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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.

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.