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| Gene Nowlin, QB, Los Angeles Express |
The list of unbeaten teams in the USFL/WFL is down to two.
Los Angeles QB Gene Nowlin passed for 521 yards and four TDs as the Express knocked off the previously undefeated Memphis Showboats, 32-26. The loss by Memphis (5-1) left the Oakland Invaders (6-0) and Tampa Bay Bandits (6-0) as the only teams without a defeat.
The Showboats fell into a first-place tie with the Oklahoma Outlaws in the Southwest Division, while Los Angeles (5-1) has a two-game lead on San Jose in the Pacific Division.
Memphis led, 17-13, late in the second quarter, but Nowlin fired three TD passes to convert that deficit into a 32-17 Express lead. Memphis rallied within 6 points, but its final two drives went nowhere.
In another key Week 6 game:
Wheels 41, Panthers 35, OT
The Detroit Wheels forced a three-way tie atop the Midwest Division when they outlasted the Michigan Panthers, 41-35, in overtime. Michigan led, 35-14, entering the fourth quarter, but Detroit forced OT when Mario Valencia threaded the needle between three defenders and found WR John Risinger in the end zone with 4 minutes to play. Michigan had the ball on the Detroit 38 with 1:12 to go in regulation, but Wheels CB Chuck Johnson's interception at the 9 killed that drive.Michigan kicked what appeared to be the game-winning field goal in OT, but a holding penalty forced the Panthers to punt instead. Two defensive overuse penalties helped the Wheels move into position for the game-winning score, Valencia's 21-yard pass to Paul Lee.
In other Week 6 games:
- Cleveland CB Monte Cherry intercepted three passes, returning two for TDs, in the Thunderbolts' 47-17 win over the Georgia Force. Cleveland is now tied with Detroit and Michigan for first place in the Midwest Division.
- Honolulu Hawaiians LDE John Nelson had 18 hurries and 3 sacks during a 20-17 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte's Jerry Roux returned a kickoff 107 yards for a TD.
- Southern California QB James Perry was 20-for-23 passing and the Sun scored all of their points during the second quarter of a 24-0 shutout of the Baltimore Stars.
- Oklahoma's Patrick Hiebert rushed for 212 yards as the Outlaws edged the Jacksonville Bulls, 27-20. That marked the second time this season Hiebert has broken the 200-yard mark. Hiebert is on pace to break the league record of 2,056 yards in a season, set by Chicago's Bruce Fine in 1974.
