Week 13 saw Memphis, Houston, and Denver punch their playoff tickets, while Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Jersey must wait at least a week.
Showboats 37 Express 3
Memphis intercepted Mario Valencia's second pass of the game and immediately turned it into 6 points. It was all downhill from there as Los Angeles could only muster 119 yards of offense. The Southwest division is still up for grabs but Memphis will have a playoff game in their future.
Gamblers 37 Wranglers 9
Arizona gained 344 yards on Houston's defense and had 19 first downs to just 12 for Houston. Gamblers played bend but don't break defense, forcing 2 turnovers and 0-2 in the red zone. The Gamblers didn't need first downs as they used the big play for 512 yards of offense, 406 through the air. Gamblers QB Tony Dean was 18-24, 415 yards and 5 TD's, taking just 1 sack.
This win clinches a playoff berth for Houston, while Arizona is still in line for the #6 seed.
Gold 28 Invaders 10
In an important West division game, Denver went into Oakland and beat the Invaders, clinching a playoff spot in the process. Oakland is a half game behind Arizona for the #6 seed and those two square off in Week 14. Gold WR Richard Huff had 181 yards on 6 catches.
Thunderbolts 23 Blitz 10
All Chicago had to do was beat Cleveland and they would be Midwest Division champs but they literally fumbled away that chance. WR/PR Joey Walker fumbled 3 punt returns, losing 2 of them to set Cleveland up with easy scoring opportunities. Cleveland is now just 1.5 games back of Chicago with 3 to play.
(NY) Stars 17 Generals 16
All New Jersey had to do was beat New York and they would be East Division champs but the Generals offense failed to deliver despite winning the turnover battle 3-0. Stars QB Eric Roberge found WR Robert Freese for 2 TD's, yet the Stars fell behind in the 4th qtr 16-14. New York got the ball with 2:49 to go and drove the field for the game winning 51 yd FG as time expired.
New Jersey needs either 1 more win or 1 loss each for (NY) Stars and Philadelphia to win the East.
Storm 27 Bandits 7
Tampa Bay currently leads the Southeast Division but for how long? The Bandits came in with a 3 game losing streak and facing a 4-8 Portland squad. The Storm have been playing good football of late as this was their 3rd win in their last 4 games.
Early in the 1st qtr, the Bandits got on the scoreboard first. Melvin Driggers found Thomas Whitley for his league leading 16th TD reception. It was all Storm after that, as Oscar Willis threw 3 TD passes of his own, 2 to RB Kristopher Brown.
Bulls 33 Blazers 14
Florida has been one of the hottest teams in the league but Jacksonville came to town and halted the Blazer's 6 game win streak, preventing Florida from a share of the division lead. This win also puts the Bulls right in the thick of the division race as both teams now trail Tampa Bay by 1 game.
Through 3 qtrs it was 20-0 Jacksonville but Florida scored 2 quick 4th qtr TD's to pull within 6. The Bulls answered right away with this 74 yard Charles Evans to Albert Anderson TD. That was their second hookup of the day and they would add a 3rd to seal the game and leave Florida to wonder what happened.
Stallions 17 Stars 9
In a possible playoff preview Birmingham hands Baltimore their first loss of the season. The road to World Bowl XII still looks to go through Baltimore, but 1 more stumble and home field advantage could shift south. In fact, this loss puts more importance on the Week 16 Stars @ Federals game as Baltimore could find themselves a wildcard if they lose. That would be a disappointing way to enter the postseason, spending all year as the #1 seed only to have to play on the road wildcard weekend.
Bell 20 Renegades 17
SaberCats 41 Hawaiians 24
Hornets 15 Breakers 3
Gunslingers 11 Sun 3
Steamer 18 Outlaws 7
VooDoo 30 Force 7
Federals 16 Maulers 13
Panthers 24 Wheels 3
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Playoff Push
American Conference West Division
This should be the most exciting division race as there are 3 teams within a game and a half. Denver has led the division all season and currently sit at 10-2. Arizona has won 6 in a row after a 3-3 start and is positioned well for a wildcard spot if they can navigate this tough 3 game stretch against playoff caliber teams. Oakland has a rough 3 game stretch of their own and at 8-3-1, in 3rd place, they can't afford too many slip ups.
The winner of this division will likely be the #2 seed and at least 1 wildcard should come from the West as well, maybe 2 if Houston slips up.
Denver: @ Oakland, vs Portland, @ Jacksonville, @ Memphis
Arizona: @ Houston, vs Oakland, @ Tampa Bay, @ Orlando
Oakland: vs Denver, @ Arizona, @ Houston, @ Portland
National Conference Southeast Division
This is also a 3 team race but without the gaudy records of the West. Tampa Bay started out 5-1 but have lost 4 of 6, including the last 3 in a row to hold a precarious lead with their 7-5 record. Hot on their heels are the blazing Blazers of Florida, who have evened their record at 6-6 following an 0-6 start. They are a prime example of what can happen if you don't give up after a rough start. Jacksonville is just 5-7 but only 2 games out of the top spot in the Southeast and they have won 4 of their last 6.
Tampa Bay: @ Portland, vs Florida, vs Arizona, @ Philadelphia
Florida: vs Jacksonville, @ Tampa Bay, vs New Jersey, @ Jacksonville
Jacksonville: @ Florida, vs New Jersey, vs Denver, vs Florida
American Conference Southwest Division
Memphis had been chasing defending World Bowl Champions Houston for most of the season, thanks to their OT loss to the Gamblers in Week 3, but a recent 2 game slide by Houston put the Showboats in the top spot. Neither team has officially clinched a playoff berth yet, but it's likely a matter of time. The winner of this division will be the likely #1 seed while the other team will likely be a wildcard team, though the possibility remains both wildcard spots come from the West.
Memphis: @ Los Angeles, @ Georgia, vs Portland, vs Denver
Houston: vs Arizona, @ Oklahoma, vs Oakland, @ Birmingham
National Conference Atlantic Division
The only team yet to lose in 1985 are the Baltimore Stars, whose only blemish was their Week 10 tie with New Jersey. Despite their 11-0-1 record, they aren't division champs yet because of Washington who sit at 10-2 with a Week 17 home date with Baltimore. At 4-8, Pittsburgh is a long shot but are not officially eliminated from a wildcard.
The winner of this division will most certainly get a BYE and will likely be #1 seed, while second place will be the #5 seed.
Baltimore: @ Birmingham, vs Detroit, vs Pittsburgh, @ Washington
Washington: @ Pittsburgh, vs Chicago, @ Cleveland, vs Baltimore
Pittsburgh: vs Washington, @ Shreveport, @ Baltimore, vs Charlotte
American Conference Midwest Division
With a 2.5 game lead Chicago is in the drivers seat to win the Midwest over Cleveland. If the Blitz win in Cleveland this weekend the division title is theirs, though they need some breaks for a BYE. Cleveland will likely need to win out to make the playoffs.
Chicago: @ Cleveland, @ Washington, vs Honolulu, @ Detroit
Cleveland: vs Chicago, vs San Jose, vs Washington, vs Michigan
National Conference South Division
With their Week 12 win over New Jersey, Birmingham put themselves in line for a BYE, provided they don't collapse down the stretch. Should the Stallions stumble, Georgia is ready to take advantage. They lead a pack of 8 teams vying for the #6 seed, including 4-8 New Orleans. It's probably too late in 1985 for the VooDoo but they will be a team to keep an eye on in 1986.
Birmingham: vs Baltimore, vs San Antonio, @ New Orleans, vs Houston
Georgia: vs New Orleans, vs Memphis, @ San Antonio, @ Shreveport
New Orleans: @ Georgia, vs Charlotte, vs Birmingham, @ (NY) Stars
National Conference East Division
This is the only division that doesn't have a team with the "e" next to their name, though most likely the division still belongs to New Jersey. At 8-3-1 they have a 3.5 game lead over everyone else in the East. Boston, (NY) Stars, and Philadelphia, all sit 5-7 and are still within reach of Georgia, the current #6.
New Jersey: vs (NY) Stars, @ Jacksonville, @ Florida, @ Boston
Boston: @ Charlotte, vs Los Angeles, @ Orlando, vs New Jersey
(NY) Stars: @ New Jersey, @ Orlando, @ Southern California, vs New Orleans
Philadelphia: vs Orlando, vs Southern California, @ Los Angeles, vs Tampa Bay
American Conference Pacific Division
Most likely, Los Angeles will win the division as they have a 3 game lead with 4 to play. Southern California, and Honolulu need an Express collapse to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Los Angeles: vs Memphis, @ Boston, vs Philadelphia, @ Southern California
Southern California: @ San Antonio, @ Philadelphia, vs (NY) Stars, vs Los Angeles
Honolulu: @ San Jose, @ Michigan, @ Chicago, vs San Jose
Monday, September 23, 2019
Week 11 Roundup: Controversy in Houston and the Force is with Georgia
Controversy was the word of the day in Houston as it seems the refs botched the final play of the game. Frederick Skeen was clearly down with 0:02 on the clock and Gamblers HC Dana Hicks was screaming "TIMEOUT TIMEOUT" on the sidelines. The refs seemed to have trouble figuring out where to spot the ball and that hesitation cost Houston a chance at a game winning 56 yard FG attempt. That marred an otherwise fantastic 4th qtr.
Showboats 19 Gamblers 17
Houston PK Daniel McCormack's 34 yd FG with 3:29 left gave the Gamblers a 17-16 lead. Memphis turned it over on downs inside 2 minutes and it seemed Houston would win. The Gamblers only ran 21 seconds off the clock before punting, but that punt left Memphis at their own 6 with no timeouts and 1:28 on the clock.
The play of the game was this 53 yard pass on 3rd and 10 which put the Showboats in FG range, and the kick was good. It's amazing Houston was even in position for a game winning FG with only 18 seconds to work with. Come on refs, you have to be better than this.
Force 19 Stallions 6
Georgia has their eye on the last wildcard spot in the National Conference after winning the last 2 of their brutal 5 game stretch. Their schedule is favorable down the stretch with only 1 team left with a winning record. Not many highlights from this game, but it was a solid defensive effort from Georgia. They shut down Birmingham's running game and forced 4 INT's.
Express 27 Hawaiians 24
Honolulu jumped out to a 24-10 3rd qtr lead before Mario Valencia led the Express to 17 unanswered points for the 27-24 victory. This Edward Hill TD run with 2:10 left sealed the deal for LA who extend their Pacific Division lead to 3 games with 5 to play.
Gold 27 Invaders 17
Denver won an important division game against Oakland, keeping their slim 1 game lead over Arizona. Dustin Nichols found Corey True for an 86 yard TD pass to put Denver up 24-7 in the 2nd qtr. Oakland QB Les Lacy threw 3 second half INT's to stall any hopes of a comeback.
Generals 13 (NY) Stars 10 (OT)
New Jersey is no stranger to close games this year as the Generals are 4-2-1 in 1 score games in 1985. This is also New Jersey's second consecutive OT game. The New York version of the Stars held the Generals running game in check, but failed to take advantage the other way as they averaged almost 8 YPC yet only ran 14 times. This win gives New Jersey a 3.5 game lead on Boston and NY with 5 to play.
Wranglers 24 Outlaws 6
Arizona has now won 5 in a row and put themselves right in the thick of the playoff race.
Breakers 24 SaberCats 0
Impressive shutout victory for Boston. If the Breakers could find a way to consistently score points they would be a dangerous team.
Stars 25 Blitz 13
Baltimore remains the only team without a loss (10-0-1) and their beat goes on, defeating Chicago in a battle of division leaders.
Bulls 27 Bell 13
Jacksonville rode 5 Philadelphia INT's to a comfortable win.
VooDoo 37 Gunslingers 16
New VooDoo owner Smirt announced his USFL re-arrival by putting up 522 yards of offense. If New Orleans is on your schedule, don't let their 3-8 record fool you, they're a different team now.
Panthers 13 Sun 10
Michigan stops Southern California's 4 game win streak.
Storm 17 Renegades 8
Portland kept Orlando out of the red zone all day to win their second in a row.
Federals 24 Bandits 0
Washington was upset about their loss last week and took it out on struggling Tampa Bay. The Bandits lost their second in a row and have 2 teams just 2 games behind.
Blazers 24 Steamer 9
Florida won their 5th in a row and have the Bandits in their sights. Those two play each other twice the next 3 weeks, stay tuned.
Hornets 33 Maulers 17
Charlotte wins their second in a row.
Thunderbolts 19 Wheels 0
Cleveland shuts out Detroit as the Thunderbolts continue to try and chase down Chicago.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Week 9 Roundup: Force Stop Gamblers 18 Game Win Streak
Force 27 Gamblers 10
I guess it's true, someone gets bullied long enough they'll punch back. Georgia is in the middle of a very brutal stretch of 5 games in a row against the USFL elite. Having lost the first 3, Georgia had enough and took it to the defending champs. They held Houston to 29 rushing yards (20 carries), 287 total yards and forced 2 INT's. Offensively Georgia ran for 165 and was in the red zone 5 times compared to once for Houston. The first of 2 Norris Thomas TD passes put the Force in the lead for good.
Next Week: Georgia @ Birmingham, Memphis @ Houston
Stallions 38 Federals 16
Birmingham went into Washington and galloped their way to victory. On the very first play from scrimmage, David Schmitt found Leonard Robles for a 75 yard TD which seemed to take the fight out of the Federals. Late in the 3rd qtr, this happened. That Kelly Acosta pick six made the score 38-6, at which time the Federals finally started to click on offense
Next Week: Birmingham vs Georgia, Washington @ Tampa Bay
Gold 23 Bandits 0
Denver had lost 2 in a row while Tampa Bay had won 2 in a row, so naturally Denver wins. Just before the 2 minute warning, Corey True took a short swing pass to the house to give the Gold a 16-0 halftime lead. Denver held the Bandits to 189 total yards and just over 24 minutes of possession.
Next Week: Oakland @ Denver, Washington @ Tampa Bay
Stars 20 Generals 20 (OT)
This battle of division leaders was a tale of 2 halves and 2 drives. Baltimore dominated the first half 17-0, thanks to plays like this 79 yard Jon Snow TD pass to Brian Darden. The second half belonged to New Jersey, well the 4th qtr anyway. Ric Flair threw 2 TD passes to Justin Timberlake in the final 6:47, including this TD with 0:35 left to knot the game at 17.
Baltimore got the ball first in OT and settled for a FG, though they took more than 6 minutes off the clock. New Jersey had plenty of time but gained just 39 yards in 10 plays and had to settle for a 51 yard FG as time expired to tie.
Next Week: Baltimore @ Chicago, New Jersey @ (NY) Stars
Hornets 16 Blitz 11
Charlotte finally gets their first win of 1985 with an impressive defensive showing against Chicago. The Blitz had just 8 first downs, zero red zone trips and 204 yards of offense.
Wranglers 38 Express 23
Judging by the turnovers you wouldn't think these are 2 playoff caliber teams. It was 77 and sunny in Tempe so it was just sloppy football.
Maulers 25 VooDoo 7
Committing 5 turnovers won't win many games and this was no exception.
Other Scores:
USFL Notes:
Quite the race for most receiving yards in the league, top 3 within 5 yards.
I guess it's true, someone gets bullied long enough they'll punch back. Georgia is in the middle of a very brutal stretch of 5 games in a row against the USFL elite. Having lost the first 3, Georgia had enough and took it to the defending champs. They held Houston to 29 rushing yards (20 carries), 287 total yards and forced 2 INT's. Offensively Georgia ran for 165 and was in the red zone 5 times compared to once for Houston. The first of 2 Norris Thomas TD passes put the Force in the lead for good.
Next Week: Georgia @ Birmingham, Memphis @ Houston
Stallions 38 Federals 16
Birmingham went into Washington and galloped their way to victory. On the very first play from scrimmage, David Schmitt found Leonard Robles for a 75 yard TD which seemed to take the fight out of the Federals. Late in the 3rd qtr, this happened. That Kelly Acosta pick six made the score 38-6, at which time the Federals finally started to click on offense
Next Week: Birmingham vs Georgia, Washington @ Tampa Bay
Gold 23 Bandits 0
Denver had lost 2 in a row while Tampa Bay had won 2 in a row, so naturally Denver wins. Just before the 2 minute warning, Corey True took a short swing pass to the house to give the Gold a 16-0 halftime lead. Denver held the Bandits to 189 total yards and just over 24 minutes of possession.
Next Week: Oakland @ Denver, Washington @ Tampa Bay
Stars 20 Generals 20 (OT)
This battle of division leaders was a tale of 2 halves and 2 drives. Baltimore dominated the first half 17-0, thanks to plays like this 79 yard Jon Snow TD pass to Brian Darden. The second half belonged to New Jersey, well the 4th qtr anyway. Ric Flair threw 2 TD passes to Justin Timberlake in the final 6:47, including this TD with 0:35 left to knot the game at 17.
Baltimore got the ball first in OT and settled for a FG, though they took more than 6 minutes off the clock. New Jersey had plenty of time but gained just 39 yards in 10 plays and had to settle for a 51 yard FG as time expired to tie.
Next Week: Baltimore @ Chicago, New Jersey @ (NY) Stars
Hornets 16 Blitz 11
Charlotte finally gets their first win of 1985 with an impressive defensive showing against Chicago. The Blitz had just 8 first downs, zero red zone trips and 204 yards of offense.
Wranglers 38 Express 23
Judging by the turnovers you wouldn't think these are 2 playoff caliber teams. It was 77 and sunny in Tempe so it was just sloppy football.
Maulers 25 VooDoo 7
Committing 5 turnovers won't win many games and this was no exception.
Other Scores:
USFL Notes:
Monday, September 16, 2019
Week 8 Roundup: Arizona Wrangles the Gold
Wranglers 22 Gold 3
Arizona went to Denver and gave the Gold their first loss of 1985. The Wrangler defense held Denver to 275 yards of offense and held the ball for almost 35 minutes. Ronald Hensley kicked 5 FG's and this early TD pass to Eric Duncan from Jerry Montalvo set the tone.
Express 29 Hawaiians 27
This Pacific Division showdown had a lot of points and came down to the wire, but it wasn't all good. Los Angeles and Hawaii seemed to be playing hot potato at times, combining for 8 turnovers, 5 by the losing Hawaiians. Despite the ball security issues, the Hawaiians had a slim 1 point lead late into the 4th qtr until Roger Ruzich hit a 53 yd FG with 2:38 left for the final score. Hawaii had 1 last chance, but decided to punt the ball away with 1:28 left. LA had an excellent opportunity to run out the clock but this happened. Given new life in LA territory, one first down would put them in range for a game winning FG try, but INT. The Express ran out the clock and gave themselves a 2 game lead over Hawaii.
Bell 12 Generals 6
Nevermind the Conference Championship streak for New Jersey, are they even going to win the division? The last time a team other than New Jersey won the East was 1977 when the NY Stars, led by former USFL commish tribewriter won the division with a 12-4 record. This game featured zero TD's and for the second game in a row, the Generals finish with <100 passing yards. The only highlight was USFL career sack leader James Lockette adding to his total. The East Division is now the tightest in the league top to bottom.
Invaders 17 Blitz 17 (OT)
They were kissing sisters in Chicago as the Invaders and Blitz couldn't decide things after 70 minutes of football. This was a possible playoff preview, except for the tie part, that Oakland might wish they could do over. The Invaders had a 17-3 lead heading into the 4th qtr, and led 17-10 late. Oakland QB Les Lacy threw his 3rd INT with 1:33 left in the game and Chicago capitalized, tying the game. OT was a whole lot of nothing and somewhere, Donovan McNabb is confused.
Gamblers 27 Gunslingers 6
Bulls 18 Breakers 0
(NY) Stars 35 SaberCats 6
Showboats 9 Outlaws 3
Stars 23 VooDoo 11
Panthers 23 Thunderbolts 0
Sun 23 Storm 13
Bandits 20 Renegades 10
Federals 25 Force 7
Stallions 20 Steamer 3
Blazers 43 Maulers 10
Wheels 19 Hornets 16
Scoring was down as a whole week 8 with only 2 teams topping 30. Florida is Blazing hot, scoring 43 after their 49 point outburst last week. Tampa Bay and Birmingham have 3 game division leads at the halfway point. Is it time to print playoff tickets yet? Houston, Memphis, Baltimore and Washington probably have playoff appearances in their future, but their divisions are in doubt. Two of these juggernauts are going to have to hit the road in January.
The Charlotte Hornets put up a good fight, but K/P Kenneth Dukes missed a 49 yd FG in the final minute that could have sent the game to OT. Shreveport finally ended their scoreless streak with a FG very late in the first qtr. The Steamer had gone 9 quarters, 1 minute and 4 seconds between scores.
Arizona went to Denver and gave the Gold their first loss of 1985. The Wrangler defense held Denver to 275 yards of offense and held the ball for almost 35 minutes. Ronald Hensley kicked 5 FG's and this early TD pass to Eric Duncan from Jerry Montalvo set the tone.
Express 29 Hawaiians 27
This Pacific Division showdown had a lot of points and came down to the wire, but it wasn't all good. Los Angeles and Hawaii seemed to be playing hot potato at times, combining for 8 turnovers, 5 by the losing Hawaiians. Despite the ball security issues, the Hawaiians had a slim 1 point lead late into the 4th qtr until Roger Ruzich hit a 53 yd FG with 2:38 left for the final score. Hawaii had 1 last chance, but decided to punt the ball away with 1:28 left. LA had an excellent opportunity to run out the clock but this happened. Given new life in LA territory, one first down would put them in range for a game winning FG try, but INT. The Express ran out the clock and gave themselves a 2 game lead over Hawaii.
Bell 12 Generals 6
Nevermind the Conference Championship streak for New Jersey, are they even going to win the division? The last time a team other than New Jersey won the East was 1977 when the NY Stars, led by former USFL commish tribewriter won the division with a 12-4 record. This game featured zero TD's and for the second game in a row, the Generals finish with <100 passing yards. The only highlight was USFL career sack leader James Lockette adding to his total. The East Division is now the tightest in the league top to bottom.
Invaders 17 Blitz 17 (OT)
They were kissing sisters in Chicago as the Invaders and Blitz couldn't decide things after 70 minutes of football. This was a possible playoff preview, except for the tie part, that Oakland might wish they could do over. The Invaders had a 17-3 lead heading into the 4th qtr, and led 17-10 late. Oakland QB Les Lacy threw his 3rd INT with 1:33 left in the game and Chicago capitalized, tying the game. OT was a whole lot of nothing and somewhere, Donovan McNabb is confused.
Gamblers 27 Gunslingers 6
Bulls 18 Breakers 0
(NY) Stars 35 SaberCats 6
Showboats 9 Outlaws 3
Stars 23 VooDoo 11
Panthers 23 Thunderbolts 0
Sun 23 Storm 13
Bandits 20 Renegades 10
Federals 25 Force 7
Stallions 20 Steamer 3
Blazers 43 Maulers 10
Wheels 19 Hornets 16
Scoring was down as a whole week 8 with only 2 teams topping 30. Florida is Blazing hot, scoring 43 after their 49 point outburst last week. Tampa Bay and Birmingham have 3 game division leads at the halfway point. Is it time to print playoff tickets yet? Houston, Memphis, Baltimore and Washington probably have playoff appearances in their future, but their divisions are in doubt. Two of these juggernauts are going to have to hit the road in January.
The Charlotte Hornets put up a good fight, but K/P Kenneth Dukes missed a 49 yd FG in the final minute that could have sent the game to OT. Shreveport finally ended their scoreless streak with a FG very late in the first qtr. The Steamer had gone 9 quarters, 1 minute and 4 seconds between scores.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Week 7 Roundup: Gamblers, Gold and Stars Remain Unbeaten
Gold 45 Outlaws 13
Denver RB Corey True (pictured above) ran for 167 yards and 2 TD's, including this one that put the Gold ahead for good as they improve to 7-0 this season. Denver had a balanced attack, 228 passing yards and 254 rushing and was a perfect 6 for 6 in the red zone.
Gamblers 27 VooDoo 10
Houston just keeps on rolling along, though they had another sluggish first half. This time the sluggishness continued well into the 4th qtr, as they only led the 1 win VooDoo by 10 at the 2 minute warning. Mark Lambert's 2nd TD of the day sealed it.
Stars 30 Hornets 3
Baltimore keeps rolling themselves with an easy 30-3 win over struggling Charlotte, the last winless team in the league. The Stars held the ball for just under 37 minutes and Jon Snow threw 4 TD passes, 2 to Knob Creek.
Stallions 28 Force 21
Legion Field was the site of this important South Division showdown and a win by visiting Georgia would have put them in a tie with Birmingham at the top. The Force defense intercepted Stallions QB David Schmitt 3 times and led 21-20 midway through the 4th qtr after the 3rd TD pass from Norris Thomas. Birmingham wasn't ready to give up the division lead though, as this Richard Sutton TD run at the 2 minute warning gave Birmingham the W.
Sun 45 Hawaiians 30
These 2 teams combined for 1002 total yards and 36 4th qtr points. Sun WR Norman Shaw had himself a game. He had 6 catches, 284 yards with 4 TD's.
Blazers 49 Renegades 17
The previous game wasn't even the highest combined yardage from week 7 as the Florida Blazers got off the schneid in a HUGE way, crushing one of their in state rivals. The teams combined for 1061 yards, 682 of those from Florida. Blazers RB Lucas Irwin ran for 220 yards while teammate WR Zachary Powell had 211 receiving yards.
Blitz 18 Wheels 7
Detroit scored the only TD of the game but they also had the only 2 turnovers as Chicago rode 6 Matthew Eno FG's to victory.
Breakers 19 NY Stars 8
Boston only managed 194 yards of offense but the chuck and duck offense of the Stars turned it over 4 times (36-60-4 297 yards). The Breakers jumped out to a 13-0 1st qtr lead and held on for victory.
Thunderbolts 30 Express 15
Los Angeles fumbled away a chance to put some distance between them and Hawaii. The stats were mostly even for both teams, except for 3 lost fumbles and 3 sacks allowed by LA. Cleveland jumped out to an early 17-0 lead then held on for victory.
Generals 27 SaberCats 21
New Jersey has been doing just enough to win this year, but haven't looked good doing it. QB Ric Flair had been having a pretty good season taking over for Stephen Labelle, but today Flair looked like the patsy in the opening match who gets pinned in 3 minutes flat. San Jose held New Jersey to 93 passing yards but 3 turnovers quashed the upset bid.
Bell 20 Steamer 0
Philadelphia won despite less passing yards than New Jersey. The Bell had 65 gross passing yards and were sacked twice for -20 for 45 total yards in the air. Good thing success isn't measured in yards, as 4 Steamer turnovers extend their scoreless streak to 8 quarters plus.
Federals 51 Maulers 16
One team that has no problems scoring is the Washington Federals. They mauled Pittsburgh and their 51 points give them a whopping 262 in 7 games, or 37.4 ppg, which is almost a full TD better per game than 2nd highest scoring team Houston.. New Jersey's World Bowl run may be coming to an end this year.
Showboats 37 Gunslingers 29
Speaking of ending World Bowl runs, Houston needs to watch their backs as Memphis continues to look strong. The Gunslingers dominated time of possession 38-22, had 23 first downs to 11 and won the turnover battle 4-0 but none of that mattered to Memphis. The Showboats showed the big play today, turning 16 completions into 322 passing yards. For the mathematically challenged, that's 20 yards per completion. Are we playing 4.3?
Bulls 22 Bandits 14
Florida week! Our league's 4 Florida teams faced off, and this one lacked the offensive fireworks of Orlando @ Florida. Jacksonville jumped out to a 16-0 lead before Tampa cut it to 16-14 early 4th. From there, Jacksonville kicked 2 FG's while Tampa turned it over twice on downs.
Wranglers 31 Panthers 12
The Panthers had over 100 more yards than Arizona but 4 turnovers did them no favors. Wrangler PK Ronald Hensley kicked 6 FG's.
Invaders 19 Storm 3
Oakland came into the game 4-2 and the Invaders are in the playoff hunt, yet the stadium is only 2/3 full? No wonder the Raiders are leaving for Las Vegas. I wish we had an Elias Sports Bureau that could look up obscure stats quickly because I would bet Storm RB Kristopher Brown had a historically horrible game. Brown rushed 23 times for minus 3 yards and caught 2 passes for 2 yards. That's -1 yard on 25 touches, which is on par with my old RG Dave Lapham giving up 7 sacks in one game bad.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Week 6 Rundown
Gold 20 Wheels 13
Denver stays undefeated in 1985 as they jumped out to an early 17-0 lead, then held on for the W. The Gold maintain their 2 game West Division lead over Oakland.
Outlaws 16 Blitz 3
Sports books lost their shirt on this game as the Blitz came in 5-0 while the Outlaws were 0-5. Oklahoma held Chicago to 115 total offensive yards and held the ball for just over 36 minutes.
Bandits 34 VooDoo 28
This game was not as close as the score indicates as the Bandits jumped out to an early 14-0 lead on 2 Melvin Diggers TD passes to Thomas Whitley. New Orleans would not get closer than 7 until late 4th qtr, when they cut it to the final margin. The Bandits ran out all but the last 44 seconds, which wasn't enough time for the VooDoo.
Gamblers 30 Hawaiians 6
Houston HC Dana Hicks deserves a game ball for whatever he said at halftime. The undefeated defending champs were only leading 7-6 at the break, before scoring 23 unanswered 2nd half points for the easy win. FS Rick Edwards started the flurry off with this pick six.
SaberCats 23 Sun 17
San Jose gets their first win of 1985 against division rival Southern California as QB Gregory Skidmore threw for 401 yards, including this bomb on their first offensive play.
Generals 19 Renegades 7
Generals owner raidergreg69 has been trying to avoid injuries on all his MFN teams and one piece of advice backfired in this game. The starters were taken off the Gunner team and we gave up a TD, which has happened in other leagues too. QB Ric Flair leads the USFL with an 80% completion percentage.
Bell 16 Blazers 10
Despite being out gained 312-201, Philadelphia gets the win thanks to winning the turnover battle 5-0.
Federals 22 Steamer 0
Washington put it to Shreveport in this game, out gaining them 411-173. Midway through the 1st qtr, Federals QB Joe Richardson found Luther Ellis for a 74 yard TD and never looked back. At 5-1, Washington is a legitimate contender, though they may not even win their division.
Stallions 34 Maulers 0
Birmingham put it to Pittsburgh in this game, out gaining them 470-141. On the second play from scrimmage, Stallions QB David Schmitt found Leonard Robles for a 68 yard TD and never looked back. At 5-1, Birmingham is also a legitimate contender, and has an important division game vs Georgia in Week 7.
Force 24 Breakers 9
This was a pretty even game statistically, but Georgia won this game in the red zone and a big special teams play.
Express 19 (NY) Stars 17
New York turned over a chance to keep pace with New Jersey in the East. The Stars gained just more than a football field of yardage than Los Angeles, but 3 INT's were too much to overcome. Express K Roger Ruzich, formerly of New Jersey, would love to stick it to his former team again (LA defeated NJ in Week 3) but revenge must wait.
Stars 24 Thunderbolts 6
Baltimore is off to another great start in 1985 as they run their record to 6-0. The Stars did it with offense and defense.
Panthers 37 Hornets 10
Michigan used 5 turnovers to sting the Hornets in Charlotte.
Showboats 24 Wranglers 12
Memphis is the American Conference version of Washington. They are a strong 5-1 but are blocked in the division by defending champs Houston.
Invaders 20 Gunslingers 14
Oakland won a sloppy, turnover filled game thanks to limiting San Antonio to just 129 yards of offense.
Storm 7 Bulls 0
This is the only score of the game.
Denver stays undefeated in 1985 as they jumped out to an early 17-0 lead, then held on for the W. The Gold maintain their 2 game West Division lead over Oakland.
Outlaws 16 Blitz 3
Sports books lost their shirt on this game as the Blitz came in 5-0 while the Outlaws were 0-5. Oklahoma held Chicago to 115 total offensive yards and held the ball for just over 36 minutes.
Bandits 34 VooDoo 28
This game was not as close as the score indicates as the Bandits jumped out to an early 14-0 lead on 2 Melvin Diggers TD passes to Thomas Whitley. New Orleans would not get closer than 7 until late 4th qtr, when they cut it to the final margin. The Bandits ran out all but the last 44 seconds, which wasn't enough time for the VooDoo.
Gamblers 30 Hawaiians 6
Houston HC Dana Hicks deserves a game ball for whatever he said at halftime. The undefeated defending champs were only leading 7-6 at the break, before scoring 23 unanswered 2nd half points for the easy win. FS Rick Edwards started the flurry off with this pick six.
SaberCats 23 Sun 17
San Jose gets their first win of 1985 against division rival Southern California as QB Gregory Skidmore threw for 401 yards, including this bomb on their first offensive play.
Generals 19 Renegades 7
Generals owner raidergreg69 has been trying to avoid injuries on all his MFN teams and one piece of advice backfired in this game. The starters were taken off the Gunner team and we gave up a TD, which has happened in other leagues too. QB Ric Flair leads the USFL with an 80% completion percentage.
Bell 16 Blazers 10
Despite being out gained 312-201, Philadelphia gets the win thanks to winning the turnover battle 5-0.
Federals 22 Steamer 0
Washington put it to Shreveport in this game, out gaining them 411-173. Midway through the 1st qtr, Federals QB Joe Richardson found Luther Ellis for a 74 yard TD and never looked back. At 5-1, Washington is a legitimate contender, though they may not even win their division.
Stallions 34 Maulers 0
Birmingham put it to Pittsburgh in this game, out gaining them 470-141. On the second play from scrimmage, Stallions QB David Schmitt found Leonard Robles for a 68 yard TD and never looked back. At 5-1, Birmingham is also a legitimate contender, and has an important division game vs Georgia in Week 7.
Force 24 Breakers 9
This was a pretty even game statistically, but Georgia won this game in the red zone and a big special teams play.
Express 19 (NY) Stars 17
New York turned over a chance to keep pace with New Jersey in the East. The Stars gained just more than a football field of yardage than Los Angeles, but 3 INT's were too much to overcome. Express K Roger Ruzich, formerly of New Jersey, would love to stick it to his former team again (LA defeated NJ in Week 3) but revenge must wait.
Stars 24 Thunderbolts 6
Baltimore is off to another great start in 1985 as they run their record to 6-0. The Stars did it with offense and defense.
Panthers 37 Hornets 10
Michigan used 5 turnovers to sting the Hornets in Charlotte.
Showboats 24 Wranglers 12
Memphis is the American Conference version of Washington. They are a strong 5-1 but are blocked in the division by defending champs Houston.
Invaders 20 Gunslingers 14
Oakland won a sloppy, turnover filled game thanks to limiting San Antonio to just 129 yards of offense.
Storm 7 Bulls 0
This is the only score of the game.
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
From The Commissioner's Desk
Tribewriter left me an awesome league to run. Most new commissioners are
taking over someone else's mess and need to make a bunch of changes so
the league is appealing again. This league is already one of the best
MFN has to offer so my philosophy is, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
That being said, I am open to suggestions from anyone in the league about how to keep this league great. One of the reasons this has been my favorite league is the feeling of it belonging to all of us. Whether through the blog posts, message boards, mentoring committee, etc, I always felt the USFL was 1/32nd mine.
Now I'm in the captain's chair, yet the USFL is still only 1/32nd mine. The rest of the league belongs to you, I'm just steering the ship.
We will all miss tribewriter, myself included, but the USFL goes on. It goes without saying he is welcome back anytime he wants, even if he wants to be commissioner again. This league is his baby, and it's been a privilege to be an original member and an honor to attempt to fill his shoes. I only hope I'm up to the task.
Let's play some football!
raidergreg69
That being said, I am open to suggestions from anyone in the league about how to keep this league great. One of the reasons this has been my favorite league is the feeling of it belonging to all of us. Whether through the blog posts, message boards, mentoring committee, etc, I always felt the USFL was 1/32nd mine.
Now I'm in the captain's chair, yet the USFL is still only 1/32nd mine. The rest of the league belongs to you, I'm just steering the ship.
We will all miss tribewriter, myself included, but the USFL goes on. It goes without saying he is welcome back anytime he wants, even if he wants to be commissioner again. This league is his baby, and it's been a privilege to be an original member and an honor to attempt to fill his shoes. I only hope I'm up to the task.
Let's play some football!
raidergreg69
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