and with 5:34 left in the game, the score was tied. It would remain that way as neither team could mount a 2-minute offense against the other. New Orleans got the ball first in overtime, but a costly 1st down holding call immediately put them in a hole they could not get out of. They punted and Michigan got the ball on their own 43 after an 18-yard return by Johnny Holloway. Trudeau hit Carter for 29 yards on the first play, then, after two unproductive Williams runs, he found Carter again, this time for 9, moving the ball to the New Orleans 22. Bojovic would come out again, and again it would be a very makable 39 yarder in the controlled environment of the Silver Dome. The kick sailed through the uprights and the Panthers were moving on. OTHER LEAGUE NEWS As expected, it was a relatively quiet Black Monday after the conclusion of the regular season, with only one release as Pittsburgh indeed did opt to let Roman Gabriel go after only one season at the helm. The former quarterback and offensive-minded coach simply did not produce enough with his offense to impress Ed DeBartolo Sr, and the Maulers, who finished with only 4 wins on the year, decided that a change was needed. While there is no word yet on who is favored to replace Gabriel, and with a team that has significant issues on both sides of the ball, it is likely that there will be a lot of interviews before a new head coach is chosen. Pittsburgh could look at an offensive guru to bring more dynamism to what has been Mike Rozier and Mike Rozier only, or they could finally address their pretty poor defensive record over the past 4 years. Either way, it is likely that DC Ernie Stautner will be out as well as Gabriel. A second release came 2 days later, and again it was expected. The now merged San Antonio Gunslingers and Oklahoma Outlaws made it official that they would be retaining the services of Oklahoma head man, Woody Widenhofer, and releasing Gunslinger coach Gil Steinke. There had been reports that Steinke was considering retirement even before the decision, and persistent rumors that it was truly his assistants and coordinators who kept the team together throughout the season made the decision an easy one for the new lead owner, William Tatham, to keep on the man he had brought over from the NFL for his Oklahoma franchise. The third release was truly the only surprise. Just hours after the Breakers played in the Wild Card matchup in Michigan it was announced that Dick Coury, the only coach the Breakers have ever had, would be stepping down. It seems that a series of 8- or 9-win seasons, coupled with a now 1-5 playoff record would not satisfy owners David Dixon and Joe Canizaro. The defeat, which included a Michigan comeback from a 17-0 lead, was one more example of the Breakers’ inability to get over the hump and become a truly dangerous club. Rumors were in the wind, but with New Orleans making a 4th straight postseason (including 2 in Boston) most did not expect such a swift and decisive end to the Dick Coury era in New Orleans. While nothing official has been said about a replacement, the recent departure of the very popular Bill Arsparger from LSU means that the Breakers have a top candidate just waiting for them if they want to go that direction. Arnsparger, who led the Tigers to two Sugar Bowls and who has significant pro experience as the DC in Miami and New York (Giants) would be a good candidate to shore up what has always been a hit or miss defense. He would also clearly be a popular choice in Louisiana as his success with the LSU Tigers is not unknown in the region. It is rumored that the University of Florida is looking at Arnsparger for their open AD position, but the lure of pro football may make this a perfect match for the veteran defensive coach and the bridesmaid Breakers.

SCORES PIT 0 NJ 16 Keith Byars again subs for the injured Herschel Walker, and again gains 100 yards (113 to be exact). Vince Ferragamo got the start for New Jersey and, while not spectacular, did hit Lam Jones for 160 yards and a TD, including a 95 yard scoring throw that was actually a 22 yard pass and a long RAC. WSH 38 PHI 20 The Federals needed this game to land their first winning season ever, while Philadelphia rested quite a few players, though Kelvin Bryant, in pursuit of the rushing title, did get the majority of Stars carries. Neil Lomax moved into #1 in the final QB Ratings of the year with his performance today. ORL 14 JAX 31 Jacksonville truly wanted to avoid a losing season, and garnered their 8th win as Chris Miller threw for 310 and a score. George Adams added 3 touchdowns to his impressive year as well. Orlando still finishes as the best of the new expansion clubs with 6 wins, but after a 4-0 start, a 2-10 finish is disappointing. TBY 10 MEM 34 Reaves gets the start, but plays only 1 quarter. Memphis uses the opportunity to reach a surprising 8-8 for the year after their 0-4 start, and, what is even better, QB Mike Kelley has developed into a solid starter, leading the league in completion percentage for the year. His 3 TD day today solidly places him as the expected 1988 starter for the Showboats. NOR 9 CHI 23 The Breakers rested Marcus Dupree due to a hamstring issue, and generally looked lackluster with nothing to play for. Chicago gave rookie Steve Buerlein the start, and he responded with 222 yards and 2 scores. Not explosive, but very solid from the former Golden Domer. Chicago gets its 2nd win and ends up even with Oklahoma at the bottom of the standings. With Oklahoma merging with San Antonio (announced last week) Chicago is still guaranteed the #1 selection in the draft. OAK 51 ARZ 7 The Invaders knew that a win plus a Michigan loss and they would be the #3 seed, which is worth a bye week, and they played like it was a do or die game. Brian Sipe threw for 2 scores and Whittington, spelled often by Paul Palmer, gained just enough to win the rushing crown this year. The biggest game was had by Invader safety Marcus Quinn who had two pick-six touchdowns, one an 84 yarder, on consecutive Arizona drives. LA 6 DEN 37 A rowdy and large Denver home crowd cheered the Gold on to their best record in 5 years of USFL play. The thorough destruction of the Express got Denver to 12-4 on the year, only 1 game below Houston. Bob Gagliano looked sharp, throwing for 213 and 3 scores, while Harry Sydney led the team in both rushing yards and receptions. SAN 13 BLT 27 Baltimore coach Marv Levy decided to start Eric Kramer over Vince Evans and Kramer delivered a 2 TD performance and a win for the slumping Blitz. 7-9 was not what Baltimore fans expected out of the year, and there was some speculation that Marv Levy might be out, but that seems not to be the case as ownership has expressed interest in returning to prominence in the East with Levy at the helm. OKL 14 BIR 32 Birmingham left no doubt that they wanted the Southern Division crown, and with Memphis manhandling the Bandits, they got it. Their home win against the Outlaws propels the Stallions to the #2 seed in the east and gives them a bye week, while Tampa will have to face Washington next week. Bob Lane, in relief for the injured Cliff Stoudt, threw for 273 and Brent Fullwood made the most of his carries in place of a banged up Joe Cribbs. GAME OF THE WEEK Michigan Panthers 15 Houston Gamblers 18 This was not the showdown that most expected. It was a weird game played mostly by backups, but it was also a game Michigan should have been attempting to win at all costs. A #3 seed and a bye was on the line, while Houston had nothing to play for, and yet it was Houston that came out on top. In a battle of backups, Houston’s Sean Salisbury outperformed Michigan’s Jeff Kemp, throwing for 256 and a score, while Kemp, completing 48% of his passes, threw for 134 a score and an INT. Bobby Morse of Michigan led the rushers with 57 yards, while the top receivers were Johnny Holloway for Michigan and Clarence Verdin for Houston. Houston won the game thanks to a late field goal by Dave Jacobs, pushing Michigan down to the #4 seed and a showdown with New Orleans next week in the Silverdome. For Houston, the win pushes them to 13-3. They will have a bye and then face the winner of that Michigan-New Orleans showdown. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK In a week where so many stars were sidelined, we knew that it would be an unheralded player who would make news this week. That player was Oakland safety Marcus Quinn. In one of the most spectacular 5 minutes of play all season, Quinn intercepted Arizona rookie QB Kelly Stouffer not once but twice, and ran both interceptions back for scores. The first was a mistimed out route that Quinn undercut and then raced untouched down the sideline for 84 yards for the score. The second was a crossing route only 3 minutes later, a route where it was clear that Stouffer did not see Quinn coming across the field in the opposite direction. This time Quinn bobbled the ball for a second, finally gripping it solidly just in time to brush off a hit from the Arizona receiver, and then weaved through several half-hearted tackle attempts by Arizona offensive players before breaking free and returning the interception for his second score, 56 yards in total. It was a brief, but stunning display by the young safety. The game was already out of hand at 24-7 when the first pick-6 occurred, so it was not game-defining, but for Quinn it will likely be a memory he will cherish forever. PLAYOFF PICTURE As we said last week there was nothing left to do but determine playoff positions this week. And in both cases where there was a chance for positioning to change, it did. Tampa needed a win or a Birmingham loss to retain the division crown. They got neither, losing to Memphis and watching Birmingham just decimate the Oklahoma Outlaws. The swap means Birmingham will face New Jersey in Legion Field in 2 weeks while Tampa hosts the Washington Federals and top rated QB Neil Lomax next week. In the West, Michigan could hold off Oakland for the 3 seed and a bye, but they had to do so in Houston. Despite the bye on the line, Michigan coach Jim Stanley opted not to play several starters, perhaps knowing that a possible matchup with Houston in the playoffs could be impacted by the game this week. Houston lost a close matchup of backups to the Gamblers, while Oakland prevailed quite handily over Arizona, giving Oakland the #3 seed and forcing Michigan to play next week at home against New Orleans. If Michigan prevails, they do face Houston again in 2 weeks. For Oakland, they know they will face their division rivals, the Denver Gold in the 2nd round of the playoffs. That should be a real slobberknocker between two foes who know each other well and don’t particularly like each other. NEWS & NOTES We will report on Black Monday next week, but it seems unlikely that this year we will see a large turnover of coaches. Sure, with the San Antonio-Oklahoma merger someone, likely Gunslingers’ coach Gil Steinke, will be out of a job, but other than that, the only real potential is for some 8-8 or 7-9 teams to let a coach with proven wins in prior years go. Will Baltimore really let Marv Levy walk for 1 bad year? What about Lindy Infante in Jacksonville? And would Pittsburgh consider a one-and-done situation for Roman Gabriel? It is always possible, but we don’t see it as likely. When the majority of teams at the bottom of the standings are either expansion clubs or teams that hired a new coach last year, the odds of a heavy turnover of coaches are pretty low. As for the draft, the initial order of 10 teams is set. The question is what will the merger of Oklahoma and San Antonio do? Will the new team, which is sure to have more depth to its roster already, get Oklahoma’s #2 pick or San Antonio’s #4 pick? If the league brings in a 20th team, where will they pick? These are not known yet, but here is what we think will happen: #1 Chicago, #2 Team 20, #3 Pittsburgh, #4 OKL-SAN Team, #5 Arizona, #6 Orlando, #7 Baltimore, #8 Los Angeles, #9 Jacksonville, #10 Memphis. The rest of the list will depend on who wins and loses each playoff game. INJURY REPORT With many teams resting their starters, there are not a lot of new injuries of consequence. As reported last week, a lot of the playoff squads are going to try to get their stars back in time for the playoffs, but in some cases it simply may not be possible. Looking at the 4 wild card contenders (Michigan, New Orleans, Tampa and Washington) here is what we have to report: Michigan is in pretty good shape, with only 1 player (T Arnoldo Gardner) listed as questionable and the other three listings, including LB John Corker as probable. New Orleans has a bit more to worry about as Marcus Dupree is still listed as doubtful after a hamstring injury flare up. They will also be missing T Dan Slaughter and FB David Blanton. Tampa will be missing LB Ron Moten with a knee ligament issue, but should otherwise have a full roster. Washington is happy to have Craig James back, listed as probable, and other than the players already on IR also look strong for this week. LOOKING AHEAD It is Wild Card Weekend this week, so only two games on the schedule. Here is our breakdown Washington (9-7) @ Tampa Bay (10-6) Tampa has the experience, Washington has the exhuberance. Typically experience wins out but we are a bit concerned that Tampa did not fight harder to get the #2 seed and the bye. They have to be disheartened to be playing this week. Not only that but Washington QB Neil Lomax has been playing lights out football over the past month. There is a lot to fear about the Federals this year. They can run with James, pass with Lomax, and play defense with top rookie defender Jerome Brown. This is not the same old Federals from years past. That said, Tampa is an old hand at this playoff thing. John Reaves, Gary Anderson and Eric Truvillion are more than capable of shredding even a good defense. Our Pick: A close one but still a Tampa win. Tampa 24 Washington 21. New Orleans (8-8) @ Michigan (10-6) This feels like a mismatch. New Orleans, especially with Dupree dinged up, muddled through the season, again inconsistent, again losing a lot of games they should not have lost. And while Michigan is not the juggernaut of past years, they still have a lot of firepower on offense and a lot of stopping power on defense. If John Corker is fully back to form, and if Jack Trudeau can avoid the turnovers this week, the Panthers could kick it into the top gear we have seen them show in the past. We are not sure New Orleans even has that gear. Last year the Breakers got their first playoff win in 3 tries, but we just don’t see that repeating again this year. Our Pick: Michigan comes up big. Panthers 38 Breakers 21

SCORES BLT 20 PHI 37 Big games from Fusina, Bryant and Quick spell disaster for the Blitz, who fall to 6-9 and risk ending the year on a 5-game losing streak unless they can pull out a win next week. PIT 24 WSH 21 Another unexpected and untimely loss for the Federals within the division has to worry Coach Rutigliano. Alan Risher threw for 305 in the game as Washington’s defense could not hold. The Federals now risk falling to 8-8 next week, matching last year’s record despite clear improvements in the offseason. BIR 6 MEM 22 Memphis’s late season success causes another headache as Birmingham cannot gain ground on Tampa Bay. Mike Kelley is solidifying his starting gig with 2 TD’s and 263 passing against the Stallions. ORL 24 TBY 20 Orlando had no business winning this game in Tampa, but no one told the Renegades that. Collier to Buggs was the key to the game and Tampa simply let this one slide away. Tampa still holds a one game lead over Birmingham, but cannot afford to rest next week. HOU 16 NOR 28 Jim Kelly had one of his worst days of the season, throwing two picks, and while the choice to rest Todd Fowler this week might get some flack, his backup. Steve Howell, rushed for 108, so the problem is not there. It just seems that New Orleans both needed and wanted this one more. The concern now is that a 3-game losing streak to end the season may not be the best way to prep for the playoffs. MGN 28 SAN 20 San Antonio returns Damon Allen back under center, and he helps keep the Gunslingers in the game, but Michigan just proves too much as John Willliams goes over the century mark and scores a decisive touchdown. Michigan is hoping to lock up the #3 seed and avoid playing in the Wild Card round. LA 37 OKL 13 The Express are now shooting for an 8-8 season, which is better than many expected. Steve Young had a field day against the Outlaw defense, throwing for 4 scores. Oklahoma did have one highlight as HB Stump Mitchell had his best game in Tulsa, rushing for 114 in the loss. NJ 18 ARZ 17 The Generals find a way to win in the desert despite Walker’s absence. Keith Byars had a respectable 70 yards rushing and Doug Flutie threw for 269 to help New Jersey eke out the win against a game Wrangler squad. JAX 19 CHI 10 Chicago coach Joe Bugel gave Steve Beurlein the start, and despite being quite rusty, Beurlein kept Chicago in the game for most of the day. Jacksonville’s Chris Miller won the battle of rookie QB’s by putting up 264 and 2 scores to Buerlein’s 185 and 1 score. GAME OF THE WEEK Denver Gold 20 Oakland Invaders 10 Denver scores 10 in the 4th to snatch a win in Oakland and lock up the Pacific Division title. Denver came into the game intent on slowing down Invader halfback Arthur Whittington. They managed to hold him to only 89 yards on 19 carries and also harassed Brian Sipe, recording 6 sacks on the veteran. Bob Gagliano fared better against the Invader defense, throwing for 315 and two scores. The first of the two was a 2nd quarter bomb to Bill Brooks that gave Denver the 10-3 lead over Oakland. After a quiet 3rd quarter, Oakland tied the game after a long 11 play drive led to a 1 yard score from Sipe to little-used receiver Wyatt Henderson. On their next possession Denver retook the lead on a Brian Speelman field goal. Oakland would have tied it again on a 52 yard Kevin Shea kick but the Invaders got called for an illegal shift and once pushed back had to punt. This set up Denver for a game-locking drive. The Gold milked the clock and ground out yardage leading up to Gagliano’s second scoring toss of the day, a 13 yard fade to former NFL Cardinal J.T. Smith. The win locks Denver into the #2 seed in the Western Conference and puts Oakland one game behind Michigan for the 3rd seed and a bye. Without that, they will likely have to play New Orleans in 2 weeks while Denver rests their players and waits for a game against Michigan in the Divisional round. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK The AP gave Kelvin Bryant the player of the week title for his 122 yard, 3 TD day, but we have a little more leeway than that. We are going to give it to all the teams that were elimated from playoff contention weeks ago but still keep plugging, striving, and playing hard. Pittsburgh has won their last 2 divisional games, beating Baltimore and Washington and proving that they are still putting in the effort for Coach Bugel. Memphis, after a 2-7 start, have won 5 of their last 6 and could end up a very respectable 8-8 for the year. Orlando won their 6th of the year, upsetting perennial powerhouse Tampa Bay. The Renegades, despite having some major issues this year, are currently clearly the best of the four expansion teams. But even San Antonio, Oklahoma and 1-win Chicago are coming out and competing. Chicago’s defense has some gamebreakers, if they could only get an offense to match next year, they could be a lot better than their 1-14 record shows right now. As for Oklahoma and San Antonio, they have 6 wins combined, but next year, when we expect their rosters to combine, this may be a club that can win 7 or 8 games right away. There is something to be said for players that love the game, that play hard even when the season is lost, and that understand that every day is a chance to impress, to do your best and to prove you deserve to be on the field. Kudos to those who never give up. PLAYOFF PICTURE One week left and not a lot of drama, but a little remains to be decided. Here is what we know right now: EAST 1 Seed = Philadelphia. They will get a bye and then face off against the Wild Card winner. 2 Seed = Tampa Bay. Need to win to take division. Loss + Stallions win = 4th Seed. 3 Seed = New Jersey. They will play Tampa in the 2nd week of the playoffs. 4 Seed = Birmingham. Would host the Feds, but a win + TBY loss and they win division. 5 Seed = Washington. Happy to be here, the Feds will travel to Legion Field in 2 weeks. WEST 1 Seed = Houston Hoping they don’t have injuries . They will host the Wild Card winner. 2 Seed = Denver A bye and a chance to host either Michigan or Oakland. 3 Seed = Michigan Oakland win and Panther loss and it is the Invaders here. 4 Seed = Oakland Move up to 3 with Panthers loss and a win or host New Orleans. 5 Seed = New Orleans Week 1 loss to Oakland means they are #6 no matter what. NEWS & NOTES With the announcement 2 weeks ago that the Oklahoma Outlaws and San Antonio Gunslingers would merge in 1988, one of the questions racing around the league has been just how the league would add a 20th franchise. This week it was announced that the league would not re-open an expansion bidding process, but that it would explore only the three semi-finalists from the 1987 expansion pool. This means that the 1988 season will include a franchise either in Atlanta, Seattle, or Portland. Since Oklahoma was located in the Pacific Division, our money is on either Seattle or Portland as the most likely option. Atlanta would cause much more realignment, since it would require a new team to move to the Pacific, likely San Antonio, which would disrupt the Texas rivalry with Houston. It would then require a Southern team like Birmingham or Memphis to shift to the Central, again, not ideal. Add Seattle or Portland and you retain all the current rivalries and add a new region entirely to the USFL television profile. So, assuming that it is truly down to the two Pacific Northwest bids, which makes more sense to you? Seattle is a much larger market, but that comes with drawbacks as well as the obvious advantages. The King Dome is a solid venue, but the team would have to share with the Mariners for most of the season. They could opt to play in Husky Stadium, but the rainy season in Seattle is no fun and Husky Stadium does not permit beer sales, which would hurt the team’s revenue stream for sure. Then there is also competition from the SuperSonics as well. Portland is a small market, though not the league’s smallest. Civic Stadium is a solid size, though it lacks some of the amenities of the larger shared stadiums with NFL and NCAA teams. On the plus size, the only major sports competition would come from the Trailblazers NBA club. Without MLB to contend with, a Portland franchise would own outdoor sports for the spring and summer. And there is no NFL team in the city to cause friction or cannibalize fan dollars. It’s a tough call, so we are glad we don’t have to make it. And this is without reviewing the financial bona fides of the ownership group, confirming potential stadium leases, or determining the impact on TV viewership. No matter what the USFL decides, there will again be a new team joining the league next year, a chance for a new community to fall in love with spring football. INJURY REPORT Not a great week for the league. We are going to focus on the 10 playoff teams, since their injury situation has potential to determine who advances and who goes home after Week 16. Here is what is worrying coaches and GM’s going into the final week of the year. BIRMINGHAM: Ernest Givens pulled his hamstring in this week’s game, and that may cost him both the final regular season tilt and the wild card game. That is a big loss for the Stallions. Cliff Stoudt will likely be held out this week, but should be good to go for the Wild Card game. SS William Cesare also is expected back, but his turf toe could inhibit his play for the entire playoffs. HOUSTON: No major players expected to be out, but expect Houston to rest their big names this week to avoid any potential Week 16 surprises. The only lingering injury of concern is left tackle Howard Ballard, who may see a few snaps just to see if he is fit before getting a week off during the bye. MICHIGAN: Only 3 players on the injury report, with the biggest being RT Arnoldo Gardner listed as questionable. John Corker looks ready to go, but may be rested as Michigan gears up for the Wild Card game. NEW JERSEY: Of all the playoff teams, the Generals look the most like the walking wounded. They have 8 players on this week’s injury report. Obviously the loss of Herschel Walker, still listed as OUT, is the biggest concern. But, with a bye week, even Walker might be back in time for the Divisional game against Tampa. All the others (lB Paul Cooks, CB Cliff Hicks, WR Danny Knight) are expected back in time after the bye. NEW ORLEANS: Matt Robinson will not be available to back up Tony Eason, but we knew that weeks ago. The bigger concern is WR Charlie Smith, who is listed as doubtful this week with a lagging wrist injury. They will need him in the Wild Card game. OAKLAND: Only 2 names on the injury report, but one of them is their top-rated guard Kevin Gogan. Gogan is unlikely to return before Championship week, so we likely will not see him this playoff run. DE Will Johnson is listed as probable, but still having difficulty with his ankle. PHILADELPHIA: Jim Mora may be the luckiest coach in the league. He has no players listed on the injury report this week and has had very few injuries to deal with all season long. For a team that played in last year’s Championship, that is music to his ears. TAMPA BAY: QB John Reaves was able to play this past week, and may see some reps next week just to ensure he is not rusty 2 weeks later in the Divisional Round. Guard Dan Morgan and SS Tyrone Davis will likely sit out, despite being listed as Probable, just to ensure they are ready to go in 2 weeks. WASHINGTON: The bad news is that both LB Curtis Taliferro and DE Dexter Manley will not be able to come off IR to play in the playoffs. The good news is that Craig James came back this week and looked very healthy in the Fed’s backfield. With him back the offense for Washington is a lot harder to defend. LOOKING AHEAD As often seems the case, week 16 is less about playoff drama and more about resting players before the postseason begins. The only real drama left is between Michigan and Oakland for a bye, so this week perhaps focus on individual performances and the chance for teams to end the year on a positive. This weeks games include Pittsburgh @ New Jersey, Washington @ Philadelphia, Orlando @ Jacksonville, Tampa @ Memphis, New Orleans @ Chicago, Michigan @ Houston, Oakland @ Arizona, LA @ Denver, San Antonio @ Baltimore and Oklahoma @ Birmingham.

SCORES BLT 19 MEM 21 Mike Kelley gets back to winning ways as Showboats win homestand game against the slumping Blitz. Kelley throws for 263 and 2 scores while Baltimore flounders on 3rd down, going 2 for 10. NJ 29 ORL 17 Herschel Walker starts, but almost immediately reaggravates his injury, could miss the next two games. Keith Byars again shifts from FB to HB, and rushes for 97 yards, catches 5 for 27. New Jersey gets the needed win, but what does the loss of Walker mean down the stretch? PHI 17 TBY 6 Sam Mills and the Philly D stifle the Reaves-less Bandits as Kelvin Bryant and Jaime Mueller combine for 153 yards rushing. Tampa backup Oliver Luck finds Collinsworth for 109 but cannot get the ball into the endzone in a game that assures Philly of the #1 seed in the East. PIT 13 BIR 28 Birmingham remains white hot as Joe Cribbs rushes for 129. Cliff Stoudt leaves the game with what looks like a minor injury in the 4th but could miss next week. WSH 28 JAX 34 Neil Lomax duels with Bulls rookie Chris Miller for 4 quarters, but in a game where the Feds could only muster 36 yards rushing without Craig James and Bulls HB rushes for 148 it is too much for Washington. CHI 14 LA 19 Chicago’s defense holds tough all day, but after building a 14-0 lead on two Chuck Long TD passes, the Maulers offense wilts and LA methodically builds back with 9 points from the defense and a 4th quarter Young to Christiansen TD toss. MGN 24 OKL 5 Michigan’s late season lineup of expansion clubs works out for the Panthers again as they manhandle the Outlaws. Doug Williams suffers 2 picks and completes only 50% of his passes against the stout Panther D, while Michigan’s Derek Holloway gains 117, including a 52-yard TD from Trudeau. NOR 23 ARZ 21 Kelly Stouffer looks solid, completing 64% and tossing two scores, but it is not enough as Hilliard and Dupree combine for 140 and Tony Eason connects with Dan Ross and Charlie Smith for scores. The win moves New Orleans to .500 for the first time in 2 months. SAN 7 DEN 31 San Antonio gives Mike Shula a start and he struggles as San Antonio passes for only 151 on the day. Bob Gagliano completes 80% of his passes against the overmatched Gunslinger defense as Bill Brooks hauls in 2 scores for the homestanding Gold. GAME OF THE WEEK Houston Gamblers 20 Oakland Invaders 23 Having already clinched the #1 seed in the Western Conference, Houston could not find the motivation to win a close one as Oakland, desperate to keep pace with Denver, edges Houston in overtime. Kelly and the Houston offense was game, gaining 411 on the day, including 365 from Kelly’s powerful right arm, but the Houston D, which has been stalwart all year, let up a little too much. Brian Sipe had one of his best games, throwing for 288, while Whittington contributed 122 on the ground to help Oakland pull off the upset. It was a battle for field position early as both defenses held tough in the first half. Houston was able to score only 6 points on two Dave Jacobs field goals while Oakland used good field position after an uncharacteristic Kelly interception to punch it in and take the 10-6 halftime lead. That lead was wiped out only 1:35 into the 3rd as Kelly found Clarence Verdin for a score to jump up 13-10. Four minutes later, Whittington would again cross the plane and Oakland would retake the lead 17-13. They added to that lead with a Kevin Shea field goal to start the 4th. Kelly and Houston responded with a 6-minute scoring drive that concluded with Kelly finding HB Todd Fowler on a beautifully set up screen that went for 32 yards and the score. For the rest of the 4th quarter both teams took advantage of their opposition’s errors to stall drives. Oakland missed out on a key 3rd down conversion due to a drive-killing holding call, while Houston’s last gasp attempt to avoid overtime died on a 3rd and 9 when a catchable ball slipped between TE Victor Marchand’s hands. In overtime, Houston got the ball first, but was unable to convert on a 3rd and 3 run, so Oakland received the punt at their own 44. Sipe was efficient, finding TE Raymond Chester twice and completing a key 3rd down to Mark Duper. The drive eventually stalled, but not until Oakland had reached the Houston 12-yard line. The Kevin Shea chip shot was right down the middle and the Invaders pulled off the much-needed win to remain only 1 game behind Denver, with a huge Pacific Division matchup between the two next week in Oakland. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK The Nigerian Nightmare, that is what fans are calling Express HB Christian Okoye. The huge halfback with the exotic accent and a tendency to run right over tacklers, has become something of a celebrity in star-studded LA, despite the overall mediocrity of the Express squad. This week Okoye solidified his standing with Express fans by almost single-handedly carrying the Express offense to a win vs. Chicago. Okoye, in his first 100-yard game since coming to LA from tiny Asuza Pacific University, ran through and over Chicago defenders on his way to 136 yards on only 18 carries. Okoye, who is soft-spoken off the field, is truly a nightmare to tackle once he starts heading north-south. LA might want to consider readjusting their offense next year to more of a power game to benefit Okoye, who struggles with outside runs compared to longstanding LA back Tony Boddie. But, when the call goes up the middle, watch out. Okoye is big, he has good acceleration, and he does not waste energy on jukes or spins, he just hits defenders like a freight train, and more often than not they fall to the wayside as he heads on through. This week his efforts led LA to a win, something the Express have to hope becomes a much more common occurrence in 1988. PLAYOFF PICTURE With only 2 weeks left to play, the playoff picture is all but confirmed. Philly and Houston have locked up the #1 seed in each conference. 6 other teams have punched their tickets for the postseason, and really the only questions now are division title races between Tampa and Birmingham in the South and Denver and Oakland in the Pacific. New Orleans is in the most tenuous position, only 1 game up on LA for the final Wild Card, while the loss this week means that Washington, while happy to be in the playoffs, will not be overtaking New Jersey or avoiding the Wild Card round. Still a lot to play for in the next 2 weeks, though we do expect that both Philly and Houston may consider resting some starters at least in week 16 if not next week. NEWS & NOTES Expect a lot of experimentation with rosters during the final 2 weeks as playoff teams rest some starters and non-playoff teams look at some talent to see if changes are in order for next year. We have already seen this with San Antonio giving Mike Shula a shot at QB. Chicago went back to Chuck Long this week but may give fellow rookie Steve Beurlein a game or two to see what they have in him. Don’t be shocked as well if Baltimore gives Eric Kramer another game under center or if Oklahoma let’s Doug Williams rest in favor of perennial backup Blair Kiel. It is a time of year to see some rookies who have languished on the bench get their chance to show their wares, while teams like Houston and Philly may try to protect key players like Kelvin Bryant or Jim Kelly from late season hits. With playoff positions still on the line for the other contenders, we don’t expect Oakland, Denver, Tampa, Birmingham or the others to have a chance to do the same, but for the frontrunners it is one of the perks of locking in their seeds early. INJURY REPORT Late season injuries are always the fear of playoff contenders, and we have a few this week that could impact some of the teams seeking to get hot as the postseason approaches. New Jersey in particular has to be nervous as Herschel Walker played only 4 downs before reaggravating his hip. He is likely to miss the final 2 weeks of the year, and the Generals have to try to avoid the Wild Card round to give him another week to recover. Oakland will have to chase Denver without their best lineman, rookie guard Kevin Gogan. Tampa has 6 players on their injury list this week, not the least of which is QB John Reaves, who is listed as questionable and may be a game time decision. Washington is hoping that Craig James can return this week. He is listed as probable. Houston may keep Howard Ballard out, despite him being listed as probable, just to make sure he is ready for the playoffs. And it looks like Birmingham will have to rely on veteran backup Bob Lane to help them down the stretch as QB Cliff Stoudt is likely to miss the next two weeks, and possibly the Wild Card matchup after suffering a rib injury this week. LOOKING AHEAD Week 15 marks 2 consecutive weeks of divisional matchups to end the season in a flurry of key matchups. 8 of 10 games will see divisional foes clash and playoff teams jockey for position. This week is not particularly dramatic in the East as Philly hosts slumping Baltimore while Washington will welcome Pittsburgh to RFK. New Jersey is out of division as they travel to Arizona to face the Wranglers. The same is true in the South, where both Birmingham and Tampa are expected to win. The Stallions faithful will make the trip up to Memphis to watch their team face the Showboats, while Tampa and Orlando battle in the Big Sombrero. Jacksonville is in Chicago for the other non-divisional game. In the Central New Orleans hopes that home field helps them overcome the Houston Gamblers, while Michigan heads down to San Antonio in a game they should win. LA is in Tulsa to face the Oklahoma Outlaws in what may be their last game in the state (see news coming this week), while in the biggest game of the week, the Denver Gold (10-4) face the Oakland Invaders (9-5) with the division title and a bye on the line.

Sporting News, June 10, 1987 The USFL Executive Board in New York announced today the merger of the San Antonio Gunslingers and the Oklahoma Outlaws, to be engaged upon the completion of the current season in three weeks. The two clubs have struggled in this their first season as expansion franchises, not only on the field, but administratively and financially. The merger, which the league hopes will resolve some of the current issues around financial solvency as well as claims of mismanagement in San Antonio, as well as the issues regarding Mr. William Tatham, owner of the Oklahoma Outlaws, and his desire to find a more lucrative market for the club. The league has over the past month become significantly disillusioned with the management of the San Antonio franchise as claims of financial delinquency and mismanagement of league-provided shared revenue have plagued the fledgling franchise. Players have claimed that paychecks have been delayed or have been rejected for insufficient funds. Vendors have claimed much the same. The deal includes funding from the USFL’s general account, largely league-retained monies from the successful 1984 lawsuit against the NFL, as a temporary measure to complete the season. Following the season, the league will proctor the financial and logistical transfer, which will reduce San Antonio’s Clint Manges to a role as one of three minority owners, with one being the league itself, and with Oklahoma Outlaws owner William Tatham as the majority owner. The league will then reduce its ownership over the next 3 years until it no longer holds a stake in the franchise’s ownership. As for logistics, it is believed, though the league would not comment, that the franchise will retain San Antonio, Texas as its location, though a relocation may not be out of the question due to the known inadequacies of the Alamo Stadium in San Antonio. The market itself is a large and growing urban center, one the league feels is a solid growth market, and with plans already under way for a 60,000 seat domed stadium in San Antonio, the league is hoping it can arrange a favorable lease to move the franchise in 1990, when the stadium is slated to open. USFL officials were somewhat mum on exactly how they would go about designating which players from the two franchises would be retained for the 1988 season, though it is expected that a good number of players from both franchises would become members of the new joint franchise. When asked about the possibility of a 19-team format in 1988, league officials were confident in stating that the USFL would play with 20 franchises in 1988, but would not elaborate on how this would be achieved. Having selected San Antonio, Chicago, Orlando (originally Miami) and Oklahoma (originally San Diego) in last year’s expansion process, there are no fewer than 3 expansion ownership groups who were turned away, and it would be a somewhat direct path for the league to reach out to the bidding ownership groups which were turned away, which includes suitors representing Seattle, Portland (OR), and Atlanta. USFL Commissioner Chet Simmons announced that further developments in the merger of the two franchises would be announced within the month, and that this would include plans for a 20th franchise to round out the league for the 1988 season. For now, the announcement means that players and vendors in San Antonio will be paid for the remainder of the season, and that the next next two games for the Outlaws, against Michigan and Los Angeles, are likely to be the last at Skelly Stadium.

SCORES PIT 20 BLT 3 Baltimore’s Vince Evans looked very shaky against the oft-maligned Pittsburgh defense, while both Alan Risher and Mike Rozier had solid performances as Pittsburgh upset the Blitz, all but crushing any playoff hopes the squad held. In a game where Evans threw 3 interceptions and completed only 44% of his passes, the heavily scrutinized Alan Risher fare much better, completing 73% of his throws and tossing 2 scores. ORL 14 BIR 16 Birmingham built up a 16-3 lead in this game, and withstood a late surge by the Renegades to hold on for their 8th win of the year. Joe Cribbs had a solid day, though he was pinned behind the line for a safety on a rough series for the Stallions. Cribbs’s 117 yards included a 12 yard TD run in the 2nd quarter which helped Birimingham take a sizable lead in the game. In the 4th quarter, Reggie Collier found Curtis Bledsoe for a score, but then had to settle for a field goal, which pulled them within 2, but it was a lead they would never overcome. TBY 41 JAX 24 In a game that was highly competitive after 3 quarters, Tampa pulled away in the 4th, turning a 27-21 lead into an eventual 41-24 victory. Tampa scored every way imaginable, with 3 TD passes (2 from Reaves, 1 from Oliver Luck), a fumble return TD by Fred Stokes, a pick 6 TD from Mauricio Eggleston, and a Gary Anderson 78 yard run. DEN 24 ARZ 14 In a game that would cost Arizona QB Robbie Bosco the rest of the season with a shoulder injury, Denver locked up a winning season and a playoff berth by handling the Wranglers and backup QB, rookie Kelly Stouffer. Stouffer played just over 3 quarters after the Bosco injury, and while his play was solid, he was unable to match the more experienced Denver defense. OKL 7 OAK 37 Another rough game from Doug Williams and the Outlaws provided Oakland with a win to reach 8-5 and lock in at least a Wild Card spot in the playoffs this year. Brian Sipe threw for 4 scores but passed for only 137 on the day, allowing Arthur Whittington to lead the offense with 160 yards rushing against the tired and unmotivated Outlaw defense. HOU 28 CHI 7 Houston scored 21 in the first 20 minutes of action and then took their foot off the peddle against an overmatched Chicago squad. Jim Kelly would finish the day with 4 TD passes and 360 yards, while the combination of Houston rushers gained 108 as they slowed the game down in the second half. Chicago Head Coach Joe Bugel, after the game, stated that he may look at the third QB of the year for Chicago, Notre Dame rookie Steve Beurlein, after another forgettable performance by Todd Blackledge. SAN 14 NOR 40 Despite solid play from Tony Eason over the past few weeks, Coach Coury of New Orleans stuck to his word and gave Matt Robinson the start. The result was a 24-7 New Orleans lead, but also yet another injury to Robinson. This one may end his year. Tony Eason came in for the second half and helped New Orleans pad their lead against the Gunslingers. San Antonio QB Damon Allen continued to struggle, throwing another 3 picks in the game. PHI 16 LA 3 In another game where neither offense felt like they had a rhythm, the Stars did enough to win by 13, holding LA to 249 yards of total offense, while relying on Kelvin Bryant’s 104 yards on the ground to play keepaway from Steve Young. LA, which started the massive Christian Okoye at halfback, did not fare well, with Okoye averaging only 1.9 yards per carry against the stalwart Stars line. MEM 14 MGN 27 In the battle of the Williamses, Michigan’s John outrushed Memphis’s Richard 100 – 67 as the Panthers defense helped Michigan get a much needed win over the Showboats. It was the first loss of Memphis QB Mike Kelley’s season, though he did play well, throwing for 287 and 2 scores. It was not enough though as Memphis committed 10 penalties for 116 yards, costing them field position and several key third downs in the 13 point loss. GAME OF THE WEEK Washington Federals 30 New Jersey Generals 24 The Federals got another key divisional win in this, their best season to date, as they were prepared for the Ferragamo and Keith Byars combo which had surprised the Philadelphia Stars a week before. With both Doug Flutie and Herschel Walker pulled as game-time decisions, the Generals attempted to once again rely on their fullback and their backup QB, former Ram Vince Ferragamo, but the Federals were prepared for both. Ferragamo fared relatively well, throwing for all 3 General TD’s, but Keith Byars had a much harder day against Washington than against Philly last week, rushing for only 21 yards and receiving for another 28. For Washington the run game was equally ineffective as they were forced to sit Craig James and start rookie Alfred Jenkins. Once again the burden for the offense was placed on former St. Louis Cardinal Neil Lomax, and once again Lomax, the league’s second rated QB behind only Jim Kelly of Houston, came through. Lomax completed 20 of 27 passing, hitting on deep balls to Joey Walters and Webster Slaughter, or a total of 356 in the air. His longest pass of the day was actually one of his shortest. The first score of the game was a simple out route by TE Mark Bavaro, but when Bavaro delivered a decleating straight arm on the New Jersey safety, the sideline was his, and 71 yards later he carried another defender into the end zone to give Washington the 7-0 lead. New Jersey answered when Ferragamo hit Lam Jones for a score to start the 2nd. IT went back and forth with 2 more scoring tosses in the half, a 17-17 battle. In the second half, Lomax found Joey Walters for a 30 yard score, and then on two subsequent drives, Ray Wersching field goals built up a 30-17 lead for the Feds. Ferragamo would hit Brent Jones for a score with only 1:31 left in the game, but when the onside kick was covered by the Feds, the game was over and the Federals earned their 3rd division win of the year. They now trail New Jersey by only 1 game for the top wildcard seed, with both trailing 11-2 Philadelphia in the division. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Two players outshone the others this week, one we almost have come to expect, Jim Kelly, who led Houston to an easy victory with 360 yards passing and 4 scores. The other is a less anticipated performer, Tampa Bay DE Fred Stokes, who wins the award largely for one amazing play. Stokes surprised Jacksonville QB Chris Miller with a stunt that left him unguarded. Rather than go for the body, he went for the ball, getting the sack, but also forcing the fumble, which he picked up himself, and rolled his way into the endzone for a game-shifting defensive score. Stokes’s play not only put Tampa Bay up by 13, it shifted the emotional tenor of the game for the Bandits. When the two teams came out at halftime, Tampa’s defense was “stoked” (sorry for the pun) and a close game became a comfortable Bandit win. PLAYOFF PICTURE This was a big week for clinching around the league. The 5 spots in the East are all settled as losses by all four 5-7 teams dropped them out of contention and locked in spots for the 8-5 Federals and Stallions. Washington and New Jersey have now clinched their first playoff berths in team history, while Philly, Tampa and Birmingham return to the dance once again. Over the next 3 weeks the fight will be to see which two teams play in the Wild Card play-in game. Right now it would be Birmingham and Washington, but a lot will depend on the next 3 weeks. In the West, it is not as cut and dry, though Houston, Michigan, Denver and Oakland are all in. The fifth spot will be a battle between New Orleans (6-7) and the two Pacific 5-8 teams (LA and Arizona). Arizona will have to go at this without their starting QB, Robbie Bosco, while New Orleans will have to rely on Tony Eason the rest of the way. Michigan and Houston are largely locked in, though the Panthers would like to avoid the play-in game if they can stay up on Oakland for the top WildCard spot. Oakland still has Denver in its sights, as the two clubs are both 5-1 in division and will face off in Week 15, likely for the division title. NEWS & NOTES At this time of year, playoff positioning is not the only competition we follow closely. There are a lot of players hoping to finish the year with a flourish and take home some incentive money and some awards. When we explore the individual player stats, we see that this year there are some close races and some blow outs as we head into the final weeks. PASSING: Jim Kelly’s almost certain MVP season has blown the competition out of the water. Not only is Kelly the QBR leader, but he leads Robbie Bosco (now out for the year) and John Reaves by over 600 yards for the yardage lead, and only Reaves is within 5 TD’s of Kelly’s lead. He should take home all 3 crowns. RUSHING: This has been a rotating lead all year. This week it is Oakland’s Whittington who has the lead with 1295 yards, but Joe Cribbs (1255) and Kelvin Bryant (1194) are also within striking distance for the rushing title. Bryant leads Whittington by 2 TD’s for the scoring lead among RB’s, but he would also like to regain the rushing title after finishing a disappointing 5th last year. RECEIVING: No one is going to catch Memphis’s Mel Gray for the receptions title. His 118 catch mark after 13 weeks is amazing considering the issues in Memphis. The next closest is Orlando’s Frank Lockett with 88. But, when it comes to yardage, the race is as close as any. Houston’s Ricky Sanders overtook Tampa’s Eric Truvillion by only 23 yards this week, after trailing much of the season. The two are the clear #1’s on the two top offenses this season. Sanders may actually be at a disadvantage as Houston has wrapped up the #1 seed in the Western Conference and Coach Pardee may opt to rest some folks in the final weeks of the year, while Tampa has to worry about Birmingham on one side, and Philly on the other, so it is unlikely that Steve Spurrier will take his foot off the gas pedal. DEFENSE: Oklahoma has not had much to cheer this year, but rookie Brian Bosworth’s 122 tackles is one accolade that is likely going to be celebrated. Bosworth leads Chicago’s Clay Matthews by 17 tackles, and Bosworth is almost certainly going to wrap up the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. In other defensive categories things are a lot tighter. Jacksonville’s Doug Greene broke a 5 way tie in interceptions with his 6th this week, but now there are 8 players one INT behind him, including LA’s Raphel Cherry, Washington’s Lester Lyles, and New Jersey’s Cliff Hicks. The sack leadership, won by former Blitz DE Junior Ah You all 4 seasons before this one, was seen as Reggie White’s to lose, and White is right in the hunt with 15 sacks, but he still trails Michigan’s Ronnie Paggett by 3 sacks with only 3 weeks to go. Knowing White’s motor, I would not want to be a QB facing the Showboats over these final 3 weeks. KICKING: Other than the QB competition, no statistical category has been as dominated wire to wire by one player than the kicking title. Philadelphia’s David Trout has been the points leader since the early weeks of the season and his 131 places him 17 points ahead of the closest competitor, Birmingham’s Scott Norwood. With Philly likely holding off New Jersey for the final weeks of the season, expect Trout to keep pace and possibly reach 150 points for the year. INJURY REPORT You already know the big stories of the week. Arizona loses Robbie Bosco for the rest of the year and will have to rely on rookie Kelly Stouffer down the stretch. New Orleans also loses Matt Robinson to a torn bicep muscle and will lean on Tony Eason to snag the final playoff position. Of immediate, but not long term concern, are injuries to John Reaves in Tampa (questionable this week) and Doug Flutie in New Jersey (again questionable). Craig James remains doubtful for the Feds this week and Arizona’s Trumaine Johnson will be questionable as well. LOOKING AHEAD Back to inter-division games for Week 13, as the 5 Eastern clubs head to the Southern Division while the 5 Central squads travel to face Pacific Division teams. This does not mean that there are not big games that will help to decide playoff positioning. The best game of the week is almost certainly going to be Philadelphia at Tampa, in a battle of titans with the #1 seed on the table. Oakland also cannot let up as they face a very tough Houston squad in NoCal while Denver has a much easier matchup against the Gunslingers at Mile High. New Orleans and Arizona clash in the desert, with one playoff spot still to be claimed. LA hopes to gain ground with a game at home against the Chicago Machine. Washington has to avoid a trap game against Jacksonville after their big win this week. In other games, Pittsburgh heads to Birmingham, New Jersey is in Orlando and Michigan heads to Oklahoma.

SCORES BLT 13 WSH 23 The Federals win a huge divisional game at home, as Neil Lomax throws for 323 and 2 scores to down the Blitz and push Washington to 7-5 and well in control of their playoff destiny. TE Mark Bavaro catches 6 for 79 yards to help open up the Blitz D for Walters, Holmes and Slaughter. BIR 20 TBY 17 Birimingham makes its case for playoff contention, knocking off the division leading Bandits in Tampa. Cribbs rushes for 12, and little used FB Michael Haddix plunges in from 1 yard out to give the Stallions a huge win in the rivalry game. The Stallions D also came up big, holding Tampa Bay to only 36 yards rushing and forcing John Reaves into 2 interceptions. JAX 17 MEM 31 Rookie QB Chris Miller looked a bit shellshocked as he faced off against Reggie White. Memphis would sack the young starter 5 times, with White recording 2 of them and forcing 2 fumbles as well. QB Mike Kelley won his third straight game as the Showboats signal caller despite a 3-interception day, as halfback Richard Williams bailed him out with 110 yards and 3 scores on the day. CHI 6 MGN 20 The Panthers get a much-needed win as they host the moribund Chicago Machine. Former Mauler QB Todd Blackledge again passes for under 150 yards and the Machine only rush for 31 yards on the day against the Panther defense. While the Maulers did get to Jack Trudeau 5 times, he was still able to lead the Panthers to victory over a Chicago club that just has no offense to speak of. HOU 48 SAN 6 For what seems the umpteenth time this season San Antonio is simply overwhelmed and loses in a blowout. Houston racked up 522 yards of total offense, with Jim Kelly throwing for 331 and 3 scores in only 2 quarters. Backup Sean Salisbury played the fourth and threw for another 99 despite playing clock killing football. ARZ 31 LA 16 Arizona shocks the uneven and inconsistent Express in Angel Stadium with 339 yards and 3 scores from Robbie Bosco. Neither team even tried to run the ball (25 total yards for ARZ, 60 for LA), but two Steve Young interceptions helped the Wranglers build up a 31-9 lead after 3. DEN 23 OKL 17 The Outlaws were game and Stump Mitchell had his best day in black and red, rushing for 120, but it was not enough. Denver’s Harry Sydney also had great success, rushing for 140 yards on the day, and Bob Gagliano found both Bill Brooks and Mark Carrier for scores as Denver eked out a 6-point win to secure their 8th win of the year and retain sole possession of 1st in the Pacific. PIT 14 OAK 24 Oakland kept pace one game behind Denver with a needed home win over the Maulers. Arthur Whittington contributed as always, 112 yards and a score, and Brian Sipe found Henry Ellard and rookie back Paul Palmer for scores to lead the Invaders to the W. ORL 17 NOR 37 Tony Eason had another of his good days, throwing for 277 and 4 scores against the depleted Renegade defense. Despite 104 yards from Curtis Bledsoe, the Renegades could not keep pace with Eason and the Breakers as TE Dan Ross caught 2 scores and Eason also found Noan Franz and Charlie Smith for scores. GAME OF THE WEEK New Jersey Generals 31 Philadelphia Stars 26 If I told you that the Generals would go into this game without Herschel Walker and that Doug Flutie would come out with an injury after only 1 quarter, you would not give New Jersey a chance in hell of beating the Stars at home. Well, you would be wrong. Coach Ray Perkins coached a masterful game, with two key decisions that helped New Jersey pull of the upset and win one of the most important games in team history. The first shrewd decision was made early in the week, when Perkins opted not to go with Jaime Covington as the lead back but moved fullback Keith Byars into the lead back role. It was a move not advertised and Philadelphia was not prepared for Byars. The fullback turned halfback would rush for 127 yards on 17 carries and also catch 3 balls for 31 in a performance that is the highlight of his young career. He did not find the endzone, but his elusive, yet powerful, running was the spark that ignited the Generals’ offense. The other decision was also key. When Doug Flutie went out near the end of the first quarter, and with the game tied at 7, Perkins turned to former LA Ram Vince Ferragamo, and rather than play it safe with a backup, he relied on Ferragamo’s gunslinging ways to go over the top on the Stars defense. Ferragamo replied with a “can’t lose” mentality. He found Lam Jones and TE Brent Jones deep on several well-designed play action 1st down plays, avoided 3rd and long, and did not throw a pick despite consistently looking deep first on passing downs. The success of Byars and Ferragamo was both unexpected and off-putting for the Stars defense, which gave up 412 yards on the day to the Generals. Philly’s offense kept the game close throughout, and when Chuck Fusina hit Tom Donovan for a game tying score midway through the 4th, many in Veterans’ Stadium saw another Stars late-game victory in the offing. Philly had relied on Fusina finding Mike Quick (120 yds), Donovan and TE Steve Folsom all day, but now it would come down to the defense. That defense was unable to stop a game-winning drive by New Jersey, a drive that ended with a perfect seam route by Brent Jones and a 44 yard TD from Ferragamo. For New Jersey, this victory represents the team’s apex, knocking off the perennial division champ in their own home, and proving that the team could win without Herschel Walker in the backfield. Walker is expected to return next week, but now, after seeing what Byars can do, Generals fans can feel confident that the team is not dependent on the former Georgia back to win games. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK We could easily give this week’s POTW to Keith Byars, or to Tony Eason for his solid day, but what we saw the Showboats D-line do to the Jacksonville Bulls deserves recognition. The lineup of DE’s Reggie White and Booker Reese, aided by DT’s Jose Lightner and James Wheeler, just shredded what is normally a solid Bulls protection scheme. The results against rookie QB Chris Miller were impressive. White recorded 2 sacks and would have had a third had Miller not attempted an ill-fated lateral to George Adams which resulted in a fumble. The Showboats recorded 5 total sacks, hit Miller another 9 times, caused early and poor throws from the rookie and just did not let up all game long. The effectiveness of the line mean that Memphis did not need to blitz, allowing for 7 players in coverage. The combination play, stunting and speed rush on display was a master class in how to disrupt blocking schemes. For those of us who love the strategy of line play, this was a symphony. For Chris Miller it was a nightmare. PLAYOFF PICTURE With four weeks left, things are beginning to get clearer, and we have our first confirmed playoff tickets booked. As expected, Houston has clinched the Central Division title, wresting it away from Michigan for the first time in the league’s history. Philadelphia has also clinched a playoff spot, despite the loss (thanks to the Blitz’s loss in DC) but is in a heated battle with New Jersey for the division title. Tampa is one win away from locking up a playoff spot, though the loss to Birmingham pulls the Stallions within 2 games of the Bandits. In the Pacific, Denver and Oakland are looking solid, but with 5 wins each, LA and Arizona are not entirely out of the hunt, particularly for the 3rd Wild Card. It does appear that the biggest drama will be for that 5th Wild Card in each conference. In the East we have Philly, New Jersey, Tampa all but locked in, with Washington and Birmingham in solid position. Baltimore has the advantage for the 5th spot, but there is a clump of teams at 5-7, essentially the rest of the Southern Division, that will try to compete with Baltimore to get it. In the West, Houston, Denver, Michigan and Oakland look like good bets to be in the dance, with the Panthers and Invaders holding 2 games on any contenders. So, that 5th spot becomes vital. New Orleans, Arizona and LA, all at 5-7, will be competing for that final slot over the next four weeks. Only one of them can get it. NEWS & NOTES While we are talking playoffs on one side of the league, on the other side we are talking about the hot seat. Which coaches are under pressure to show progress, to start winning, or to do something to show that they deserve another year to build their teams? With expansion teams at the bottom of their divisions, it is unlikely we will see a massive wave of firings on Black Monday, because we all knew that these four would struggle, but that does not mean that there is not pressure elsewhere. In New Orleans, Dick Coury has to show that he can do more with the Breakers than end up 8-8 and lose another first round playoff game. If the Breakers cannot win that final Wildcard spot, we expect the owners of the Breakers to give serious consideration to a change. This could mean trouble for both Dick Coury and QB Tony Eason, whose erratic play has been a thorn in the side of the franchise for 3 years now. In Pittsburgh talk of a one-and-done for Roman Gabriel is getting heated. The Maulers hired Gabriel from within after 1 year as Offensive Coordinator, and he has shown no ability yet to actually create offense. The Maulers would be last in the league in offense if not for the expansion clubs in Chicago, San Antonio and Oklahoma, and their defense is also one of the league’s worst. Memphis coach Vince Tobin was feeling the heat earlier this year, but a 3-game win streak and the apparent success of placing the offense in the hands of Mike Kelley likely has spared Tobin for another year. If Memphis can somehow catch Baltimore and snag a playoff spot, that would assure it. And after the show we saw from the Memphis D-line this week, Tobin can make a case that his defensive pedigree is beginning to take shape for the Showboats. While it might seem that coaches who have had success such as Jacksonville’s Lindy Infante or Balitmore’s Marv Levy might not be feeling the heat, disappointing finishes this year might just cause ownership to question whether their teams are heading in the right direction. Baltimore has been horrible on the road (1-5 vs. 5-1 at home) and the Bulls have lost 4 in a row after a promising start to the year. Coaching in pro football is very much a “what have you done for me lately” profession, so do not be shocked if an 8-8 season or worse in either city leads to a pink slip. INJURY REPORT The biggest injury of the week is likely Doug Flutie’s concussion, but while he is listed as questionable, it may come down to how comfortable Vince Ferragamo seems in practice. Flutie likely could play but won’t if Ferragamo looks good. It’s a big game against the Feds in DC, so if Flutie can play, we expect he will. Washington will miss one of their defensive keys, as LB Curtis Taliferro is out for the rest of the year with a fractured fibia. In Arizona, Trumaine Johnson is listed as questionable after suffering a rib injury this week, while in Philly, a deep thigh bruise could keep D Jumpy Gaethers out. Michigan is listing John Corker as probable after he had to leave the game this week with migraines. Oakland is expecting Mark Duper to be OK after taking a finger to the eye this past week, and finally, Jacksonville hopes to welcome Hassan Jones back to the lineup after a case of turf toe. LOOKING AHEAD When you get to this point of the year, every game matters, but with so many divisional matchups, it is like early playoff season around the USFL. In the East the big game is Federals-Generals, as both want this win badly to keep pace with Philadelphia. Baltimore has what should be a solid opportunity to go above .500 as they host the 2-10 Maulers. In Birmingham, the Stallions are hoping to knock off Orlando and are hoping to get some help from the Bulls, who host Tampa. Denver will try to extend its lead over Oakland with a road game in Arizona. While the Invaders have a good shot to catch up to the Gold if they can beat the Outlaws in Oakland-Alameda Stadium. Houston and Chicago have a 10-game difference in the standings, so we expect something ugly in Soldier Field this week. San Antonio are in New Orleans, where the Breakers need the win to stay in contention for a Wild Card. In inter-division games, the Stars head to Hollywood (well, Anaheim really) to face the Express, while the Showboats have a tough matchup in Michigan.