SCORES BOS 21 JAX 31 Bulls get big games from Williams, Adams and Clark to score the win. NJ 30 TBY 51 Tampa scores 30 in 2nd half to blow past a game Generals team. PHI 24 BIR 10 Fusina’s 3 TD’s are enough to move past a forlorn Stallions squad. WSH 10 MEM 31 Walter Lewis impresses against the staggering Federals. PIT 20 OAK 28 Invaders even their record with 14 points in the 4th quarter. MGN 34 ARZ 20 Arizona’s win streak ends as Panthers prove their mettle. HOU 14 DEN 21 Gagliano’s best game all season helps Denver upend Houston by 7. GAME OF THE WEEK Chicago Blitz 18 Los Angeles Express 21 In a game that was a ho-hum 10-8 after 3 quarters, both teams come alive in the 4th for a thrilling 3 point Express win in front of their largest crowd of the year in Anaheim. The game started off very slow, with both teams trading field goals over the first 20 minutes. Then, when a poor snap led to Steve Young falling on the ball within his endzone, Chicago took the lead 5-3. LA would respond and with just under 5 minutes left in the half, the Express scored on a 4 yard Kevin Mack run to retake the lead 10-5. Chicago answered with another field goal in the final minute of the half, and we were at 10-8. The score would stay that way as both defenses proved stout in the 3rd quarter. Neither team was able to get even to field goal range as the punters got their practice in. That would all change in the 4th quarter. Chicago mounted an early drive but was stimied at the LA 20, leading to a medium range field goal for rookie kicker Luis Zendejas. LA responded with a long drive of their own, and, having better luck in the red zone, Kevin Mack again ran it it. LA added a 2 point conversion on a Young bootleg option and it was 18-11 with 6 minutes left. The next drive was perhaps the most decisive of the game as Chicago, on their own 33, thought they had completed a 12 yard pass on 3rd and 10 only to watch in horror as TE Mark Keel was hit by LA linebacker Nico Noga, forcing the ball out, to be recovered by CB Raphel Cherry for the Express. The Chicago D would hold, leading to the older Zendejas brother, Tony, to kick a 31 yard FG for the Express to build the score up to 21-11. Chicago would not be silenced however, as their next drive would lead to a short Evans to Flowers TD pass, with only 1:21 left on the clock. Chicago tried an onside kick, and when the ball bounced off the chest of LA’s Tony Boddie, the Blitz had a chance for one more score. Chicago moved the ball into Zendejas’s range, and with 3 seconds on the clock the younger Zendejas was lined up for a 39 yarder to send the game to overtime. As the ball sailed towards the goalposts, it was clear that it was hooking left, and then, with a painful “clunk” the ball doinked off the left upright and out. All 38,440 in Angel Stadium erupted in cheers as LA got the win on the last second clunker. After the game Tony could be seen consoling his younger brother at midfield as the LA and Chicago players exchanged pleasentries. A good game with a dramatic finish, sounds like a formula for a Hollywood film. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Walter Lewis, the dual threat QB in Memphis finds himself in the spotlight for a second time this season. Last time it was his 100 yard rushing day that wowed the fans, this week it was his command in the pocket against the Federals. Lewis would complete 78% of his passes against a depleted Washington defense, and while he would not equal his 100 yard game from earlier this season, his 37 yards rushing demonstrated that Lewis’s legs are still a weapon in Memphis’s arsenal. Lewis would throw for 320 yards on the day, and found his favorite receiver, former St. Louis Cardinal, Mel Gray for 98 of those yards and 2 scores as Memphis cruised past the Federals 31-10. NEWS & NOTES While the news that Chicago’s Blitz franchise would be relocated to Baltimore has not been received well in the Windy City, as one might expect. The Blitz are playing their best football in the 3 year existence of the league, and now the rug has been pulled out from under the city. Even the promise of a 1987 expansion franchise has been met with some cynicism, as almost certainly an expansion franchise will not be particularly competitive for its first few seasons, again promising the 2nd city more bad football before they can again root for a winner. The Blitz were fortunately on the road this week, and will be in Houston in week 14, but it would appear that when they return to Soldier Field for a Week 15 clash with Denver, they may not receive the same warm reception that they have enjoyed over the past few home games. And, of course, with this news, diehard Breakers fans in Boston are also getting antsy. Admitedly, the Breakers have not given their fans much to cheer for after a 3-0 start turned into a 1-8 disaster, but for those who have been on the bandwagon in Boston all season, the potential that their Breakers are also destined for relocation, as most league rumors seem to agree, is being met with understandable disapproval. PLAYOFF PICTURE With no real upsets in Week 13, the league leaders continued to move closer to expected playoff certainty. We know Philly is in as Atlantic Champs, Jacksonville and Tampa are looking good for playoff spots, and the season ending division games are likely to determine who plays at home as a division winner and who travels as a Wild Card. The 4th Eastern playoff spot would be Boston, believe it or not, if the playoffs started today, but even at 3-9 Washington, Memphis and Birmingham are not out of the picture. It seems certain that at least one team with a losing record will be in the playoffs this year. Out West, Michigan at 11-1 is a lock for the playoffs, but can still be caught by 9-3 Chicago for the Division if they don’t stay focused. In the Pacific, LA is now only 1 game behind Arizona. Oakland, at 6-6 is still alive, but would need significant help to bump LA out of a playoff slot. Houston and Denver, while not mathematically eliminated, are down to their last glimmers of hope. INJURIES At this point in the season playoff teams are praying not to lose any key pieces in the final weeks of the season, while also-rans are trying to ensure statistics to boost their standing before contract negotiations begin. This week saw few big hits, though Boston is sure to miss Nolan Franz, who is out for the rest of the season with a dislocated knee (ouch!!). Michigan is hoping Anthony Carter can come back soon, but they may simply keep him out of the lineup until the playoffs to be sure. Washington is awaiting the return of rookie FS Mark Kelso, who has missed several games with a fracture in his hand. Arizona is hoping that CB Virgil Livers’ concussion this week does not cause him to miss a big game at Oakland next week, and Tampa will likely be without John Reaves again, as they let him heal after dislocating his thumb against a New Jersey defender’s helmet this week. With Jimmie Jordan playing well earlier this year, Tampa might just be OK giving Reaves the week to recover. LOOKING AHEAD Week 14 is the first of 3 All-Division Play weekends left in the USFL season. Even with 3 of these weeks still in play, this one could determine a lot. Boston heads to Washington, with the winner likely in the best position for a Wild Card berth. Meanwhile Philadelphia may actually use their game against 2-10 New Jersey to give some starters needed rest. In the South, Tampa hopes to knock down any chance Birmingham has for a late playoff run as they play the Stallions at home. Jacksonville will travel to Memphis, where the Showboats hope they can pull the upset and stay playoff relevant. Chicago and Michigan are both scheduled against the weaker Central teams, with trips to Houston and Pittsburgh respectively. Out west, Oakland is at home, hoping they can edge closer to a remote wild card chance by upsetting Arizona. LA heads to Denver where the Gold have been playing better of late.

Baltimore Sun, May 30, 1985 Just one year after the middle-of-the-night exodus of the NFL Colts to Indianapolis, professional football is returning to the Charm City in the form of the USFL’s Blitz. The Blitz, which have called Chicago home for the past 3 seasons, have been a team in search of new ownership for the better part of a year. With local groups unable to coalesce into a viable option for the USFL, the league had no other choice but to look at possible relocation, and into the fray stepped a group of civic-minded Baltimoreans, distressed by the loss of the Colts and willing to work together to bring professional football back to Memorial Stadium. At a press conference at the downtown Belvedere Hotel, USFL Officials, led by Commissioner Chet Simmons introduced the new ownership of the Blitz and announced that the franchise would be calling Memorial Stadium home, beginning with the 1986 season. The ownership group includes a few well-known Baltimoreans, most prominently Louis Thalheimer, real estate developer and CEO of the Lord Baltimore Capitol Group. The prominent local philanthropist is joined in the ownership group by another well-regarded Baltimorean, film director Barry Levinson, whose 1980 film “Diner” is practically a love letter to the city of Baltimore and to its (now departed) football team. Also present as minority owners, and certainly known quantities to local sports enthusiasts, are NFL greats Lenny Moore, Earl Morrall, and Bubba Smith. While the roles the former Colts will play within the ownership group is likely to be slight, it seems a fair bet that these NFL legends will be a big part of marketing the Blitz to the Baltimore area. In the press conference, Mr. Simmons confessed that the league had hoped to delay announcement of the sale until after the conclusion of the 1985 season, but with a growing number of leaks, particularly within the Chicago press, the league opted for transparency and an early announcement. In the question-and-answer period of the conference several details about the sale and relocation were revealed. The team will retain the moniker of “Blitz” along with the current logo and colors (royal blue, scarlet red, silver and white). While there is potential for the Blitz to be realigned within the USFL’s four division structures, it is not clear how this is possible unless a second team elects to shift divisions. With speculation high that the Boston Breakers may also be facing relocation, this seems the most likely scenario in which the now Baltimore Blitz would find themselves in the Atlantic Division along with natural rivals Philadelphia and Washington. Relocation would also require a shuffling of the USFL’s territorial draft and designated schools, as now the Blitz and Federals would both lay claim to schools such as the University of Maryland. Finally, the league, and Mr. Thalheimer, announced that they expect the roster and staff of what looks to be a very strong 9-2 Blitz squad to remain intact with the move. Mr. Thalheimer citing that “Coach Levy and his staff have put together a very strong squad, the type of squad that Baltimore can embrace, so we don’t anticipate any changes to the core of the team simply because the ownership and the franchise’s home is shifting.” The vital issue of television revenue, as well as the future of USFL football in Chicago was answered by Commissioner Simmons, who stated that prior to finalizing the sale of the Blitz the league was able to negotiate with both ABC and ESPN to retain the current television package, despite the loss of a Chicago franchise for the 1986 season, with the promise that a new Chicago franchise would join the league as part of a planned 1987 expansion, essentially limiting the Windy City’s loss to a one year hiatus. With no Chicago-based ownership groups meeting the league’s standards to purchase the Blitz this year, it is uncertain how the USFL will be able to develop a Chicago franchise for 1987, but this is the gamble they have taken. For now, Chicago will have the remainder of the 1985 season to enjoy Blitz football, and then will have to take a wait-and-see attitude towards a potential 1987 expansion franchise in their city. For Baltimore, the good news is that football is back, and it looks like a winner is coming to our fair city. While this may not be the resolution that Colts fans sought after Mr. Irsay’s despicable departure from Baltimore, it is fair to say that the pride, passion and power of Baltimore’s football-loving community has helped to bring the game back to the Charm City. So, congratulations to Mr. Thalheimer, Mr. Levinson, and to all involved in bringing professional football back to Baltimore. Let’s all get ready to back the Blitz in 1986.

The playoff picture gets a little clearer as the top of the league continues to separate from the bottom. Michigan, Philadelphia, Arizona, Chicago and LA all win to solidify their chances for postseason football. SCORES OAK 20 BOS 19 Oakland comes back from 19-7 with furious 4th quarter push. LA 31 NJ 17 Flutie throws 3 Ints and LA limits Walker to 75 yards in win. DEN 24 PHI 45 Fusina throws for 4 scores as Philadelphia cruises to Div. Title. ARZ 35 WSH 28 Feds put up a fight but 14 points in the 4th gives Wranglers the W. HOU 28 BIR 24 Kelly puts up 359 and 3 scores in his best game of the year. MGN 38 MEM 21 John Williams rumbles for 134 as Michigan blows past Memphis. PIT 20 JAX 24 Despite 136 from Rozier, Maulers cannot outlast the Bulls. GAME OF THE WEEK Chicago Blitz 27 Tampa Bay Bandits 24 An overtime thriller as Chicago scores 14 in the 4th quarter to even the score and then wins it all on a 50 yard Zendejas field goal. The Bandits will be kicking themselves that they let this one slip away, as they started the game with a 14-0 lead, and held it for 3 quarters at 24-10 before letting Chicago get hot late and take them to overtime. The game started with two quick scores from the Bandits, a Reaves to Truvillion strike and a weaving 23 yard TD run from Gary Anderson. Chicago used a long drive to position Calvin Murphy for a 1 yard plunge to cut the lead in half, and then the two teams traded field goals for a 17-10 Tampa lead at the half. Reaves found Truvillion again as the Bandits went up by 14 to start the 4th quarter, but from then on it was all Blitz. Chicago quickly took their next drive 68 yards down the field and another Calvin Murphy score brought them to 24-17. Tampa did their best to run out the clock, but with 8 minutes left it was too much to ask. Chicago got the ball back with just under 2 minutes to play. They found open receivers on the edge and were able to conserve timeouts. Then, from the 14 yard line, on a 2nd and 10, Evans found rookie Reggie Langhorne in a mismatched coverage against a slower safety and with only 8 seconds on the clock Chicago was back in the game 24-24. In overtime the Blitz got the ball first and never looked back, giving Luis Zendejas the chance to win it with a 50 yarder and the young kicker did his job, putting the ball right down the middle to give Chicago an important win and send Tampa to 5-6 and a game behind Jacksonville in the division. PERFORMER OF THE WEEK Maybe it was the Houston reshuffling of their offensive line that did the trick, or maybe it was simply that Birmingham came in flat, but for the first time all year Gamblers QB Jim Kelly looked comfortable in the pocket, and that comfort was bad news for the Stallions. Kelly went 20 for 28 for 359 yards, was only sacked twice, and was able to connect on several key 3rd downs to sustain drives. He found three different “Mouseketeers” for scores, Victor Hicks, Ricky Sanders and Clarence Verdin. The final scoring toss, a 37 yarder to Sanders would end up being the deciding score in the close 28-24 win for the Gamblers. NEWS & NOTES In a week which has seen several news stories in the Chicago press about the possible sale of the Blitz to one of three ownership groups, all of which would seek to relocate the franchise, the USFL executive committee has stated that a major announcement would be made on Tuesday to address the issue. It is expected that the league will announce the sale of the Blitz, and possible relocation, at this meeting. What impact this will have on attendance and fan support for the 9-2 Blitz is a major concern. For two years the Chicago franchise has floundered near the bottom of attendance numbers, but this year, with a dramatic improvement in the team’s on-field play, fans have begun to follow the team and attendance has seen a sharp rise. If, as the rumors state, relocation is a likely scenario, and if that is announced with several weeks of regular season games yet to play, it almost certainly will impact attendance and support for the team moving forward. This may not be the loss of the Colts from Baltimore, or the Dodgers from Brooklyn, but losing Chicago would have a significant impact on the league and, very likely, on the television revenue it requires, which is tied to the market sizes represented by its franchises. INJURIES Not a lot of major injuries around the league this week, but those that were reported could be huge for their teams down the homestretch. Oakland will be without one of their defensive stalwarts, Frank Manumaleuga, as he goes down for at least 4-6 weeks with a neck injury. Michigan will be missing one of their key offensive weapons as Anthony Carter could miss as much as 4 weeks with an abdominal tear. Philly TE Steve Folsom could miss an equal amount of time with a torn meniscus, and Denver rooke wideout Emile Harry is expected to miss one or two games with a hamstring injury. Chicago also is hoping their defensive star, Junior Ah You will be back next week, but with a dislocation of his right shoulder, he may need another week to recoup. PLAYOFF PICTURE As predicted, Philadelphia became the first team to punch their playoff ticket as their win, paired with a Boston loss, gave them a 6 game division lead with only 5 games to play. Philadelphia can wrap up the top seed in the East with another win or a Jacksonville loss. Speaking of Jacksonville, they now move a game up on Tampa and remain undefeated in the division. Out West, Michigan and Chicago are still battling for the division, but it seems almost certain that both will make the postseason as they lead the 5th place team (with 4 spots on the line) by 4 games. In the Pacific Division Arizona holds onto a 2 game lead over LA, and both are well ahead of Oakland or Houston for the last playoff spot. While no team is mathematically eliminated yet, but we have to expect that with only 2 wins both Memphis and New Jersey have to be looking towards 1986 at this point. LOOKING AHEAD Week 13 of the season could be unlucky for several teams as the battle for position and potential playoff berths gets tight. There are some “cakewalk” games, such as New Jersey vs. Tampa Bay or Philadelphia vs. Birmingham, but there are also a few potential killer matchups. Michigan at 10-1 heads to 9-2 Arizona in a potential Conference Championship preview. LA also has a tough Central matchup with Chicago as both chase the leaders in their divisions. And back in the middle of the pack, both teams will need a win when Boston faces Jacksonville, or when Pittsburgh takes on Oakland.

SCORES DEN 31 OAK 24 Denver scores 21 in 2nd quarter to stun the Invaders. MEM 23 TBY 40 Reaves to Truvillion proves deadly to the scrambling Mauler D. JAX 30 BIR 13 Doug Williams throws 4 TD to power Jacksonville past Stallions. BOS 10 HOU 13 Neither team can find an offensie rhythm in this one. NJ 19 MGN 34 Hebert & Holloway show shaky NJ defense no mercy. PHI 28 PIT 16 Stars move one game closer to clinching Atlantic with win. WSH 16 CHI 28 Kiel wins his 2nd in relief, finding Flowers twice for scores. GAME OF THE WEEK Los Angeles Express 20 Arizona Wranglers 30 We spotlit this game ahead of the week’s action and it did not disappoint. LA could have pulled even with Arizona with a win, but they just could not slow down the Wrangler’s newfound offense or keep pace with it. It was another strong day for MVP candidate Rick Neuheisel, as he threw for 409 yards and 3 scores against an LA defense that lacked any form of pass rush. With only 49 total yards rushing, the Wranglers needed to depend on Neuheisel, and he came through. Steve Young had a good game for LA (250 yards and 3 scores) but it just was not enough to keep pace. Neuheisel connected with 8 different receivers, including 9 to Trumaine Johnson, another 9 to the league’s leading receiving TE, Terry Orr, and 6 to Wamon Buggs. The win solidly places Arizona atop the Pacific Division, 2 games above LA at 8-2. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK We had some good ones this week from the usual suspects: Neuheisel, Hebert, Cribbs, Reaves and Bryant, but we decided that since there are so many contenders, that it was time to celebrate a season of excellence. Derek Holloway, originally considered the WR 2 behind Anthony Carter, has taken on a lead receiver role for the Panthers. He leads the league in yardage with over 1,200 total in only 10 games, and his 14 TD’s (including 2 this week) are also top of the league. Yes, a lot of credit goes to Hebert, but let’s not ignore the amazing run of play from Holloway. He has been a huge reason that Michigan is once again flirting with the best record in the league. NEWS & NOTES Our Standings and Stats page gives us league leaders each week, but what about team performance. Thought we would use a slow news week to provide you with the league leaders (and worst team) in several key team rankings. TOTAL YARDS: 1. TBY 3930 2. ARZ 3862 3. JAX 3804 16. BOS 2695 RUSH YARDS: 1. PHI 1351 2. BIR 1158 3. PIT 1066 16. LA 665 PASS YARDS: 1. ARZ 3165 2. MGN 3028 3. JAX 3024 16. BOS 1796 SCORING: 1. TBY 307 2. ARZ 303 3. MGN 270 16. BOS 176 YARDS ALLOWED: 1. MGN 2622 2. PHI 2830 3. LA 2996 16. MEM 3943 RUSH ALLOWED: 1. PHI 526 2. MGN 677 3. CHI 743 16. JAX 1312 PASS ALLOWED: 1. MGN 1945 2. LA 2139 3. JAX 2205 16. MEM 2922 SCORING ALLOWED: 1. PHI 144 2. MGN 154 3. CHI 179 16. MEM 309 TURNOVER DIFF. 1. ARZ +14 2. PHI +11 3. MEM +8 16. HOU -4 INJURIES Defense is ordinarilly at a disadvantage to offense in the high-flying USFL, but now, with more than 60% of the players listed as Doubtful or Out being defenders, we may see some real offensive shoot outs. Looking down the list of walking wounded, or just plain inactives, reads like the USFL defensive all-star team: John Corker (MGN), Dave Duerson (PIT), Richard Byrd (BOS), Mark Kelso (WSH), Junior Ah You (CHI—dislocated shoulder), Doug Prichett (TBY), Ben Needham (BOS) and Gary Barbaro top a long list. So, if you are a betting man, bet the over this week. PLAYOFF PICTURE I realize it sounds weird to be discussing the playoff picture with 6 more weeks of play to go, but Philadelphia is very likely about to clinch the first spot of the year. They have a 5 game lead over 2nd place Boston, and with only 6 games to go, a win this week would lock them up for the Division Title. They may only be another week away from locking up the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference as well. It is stunning that 11 weeks into the season and Philadelphia is the only team in the conference with a winning record. The real battle will be for the 2 wild cards and the Southern title. After 10 games each, Jacksonville and Tampa are 5-5, but teams like Boston (4-6), Washington (3-7), and Birmingham (3-7) which normally would be written off by now still have a legitimate playoff chance in this year of parity (parody?). LOOKING AHEAD Week 12 will bring us some fascinating inter-division play, headlined by Chicago playing in Tampa. With so many teams clustered at or near 5-5, a lot of these games have playoff implications. Oakland and Boston is an intriguing match up of offense v. defense. Pittsburgh plays at Jacksonville in an important game for both clubs. Houston and Birmingham might be in a virtual elimination game this week. Meanwhile some of the stronger teams are drawn up against much weaker foes: LA at New Jersey, Philadelphia v. Denver, Michigan @ Memphis and Arizona @ Washington.

After Week 10 and the last of the byeweeks, we find ourselves 9 games in with 7 to play, just over halfway through the USFL’s third season and while there are some predictable situations, such as Michigan and Philadelphia’s success, the story of the year has been the rapid decline of both Tampa Bay and Birmingham and the equivalent rise of Chicago, Arizona and Los Angeles. The entire Eastern Conference has only 1 team with a winning record (Philadelphia), while the Western Conference has been seeing a lot of quality play. As we look ahead at the second half of the season, let’s explore what has surprised in this third season. PHILADELPHIA (8-1) The Stars have always been the class of the Atlantic Division, but this year they are looking like they have a legitimate chance at a top seed and perhaps a championship. We are 9 weeks in and they already have a 4 game lead over the closest division rival. SURPRISE: Kelvin Bryant. The UNC project has always been a steady contributor, but this year he has been dominating the league. Perhaps it is due to some shifts on the O-line, or perhaps he is just maturing into the roll, but he is on pace for 1,900 yards and a possible MVP trophy. OUTLOOK: While a 2nd half as strong as the first seems unlikely, we expect the Stars to easily win the division and be able to rest some starters ahead of the playoffs. Somewhere in the range of 12-13 wins seems very likely, and with no Southern Division Team above .500, the Stars should have home field until the Championship game in New Jersey (almost a home game as well.) BOSTON (4-5) The Breakers started the season 3-0 before reality set in and they lost 5 of 6 to reach their current status. The first full season with Tony Eason as starter at QB has not produced much offense. The Breakers are relying on a combination of defense and luck to win games, and that is not a long term solution. They are likely to switch to Matt Robinson at QB after their bye week, just to see if they can spark some offensive production. SURPRISE: The production in the passing game. We expected Eason to have some bumps in the road, but this is a team with two very good wideouts (Franz and Lockett) and perhaps the league’s best receiving TE (former Bengal Dan Ross), so we expected far more than their 177 yards a game passing. OUTLOOK: Unless the Robinson experiment proves more successful than anticipated, we see Boston fading down the stretch. They could still back into a playoff spot in the very odd Eastern Conference, but that is as far as we see the Breakers getting. This offseason may require a further investment in the pricey QB market. WASHINGTON (3-6) A lot of pundits thought this was the year that the Federals would challenge in the Atlantic, but an 0-4 start quickly wiped away the optimism in the nation’s capital. The Feds have won 3 of 5 since then, so there is a chance that the Feds will leapfrog Boston and may capture a Wild Card slot. They will need to be more consistent on offense, and find a more dependable pass defense to do so. SURPRISE: Pass Defense. The Federals have talent in the secondary, but with the pass rush underperforming, they have simply not been able to contain the opposition passing game. Washington ranks 14th against the pass, averaging 277 allowed per game. In a passing league, that is a tough hurdle to clear. OUTLOOK: We still like the combination of offensive talent and defensive grit on this squad, but coach Corso is going to need to find some answers in both areas if the Federals are going to get the 5 wins out of 7 which may be needed to snag a playoff berth. NEW JERSEY (2-7) The Generals are a team, and a franchise, in turmoil. They rank dead last in offense despite having All-USFL HB Herschel Walker and the dynamic rookie QB Doug Flutie. Flutie has been more flustered than fabulous so far this year, but we have seen flashes, including a stunning performance vs. Memphis. With an interim coach, no GM and rumors of players being shopped, this is a rough time to be a NJ General. SURPRISE: Other than the house cleaning recently announced, the biggest surprise is just how bad New Jersey has been against the run. The Generals allow 124 yards a game, while only rushing for 80 yards a game. That formula won’t win you many games. OUTLOOK: This is going to be a long season, with an interim coach, and with potential player trades as the Generals are clearly in a rebuilding frame of mind. Pride and professionalism will be needed from the players, because they will have little to play for beyond those values. TAMPA BAY (4-5) Yes, the Bandits are again in 1st place in the division, but 4-5 is not the record this franchise is used to. The Bandits still have a high octane offense (2nd in the league), and their defense is in the Top 10 in several categories, so what has the problem been? If you have a clear answer to that, I think Steve Spurrier would like to hear it, because he seems as perplexed as we do. SURPRISE: The relative disappearance of Gary Anderson. Last season Anderson put together a string of games which had him in the MVP conversation, but this year his contribution seems to have been forgotten. Tampa will need to feed Anderson the ball more than they have so far if they hope to crawl above .500 and into possible division leadership. OUTLOOK: Of all the teams below .500 at this point, we have the greatest faith in Steve Spurrier and the Bandits. This roster is too talented for them to languish around 8-8 at season’s end. We would not be surprised to see them rattle off a significant win streak, one highlighted by their win this week against the formerly undefeated Panthers, which can lead them back to the division title. JACKSONVILLE (4-5) While the Bulls appear to be in the mix in the Southern Division, their 4 wins have all come against teams with a losing record (2-7 NJ and Memphis, 3-6 Houston, and 4-5 Tampa, their best win of the year.) They will need to keep beating the weaker teams in the league as they hope to end the season above .500 and in the playoff mix. SURPRISE: Rookie George Allen has been all the Bulls could have hoped for this year. His 617 yards after 9 games is well ahead of the pace their RB-by-committee managed last year. That balance takes some of the pressure off of Doug Williams and Gary Clark to chuck the ball on every play. OUTLOOK: Offense will have to be the key to any late season run for the Bulls. Their defense is worst in the league against the run (132 yards a game) and is mediocre in other categories. As much as Doug Williams would love to share the burden, a lot will still come down to his ability to move the ball and score more than their opponents. But, with 8-8 being a reasonable playoff record this year, going 4-3 down the stretch is certainly within their range. BIRMINGHAM (3-6) What is happening at Legion Field this year? This is a Stallions team that looks very much like the squad that advanced all the way to the USFL Championship last year, and yet they are finding ways to lose game after game. Just recently they tried jumpstarting the offense by replacing the largely ineffective Cliff Stoudt with former starter Bob Lane, only to see Lane hurt and Stoudt right back at the helm. This is a perfect metaphor for the year, one in which the pieces simply are not fitting in place for Birmingham. SURPRISE: Cliff Stoudt’s inability to protect the ball. Stoudt, who is known as a “play it safe” game manager has 9 interceptions on the year, which, along with some very poor 3rd down decisions, have simply made it tougher for the Stallions to win. Birmingham built a reputation as a blue collar, solid play, no mistakes kind of team. Not the flashy Bandit Ball or Panther offense, but a tortoise to their hares, slow and steady, and a big piece of that was Stoudt’s conservative approach. He needs to rediscover that side of his game. OUTLOOK: There is still a lot of talent on this team, but unless they can stop shooting themselves in the foot, a return to 8-8 seems very unlikely. We expect them to get more wins this year, perhaps 3-4, but that won’t be enough to salvage a very disappointing season. MEMPHIS 2-7 The Showboats have moments, sometimes entire games, where they look like worldbeaters, but these are almost always surrounded by less-inspired games. A lot of this seems to relate to Walter Lewis, who can dazzle with his arm or his legs, but who simply turns the ball over too much. Add a weaker than expected season from the defense, and real issues with run blocking, and you have a team spinning its steamwheels. SURPRISE: The weak output of Marcus DuPree. DuPree was a monster in his one year at Oklahoma, but maybe that is because OU had a solid offensive line, and the Showboats do not. DuPree has fewer than 500 yards and likely will not crack 1,000 this year. We don’t entirely blame him, as the line is simply not opening up holes inside, but the young HB needs to find ways to get past the initial hit and find room at the second level. OUTLOOK: Memphis will likely sneak up on some folks and get a couple of wins under their belts, but this certainly looks like another losing season in the Mid-South. MICHIGAN (8-1) Until the sudden uprising of the Bandits this week, Michigan was making yet another strong case for an undefeated season. They have a defense that allows only 15 points per game, while they average 11 more than that with their vertical game and solid running game. Hebert remains the key to their success, but they have won, and can continue to win with defense when needed. SURPRISE: The injury to John Corker. This is big. The defense has always flowed through the All-USFL MLB, but with him being out for the rest of the year, they will have to find a way to regroup. A big part of their loss to Tampa was a failing of the defense to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage, something Corker excelled at, so this could be a very big loss indeed. OUTLOOK: We still see Michigan wrapping up the #1 seed out West, but they do have to worry that Arizona’s run is legit. They will be a championship contender, even if their defense struggles down the stretch. CHICAGO (7-2) We will be the first to say that we did not see this coming. The Blitz have a top 3 defense—not new this year—but they also boast a solid and balanced offense, something which has eluded them in past years. The Blitz, not the Panthers or Bandits, are actually 1st in the league in total offense, averaging 385 yards a game. If that persists and the defense retains its usual strength, Michigan may have their first real challenge for the division in the league’s 3 years. SURPRISE: Vince Evans. We only got a peak of what the former NFL QB could do last year before a season-ending injury forced Chicago to use untested rookie Blair Kiel for most of the season. Back and apparently better than ever, Evans has been a revelation. He is already over 2,100 passing yards and has built a real rapport with wideout Jackie Flowers. He was forced to miss the Week 10 matchup with Memphis, but the Blitz still found a way to win, which is a good sign for the rest of the year. OUTLOOK: Chicago is mounting a serious challenge to the Michigan Panthers, all the while wondering who will own the team next year. The good news is that winning has made the Blitz a hotter ticket in the Windy City, though now that baseball is in season it may be harder to hold that audience. If attendance drops off it won’t likely be because the team is failing on the field, and that is a good position for a team that has not been worthy of a big fan base in its first 2 seasons. PITTSBURGH (4-5) How much do the Maulers wish they played in the Southern Division? 4-5 is hardly the record of world beaters, but the Maulers have had some impressive outings, most notably a 41-37 shootout with Tampa Bay and a 15-10 slugfest with Boston. But they have also had some real stinkers, including the last 2 weeks against 3-6 Houston and 3-6 Birmingham. If they want to edge into a playoff spot, they need to catch up to some pretty heavy hitters (Michigan, Chicago, Arizona and LA are all ahead of them by multiple games.) SURPRISE: John Jefferson has been the shot in the arm that Pittsburgh, and QB Todd Blackledge, needed. His 649 yards leads the team, and his leadership has made the rest of the receiving corps better. This is still a run-first team behind Mike Rozier, but with more balance, more wins can come the Maulers’ way. OUTLOOK: Looking ahead at the Maulers schedule, they have a tough road ahead. They not only face both Chicago and Michigan again, but must also line up against 8-1 Philadelphia (Week 11) and solid teams in Jacksonville and Oakland. We like the Maulers, but this team is most likely out of playoff contention with a lineup like that ahead of them. HOUSTON (3-6) We are just not sold on the Run & Shoot, and we are beginning to think Jim Kelly agrees with us. Kelly’s play this year has been spotty, largely due to a lack of protection. The LB of a QB is not exactly fleet of foot, but the lack of protection has him running for his life. This has lead to a 9-8 TD to INT ratio, 15 sacks and frequent replacements by Fred Besana due to low-grade injuries. Without a solid line, the Run & Shoot seems to become the Run & Run Away. SURPRISE: Scoring. This is an offense designed to ovewhelm pass defenses, but the Gamblers are only averaging 24.2 points per game, hardly earth-shattering scoring. With little emphasis on the run game, the offense depends on an aerial assault, but the only one being assaulted seems to be the Houston QB. OUTLOOK: This is not going to end well. It is nearly impossible to upgrade an offensive line mid season, and without that upgrade, this team cannot be what the coaches propose. The Gamblers have some winable games ahead, but not enough to climb back into this season. ARIZONA (7-2) After starting the season 1-2, the Wranglers have been hotter than the cattle brand in their logo. They blew past Tampa Bay 42-27, and have been the only team to defeat the Stars (24-17). What is even more impressive is that they have won games with 3 different QB’s at the helm. The star is still Rick Neuheisel, but this is a team with far more talent than we saw in the preseason, and they can win in a lot of ways, which is a great sign come playoff time. SURPRISE: Offensive output. The Wranglers are first in the league in scoring (30.3 yards per game), and with a solid defense (23.1 points per game) they are winning most games comfortably. They will need to keep that up as they still have 2 big games left against LA, and a matchup at Michigan in Week 13. OUTLOOK: Arizona is a dangerous team, one which could find itself in the Western Conference Finals. A lot will depend on their home and away series with LA as the Wrangler would certainly prefer to win the division and get at least 1 home playoff game. LOS ANGELES (6-3) The Express were predicted to take a step this year, and they have. They need to improve their run game (last in the league) but they have the talent to do it with Mack and Boddie. Steve Young also needs to try to make better use of secondary receivers, as he seems locked into either Townsell or Ellis on almost every play, but overall this is a dangerous squad. SURPRISE: The LA Defense. This has not been a squad which has had much to crow about in the team’s first 2 seasons, but this year the LA D is 2nd in the league in yards allowed and 4th in scoring allowed. If the defense can keep up those rankings, the LA offense is certainly strong enough to win more than they lose down the stretch. OUTLOOK: As with the Wranglers, LA’s prospects will largely be defined by the home and away games between the two. The Express have a favorable schedule, with games against Houston, Denver, and New Jersey which should be wins. We expect playoffs for certain, but they will want to push to be the #2 seed and not the #4. OAKLAND (4-5) This is a much better team than the one that shambled to a 3-13 record in 1984. They could easily finish at or above 8-8. The arrival of Brian Sipe has shifted the offense, and while the Invaders are still lagging in scoring (12th at 23.1 points per game) they are controlling the ball and outgaining most foes. SURPRISE: HB Albert Bentley has been a revelation. Buried in the depth chart at Michigan, Bentley started the year as a surprise first-teamer, due to lingering issues with Arthur Whittington’s knee. But his play has made it impossible to remove him from the lineup in favor of Whittington. Bently has over 750 yards and is consistently a top 3 RB in the league. OUTLOOK: Do not be shocked if the Invaders go on a run out of the bye. They face a pretty weak lineup out of the bye with Denver (3-6), Boston (4-5) and Pittsburgh (4-5) all possibly falling to the Invaders. Problem is that their final 4 games include matchups against LA, Arizona and Michigan. They will need to surprise one or more of those teams to have a shot at a playoff spot, but just the fact that we view the Invaders as playoff contenders is in itself a small miracle one year out of finishing last in the league. DENVER (3-6) With talent levels rising across the USFL, it was only a matter of time until the grit and work ethic of the Denver Gold would no longer be enough to consistently win games. Denver just seems outmatched in many games. The new owners have said that they expect to spend more than in the past to fill out the Gold roster, and that seems to be a necessity in the growing arms race of the USFL. SURPRISE: The Defense’s collapse. Denver has always been able to slog through games thanks to a ball control offense and a stingy defense, but this season half of that equation has failed them. Denver is last in the league in overall defense (386 yards per game), and is in the bottom half of the league in both pass and rush defense. Without a solid defense the entire strategy of slowing down the game and winning at the end just does not work. OUTLOOK: While we love the pluck of players like Harry Sydney and Bob Gagliano, the Gold are simply going to have to have an influx of higher tier, and more expensive, players. Winning a game 16-13 is just not common enough in the USFL for the Gold to be successful with their current strategy or their current roster. REVISED SEASON PREDICTIONS: USFL Championship: Philadelphia vs. Arizona League MVP: Kelvin Bryant, RB, PHI Rookie of the Year: Brian Noble, LB, ARZ Coach of the Year: Marv Levy, CHI

SCORES WSH 17 PHI 34 The Stars double up on the Federals on Bryant’s 130 yards. PIT 14 BIR 48 Cribbs and a resurgent Cliff Stoudt are too much for the Maulers. CHI 34 MEM 23 Blair Kiel subs for an injured Evans and leads Chicago to the win. HOU 22 JAX 30 George Adams runs wild against a depleted Houston defense. MGN 10 TBY 31 A huge turn of events as Tampa shuts down the mighty Panthers. BYES: ARZ, DEN, LA, OAK GAME OF THE WEEK While the Tampa Bay-Michigan game was a huge shocker, it was not particularly close, so we chose to favor the Breakers’ 7-point win against the Generals. It was a game Boston needed to have, after several tough losses, and a game New Jersey was primed to lose after a week of turmoil. Both teams were coming off their bye weeks, and interim head coach Joe Mazur had his Generals ready to play. New Jersey came out hot, scoring 10 in the first to start the game. Boston would fight back in the 2nd with a 32 yard Mazzetti field goal and a Marcus Marek Int return for TD off of a poor throw by Doug Flutie. The young gunslinger would recover and lead the Generals on a 11 play drive to end the first half with a Ruzek FG and a 13-10 lead. In the second half, the Breakers found their groove as they rattled off 17 unanswered points in the 3rd and 4th quarter. The scoring started when Matt Robinson, in his first USFL start, found TE Dan Ross on a seam pattern for an 11 yard score midway through the 3rd. He would lead them to two more scores in the 4th quarter, one a long, long field goal (58 yards) from Mazzetti, and the other a short drive after a Carthon fumble, that ended with an 8 yard rumbling score from veteran Richard Crump. New Jersey would answer this score with a Flutie to Lam Jones 18 yard strike, but it was too little too late, and Boston closed out the game and a 27-20 win to move them to 4-5. As debut games go, Joe Mazur’s was not the worst. The Generals played hard, but Boston just had more to offer, and they remain in possible playoff contention as New Jersey falls to a dismal 2-7. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Normally we give the Performance of the Week for a full game’s efforts, but this week we want to celebrate one amazing play turned in by Chicago LB Ben Apuna. Sure, Apuna had a solid day all around, recording 8 tackles and generally reaking havoc with the Memphis line, but on the first offensive play for Memphis in the 3rd quarter, with the Showboats leading 13-10, Ben Apuna’s effort led not only to a lead change, but to a complete momentum shift in the game. Memphis had the ball on their own 18, having received the halftime kickoff. They called a play action bootleg, with the elusive Walter Lewis faking the ball to DuPree and then circling out to his right. The play action did not fool Apuna, who was waiting for Lewis. The elusive QB tried to juke Apuna, but the savvy LB saw it coming and connected with Lewis’s midsection, popping the ball out. He then scrambled after it, picking it up on the 13 and rumbling to the endzone, dragging WR Willie Gault along the way for the final 5 yards. It was a sack, fumble, score that sucked the air out of the Liberty Bowl and led to Chicago pulling away for 17-point 3rd quarter and an easy 34-23 win. NEWS & NOTES Our sources are beginning to hear rumors about the ownership search for both the Chicago and Boston franchises, and the news does not sound good for either city. Despite Chicago’s recent success and improved attendance, the two potential ownership groups out of the Windy City have had a tough time coming together to form one strong proposal. Alone each group is simply undercapitalized to be a serious contender, not when there are potential ownership groups representing other cities which are making strong bids to buy and relocate the Blitz. A similar situation exists for Boston, who still struggle with attendance in part due to their undersized stadium at Harvard. A solid financial group has yet to appear for the Boston market, and it appears that league founder David Dixon has his eyes on the Breakers as a possible avenue towards adding another Southern city to the league. Unless new ownership groups coalesce in the next few weeks, the league may seriously consider relocating these two founding franchises simply to get solid ownership for each. This would be a shame for the two fanbases, but may be the best path forward for the league. INJURIES A handful of season-ending or impacting injuries this week. John Hull, G for the Gold is done for the year with a hip injury that may be career ending. Boston TE Mariano Alarcon is likely out for at least 2 weeks with an abdominal strain, and Philadlephia will be without RT Raymond Soto who broke his arm against the Federals. The biggest injury, one that certainly impacted their game this week and likely will deeply affect the defense for the rest of the season is the torn quad muscle of All-USFL LB John Corker. Without his skills and leadership the Michigan defense was a shadow of itself this week against Tampa Bay, and could suffer for the rest of the year, as Corker is expected to miss at least 8 weeks. LOOKING AHEAD With Week 11 we return to all teams playing, and we return with 8 teams playing in their divisions, so this should be a huge week as teams try to start the homestretch push for playoff berths. Out west we will see Denver travel to Oakland, but all eyes will be on LA traveling to Arizona with first place on the line. IN the South, Memphis has a tough task against a resurgent Tampa Bay, while Jacksonville tries to keep pace by stealing a win in Birmingham. Meanwhile, the Atlantic teams all travel to take on Central Division foes. Of the bunch, the best game will likely be the Battle for the Keystone State, as Philly heads to the Burgh. Washington has a tough matchup against Chicago, but not as tough as the wobbly Generals having to face the Panthers. Finally, Boston’s anemic offense has to try to keep pace with the Gamblers in Houston.

In third of four weeks of divisional byes, the Atlantic recouped, while the Southern, Central and Western divisions battled. This week we saw Michigan play shutdown defense, we saw the run & shoot actually running and shooting, and we saw upstart Arizona proving they are legit. All this plus a monster day from oft-injured Rick Neuheisel in his return to action. SCORES PIT 20 HOU 41 The Run & Shoot stopped misfiring as backup RB S. Howell scored 3 TD. MGN 17 CHI 3 A surprising defensive struggle. John Williams’s 149 yards was huge. MEM 10 LA 37 Young & Co. continue to roll, starting the game 27-0 in this one. JAX 24 OAK 31 The Invaders outlast Jacksonville in a back and forth shootout. TBY 27 ARZ 42 Reaves passes for 428, but Rick Neuheisel’s 5 TD are too much for Tampa. BYES: BOS, NJ, PHI, WSH GAME OF THE WEEK Birmingham Stallions 23 Denver Gold 20 While not a star-studded game by any stretch of the imagination, the return of Bob Lane under center, while rocky, was enough to help Birmingham win their first game since opening week. The Gold had their focus on Joe Cribbs, and were able to both keep him out of the endzone and contain him to only 58 yards rushing. Bob Lane had a mixed game in his return as the starter in Birmingham, throwing for 317 yards and 2 scores, but also throwing 3 costly picks in the game. It was a well-matched game all the way through, with the two teams trading scores on their way to a 14-10 Birmingham lead. In the third both teams tightened up and 4 of 5 scores in the second half were field goals. With the game tied at 20 with just over 3 minutes to go, Birmingham mounted what would be the game winning drive. With only 2 seconds on the clock Stallions kicker Scott Norwood hit on a 34 yarder to give Birmingham their first win in 8 weeks and sending Denver down to a 3-6 record as they head into their bye week. There are rumblings that the new majority owners of the Gold are none too happy about the work that Craig Morton has done this year, but will they go the route of the Generals and ditch their coach mid-season, or wait until the end of the year to see what Morton can do with 7 more games to play? PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Some weeks this is a tough call, but this week it is a no-brainer. After spending the past 2 ½ weeks on the bench with a bum wrist, and after watching Greg Landry have a career day last week, it is clear that Rick Neuheisel was itching to get back in the game and show why he was Arizona’s starter. The UCLA product (as pictured to the right) threw for 373 scores on a 21 of 29 day, and hit on 5 scoring throws, including 2 to slot receiver Wamon Buggs. He also found Trumaine Johnson, RB Mike Pruitt and 2nd TE Rosendo Howe for scores. Neuheisel had no trouble finding open receivers, averaging an amazing 12.9 yards per completion. While his two interceptions make his scoreline look less than perfect, it has to be said that one was a late half hail mary and the other a tipped ball that fell into a DB’s arms, so nothing that will keep the coaches up at night. Arizona moves to an impressive 7-2 with the win, and Neuheisel was successful in reminding everyone why the Wranglers drafted him, signed him, and made him their starter. NEWS & NOTES Today’s theme, the shifting sands of fate. For two years the USFL’s Southern Division has been one of its best, placing a team in both USFL Championship games and boasting Tampa Bay as the league’s first champion. Meanwhile the West has been a bit of a laughingstock, with all 4 teams struggling to make it to .500 by season’s end, and having had some of the worst performances in the league for the past 2 years. Well, that was then and this is now. Arizona is one of the top teams in the league at 7-2, and the 6-3 LA Express have also been impressive. Even Oakland and Denver have had their moments this year. And at the same time the Southern Division is looking like a shadow of its former self. Once mighty Tampa leads the division at 3-5, tied with an equally erratic Jacksonville team. Memphis and Birmingham have struggled to 2 wins each, but neither looks like they will make a late run. While the South may still be kings of attendance in the USFL, something has shifted and this year the usually powerful division may be lucky to get more than 1 team in the playoffs. INJURIES Another week, another slew of players with dings, bruises, strains, and a few serious issues. Looking across the league we see some lesser injuries which will keep some big name players out at least a week: Clarence Verdin (concussion), Scott Woerner (wrist), Vince Evans (knee), Reggie Collier (concussion), Chuck Fusina (shoulder). Bob Lane, in his first start this year, dislocated a finger, so we may see Stoudt back in Week10. Arizona’s Stan White is doubtful with a groin pull, while Philadelphia’s William Fuller may miss time with a potential fracture to his collarbone. LOOKING AHEAD Week 10 is the last of the league’s 4 bye weeks, this time with the Pacific Division getting a much-needed rest. In the meantime, the Atlantic returns with two important head-to-head games. Boston will try to stop its losing streak at 5 games as they head to the Meadownlands to take on the 2-6 Generals and their interim head coach. Washington will try to claw back into playoff contention as they play the Stars at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. In other matchups, it’s the Central visiting the Southern Division. Earlier in the year the 4 Central teams swept their Southern opponents. Will they do it again as Pittsburgh faces the Stallions at Legion Field, Chicago rolls downriver to Memphis, Houston plays Jacksonville and the undefeated Michigan Panthers try to keep the 3-5 Tampa Bay Bandits on the wrong end of .500.