Monday, March 4, 2019

1982 Week 11: National Conference Playoff Logjam

With five weeks to go, the National Conference playoff chase has become very interesting.

George Grant, Baltimore (27)
Six teams are within one game of the final wild-card berth. The Tampa Bay Bandits (6-5) and Pittsburgh Maulers (6-5) are currently tied for that spot, but right on their heels are the surging Baltimore Stars (5-5-1), New York Stars (5-6), Birmingham Stallions (5-6) and Shreveport Steamer (5-6).

Baltimore has won four in a row, including Monday's 24-0 whitewash of the Atlantic Division-leading Washington Federals. Washington managed only 154 yards total offense, punted 10 times, and committed four turnovers. SLB George Grant led Baltimore's defense with six tackles and an interception.

The New York Stars, who have won three of their last four, pulled back into the race via a 9-6 triumph over the Stallions on Christopher Meade's 23-yard field goal with 6 seconds to play. The Stars drove from their 13 to the Birmingham 6 before Meade's game-winner. New York QB Edward Swofford completed 25 of 26 passes in his first start of the season. Rookie FS Fred Kyle had 10 tackles for the Stallions.

James Hooper's 39-yard field goal on the game's final play gave the Shreveport Steamer a 9-6 victory over the Georgia Force, Shreveport's fourth win in its last five games.

In other Week 11 games:

  • Oscar Willis threw four TD passes and CB Cory Vargas had two of Portland's three interceptions as the Storm snapped New Jersey's nine-game win streak with a 31-19 victory over the Generals at Piscataway. Portland led, 31-10, with 7 minutes to go before a couple of consolation scores by New Jersey.
  • Jacksonville QB Charles Evans threw for 386 yards and three TDs as the Bulls took a big step toward a second consecutive Southeast Division title with a 21-13 defeat of Tampa Bay. Evans threw TD passes of 87 and 30 yards to Thomas Canale (still going strong in his 12th season) as the Bulls overcame a 13-7 deficit during the game's final 7 minutes. Canale still holds the record for TD receptions in a game (7) he set in 1974, the league's first season.
  • Honolulu WR Mark Moody caught four passes for 176 yards (44 per reception), including TDs of 75 and 88 yards, as the Hawaiians extended their Pacific Division lead to three games with a 24-16 win over the Michigan Panthers.
  • Bruno Wilson's TD pass to Sterling Willis with 9 seconds to play lifted the New Orleans VooDoo to a 13-10 triumph over the Pittsburgh Maulers and a four-game lead in the South Division.
  • The Houston Gamblers (10-1) topped the Detroit Wheels (4-7), 16-13, behind 110 yards rushing and 51 receiving from James Connelly. Houston's 10th win of the season is a franchise record and Detroit's seven losses is a franchise record.
  • Charlotte WLB Thomas Allums intercepted three passes as the Hornets held off the San Jose SaberCats, 19-14. San Jose rookie RB Kenneth Anderson had 76 yards rushing and 105 receiving, including a 67-yard TD catch.


Week 12 Preview

The Jacksonville Bulls (7-3-1) host the Philadelphia Bell (7-4) in a battle of teams currently in control of their own playoff destiny. The Denver Gold (6-5) are at the Chicago Blitz (6-5) in a battle of teams desperately trying to control theirs. The Washington Federals (8-3) could all but clinch their second Atlantic Division title in three years with a win against the Maulers (6-5) at Pittsburgh. The Memphis Showboats (7-4) host the Tampa Bay Bandits (6-5) in another game with postseason implications.

Record Book


  • Michigan Panthers punter Julius Horowitz dropped eight punts inside the 20 against Birmingham. That tired a USFL/WFL record set by Jeff Johnson of New Orleans (1980) and Richard Griffin of Orlando (1981).
  • Denver WR Michael Sonnenberg accumulated 147 punt return yards on five returns during a game against San Antonio earlier this season. That ranks third all-time behind New Jersey's Chad Ochocinco (182, 1980) and Philadelphia's Howard Cardenas (155, 1980).
  • There have been nine punt return TDs in the nine-season history of our league. Three have come this season—Sonnenberg, Charlotte's Jerry Roux, and Florida's Arthur Strickland.