Week 8 Roundup

Gregory Shea, RB, Memphis

The second half of the USFL/WFL season looks like it's going to offer some craziness to fans of the Southwest Division teams.

RB Gregory Shea set a USFL/WFL record with kickoff returns of 109 yards, 105 yards, and 99 yards during a 41-27 loss to the Detroit Wheels. Shea's 405 return yards were also a single-game record. His five TD returns this season are a league record. His 10 career kick return TDs are also a league record.

Shea was the 21st player taken in the 1974 allocation draft. His ratings include 92 speed, 92 acceleration, 85 break tackle, 85 ball carrying, and 92 kick catching.

The Showboats are still alive in the playoff hunt despite having lost three in a row to fall to 3-5. Detroit QB Mario Valencia threw five TD passes.

Oklahoma currently holds the lead at 5-3, but QB Dale Brown suffered what may be a season-ending knee surgery during his team's 38-29 Week 8 win over the Shreveport Steamer. Outlaws coach beltmann has only two games under his belt, so nobody knows what direction Oklahoma will go.

Brown managed to play on his bum knee the rest of the game, even throwing a clinching TD pass with 2 minutes to play. His 26 TD tosses this season rank one behind Valencia and Arizona's Jerry Montalvo.

San Antonio, seeking its fourth consecutive division title, continues to falter. The Gunslingers lost to the Portland Storm, 20-14. Portland CB Timothy McLaughlin intercepted three passes against San Antonio.

And the Houston Gamblers are still alive after an 0-5 start. Houston has won three in a row for the first time in franchise history, rolling to a 55-24 win over the Michigan Panthers.

Houston outscored Michigan, 38-0, over the middle two quarters. The Gamblers set a franchise record for points in a game while compiling 669 yards of total offense. WR David Nelson caught 11 passes for 192 yards and TDs of 21 and 55 yards from QB James Lightfoot. Houston, 0-3 in its previous meetings with the Panthers, has averaged 46 points per game during its current streak.

In other Week 8 games:

• The Georgia Force and Birmingham Stallions are once again tied atop the South Division at 5-3 after the Stallions trampled the Philadelphia Bell, 51-6, and the Force fell to the Tampa Bay Bandits, 33-16.
• The Oakland Invaders gave a victory to outgoing coach Wolveraider, beating the Orlando Renegades, 26-14, behind 135 yards rushing and a TD from RB Jason Brooks. Wolveraider announced his resignation after the game, handing over the reins to wayne110. Orlando DT Bryan Johnson had nine tackles and nine hurries.
• The Los Angeles Express took a two-game lead over San Jose in the Pacific Division by defeating the SaberCats, 47-16. LAX running backs Seth Wynn and Robert Sanders combined for 312 yards rushing.
• The Southern California Sun had been 0-7 all-time against Honolulu before stunning the Hawaiians, 33-17. Leonard Arredondo rushed for 212 yards and two TDs.
• The Baltimore Stars managed only 155 net yards, but somehow managed to edge the Cleveland Thunderbolts, 16-15. An 8-yard TD pass from QB John Peters to RB Jeremy Cooper midway through the fourth quarter gave Baltimore the lead. Cleveland moved to the Stars' 44 in the final minute, but that final drive was snuffed out via a sack by Baltimore DT Felix Long. The Stars are tied with Pittsburgh atop the Atlantic Division at 6-2.
• Chicago QB Daniel McKee threw five TD passes as the Blitz edged the Washington Federals, 48-41. McKee found TE George Allen for TDs of 73 and 78 yards in the first 3 minutes of the game. Chicago evened its record at 4-4 with its third consecutive win.

Week 9 Preview

We could see a three-way tie in the South Division if the Shreveport Steamer (4-4) defeat the Birmingham Stallions (5-3) and the Georgia Force (5-3) lose to the Orlando Renegades (4-4). We already have a three-way tie in the West Division, but the Portland Storm (6-2) have a tough task this week in the Tampa Bay Bandits (7-1). The Houston Gamblers (3-5) will try to extend their franchise-record three-game win streak with a victory against the New Orleans VooDoo (0-8).

Record Book

Oklahoma WR Dusty Heckman is on pace to break his own USFL/WFL single-season receiving yardage record. Heckman has 1,317 yards so far in 1977. He accumulated 2,548 receiving yards last season and is already the league's all-time leader with exactly 6,500 yards.

Coach's Profile

mwd65, Los Angeles Express

Playing MFN Since: December 2016

mwd65, Express

Hometown (town, state): Cicero, N.Y.

Current residence (town, state): North Syracuse, N.Y.

Day job: Sixth-grade teacher

Favorite teams (all sports): New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Buccaneers

A real-life sports experience: Meeting Jerome Bettis and thinking "I could tackle him"... until we shook hands ... this ended my football aspirations.

A fantasy sports experience: Playing in four fantasy football leagues and making it to the Super Bowl every time.

Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Don't be quick to "blow up" a team you just took over. Go slow, set small goals, and learn from mistakes.