SCORES NJ 38 PIT 20 Herschel Walker dominates the Pittsburgh D, leading the team in rushing and receptions on his way to over 200 yards from scrimmage and 2 TDs. With the win, New Jersey is now 4 games over 500, a mark they have never hit in their prior 4 years of play. PHI 31 WSH 28 Philadelphia owns the 4th quarter and sends Washington to yet another divisional loss as the Stars solidify their place atop the Atlantic Division. Chuck Fusina threw for 302 yards and 2 scores to pace the Stars, while Philly’s D picked off Feds QB Neil Lomax twice and allowed only 5 of 13 conversions on 3rd down. JAX 20 ORL 15 Orlando’s slide continues, losing 4 straight after starting the year 4-0. Jacksonville’s George Adams rushes for 144 and a score against what appears to be a deflated Renegade defense. For the ‘Gades, the brightest star was backup HB Rodney Carter, who averaged 7.2 ypc on his way to a 101 yard day in the defeat. Reggie Collier struggled against the Bulls, with only 125 yards and no scores. MEM 13 TBY 30 Tampa Bay seeks to run away with the division, beating Memphis handily on a strong day for John Reaves (333 yards and 3 TDs). Eric Truvillion hauls in 6 for 167 and 2 scores in the win. For Memphis, Walter Lewis completes 6% of his throws, but cannot find the big play, throwing for under 200 yards on 23 completions. CHI 3 NOR 30 Chicago’s offensive woes continue as Todd Blackledge fares no better than Chuck Long had, completing only 45% of his passes for a meager 135 yards and 2 Ints. Meanwhile, Tony Eason was back under center after an injury to Matt Robinson, but completed only 12 of 28 for 147 yards. New Orleans relies on a pick-six from Randal Berlin and 3 field goals to boost their score in the win. ARZ 8 OAK 31 Arizona outgained Oakland 309 to 252 and yet the scoreboard shows a very lopsided win for the Invaders. The absence of Trumaine Johnson (wrist injury) and three turnovers are the story of the game for Arizona. Two costly fumbles by Darryl Clack and James Wilder, allow Oakland to score on short drives as Arthur Whittington scores 3 times despite being held to only 68 yards rushing. DEN 23 LA 15 Denver gets a rare road win as Harry Sydney and Timmy Smith combine for 186 yards on the ground, while the Gold D holds Tony Boddie to only 36 yards rushing. Mel Renfro caught both TD’s for LA, one to start the game and one to end it, but between thosetwo drives LA only musters 257 yards for the game. BLT 13 OKL 27 In a classic trap game, Baltimore overlooks the Outlaws and pays the price. Vince Evans looks pedestrian, throwing for 230, while Tim Spencer only gets 4 carries due to lagging hamstring concerns. For Oklahoma, a strong game from Stump Mitchell (85 yards rushing) and solid defense all day help the Outlaws get their second win of the year. BIR 40 SAN 3 The Stallions even their record at 4-4 with their fourth straight win as they trample a demoralized Gunslinger squad. Cliff Stoudt throws for 2 scores for the Stallions, while the defense limits the Gunslingers to only 213 total yards and a miserable 20 yards rushing on the day. Scott Stamper and Ken Lacy simply cannot find holes as the Stallion D-line overwhelms the San Antonio blockers. GAME OF THE WEEK Houston Gamblers 17 Michigan Panthers 16 Two of the league’s best defenses square off when the Gamblers face the Panthers, with Houston staking their claim on the division. After 3 straight 7-9 seasons, the Gamblers now get their 7th win after only 8 weeks, and build a two game lead over the usually dominant Panthers. And while Jim Kelly did what he needed to, throwing TD passes to both Clarence Verdin and Ricky Sanders in the 2nd half, it was the Houston defense that stole the show. Michigan QB Jack Trudeau has to be coming out of this game shellshocked. He dropped back to pass 27 times on the game, but completed only 4 passes all day, a truly stunning statistic. The pressure from Houston’s blitz packages was constant, leading to 6 sacks on the day, and clearly rattling Trudeau, who missed several throws and seemed skittish for most of the second half. Michigan was able to run the ball somewhat effectively (Williams and Morse combined for 128) but time after time Houston ended Panther drives by forcing an errant throw or recording a sack on 3rd down. Jim Kelly did not have it much easier, also sacked far too often (4 times) by Michigan’s pressure, but he was still able to complete 71% of his passes for 254 and the two key second half scores. For the Gamblers, this was a statement win, going into the Silverdome and defeating the defending champs and Central Division titans to take a 2 game lead on the division. While the big name in Houston has always been QB Jim Kelly, fans in the Bayou City are beginning to rally around a truly dynamic, aggressive and effective defense. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK As hard as it is to believe, this is Herschel Walkers first POTW award since 1983. The first big star of the USFL has been solid but not dominating over the past 3 rough years for New Jersey, but this year’s success (a 6-2 record being their best start to a season ever) has given Walker the chance to shine, and this week, after a slow recovery from injury, proved once again that the Georgia product can be one of the league’s most potent weapons. Walker averaged 6 yards per rush against an admittedly weak Pittsburgh defensive front, on his way to 132 yards on the ground. That in itself is a very solid day for Walker, but he also caught 7 balls, 3 while lined up wide for the Generals, gaining another 76 yards through the air, including a beautiful 24 yard touchdown as Doug Flutie found walker alone along the sideline on a swing route. That the best WR performance on the day was only 3 receptions, Walker’s 7 catches demonstrates just how essential he is to every aspect of the New Jersey offense. Expect more from the big guy as the Generals make a serious run at Philadelphia for the division title and their first playoff appearance in team history. NEWS & NOTES We will discuss the on-field tidings for all 20 USFL squads in our midseason report, but lets take a moment at the half-way juncture to award our Mid-Season Awards to some deserving parties. Midseason MVP: Jim Kelly-QB-HOU: Yes, we have to acknowledge the quality of the Houston defense, but this season, Kelly, who has never really sniffed the Top 5 of QB Ratings before is now well-established as one of the league’s most prolific passers. His 19 touchdowns leads the league, and his 2204 yards is also first in the league at the midway point. Even after losing 2 key receivers in the offseason, Kelly is finding ways to get the ball down the field in chunks and, most importantly, lead Houston to a 7-1 start. Midseason Coach of the Year: We looked long and hard at Houston’s Jack Pardee or Tampa’s Steve Spurrier, but for sheer unexpected success we are going to go with New Jersey Head Coach Ray Perkins. The former Giants and Alabama Crimson Tide coach has found a magic formula to make the Generals not just win games, but exciting to watch. Flutie is playing his best ball and even an injury which kept Walker out of 3 games has not slowed down the 6-2 Generals. Perkins has built a team that believes in itself and which has proven to be truly dangerous when they have all their weapons on hand. Midseason Rookie of the Year: Normally this would go to a slashing RB or a high-flying WR, maybe even a new QB, but this year the player who is outshining them all is linebacker Brian Bosworth. Bosworth leads the league in tackles and is the undisputed firebrand leader on the Outlaw defense. And yes, this is a 2-6 team we are talking about, but that is certainly not Bosworth’s fault. He is running sideline to sideline, making plays in the offensive and defensive backfield, and holding others accountable, all the while acting as the face of a franchise. There are a lot of issues in Oklahoma, but MLB is certainly not one of them. MidSeason Award for Best Free Agent Acquisition: Early on it looked like Orlando’s Reggie Collier or Curtis Bledsoe were clearly the frontrunners here, but a bad 4 final weeks of the first half have moved them out of contention. Right now the two players who stand out are both NFL transfers. WR Carlos Carson is 4th in receptions and 6th in yardage despite playing on a mediocre San Antonio expansion squad. His big question going forward is whether or not he can keep up this pace now that Rick Neuheisel is out and Damon Allen is under center. If he cannot, then the likely winner as the best new face in a new place will likely go to Neil Lomax in Washington. Lomax has thrown for 1579 yards and 14 TDs in only 6 games (he missed 2 due to injury). He has also raised the expectations for the entire Federals team. And while they have slipped a bit, falling back to 4-4 overall, this feels like a Federals team that is capable of winning consistently with Lomax at the helm. INJURY REPORT A few noteworthy injuries and a lot of tired bodies around the league as the reality that there are no bye weeks this year sinks in. Arizona will be without CB Nolan Cromwell for a solid 2 months or more after a rough collision fractured his collarbone and caused some damage to his shoulder as well. Tampa will miss guard Jeff Zimmerman at least a month with a nasty groin injury. New Orleans will have to wait at least one more week for QB Matt Robinson, and Baltimore will be without HB Tim Spencer, who injured his right knee this past week. Players expected back this week include LA linebacker Niko Noga, Jacksonville QB Ed Luther, Memphis WR Bobby Joe Edmunds, Pittsburgh CB Ron Osborne and Arizona TE Terry Orr. LOOKING AHEAD We kick off the second half of the season with a full inter-division slate of games. On the East Coast, Orlando will play the Blitz in the Charm City. Tampa has a tough game at New Jersey. Birmingham will try for a 5th straight win in Philadelphia. Jacksonville heads to Pittsburgh. Washington hosts the Memphis Showboats. Chicago has a tough home match against Oakland. Oklahoma must face Houston’s brutal D in the Astrodome. Michigan hosts the Wranglers. Denver heads to the Big Easy to face the Breakers and LA is in San Antonio to take on the Gunslingers.

SCORES BLT 20 JAX 28 After only 3 plays, Ed Luther is knocked out of the game, but rookie Chris Miller comes in and throw for 4 TDs to lead the Bulls to a much needed W. Is there now an unexpected QB controversy in Jacksonville? NJ 24 MEM 11 Herschel Walker looks almost back to 100% as he rushes for 98 yards on 19 carries, and Doug Flutie again tops 300 as the Generals move to 5-2, their best record ever after 7 weeks. PHI 22 ORL 7 Philly’s Kelvin Bryant runs around, through, and over the Orlando defense for 146. The loss is Orlando’s 3rd in a row. Curtis Bledsoe sits after an injury in practice, and the Renegades cannot move the ball without him. PIT 21 TBY 28 Alan Risher has his best game of the year, but it is not enough as John Reaves throws for 309 and 2 scores to secure the win for the Bandits. After trailing 21-10 at half, Tampa shuts Pittsburgh out in the 2nd half and scores 18 unanswered to take the 7 point win. CHI 24 DEN 34 With Todd Blackledge at the helm, the Machine only gain 162 total yards of offense, but capitalize on 3 takeaways to score 24, but it is simply not enough once again, as Denver rolls up 398 yards and Bob Gagliano throws for 3 scores against the opportunistic but overmatched Machine defense. HOU 20 LA 3 Houston’s D smothers Steve Young and the Express on the way to a comfortable win. Jim Kelly is efficient, throwing 22 of 29 for 240 yards in the victory and taking over the top spot in the QBR rankings. MGN 14 OAK 26 Oakland’s defense bends but does not break, holding Michigan to only 2 scores, as the Invaders defend home turf. Four sacks of Jack Trudeau and 3 forced fumbles, 2 by veteran Gary Plummer, help Oakland stifle the Panthers and move to 4-3 for the year, atop the Pacific Division. NOR 31 OKL 16 Matt Robinson and the Breakers feast on the Oklahoma defense. Robinson throws for 3 scores, 2 to wideout Nolan Franz, and the Breakers shut down Doug Williams (168 yards passing) to get a much needed win. Hilliard and Dupree combine for 141 as New Orleans platoons their two backs. SAN 20 ARZ 35 Robbie Bosco’s 4 TD passes lead Arizona to a win over the expansion Gunslingers. Damon Allen plays well, completing 71% of his passes and throwing for 2 scores, but the dink and dunk strategy of coach Gill Steinke cannot match Arizona’s offensive production. GAME OF THE WEEK Washington Federals 17 Birmingham Stallions 20 Cliff Stoudt is not showing up on the QBR leader board, but only because he has simply not thrown enough passes to qualify. His numbers would put him on top, and this week, he completed nearly 80% of his throws (27 of 34) to lead Birmingham to a third straight win as they come roaring back in the 4th quarter to defeat the Federals. Washington had built a 17-10 lead over 3 quarters, with Neil Lomax hitting Webster Slaughter for 2 scores along the way. But in the 4th the Birmingham D found a way to shut down the Federals and on 2 consecutive drives Cliff Stoudt led the Stallions to a TD and the game winning field goal with only 24 seconds left on the clock. Of course, this being Birmingham, it was not all Stoudt. Joe Cribbs contributed 75 yards on the ground, a slow day for him, but a solid day. Ernest Givens had his usual 5+ receptions (7) but was another Stallion held below his yardage average with only 58 yards, but a steady, efficient Stoudt kept the chains moving and the Stallions defense held Craig James to only 54 yards on 18 carries to help Birmingham win 3 straight after and 0-4 start. The win moves Birmingham only one game below Jacksonville and Orlando for 2nd in the Southern Division, something unthinkable just a few weeks ago. The loss, moves Washington to 4th place in the Atlantic, but only 1 win away from 2nd as they chase the Stars and Generals. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK When starter Ed Luther came out of the game after being sacked on only the 3rd play of the afternoon, the Jacksonville faithful were an understandably nervous lot. But after the day rookie Chris Miller put on against the Blitz’s vaunted defense, they could not be more excited about their young QB. The only problem is now there may be a true quarterback battle in Jacksonville. Luther had played well enough to win 3 games but had not shown the ability to carry the team on his shoulders. Miller, fresh out of the U. of Oregon, came in after Luther suffered what looked like a knee injury, and lit up the Blitz for 273 yards, an 81% completion rate, and 4 scores. You can chalk some of that up to unfamiliarity on Baltimore’s part. Miller had not seen any game action to date so there was no film of him in the Bulls offense, but that does not explain it all. Miller was able to use his legs to avoid pressure, but never looked to run, instead finding dump off receivers when needed. Miller also made maximum use of Jacksonville’s two best receivers, hitting Gary Clark 6 times for 103 yards and a score, and Daniel Corral, the speedster, 7 times for 115. He also used unheralded players like fullback Larry Bachman (2 receptions for 2 TDs) and backup TE Tim Lear (TD catch) to disrupt the Blitz defensive scheme. It was the kind of game that legends are made of. So now the big question in Jacksonville is whether or not Lindy Infante sticks with the effective but unspectacular Luther, who is listed as doubtful for next week, or sticks with Miller moving forward. Next week’s game, with Miller now on film and Orlando now fully aware of what he is capable of, will be a bit test to see if this was a flash-in-the-pan performance or the sign that the Bulls may have found a franchise quarterback for the long haul. NEWS & NOTES We are nearly half way through the season and our four expansion clubs have had very different introductions to the league. Both on and off the field there have been successes, but also some significant concerns about the franchises. We knew this going into the year, as 2 of the 4 had to essentially relocate prior to their first game due to stadium lease issues. On the field early success for some clubs has now melted away while for others wins have been hard to come by. Let’s look at the four newest USFL clubs and assess where they stand as we near the season’s midpoint. CHICAGO Still winless, the Chicago Machine clearly seem to be the weakest of the four clubs on the field. While their financial situation is quite solid, the lack of offensive talent on the team has made it tough to watch most games. The recent switch from rookie Chuck Long to veteran and former Heisman hopeful Todd Blackledge could help, but Chicago is certainly going to have attendance issues in the tough Chicago market if they cannot string together some wins and start playing a more attractive brand of football. They have only played 3 home games so far, but attendance has dipped already, and a winless team is unlikely to see those numbers improve as the year moves on. OKLAHOMA The Outlaws have drawn well enough in the tiny market of Tulsa, averaging 27,000+ in Skelly Stadium so far, and they have leaders on both sides of the ball in Doug Williams and league tackle leader Brian Bosworth, but this has not translated into many wins. Their only W so far was a 1-point 21-20 win over Arizona in week 2. Since then they have seemed to tail off rather than improve with time. Their loss this week at home to New Orleans was typical as it seemed that Doug Williams and Stump Mitchell were trying to carry an otherwise uninspiring roster to victory. They need more from their receivers and on defense to compete. Meanwhile there are rumors flying around town that the Tatham ownership group is still shopping the franchise around to other markets, with recent visits to Kansas City and Dallas. That will not help grow a fanbase in Tulsa and there is only so much the appeal of “The Boz” can do to keep butts in seats in Tulsa. ORLANDO By far the biggest surprise to start the year, the relocated Miami franchise has apparently found an eager fanbase and a solid home field advantage in Orlando. The Renegades are averaging over 43,000 a game in the Citrus Bowl, enhanced by their 4 game win streak to start the season. Since that high mark, the Renegades have lost 3 in a row, and will need to regroup to keep the fans coming in. The team averages a solid 22.5 points per game behind the combo of Reggie Collier and Curtis Bledsoe, and their defense is currently solid enough to win games, but the schedule does not get easier with the Bulls, Blitz and Panthers all in the next 4 weeks. Not much was expected of the Renegades this year, so even an 8-8 season will be seen as a huge positive, especially compared with the other expansion clubs’ struggles. SAN ANTONIO The loss of QB Rick Neuheisel for the year may spell the end of a pretty solid year to date for the Gunslingers. Playing in tiny Alamo Stadium, the Gunslingers have come close to selling out the 24,000 seats each game. That is good, but what is not good is the fact that even with a 22,000 attendance average over 4 home games there are already stories coming out of San Antonio of delayed paychecks, delinquent bills and other signs that the finances are not as solid as the league expected for Clint Manges, the team owner. On the field the Gunslingers have been a mixed bag. They are only averaging 18.1 points per game, but have been able to garner wins against some of the league’s lesser teams. Blowout losses to Houston and Michigan are to be expected in an expansion year, but the Gunslingers, now with Damon Allen at QB need to find ways to win games against weaker foes to keep the folks in San Antonio engaged. As for Manges, he had better find some additional owners because the USFL is not going to stand by and watch a team tarnish the league’s reputation with poor financial management. INJURY REPORT Ed Luther was knocked out of the game, as reported above, but is expected to miss only 1 more week of action for the Bulls. Similarly Brian Sipe (Migraines) is expected back next week. New Orleans will have to go back to Tony Eason after Matt Robinson was knocked out of the game in the last minutes of the 4th quarter with a rib injury and could miss up to a month. We also mentioned that Curtis Bledsoe for Orlando was injured, but it is not expected to be serious and he could return as early as this week. It is midseason and dings are the norm around the league. As far as major injuries go, this was a pretty clean week, as the only anticipated long term injury was to New Orleans reserve tackle Dan Slaughter, who will miss the rest of the year with an ankle injury. Otherwise it is a week here, a questionable status there, which is not bad for 7 weeks in. LOOKING AHEAD Week 8 marks the halfway point of the year, and there is a lot to play for pretty much everywhere. A lot of big divisional games highlight this week’s slate as Philly travels to Washington, Jacksonville and Orlando tussle in the Citrus Bowl, Houston faces off against Michigan in the Silverdome, and all 4 top teams in the Pacific face off: Arizona @ Oakland and Denver in LA. In other divisional games New Jersey is in Pittsburgh, Memphis visits Tampa Bay, and Chicago heads down to the Big Easy to face the Breakers. Our two inter-divisional games this week are perhaps the least interesting games as Baltimore heads to Oklahoma and Birmingham tries to make it 4 in a row with a visit to Alamo Stadium in San Antonio.

SCORES PHI 16 BLT 30 The last of the undefeated teams falls as the Baltimore Blitz stun the Philadelphia Stars in a rowdy Memorial Stadium. Tim Spencer and Jackie Flowers both shone in the game as Spencer bounced back from a horrible week 5 performance by rushing for 103 against the usually stingy Stars D. Jackie Flowers found success on deep routes, catching only 4 passes, but 2 were scores and all were big gainers. WSH 23 PIT 22 The Federals got Neil Lomax back under center and they needed every ounce of magic from him as it took a late 4th quarter TD drive, capped off by a Lomax to Walters TD to give the Federals a win in Pittsburgh. MEM 13 BIR 27 Birmingham wins their second in a row with a big game from Joe Cribbs and a 17-point 2nd quarter to crush the spirit of the Showboats. Ernest Givens continued to impress for the Stalliions, racking up 120 receiving yards on only 4 receptions, one being a 52-yard score. HOU 34 NOR 7 Matt Robinson struggled after being named the starter and the Houston D shut down the Breakers’ vaunted run game on their way to an easy win. Houston is now 5-1 behind their underappreciated defense and the strong arm of Jim Kelly, who again threw for 3 scores, finding Ricky Sanders twice for points. SAN 6 MGN 45 A likely season-ending injury to QB Rick Neuheisel and an absolute beat down by the Panthers is not what San Antonio had in mind this week, but that is what they got. Michigan scored 35 points between the 2nd and 3rd quarter and Jeff Kemp even got to play some football in mop up time as he replaced Trudeau after the young Illinois grad’s 4th TD on the day. OAK 7 DEN 31 Bob Gagliano must have heard the boo birds last week, because he came out angry this week, throwing for three scores and leading the Gold to their best offensive performance of the year. Bill Brooks and Mark Carrier each scored, and rookie HB Timmy Smith saw his first solid action with 5 carries, 1 reception and a TD. OKL 31 LA 35 It was an old-fashioned shootout in Angel Stadium this week as Doug Williams, back from injury, matched Steve Young shot for shot. It came down to a final drive for the Express, and when Steve Young found former Raider Todd Christiansen for the game-winning score, the deflated Williams could do nothing but applaud the performance and encourage his teammates on a tough loss. CHI 13 NJ 30 Chuck Long helped make the case for his own benching, throwing 6 interceptions in an absolutely horrific day at the Meadowlands. New Jersey’s defense shut down everything Chicago tried to do, and although Herschel Walker still did not look 100% (rushing for only 44 yards), his presence on the field was more than enough as the Generals D served up short field after short field for Flutie and Walker. ARZ 31 JAX 37 Another great offensive show in the Gator Bowl as Ed Luther had his best game of the year, throwing for 4 scores and 294 yards. Robbie Bosco kept pace for the Wranglers, throwing 3 scores of his own as the two clubs went back and forth on the scoreboard. In the end it was the outstanding day by Luther and by HB George Adams (131 yards rushing) that made the difference as the Bulls pulled their record back to .500 at 3-3. GAME OF THE WEEK Tampa Bay Bandits 25 Orlando Renegades 19 It was the Renegades’ second consecutive loss, but no one is overlooking these expansion darlings anymore. They played Tampa Bay tough for 60 minutes and evened the score as the clock ran out. Reggie Collier was solid throughout, throwing for 2 scores, including a last-minute fade to Vic James to even the score and send the game to overtime. But, for all their efforts, Orlando could not find a solution to the Tampa Bay offense. On a day when HB Gary Anderson rushed for 119, and Eric Truvillion caught 8 balls for 90 yards, it was unheralded backup Speedy Neal, who had the final say. Neal, who only had one carry on the day, made the most of it, as he subbed for Gary Boone in overtime, took an innocent-enough looking pitch, and juked his way past the defense and into the endzone on a spectacular 25-yard rush that ended the game and moved Tampa up to sole possession of first place in the Southern Division at 5-1. Orlando has impressed a lot of folks as they started the year 4-0, but after two straight divisional losses (to Tampa and Birmingham), the Renegades have to figure out where things have started to go wrong. Meanwhile, for Tampa Bay, Banditball is cruising along as John Reaves and company continue to effectively mix the run and the pass, providing highlight reel moments each and every week. They return home to the 1-win Pittsburgh Maulers next week and hope to further solidify their position as a division leader and Championship favorite. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Ed Luther had his best game of the year and helped to hold off any thoughts of giving rookie Chris Miller a shot under center. Luther not only rallied the Bulls to tie the game with 1:04 left, but also led the Bulls to the win on their first possession of overtime, hitting Daniel Corral for the winning score only 3 minutes into the extra period. While his 282 yards passing is not eye-popping, his 75% completion rate, and a 6 for 7 completion rate on 3rd down throws was. With Hasssan Jones out, Luther focused on Gary Clark as his reliable chain mover, and newby Daniel Corral as his deep threat. It was the kind of game that the 3-3 Bulls can build on as they play catchup with Tampa and Orlando in the division. NEWS & NOTES So far, the 1987 season has been a pretty simple script, follow the QB. Whether it is teams like Michigan and Jacksonville replacing lost superstars and finding great success with new leaders, or expansion clubs like Orlando and San Antonio getting great return on investment with their QB play, the position is clearly key to this league. Teams like Chicago, New Orleans, and Pittsburgh are flailing because their on-field generals are not getting it done. Others, like New Jersey, Washington and Houston are looking like they have found the right man for the right system, or vice versa, and are riding their QB play to victories. And now, as we get closer to the midpoint of the year, injuries will be a factor. We have already seen this in Oklahoma and Tampa, where missed games lead to a lot of nervous coaches and fans, and now, very clearly, it will be a key issue for the Gunslingers. If you want to win in the USFL, you better have a stud at QB, and a system around him to lead to success week in and week out. INJURY REPORT The nasty looking shoulder injury to Rick Neuheisel, one in which his arm essentially hung limp as he came off the field, has been the news of the week. San Antonio knew about Neuheisel’s reputation as a bit of a injury magnet, but a season-ender so early into their first year will be tough. They will now turn to Damon Allen to lead the Gunslinger offense. For Neuheisel, it marks yet another year marred by injuries, and this one will likely have lasting impact on his arm strength and ability to make deep throws. It was a nasty injury to see occur, and one which puts his entire future in jeopardy. LOOKING AHEAD Week Six sees the entire Atlantic battle the Southern Division as the Central takes on the Pacific. The marquee matchups are Philadelphia at Orlando, Baltimore @ Jacksonville, and Houston @ LA. Expect good action as well when San Antonio, now with Damon Allen at the helm, face Arizona, when Michigan travels to Oakland, and when the Federals take on the Stallions at Legion Field. Potential lopsided games include New Jersey @ Memphis, Chicago @ Denver, and Pittsburgh @ Tampa Bay. The one game that thankfully is not on a national broadcast is New Orleans, giving Matt Robinson one more week, facing off against Oklahoma in Tulsa.

In the biggest regular season game in recent memory, the Stars outlast the Panthers to garner just a bit of payback for their Championship Game loss. In other action, winless Birmingham deflates the 4-0 Orlando Renegades, San Antonio shocks New Orleans, and Doug Flutie leads a Walker-less New Jersey to a key divisional win. SCORES BLT 19 PIT 3 Baltimore got just what they needed to bounce back from a bad Week 4 loss, a cakewalk in Pittsburgh. The Maulers just did not have anything going on offense as Baltimore loaded the box and held Mike Rozier to only 39 yards rushing. They dared Alan Risher to beat them and he could not. Despite the fact that for the second week in a row Baltimore could not mount a rushing attack of their own, they led from whistle to whistle and got the needed win. NJ 31 WSH 24 Once again Washington proves they simply cannot win divisional games as a Walker-less Generals squad came in and punched them in the mouth in their own stadium. Doug Flutie had a masterful game, going 21 for 29 for 321 yards and 4TD’s, with 3 of them going to 2nd year TE phenom, Brent Jones. Craig James had a good day, with 117 yards and 2 scores, but it just was not enough for the Feds to get a win. BIR 27 ORL 10 You knew the party had to end sometime, but there was a lot of skepticism that the 0-4 Stallions could be the team to knock 4-0 Orlando from the unbeaten ranks. No one apparently told Birmingham this as they built a 10-7 lead at the half and then scored 14 unanswered to throw Orlando out of their game. Ernest Givens was the BMOC today, with 112 yards receiving and 2 scores to help the Stallions finally notch a win. JAX 18 TBY 28 The Bandits took care of business at home as John Reaves threw for 3 scores to move Tampa to the top of the division at 4-1. Ed Luther had a rough day, sacked 3 times and completing only 55% of his throws. For Tampa, the combination of Anderson (68 yards) and Boone (40 yards) helped keep Jacksonville’s offense off the field and helped boost the Bandits over the hump. ARZ 34 DEN 7 Denver fell flat on their face as Robbie Bosco and the Arizona Wranglers found holes all over the defense. With James Wilder dinged up, 2nd year back, Darryl Clack took over the rushing load in the 2nd half and gained 45 yards on only 9 carrries, along with 2 scores to help put the game away. CHI 10 HOU 17 Chicago proved game again, but still cannot produce enough offense to win games as Houston struggled, but overcame the Machine on a 4th quarter Kelly to Sanders score. Kelly finished the day with 268 yards and 2 scores in the air, while the shift to Todd Fowler as starting HB again proved fruitful as he added 75 yards on the ground. NOR 17 SAN 31 This one will likely lead to a shakeup in New Orleans. They fall to 1-4 after another poor performance by QB Tony Eason. After the game, Dick Coury stated that it may be time to shake things up a bit in an effort to improve on what so far has been a disappointing year. For San Antonio it was Rick Neuheisel’s best game of the year, completing 66% of his throws and finding Carlos Carson for 2 scores along with one to Aubrey Matthews. OAK 27 OKL 24 It was the closest game of the week as the Invaders came back from 7 down to win by 3 in the final minutes, but very few were able to watch it as this matchup was not a premier game on ABC and was only shown in Oklahoma and the Bay Area. Too bad as both Brian Sipe and Blair Kiel had solid games. LA 23 MEM 15 Memphis’s 2-game win streak ends with a home loss as the Express, outgained in the air and on the ground, find the endzone and outlast the Showboats. Steve Young had a rough day throwing (only 180 yards) but added 35 yards rushing as his scrambles, including a 17-yard scoring dash, helped LA overcome a tough Memphis defense. GAME OF THE WEEK It was not the closest game of the year, but the matchup between the 4-0 Michigan Panthers and the 4-0 Philadelphia Stars was one of the most hyped games in several seasons. The rematch of last year’s Championship Game, was all that fans expected. The final score, a significant 19 point win by the Stars, may just end the argument that Michigan is as good with Jack Trudeau as they were with Bobby Hebert in last year’s title game. Trudeau struggled against the complex Philly defense, completing only 46% of his passes and throwing a key interception which led to a Stars score. And while Philadelphia’s offense was able to keep pace with the Panthers, it was often left to the foot of league leader David Trout to provide Philly with scoring. Trout hit on 5 of 5 field goal attempts, giving Philly enough points to hold off the Panthers. The Stars defense was clearly the story of the day, holding Michigan to 282 total yards and only 43 yards rushing. William Fuller scored 2 sacks and rookie LB Danny Lockett had his best game of the year, with 6 tackles (3 for a loss) and a key sack to end a late Michigan drive. The win makes Philly the team to beat and the only unbeaten club in the USFL after 5 games. PERFORMER OF THE WEEK While the Sporting News player of the week was TE Brent Jones of New Jersey, we recognize that Jones’s big game is not possible without another strong performance from QB Doug Flutie. Once again missing Herschel Walker, the Generals relied on Flutie to avoid the team’s third straight loss, and the young man from BC came through. Flutie connected with Jones for 3 scores and added another to Johnny “Lam” Jones, a beauty of an out-&-up that fooled the DB and which Flutie sold with a great arm fake. It was clear in the game that Ray Perkins had noted Washington’s issues defending tight ends and built a game plan around Flutie to Jones. Both of them performed and the game plan proved effective in a tight game against the Federals. NEWS & NOTES After five weeks of action, we have a clear picture of who is looking dangerous and who needs to work on their game. As is typical this time of the season coaches are beginning to feel pressure and changes to the lineup are inevitable, particularly when we have 5 teams with 1 win or fewer. So let’s run through some of the disappointments so far and see what changes we should expect over the next couple of weeks. NEW ORLEANS (1-4) The move some fans have been hoping to see for several years may be happening this week. The sometimes excellent, often erratic, and occasionally horrible Tony Eason may be out at QB for the Breakers this week. Coach Dick Coury has been silent on the issue but there is a lot of buzz that former NY Jet, Bronco and Buffalo Bill backup Matt Robinson may be getting a shot at starting in the USFL. He spent one year sitting behind Doug Williams in Jacksonville, and now in his 3rd season with the Breakers, the 31 year old may very well start next week at Houston. PITTSBURGH (1-4) Alan Risher had a good game against San Antonio but completely flopped this week at home against the Blitz. Will Coach Gabriel pull him this week and put in longtime backup Glen Carano? It seems a risky move, as Pittsburgh committed to Risher with a 3-year deal just this offseason and pulling him now, despite his troubles, can only damage Risher’s confidence. No one sees Carano as a long term answer for the Maulers, but unless Risher can move the offense, the Maulers may be looking at another last place finish. BIRMINGHAM (1-4) The Stallions got their first win of the year this week, so change may not be immediate, and while Cliff Stoudt has never been close to being a Top 5 QB, he is also not usually a problem for the Stallions. The bigger concern is that if they reach mid-season with only 1-2 wins, there may be pressure to release Head Coach Rollie Dotsch, who has gone 11-21 since appearing in the 1984 USFL Championship. Could Dotsch be let go mid-season? Neither coordinator seems ready to step up. In all likelihood Dotsch needs to make a serious run at 9 wins or he may be out. With former Falcons head man Dan Henning and another former Falcons coach in Leeman Bennett recently let go by the Buccaneers, there are two former NFL head coaches, both with ties to the region out there to step in if Dotsch is released. OKLAHOMA (1-4) The pressure that established teams are feeling is not the same for the expansion clubs, and an injury to Doug Williams certainly provides some cover for the 1-4 start, but will it be enough to avoid some personnel shifts? Fans are giddy over the play of Brian Bosworth, and they seem to have accepted Doug Williams as a top notch USFL player, but the rest of the roster is quite a bit more in flux. Don’t be surprised if the Outlaws either scour the free agency pool for possible midseason additions or seek a trade to shore up a weaker position group, such as Wide Receiver, Defensive End, or Cornerback. CHICAGO (0-5) How long is too long to stick with Chuck Long? Yes, he is a rookie. Yes, he is on an expansion team. But when you have a veteran former starter in Todd Blackledge on the team, perhaps you should start him and let Long get occasional action as the season moves along. Admittedly, on a team that lacks firepower, Long has not been a disaster. Even with all his issues he is still rated higher than Tony Eason and Steve Young in QBR and he has thrown for more yards than Alan Risher, Vince Evans or Ed Luther, but Chicago is just not scoring points. We doubt they will bench Albert Bentley, and they don’t have better options at wideout than Willie Collier and Mike Friede (now that Reggie Langhorne is out at least 3 months), so what is Coach Bugel to do? Our best guess is that they attempt to sign some depth on the O-line, rotate more players in, and do their best to pound out a couple of wins with the run game and play action, but the reality is they may simply need another offseason to be competitive. It is something fans in Chicago may not have the patience to wait for. INJURIES This week was a tough one for Washington. Not only did they lose a tough game to New Jersey, but they lost Dexter Manley for the year with a fully torn achilles tendon. Manley, who already had 5 sacks on the year and was causing havoc lined up next to Jerome Brown at DT. With Manley down, Charles Haley and Jon Cade will have to step up. Baltimore also got unwanted news that their starting TE, Mark Keel will moss at least 10 weeks with a back injury, one which could also cost him the full season. Houston will be missing DE Simon Fletcher for at least a week with a stress fracture, while New Orleans will miss wideout Charlie Smith with a hyper extended knee. The Breakers will also be hunting for a new punter this week, as veteran Jeff Hamm likely fractured his kicking leg trying to make a tackle on a return. LOOKING AHEAD Another week with some great matchups as Philly heads to Baltimore in what should be the Blitz’s best shot to get back into the mix. Washington is in Pittsburgh while Memphis travels to Birmingham. The Bandits and Renegades have an unlikely matchup for first place, while New Orleans will try to get on track against the red hot Houston Gamblers. San Antonio will get its first taste of USFL elite when they travel to Michigan. In Denver, the Gold will try to get on track in a tough matchup against the division-leading Invaders, while Oklahoma, hopefully with Doug Williams back under center, head out to LA. Chicago will be in the Meadowlands to face the Generals and Arizona makes a rare cross-country flight to play in Jacksonville.

Orlando, Michigan and Philadelphia all move to 4-0 with convincing wins as they each score over 40 on their march to victory. Memphis upsets Oakland, Pittsburgh gets their first W of the year, the Stallions fall to 0-4, and Houston stuns Baltimore to move to 3-1. SCORES MEM 28 OAK 26 Memphis evens their record with 2nd straight win off a 4 TD performance from Walter Lewis. Oakland drops 2nd in a row to also end up at 2-2 as Sipe again has a rough outing against a fierce pass rush. JAX 23 LA 20 Bulls edge the Express as Ed Luther does just enough to win. Gary Clark catches 7 for 110 and rookie HB Tommy Agie makes the most of limited action, rushing for 55 yards on only 7 carries. BIR 19 DEN 29 Birmingham drops to 0-4 and rumors of a midseason coaching change are already swirling around Legion Field. Denver gets a solid game from Bob Gagliano as rookie wideout Mark Carrier gets into the mix. ORL 41 OKL 13 Orlando is just too much for their expansion rival as Reggie Collier and Curtis Bledsoe dominate. Oklahoma, playing with 3rd string QB Blair Kiel, cannot muster offense, but rookie Brian Bosworth has a breakout game in defeat with 13 solo tackles. PHI 41 NOR 28 Despite a good game for Breakers backup QB Matt Robinson (22 of 32 for 229 and 2 TD’s) the Stars are just too much for the Breakers as Chuck Fusina tosses 3 scores and the special teams kick in with a 78 yard punt return TD from Chris Snyder. NJ 10 MGN 44 The Panthers continue to impress as Jack Trudeau throws for 4 scores and 340 yards against a beleaguered Generals secondary. Without Walker the Generals offense sputters for a 2nd straight week. WSH 23 CHI 13 Chicago continues to have issues on offense, falling to 0-4 and gaining only 222 in total yards against the feisty Federals. Don Majkowski, in for the injured Neil Lomax, looks like a keeper, going 18 for 29 for 250 and 2 scores. HOU 31 BLT 17 The Gamblers are on a roll, moving to 3-1 with a convincing win over Baltimore. Houston outgained the Blitz 418 to 228, as Jim Kelly went 24 for 34 for 349 yards and 3 scores, but it was the Houston D that surprised many, as they held Tim Spencer to only 8 yards on 9 carries. PIT 33 SAN 16 The Maulers get their first win as Alan Risher finally finds his groove. Risher throws for 3 scores and the Maulers defense bends but does not break, allowing 311 yards to Rick Neuheisel, but keeping the Gunslingers out of the endzone. GAME OF THE WEEK Tampa Bay Bandits 27 Arizona Wranglers 24 A tough home loss for the Wranglers, who fall to 1-3 as Tampa’s John Reaves mounts classic final drive for a field goal to edge Arizona by 3. Tampa had held the lead for most of the game after starting off with two beautiful Reaves to Truvillion scores, a 34 yarder in the 1st and a 61-yard bomb in the second. Arizona slowly marched back, making the score 14-7 at half on a James Wilder 5-yard screen pass for a score. In the 2nd half, Reaves found Truvillion for a 3rd score, the teams traded field goals, and to start the 4th it was Tampa up 24-10. In the 4th QB Robbie Bosco found a groove, and within 8 minutes he had equalized the score with a touchdown toss to Louis Lipps and another to Curtis Duncan. But they left John Reaves too much time, and the veteran led the Bandits down field to a 35-yard FG from new kicker Benny Ricardo with 51 seconds left. Arizona mounted a desperation drive, but a 4th and 5 pass from Bosco to TE Keith McKeller was disrupted by Tampa linebacker Paul Plurowski, and fell harmlessly to the ground, ending the game. The win helps Tampa (3-1) keep pace with the surprising Orlando Renegades (4-0) while the loss drops the Wranglers to 1-3, but still only a game out of first with Oakland’s second straight loss. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Plenty of solid offensive performances this week, but we are going to give a team shoutout to the entire Houston Gambler defense. Not only did they hold the explosive Baltimore Blitz to only 228 total yards, but they also absolutely stuffed the run game. The Blitz were limited to 15 yards on 19 carries for the game, an astonishing lack of production. Add to this the ability to draw penalties on the Blitz O-line (6 false starts in one game), a safety, and the 0 for 9 third down debacle the Blitz put in, and you have a truly outstanding defensive day. What makes it even more impressive is that there was no one hero here. The top tackler had only 6 and 8 different players had at least 3 tackles. Houston managed to not only shut down the run, but an aggressive blitz scheme led to 5 sacks of the elusive Vince Evans. It was the kind of performance that made QB Jim Kelly’s day quite easy, as there was little pressure to score, and almost no serious threat of a late comeback. All in all an outstanding performance by a squad that simply does not get enough recognition around the league. NEWS AND NOTES We are four weeks in and time to look at the 1987 rookie class and see who is making waves. At QB the only rookie starter in the league is Chicago’s Chuck Long, who has struggled, throwing 2 TDs and 4 Ints so far. The big revelation may be in Washington, where UVa’s Don Majkowski, playing for the injured Neil Lomax, has looked like a very good value pick for the Federals. Admitedly, he has only played one full game, but he looked poised, elusive, and showed a strong arm against the Chicago Machine. At HB the rookies have really not had a chance to shine. LA’s Christian Okoye leads the bunch with only 120 total yards, while Tommy Agie (JAX) and Jaime Mueller (PHI) have seen some spot action only. We are still waiting to see if others like Brent Fullwood (BIR), Alfred Jenkins (WSH) or Paul Palmer (OAK) can get on the field behind stars like Cribbs, James, and Whittington. Defense seems to be where the early Rookie of the Year contenders are coming. With a 13-tackle day this week, Oklahoma’s Brian “The Boz” Bosworth is now the league leader in that category. Orlando CB Melvin Jenkins already has 33 tackles and 7 passes defended. Memphis LB Mike Junkin is a steady starter, with 28 tackles and 2 sacks to his name, while Michigan’s Hardy Nickerson has worked his way into a starting role and has racked up 22 tackles as part of the killer Panther D. It is very early, and in addition to the rookie class, there is a lot of quality play coming from the NFL transfers, but when we look at the true rookies, we are seeing a lot of potential, but perhaps the USFL has reached a point in its roster depth where top level rookies are not automatic starters or top performers on their team. While we are certain that several will become stars in the USFL, it is a good sign that the big names coming out of the draft are not automatically the best players on their teams from day one. INJURIES The good news around the league is that Week 5 should see the return of several starting QBs, though Doug Williams is still listed as questionable, as is Neil Lomax. LB Sam Mills is also expected back in action for the Stars, as is WR Vic James in Orlando, LB John Bunting in Oklahoma, and DT William Perry in Tampa. The bad news is that several key players may be missing some time. Chicago, who cannot afford to lose offensive playmakers, may have lost WR Reggie Langhorne for the year with a neck injury. Washington is now down two starting linemen, as both Tackle John Sherman and Center Joel Hilgenberg are out at least a month. And in New Jersey, all eyes are still focused on Herschel Walker. After two games out, and 2 losses for the Generals, they are hoping he can return, but is still listed as questionable this week. LOOKING AHEAD Week Five is a make-or-break week for several teams looking at the basement of the standings. We could start to see some changes if teams cannot get a win this week. Once again 16 of the 20 teams are in divisional play, so this will be a key week for many teams regardless of where they are in the standings. Baltimore hopes to rebound with a trip to Pittsburgh while New Jersey has a tough game at Washington. In the South, Birmingham, still searching for their first win, is in Orlando, who have yet to lose. Jacksonville and Tampa will renew their fierce rivalry as well this week. Arizona is hoping to get back in contention but face a feisty Denver Gold team on the road. Oakland is in Oklahoma, where we still are not sure who will play QB for the Outlaws. Chicago has a brutal 5th game, playing in Houston, while New Orleans hope to put all the pieces together against the Gunslingers. In inter-divisional play we have LA headed to Memphis, and what is certainly the best game of the first 5 weeks of the season we have a real slobberknocker ready to go in Veteran’s Stadium as the 4-0 Michigan Panthers come to town to take on the 4-0 Philadelphia Stars in a rematch of the 1986 Championship. This one should be a true clash of titans.

It was a rough week for the league's field marshals as several teams ended their games with backups trying to guide their squads to victory. Oklahoma lost two QB's in one game, New Orleans just opted to hand off the ball, and Washington fell just short with rookie Don Majkowski playing for an injured Neil Lomax. SCORES PHI 31 NJ 3 Without Herschel Walker, and with Philadelphia having a week to prepare for Flutie, the Generals did not have a shot in this one. The Stars defense smothered the Generals’ run game and contained Flutie. By the 4th quarter the game was out of hand and Jeff Hostetler got some rare snaps at QB for Philly. TBY 26 BIR 24 The Stallions were game and mounted a 4th quarter comeback to pull within 2, but with the return of John Reaves the Tampa offense was just too efficient. Eric Truvillion had a big day, catching 7 for 142 and two scores. MEM 31 JAX 21 The surprise of the week as the Showboats went down to the Gator Bowl and got a decisive win. The star of the day was Walter Lewis, who many were calling to bench prior to the game. Lewis threw for 306 and two scores. He also dove in for a score as the Showboats outperformed the Bulls in all three phases of the game. MGN 28 CHI 25 Chicago’s defense was the surprise of the game as they picked off Jack Trudeau twice, got a fumble return for a score and a safety. Michigan, in the end, was too much for Chicago’s offense, which was held without a touchdown until the 4th quarter. The Panthers pulled it out with a 4th quarter drive which ended with rookie Bobbie Morse plunging into the end zone from 2 yards out. SAN 6 HOU 30 In their first game against a non-expansion team, the Gunslingers fell hard to a motivated Houston Gambler team. After a 3 interception debacle last week, Jim Kelly rebounded with a 3 score, 0 interception game against the Gunslingers. Todd Fowler also had his best game in 2 years, rushing for 88 yards in the Houston win. LA 27 ARZ 20 The Express snagged their first win of the season, putting up 14 in the final quarter to overcome the Wranglers. Steve Young overcame 3 interceptions in the game, also throwing for 3 scores, including 2 to Jo-Jo Townsell. For Arizona, Robbie Bosco struggled with 3 picks of his own and former Buccaneer James Wilder came tantalizingly close to his first 100-yard USFL game, rushing for 99 on 17 carries. OKL 6 DEN 16 In a game that saw both starter Doug Williams and backup Brent Pease knocked out of the game, Denver’s defense finally lived up to its billing, holding Oklahoma to only 2 field goals and providing space for Denver’s offense to muddle through yet again. Despite a strong game from WR Bill Brooks, the run & shoot was not particularly effective as Gagliano hit on only 52% of his passes. Williams is expected to be back in a week or two, but Pease may be out for the year with his injury (more below). NOR 45 PIT 10 After two frustrating losses to Oakland and Michigan, the Breakers took out their frustration on the struggling Maulers. An injury to Tony Eason in the 2nd quarter may have actually given the Breakers a new path to victory, as they turned to the run game with both Marcus Dupree and Dalton Hilliard. Dupree rushed for 137 and 2 scores and Hilliard added 96 and 2 more scores in the Breakers rout of Pittsburgh. OAK 17 ORL 19 It may now be time to take Orlando seriously. After beating two perennial cupcakes (Memphis and Pittsburgh) many expected Orlando to struggle against the 2-0 Invaders, but the Renegades were well-prepared as Coach Schnellenberger focused on limiting Brian Sipe in the pass game. On offense, Reggie Collier did just enough to edge Oakland, throwing for two scores. GAME OF THE WEEK Washington Federals 25 Baltimore Blitz 28 Washington’s divisional game woes continued with yet another divisional loss as Baltimore got the edge in this overtime thriller. With Neil Lomax out after the half due to injury, rookie Don Majkowski helped keep Washington in the game, leading a game-tying drive in the final seconds to send the game to overtime, but in the the added period, Baltimore never let the Feds have the ball, scoring the winning fieldgoal on their first possession. Tim Spencer was key for the Blitz, as his 100 yards on only 11 carries powered the Blitz offense. Vince Evans, who has been struggling this year, had an efficient if unspectacular day (72% completions, but only 163 yards). For Washington, Craig James’ 128 yards helped keep the offense churning once Lomax was knocked out. Majkowski appointed himself well, going 17 for 23 for 159 and a score. Down 22-25 after a Tim Spencer TD and with 3:07 on the clock, Majkowski led the Federals on a desperation drive to tie the game. He found Webster Slaughter for 2 big completions to start the drive, and then dinked and dunked with several drop down passes to Spencer to get the Feds into field goal range. Ray Wersching hit an impressive 51 yarder to send the game into overtime, but the Feds would never see the ball again as Baltimore got the win with a 39 yarder to win this classic Atlantic Division clash. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK We are going to have two teammates share this week’s POTW glory. With Tony Eason knocked out of the game vs. Pittsburgh and all eyes on the run game, Marcus Dupree and Dalton Hilliard still combined for 233 on the ground to crush the Maulers. Hilliard averaged 6.4 yards and left defenders in tatters on a bruising 14-yard TD score. Dupree did even better, rushing for an 8.1-yard average, despite never having a run over 17 yards. Matt Robinson, who subbed for Eason, only threw 10 passes in nearly 3 quarters of play because the combo of Dupree and Hilliard was so effective in creating short 3rd downs and converting them. It was a clinic on how to run the ball against a stacked defense as New Orleans used pulling linemen and misdirection runs to confuse the Mauler D, but it was also a story of two strong runners breaking tackles and refusing to go down at the end of plays. NEWS & NOTES Three weeks in and there are already some teams looking at their offensive production and wondering if a change is needed. The problem is many of the struggling teams don’t have a solid option to fall back on. Chicago must be frustrated by their lack of offensive production, and Chuck Long is clearly struggling, but this may be a teamwide issue, and it may not help at all to replace Long with either Blackledge or Beurlein, so we expect the Machine to stand pat and work on better scheming. In Pittsburgh, Alan Risher has not lived up to his performances from last year. He is currently the 2nd lowest ranked starting QB in the league, with only Vince Evans (8 Ints) below him. He is completing only 45% of his passes for the Maulers. Could Pittsburgh take a look at Glen Carano if Risher continues to struggle? In Denver, Bob Gagliano is still struggling in Mouse Davis’ Run & Shoot, though we suspect that his starting position is solid for now. Out in LA, it is the run game which has coach Hadl worried. Rotating Tony Boddie with Christian Okoye has not produced solid numbers yet, as defenses have regularly stacked the box on downs where Okoye is in the backfield and moved to a nickel to defend against the quicker Boddie. LA may just have to settle on one back and then use play action to open up the defense. Finally, the winless Stallions must be frustrated, having only scored 57 points in three games. Joe Cribbs cannot do it all alone, and Ernest Givens is putting up good numbers, but there is a huge drop off after Givens as Jim Smith seems to have lost a step and former NJ General Clarence Collins has been a no show. Part of the blame certainly falls on Cliff Stoudt’s shoulders, but the offense also lacks imagination as Coach Dotsch seems content to use the predictable run-run-pass three down strategy. Dotsch came into the year feeling a bit of heat, and if the Stallions cannot turn things around, this may be the end of his run in Birmingham. INJURIES This was a bad week for QB’s around the league. Washington lost Neil Lomax to an ankle sprain and may miss the week 4 game. New Orleans QB Tony Eason went down with a concussion but is likely to return next week. Birmingham’s Cliff Stoudt came out late in the game with a leg injury, questionable for next week. But the worst situation is clearly in Oklahoma, where starter Doug Williams suffered a stress fracture in his plant foot and may miss up to 3 weeks. His backup, Brent Pease, was also knocked out of the game, and perhaps the season, with a fractured fibula. It was an ugly injury as Pease was carted off the field, unable to put any weight on the leg. He is certainly out at least 8-10 weeks, but likely is out for the year. Oklahoma will start former Blitz backup Blair Kiel, who saw a lot of action in 1984 when Vince Evans was lost for a good part of the year but has played very sparingly over the past 2 years. In other injuries, expect Herschel Walker to miss a second week with his hand injury. Jacksonville will be without WR Hassan Jones for at least a month with a shoulder injury. Orlando loses one of its best receivers as Vic James will miss at least 2 weeks with a knee injury, and Tampa’s brand-new TE, Sam Bowers is out for two months with a fracture to the tibia on his left leg. Arizona will also be without a key weapon for at least 2 weeks as TE Terry Orr went down with ligament damage in his right knee. LOOKING AHEAD Week Four will be one of those rare weeks where no teams are in divisional play. That does not mean that we don’t have some intriguing matchups. The highlight game of the week may well be Philly at New Orleans, but we also want to tune in as Jacksonville heads out to LA and when New Jersey faces the Panthers in the Silverdome. Houston hosts Baltimore in another top match, and San Antonio will have a chance to get a 3rd win as they host Pittsburgh. In other action, Washington will head to Chicago to face the winless Machine, Orlando goes for 4-0 against a depleted Oklahoma squad, Denver hosts Birmingham, Oakland welcomes Memphis out West, and the Bandits head out to the desert to face the Wranglers.