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Two very different games this weekend as New Jersey and Memphis played in a defensive slugfest, while Michigan kicked it into high gear and ran away with a home victory against the Wranglers. Is the success of Montana and Marcus Allen in this game a sign that they may just have the playoff experience to make a run or is the slow steady defensive muscle of the Memphis Showboats more likely to be a challenge as they face the Stars next week. Wild Card football this weekend, divisional matchups to preview for next weekend. All here. This one was all about the defenses as neither team was able to crack 300 yards of offense and both kept the other to only 3 converted third downs all day. New Jersey scored first as Doug Flutie, after two weeks recovering from injury, found Mark Chmura for a score on their 3rd possession of the first half. Memphis would connect on two 2nd quarter field goals and at the half it was a 7-6 Generals advantage but a game that was dominated by big defensive plays. The Memphis D had sacked Flutie 3 times in the first half, and this would continue into the second as Reggie White scored 3 sacks on the day and Santana Dotson two more. The Showboats would also force 2 interceptions and a fumble from New Jersey as the ball hawking and high pressure scheme of Buddy Ryan kept the New Jersey offense off balance all day. For their part the Generals defense focused on containing Greg Boone, which they did quite well, limiting him to 3 yards per carry and no scores. But, in doing so they fell prey to a few well-timed play-action passes as Mike Kelley had a solid second half. He would connect with TE Tony McGee for one score, and after a failed 2-point PAT attempt, Memphis would take the lead early in the third 12-7. They boosted this advantage when Kelley found wily veteran Vic James for his second TD pass, this time just into the 4th quarter. With a 19-7 advantage, Memphis just had to slow things down, and while they did give up a TD late in the game to Herschel Walker, the lead held, and the Showboats set up a divisional matchup of two defenses who may just try to shut each other out as Memphis will head to Philadelphia next week to face the Stars. Both the Wranglers and Panthers aimed to prove that despite 8-8 records, they deserved to be in the playoffs as the two faced off in the Silverdome. The Wranglers made the postseason despite having one of the league’s least effective offenses, relying on turnovers and defensive pressure to win games. Michigan had more offensive firepower but their defense suffered from lapses in concentration which often cost them games. Two imperfect teams trying to get it right this weekend, when only one could survive and advance. The game was fairly even through the first quarter and a half, with Arizona building up a 10-7 lead thanks to a short Bosco to Kendal Smith TD toss and a Mick Luckhurst field goal. Michigan had countered as backup HB Rodney Culver dove in to the endzone from the 2 to keep the home team right in the mix. It was a game that looked to be close unless something big turned the tide one way or the other. Well, that something happened in dramatic fashion as a ball intended for Courtney Hawkins, got tipped high in the air before being snagged by LB Hardy Nickerson, surrounded by 3 Wrangler linemen, Nickerson appeared to be headed to the ground when he suddenly tossed the ball back to an approaching Carnell Lake. The pitch surprised the Wranglers, who were still stunned by the initial pick, and Lake had open ground to the endzone. That play, dramatic and energizing for the crowd, turned the tide of the entire game. On their next possession the Panthers would increase the lead to 21-10 on a Marcus Allen 9-yard run. Then, after a Daluiso field goal to open the 3rd quarter, Michigan scored twice more against the now shellshocked Wranglers. Montana hit Jeff Campbell for a score to close out the 3rd, and then, only 4 minutes later, found Bobby Joe Edmunds for another. It was 38-10 and while the fat lady was not singing right away, she was certainly tuning up her vocal cords. Arizona finally responded with a late Terry Orr TD, but it was much too little and much too late as Michigan relished a home playoff victory and prepared for their next task, a short hop over to the Windy City to face their familiar rival, Chicago, the surprise #1 seed in the Western Conference at 9-6-1. TEXAS—While the Outlaws are just now gearing up their search for a head coach, they have taken a big step towards redefining their team as the club has signed former Dallas Cowboy and Arizona Cardinal Player Personnel staffer Bob Ackles to be their new GM and Director of Player Personnel. It is expected that Ackles will be guiding Texas through the player retention, resigning, expansion draft and collegiate draft processes. Ackles is considered a strong up and coming roster-builder who will very likely be managing not only the player-focused tasks, but could take on a larger role, as GM, including being a key voice in the search for a head coach. Does this mean that Texas has a plan in mind, or are they looking at Ackles as a driving force to determine their direction going forward? That is the big question. TAMPA BAY—One team not wasting any time are the Tampa Bay Bandits. As many teams have begun to do, Tampa has been actively resigning players in the last year of their contract, recognizing that creating long term deals not only helps solidify the roster in a year when most teams expect significant losses due to the expansion draft, but may also shelter some players from being selected in that draft due to the length and compensation levels of the new contract. The theory is that the 4 expansion clubs may move away from players who have 3-4 years on a new contract in favor of those with 1-2 years or a lower salary range, as they build an entire 53 man roster. Not happy with just using contracts to solidify the roster, Tampa is now the first club to actively trade away a starting player for draft picks as a way to offset anticipated roster losses. This week they completed a trade to the expansion Atlanta Fire, sending DE Mike Mraz to the Fire and receiving Atlanta’s 4th round picks for the next two years. Mraz becomes the first official rostered player on any of the expansion clubs, though we anticipate that all 4 expansion clubs will be actively scouring NFL and CFL rosters and free agent pools for talent in the upcoming weeks. For Tampa, the addition of 2 draft picks for Mraz means that they will have greater opportunity to rebuild from the anticipated losses within the expansion draft. This strategy is one which we expect several clubs to look into, assuming that others, particularly the 4 expansion clubs, will value veterans in trades more than mid-round, or even early round draft picks in the collegiate draft. PORTLAND—The Thunder are wasting no time in their coaching search. Just days after releasing Dennis Erickson from his position, the team has started bringing in candidate, and there is a definite flavor developing. Two potential hires, both known as defensive gurus, were in town this week. The first was former Memphis Showboats head coach and Philly Stars DC Vince Tobin on Thursday. Yesterday it was former Stallions DC and Head Coach Carl Reese. Expect the Thunder to stick with the defensive emphasis, as their failures as a franchise have always been on the defensive side of the ball, especially run defense. What this means for the offensive stars like Jack Trudeau and Robert Drummond remains to be seen, but clearly the club needs to do something about their inability to slow down their opposition and hiring a respected defensive mind to lead the club seems a good first step in that direction. UNIFORM NEWS—We have the second wave, and we anticipate, the final 3, alternate uniforms revealed for the 1995 season. After Baltimore and Washington revealed retro looks and Tampa Bay introduced their “Black Rider” helmets and jerseys, we were told that these were not the final alt unis to be expected and this week the Arizona Wranglers, St. Louis Knights, and Pittsburgh Maulers all revealed an alt look for next year. Arizona joins the retro trend, going back to their first season, before they made red their dominant color and added flames to their pants. The 1983 look will feature a blue facemask, a white jersey with blue numbers and a wide blue sleeve stripe with thin red and yellow stripes beneath it, and instead of their flame-emblazoned copper pants, they will wear replicas of the yellow pants with single blue stripe from that inaugural season. Pittsburgh and St. Louis went with a color swap theme, similar to Tampa’s. St. Louis, as with Tampa, revealed a black dominant look, complete with a black helmet, jersey, and pants. The shift of helmet color also meant a recoloring of the team’s logo, so now the knight chesspiece is white rather than black & purple, giving the outfit its “White Knight” moniker. Pittsburgh is opting to embrace the “Steel City” emphasis of the city by swapping out the purple helmet and jersey for steel gray versions of both. This will allow them to wear grey over grey with helmet, jersey and pants. Just pray they don’t wear this combo on a cold, grey, rainy day in March because the contrast with the white visitor’s uni may not play well on TV. OK, back to playoff football. Four huge games this week as each Wildcard winner now gets to take a shot at the conference’s #1 seed and each #3 seed travels to the other division winner and #2 club. Some interesting intra-divisional matchups of clubs very familiar with each other highlight the Western Conference games, while in both Eastern Conference games it is Atlantic v. Southern clubs. DENVER GOLD (9-7) @ OAKLAND INVADERS (9-7) 3:30pm ET, Saturday, July 16 Oakland-Alameda Stadium Two balanced clubs, each able to knock off anyone on their best day and equally able to fall flat on their worst. The difference here may be all about the quarterbacks. While Denver wavered between veteran Dave Krieg and youngster Mark Brunell all season, Oakland saw the fruition of their signing of former Panther hero Bobby Hebert as the Cajun Cannon had a stellar year, competing with Brett Favre of Birmingham for possible MVP honors. Denver has the better defense, and they will need it on the road and facing Hebert, Stacy, and Ellard, so don’t expect a shootout, but we still think Oakland has the edge here because they too can play effective defense but have more options on offense. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (9-7) @ PHILADELPHIA STARS (11-5) 8:00pm ET, Saturday, July 16 Veterans Stadium Will either of these teams score on Saturday? That is the big question. We have two clubs with outstanding defenses on display. This could be a 6-3 snoozefest for those who love offense, or a brutal war of attrition for those who love old school defensive domination. Two players will likely determine who comes out on top. For Memphis it is all about Greg Boone. If the veteran HB can find space and break off a few good early runs, it will open up the passing game and force Philadelphia to defend both options. For the Stars, it is Chuck Long. He has no playoff experience, and while his numbers this year were good, the pressure from Santana Dotson and league sack champion Reggie White will test his mettle. If he can remain cool under pressure, the Stars have some offensive weapons to use against Memphis’s secondary. Expect double coverage on Cris Carter, which means TE Eric Green and slot receiver Ernie Jones might find room in the middle of the field if Long can stay vertical. We like the #1 seed in this one. They have been playing excellent complementary football for weeks. PITTSBURGH MAULERS (11-5) @ BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (11-5) 1pm ET, Sunday, July 17 Legion Field Pittsburgh brings a good balance of O and D to this one, and has the potential to hang with Birmingham even if the game is a shootout. Mike Rozier will have a huge role, but we are looking at the combo of Louis Lipps and Raynard Brown as the key to the Mauler offense. If they can exploit the Stallion defense, the Maulers can surprise the Birmingham crowd. Of course, while we think about how Pittsburgh might win, we also recognize that Birmingham are heavy favorites. After a slow 0-2 start to the year, the Stallions have turned it on and Brett Favre had another superstar year. The Stallions will test the Mauler secondary early and often in this one, and we suspect that at the end of the day they will find a way to win the battle of steel cities. MICHIGAN PANTHERS (8-8) @ CHICAGO MACHINE (9-6-1) 4:30pm ET, Sunday, July 17 Soldier Field The fact that Vegas has this as only a 2-point advantage for Chicago can mean one of two things. Either there is a lot of faith that the showing the Panthers put on last week reveals a playoff ready club, or there is still a lot of skepticism about Chicago being the #1 seed. Probably a little of both are true, because no one expected the Machine to get to this point, especially not without Bernie Kosar, and many did expect a revival in Michigan when Montana and Marcus Allen were signed. In our bullpen, we like the grit and spirit that Marty Schottenheimer has developed with this Chicago club. We also think that he will have some surprises in place for the Panthers. We are leaning towards a Chicago win here.

USA Today, July 8, 1994 It came down to the wire, but these ten franchises have made it to the second season, the USFL playoffs. Now it is survive and advance. Six teams will not advance past the divisional rounds, and only two will survive to play in the 1994 Summer Bowl. Will it be a repeat for the Birmingham Stallions, or will defense prevail with top defensive squads Arizona, Denver, Memphis and Philadelphia all in the field? Will Joe Montana’s playoff experience lead Michigan beyond its wildest hopes? Can Oakland get more magic from 2-time USFL Champion Bobby Hebert? So many possibilities. So many chances to make history. But only one club will raise high the USFL Championship Trophy when it is all said and done. Who will it be? ARIZONA WRANGLERS (8-8) #5 in the West STARS: LB Broderick Thomas, DE Charles Haley, WR Trumaine Johnson, LB Bill Romanowski STRENGTHS: The strength of the Wranglers is their front 7, with Thomas, Romanowski, Noga, and Haley. The Wranglers were the #3 scoring defense in the league and can bring pressure on QBs from multiple directions. WEAKNESSES: The entire offense. Arizona edged into the playoffs despite being the lowest scoring club in the league. The running duo of Lester and Lionel James can be effective when offset by an efficient passing game, but too often this year neither aspect of the offense has been in rhythm. OUTLOOK: Arizona played .500 football all season, and they lost to the last 3 playoff teams they faced. A win on the road, even against another 8-8 club will be difficult, especially if Bosco & Co. cannot keep pace with a much more dynamic Michigan offense. NEW JERSEY (9-7) #5 in the East STARS: QB Doug Flutie, HB Herschel Walker, WR Lam Jones, DE Phil Hansen, FS John White STRENGTHS: Despite having big names on offense, the Generals real strength is their D, which was 4th in the league in scoring defense and forced 43 turnovers, giving them a +17 TO margin, third best in the league. FS John White came into the forefront this year with 8 interceptions, but this is true team defense with solid players at every level. WEAKNESSES: Consistency on offense. Sam Wyche’s pass-first offense has helped Doug Flutie reach career highs over the past 2 years, but it also tends to run hot and cold. If they are hot, the combo of Flutie and Walker can be devastating, but when they are cold, they put a lot of pressure on the D to survive. OUTLOOK: In Memphis, New Jersey faces a club with an equally flawed offense and an equally tough D. This is a balanced game, so it all comes down to offensive execution. Doug Flutie’s mobility may just be the edge over a more traditional QB in Memphis’s Mike Kelley. MICHIGAN (8-8) #4 in the West STARS: QB Joe Montana, HB Marcus Allen, WR Weegie Thompson, DE Jim Reynosa, CB Keith Bostic STRENGTHS: Experience. There are a lot of veterans on this team, one of the oldest in the league, and bringing in proven winners in NFL legends Joe Montana and Marcus Allen means that playoff jitters should simply not be a factor. WEAKNESSES: Pass defense. Despite a solid season from both Reynosa, rushing the passer, and Bostic (6 Interceptions), the Michigan defense has struggled against more effective passing games. Fortunately the O has been 2nd only to Birmingham in scoring, so they have been able to outgun opponents, but 8-8 is a sign that the team is not consistent enough to make a deep run. OUTLOOK: You know Joe Cool will not be overwhelmed by his first USFL playoff, and for a club whose biggest flaw is pass defense, going up against the weak pass offense of Arizona in the first round is certainly a gift. The surprise home field placement as the #4 seed for the Wild Card game certainly favors Michigan as well. Beyond that, heading to Chicago the following week could be a challenge, but the Panthers know the Machine well, so it may be another opportunity for Joe Montana to show his stuff. MEMPHIS (9-7) #4 in the East STARS: HB Greg Boone, WR Jo-Jo Townsell, DE Reggie White, CB Deon Figures, SS Bennie Blades STRENGTHS: This defense can bring pressure and capitalize on it. With a solid secondary and the brutal combo of White and Dotson bringing heat, it is no surprise that Memphis is Top 5 in yards against, and a solid +8 in turnover margin. WEAKNESSES: Scoring offense. Sounds weird to make that distinction, but Memphis is Top 5 in yards per game, but only 14th in scoring. For all the risks Coach Ryan takes on defense, he seems more than happy to live with fieldgoals instead of risking more to get that 4th down or even taking deep shots. Memphis wins when the defense holds teams below 20, because they rarely score over 24 points themselves. OUTLOOK: Facing New Jersey in the Wild Card round, Memphis will have to contain Flutie and force him to face the pass rush and throw into that secondary. If they are successful at that, then they have to generate enough points to edge the Generals. They can do that, especially if Greg Boone can get some open lanes. We like Memphis to win and then head to Philly to face an even tougher defense than their own. DENVER (9-7) #3 in the West STARS: HB Natrone Means, HB Timmy Smith, DE Leslie O’Neill, LB Kurt Gouveia STRENGTHS: Denver, as usual, is a team with few big name players, but what they lack in star quality they make up for in grit and solid team defense. Denver finished first in the league in scoring D and 2nd in yardage allowed. They are simply tough to score against, and that helps them grind out wins, especially at home. Starting the playoffs on the road at Birmingham will be a huge test though. WEAKNESSES: Explosiveness. The Gold don’t have it. They rely on short fields and extended drives to put points on the board. That means the defense has to have answers for Bobby Hebert and the Invaders because if they cannot contain Oakland with the D, this offense will not be able to keep up. OUTLOOK: Denver is fortunate to have a well-known foe in the first round. They split their series with the Invaders this year, but we bet they wish they were playing at Mile High, where they always seem to get results. In Oakland they will have to be at their best to get past an experienced Invader club. PITTSBURGH (11-5) #3 in the East STARS: QB Alan Risher, HB Mike Rozier, WR Louis Lipps, LB Erik Kumerow, LB Godfrey Miles, LB Demetrius DuBose STRENGTHS: This is a very balanced team. They are 5th in both scoring and points allowed, which means they can play with you in a shootout or they can shut you down. Only a tie breaker kept them from being the #1 seed in the Conference, so this is a team with a lot of upside. WEAKNESSES: What is the phrase? Jack of all trades, master of none. If the best of Pittsburgh’s O and D strengths show up, they can dominate, but all too often one phase has to carry the other. If the matchup is not right when that happens they can lose badly to a team who has a dominant squad on either offense or defense. They face off against Birmingham in the divisional round so they need both their D and their offense to show up big. OUTLOOK: Had Philly, not Birmingham been the #2 seed, we would give the Maulers a much better shot at winning a close one. As good as their D has been all year, they will have to bring it up another notch to match the offensive firepower of Birmingham. OAKLAND (9-7) #2 in the West STARS: QB Bobby Hebert, HB Siran Stacy, WR Henry Ellard, CB Aeneas Williams, LB Ken Harvey STRENGTHS: Oakland’s offense has really taken advantage of another year with Bobby Hebert. He has improved dramatically over 1993, and is a valid MVP candidate. Henry Ellard is torching defenses and with balance provided by Siran Stacy, the Invaders could challenge even the Stallions in scoring. WEAKNESSES: While the defense has had its moments, it is not consistent enough, finishing 10th of 20 clubs in scoring defense. Aeneas Williams with 116 tackles and only 3 picks is making plays on receivers after they catch the ball, not plays on the ball before it is caught. The D-line is not getting enough pressure on QB’s either. OUTLOOK: Oakland faces Denver, which means they don’t really have to worry about a shootout. What they need to worry about is getting stuck in a game in the teens, one settled by a field goal. If Hebert can find time to throw, Oakland could take this game easily, but he has to be able to find holes in the Wade Phillips defense. BIRMINGHAM (11-5) #2 in the East STARS: QB Brett Favre, WR Ernest Givens, TE Shannon Sharpe, WR Lawrence Dawsey STRENGTHS: Do we have to say it? This team just scores points. We all expect Favre to light it up each week, and we tend to underestimate how effective the draws and inside runs of James Joseph and Brent Fullwood can be because neither back is an eye-popping speedster. But don’t doubt for a second that the Stallions will win with offense. WEAKNESSES: The defense seems too content to just draw out drives and allow eventual scores, confident that the offense will outpace any opponent. 14th in yards allowed, Birmingham is susceptible to a club that can slow their offense down and which can turn long drives into 6 points instead of 3. OUTLOOK: Pittsburgh is a tricky first opponent. Unless Birmingham can force the Maulers into field goals instead of TD’s , they could hang with the Stallions. And if Brett Favre feels pressured to play hero ball, we know he can get a bit careless with the ball. That would mean a quick exit. Do we expect that? No. is it inconceivable? Also no. CHICAGO (9-6-1) #1 in the West STARS: HB Ricky Watters, WR Reggie Langhorne, TE Wessley Walls, CB Eric Thomas, LB Darryl Talley STRENGTHS: Cohesiveness. You see the list above. Not exactly a star-studded, big name club. Chicago surprised everyone by ending up the year not only as Central Division Champs but the #1 seed as well. They did it by playing with a team concept and believing in their talent. Coach Schottenheimer has groomed Scott Zolak into a quality starter in the absence of Bernie Kosar, and the club finds ways to win. WEAKNESSES: Dominance is not a word you think of with the Chicago Machine. Whenever they win you often leave the game scratching your head. How did they pull that out? This is a club that does not excel in any one area, they just work hard and rarely hurt themselves. Is that enough in the postseason? OUTLOOK: Everyone expected this to be Houston, not Chicago. But, playing at home for the entire postseason, and playing somewhat safe, and somewhat mistake-free has been a formula that can work for the Machine, especially in a Western Conference that simply does not have a dominant team this year. We would not be surprised to see Chicago win their 2 games and find themselves in Birmingham for Summer Bowl ’94, but we expect that if they do, people will wonder how that happened. PHILADELPHIA (11-5) #1 in the East STARS: HB Kelvin Bryant, WR Cris Carter, DE William Fuller, STRENGTHS: Defense, Defense, Defense. Yes, the offense has been adequate (11th in scoring) but this Stars defense has been a revelation. No one expected them to be this good this fast after am 8-8 season a year ago. Coach Berry was thought to be an offensive-minded guy, and he is helping Chuck Long play his best ball, but it is the work of D-Coordinator Dick LeBeau that is turning heads, and winning games for the Stars. WEAKNESSES: Philly has talent on offense but not the kind that will throw 35 points on the board in a half. Kelvin Bryant is still a solid back, but seems more defensible this season. Chuck Long has played well, but can still be forced into some bad decisions, and Cris Carter, for all his amazing sideline grabs, is not going to blow the top off a defense. OUTLOOK: The Stars will go as far as their defense allows. That could be really far. We are all hoping for a Philly-Birmingham Conference Championship, because it is the perfect immovable object vs. unstoppable force game. If Philly can win that matchup, they can win it all. OUR PREDICTION: We still like Birmingham to repeat. Who they will face is a tough call, and while we love the story of the Chicago Machine, we think we like the idea of Bobby Hebert vs. Brett Favre better. We are going to take Birmingham over Oakland 42-38 in a fireworks show of a game in Legion Field.

Four weeks ago it would have been unthinkable, Houston was atop the conference and seemed ready for another deep playoff run. Michigan was in the basement of the division and struggling to string together good games. What a difference a month makes!! The Gamblers collapse was quick and shocking, the Panthers rise was equally surprising. what happens now is anyone's guess, but the message is clear, do not count anyone out, not yet, not until the games are played. While the most entertaining game of the week was Orlando’s epic comeback against St. Louis, we just could not get ourselves to name the game between the two worst teams in the league the final GOTW of the year, so we chose instead a game with a lot of playoff implications, Philadelphia hosting Baltimore. The Blitz needed the win to have a chance at 9-7 and a Wild Card. Philadelphia needed to win to hold off Pittsburgh and claim their first division crown since 1988 and the departure of Coach Mora. The game between these two teams separated by only 101 miles started off slowly, as both defenses ratcheted up the intensity for the final week of the year. Chris Miller completed only 1 of his first five passes, and Chuck Long fared little better, completing 2 of 6 to start the game. Baltimore would get the first score as they took advantage of a 35 yard Anthony Miller punt return to get into range for Luis Zendejas. The first quarter ended with only that 3-pointer on the scoreboard. But in the second quarter both clubs started to see their offenses find some room. Philadelphia was the first to get their legs under them, despite Baltimore shutting down Kelvin Bryant (He would finish the game with a 1.9 yard average). Chuck Long hit Cris Carter on a tightrope sideline pass and Carter would fall into the endzone to put the Stars up 7-3. Baltimore got another big play from Miller, as Chris hit Anthony for a go-ahead TD with 1:21 left in the half. Baltimore took a lead into the half in front of a loud and raucous 45,670 at Veterans Stadium. The second half saw Baltimore increase their lead with 2 more Zendejas field goals in the third quarter. The Blitz defense was giving up yards to Chuck Long, but not breaking down, leading to 3 consecutive fruitless drives for the Stars. But, the 4th quarter would prove to belong to the Stars. Long connected with Carter, Phelan and Eric Green on a long drive to open the final period, and on 2nd and goal, he hit Kelvin Bryant with a short pass and let the big man rumble over the safety to pull the Stars to within 16-14. Seven minutes later another long drive would end with Bryant plunging off-tackle for the go-ahead score. Baltimore had no answer and a jubilant crowd celebrated the rebirth of not only their home town team, but of their team as the best in the East as Philadelphia clinched both the Atlantic Division and the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference at 11-5. Baltimore would finish at 8-8, their best record in 6 years, a far cry from the team that went 0-16, but still a step away from their goal of playoff football. WSH 13 NJ 23 More playoff drama as both Washington and New Jersey knew that a win would propel them to the playoffs. At the last minute New Jersey realized that Flutie was not ready to return, so it would be Oliver Luck vs. Mike Hohensee, a season-ending battle that few in the Meadowlands wanted to be their lineup for the key game. But, Luck did enough, avoiding turnovers and finding Lam Jones for a TD, while the defense limited Hohensee and the Federals to 13 points to assure the Generals of the Wild Card spot. BIR 35 MEM 10 The worst thing for Memphis was to go into this game with Birmingham angry about a loss to Denver last week and needing a win for any chance at home field advantage. The result, a Stallions rout, with Brett Favre earning Offensive POTW for his 352 yards and 5 TDs. Mike Kelley tried to compete, but forced the ball, leading to 2 picks and 40.4 QBR for the day. Birmingham finished 11-5 but still the #2 seed behind Philly. Memphis, despite the loss, would earn the #4 seed and a home game next week. TBY 43 JAX 10 The Bandits, eager to reach .500 under Coach Glanville flashed a lot of potential this year, and brought all of it to this game against a clearly deflated Bulls squad. Tampa scored on their first 4 possessions, taking a 16-7 lead. They would also score on their final 4 possessions as they rout the Bulls in the Gator Bowl. HOU 10 CHI 36 Houston’s season-ending 4-game swoon came to a crashing end as the Gamblers were outclassed by the Machine at every turn. Early TD’s from Matthews and Watters put Houston in a hole and they simply were unable to keep pace on a day when Kelly threw only 1 score and 1 pick. Scott Zolak looked more the former Champion, throwing for 3 scores against a mismatched Houston D. Houston, the preseason favorite to represent the West in the Summer Bowl, fell all the way out of the playoffs and Chicago claimed their first Division Crown since coming into the league in 1987. NOR 21 MGN 27 New Orleans came into the game already eliminated, Michigan had only slim hopes of qualifying for the playoffs at 8-8 with a win, but those hopes were enough to fuel the Panthers to a win. Joe Montana completed nearly 80% of his passes and Marcus Allen scored 2 more rushing TDs to win the league scoring title. The final result, all the breaks they needed went their way and not only did Michigan qualify for the postseason, but, as the #4 seed, they get to host the Wild Card game next week. ARZ 3 DEN 24 Hunger was the difference in this matchup of Pacific Division rivals. Denver had it, Arizona did not. The Gold scored 17 points in the 2nd quarter and led by 14 at the half. That was all they needed as their underrated defense dominated the Wranglers, limiting their run game to 45 total yards. The win propelled Denver to the #3 seed and a bye, while Arizona fell to #5 and a road game next week. POR 29 OAK 27 Proving that sometimes clinching the division too early can lead to complacency, Oakland lost their second straight since locking up the Pacific. Despite playing their starters, the Invaders fell behind and were unable to convert a 2-point PAT to tie the game when the result was on the line. For their part the Thunder played hard, with Jack Trudeau exposing issues in the Oakland secondary for 401 yards and 3 scores. Siran Stacy had 124 yards in a losing effort for Oakland, who now get a week to rest before hosting a Divisional Round game. TEX 17 PIT 27 Say if you will that Pittsburgh was just the better team, but you will not be able to quiet the rumblings in San Antonio after the Outlaws once again failed to reach the playoffs and once again fell apart at the end of the season. For what seems the umpteenth time, the Outlaws ended the year on a losing streak, turning playoff position into a missed opportunity. Losing 5 of their last 7 over the 2nd half of the season led to a predictable result, as we will discuss later on in this report. STL 31 ORL 34 The Renegades win, but, of course, lose by winning. Thanks to 3 TD's from Craig Erickson, and a combined 124 yards rushing from Hilliard and Fowler, the Renegades came back from 31-14 down and defeated the St. Louis Knights to finish the season at 4-12, but in so doing they lost the #1 draft pick to St. Louis. The Knights got their best performance from Jim Miller, 23 of 33 for 254 and 3 scores, but lost the battle, and by doing so, perhaps won the war. An angry and highly motivated Brett Favre is exactly what the other clubs in the league did not need to see as the surviving 10 teams prepare for the postseaon, but that is what we saw this week. Favre shredded a very good Memphis defense, and was able to sit out a good part of the 4th quarter after throwing 5 TD’s and blowing the Showboats out of the game early. He hit 3 different receivers for scores, and linked up with Ernest Givens 8 times for 160 yard and 2 scores. That is a bad signal for anyone who has to face Birmingham this offseason. Coach Erhardt again looks to have his team ready to go for the post-season, and if Favre plays like this any defense, even the league leading Philly D, will have their hands full. You know the basics by now. The final 4 spots have gone to Memphis, New Jersey, Denver, and, quite surprisingly, Michigan. Philadelphia and Chicago are equally surprisingly division champs, though anyone who watched both clubs this year quickly realized that preseason doubters were way off base. So what is next? Two interesting Wild Card games. NEW JERSEY @ MEMPHIS: Saturday, July 9 @ 7pm ET in the Liberty Bowl It is a battle of two teams with solid scoring defenses (NJ 4th, Memphis 8th) and quality running games. A lot will depend on if Doug Flutie will return. He was expected to start this week, but was pulled over concerns that he was not at 100%. If he is in the game, New Jersey’s offense is much more dangerous, as Flutie possesses the elusivity needed to avoid the Memphis pass rush. The two teams met in midseason and Memphis won by 10, 24-14, and the Showboats have home field here, so expect a rowdy Mid-South crowd. We like the chances of the Showboats, especially with the strong games Greg Boone has been having. ARIZONA @ MICHIGAN: Sunday, July 10 @ 3pm ET in the Pontiac Silverdome The Wranglers still seem shellshocked that they fell from #3 to #5 with one loss, and they will have to play their best ball in a hostile environment as Coach Holtz and the arrival of Marcus Allen and Joe Montana have fans in Michigan believing that they are a lot better than their 8-8 record shows. The Panthers bring in the 2nd best scoring offense, with Allen being the scoring leader among backs. Arizona boasts the 3rd best scoring defense (behind Denver & Philly) but their offense has been erratic at best. Despite finishing the year 8-8 and in the playoffs, Arizona has scored the fewest points in the league, being the only club not to reach 300 points this season. That should scare Arizona, and raise the spirits of the Michigan D, which has been a bit unpredictable this year. We like the Panthers to pull this one out as they have a lot of playoff experience in 4-time Super Bowl champion Joe Montana. The predictable has become the predicted as 4 clubs cut loose their head coaches on Black Monday. Two were known for weeks as St. Louis was not shy about the eminent departure of Jack Elway and Portland had all but confirmed that Dennis Erickson would not be back. The other two were not surprises, but were the result, in both cases, of late season swoons that took .500 clubs and once again led to their removal from playoff contention. In Texas another late season collapse was one too many for Gene Stallings. Stallings leaves the Outlaws with an overall record of 32-31-1, not horrible, but the tendency for solid Outlaw squads to collapse in the final quarter of the season has led to 3 straight losing seasons. For Galen Hall, early success became hard to sustain and even a Wild Card win in 1993 was not enough after another mediocre year. Hall leaves the Bulls with a 47-49 record, and a 1-2 playoff record in 6 years as the Bulls leader. And so now, with 4 new teams entering the league, player allocation for the expansion draft on the horizon, and a lot of offseason movement expected, the Thunder, Knights, Bulls and Outlaws will also have to contend with hiring a new leader to mold, motivate and manage their teams. Let the mayhem begin. For this week’s report, let’s focus on the 4 teams that will face off next week. As we said, most expected Doug Flutie to play Week 16. The fact that he did not at such a crucial time certainly indicates that his situation may still be in flux. But, despite these concerns, Flutie does not appear on Wednesday’s injury report. New Jersey listed 4 players, including the known situation of LT William Israel, who likely won’t return until the Conference Championships. Dino Hacket, Jaime Fields, and Oliver Luck all appear as Probable, so the Generals, if Flutie can start, look to be in pretty good shape. Memphis is also in good shape, though the fact that their 2 players on the injury list are both at the CB position may be making Lam Jones and Irving Fryar lick their lips. Deon Figures is listed as probable, and likely will get the start. Otis Smith, the Memphis nickel back, may be more of a concern as he is listed as questionable. The Panthers are going to have to put even more weight on the shoulders of Marcus Allen as it seems they will be without two of their top receivers for the game this week. Weegie Thompson could miss up to 3 weeks with a neck injury and Johny Holloway is also out with a collarbone fracture. Add to that a hamstring issue for RG Rick Cunningham and the Panthers may need some magic from Allen to overcome the Wranglers. Arizona comes into the game with only 2 players on the injured list, but both are big losses. Center Woodrow McKinnon and veteran wideout Trumaine Johnson are both listed as “Out” this week, hampering an Arizona offense that had issues all year even with these two cogs. If the Wranglers can scrap out a win, it may well be due to their defense as these two losses could derail any offensive plans the Wranglers might have. You know what is on tap this week. In our next report we will give you the full USFL Playoff Preview, looking not only at the 4 teams that will clash this weekend, but all 10 teams fighting for a shot at the title and this year’s Summer Bowl at Legion Field in Birmingham. Will the Stallions ride their way to a home game for the Summer Bowl? Can Philadelphia use their shut down D to regain their glory? Is there a team from the West who can compete with the two Eastern powerhouses? All this will be discussed in our playoff preview edition, along with updates on coaching searches in Jacksonville, Texas, Portland, and St. Louis.

PLAYOFF SEEDS: EAST: 1-PHI 2-BIR 3-PIT 4-MEM 5-NJ WEST: 1-OAK 2-CHI 3-DEN 4-MGN 5-ARZ

What a wild week we all just witnessed. The two conference leaders, just one week after clinching their divisions, both fall. Houston loses their third in a row, moving Chicago into first in the Central, St. Louis gets a win against a playoff calibre team, and 4 more teams clinch playoff spots after a crazy week of action. The Machine knew that they needed a win in the Big Easy to stay within range of a fading Houston Gambler squad. The Breakers new that only a win could keep them from playoff elimination. Both clubs came out swinging, but in the end it was Coach Schottenheimer’s plucky Chicago club that got the job done and now the Machine find themselves in first place with a huge showdown with the Gamblers next week. Chicago got it done by combining a short passing game with red zone runs, as Watters and Mario Bates combined for 3 scores on the ground despite only gaining 60 total rushing yards on the day. New Orleans had their run game working much better, with Marcus Dupree rushing for an even 100 yards and erric Pegram adding another 44 to the Breakers total, but unlike Chicago, the New Orleans run game was unable to convert yardage into scores, at least not enough scores. New Orleans opened the scoring as Timm Rosenbach found Herman Fontenot for a 14-yard TD on their first drive. Seven minutes later a 5 yard scamper from Bates equalized the scoreboard. New Orleans responded with the only score of the 2nd quarter, a 36-yard Mazzetti field goal. In the third Chicago took its first lead of the day as this time it was Ricky Watters powering in from 10 yards out. Chicago doubled up with the first score of the final period, again Bates getting the ball over the goalline and the Machine took a 21-10 lead. But, New Orleans, which had found it tough to score all day, broke into the endzone thanks to the legs of Marcus Dupree. They went for 2 and got it, now trailing only by 3 at 21-18. On their next drive, a controversial defensive pass interference call helped the Breakers get into the red zone before their offense fizzled. They settled for the game-tying score with 2:22 left to play. That 142 second gap between the Breaker score and the final whistle proved to be too long as Scott Zolak, who has made the most of his chance to start for the injured Bernie Kosar this season, led a furious 2-minute drill. Not willing to settle for 3 and leave New Orleans a full minute to equalize, the Machine went for it on 4th and 1 at the New Orleans 22. They got the conversion as Watters jumped the pile for just enough. 3 plays later, it was Aubrey Matthews catching a quick slant from Zolak and bouncing off the tackle attempt by SS Jessie Blount. Chicago had broken open the tie and taken the win. The loss for New Orleans moved them to 6-9 and mathematically eliminated them from the playoffs, and an upset Mike Ditka fumed during the post-game press conference. But, for Chicago, the win, combined with a Houston’s recent slide, now puts the Machine in the driver’s seat. A win, or another tie against Houston next week and it could be the Machine’s first ever Central Division title, and all in a season where Bernie Kosar was out for the entire year. HOU 23 BAL 33 Houston came into Baltimore with hopes of snapping their 2-game losing streak, but the Blitz had their own agenda. Picking off Kelly twice, including a pick-6 by Leslie Frazier, and sacking Kelly 6 times, including a safety in the 2nd quarter, helped Baltimore knock off the Western Conference Champs and move their own record to 8-7, still very much alive in the playoff hunt. DEN 34 BIR 17 Another shocker as Denver came into Legion Field and manhandled the Stallions. The Gold sacked Favre 5 times and forced 2 interceptions as the Southern Division Champs seem to have lost the fire that helped them win 6 in a row to take the division crown. QB Mark Brunell only threw for 141 on 12 of 23 passing, but he also scrambled 4 times for 44 yards, showing a bit of a dual threat to the Stallions. Timmy Smith added 2 scores and the Blitz find themselves now with a huge game next week against Philly, who may rest some starters, but likely not many as they need a win to hold off Pittsburgh. PHI 27 NJ 15 The Stars clinched a playoff berth (but not the division) with a convincing win over their arch rivals from New Jersey. Cris Carter, Kelvin Bryant and Charlie Garner all scored, and the Philly D held New Jersey to only 5 Roger Ruzek field goals as the Generals simply could not punch it in when they got close. New Jersey is still in the mix at 8-7, but cannot afford a week 16 loss. WSH 18 PIT 23 Washington is another 8-7 club that has to play its best next week after losing to the Maulers in Three Rivers Stadium. The Feds held Mike Rozier in check (27 yards on 14 carries). But made too many mistakes, including 4 turnovers, which helped the Maulers take control of the game. Alan Risher hit Raynard Brown for a score and Kyle Kramer scooped up a Barry Word fumble and returned it for a score as the Maulers stay tied with Philadelphia atop the Division. MEM 30 JAX 14 Memphis helped their playoff chances immensely and all but eliminated the Bulls with a resounding road win in the Gator Bowl. Greg Boone again ran strong, gaining 103 yards on 23 tough carries. It was Tommy Agie who benefited, scoring on two short runs, and Jo-Jo Townsell put the icing on the cake with a short TD reception for the Showboats, who face Birmingham next week with a chance to match the Stallions’ record, but fully knowing that they can at best be a Wild Card due to tiebreakers. TBY 30 ORL 17 The Bandits improved their record to 7-8, but have slim hopes of making the playoffs due to the sheer number of 8-7 clubs ahead of them. Erric Rhett rushed for 103 and a score to power the Bandit offense, and the defense held Orlando to only 78 yards rushing in the road victory. Orlando will finish the season against St. Louis in a game that could determine draft order in this expansion season. MGN 27 TEX 20 Following the Panther win, both clubs sit at 7-8 and on playoff life support, needing a lot of help from other games next week to sneak into the postseason. Michigan got a strong game from veteran Marcus Allen, who rushed for 119 and 2 scores to power the Panther offense. Glen Carano threw for 2 scores, but only completed 46.8% of his passes, leading to a lot of missed conversions on 3rd down. POR 14 ARZ 31 By the time Arizona played late on Sunday afternoon, they knew that a win would clinch a playoff spot for the Wranglers. They played like it was a playoff game, with Robbie Bosco completing 72.2% of his passes and the combo of Lester and James rushing for 150 yards and 2 scores against the hapless Thunder defense. Portland locked up a 10-loss season, and by all accounts ensured the departure of Dennis Erickson as Head Coach. OAK 10 STL 24 Oakland, having clinched the Pacific Division the week before, came out flat against St. Louis, and the Knights pounced on the opportunity to earn a bit of respect. David Archer had his best game of the year, named Offensive POTW, after throwing 3 TD’s and completing 27 of 39 on the day. The Knights blitzed early and often, throwing Hebert from his game and sacking the MVP candidate a season-high 6 times in the upset win. Denver came into this week with perhaps the toughest task of any team. To remain alive for the playoffs they needed to travel to Birmingham and knock off perhaps the hottest and the best team in the league, the defending USFL Champions. They did just that with a ferocious defensive pressure strategy, and the leader of that defense was veteran LB Kurt Gouveia. Not only did Gouveia lead the Gold in tackles (9) but he also opened up the 2nd half with a pick of Favre run back for 6, a score that gave Denver a shocking 24-7 lead. He would also add a force fumble, knocking the ball out of the hands of James Joseph, and a recovery, pouncing on a ball that DE Oliver Barnett swatted from the hands of Favre. After the game, Gouveia credited coach Wade Philips for the brilliant gameplan and his teammates for playing a swarming, hard hitting 60 minutes, but no one on the Denver defense this week deserves more credit than Gouveia, the 1988 Defensive Player of the Year, and still a force for the Gold. We got some clarity this week, with 4 more clubs clinching playoff spots thanks to the tiebreaker system. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, both 10-5 have 2 games on the rest of their division and both will make the postseason, but neither can rest their players if they want to guarantee a home playoff game next week, and only 1 can be the division champ. The tiebreaker goes to Philadelphia, so Pittsburgh has to hope that Baltimore can pull off the upset next week against the Stars. In the West, Arizona and Chicago also earned playoff berths with their wins this week. Chicago can win the Central with a victory against Houston in the final week of the season, while Arizona is now playing to be the #3 seed and avoid a Wild Card Weekend matchup. Teams still on the outside but able to control their own destiny include 9-6 Memphis, and, among the 8-8 Eastern teams, 8-7 New Jersey is in a win-and-in situation. The same is true for both 7-7-1 Houston and 8-7 Denver. If Houston can beat Chicago next week and snap their 3-game losing streak, they will leap up to the #2 seed. Washington, Baltimore, Michigan and Texas are all mathematically alive, but need help to reach the postseason. With one week left, we are interested in the end of season awards, many of which seem too close to call. While it seems clear that Bobby Hebert could be the Comeback Player of the Year with the big season he has had, he is also a potential MVP, with Brett Favre being his main competition. Whoever loses out on MVP is very likely the Offensive POTY, as Houston’s losing streak has dropped Jim Kelly behind the top two. Looking at Defensive POTY, arguments can be made for Houston CB Ashley Ambrose, who leads the league in tackles (not a great thing for a CB usually) but is also in near the top of the league in interceptions, and has 2 defensive TDs this season. Also in the race are Baltimore’s Leslie Frazier (82 tackles, 7 interceptions and a whopping 4 defensive scores) and Dexter Manley, who has 15 sacks and 2 safeties for the Federals. Rookie of the year will likely come down to Errict Rhett, who needs an even 100 yards in Week 16 to gain 1,000, and Birmingham’s Aaron Glenn, who has 4 interceptions, 5 forced fumbles and can reach 100 tackles with 9 more in week 16. Finally, Coach of the Year could be a nail biter. There is a lot of support for Philadelphia’s Raymond Berry, but there is also a growing vote for Chicago’s Marty Schottenheimer, who has the Machine poised to win the division after losing Bernie Kosar for the year and playing most of the season with Scott Zolak at QB. Late season injuries are the bane of every team. Those playing out the string don’t want to jeopardize their contract negotiations, those on the bubble want to be at full strength in the final weeks, and those with playoff berths in hand do not want to see their strengths diminished right before the postseason, but the final weeks are like any other weeks and there are always game-impacting injuries. Perhaps the worst case this week is Oakland’s Ron Rivera, a leader on defense, who will miss the entire postseaston after breaking a bone in his ankle in a dogpile early in this week’s games. New Jersey is looking at a potential fracture to the collarbone of their LT, William Israel. Chicago will be without Wendell Davis at wideout after he suffered a groin injury this week, and Pittsburgh could be without FS pat Terrell for as many as 4 weeks with a hip injury. Scott Zolak suffered a late game injury to his non-throwing hand, but is expected to play the all important final game for the Machine, while Houston may be without Howard Ballard, who is listed as questionable for the season finale. New Jersey lost Oliver Luck late in their loss this week, but with Flutie expected to be in full health for the finale, it may not have an impact. Finally, Baltimore has made two key positions a possible game time decision, with TE Deems May and LB Barney Bussey listed as probable, but observers in practice saying that both had greatly reduced loads this week. You have to love Week 16 football, and this year, pretty much every playoff team has to play their starters because the divisions and the seeding is still up in the air in both conferences. Houston @ Chicago may be the biggest game of the week, as it is a direct head-to-head battle for the Central Division title, but do not count out how important the Baltimore-Philadelphia and Texas-Pittsburgh games are. A loss by the Stars and the Maulers can take over the division. Arizona and Denver have a big clash, though moreso for the Gold, who do not yet have their ticket to the postseason and have a win-and-in scenario. Memphis would love to earn a bye but they have to play the Stallions this week, who also need a win to potentially earn home field advantage. They too are hoping the Stars lose so they can regain their place as the #1 seed. In other games we have Tampa @ Jacksonville, New Orleans @ Michigan, and Washington @ New Jersey. The Bulls, Panthers, Feds and Generals all have playoff hopes still alive, so expect some fights in these games. And finally we have St. Louis @ Orlando. A win by either club guarantees the first pick of the draft to the other, so this will be a weird game to watch, but then again, with so many clubs fighting for their playoff lives, who is going to tune in to a battle of also-rans trying to get a draft pick? Not this fan.

Birmingham, Philadelphia, Pittsurgh, Oakland. Chicago, and Arizona are guaranteed playoff berths. Only Birmingham and Oakland have wrapped up their division titles. Orlando, St. Louis, Portland, and New Orleans are eliminated from contention.

Play until the final whistle. that is the message this week as once again late game comebacks shift the futures of several clubs. Two teams clinch their divisions and a playoff bye, and one club sees their playoff potential cut short with a late game collapse. All in the course of another intense week of USFL football. Never let up on the gas, and never assume a game is over until the whistle blows. Those are the hard lessons the Philadelphia Stars learned this week. Leading 28-10 with 4:11 left in the game, they and most of the 38,204 at the Alamo Dome both seemed to believe that the game was all but over. Glen Carano and Quinn Early thought differently, and that combo combined for 2 scores in the final 2 minutes to delight the Texas faithful in the dome, and to shock the Stars and their fans back in Philadelphia. The Game had been close throughout, with Texas taking a 14-7 lead into the half, thanks to Carano hitting Theo Young from 20 yards out and Eric Metcalf from 12 yards out. But Philadelphia roared back in the second half, getting 2 scores from Cris Carter and one from Ernie Jones to build up the seemingly game-winning 28 points as Texas had only gained 47 yards in the second half and only put up one long field goal. But, with 4:11 left in the game, Texas mounted a furious 2-minute drill (2 minutes earlier than usual) and with 1:41 on the clock they got what they needed, Carano to Early from 25 yards out to pull within 5 at 23-28. Their attempt for 2 failed, so they would need another touchdown. Rookie Chris Boniol, who still remains a potential darkhorse for Rookie of the Year, got them the break they needed, creating a perfect onside kick, recovered by Cory Sawyer at the Texas 47 yard line. 1:28 left, 1 time out, a backup QB and a need for 6. It took Carano 9 plays, all passes, to get Texas in the endzone, finding Metcalf and Early each 3 times on the drive. After Metcalf went out of bounds on the 5 with 12 seconds left, it was 4th and goal for the Outlaws. One chance to steal a game and save a season for Texas. Carano dropped back, was pursued by the Philly defense, but heaved a ball towards the back corner of the endzone and Quinn Early was there, a step ahead of his defender, and brought down the pass. It was done. Texas had won a game that few gave them a shot of winning. They had pulled out a frantic final 4 minutes and shocked themselves, the Stars, and everyone watching. Texas was now 7-7 and right back in the thick of the playoff hunt in the West. With losses by New Orleans and Michigan, they were now in playoff position, and could control their own destiny down the stretch. For Philadelphia, this was not a death blow. They still lead the Atlantic, but now find themselves tied with Pittsburgh. They too still control their own destiny, and perhaps this unexpected loss will drive home those all-important messages about playing until the game is truly over. BAL 10 CHI 27 Two desperate teams, but only one could get the win. That almost always seems to be the case late in the season and it was once again at Solider Field. Chicago left no doubt about their position, scoring twice in the 4th quarter to turn a 13-10 lead into a solid 27-10 victory. Scott Zolak gave them the lead, but it was Blair Kiel who finished the game and put the final points on the board. Ricky Watters had his best game as a pro, rushing for 170 yards against a Blitz defense that simply did not have an answer. PIT 36 HOU 28 Pittsburgh did what few have been able to do in recent years, earn a late season win in Houston. The Maulers relied on 130 yards and a score from Mike Rozier, but also got solid games from Louis Lipps and Mike Shaw as they scored the final 17 points of the game to shock the Houston crowd. WSH 21 MGN 17 A big win for Mike Hohensee and the Federals, a tough loss for Joe Montana and the Panthers. Washington got TD’s from Moore and Gunn to propel them to the win. Their defense held Marcus Allen in check, limiting the former Raider to only 24 yards rushing and a paltry 1.2 yard average. The win puts the Feds at 8-6 and well in the playoff hunt. The loss drops Michigan to 6-8 and makes their playoff hopes slim. NJ 27 NOR 17 New Jersey bested the New Orleans Breakers thanks to 2 Doug Flutie TD passes and a brilliant 23-yard Herschel Walker run. New Orleans fell behind 17-0 and never recovered as the Generals slowed down the pace of the game and kept the Breakers at arms length from a comeback. Now 6-8 the Breakers need a lot of help to make the post-season, while New Jersey’s 8-6 record means they can control their own playoff destiny, and with a bit of help could catch Philly and Pittsburgh. BIR 34 ARZ 20 The battle of offense against defense went to the explosive Birmingham Stallions this time. Arizona played well and led at the half, but a second half that saw Brett Favre connect with both Shannon Sharpe and Danny Knight, and then a game-clinching 11 yard Derrick Lassic TD run was just too much for Robbie Bosco and the Wranglers to make up. ORL 12 DEN 17 Denver needed a win to stay alive in the Western Conference playoff hunt, and Orlando was in no mood to gift it to them. Down 12-10 with 3 minutes left to play, it came down to one last drive, and 2nd year QB Mark Brunell got it done, finding Mark Carrier from 24 yards out to give Denver the win they needed. TBY 21 OAK 24 Tampa Bay’s luck appears to be running out late in the season. Up 21-3 at the half, the Bandits could not continue to hold down Bobby Hebert and the Invaders. Hebert exploded for 206 yards in the second half, and Oakland got short TD runs from Fred McAfee and Glyn Milburn to pull within 3 points at 21-18. Matt Bahr did the rest, kicking from 40 and 37 yards out to give Oakland the comeback victory at home. JAX 41 POR 38 Another wild shootout for the Thunder, and another tough loss as the Jacksonville Bulls got 167 yard rushing against the always compliant Thunder rush defense. Jamie Morris and Vince Workman pummeled the Portland D and added 3 scores to the 2 TD passes from Tony Eason. Eason’s final pass of the day, a 5 yarder to Joey Jones, flipped the score for the final time, giving Jacksonville the win, and officially eliminating Portland from playoff contention. MEM 34 STL 12 After seeing other teams sell St. Louis short, the Showboats took them seriously and the result was a convincing road win. Buddy Ryan’s defense tormented backup Jim Miller, sacking the rookie 4 times and getting a pick-six from LB Eddie Simmons as well. Greg Boone had a solid game, gaining 117 and scoring twice, and the Showboats kept themselves in the Wild Card hunt, now at 8-6. The AP gave this weeks award to Jack Trudeau for his 4 TD day, but the Thunder lost a close one. We think the better recipient is Glen Carano of the Texas Outlaws. Filling in again for an injured Kelly Stouffer, and facing that tough Philadelphia Stars defense, Carano pulled off a huge come-from-behind victory for the Outlaws, basically saving their playoff lives. Carano threw for 308 yards and 4 scores of his own, including the two late strikes to Quinn Early that crushed the Stars’ dreams of 10-4 and 1st place in the conference. Sure, Jack Trudeau had a great game, but Jacksonville’s defense is nothing like Philly’s and, unlike, Portland, the Outlaws actually won the game. Carano found 7 different receivers on the day, but when it came to crunch time it was a solid dose of both Metcalf (10 receptions for 111 yards) and Early (7 receptions for 76) that got the job done. With Stouffer likely out at least another week, Glen Carano can become a hero in Texas, and just might position himself as a veteran option for the 4 clubs scouting everyone ahead of the expansion draft. Pieces are starting to fall into place. Thanks to tiebreaker advantages, both Oakland and Birmingham have now clinched their division titles, although there are still several teams in both the Atlantic and Pacific division still in play for Wild Card consideration. The big loser this week was Houston, who now find themselves tied with Chicago atop the Central, something almost unthinkable a month ago. Pittsburgh has to be happy to be tied with Philly with 2 games left, and if the Stars lose a game, Pittsburgh can overtake them. Right now the odd man out are the 8-6 Washington Federals, who need to win out and need either New Jersey or Memphis to falter. In the West it is Denver in the dreaded #6 position. They are looking to win out and get help against either Arizona or Texas. For the Gold it may come down to a Week 16 home game against the Wranglers for the final playoff spot. Wouldn’t that be fun? With two weeks of divisional games still on tap, there are so many clubs who can help themselves with a solid 2-game streak at this point, that doing the math is something we have to bring in someone from MIT to do. Let’s just say that every game is a playoff game at this point. Two weeks to go and 17 of 20 teams still have playoff hopes, though some are on life support. What does this mean for USFL coaches on the hot seat? Well, we are feeling pretty confident in saying that 2 current USFL head coaches are on their way out. We have known that Jack Elway would be let go by St. Louis for a while now, and it seems clear after several comments this week by Phil Knight, that he is none too pleased with Dennis Erickson's lack of progress with the Portland Thunder, particularly their sub-par defense week in and week out. Erickson is finishing his 5th season in Portland, and despite a 10-6 record and a playoff spot in 1991, and a return to the playoffs at 8-8 in 1992, the Thunder have just not progressed. Even a stronger run game with Robert Drummond and swapping out Kerwin Bell for a proven QB in Jack Trudeau has not produced results, as Portland was again eliminated from playoff contention this week. We fully expect Erickson to be elsewhere next season. Next up? Well, Orlando is not doing well at 3-11 right now, but George O'Leary is in his first year, so we don't see the Renegades giving him the one-and-done treatment. New Orleans is now 5-9, assured of a losing season, but again, Mike Ditka is a first year coach, and needs a draft of two to build something. He has the undermanned Breakers playing hard and he has been such an attraction in the Big Easy just due to his fiery personality that we simply do not see the ownership moving on so quickly. The next big domino to fall may well be Gene Stallings in Texas. Yes, they got a huge win this week, but they sit at 7-7 after 14 weeks. If they go 2-0 down the home stretch it likely means a playoff spot and saves Stallings, but this is a club famous for late season flops, and if they go 0-2, or if they miss the playoffs, it could well be the end for Stallings. After a strong 1st season (12-4 in his first outing) the Outlaws fell to 7=8-1 in his second year, 6-10 in year 3, and could finish at or below .500 again this year. We just don't see the folks in San Antonio sitting for that. So, for the Outlaws, it may be 2-0 or Stallings must go. A good week as no new players were placed on IR this week. But with only 2 weeks left it does not take a season-ending injury to impact games and playoff runs. New Jersey will be without 1993 Defensive MVP Dino Hacket for at least a week as he is listed as doubtful after hyper-extending his knee. Pittsburgh DT Moe Gardner is Questionable with a hand injury and Houston tackle Howard Ballard is likely out for a 2nd straight week as well. Kelly Stouffer remains listed as questionable, but after the game Glen Carano just had, we expect Coach Stallings to give Stouffer another week before bringing him back for the season finale. Some players potentially returning to action, listed as “probable” include New Orleans HB Dalton Hilliard, Baltimore DE Charles Buchanon, Philly CB James Hasty, Denver LB John Roper, and Tampa Bay HB Eric Bienemy. Man, oh man!! It does not get much better than this. Two weeks left and nearly every team in the league playing for their playoff lives. Even Oakland and Birmingham still want to play hard to earn home field advantage, so don’t expect any resting starters this week. Ok, what’s on tap? In the East we have Philly at New Jersey (no love lost there) and we have Washington at Pittsburgh. Memphis is in Jacksonville with both teams still alive for a Wild Card, and Tampa Bay will try to earn back some respect in Orlando. Chicago heads to New Orleans in a crucial game for both clubs, and Michigan is in Texas with both clubs fighting for their playoff lives. Portland is on the road at Arizona, and the Wranglers need this win. Meanwhile Oakland is in St. Louis trying to avoid a trap game. Out of division does not mean out of playoff potential. This week Houston travels to Baltimore, but has Chicago on a scoreboard watching alert. Denver has a tough task ahead of them, as they need to win in Legion Field against Brett Favre and the Stallions to set up a week 16 playoff matchup against Arizona. Tough one there.

Birmingham and Oakland have clinched their division titles due to division record advantages. Orlando, St. Louis, and Portland have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Orlando and St. Louis are eliminated from playoff contention. No team has clinched a berth.

Two teams at 7-5, primed for a playoff run, clashed at Three Rivers Stadium on Sunday, and the results were stunning. A great game that saw Mike Kelley in full command of a revived Memphis offense, and which saw Jeff Hostetler once again come off the bench and play like a career starter. Hoss would throw for 259 and 3 TD’s in relief of a concussed Alan Risher. Don’t be shocked if he isn’t chosen by one of the expansion clubs in the offseason because he proves time and again that he is good enough to start. Both clubs traded scores for most of the day, with Tony McGee starting things off with an 8-yard TD reception from Kelley. That was equalized by a Mike Rozier scoring run before McGee caught his second of the game, this time from only 2 yards out, to once again put Memphis on top. That only held for about 5 minutes before Hostetler, on after Risher suffered a rattling head to head collision, rallied the Maulers and found Mike Pritchard for a 19-yard score. The first half ended as once again Memphis took the lead, this time on a beautiful deep ball from Kelley to Jo-Jo Townsell, 45 yards and a 21-14 halftime lead. The second half once again saw the game equalized as TE Mike Shaw of Pittsburgh showed he had red zone skills, catching a 20-yarder from Hostetler. And, once again, Memphis came back and put themselves on top, Kelley to John Embree from 3 yards out. The third ended with Memphis up 28-21. And then we got what we expected, a Pittsburgh answer. Hostetler to Robert Claiborne for 57 yards and we were all tied up at 28. With all eyes on Memphis, expecting a quick strike and yet another lead change, fans in Pittsburgh sighed with relief when Quintin Jones, who had picked Kelley off in the 1st quarter, got in front of a pass to Carl Pickens on 3rd and 7, and apparently came up with a 2nd pick. The replay officials reviewed the film and Jones had bobbled the ball upon crashing to the turf, but it forced a Memphis punt, breaking the cycle of Pittsburgh equalizing only to have Memphis take the lead again. This time it was the Maulers who could break open the tie, and they did, driving the ball to the Memphis 18 and setting Rafael Septien up for an easy 35 yarder. Memphis got the ball back with nearly 7 minutes left to play, but on two different drives, Kelley was unable to connect on a key 3rd down play, failing again on 4th down as time was running down. The field goal margin held and the hometown Mauler fans went home happy. Pittsburgh lept up the playoff standings and now sits alone at 8-5 in the conference, placing the top wild card seed squarely in their own control with 3 weeks left to play but still 1 game behind the defensive powerhouse of Philadelphia. JAX 19 PHI 20 The Stars defense did it again, holding a team at 20 or fewer points for the 12th consecutive week. And they needed to do so as their offense mustered only 20 points themselves. Jacksonville actually had a 19-7 lead at one point in the third, but the Stars D shut them down the rest of the way and with 2 Chuck Long TD passes in the final quarter (1 to Bryant and 1 to Eric Green) the Stars edged the Bulls and moved to an impressive 9-4 record and sole possession of first place in the Atlantic. ORL 31 WSH 12 Washington had a chance to move to 8-5 along with Pittsburgh, but an early game injury to Majkowski again put the dampers on the Federals’ offense. Add in a solid game from Reggie Collier, and a pick-6 of Hohensee and the Renegades get a measure of respect back, beating the Federals handily in RFK. TBY 17 BAL 31 Two .500 teams showed up in Memorial Stadium, but only one had the gameplan that would get them to 7-6. Baltimore played complementary football for 4 quarters, picking off Troy Aikman 3 times, while avoiding turnovers themselves. The combo of Brooks and Foster pounded out 147 yards on the ground to help the Blitz get a key home win and move into Wild Card position. ARZ 24 HOU 9 In a game where they did not turn the ball over once, Houston simply could not get points on the board against a fired up Wrangler squad. The Gamblers got 3 field goals form John Kasey and held a marginal 9-7 lead at the half, but their offense never found its mojo, and Arizona scored 17 unanswered in the 2nd half to take a much needed win. DEN 27 MGN 24 Denver got back on the right side of the scoreboard and improved to 6-7 with a tight road win in the Pontiac Silverdome. The Gold picked off Joe Montana twice, and Timmy Smith found holes in the Panther defense as Denver had just enough to keep the Panthers at bay despite 107 on the ground from Marcus Allen. The late Jason Elam field goal did the trick for the Gold, who still trail in the Wild Card race but are not out of it by any means. OAK 35 NOR 27 Oakland solidified their lead in the Pacific and moved one step closer to a playoff berth with a tough road win against a Breaker squad that was happy to have Timm Rosenbach back under center. The Breaker QB threw the ball 53 times, scoring twice without a pick, but it was not enough as Bobby Hebert threw for 338 and 4 scores to give the Invaders the road win. POR 30 TEX 35 The Outlaws played well for Glen Carano, named the starter before the game due to the injury to Stouffer. He threw for 282 and 2 scores but got a huge assist from Reggie Cobb who scored 3 times and rushed for 109 yards for one of his best games of the season. Portland played well on offense, with Trudeau throwing for 404 and 3 scores, but the defense simply could not hold down the Outlaws, pushing Portland to 5-8 and severely hampering any lingering playoff hopes they had. STL 30 CHI 36 St. Louis again played hard for Coach Elway, but again fell short as the Machine got 4 TDs from Scott Zolak and Ricky Watters rushed for 104 to lead the Machine to 6-6-1 and back into the playoff hunt in the crazy Western Conference. Wessley Walls had a big day, catching 5 balls for 75 yards and 2 scores as well as the Machine get the home win. BIR 23 NJ 7 The Generals defense did what they could to contain Brett Favre and the Stallions, but their offense did them no favors, going 2 for 12 on 3rd down, with 7 three-and-outs. By the time the Generals found the endzone on a Bam Morris run, it was already 20-0 and 5 minutes into the 4th quarter. Credit the Stallions D which harassed Doug Flutie and contained Herschel Walker all game long. Chris Dishman was the POTG with 2 picks of Flutie and 4 pass deflections as he stuck to Lam Jones like a glove. For this week’s POTW, we return to San Antonio and take a long look at Reggie Cobb. Cobb came to play on Sunday, knowing that Glen Carano could use all the help he could get. Helped by a solid O-line, Cobb rushed for 109 yards on 19 carries and also contributed to the passing game, with 2 catches of 3 targets. Cobb has had a rough season, with this game being only his 3rd 100-yard game of the year. He is currently 7th in the league with 902 yards, so it has not been all bad. With 3 games left, 1,000 yards is well within his range, and with Texas one of 4 clubs at 6-7 a late season run for Cobb and the Outlaws could lead to playoff potential. With Stouffer expected to miss at least 1 more week, Cobb may have to take the team on his shoulders if the Outlaws hope to outpace New Orleans, Michigan, and Denver for a playoff spot. With 3 games left, we are still at 18 clubs who still have a mathematical chance for a playoff spot. Only Orlando and St. Louis are out of the running, which is amazing 13 games into a 16 game season. Three of four division leaders (Philadelphia, Oakland, and Houston) all have a 1 game advantage, which is slim, but it means that each controls their own destiny. Birmingham is up 2 on Memphis with 3 games to play, so a win this week pretty much allows them to cruise down the stretch. Portland is in dire straits, needing a 3-game win streak and a lot of help if they hope to squeak into the playoffs at 8-8, while Pittsburgh, now a game up on the cluster at 7-6, also can control their own fate down the stretch. It will be a photo finish, and we are scouring the rule book to learn those tie-breakers, because parity is ruling this year and we expect 9-7 and maybe 8-8 to be enough for some teams to see postseason action. We announced earlier in the year that the league is now allowing teams to have an alternate look that they can wear up to 2 times per year beginning in 1995. This week we got announcements from 3 clubs as to what that look will be. Baltimore and Washington both released throwback looks they will use next season in their head to head matchups in both cities. The Blitz will return to their red jersey with white and blue striping, and Washington got permission from the league to offer an alternative white jersey instead of a dark jersey so they could go retro when facing the Blitz in their classic white on white look from the early years of the league. The third team to announce a new look is the Tampa Bay Bandits, who, embracing the “Man in Black” look of their head coach Jerry Glanville, introduced a black-out look, with a black helmet, black jersey and black socks to go with their usual silver pants. The look, which many say seems to remind many of the Houston Gamblers, features the rider logo outlined in white on a black helmet and the same “western shirt” piping as their usual red jersey look. The biggest injury news came not from this week’s games but from a Tuesday practice, when Orlando QB Reggie Collier, fresh off a solid game and a win at Washington, suffered a non-contact injury in practice. An MRI revealed a significant ACL tear which will likely keep Collier out for the rest of the year, forcing Orlando to finish out this lost season with Craig Erickson under center. In other news, we already told you that for the second time this season Don Majkowski went down. This time it was his shoulder, and while he could be back for the playoffs if Washington can qualify, he will be a scratch for the remaining 3 regular season games, meaning that any late playoff run for the Federals will be in the hands of Mike Hohensee. St. Louis also lost their QB, as David Archer is expected to miss up to 2 weeks with a hyper-extended knee, suffered in their game against Chicago. Rookie Jim Miller of Michigan State is expected to finish out the season, giving St. Louis a look at their potential future starter. Finally, Denver has moved Dave Krieg up to probable, but we still expect Brunell to get the starts down the stretch as Krieg has been erratic since returning from injury earlier in the year. Three weeks left, so every game has meaning. And while this week’s inter-conference games may be seen by some as trap games before the final 2 weeks of divisional play, there are matchups here that will impact the playoff picture significantly. Baltimore and Chicago meet up in the Windy City with both teams on the fringe of the playoffs, while Pittsburgh and Houston look like two heavyweights hoping to lock up a playoff spot with a win this week. Washington and Michigan both suffered bad home losses last week, so they are looking to rebound when they face off in Pontiac. New Jersey also needs a bounceback game as they stay in Dixie to face New Orleans in the Superdome. Philly can all but wrap up the Atlantic if they can snag a win in San Antonio against the Texas Outlaws. It’s a clash of styles as high-flying Birmingham faces off against that shutdown defense of Arizona this week in Sun Devil Stadium. Orlando, with Erickson at the helm, will face off against Mark Brunell and the Gold in Denver, while the Tampa Bay Bandits have a long trip to face a very talented Oakland Invader squad by the bay. Jacksonville and Portland are both on life support so a loss in their matchup this week could be the end, and finally, Memphis travels up the river to face St. Louis, who can only play spoiler to the Showboats’ playoff hopes at this point.

They always say that you can throw away the records when two rivals play each other, and that was certainly the case when the Renegades faced off against the Bulls this week. Orlando came in at 2-9 and already dreaming of next season, while the Bulls, at 6-5 are right in the thick of a crowded playoff battle. So what else do we expect except a back and forth game that ends up in overtime? Orlando’s Reggie Collier is certainly not running out the clock this year, despite the team’s failures. On this day he did all he could to help the Renegades to a victory, throwing for 330 yards and 3 scores, including a TD toss to John Jefferson with 8 seconds left in the game to send the affair into overtime. The catch was Jefferson’s second TD grab of the day, two of 11 catches for 112 yards as he too is giving the game his all. Orlando needed to come back because Jacksonville had turned a 14-10 halftime deficit into a 21-14 lead thanks largely to an Eason to Robb Thomas TD and a successful 2 point Pat. Eason had also had a big game, finishing with 313 yards and 2 scores. With the Jefferson TD, Eason was assured of more opportunity to give Jacksonville the win they needed to hang on in the highly competitive Southern Division. In overtime, both teams struggled to put the game away. Orlando had a chance, but when Hollis missed a 47-yard kick, the air went out of the Renegades. With just over 3 minutes left in the extra period, Jacksonville needed only 3, but they played as if down by 7, going for it on 4th and 1 from their own 48, then completing a 3rd and 13 pass to move down to the 22 yard line. On the ensuing 1st down, instead of using inside runs to get Stoyanovich into range, they faked the handoff, and Eason found Vince Workman swinging out to the right. He had a TE and Jefferson in front of him as blockers, and Workman rumbled the final 22 yards and into the endzone to give the Bulls what had been elusive all day. The win evened their record at 6-6 and made Orlando the first 10-loss team of the season. And once again a rivalry game lived up to the hype and kept 44,000 fans on the edges of their seats. WSH 34 BAL 30 Baltimore played the Federals tough all day, but in the end there was just too much from Majkowski for the Blitz to handle. The Federal QB finished the game with 3 scores, finding Walters, Moore, and Gunn each for a score as Washington moved their record to 7-5. PIT 17 NJ 14 The Generals played without Doug Flutie, but managed to take a 14-0 lead into the half only to watch Pittsburgh battle their way back. Momentum turned on an Oliver Luck pass intercepted by Quintin Jones, and Alan Risher hit on his only TD of the day with 1:05 left to give the Maulers a huge divisional road win. TBY 10 BIR 37 Birmingham asserted their dominance, breaking open a 3-3 game with 34 unanswered points as Brett Favre completed 21 of 31 for 322 yards and 3 scores. The Stallion D also held Rhett to only 46 yards rushing and Tampa to only 1 of 10 on third down in the key divisional game. CHI 13 MGN 37 Chicago simply could not generate enough offense against an improving Michigan defense, and Marcus Allen contributed 2 scores for the Panthers as they rolled over the Machine. Michigan’s Joe Montana was at his best, completing nearly 79% of his passes and guiding the Panthers on 7 different scoring drives over the course of the game. TEX 17 HOU 27 Houston again bested their in-state rival as Kelly connected with Clarence Verdin twice and hit Thurman Thomas for a 70-yard score to ice the game. Thomas would finish the game with 83 yards rushing on 18 carries and 74 yards receiving (70 on the one key play). The win puts Houston 3 games over .500 and keeps them atop the Western Conference. ARZ 0 OAK 23 Arizona came out flat, and Robbie Bosco made two many mistakes as the Oakland defense scored the shutout at home. Hebert, despite being sacked 5 times by the aggressive Wrangler pass rush, completed 23 of 37and threw 2 TDs to lead the Invaders. Henry Ellard also came up big, with 102 yards receiving and the game’s first score. DEN 6 STL 17 After coming close but failing so many times, the Knights finally put all the pieces together as they upended the Denver Gold to earn their 3rd win of the year. David Archer went 28 of 35 for 274 yards and 2 scores and the Knights defense held Denver to only 58 yards rushing. Denver, having lost 3 of 4, has to be considering if Krieg or Brunell gives them a better chance down the stretch. NO 13 PHI 34 That Philadelphia defense once again proved to be too powerful for their opposition, forcing 4 Breaker turnovers, and knocking Brent Pease out of the game. 3rd stringer Gus Frerotte struggled in relief, throwing three picks, and the Philly offense capitalized, as Chuck Long threw 3 scores to 3 different receivers and Kelvin Bryant rushed for 115 in the home win. POR 17 MEM 48 Memphis used home cooking, a big day from Greg Boone, and 4 Portland turnovers to blow past the Thunder and earn their 7th win. Boone finished with 116 yards and 2 scores, and Mike Kelley threw for 4 more in one of his best performances of the year. Mike Kelley started the season on thin ice. Memphis had invested a significant amount to sign Heath Shuler from Tennessee, and it seemed clear that the thought was to replace Kelley as soon as Shuler was comfortable within the system. That has not happened, and the main reason has been the strong play of Kelley. This game was just the latest of several games where Kelley seemed to make a statement about his worth to the team. His hold on the starting job seems secure and now the Showboats will have to decide if they will protect both Kelley and Shuler in the expansion draft, but if Kelley continues to play the way he did this week (28 of 42, 275 yards and 4 TDs), it would be unthinkable that Memphis would let him go. Kelley dissected the Portland defense for 60 minutes as the Showboats dominated the game from start to finish. Sitting at 7-5 they find themselves within range of Birmingham and well within the Wild Card race as well. A playoff berth this year is likely to be seen as Kelley’s work almost more than that of the team as a whole. And, what of Heath Shuler, who has played the dutiful backup all season? Will Memphis retain him as a backup for a 2nd season, or will he prove valuable in the offseason market as teams try to retain as much talent as they can during the expansion and free agency process. Looking at the current playoff standings, we are still well in the middle of a muddle of teams, however, recent streaks can help shed some light on the situation. Birmingham and Philadelphia have both won 4 in a row and now lead their divisions by a game. Washington and Memphis are coming on strong, with 3 wins in a row, while the Generals, Maulers, Bandits, and Blitz need to start building streaks of their own. Out West, Oakland has gained a slight advantage over the field in the Pacific, while Houston now holds a 1.5 game lead in the Central. Denver, Texas and Portland now find themselves 2 games under .500 and need to play catchup if they hope to catch those above them. Divisional games will be vital down the stretch to see if we will have teams break away or will retain a middling group around the .500 mark, all hoping the tie breakers are in their favor. As we head down the home stretch, there is hardly a team that is not dealing with significant injuries, and hardly a player who is not dinged up in some way. Doug Flutie is expected back after a week away, but in Texas it is believed that Kelly Stouffer could be at least another week away before he can return. In New Orleans, both Pease and Rosenbach are listed as Probable, so we expect to see the Breakers bringing Rosenbach back in. Meanwhile, in Denver, Dave Krieg is expected to be able to play, but may give way to Mark Brunell anyway. Philadelphia’s defense continues to roll but will be without LB Frank Stams at least a month, and perhaps for the remainder of the year. Oakland will miss starting RT Randy Dixon for the rest of the regular season as well. Week 13 pits each conference’s two divisions against each other, with the Southern teams traveling north to the Atlantic Division and the Pacific teams headed east to play the Central Division. While perhaps not as high stakes as divisional games, conference record is almost surely going to be a factor in playoff calculations. The best game of the week is likely to be Birmingham at New Jersey, with both teams well in the playoff mix. 7-5 Pittsburgh hosting 7-5 Memphis should also be a good game. Don’t sleep on Oakland at New Orleans, Arizona at Houston, or Jacksonville at Philadelphia either. For some teams, such as the 5-7 clubs, the games this week are essential. Expect tight play as Denver visits Michigan and when Portland clashes with Texas. Chicago has to hope they can get back on track as they host St. Louis, and Washington is hoping to keep their win streak alive against Orlando. Finally, we have 6-6 Tampa Bay visiting 6-6 Baltimore in a battle between two clubs no one expected to be at .500 this late in the season.

Orlando becomes the first team officially eliminated from playoff contention at 2-10.