Sporting News, July 20, 1985 With the third USFL Championship showcasing the two best teams in the league tomorrow, it seems appropriate that the USFL today released their 1986 ALL-USFL team and League Awards. In a year where there seemed to be a larger gap than ever between contenders and pretenders, the awards and All-USFL teams clearly seem to indicate a talent gap between the top 4-5 teams and the rest of the league. Looking at the All-USFL’s 44 players, it should be noted that 27 of the players picked came from only 5 teams (Chicago, Michigan, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville and Philadelphia) while 7 non-playoff teams had 2 or fewer players named, including Washington, which was shut out as Craig James was edged out of a HB spot by Pittsburgh’s Mike Rozier. The other key item to note is that within the 44 All-USFL players, there are several key players whose contracts end this year and who may be prime fodder for NFL poaching. This includes 3-time All-USFL fullback Maurice Carthon, Philly’s stalwart linemen Bart Oates and Irv Eatman, Birmingham G Buddy Aydolette, Jacksonville’s best defensive player-safety Buster Homer, Michigan’s David Greenwood, and league tackling leader, LA’s Danny Rich. That will be a story to follow up on as the hot stove portion of the summer and fall heats up. But, let’s start with a quick look at the 1986 All-USFL Team: At QB we had a lot of contenders, but the awardees are Bobby Hebert (MGN), Rick Neuheisel (ARZ) and Doug Williams (JAX). At RB we have no surprises with Kelvin Bryant (PHI), Joe Cribbs (BIR) and Mike Rozier (PIT) At WR there were some tough choices, but the league looked at yardage, catches and scores to select Eric Truvillion (TBY), Derek Holloway (MGN), Dwight Clark (JAX), Trumaine Johnson (ARZ) and Jackie Flowers (CHI). TE is not the most productive position in the USFL, but there were two who stood out, easily garnering the majority of votes were Lewis Gilbert (TBY) and Ricky Ellis (LA). It should be noted that both will be free agents this year. On the O-line we have both road paving run blockers and brick wall pass protectors. The 3 tackles are Irv Eatman (PHI), Anthony Gardner (MGN) and Ernie Yates (BIR). At guard it is Duval Love (JAX), Matt Vaugh (ARZ) and Curtis May (OAK). And at Center, Philly’s Bart Oates gets his 3rd straight nod, joined by Jonathan Hicks of Jacksonville. The Defensive Line is a who’s who of pass rushers and run cloggers. At DE we have 3-timer Junior Ah You (CHI), repeat awarded Reggie White (MEM), and newcomer Bob Barber (BIR). At DT it is Fred Nordgren of Tampa Bay, Denver’s Laval Short, and Arizona’s Earl Weaver. At LB, tackling prowess seemed to determine the winners as all the tackle leaders made the squad: Danny Rich (LA), Marcus Marek (BOS), Sam Mills (PHI), Kiki DeAyala (HOU), and Sam Norris (CHI). In the Secondary we have a mix of older vets and young guns. At Cornerback it is Raphel Cherry, the LA rookie star, David Martin of Denver, and Memphis rook Derrick Burroughs. At Safety we see David Greenwood (MGN), Joe Restic (BOS), Interception leader Willie Liles of Oakland and Buster homer of Jacksonville. On Special Teams we find kicker Zenon Andrusyshyn (TBY), punter Sean Landeta (PHI), and return men Reggie Sanders (HOU) and Ron Osborne (PIT). As for major awards, there were 6 given out this year, with the guideline that no player could win more than one award, allowing for recognition for more stars each year. Here are your winners: USFL MVP: Kelvin Bryant, HB, Philadelphia: Bryant had a breakout season after not finishing in the top 3 in rushing in either of his first two years. He finished the year with 1524 yards, 14 scores and a 4.2 average. As the focalpoint of the Stars’ offense, he helped guide Philadelphia to a 12-4 record and their third consecutive division title. Offensive Player of the Year: Eric Truvillion, WR, TBY. It was neck and neck between Truvillion and Bryant for MVP, and we are honestly surprised that in a pass-happy league it did not go to the wideout. Truvillion had a record-busting 1986, catching 93 balls for an astonishing 1,944 yards and unfathomable 25 touchdowns. Defensive Player of the Year: Junior Ah You, DE, CHI. After 3 years of leading the league in sacks, the big man for the Blitz finally gets the recognition he richly deserves. He only needed to have his best season yet to do so. 22 sacks, 65 tackles, 17 tfl, and two safeties (with a third this past week in the Conference Finals). Offensive Rookie of the Year: George Adams, RB, JAX. One of the big reasons the Bulls won the Southern Division and made their first postseason was the play of their rookie RB and the ability to balance his rushing with another Doug Williams 4,000 yard season. Adams, in his first year, ran for 1086 yards and 10 scores, but also participated in the passing game, catching 55 balls for 321 yards and another 5 touchdowns. Defensive Rookie of the Year: Brian Noble, LB, ARZ. The rise of the Wranglers was largely attributed to the offense, but their once-lightweight defense became a solid squad in large part due to the contributions of Brian Noble. In addition to 97 tackles, Noble added 3 interceptions, 7 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and one lone sack. The consummate roving LB, Noble was a run stuffing monster and a coverage killer on the TE and RB position. Coach of the Year: Marv Levy, CHI. The rise of the Blitz from mediocre also-rans to the best record in the league was astonishing. Levy got the most out of his players, built a scheme around QB Vince Evans and a RB duo in Spencer and Murphy, and helped Chicago’s defense become fear-inspiring. The 2nd year coach with NFL experience at Kansas City, has his Blitz in the League Championship tomorrow, and could come away with the ultimate prize, a league championship.

Two great games between 4 solid clubs, and it all comes down to who wants it more. What else could you ask for? A perennial bridesmaid vs. a team in their last game in a city they are leaving behind. We couldn't make this stuff up if we tried. PHILADELPHIA STARS 24 TAMPA BAY BANDITS 17 Eric Truvillion may have won the league Offensive Player of the Year award this year, and his 25 TD’s and 1900+ yards set pro football records, but on this day he was outdueled by the unassuming, reliable play of Philadelphia’s Scott Fitzkee. Fitzkee does not garner the coverages that Truvillion faces regularly, and he rarely rips off 50+ yard sprints to the endzone, but his ability to get open on key 3rd downs, to keep drives alive, and to find holes in the zone proved essential to Philadelphia’s 7 point win in the Conference Finals, sending the Stars to their first USFL Championship. On this sunny and warm Philadelphia July day, the Bandits wilted against a ball-control offense and bend-but-don’t break defense. The game was close throughout, with both teams scoring twice in the first half. Tampa started out the game with a 48 yard Andrusyshyn kick, only to watch Philadelphia put together a 9 play, 7 minute drive that ended with Kelvin Bryant bursting through the line and glancing off tackles for a 12 yard score. Tampa would get a score of their own as Reaves found Truvillion on a fade route from the 16 to retake the lead at 10-7. But, Philadelphia mounted one more drive in the 2nd quarter, a drive that ended with Scott Fitzkee scoring the first of 2 TD’s on the day, this one a 37 yarder made possible by a collision between Tampa’s cornerback and safety, leaving Fitzkee still standing and able to race along the sideline for the score. In the second half, Philadelphia would build on its 14-10 halftime lead, and again it was Fitzkee. This time the Stars used Bryant and Johnnie Hector to pound their way to the Tampa 3 yard line before Fusina faked the ball to Bryant, rolled right and found Fitzkee crossing along the back line of the endzone. Not to be outdone, Tampa mounted a drive of their own, and Reaves hit his relief valve, TE Lewis Gilbert for the score to end it, pulling the Bandits back within 4 at 21-17. But the 4th quarter seemed to slow down the entire game. Perhaps it was the 87 degree heat, perhaps the sticky humidity on this July day, or perhaps the long grind of 17 games already played. Both teams had trouble moving the ball. The only player who seemed unaffected was Philadelphia CB Rob Herron, who jumped a hook route, intercepting John Reaves (Reaves’s second pick of the day) and returning it to the Tampa 20. That play allowed David Trout to increase the lead to 7 and it would be the last score of the day. On Tampa’s final drive, an ill-advised 3rd and 7 pass, deflected off of the shoulder pads of Tampa’s Cris Collinsworth and into the hands of an awaiting Philly defender, ending the threat and allowing the Stars to finish the game in the victory formation. The Stars head to their first Championship, and are likely to draw a very friendly crowd just up Highway 95 at the New Jersey Meadowlands. CHICAGO 29 LOS ANGELES 10 Philadelphia will face a Chicago Blitz team that dominated in their final game at Soldier Field before relocating next year to Baltimore. The Blitz had Steve Young’s number all day, and their defense limited the Express to 237 yards while Vince Evans and led Chicago to over 460 yards, including 367 yards passing. The Blitz led throughout and LA never found their groove as Steve Young was hemmed in, unable to scramble as Chicago’s D-line emphasized containment and forced Young to play from the pocket. The star of the game was Evans, who not only passed for 367, but also found 22 yards on the ground. After an early safety for the Blitz, Evans led Chicago on the short post-kickoff drive, eventually finishing the drive by handing the ball to Calvin Murphy, who burst over the goalline to build a 9-0 lead. In the second quarter both teams traded field goals and Chicago entered halftime with Marv Levy beaming about his defense, holding a 12-3 lead. In the second half, LA came out with a good drive to open the half, and within 5 minutes they had cut the lead to 12-10 with a Young to Hector Sharp pass. But, that was the last they would see of the Chicago side of the field. The remainder of the half was a combination of long Chicago drives, leading to 2 Evans TD passes (to Jackie Flowers and Neil Balholm) and frustrating 3-and-outs on offense. Chicago would end up holding the ball for over 35 minutes in the game, including 19 of the 30 minutes of the 2nd half. Junior Ah You would be named player of the game after recording 7 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and the game-opening safety. For Los Angeles it was a painful day as they simply could not sustain drives or keep Chicago from doing so. For the Blitz, it was a day to celebrate. Despite fears that no one would show up, out of protest of the team’s relocation, more than 27,000 came out to watch their team’s swan song, and the fans celebrated with the team when the final seconds ticked off the clock. The Blitz were heading to the USFL Championship, finishing 3 frustrating years in Chicago with flair. 1985 USFL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW Chicago Blitz (13-3) vs. Philadelphia Stars (12-4) It took three years for it to happen, but this third USFL Championship will pit the two #1 seeds against each other. Both teams have a lot in common: tenacious and aggressive defenses, offensive playmakers, solid coaching, and a blue collar attitude about preparation and execution on the field. Philadelphia is less flashy, more meaty, relying on a combination of Kelvin Bryant as their workhorse and Chuck Fusina play action passing to lull teams to their defeat. Chicago’s offensive personality reflects their quarterback, a bit edgier, wiley but also unpredictable. Vince Evans, after an injury-shortened 1984 seaosn, emerged this year as a dual threat quarterback, able to make plays when the scripted part of the play breaks down. Fusina, on the other hand, is a by-the-book manager, rarely turning the ball over, making clutch throws on key downs, and distributing the ball to an underrated group of receivers. On defense we have two of the best squads, both able to get to the opposing QB and both featuring ball-hawking secondaries. For Chicago the star of the defensive show is league sack master Junior Ah You, who pulled in a record 22 sacks this year. He is backed up by solid players such as LBs Ben Apuna and Ed Brady. Philadelphia’s counterparts are DE William Fuller, LBs John Bunting and Sam Mills and one of the league’s best defensive backfields, led by safety Scott Woerner. We expect this will be a close game, a hard-fought game, a game with few penalties and even fewer turnovers, but one which will come down to just a few key plays. We don’t expect Chicago to keep pace with Philadelphia’s run game, but we anticipate that Evans will outpace Fusina, so there is balance there as well. Both teams will try to make the other one-dimensional on offense, both will likely avoid blitzing and focus on solid coverage in the passing game. Las Vegas has Philadelphia as only a 1 point favorite, but we think that in the end it will be the Stars who take the victory. Our prediction is Philadelphia 20, Chicago 14.

A good week of games, with a few surprises and a lot of defense as the USFL playoffs kicked off with the divisional round. PHILADELPHIA 27 BOSTON 10 Philadelphia Head Coach Jim Mora was heavily criticized for his strategy of resting starters over the final 3 weeks of the season, which led to 3 defeats, but it may have just been a stroke of genius. The Stars, having clinched the division title and #1 seed in the conference spent the final month of the USFL regular season almost sleepwalking, losing games as ALL-USFL players such as Kelvin Bryant, William Fuller, Sam Mills and Chuck Fusina had at least 1 week off each, in a weird rotation, but the playoff Stars looked focused, rested, healthy and hungry as they dominated the Breakers. The scoreboard shows a 17 point win, but it could have easily been far greater. The Stars jumped out to a 17-0 lead at the half and looked totally dominant doing it. The defense intercepted Boston’s Tony Eason twice while the offense rolled up over 200 yards in the half, including 87 yards on the ground for Kelvin Bryant and 2 scores from Chuck Fusina. In the second half the Stars were clearly in clock management mode but still put up another 10 points, including a painfully long 12 minute drive that ate up most of the 4th quarter, leading to a Johnnie Hector 1 yard plunge to put the game away. It was domination from a team that had looked anything but dominant down the stretch. Maybe Coach Mora was actually on to something after all. TAMPA BAY 19 JACKSONVILLE 13 Speaking of coaches perhaps having a psychological edge, Steve Spurrier proved again that he is no slouch. The Bandits played a vanilla game against the Bulls in the regular season’s final week, a game that Jacksonville won, giving them the division title and home field for this week’s rematch, but in doing so, Tampa may have simply set the table for this week’s win. While we certainly cannot condone giving up home field, at least in this case, it worked out for Tampa. Unlike the Phlly-Boston game, this one was a nail biter as the Bulls and Bandits are two evenly matched teams. The difference in the game seems to have been on the line of scrimmage, where, unlike last week, the Tampa D spent most of the game stunting and confusing the Bulls offensive line. The usually unheralded Bandits defense held the Bulls to only 45 yards rushing, scored a safety on an ill-advised play action pass call by Jacksonville from their 1 yard line, and pressured Doug Williams into 2 poor throws that were picked off by awaiting Bandit defenders. In a game where both offenses struggled, that difference gave Tampa what they needed to win the day. CHICAGO 13 ARIZONA 10 The Wranglers had spent the entire season living off of their offensive production, Chicago had mixed offensive firepower with defensive might, and on this day it was Chicago’s versatility which won out. In a game that many predicted would be a high-scoring shootout, the defenses came to play. Neither team gained more than 210 yards total in the game (CHI 209, ARZ 206) and neither team was able to get much out of the run game, with Arizona HB Owen Gill leading all rushers with only 59 yards. It was a smash mouth slugfest for 60 minutes, one which likely put many of the 19,000 fans in attendance to sleep, but which pleased those who love solid defensive football. The stars of the game on defense for both teams were the linebackers. For Arizona it was Defensive Rookie of the Year Brian Noble who led the team with 10 tackles, including 3 for loss. And for Chicago it was veterans Ed Brady and Ben Apuna who kept the Wranglers in check. Not a pretty game, with a 7-3 scoreline at the half and Arizona’s only TD coming with les than 2 minutes left, but it was a win, and Chicago will take that win and move on to the Conference Championship. LOS ANGELES 38 MICHIGAN 17 We had suspected that Michigan’s late season swoon might have indicated that the team had lost its edge, and LA clearly proved that to be the case. With the loss of John Corker to injury the Panthers D had struggled down the stretch, and the Express proved that the struggles were real. Michigan can also look to the injury to Anthony Carter to explain why the offense had cooled down. LA was able to hold the remaining star wideout, Derek Holloway to only 3 catches for 30 yards, largely due to the ability to keep him in double coverage without concerns about Carter opposite him. LA’s offense proved too much for Michigan as Steve Young threw for 307 yards and 3 scores with both rookie wideout Eric Martin and star TE Ricky Ellis going over 100 yards each. On the ground Kevin Mack pounded the ball into the heart of the Michigan D for 96 yards on 17 carries, and scored twice as the Express built up a 38-10 lead early in the 4th. They outgained the Panthers 412-298, and for the 2nd time in three years the Panthers can look at injuries as the reason for their early demise. In 1983 they played without QB Bobby Hebert and were ousted by Denver in their first playoff game. This year it was the combo of Corker and Carter that may have cost them the game, and in 1984, when they were healthy, they cruised through the playoffs and won the title. Something for Panther fans to consider as they head home after this defeat. LOOKING AHEAD TO THE CONFERENCE FINALS The conference finals will pit Tampa Bay at Philadelphia and Los Angeles at Chicago. These are both really intriguing games with a lot of star power and a lot on the line. Only Tampa has been here before, so we have 3 teams who are not used to the pressure that these games will bring. That said, we like Philadelphia to win out at home. They have great balance with a power running attack complemented by Chuck Fusina’s cautious but effective passing game. The Philly D is also stout, making Tampa’s Banditball offense have to rely on big plays rather than sustained drives. With home field advantage, that may be enough for Philadelphia to muscle out a win. Home field advantage is not a factor in Chicago, where again we expect a smaller crowd to take in the action. This will be the final game in Chicago before they head off to Baltimore with their new owners. Without that home team support, and facing a red-hot LA offense, we think this one will play out in LA’s favor. Vince Evans has played well all year, but we like the dual threat of Steve Young, including a solid 1-2 punch at wideout (Martin and Townsell) to take advantage of the Chicago DB’s. And after mustering only 13 points against Arizona this week, Chicago will need a lot more if they are going to keep pace with the Express. COACHING NEWS In a week when coaching changes are traditional, we saw 2 firings and 1 hire in the USFL. After a dismal 4-12 season, and with a 2 year record of only 9-23, Memphis’s flamboyant Pepper Rodgers was asked to step down. The outspoken coach simply could not muster enough in 2 years with the Showboats, and with a truly horrible defense this season, despite the presence of Reggie White on the D-line, the Showboats were more often than not blown out in games. That never bodes well for a coach. It is likely the Showboats will look to address their defense as they look for a new leader. The firing of Craig Morton in Denver may actually have more to do with a couple of wins than the 9 losses this season. Morton, known for a grind-it-out strategy, worked well for the Gold’s original owners, who wanted to emphasize defense (in part because a low budget did not give them much firepower on offense) but the new owners seemed infatuated with QB Bob Gagliano, and late in the year, when the season was already lost, Gagliano was able to open things up and impress with some high-scoring, high-flying games. This may have actually doomed Morton as the ownership believed that this type of offensive flair was just the ticket for selling tickets at Mile High. Despite pulling Denver up to a middle-of-the-pack 7-9 by season’s end, the offensive mindset of Morton vs. the possibilities shown by Gagliano may have been too much. Expect Denver to seek an offensive-minded coach to replace Morton. And in New Jersey, the short stint of interim head coach Joe Mazur has come to an end. The Generals finished last in the USFL at 3-13, and perhaps even worse, their biggest star, HB Herschel Walker, had his worst season, just barely topping 1,000 yards and finishing outside the top 5 rushers in the league, and after 2 seasons as the league rushing champion, that is seen as a waste. Well, that is likely to change with the hiring of former NY Giants and Alabama Head Coach Ray Perkins. The Generals lured Perkins back to pro football with a 5-year contract and the ability to mold and shape the team’s persona. This past season we saw Walker carry the ball fewer than 300 times while rookie QB Doug Flutie attempted more than 500 passes, and the team went nowhere. Expect Perkins to institute a power run game with play action passing, and to emphasize defense. This may go against the grain of the high-flying USFL, but it matches well with the talent of the Generals, where positions like TE, DL, and FB are strongest, along with Walker’s abilities. Perkins feels like a good fit for the Generals, and we know he can handle the pressure of coaching in NY as his time with the Giants showed.

SCORES NJ 31 BOS 32 Eason and Flutie provide a barnburner in a game with little to play for. PHI 20 WSH 23 Stars back into playoff with a 3rd straight loss after clinching division. MEM 31 BIR 17 Both teams play out the string, both finish with 4 wins. PIT 13 CHI 30 Chicago takes care of business against Maulers in front of under 9,000. MGN 6 HOU 24 Michigan loses third in a row, giving Chicago the division title. DEN 17 ARZ 14 Wranglers look spent, losing final 2 games and division title to LA LA 45 OAK 14 Express are dominant in division crown clinching win over Oakland. GAME OF THE WEEK Jacksonville Bulls 21 Tampa Bay Bandits 20 The Bulls break out to a 14-0 lead and never look back against a Tampa team that seemed to be playing things very close to the vest. With a guaranteed rematch next week in the Divisional Playoffs, it appeared that Tampa was holding back against Jacksonville, despite playing in front of their largest crowd of the season and vying for a home game next week. The Bulls came out of the gate looking the more intense team, scoring on a 48 yard TD pass on their first drive, and then on a George Adams run to start the 2nd quarter. It was a lead that Tampa would cut into thanks to a 25th TD on the season for Eric Truvillion. By halftime the score was a reasonable 14-10, but even so, it was clear that Tampa was rotating in more players, calling a more vanilla gameplan, and sizing up Jacksonville all day. When the Bulls scored in the 3rd to pull the lead back up to 11 at 21-10, Tampa responded with a field goal, but it was not until late in the 4th that they scored again to provide what looked like a razor’s edge scoreline, but for those in attendance it seemed clear that Steve Spurrier was using this game like a scouting combine, less concerned about the win than the potential for a playoff rematch. That rematch will happen next week, in Jacksonville, as the Bulls take the Southern Division title. So, in 7 days we will see if Spurrier’s gambit, to give up home field for a chance at a playoff win, pays off. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK We did not see a lot of stunning numbers this week, and in several cases teams used the final week of the season to either rest starters for the playoffs or to see what some young players could do. Our performance of the week is one of those young players who got a shot this week. With only 5 wins on the year and out of playoff contention, the Washington Federals decided to give their starting QB, Reggie Collier the final week off and take a look at former Indiana star Babe Laufenberg. The Hoosier product came through, leading the Federals with 309 passing on a 29 of 42 day, and tossing 2 TD to rookie wideout Herman Fontenot as Washington edged past a half-hearted Stars team 23-20. Despite being sacked 5 times by the always aggressive Philly front 4, Laufenberg maintained his poise and guided the Federals to a season-ending win. While he may not overtake Collier with this performance, Laufenberg proved his value to the Feds and likely assured that he would have his contract renewed to back up Collier in ’86. NEWS & NOTES With the final week of the year we have the final attendance numbers for the league, and at best we can say that they reached their stated goal of an average of 30,000 per game. The final tally was just barely over that goal at 30,736. The strongest markets remain in the South, where Jacksonville again led the league at 45,266. Tampa was also solid, but the weak seasons, paired with early season rain days, hurt attendance in Birmingham (33,636) and especially Memphis (23,418). There were some strong signs of improvement, particularly in LA, where a better Express team, and more aggressive marketing, led to a respectable 31,587 average. 3 of 4 Western teams were above 30,000, with only Oakland, who needed time to build up support after an abysmal 1984 season, trailed at 25,715. The biggest issue, as one might expect, was in Boston, where the combination of a small, outdated stadium and a season of suspicion and eventual confirmation of relocation for the Breakers led to a season average of only 18,734, including a final home game with only 7,894 in attendance after the relocation was confirmed. Chicago, in large part due to their outstanding play, fared better, averaging just over 25k for the year, a number that would have been much higher had the relocation not been announced mid-year. Chicago’s last 2 home games before the announcement were 42,444 and 31,220, and their 2 games post-announcement were only 11,422 and 8,454. League officials, with guarantees of anonymity, seemed to be pointing to an expectation that while these numbers are enough to sustain the league, the goal for 1986 would be higher, and the hope would be that the two relocated franchises, now to be in Baltimore and New Orleans, would provide much higher averages. To be honest, that seems very reasonable, as early indicators show that both cities are welcoming their new teams with enthusiasm. INJURIES Looking at the Divisional Playoff matches, there are some key contributors who will be out for nearly all teams. Boston @ Philly: Boston will miss WR Nolan Franz, but DE Richard Byrd is expected back. The Stars will be without DT George Litte, but TE Steve Folsom and G Rory Culver are very likely to play. Tampa @ Jacksonville: The Bulls will likely be without DE James Lockette and DT Donald Gagne. Tampa will miss G Jonathan Martel, CB Herb Welch, and T Matt Behning. They should get LB Paul Plurowski back. Arizona @ Chicago: Wrangler RB Mike Pruitt is doubtful for the game, but DE Calvin Clark should be able to go. For Chicago the only player on the injury list is LB Ed Brady. Michigan @ LA: The Panthers have several players listed as Doubtful or Questionable, including Anthony Carter, Ronnie Paggett, and Clarence Chapman, but the biggest issue remains John Corker’s absence, as he is certainly out this week. For LA, only 2 players on the injury report, and both could play. Most important is the likelihood that SS Al Burleson is back. PLAYOFF PREVIEW Boston @ Philadelphia (Stars by 6) The Stars are expected to win this one going away, but, after 3 straight “tune up” games, all of which the Stars lost, there are questions as to whether they can turn it back on again. Perhaps their greatest advantage is at QB, where it is Chuck Fusina’s calm experience against Tony Eason’s erratic enthusiasm. Eason has been hit-or-miss all year, and the pressure of a road playoff game does not bode well. That, and a rested Kelvin Bryant, make us choose Philly. Prediction: Stars 27 Breakers 17 Tampa Bay @ Jacksonville (Bulls by 3) This is a tough call as both teams are quite evenly matched. Both Doug Williams and John Reaves are capable of breaking a game wide open and neither defense has been particularly solid all year. Looking at talent alone we like Tampa Bay, but there is a spark in the Bulls squad that indicates they may be the hungrier team. This one really is a toss-up, but we have to pick, so we go with the home team, expecting the league’s attendance leader to have a riled up crowd. Prediction: Jacksonville 23 Tampa Bay 21 Arizona @ Chicago (Blitz by 6) Can you have home field advantage if no one shows up to watch? Chicago has been playing its best ball of late, but resentment about the relocation may lead to a very small home crowd. Both of these teams surprised the league with their sudden rise to playoff contention, but both have a lot of talent. We like both QB’s, Evans and Neuheisel. Chicago seems to have the more balanced offense, as the loss of Pruitt puts the burden on rookie Owen Gill for the Wrangler run game, and Chicago has the clearly superior defense, despite some good individual performers on the Wranglers, so we will go with the Blitz. Prediction: Chicago 21 Arizona 13 Michigan @ Los Angeles (LA by 3) The oddsmakers are still leary of betting against the Panthers, who for 14 weeks looked like last year’s dynamo, but who finished the year on a very odd 0-3 slump. The loss of John Corker has clearly led to a defensive letdown, but this is a Panthers team that should be able to score against even LA’s stout defense. If we are going to pick an upset this week, this game seems a good option. Experience and firepower on offense favor the Panthers, even without Anthony Carter on the field. Prediction: Michigan 28 Los Angeles 24

Playoff Picture EAST: #4 Boston (8-8) @ #1 Philadelphia (12-4) #3 Tampa Bay (9-7) @ #2 Jacksonville (9-7) WEST: #4 Arizona (10-6) @ #1 Chicago (13-3) #3 Michigan (12-4) @ #2 Los Angeles (11-5)

SCORES BOS 23 PHI 20 Philly comes out flat and Eason hits Charlie Smith for 2 scores. WSH 31 NJ 17 Washington dominates despite 120 from Hershel Walker. BIR 35 JAX 24 Bulls get caught in a trap game and fall to Cribbs & Co. TBY 30 MEM 16 Damon Allen looks good for Memphis, but Tampa prevails. CHI 31 MGN 13 The Blitz fire on all cylinders to hand Panthers 2nd loss in a row. HOU 22 PIT 28 Pittsburgh edges Houston with 2 late field goals for 5th win. OAK 28 DEN 42 Oakland falls out of playoff hunt with complete collapse at Denver. GAME OF THE WEEK Arizona Wranglers 25 Los Angeles Express 27 In the most important game of his career, Steve Young comes up big to edge the Wranglers and pull even in the Pacific. Combined with a strong performance by the LA defense, Young had just enough to upend the Wranglers and put the Express in a “control your own destiny” situation next week. Young was 21 of 33 for 308 yards and 3 scores as he used his legs not to run for yardage but to avoid defenders, keep plays alive, and find open receivers. The other half of the puzzle was the LA Defense, which limited Arizona to only 49 yards rushing, and despite giving up 323 yards passing to Rick Neuheisel, kept the Wranglers out of the endzone on 4 occasions. Had Arizona been able to swap even one of those 4 field goals for a touchdown they would have won this game, but red zone woes kept them at bay and gave LA the room needed to eke out a win. Now, Arizona has to hope that the Express bif it against the Invaders in Oakland next week in order to take the division. LA holds the tiebreaker with a 4-1 division record to Arizona’s 2-3 mark. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK We are going to give this week’s POTW to a passing-receiving combo that has not had the best year, but came out in force this week. Bob Gagliano has struggled to find Vic James all season. The usually prolific combo has just not connected often enough for Denver’s offense to scare anyone. But that was not the case this week. Denver’s Craig Morton, perhaps in a bid to save his job, finally opened up the playbook and Gagliano responded with 335 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. Of that total 129 of those yards, and 3 of the 4 TD’s went to Vic James. In the first half alone the combo hit for 88 yards and 2 scores, helping Denver build a 28-14 lead that they would never relinquish. At 6-9 Denver is not exactly tearing up the lead, and coach Morton may still have some concerns about job security, but if this game taught him anything, it is that he has the talent on this team to run a more dynamic offense, something fans in Denver wish he had known weeks ago. PLAYOFF PICTURE Here is what we know: With Oakland’s loss at Denver, all 8 playoff spots are set. It will be the Stars, Bandits, Bulls, Breakers, Panthers, Blitz, Wranglers and Express. Philly will host Boston in the Divisional round. Tampa will play Jacksonville, with the week 17 game determining if it is Bandits @ Bulls or the reverse. Michigan and LA also control their destiny. If they win, they are division champs, if they lose, Chicago and Arizona could jump over them. We also know that the Central Division winner will host the Pacific Division Wild Card, and vice versa. So, week 17 is all about home field advantage and division titles in three of 4 divisions. You cannot ask for much more than that in a season’s final week. NEWS & NOTES This is going to be an awkward week for the Breakers and Blitz. Both teams have somewhat meaningful games (more vital for Chicago) at home, but they are homes that both clubs will be abandoning next season. Just how many Chicagoans will show up to watch a lame duck team try to win their division, and will they show up for the playoff game if they do? In Boston, the goal of reaching 8-8 is a fine one within the team, but not exactly the kind of game that will draw jaded Breaker fans for the team’s final home game before packing up for the Big Easy. Expect small crowds, perhaps record small for the USFL at both games. That is bad optics for television audiences, but that is what you have to expect when you announce relocation mid-season. INJURIES Looking only at the 6 teams vying for division titles, here are the players who may miss the big Week 17 games: Jacksonville: DT D, Gagne (concussion), DE J. Lockette (Back), OT P. Johnson (knee) Tampa Bay: OG J. Martel (Wrist), OT M. Behning (turf toe), LB P. Plurowski (back) Michigan: LB J. Corker (quad), WR A. Carter (core), CB C. Chapman (neck), Chicago: LB E. Brady (concussion) Arizona: HB M. Pruitt (hip), TE T. Orr (migraines), CB V. Livers (concussion) Los Angeles: LB L. Horn (shoulder), SS A. Burleson (ankle) LOOKING AHEAD Week 17, and still some games of impact. The biggest, of course, is the matchup between Tampa Bay and Jacksonville. Despite their loss this week the Bulls can still snag the Southern Division title with a win at Tampa next week. The winner of that game will win the division and get a home playoff game the following week. Problem is, we already know that the Divisional Round matchup will be Tampa v. Jacksonville, so do you show your best stuff to get the home playoff game, or do you hold back and save something special for the playoffs? In other games of note, LA will win the Pacific with a victory against Oakland or a Wrangler loss. Arizona needs to beat Denver at home and then hope LA loses to jump ahead of them for the division title. Unlike in the Southern Division, it looks like the Division winner will host either Chicago or Michigan, while the loser will travel to either Chicago or Michigan. Much better to play at home in either case. Michigan will win the Central if they can get past Jim Kelly and the Gamblers in Houston. Chicago leapfrogs Michigan if the Panthers stumble and the Blitz take care of business at home. In other games, without playoff implications, Memphis travels to Birmingham, Boston hopes to reach 8-8 by beating New Jersey in their last game in Beantown before relocating to New Orleans, and Philly hopes to rest some starters but still get a W at Washington.

Playoff Picture EAST: Philly will host Boston in the 1 v. 4 matchup. Tampa will play Jacksonville in the 2 v. 3, the seeds determined by the winner of next weeks game between the two. WEST: Michigan wins the Central with win over Houston. Chicago with win over Pittsburgh and Michigan loss. LA wins the Pacific with a win at Oakland. Arizona with win at home over Denver and LA Loss. #1 Central Winner v. #4 Pacific Wildcard, #2 Pacific Winner v. #3 Central Wild Card.

Boston Herald, June 18, 1985 After three years of overachieving on the field, attendance woes, and uncertain stadium options, the USFL’s Boston Breakers are preparing to set sail for sunnier shores. The USFL announced today that the franchise has been sold to a consortium led by league founder David Dixon and New Orleans developer Joseph Canizaro, and that the franchise will begin play as the New Orleans Breakers in the Spring of 1986. For those who have been following the plight of the Breakers over these past three years the news is neither unexpected nor shocking. For their entire three-year stint in Boston, the Breakers have been one of the USFL’s more problematic franchises. Underfinanced, underappreciated, and suffering from stadium envy for their entire existence, the Breakers just could not catch a break. Since the awarding of a franchise to Boston, owner George Matthews has struggled to match the spending and the signings of many other franchises. At the same time he has hit roadblock after roadblock in his attempts to obtain a contract to play at either of the region’s premier stadiums, either Boston College’s Alumni Stadium or the NFL Patriots’ Foxboro Stadium. Forced at first to play at BU’s tiny Nickerson Field (22,000), and the past two years at venerable (a nice word for old and outdated) Harvard Stadium (33,000), the Breakers have found it very difficult to break even. Despite these challenges, the Breakers have had some success on the field. Led by lesser known, lower cost talent such as former QB Johnnie Walton, RB Richard Crump, and LB Marcus Marek, the Breakers were 10-6 and just barely missed the playoffs in 1983 and in 1984 the 9-7 Breakers qualified as a Wild Card team. This season, with an erratic combination of Tony Eason and Matt Robinson at quarterback, the Breakers have struggled to a 6-8 record, with 2 games left, and may still make the playoffs again as a wildcard. But the on-field trials of the Breakers have not been the real story of this team, it has been in the ledgers and financial records that the true drama has developed. With the sale of the Breakers, Boston loses out on the prospect of year-round football. New Orleans is rolling out the red carpet, and more importantly a favorable rental agreement for their premier football facility, the Super Dome. Rather than trying to encourage fans to sit on the cold metal bleachers of either Nickerson or Harvard Stadium on a windy, rainswept March day, the Breakers will have the much easier task of attracting fans to the air-conditioned comfort of a true pro football mecca, home to several Super Bowls and the NFL Saints. Rather than compete for attention not only with their rival NFL team, but also with the revered Red Sox, celebrated Celtics, and historic Bruins, the Breakers will now have the spring sports season entirely to themselves, and in a region of the country where football really is king. And so, after three exciting but difficult years, Boston will bid farewell to its USFL Breakers and to spring football. Unlike Chicago, there is no guarantee that the league will return to our city, and based on the issues encountered with the Breakers, the prospect seems unlikely. And so we say to Dick Coury and the players who will still play for Boston these next few weeks, Good Luck and “Laissez les bon temps roullez”. Some of us will miss you, but we wish you well in the Big Easy.

SCORES MEM 13 BOS 23 Eason’s return under center sparks Boston to 2nd consecutive win. BIR 25 NJ 28 Rookie Covington spells Walker and New Jersey ekes out a W. TBY 38 PHI 21 Reaves tosses 5 TDs in statement game over the Stars. JAX 25 WSH 28 136 yards and 2 scores from James knocks off Jacksonville. DEN 6 CHI 13 Defensive struggle produces only 1 TD as Blitz edge Gold. ARZ 20 PIT 17 Louis Lipps catches 5 for 113 to help Wranglers earn the win. LA 17 HOU 34 Houston shocks LA as Lynn Cain rushes for 2 scores in upset. GAME OF THE WEEK Oakland Invaders 20 Michigan Panthers 13 Last year’s punching bag, the Oakland Invaders, are proving that they are for real this season. A huge win at Michigan moves Oakland within 1 game of LA for the final Western Conference playoff spot, and helps Chicago gain ground on the once dominant Panthers. With the win, Oakland moves to 8-6, a far cry from their 3-13 season a year ago. With their second loss of the year, Michigan has to be concerned that 11-3 Chicago is right on their heels with only 2 weeks to go. Oakland did it with a combination of stingy defense and opportunistic offense, as the combination of Albert Bentley and Arthur Whittington kept the clock rolling and the ball out of the hands of Michigan’s All-USFL QB Bobby Hebert. Whittington, who for the first time all season had more carries than Bentley, would also add a key score in the 3rd quarter, starting a 17-0 run that vaulted Oakland into the lead and on to the win. Early on it looked like Michigan had things under control as two field goals and a 48 yard Hebert to Holloway connection put the Panthers up by 10 at 13-3. But the second half was all Invaders, as they kept Michigan away from the ball and made good use of their possessions to score 17 unanswered points. First Whittington drew the Invaders closer, then a short pass from Brian Sipe to TE Richard Venable put Oakland on top to stay. They added a late Kevin Shea field goal to salt away a 7 point win. The fact that Oakland was able to use ball control, and solid coverage, to keep Michigan off the scoreboard was doubly impressive in that the Invaders were missing some key players due to injury. LB Frank Manumaleuga is out for the year with a fracture in his left leg. CB Derrick Martin was also out, as was young OLB Ron Rivera. And when Albert Bentley was lost in the 2nd quarter to a torn bicep (possibly for the remainder of the year), things did not look good for Oakland, but they rallied behind LB Gary Plummer, and with the return of Whittington to the lead role, the Invaders were able to combine keep-away offense and hard-hitting defense to stun the Panthers and get their 4th straight win. They will need to keep up the intensity as they play their final 2 games, knowing that 2 wins will, in all likelihood, propel Oakland into the playoffs just one year after ranking as the worst team in the league. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK We are honestly shocked that it took John Reaves this long to win this designation. Reaves has been one of the bright stars of the USFL since the league began, winning the MVP award in 1983. This week those MVP credentials stood out, as Tampa went into Philadelphia, who may be resting a little too much on their laurels after clinching the #1 seed in the East. Reaves shredded the Stars defense, hitting 4 different receivers for scores, including a hat trick to likely 1985 MVP Eric Truvillion. After missing some games this year to injury and watching Jimmie Jordan perform well (though often in losses) Reaves seems determined to ensure that he retains his role as the commander of the Bandits offense. And while the Bandits 8-6 record is not the league’s most impressive, this win puts the rest of the USFL on notice that Tampa Bay is going to be a contender now that playoff time is nearing. PLAYOFF OUTLOOK Speaking of the playoffs, we prepare for the final 2 weeks of the season with a lot to decide. Sure, 6 of 8 spots are claimed, with only the Pacific Division in real doubt, but division crowns are still largely up in the air. Philly has locked down the Atlantic and the East’s #1 seed, but every other division has tight battles. Tampa and Jacksonville are tied at 8-6, Michigan has a slim 1 game lead over Chicago in the Central, and in the Pacific, Arizona needs 1 win to clinch, but LA, and now Oakland, are still in the mix. If Oakland wins out, they would leapfrog LA for the final spot. LA can still catch Arizona as well, so there is a lot to be decided as the league enters 2 weeks of divisional play. We probably ought to mention as well that New Jersey’s win over Birmingham also throws the USFL draft into some debate as well. Most felt the Generals had the #1 spot wrapped up, but now they share a 3-11 record with Birmingham and Memphis. Even Pittsburgh, at 4-10, might still be in play for the #1 pick, and while no team will deliberately lose to try to score the top pick, there will be a good deal of scoreboard watching at the bottom of the standings as well as at the top. NEWS & NOTES For the first time in the USFL’s short tenure, the League MVP Award this year may just go to a player other than a quarterback. The three front runners for the title seem likely to be Philadelphia HB Kelvin Bryant, Tampa Bay WR Eric Truvillion, and Chicago DE Junior Ah You. We give the slight edge to Truvillion simply because he has a legitimate shot at being the first receiver in professional football to gain more than 2,000 yards In a season. Pair this with his astonishing 23 touchdowns to date and you have to celebrate that season. What is more, he has accomplished this with 2 different quarterbacks as 1983 MVP John Reaves has missed several games due to injury and been subbed by Jimmie Jordan. If Truvillion somehow goes off the rails, we expect the award would then likely go to Bryant, who has powered Philadelphia’s 12-2 season with dynamic tackle-breaking runs all year. INJURIES Albert Bentley’s season-ending bicep injury is the biggest knock of the week, though certainly not the only one. Oakland also lost Ron Rivera for the rest of the regular season with a torn quad. Meanwhile, Jacksonville will likely miss DE James Lockette for their playoff run with a neck injury. Birmingham lost good looking rookie LB Kevin Greene to a knee sprain, though he may return for the season fnale. Finally, Arizona’s rookie TE Terry Orr, who leads all TE in yards and receptions, will be day to day after it was revealed that he suffers from migraines and is unfortunately in the middle of a cluster of the debilitating headaches at present. LOOKING AHEAD We return to divisional play for the final 2 weeks of the season, and week 16 could prove pivotal. Jacksonville faces Birmingham at home, as Tampa travels to Memphis. A loss by either could give the division crown to the other. Arizona and LA face off for the second time this season, with the Express hoping to catch the Wranglers and even the division. Oakland hopes that LA falls to the Wranglers, allowing them to catch LA with a big game between the two in week 17. The Invaders travel to Denver this week and must avoid an upset themselves. But, the biggest game of the week is Chicago traveling to Michigan. If the Blitz can upset the Panthers as Oakland did this week they could find themselves atop the Central division. Quite a feat for a lame duck team whose staff is already house hunting in Baltimore.

Playoff Picture Philadelphia: Clinched Atlantic Division & Top Seed Jacksonville: Clinched playoff berth, Can clinch division with Week 16 win. Michigan: Clinched playoff berth, Can clinch division with Week 16 win. Tampa Bay: Clinched playoff berth Chicago: Clinched playoff berth Boston: Clinched Wild Card berth Arizona: Can clinch playoff berth with Week 16 win. Los Angeles Can clinch playoff berth with Week 16 win + OAK loss. Eliminated New Jersey, Birmingham, Memphis, Washington, Pittsburgh, Denver, Houston

SCORES BOS 14 WSH 12 Federals can only muster 4 field goals in loss to Breakers. PHI 19 NJ 14 Hostetler subs for Fusina and just barely gets past New Jersey. JAX 24 MEM 3 Memphis offense fails them against mediocre Bulls defense. CHI 31 HOU 27 Houston gives up 17 in the 4th, losing a must-win game. MGN 27 PIT 21 Maulers give Michigan all they can handle in close matchup. ARZ 24 OAK 41 Wranglers drop 2nd in a row against suddenly feisty Invaders. LA 17 DEN 6 LA defense came to play as Express get a share of 1st place. GAME OF THE WEEK Birmingham Stallions 17 Tampa Bay Bandits 24 In the midst of a nightmare season, Rollie Dotsch and the Birmingham Stallions have not quit. They came out strong against their rival, Tampa Bay, dominated the first quarter but then slowly gave ground to the better Bandits team. The win moved Tampa above .500 for the first time all season, the loss guaranteed Birmingham a 10-loss season, something unthinkable the past two years. The Stallions came out strong, scoring on their first two drives as they fed Joe Cribbs the ball early and often. Cribbs had a dynamic 15 yard scoring play on the Stallions’ first drive, using a spin move to clear the hole over left guard and then stiffarming a Stallion safety before diving over the goal line. On the Stallions’ second drive, Cribbs found the endzone again, this time on an off tackle run, uncontested, from 3 yards out. But, as has been the case all season, the good times did not last for Birmingham. Tampa Bay would roar back, scoring on three drives to close out the second half, a Reaves to Truvillion score, an Andrusyshyn field goal and another strike from Reaves, this time a 46 yard seam route to TE Lewis Gilbert. Tampa would have the lead at the half, 17-14. In the third, Birmingham evened the score with a 49 yard Norwood field goal, but that would be the highlight of the half for them, as their offense simply could not move into scoring range. Tampa fared little better for most of the half, but, midway through the 4th quarter, they caught a break on a Cliff Stoudt interception, setting them up only 34 yards from the endzone and already in long distance FG range. The Bandits would not need to call on Andrusyshyn, as they effectively moved the ball to the 1 yard line, and then faked out the entire Birmingham D with a play action pass to Gilbert. With the defenders collapsing on Cribbs, Gilbert was all alone in the back of the endzone, an easy target for Reaves and another heartbreaker for this year’s hard luck Stallions. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK While we gave the Offensive Player of the Week Award to Houston’s Ricky Sanders for his 2 TD, 112 yard day, we are going to give our Performance of the Week to a group that has been undervalued all season, the Boston Breaker defense. With offensive troubles burdening the Breakers all season, it has been the defense which has allowed them to remain in marginal playoff contention at 5-8, and this week it was the defense which gave Boston the win once again. The Boston D, led by league leader in tackles, Marcus Marek, held Craig James to only 75 yards, limited Reggie Collier to only 200 yards passing, snagged 2 interceptions, and kept Washington out of the endzone for the entire game. All this as the offense sputtered once again, with Matt Robinson throwing for an unimpressive 144 yards. The Breaker D made life miserable for Reggie Collier, sacking him twice, knocking him down 9 times, and keeping him from breaking out of the pocket to scramble. They also held Washington’s top receiver, Joey Walters to only 4 catches. In a game where Boston only mustered 2 scores, holding the Federals to 4 field goals, instead of letting them score even one TD was the difference in the 14-12 victory. Now, if Boston could only muster some offense to help out, this team could actually get to .500 by season’s end. PLAYOFF PICTURE A lot of changes this week, as several teams clinched playoff spots. Philadelphia remains the only team to clinch their division as the other 3 divisions have close battles at the top. Both Tampa Bay and Jacksonville clinched playoff berths with wins this week, as did Michigan and Chicago, but in both cases, the difference between a wild card berth and a division title may well come down to the season’s final week. Meanwhile, in the Pacific Division, Oakland’s 3 game winstreak, paired with a 2nd straight loss by Arizona tightens up the entire division. Oakland is 2 games back of both LA and Arizona, but, by having swept the Wranglers, they hold a tie breaker. If they can win out, they have a shot of leapfrogging both the Express and the Wranglers, but with a game against Michigan next week, that may be a lot to ask. The 4th playoff spot in the East is still Boston’s to lose and at 5-8 they are the only contender still able to reach .500 if they win out, but with a 2 game lead on Washington, Memphis or Birmingham, really all they need is to win one more game and they are very likely in the playoffs, and then, of course, it is a tough trip to Philadelphia for them. NEWS & NOTES No news is good news for Boston fans. With a win this week against the Federals and a winnable game next week in Boston v. Memphis, the Breakers have the inside track on the final playoff slot, but all the talk in town has been about ownership. There was early rumblings from an ownership group connected to the Boston Bruins hockey club, but that never materialized and now Boston Breakers fans are simply waiting for the shoe to drop as the USFL looks at offers that may include relocation of the franchise. The major issue making Boston-based football an issue is stadium availability. Even with the NFL losing the anti-trust lawsuit there is nothing in place that would encourage the New England Patriots to share the use of Foxboro Stadium, so the Boston franchise, struggled to find a suitable home. They played in tiny Nickerson Field (Boston U.) in 1983, and slightly larger Harvard Stadium this year. Neither stadium is a solid option if the Breakers ever hope to be profitable for their ownership. Unless a deal would include use of either Foxboro or Boston College’s Alumni Stadium, the Breakers may have no option but to relocate. INJURIES As we look at the final playoff push, injuries, and the ability of players to come back in time for a clinching win, will be a factor. Looking at the teams that are still battling for position or a playoff spot, here is what we see: Arizona: Both Eddie Weaver (DT) and Virgil Livers (CB) should be back for Week 15. Boston: N. Franz-WR-OUT, R. Byrd-DE-OUT, some depth issues at guard with 2 backups questionable. Chicago: All players are probable or better. LA: No reported injuries. Oakland: F. Manumaleuga-LB-OUT, D. Martin-CB-OUT, A. McMillian-CB-questionable Tampa: J. Martel-G-Out Washington: D. Wedon-G-OUT, D. Hickman-DT-OUT, J. Neal-T-Questionable LOOKING AHEAD Week 15 is the final week of inter-division play, as weeks 16 and 17 will feature only divisional games. While a lot of attention is being paid to the season’s final weeks, teams should not ignore the potential for a careloss loss this week to derail their playoff hopes. Philadelphia normally would be feeling rested this week, but they host Tampa Bay, a very possible playoff opponent. They may play vanilla football vs. the Bandits, or they may try to send a message. Michigan hosts Oakland and Chicago has what may be a very antagonistic crowd as they host Denver. A slip by either could determine the Central Division before the divisional games begin. Other matchups include LA @ Houston, Arizona @ Pittsburgh, Jacksonville @ Washington, Birmingham @ New Jersey and Memphis @ Boston.

Playoff Picture: Philadelphia: Clinched Atlantic Division Title & Top Seed in East Jacksonville: Clinched playoff berth Tampa Bay: Clinched playoff berth Michigan: Clinched playoff berth Chicago: Clinched playoff berth Eliminated from contention: Houston, Denver, Pittsburgh, New Jersey.