Players of the Week
National Conference
Offense: Vincent Goode, QB, New Orleans VooDoo. Goode completed 25 of 50 passes for 645 yards and 9 TDs in a 75-12 rout of the Orlando Renegades.
Honorable Mention: Jose Medina, RB, Philadelphia Bell; Thomas Canale, WR, New Orleans VooDoo; Victor Gorman, QB, Baltimore Stars.
Defense: Nathan Sherrard, RDE, Jacksonville Bulls. Sherrard recorded seven tackles and three sacks and forced a fumble as the Bulls clinched a playoff spot with a 27-9 win over the Oklahoma Outlaws.
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| Nathan Sherrard, Jacksonville Bulls (50) |
Honorable Mention: Christopher Bolden, MLB, New York Stars; James Wellman, CB, Birmingham Stallions; Jesses Amos, MLB, Georgia Force; Juan Bellino, SS, Charlotte Hornets.
American Conference
Offense: William Hill, QB, Portland Storm. Hill completed 33 of 57 passes for 622 yards and 8 TDs as the Storm routed the San Jose SaberCats, 56-27.
Honorable Mention: Tony Smith, QB, San Antonio Gunslingers; Donnie Baker, WR, San Antonio Gunslingers; Jordan Devers, RB, Los Angeles Express; Brendan Robertson, QB, Michigan Panthers.
Defense: Elton Engler, LDE, Chicago Blitz. Engler made eight tackles, sacked the quarterback six times and recovered two fumbles as the Blitz outscored the Arizona Wranglers, 29-17, to finish the regular season with a 14-2 record.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Willey, DE, Denver Gold; Edward Ryan, MLB, Oakland Invaders; Bobby Wells, MLB, Detroit Wheels; Stanley Thomas, CB, Michigan Panthers.
Notes
- The Baltimore Stars are in the playoffs, and not exactly how we expected it to happen. The Stars knocked off the division-leading Pittsburgh Maulers, 28-14, on Sunday Night Football. At the same time, New Jersey was falling to the Boston Breakers, 31-19. Then, on the final Monday Night Football telecast of the year, the Washington Federals snapped a seven-game losing streak by stunning the Shreveport Steamer, 21-16. So, when the dust cleared, Baltimore was 9-7, Shreveport and New Jersey 8-8.
- The Stars must face Pittsburgh again in the first round of the playoffs. The Maulers won, 27-24, earlier this season before their Week 16 defeat. The other National Conference first-round game has the New Orleans VooDoo as an 11-point favorite over the Jacksonville Bulls. That was the exact margin of VooDoo victory when the teams met in Week 3 (23-12).
- In the American Conference, the Detroit Wheels (14-2) are a 2-point favorite, but must go on the road to face the Portland Storm (12-4), which won the West Division when the Denver Gold was upset by the Oakland Invaders, 38-28. The Gold will try to recover from that defeat when they travel to San Jose to face the SaberCats in the other first-round game. The SaberCats have lost three of their last five, including a 56-27 spanking at the hands of Portland in Week 16.
- Baltimore scored its clinching TD against Pittsburgh on a "hot read" by QB Victor Gorman, who hit TE Scott Ayotte with a 4-yard TD pass with 6:47 to play.
- Portland QB William Hill threw four of his eight TD passes in the first quarter, including one to TE Ivory Villanueva for 50 yards. The Storm trailed, 14-7, early in the quarter, but led, 41-17, at halftime.
- The Los Angeles Express defeated the Honolulu Hawaiians, 38-15, without the benefit of a TD pass from QB Gene Nowlin. Nowlin finished the season with 23 TDs and six INTs. The Express was 5-1 under new head coach coltsfan75.
- San Antonio coach ToroTex is apparently pretty good at halftime adjustments. The Gunslingers led Memphis, 29-28, at halftime but outscored the Showboats, 20-0, in the second half and won, 49-28.
- Dustin Henry kicked four field goals, the last with 1:22 remaining, to lift the Cleveland Thunderbolts to a 19-17 victory over the Georgia Force. Georgia was able to get in position for a potential game-winning 45-yard field goal, but it sailed wide right.
- The Philadelphia Bell finished up on a two-game win streak, including a 45-13 whupping of the New York Stars in Week 16.
- Oakland's two games under new coach Wolveraider were both victories over playoff-bound teams (San Jose and Denver). Tampa Bay was 3-1 under new head coach Mcarovil.
