Showboats 22 Gamblers 20
Houston fell back to their slow starting ways, punting on their first 5 possessions followed by a turnover as they fell behind 12-3 at the half. Memphis would extend that lead to 19-3 before Houston cut the gap to 6 points with 5:37 remaining. The Showboats would add an important insurance FG at the 2 minute warning to make it 22-13. Important because Tony Dean led Houston on a TD drive to cut the lead to 22-20 but Memphis WR Willie Howland recovered the onside kick, preserving victory for the 6-1 Showboats.
Memphis didn't throw the ball great but who needs to throw when you run for over 300 as a team. Donut Mogul Tim Horton had 158 yards while former Gambler Mark Lambert had 133. Houston WR Gabriel Ahrens caught 4 for 151 and a TD in the loss.
Invaders 25 Thunderbolts 17
Oakland jumped out to an early 13-0 lead in this game of playoff contenders before Cleveland scored the next 17 for a 17-13 lead after 3 quarters. Oakland completed the scoring sandwich with 12 unanswered 4th qtr points for the victory that keeps them tied atop the West. Oakland intercepted Cleveland QB Allen Rose 3 times and kept the ball 37:42 despite running for just over 1 yard a carry.
Hawaiians 19 Force 13 (OT)
Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium was 3 quarters full but those fans had an extra quarter of free football as these two teams nearly played to a 13 all tie. Before we look at the improbable game winning TD, let's see how we got to OT. Honolulu turned it over on downs 3 times, including 2 inside the Force 10 yard line. Had they elected to try a FG in either situation, the OT may have been avoided. Then again, Hawaiians K Howard Bury missed his lone FG attempt and an XP attempt, so nothing is certain, except Honolulu had no trouble generating yards.
Georgia ran for 232 yards in the loss and led for most of the game despite losing the turnover battle 3-0. In the extra session both teams had 3 possessions. Georgia's third OT punt pinned Honolulu at their own 10 with only 0:24 left and everyone's sister began putting on lipstick, anticipating the seemingly inevitable tie. Following a pass for -1 yard, this happened. Mark Moody broke free from coverage and Bruno Wilson hit him in stride as Moody outran everyone to the end zone as the Hawaiians snatch victory from the knots of the tie. The tough luck continues for Georgia, who are better than their 1-6 record indicates.
Bandits 30 Blazers 22
This game was a tale of 2 halves and the power of 3. Both teams committed 3 turnovers and kicked 3 FG's, but only Tampa Bay scored 3 TD's, earning them the victory. Tampa Bay's 3 turnovers came in the first half, helping Florida build a 22-7 halftime lead, but Florida returned the favor with 3 second half turnovers as the Bandits scored the game's last 23 points. Tampa is in the playoff hunt as they seek to end their recent playoff drought. The Bandits made the playoffs every year between 1976-1980, but only once since.
Hornets 22 Steamer 20
You can't tell by looking at the team stats, but there were several big plays in this game. The teams combined for 517 yards of offense, 116 on the ground and 8 for 32 on 3rd down. They combined for 3 turnovers and 2 red zone trips, both by Shreveport. The Steamer had a 13-10 lead at halftime that quickly evaporated in a matter of seconds. Steamer RB David Oldham was tackled in the end zone for a safety, then Robert Bonfiglio returned the free kick 91 yards for a TD to give Charlotte a 19-13 lead. Early in the 4th, Steamer WLB Christopher Landreneau intercepted a Stanley Snyder pass and took it to the house. The ensuing XP gave the Steamer a 20-19 lead which they could not hold. Charlotte K Samuel Hoye split the uprights with a 55 yard kick with 1:27 left for the final points of the game.
Storm 27 Gold 6
Portland shut down the Denver offense, holding the Gold to 225 total yards (13 rushes 12 yards) and intercepting 4 passes. The Storm enjoyed a 35-25 time of possession advantage and scored on all 3 red zone trips (2 TD's), holding Denver to FG's on their 2 trips inside the 20. That being said, it was just a 10-6 game after 3 quarters before Portland stormed to 17 4th qtr points to keep pace with 6-1 Oakland atop the West. Denver is 5-2 on the season despite giving up more points than they've scored (147 PF 148 PA).
VooDoo 43 SaberCats 3
New Orleans declawed the SaberCats today, holding them to 147 total yards, 1 for 12 on 3rd down and forcing 3 turnovers. The VooDoo was almost in complete balance today, allowing 73 rushing yards, 74 passing while offensively they ran for 237 while throwing for 230. New Orleans was 11 for 19 on 3rd down plus 2 for 2 on 4th while holding the ball nearly 38 minutes. New Orleans WR Ricky Hash had 3 total TD's.
Outlaws 30 Bell 0
After a rough start to 1987, Oklahoma is playing better football lately. If the Outlaws simply win the games they "should" they would be 8-8, while an additional upset or 2 could put them in the wildcard hunt. The Outlaws defense sacked Philadelphia QB's 4 times , forced 4 turnovers and held the Bell to 207 total yards in the shutout.
Blitz 12 Wheels 3
One of these days we're likely to hear a report about a large brawl in the Detroit locker room as the Wheels defense surely must be completely frustrated with the offense. Detroit gives up just under 15 points a game but the offense scores only 7 a game. Chicago forced 3 INT and RB Max Howard had exactly 100 yards rushing as the Blitz make up a game on both Michigan and Cleveland.
Federals 37 Renegades 3
Washington forced 4 Orlando turnovers while doubling their yardage as they cruised to victory. Justin Bieber's dad Scott tossed 4 TD passes and 322 yards. The only positive for Orlando was 7 for 17 on 3rd down.The Federals extend the league's current best win streak to 5, helping them remain tied with 6-1 Baltimore atop the Atlantic.
Express 31 Gunslingers 14
This game had a lot of points considering the limited offensive output. San Antonio had 255 yards and 4 turnovers to Los Angeles's 219 and 3. Red zone efficiency was golden however, as both teams were 2 for 2 scoring TD's inside the 20. San Antonio took an early 7-0 lead and we had an unbreakable record on the ensuing kickoff. Dane Britt took that kickoff 110 yards to the house, tying a record that's been done 21 times previously. This is the 3rd win in a row for the Express as they continue to put pressure on the Hawaiians.
Stallions 24 Sun 3
Birmingham wasn't spectacular but they did what they needed to do to keep pace with the VooDoo. Both teams struggled on the ground but the Stallions had a better air day than the Sun, 270 yards to 101. Birmingham was 7 for 17 on 3rd down and scored on all 3 red zone trips (2 TD's) to go with their 35-25 time of possession advantage.
Generals 29 (NY) Stars 7
The East has belonged to New Jersey since 1978 but a win for the (NY) Stars would tie them with the Generals at 5-2. New Jersey doesn't look like they're going to loosen their grip on the East anytime soon however, as they flexed their muscles. New Jersey had 443 yards of offense to just 174 for New York. The Generals also sacked Willie Bust 4 times while keeping the Stars out of the red zone. Free agent acquisition WR Corey True has energized the New Jersey offense in 1987, catching 2 TD's among his 3 for 90. New Jersey currently sits atop the commish rankings, but 5 of their 7 games have been in the division so it's fair to wonder if they're about to tumble down a few spots the next several games.
Bulls 31 Breakers 6
Fans in Boston are already thinking about 1988 as 1987 has been absolutely horrible. The beat rolls on as Jacksonville had almost 5 times as many yards as Boston (555-113). Boston did win the turnover battle 3-0 but that's of little consolation. The Bulls got a lot of players involved in the offense so the only stat star was QB Joseph Serio (29/38, 388 yards, 4 TD/1 INT). The win pushes Jacksonville to 6-1, maintaining their 2 game lead on Tampa Bay.
Stars 41 Maulers 9
Pittsburgh scored the first 3 points of the game and the last 6, but the 41 Baltimore points in between were a bit of a problem. Stars QB Jon Snow threw for 318 yards and 4 TD (0 INT) while WR Brian Darden made the most of his 2 receptions, both of them touchdowns covering 85 and 71 yards. The Baltimore win allows them to keep pace with Washington atop the Atlantic at 6-1 while Pittsburgh lost their 5th straight after a 2-0 start.
Wranglers 36 Panthers 13
Arizona might be in last place in the West but they're 4-3, right in the thick of the playoff race. Michigan remains a game ahead of Cleveland in the Midwest despite the loss. Arizona racked up 542 total yards, 418 through the air as perhaps Michigan suffered a post big win hangover? Emotion doesn't seem to factor into MFN but if this were real football, it would only be natural for Michigan to come out flat after such an emotional, come from behind win last week. Arizona WR Eric Duncan caught 5 passes for 146 yards and a TD.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Week 7, Part 1: Statistical Leaders
With last week's Memphis loss, we lost our big story of the season so far, so we're back to the grind. Week 7 is in the books and we're almost at the midpoint of 1987 so I thought we'd look at some statistical races. I thought I would do this real quick, but it's getting quite long so this is Part 1.
Among QB's, we have 5 over 2,000 yards and 2 over 2,200 and 20+ TD's, Baltimore's Jon Snow and New Jersey's Ric Flair. There are 3 starting QB's over 8 ypa, Snow, Flair, and Memphis QB David Allen. We have 7 QB's with 10+ INT's led by Florida's Sidney Maggard and Denver's Andrew Brewer with 15 each.
Looking at ball carriers, Memphis RB Mark Lambert leads the league with 711 yards, more than 100 ahead of second place Rudi Johnson of New Jersey (596). The next 2 leading rushers are listed as WR's, Cleveland's Samuel Draper (572) and Portland's Timothy Roquemore (547). Nobody else has topped 500 yards rushing. Houston RB Ryan Dearing paces the league with 5 rushing TD's, seven are tied for second with 4.
We have 4 players over 50 receptions, Tampa Bay RB Paul Meade has 58, Oakland's Oliver Thomas (RB) has 57, RB Ronald Boatman of Honolulu has 52 and Washington WR Cory Martin has 51. Memphis WR Willie Howland leads the league in receiving yards with 780 but New Jersey's Corey True is hot on his heels with 772. Houston WR Gabriel Ahrens rounds out the top 3 and the 700 club with his 716 yards. Corey True is tied with Birmingham's Jeffrey Zimmer for the league lead in TD receptions with 9. True (30.9) and Gabriel Ahrens (29.8) are the top 2 in yards per catch among those with more than 1 reception. Arizona RB Desmond Kirkland almost literally catches everything thrown his way. Among players with 10+ receptions, he has the highest catch % at 96.6% (28-29).
We have had 5 kickoff return TD's, one each by Oliver Thomas (Oak), Robert Bonfiglio (Char), Dane Britt (LA), Chris Cornell (STO), and Arthur Strickland (Fla). Britt's return is listed as 110 yards while Thomas and Cornell's were 108. There have been no punt return TD's and 2 average double digit yards with double digit returns, New Jersey's Aaron Paul (12.5 avg, 11 returns) and Oklahoma's Leroy Jenkins (11.1-17).
If the kicking keeps pace, we'll have a new All Pro PK this year as John Bazile isn't as prolific as in past years. Oakland's John Hensley leads the league with 22 FG's, and 5 others have made 100% of their FG's (10+ attempts), including former Generals and current Oklahoma Outlaws K Roger Ruzich, whom I cut long ago for not being accurate enough ironically. Ruzich is a league best 6 for 6 from 50+. Punting wise, Cleveland's Thomas Brott has a league best 46.7 net avg and 29 of 48 punts inside the 20.
Florida's Ramon Carter and Michigan's Alton Pastor pace the league with 5 sacks while Portland's Thomas Miller and Memphis's Shawn Hicks are tied with a pair of New Jersey Generals with 4 each. One General is Len Bias, who leads all DT's with his 4 sacks, the other General is Indiana Jones. Jones leads the league with 14 hurries in his first year as a DE after spending his first 6 seasons at MLB.
Mr. Low Catch % 1986, Thomas Welker is at it again. The All Pro Hawaiian has regressed, but it's hard not to regress from 16.2%. I'm sure trslick isn't complaining about his current 25% rate. Looking only at the first page of the players most thrown at, only Welker was below 30% and just 3 more were under 40%: Honolulu's Robert Skinner, Portland's Christopher Schneider and Houston's Robert Sokol.
The interception leaders with 5 each are: Oakland's Ralph Hooks, Oklahoma's Jeffrey Danko, and New Orleans CB Robert Shuler. 8 players are tied with 4 apiece. We have had 5 INT returns this season: Herbert Brigham, Chicago, Joseph Walton, New Orleans, Timothy Hall, Oklahoma, Robert Givens, Denver, and Christopher Landreneau, Shreveport. Jacksonville's Tony Morrisson leads the league with 18 knockdowns (71 thrown at) but the two in second place knock passes down much more frequently. Steven Minton (Bir) has 17 knockdowns in 38 passes while Cleveland's Brandon Johnson has his 17 in 42 passes.
Boston's Ronnie Waltz leads the league with 6 fumbles but Jacksonville has 2 players in the top 4 and 3 of 9. Not surprisingly, a Jacksonville OL leads the league in recovered fumbles, RT Rodrigo Stephens. Too many are tied at 2 to list them all. Portland WLB James Waggoner and (NY) Stars MLB Alfred Payeur lead with 3 forced fumbles each. Again, too many tied at 2 to list.
Washington center Eddie Long has allowed 6 sacks while his cousin Isaac Long of Charlotte has given up 5. Detroit center Mark Daniels paces the league with 6 penalties and 44 penalty yards are also tops(?).
The top 3 in overall yardage are Arthur Strickland (Fla) 1,279, Oliver Thomas (Oak) 1,159 and Rudi Johnson (NJG) 992. The league's TD leader is James Sheckler of New Orleans with 10, one ahead of Jeffrey Zimmer (BIR) and Corey True (NJG), and two ahead of Tim "Donut Mogul" Horton of Memphis.
WEEK 7 Part 2: The Games will be out this evening
Among QB's, we have 5 over 2,000 yards and 2 over 2,200 and 20+ TD's, Baltimore's Jon Snow and New Jersey's Ric Flair. There are 3 starting QB's over 8 ypa, Snow, Flair, and Memphis QB David Allen. We have 7 QB's with 10+ INT's led by Florida's Sidney Maggard and Denver's Andrew Brewer with 15 each.
Looking at ball carriers, Memphis RB Mark Lambert leads the league with 711 yards, more than 100 ahead of second place Rudi Johnson of New Jersey (596). The next 2 leading rushers are listed as WR's, Cleveland's Samuel Draper (572) and Portland's Timothy Roquemore (547). Nobody else has topped 500 yards rushing. Houston RB Ryan Dearing paces the league with 5 rushing TD's, seven are tied for second with 4.
We have 4 players over 50 receptions, Tampa Bay RB Paul Meade has 58, Oakland's Oliver Thomas (RB) has 57, RB Ronald Boatman of Honolulu has 52 and Washington WR Cory Martin has 51. Memphis WR Willie Howland leads the league in receiving yards with 780 but New Jersey's Corey True is hot on his heels with 772. Houston WR Gabriel Ahrens rounds out the top 3 and the 700 club with his 716 yards. Corey True is tied with Birmingham's Jeffrey Zimmer for the league lead in TD receptions with 9. True (30.9) and Gabriel Ahrens (29.8) are the top 2 in yards per catch among those with more than 1 reception. Arizona RB Desmond Kirkland almost literally catches everything thrown his way. Among players with 10+ receptions, he has the highest catch % at 96.6% (28-29).
We have had 5 kickoff return TD's, one each by Oliver Thomas (Oak), Robert Bonfiglio (Char), Dane Britt (LA), Chris Cornell (STO), and Arthur Strickland (Fla). Britt's return is listed as 110 yards while Thomas and Cornell's were 108. There have been no punt return TD's and 2 average double digit yards with double digit returns, New Jersey's Aaron Paul (12.5 avg, 11 returns) and Oklahoma's Leroy Jenkins (11.1-17).
If the kicking keeps pace, we'll have a new All Pro PK this year as John Bazile isn't as prolific as in past years. Oakland's John Hensley leads the league with 22 FG's, and 5 others have made 100% of their FG's (10+ attempts), including former Generals and current Oklahoma Outlaws K Roger Ruzich, whom I cut long ago for not being accurate enough ironically. Ruzich is a league best 6 for 6 from 50+. Punting wise, Cleveland's Thomas Brott has a league best 46.7 net avg and 29 of 48 punts inside the 20.
Florida's Ramon Carter and Michigan's Alton Pastor pace the league with 5 sacks while Portland's Thomas Miller and Memphis's Shawn Hicks are tied with a pair of New Jersey Generals with 4 each. One General is Len Bias, who leads all DT's with his 4 sacks, the other General is Indiana Jones. Jones leads the league with 14 hurries in his first year as a DE after spending his first 6 seasons at MLB.
Mr. Low Catch % 1986, Thomas Welker is at it again. The All Pro Hawaiian has regressed, but it's hard not to regress from 16.2%. I'm sure trslick isn't complaining about his current 25% rate. Looking only at the first page of the players most thrown at, only Welker was below 30% and just 3 more were under 40%: Honolulu's Robert Skinner, Portland's Christopher Schneider and Houston's Robert Sokol.
The interception leaders with 5 each are: Oakland's Ralph Hooks, Oklahoma's Jeffrey Danko, and New Orleans CB Robert Shuler. 8 players are tied with 4 apiece. We have had 5 INT returns this season: Herbert Brigham, Chicago, Joseph Walton, New Orleans, Timothy Hall, Oklahoma, Robert Givens, Denver, and Christopher Landreneau, Shreveport. Jacksonville's Tony Morrisson leads the league with 18 knockdowns (71 thrown at) but the two in second place knock passes down much more frequently. Steven Minton (Bir) has 17 knockdowns in 38 passes while Cleveland's Brandon Johnson has his 17 in 42 passes.
Boston's Ronnie Waltz leads the league with 6 fumbles but Jacksonville has 2 players in the top 4 and 3 of 9. Not surprisingly, a Jacksonville OL leads the league in recovered fumbles, RT Rodrigo Stephens. Too many are tied at 2 to list them all. Portland WLB James Waggoner and (NY) Stars MLB Alfred Payeur lead with 3 forced fumbles each. Again, too many tied at 2 to list.
Washington center Eddie Long has allowed 6 sacks while his cousin Isaac Long of Charlotte has given up 5. Detroit center Mark Daniels paces the league with 6 penalties and 44 penalty yards are also tops(?).
The top 3 in overall yardage are Arthur Strickland (Fla) 1,279, Oliver Thomas (Oak) 1,159 and Rudi Johnson (NJG) 992. The league's TD leader is James Sheckler of New Orleans with 10, one ahead of Jeffrey Zimmer (BIR) and Corey True (NJG), and two ahead of Tim "Donut Mogul" Horton of Memphis.
WEEK 7 Part 2: The Games will be out this evening
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Week 6: '76-'78 Detroit Wheels Pop Champagne
The Memphis Showboats 24 game win streak came to an end this week, thanks to a late defensive/special teams collapse and all the West Division does is win. We're six weeks in and only one division has a leader with more than a 1 game lead. The Midwest Division is much improved over 1986 but no division is playing as well as the 4 teams in the West. The Arizona Wranglers won the division last year but are in last this year despite a 3-3 record. Denver, Portland, and Oakland all sit at 5-1, setting up a wild west shootout for the division these last ten weeks. Houston and Cleveland are both 4-2 but are currently on the outside looking in, but ready to pounce should one of the West teams falter.
In the Pacific Division, Honolulu has lost 2 in a row to fall back to the pack while Los Angeles is 2-0 under the ownership of Zennarius. The Hawaiians currently have a 1 game lead over LA and the 2-4 Southern California Sun. In the Southwest, Houston has won 2 in a row and now find themselves just 1 game back of 5-1 Memphis. Michigan the Giant Slayer leads the Midwest at 5-1, one game ahead of 4-2 Cleveland. Chicago lurks behind them at 3-3. Of the teams I didn't mention, 0-6 San Jose is the closest to the division lead, 3 games behind Honolulu. Oklahoma is also 3 games behind, but overtaking Houston and Memphis is a tough ask, but not as tough as the 4 games San Antonio is behind. Detroit is 4 games behind Michigan in the Midwest.
In the National Conference, Jacksonville has a 2 game lead over Tampa Bay despite being shutout by Cleveland. This was the Bulls first loss of the year, and coupled with the Memphis loss, there are no unbeaten teams left. Florida (2-4) and Orlando (1-5) are struggling to keep pace.
The South Division also looks to be a tight race all the way to the end. Birmingham's win over New Orleans knotted them at the top with 4-2 records. Shreveport is right behind at 3-3 and Georgia is a tough luck 1-5.
The Atlantic Division looks familiar, with Baltimore and Washington tied at the top with 5-1 records. Pittsburgh (2-4) and Charlotte (1-5) have hit the skids lately.
The East also looks familiar with New Jersey (5-1) at the top, but the (NY) Stars have won 4 in a row after an 0-2 start to put some heat on the Generals. Philadelphia is playing great run defense but they have trouble scoring points while the Boston Breakers are struggling in all facets.
Panthers 28 Showboats 23
Michigan took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in 6 plays for the early 7-0 lead, thanks to this 45 yard Jerry Ruiz to James Hills TD pass. Memphis came right back to answer with this 52 yard TD pass from David Allen to Roger Starnes. The Showboats always go for 2 points in the first half and this attempt was intercepted, leaving the score 7-6 Michigan. The Panthers were then forced to punt, and you can't pin someone deep any better than Julius Horowitz did, pinning the Showboats inside their 1 yard line. One play later, Mark Lambert was stuffed in the end zone for a safety and a 9-6 Panthers lead. Memphis would score the next 2 touchdowns, making 1 of 2 two point conversions to take a 20-9 lead before Michigan closed the first half scoring with a late FG to make it 20-12.
The second half was mostly uneventful until 3:20 left in the game when Memphis kicked a FG for a seemingly safe 23-12 lead. Michigan went on an impressive 11 play 75 yard drive, culminating in an Adam Scales TD pass to Cristobal Robinson. Scales then found Charles Ahumada for the 2 point conversion to make the score 23-20 Memphis. There was only 1:33 left in the game so Michigan had to attempt an onside kick, which was successful. Michigan faced a 3rd and 10 when Scales found WR Peter Lewis for 49 yards and a first and goal at the 3. One play later, Scales found TE William Woodbury in the end zone for the go ahead TD. Charles Ahumada caught another 2 point conversion pass to make the score 28-23 Michigan. Memphis had 0:57 left to try for a TD but the offense stalled and the winning streak ends at 24.
Hats off to Memphis for the second longest winning streak in league history.
Thunderbolts 17 Bulls 0
Jacksonville lost 3 fumbles and Cleveland punter Thomas Brott left 8 of his 11 punts inside the 20 as the Thunderbolts shutout the previously unbeaten Bulls.
Gamblers 51 Hawaiians 14
For this game at least there was no slow start for Houston. The Gamblers scored 21 in the first quarter en route to a 34-7 halftime lead. Houston intercepted 6 passes while 2 time MVP Tony Dean tossed 6 TD's. The Gamblers had a pair of 100 yard rushers, Wesley Hull (16-145) and Chase Miles (19-117). WR Gabriel Ahrens had 2 TD receptions among his 5 for 135.
Express 13 SaberCats 10 (OT)
Los Angeles racked up 370 yards of offense to just 152 for San Jose but 5 Express turnovers (3 INT, 2 lost fumbles) kept the SaberCats in the game. San Jose got the ball first in OT and promptly turned it over. Los Angeles didn't do much after the Joseph Taylor INT of QB Michael Temples, but they took over already in FG range and the (Mario) Price was right. Price nailed the 41 yard FG for the win.
Steamer 9 Sun 6
Shreveport won the FG kicking contest 3-2 over Southern California.
Bandits 31 Bell 3
This was a tale of QB's having opposite days. Tampa Bay QB Melvin Driggers tossed 4 TD's and 0 INT's while Philadelphia QB Robert Hernandez threw 0 TD's and 5 INT's. Tampa Bay WR Thomas Whitley had a nice stat line, 3 catches for 123 yards and 2 TD's.
Gold 23 Wheels 3
This game was closer than the score indicates as midway through the 4th quarter, the score was 9-3 Denver. Detroit forced a lot of incompletions in this game, as the Gold connected on just 16 of 37 pass attempts but as usual Detroit struggled mightily on offense. Denver scored 2 late TD's to make the score look bad, but the victory keeps them in the 3 way quagmire atop the West.
Invaders 12 Gunslingers 3
Oakland won the FG kicking contest with San Antonio 4-1. Both kickers missed a FG try as well.
Storm 20 Outlaws 15
Oklahoma fought hard in this game, winning the turnover battle (2-0), time of possession (36:46 to 23:13), and red zone trips (4-2). With 3:35 left in the game, Outlaws QB Shane Falco tossed a 10 yard TD to David Lopez to give them a late 15-14 lead. That was Oklahoma's lone TD in those 4 red zone trips however, while Portland crossed the goal line on both of theirs. Portland got a 2 yard TD run from James Pritchard with 0:50 left for the game winning score.
Wranglers 24 Blitz 13
Total yardage was close, though the Blitz struggled in the run game. Chicago chucked up 60 pass attempts, completing 43 in sort of a ball control pass attack as they had 37:37 time of possession. Chicago only mustered 10 points in 4 red zone trips. Arizona used the big play, including 47 and 49 yard Joseph Jones to Eric Duncan TD passes to propel them to victory, making both teams 3-3.
(NY) Stars 10 Force 6
All of the scoring came in the second quarter of this defensive struggle. Both teams committed 2 turnovers and failed to crack 280 total yards of offense. Georgia continues to be stingy on defense and will be a tough team to beat if they can figure out a way to score 20 points a game. The Stars of New York are on a 4 game winning streak leaving them just 1 game behind New Jersey. It's been some time since the Generals have had a threat in the East, how will they respond?
Generals 37 Breakers 3
We'll get a chance to see how they respond, as the Generals travel to New York next week. New Jersey wasn't looking ahead though, as they took care of business against Boston. Ric Flair threw 3 TD passes and Rudi Johnson had a double-triple (16-102 rushing, 7-104-1 receiving). The Generals even looked competent in the red zone for a change, scoring 3 TD's in 6 trips. Still not great, but considering the 0-11 with 7 FG's coming in, I'll take it.
Stallions 28 VooDoo 11
Birmingham's offense played a very good game with an 11 play 84 yard TD drive, 10 play 80 yard TD drive, 10 play 70 yard FG drive and a 6 play 75 yard TD drive. New Orleans topped 300 yards of offense and both teams killed it on 3rd down, VooDoo were 8-14 and the Stallions 7-11. The biggest difference was the running game. Both teams rushed 24 times but Birmingham more than doubled the VooDoo in ypc, getting 153 yards to 70. They are currently tied atop the South at 4-2 and you can bet Smirt has November 15, 1987 circled on his schedule for the rematch in the Superdome.
Federals 27 Maulers 6
Washington had 418 total yards to 237 for Pittsburgh and both teams combined for 7 turnovers. The Federals had significant advantages in yards per carry and per pass attempt/completion. Washington also kept Pittsburgh out of the red zone all game.
Stars 37 Hornets 9
It was an Atlantic Division round robin in Week 6 and just like Washington, Baltimore flexed their muscles. Both teams struggled on 3rd down conversions, but that's the only area Baltimore struggled. The Stars more than doubled the yardage of Charlotte 422-200 and scored 3 TD's in 4 red zone trips. The score was 21-6 after 3 quarters before Baltimore won the 4th, 16-3.
Blazers 41 Renegades 12
Florida took out their frustrations on Orlando today, jumping out to a 14-0 lead after 1 and 24-3 at halftime. Blazer WR Arthur Strickland caught 9 passes for 160 yards and 2 TD's. QB Sidney Maggard bounced back from last weeks 3 INT fiasco with 4 TD passes and 343 yards.
In the Pacific Division, Honolulu has lost 2 in a row to fall back to the pack while Los Angeles is 2-0 under the ownership of Zennarius. The Hawaiians currently have a 1 game lead over LA and the 2-4 Southern California Sun. In the Southwest, Houston has won 2 in a row and now find themselves just 1 game back of 5-1 Memphis. Michigan the Giant Slayer leads the Midwest at 5-1, one game ahead of 4-2 Cleveland. Chicago lurks behind them at 3-3. Of the teams I didn't mention, 0-6 San Jose is the closest to the division lead, 3 games behind Honolulu. Oklahoma is also 3 games behind, but overtaking Houston and Memphis is a tough ask, but not as tough as the 4 games San Antonio is behind. Detroit is 4 games behind Michigan in the Midwest.
In the National Conference, Jacksonville has a 2 game lead over Tampa Bay despite being shutout by Cleveland. This was the Bulls first loss of the year, and coupled with the Memphis loss, there are no unbeaten teams left. Florida (2-4) and Orlando (1-5) are struggling to keep pace.
The South Division also looks to be a tight race all the way to the end. Birmingham's win over New Orleans knotted them at the top with 4-2 records. Shreveport is right behind at 3-3 and Georgia is a tough luck 1-5.
The Atlantic Division looks familiar, with Baltimore and Washington tied at the top with 5-1 records. Pittsburgh (2-4) and Charlotte (1-5) have hit the skids lately.
The East also looks familiar with New Jersey (5-1) at the top, but the (NY) Stars have won 4 in a row after an 0-2 start to put some heat on the Generals. Philadelphia is playing great run defense but they have trouble scoring points while the Boston Breakers are struggling in all facets.
Panthers 28 Showboats 23
Michigan took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in 6 plays for the early 7-0 lead, thanks to this 45 yard Jerry Ruiz to James Hills TD pass. Memphis came right back to answer with this 52 yard TD pass from David Allen to Roger Starnes. The Showboats always go for 2 points in the first half and this attempt was intercepted, leaving the score 7-6 Michigan. The Panthers were then forced to punt, and you can't pin someone deep any better than Julius Horowitz did, pinning the Showboats inside their 1 yard line. One play later, Mark Lambert was stuffed in the end zone for a safety and a 9-6 Panthers lead. Memphis would score the next 2 touchdowns, making 1 of 2 two point conversions to take a 20-9 lead before Michigan closed the first half scoring with a late FG to make it 20-12.
The second half was mostly uneventful until 3:20 left in the game when Memphis kicked a FG for a seemingly safe 23-12 lead. Michigan went on an impressive 11 play 75 yard drive, culminating in an Adam Scales TD pass to Cristobal Robinson. Scales then found Charles Ahumada for the 2 point conversion to make the score 23-20 Memphis. There was only 1:33 left in the game so Michigan had to attempt an onside kick, which was successful. Michigan faced a 3rd and 10 when Scales found WR Peter Lewis for 49 yards and a first and goal at the 3. One play later, Scales found TE William Woodbury in the end zone for the go ahead TD. Charles Ahumada caught another 2 point conversion pass to make the score 28-23 Michigan. Memphis had 0:57 left to try for a TD but the offense stalled and the winning streak ends at 24.
Hats off to Memphis for the second longest winning streak in league history.
Thunderbolts 17 Bulls 0
Jacksonville lost 3 fumbles and Cleveland punter Thomas Brott left 8 of his 11 punts inside the 20 as the Thunderbolts shutout the previously unbeaten Bulls.
Gamblers 51 Hawaiians 14
For this game at least there was no slow start for Houston. The Gamblers scored 21 in the first quarter en route to a 34-7 halftime lead. Houston intercepted 6 passes while 2 time MVP Tony Dean tossed 6 TD's. The Gamblers had a pair of 100 yard rushers, Wesley Hull (16-145) and Chase Miles (19-117). WR Gabriel Ahrens had 2 TD receptions among his 5 for 135.
Express 13 SaberCats 10 (OT)
Los Angeles racked up 370 yards of offense to just 152 for San Jose but 5 Express turnovers (3 INT, 2 lost fumbles) kept the SaberCats in the game. San Jose got the ball first in OT and promptly turned it over. Los Angeles didn't do much after the Joseph Taylor INT of QB Michael Temples, but they took over already in FG range and the (Mario) Price was right. Price nailed the 41 yard FG for the win.
Steamer 9 Sun 6
Shreveport won the FG kicking contest 3-2 over Southern California.
Bandits 31 Bell 3
This was a tale of QB's having opposite days. Tampa Bay QB Melvin Driggers tossed 4 TD's and 0 INT's while Philadelphia QB Robert Hernandez threw 0 TD's and 5 INT's. Tampa Bay WR Thomas Whitley had a nice stat line, 3 catches for 123 yards and 2 TD's.
Gold 23 Wheels 3
This game was closer than the score indicates as midway through the 4th quarter, the score was 9-3 Denver. Detroit forced a lot of incompletions in this game, as the Gold connected on just 16 of 37 pass attempts but as usual Detroit struggled mightily on offense. Denver scored 2 late TD's to make the score look bad, but the victory keeps them in the 3 way quagmire atop the West.
Invaders 12 Gunslingers 3
Oakland won the FG kicking contest with San Antonio 4-1. Both kickers missed a FG try as well.
Storm 20 Outlaws 15
Oklahoma fought hard in this game, winning the turnover battle (2-0), time of possession (36:46 to 23:13), and red zone trips (4-2). With 3:35 left in the game, Outlaws QB Shane Falco tossed a 10 yard TD to David Lopez to give them a late 15-14 lead. That was Oklahoma's lone TD in those 4 red zone trips however, while Portland crossed the goal line on both of theirs. Portland got a 2 yard TD run from James Pritchard with 0:50 left for the game winning score.
Wranglers 24 Blitz 13
Total yardage was close, though the Blitz struggled in the run game. Chicago chucked up 60 pass attempts, completing 43 in sort of a ball control pass attack as they had 37:37 time of possession. Chicago only mustered 10 points in 4 red zone trips. Arizona used the big play, including 47 and 49 yard Joseph Jones to Eric Duncan TD passes to propel them to victory, making both teams 3-3.
(NY) Stars 10 Force 6
All of the scoring came in the second quarter of this defensive struggle. Both teams committed 2 turnovers and failed to crack 280 total yards of offense. Georgia continues to be stingy on defense and will be a tough team to beat if they can figure out a way to score 20 points a game. The Stars of New York are on a 4 game winning streak leaving them just 1 game behind New Jersey. It's been some time since the Generals have had a threat in the East, how will they respond?
Generals 37 Breakers 3
We'll get a chance to see how they respond, as the Generals travel to New York next week. New Jersey wasn't looking ahead though, as they took care of business against Boston. Ric Flair threw 3 TD passes and Rudi Johnson had a double-triple (16-102 rushing, 7-104-1 receiving). The Generals even looked competent in the red zone for a change, scoring 3 TD's in 6 trips. Still not great, but considering the 0-11 with 7 FG's coming in, I'll take it.
Stallions 28 VooDoo 11
Birmingham's offense played a very good game with an 11 play 84 yard TD drive, 10 play 80 yard TD drive, 10 play 70 yard FG drive and a 6 play 75 yard TD drive. New Orleans topped 300 yards of offense and both teams killed it on 3rd down, VooDoo were 8-14 and the Stallions 7-11. The biggest difference was the running game. Both teams rushed 24 times but Birmingham more than doubled the VooDoo in ypc, getting 153 yards to 70. They are currently tied atop the South at 4-2 and you can bet Smirt has November 15, 1987 circled on his schedule for the rematch in the Superdome.
Federals 27 Maulers 6
Washington had 418 total yards to 237 for Pittsburgh and both teams combined for 7 turnovers. The Federals had significant advantages in yards per carry and per pass attempt/completion. Washington also kept Pittsburgh out of the red zone all game.
Stars 37 Hornets 9
It was an Atlantic Division round robin in Week 6 and just like Washington, Baltimore flexed their muscles. Both teams struggled on 3rd down conversions, but that's the only area Baltimore struggled. The Stars more than doubled the yardage of Charlotte 422-200 and scored 3 TD's in 4 red zone trips. The score was 21-6 after 3 quarters before Baltimore won the 4th, 16-3.
Blazers 41 Renegades 12
Florida took out their frustrations on Orlando today, jumping out to a 14-0 lead after 1 and 24-3 at halftime. Blazer WR Arthur Strickland caught 9 passes for 160 yards and 2 TD's. QB Sidney Maggard bounced back from last weeks 3 INT fiasco with 4 TD passes and 343 yards.
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Week 5: World Bowl Rematch Deja Vu
Week 5 is in the books and 2 teams suffered their first loss, leaving the Jacksonville Bulls and Memphis Showboats as the last 2 undefeated teams. The Showboats winning streak is now up to 24 in a row, three short of the record 27 in a row set by the Detroit Wheels. In 1976, Week 12, the Cleveland Thunderbolts defeated the Wheels 26-19 before Detroit won their last 4 regular season games and all 3 post season games including World Bowl III. The 1977 Wheels went 16-0 in the regular season and again winning all 3 postseason games, including World Bowl IV. Heading into 1978, the Wheels had won 26 games in a row and extended that to 27 in Week 1 before losing in Week 2 to those same Cleveland Thunderbolts.
If Memphis can get to 27, it's conceivable they could carry this streak into 1988. The Showboats next 3 games seem like the best chance to end this streak, though they're all at home. Next on the Showboats schedule is the 4-1 Michigan Panthers, followed by 3-2 division rival Houston, who coincidentally was the last team to defeat Memphis, in the 1985 Conference Championship Game. If they get past those 2, they will have a chance to tie the record against their favorite World Bowl opponent, 4-1 New Jersey. The Memphis franchise has defeated New Jersey in 2 of their 3 World Bowl Championships.
Gamblers 34 Generals 19
Speaking of teams who have won 2 of their 3 World Bowls against New Jersey, the Houston Gamblers traveled to Piscataway, NJ for a World Bowl rematch (WB IX and XI). Houston needed this win badly, so as to keep pace with the seemingly unbeatable Memphis Showboats. The stats were relatively even in terms of yards per play, though Houston had 10 more rush attempts at 1 more ypc than New Jersey. This game boiled down to red zone deficiency/efficiency, depending on your perspective. Houston made 5 trips to the red zone, scoring a TD on all but 1 and that one they got a FG. New Jersey on the other hand, continued their recent trend of red zone failures. Despite winning their previous 2 games, the Generals have failed to score a red zone TD in their last 3 games. Today they made 3 trips, coming away with 2 measly FG's, leaving the Generals with just 7 FG's their last 11 red zone trips. That's no way to play if they hope to lose another World Bowl.
Showboats 31 SaberCats 3
Looking over the box score, it looks like a comfortable, boring win for Memphis. Overall, the yardage totals were good, 425-161 Showboats, but the thing I noticed individually is that Willie Howland is human after all. Mr. All World WR only caught 4 for 40 yards and no TD's. Nice of him to let his teammates shine some.
Gold 22 Wranglers 7
The West division is playing some good football, as evidenced by last year's division winner Arizona currently in last at 2-3. The rest of the division sits at 4-1 after the Denver victory. The Wranglers did force 3 Gold turnovers but 2 were late in the game, and overall the Arizona D did not have a good day. They allowed 6 of 16 3rd down conversions and 382 yards. The Wranglers offense didn't turn the ball over but they had trouble staying on the field, as evidenced by their 2-14 3rd down conversion rate.
Storm 20 Wheels 6
Portland is one of the other 4-1 teams in the West and the Storm headed to Detroit to play the hard luck Wheels. Detroit sits at 1-4 but the Wheels are not pushovers anymore, having only allowed 68 points all season. If the Wheels can find a way to score some points, they could be dangerous, but it's nice to see teams improve and get on the right track. Portland is on the right track in 1987, as they're in the top half of the league in all but 1 of the commish ranking stats, where they're ranked 6th overall. The West will be fun to watch the rest of the season.
Invaders 16 Panthers 8
Oakland is the 3rd team in the West tied at 4-1 and they played a tight, defensive game against the Midwest division leading Michigan Panthers. Michigan had been 4-0 coming into the game but 3 turnovers sealed their fate. Despite the loss, Michigan still leads the much improved Midwest. In 1986, that division hardly ever beat anyone outside their division. Fast forward a season and all 4 teams are playing better football.
Express 20 Sun 5
Los Angeles played their first game under the leadership of Zennarius and the Express enjoy their first taste of victory in 1987. This game was a defensive struggle, as a sack of Express QB Robert Burns in the end zone made it a 10-5 game early 4th quarter before the Express scored the final 10 points to give us our final score.
Gunslingers 7 Breakers 3
A crowd of 35,740 should demand their money back after witnessing this debacle of a football game. San Antonio traveled cross country to Boston as someone was coming out of this game with their first victory of 1987 barring a tie. All of the game's scoring occurred in a short time window, as Boston K Willie Putnam made a 27 yard FG with 2:57 left in the 3rd qtr. The ensuing kickoff was returned for a 108 yard TD by a guy who will gain way more fame in his post USFL career, Chris Cornell. It's currently 1987 in our MFN world, which means Soundgarden is still just a struggling band hardly anyone outside of Seattle knew about. That's it, 7-3 Gunslingers win.
Bulls 30 Bandits 24
Tampa Bay had a good chance to narrow the Jacksonville lead in the Southeast division, leading the Bulls 24-17 after 3. For the game, the Bandits had 494 yards compared to 296 for the Bulls, 399 of that was passing yards. Tampa was also 9-16 on 3rd down but lost the turnover battle 4-1, allowing Jacksonville to score the final 13 points for the come from behind victory to keep a "0" in their loss column. Bandits WR Thomas Whitley caught 9 for 238 yards and 2 TD's.
Outlaws 25 Hawaiians 13
Clint Young had 136 yards rushing, K Roger Ruzich booted 6 FG's and the Outlaws defense forced 3 turnovers as Oklahoma won their second in a row. Despite the loss, Honolulu still leads the Pacific division.
VooDoo 21 Force 3
The yardage stats were even enough, Georgia ran a little better than New Orleans but the VooDoo were better than the Force through the air. Third down conversion rates were similar and both teams made 3 red zone trips and we've now reached the fork in the road. The VooDoo defense forced 4 INT's and a fumble and completely shut Georgia down in the red zone, not even a FG. New Orleans wasn't great in the red zone offensively with 2 FG's and a TD but they did score on all 3 trips. New Orleans leads the South at 4-1 while Georgia seems to be the National Conference version of Detroit, not winning while not getting blown out, except for today.
Stallions 32 Steamer 19
It was South vs South all around in Week 5 as Birmingham traveled to Shreveport to see who would stay a game behind New Orleans. Stallions QB James Lightfoot threw 3 first half INT's but the Steamer couldn't capitalize, only leading 10-7 at the break. Shreveport would extend their lead to 16-7 with 12:21 to play and that's when Birmingham woke up. Two long Lightfoot to Jeffrey Zimmer TD passes plus an XP and 2 point conversion quickly gave the Stallions a 22-16 lead they would not relinquish. Shreveport cut it to 22-19, but the Stallions scored the final 10 points to close out a 25 point 4th quarter which enabled them to snag the come from behind win.
Stars 24 Maulers 9
An even stat game for the most part, no turnovers for either side and the Stars had better yards per play. Pittsburgh had the 3rd down edge (7-19 vs 2-11) but only got 6 points from 4 red zone trips. Baltimore had 3 TD's and a FG in their 4 trips.
Federals 28 Blazers 9
Florida jumped out to an early 9-0 lead thanks to their defense. Ricky Wyatt sacked Scott Bieber for a safety and Eugene Holland returned a Cory Martin fumble for a TD. That was it for Florida as their offense had 250 "nothing" yards, as in they got nothing for points or even red zone opportunities. Blazers QB Sidney Maggard tossed 3 INT's to take over the league lead and Washington was a perfect 3 for 3 in the red zone. The Federals remain tied with Baltimore for the Atlantic lead, a familiar statement last few seasons.
Thunderbolts 30 Blitz 0
Cleveland RB/WR Samuel Draper had a double triple, 33-128-1 rushing and 3-107-1 receiving as the Thunderbolts blitzed Chicago 30-0. Cleveland out gained Chicago 358-148 and kept the Blitz out of the red zone. Both teams are 3-2, one game behind Michigan in the improved Midwest division.
(NY) Stars 12 Bell 6
New York wins a kicking contest against Philadelphia 4 field goals to 2. The Stars of New York were an efficient 29/36 passing but joined the list of teams stubborn enough to run 20+ times against the Bell's stingy run defense (my Generals included). New York gained 20 yards on 23 carries but the 4 FG's were enough to give the Stars their 3rd straight win.
Renegades 31 Hornets 14
Orlando shut down Charlotte's running game and forced 2 turnovers as the Renegades get off the schneid for their first win of 1987. Orlando WR Daniel Williams caught 10 balls for 106 yards and 2 scores.
If Memphis can get to 27, it's conceivable they could carry this streak into 1988. The Showboats next 3 games seem like the best chance to end this streak, though they're all at home. Next on the Showboats schedule is the 4-1 Michigan Panthers, followed by 3-2 division rival Houston, who coincidentally was the last team to defeat Memphis, in the 1985 Conference Championship Game. If they get past those 2, they will have a chance to tie the record against their favorite World Bowl opponent, 4-1 New Jersey. The Memphis franchise has defeated New Jersey in 2 of their 3 World Bowl Championships.
Gamblers 34 Generals 19
Speaking of teams who have won 2 of their 3 World Bowls against New Jersey, the Houston Gamblers traveled to Piscataway, NJ for a World Bowl rematch (WB IX and XI). Houston needed this win badly, so as to keep pace with the seemingly unbeatable Memphis Showboats. The stats were relatively even in terms of yards per play, though Houston had 10 more rush attempts at 1 more ypc than New Jersey. This game boiled down to red zone deficiency/efficiency, depending on your perspective. Houston made 5 trips to the red zone, scoring a TD on all but 1 and that one they got a FG. New Jersey on the other hand, continued their recent trend of red zone failures. Despite winning their previous 2 games, the Generals have failed to score a red zone TD in their last 3 games. Today they made 3 trips, coming away with 2 measly FG's, leaving the Generals with just 7 FG's their last 11 red zone trips. That's no way to play if they hope to lose another World Bowl.
Showboats 31 SaberCats 3
Looking over the box score, it looks like a comfortable, boring win for Memphis. Overall, the yardage totals were good, 425-161 Showboats, but the thing I noticed individually is that Willie Howland is human after all. Mr. All World WR only caught 4 for 40 yards and no TD's. Nice of him to let his teammates shine some.
Gold 22 Wranglers 7
The West division is playing some good football, as evidenced by last year's division winner Arizona currently in last at 2-3. The rest of the division sits at 4-1 after the Denver victory. The Wranglers did force 3 Gold turnovers but 2 were late in the game, and overall the Arizona D did not have a good day. They allowed 6 of 16 3rd down conversions and 382 yards. The Wranglers offense didn't turn the ball over but they had trouble staying on the field, as evidenced by their 2-14 3rd down conversion rate.
Storm 20 Wheels 6
Portland is one of the other 4-1 teams in the West and the Storm headed to Detroit to play the hard luck Wheels. Detroit sits at 1-4 but the Wheels are not pushovers anymore, having only allowed 68 points all season. If the Wheels can find a way to score some points, they could be dangerous, but it's nice to see teams improve and get on the right track. Portland is on the right track in 1987, as they're in the top half of the league in all but 1 of the commish ranking stats, where they're ranked 6th overall. The West will be fun to watch the rest of the season.
Invaders 16 Panthers 8
Oakland is the 3rd team in the West tied at 4-1 and they played a tight, defensive game against the Midwest division leading Michigan Panthers. Michigan had been 4-0 coming into the game but 3 turnovers sealed their fate. Despite the loss, Michigan still leads the much improved Midwest. In 1986, that division hardly ever beat anyone outside their division. Fast forward a season and all 4 teams are playing better football.
Express 20 Sun 5
Los Angeles played their first game under the leadership of Zennarius and the Express enjoy their first taste of victory in 1987. This game was a defensive struggle, as a sack of Express QB Robert Burns in the end zone made it a 10-5 game early 4th quarter before the Express scored the final 10 points to give us our final score.
Gunslingers 7 Breakers 3
A crowd of 35,740 should demand their money back after witnessing this debacle of a football game. San Antonio traveled cross country to Boston as someone was coming out of this game with their first victory of 1987 barring a tie. All of the game's scoring occurred in a short time window, as Boston K Willie Putnam made a 27 yard FG with 2:57 left in the 3rd qtr. The ensuing kickoff was returned for a 108 yard TD by a guy who will gain way more fame in his post USFL career, Chris Cornell. It's currently 1987 in our MFN world, which means Soundgarden is still just a struggling band hardly anyone outside of Seattle knew about. That's it, 7-3 Gunslingers win.
Bulls 30 Bandits 24
Tampa Bay had a good chance to narrow the Jacksonville lead in the Southeast division, leading the Bulls 24-17 after 3. For the game, the Bandits had 494 yards compared to 296 for the Bulls, 399 of that was passing yards. Tampa was also 9-16 on 3rd down but lost the turnover battle 4-1, allowing Jacksonville to score the final 13 points for the come from behind victory to keep a "0" in their loss column. Bandits WR Thomas Whitley caught 9 for 238 yards and 2 TD's.
Outlaws 25 Hawaiians 13
Clint Young had 136 yards rushing, K Roger Ruzich booted 6 FG's and the Outlaws defense forced 3 turnovers as Oklahoma won their second in a row. Despite the loss, Honolulu still leads the Pacific division.
VooDoo 21 Force 3
The yardage stats were even enough, Georgia ran a little better than New Orleans but the VooDoo were better than the Force through the air. Third down conversion rates were similar and both teams made 3 red zone trips and we've now reached the fork in the road. The VooDoo defense forced 4 INT's and a fumble and completely shut Georgia down in the red zone, not even a FG. New Orleans wasn't great in the red zone offensively with 2 FG's and a TD but they did score on all 3 trips. New Orleans leads the South at 4-1 while Georgia seems to be the National Conference version of Detroit, not winning while not getting blown out, except for today.
Stallions 32 Steamer 19
It was South vs South all around in Week 5 as Birmingham traveled to Shreveport to see who would stay a game behind New Orleans. Stallions QB James Lightfoot threw 3 first half INT's but the Steamer couldn't capitalize, only leading 10-7 at the break. Shreveport would extend their lead to 16-7 with 12:21 to play and that's when Birmingham woke up. Two long Lightfoot to Jeffrey Zimmer TD passes plus an XP and 2 point conversion quickly gave the Stallions a 22-16 lead they would not relinquish. Shreveport cut it to 22-19, but the Stallions scored the final 10 points to close out a 25 point 4th quarter which enabled them to snag the come from behind win.
Stars 24 Maulers 9
An even stat game for the most part, no turnovers for either side and the Stars had better yards per play. Pittsburgh had the 3rd down edge (7-19 vs 2-11) but only got 6 points from 4 red zone trips. Baltimore had 3 TD's and a FG in their 4 trips.
Federals 28 Blazers 9
Florida jumped out to an early 9-0 lead thanks to their defense. Ricky Wyatt sacked Scott Bieber for a safety and Eugene Holland returned a Cory Martin fumble for a TD. That was it for Florida as their offense had 250 "nothing" yards, as in they got nothing for points or even red zone opportunities. Blazers QB Sidney Maggard tossed 3 INT's to take over the league lead and Washington was a perfect 3 for 3 in the red zone. The Federals remain tied with Baltimore for the Atlantic lead, a familiar statement last few seasons.
Thunderbolts 30 Blitz 0
Cleveland RB/WR Samuel Draper had a double triple, 33-128-1 rushing and 3-107-1 receiving as the Thunderbolts blitzed Chicago 30-0. Cleveland out gained Chicago 358-148 and kept the Blitz out of the red zone. Both teams are 3-2, one game behind Michigan in the improved Midwest division.
(NY) Stars 12 Bell 6
New York wins a kicking contest against Philadelphia 4 field goals to 2. The Stars of New York were an efficient 29/36 passing but joined the list of teams stubborn enough to run 20+ times against the Bell's stingy run defense (my Generals included). New York gained 20 yards on 23 carries but the 4 FG's were enough to give the Stars their 3rd straight win.
Renegades 31 Hornets 14
Orlando shut down Charlotte's running game and forced 2 turnovers as the Renegades get off the schneid for their first win of 1987. Orlando WR Daniel Williams caught 10 balls for 106 yards and 2 scores.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Week 4: VooDoo put up 67 and 8 close games
Off the top of my head, the 67 points by New Orleans is the most since New Jersey gave up 79 in the 1985 playoffs to Birmingham. We are down to four unbeaten teams, two in each conference. Michigan, Jacksonville and New Jersey join Memphis at 4-0 as the Showboats win streak is now 23. We have 5 winless teams, though one of San Antonio or Boston will break their schneid unless they play to a tie Week 5.
VooDoo 67 Steamer 3
New Orleans scored touchdowns and 2 point conversions their first 3 drives to take a commanding 24-0 lead after a quarter. The VooDoo had 245 rushing yards and 448 passing while their defense held Shreveport to 152. The rest of the game was all VooDoo, with 5 TD's and a FG in 6 red zone trips, 7 for 14 on 3rd down, while holding the Steamer to 2 for 16. Socrates Rogers had 72 rushing yards and 181 receiving (1 TD), James Sheckler had 144 total yards and an Al Bundy like 4 TD's while Ricky Hash contributed 180 total yards and a TD.
Showboats 39 Gamblers 34
Houston gave it everything they had but a furious late comeback attempt fell short as Memphis hangs on for their 23rd victory in a row. The halftime score was 15-10 Showboats as the Gamblers stopped both Memphis 2 point attempts. The Showboats would extend their lead to 29-10 before Houston cut it to 29-20 early in the 4th. Memphis would extend the lead to 39-20 with 3:29 left on a James Nash TD run and the game seemed in hand after the Showboats forced a three and out. Houston still had fight left in them as the Gamblers defense forced their own three and out to give Tony Dean the ball inside the 2 minute warning. Dean immediately found Gabriel Ahrens for an 81 yard TD, and Houston recovered the onside kick. Several plays later Dean found Bruce Edwards for a 33 yard TD with 0:48 left to cut the lead to 39-34. This onside kick failed however, and two kneel downs sealed victory for Memphis.
The total yards were pretty close but they got there differently. Houston only ran for 15 yards on 7 attempts but put up 416 through the air. Memphis ran 41 times for 274 yards and converted 8 of 14 3rd downs to Houston's 4 for 14. Red zone favored Memphis as well (4 TD in 4 trips).
Gold 23 Stars 20
Baltimore came into the game 3-0 and they had more yards than Denver and a much better 3rd down conversion rate. The Stars suffered a missed FG and 3 Jon Snow interceptions however, as Denver wins their second game of the season on a last second FG. This makes Denver 3-1, good for a 3 way tie atop the West. Baltimore falls to 3-1 and tied with Washington for the Atlantic lead.
Federals 21 Stallions 19
This was an even statistical game except for sacks. Washington had 3 sacks, one for a safety while their own QB was able to keep a clean jersey. Federals All Pro kicker John Bazile made 4 FG's but Washington needed a 2 point conversion stop with 1:13 left. Birmingham QB James Lightfoot had just found Jeffrey Zimmer for their 2nd TD hook-up but Richard Sutton was ruled down just short of the goal line on the 2 point pass attempt and the onside kick failed, preserving victory for the Federals.
Wranglers 28 Invaders 20
Despite Wranglers QB Joseph Jones throwing 4 INT's, Arizona won the first 3 quarters 14-10 and also out scored Oakland 14-10 in the 4th qtr for the West Division tightening victory. Both teams had a similar number of rushing attempts (24-23 Arizona) but the Wranglers amassed 227 yards while Oakland had just 60. The entire West is just 1 game apart, with everyone but Arizona 3-1, while the win improves the Wranglers to 2-2, keeping them in the thick of the race.
Sun 12 Force 9 (OT)
Georgia and Southern California needed extra time to decide their FG kicking contest. Georgia's kicker was more accurate (3-3) but football games aren't won that way. Sun kicker Alan Grossi missed 2 FG's but was 4-6 overall and made the last kick in OT, so all is well that ends well.
Panthers 12 Wheels 6
Detroit continues to play it's best defense in the fhunt3 regime, but Michigan's defense was superior, holding the Wheels to 142 yards. Michigan scored on a safety, FG, and a TD to eke out the 12-6 divisional win to remain unbeaten.
Storm 27 Thunderbolts 20
Portland put up more yards than Cleveland but kept settling for FG's in the first half, keeping the Thunderbolts in the game. In fact, Cleveland led 20-12 entering the 4th qtr but Portland stormed back, winning the final quarter 15-0 to earn their 3rd victory of the season.
Bandits 24 Maulers 19
This game was a tale of two halves, as Tampa Bay built a 24-3 halftime lead only to stop scoring after intermission. Pittsburgh won the second half 16-0 but it wasn't enough to overcome the first half. Tampa Bay won despite not entering the red zone all day. Both teams have a 2-2 record.
Outlaws 16 Express 3
Both teams entered the game 0-3, but Oklahoma came away with the victory over ownerless Los Angeles. No matter, all wins count the same. The Outlaws defense intercepted 4 passes while the offense had zero turnovers and 4 red zone trips (1 TD/3 FG's).
Bulls 30 Renegades 10
Orlando scored first and last but Jacksonville scored everything in between to remain unbeaten on the season. The Bulls shut down the Renegade running game and forced 4 turnovers as they have a 2 game division lead already.
Hornets 17 Bell 6
Philadelphia continues to play good run defense but the Bell had no answer for the Stanley Snyder to Robert Anderson connection. The Charlotte QB/WR duo connected on 2 long TD passes to give the Hornets their first win of the season.
Blitz 34 Blazers 20
The Florida Blazers probably wish they could turn back the clock as 1987 hasn't been as good to them as 1986. Blazers QB Sidney Maggard tossed 4 INT's while Blitz WR Michael Steffes caught 4 passes for 219 yards and 3 TD's. The victory enables Chicago to remain a game behind Michigan while Florida falls to 1-3, 3 games behind Jacksonville.
(NY) Stars 24 Breakers 6
The offensive woes continue for Boston in 1987 as the (NY) Stars held them to just 121 total yards. The Stars of New York didn't light up the scoreboard but the offense seems to have found comfort knowing Willie Bust will be under center, instead of the yo-yo of the first 2 weeks. Boston falls to 0-4 while the (NY) Stars second win in a row evens their record at 2-2.
Generals 40 Gunslingers 9
In 1986, New Jersey started 10-0 before collapsing down the stretch to finish 11-5. In 1987, New Jersey is again looking like an early season bully as they pushed San Antonio around. More accurately, they passed all over them as WR Corey True caught 5 passes for 330 yards and 4 TD's. QB Ric Flair tossed 5 TD's and 434 yards. The Generals were sloppy in the red zone again, which might come back to bite them when the schedule toughens up.
Hawaiians 38 SaberCats 20
The game was knotted at 17 after a half of football and San Jose had great rushing success (26-250). The SaberCats struggled through the air however, finishing with just 86 passing yards and 3 INT's. Honolulu had 516 yards of offense, 376 through the air as they won the second half 21-3. The Hawaiians had 100+ yard receiving days from Scott Stillings (9-119-1) and Mark Moody (3-110-2). Honolulu improves to 3-1, first place in the Pacific.
VooDoo 67 Steamer 3
New Orleans scored touchdowns and 2 point conversions their first 3 drives to take a commanding 24-0 lead after a quarter. The VooDoo had 245 rushing yards and 448 passing while their defense held Shreveport to 152. The rest of the game was all VooDoo, with 5 TD's and a FG in 6 red zone trips, 7 for 14 on 3rd down, while holding the Steamer to 2 for 16. Socrates Rogers had 72 rushing yards and 181 receiving (1 TD), James Sheckler had 144 total yards and an Al Bundy like 4 TD's while Ricky Hash contributed 180 total yards and a TD.
Showboats 39 Gamblers 34
Houston gave it everything they had but a furious late comeback attempt fell short as Memphis hangs on for their 23rd victory in a row. The halftime score was 15-10 Showboats as the Gamblers stopped both Memphis 2 point attempts. The Showboats would extend their lead to 29-10 before Houston cut it to 29-20 early in the 4th. Memphis would extend the lead to 39-20 with 3:29 left on a James Nash TD run and the game seemed in hand after the Showboats forced a three and out. Houston still had fight left in them as the Gamblers defense forced their own three and out to give Tony Dean the ball inside the 2 minute warning. Dean immediately found Gabriel Ahrens for an 81 yard TD, and Houston recovered the onside kick. Several plays later Dean found Bruce Edwards for a 33 yard TD with 0:48 left to cut the lead to 39-34. This onside kick failed however, and two kneel downs sealed victory for Memphis.
The total yards were pretty close but they got there differently. Houston only ran for 15 yards on 7 attempts but put up 416 through the air. Memphis ran 41 times for 274 yards and converted 8 of 14 3rd downs to Houston's 4 for 14. Red zone favored Memphis as well (4 TD in 4 trips).
Gold 23 Stars 20
Baltimore came into the game 3-0 and they had more yards than Denver and a much better 3rd down conversion rate. The Stars suffered a missed FG and 3 Jon Snow interceptions however, as Denver wins their second game of the season on a last second FG. This makes Denver 3-1, good for a 3 way tie atop the West. Baltimore falls to 3-1 and tied with Washington for the Atlantic lead.
Federals 21 Stallions 19
This was an even statistical game except for sacks. Washington had 3 sacks, one for a safety while their own QB was able to keep a clean jersey. Federals All Pro kicker John Bazile made 4 FG's but Washington needed a 2 point conversion stop with 1:13 left. Birmingham QB James Lightfoot had just found Jeffrey Zimmer for their 2nd TD hook-up but Richard Sutton was ruled down just short of the goal line on the 2 point pass attempt and the onside kick failed, preserving victory for the Federals.
Wranglers 28 Invaders 20
Despite Wranglers QB Joseph Jones throwing 4 INT's, Arizona won the first 3 quarters 14-10 and also out scored Oakland 14-10 in the 4th qtr for the West Division tightening victory. Both teams had a similar number of rushing attempts (24-23 Arizona) but the Wranglers amassed 227 yards while Oakland had just 60. The entire West is just 1 game apart, with everyone but Arizona 3-1, while the win improves the Wranglers to 2-2, keeping them in the thick of the race.
Sun 12 Force 9 (OT)
Georgia and Southern California needed extra time to decide their FG kicking contest. Georgia's kicker was more accurate (3-3) but football games aren't won that way. Sun kicker Alan Grossi missed 2 FG's but was 4-6 overall and made the last kick in OT, so all is well that ends well.
Panthers 12 Wheels 6
Detroit continues to play it's best defense in the fhunt3 regime, but Michigan's defense was superior, holding the Wheels to 142 yards. Michigan scored on a safety, FG, and a TD to eke out the 12-6 divisional win to remain unbeaten.
Storm 27 Thunderbolts 20
Portland put up more yards than Cleveland but kept settling for FG's in the first half, keeping the Thunderbolts in the game. In fact, Cleveland led 20-12 entering the 4th qtr but Portland stormed back, winning the final quarter 15-0 to earn their 3rd victory of the season.
Bandits 24 Maulers 19
This game was a tale of two halves, as Tampa Bay built a 24-3 halftime lead only to stop scoring after intermission. Pittsburgh won the second half 16-0 but it wasn't enough to overcome the first half. Tampa Bay won despite not entering the red zone all day. Both teams have a 2-2 record.
Outlaws 16 Express 3
Both teams entered the game 0-3, but Oklahoma came away with the victory over ownerless Los Angeles. No matter, all wins count the same. The Outlaws defense intercepted 4 passes while the offense had zero turnovers and 4 red zone trips (1 TD/3 FG's).
Bulls 30 Renegades 10
Orlando scored first and last but Jacksonville scored everything in between to remain unbeaten on the season. The Bulls shut down the Renegade running game and forced 4 turnovers as they have a 2 game division lead already.
Hornets 17 Bell 6
Philadelphia continues to play good run defense but the Bell had no answer for the Stanley Snyder to Robert Anderson connection. The Charlotte QB/WR duo connected on 2 long TD passes to give the Hornets their first win of the season.
Blitz 34 Blazers 20
The Florida Blazers probably wish they could turn back the clock as 1987 hasn't been as good to them as 1986. Blazers QB Sidney Maggard tossed 4 INT's while Blitz WR Michael Steffes caught 4 passes for 219 yards and 3 TD's. The victory enables Chicago to remain a game behind Michigan while Florida falls to 1-3, 3 games behind Jacksonville.
(NY) Stars 24 Breakers 6
The offensive woes continue for Boston in 1987 as the (NY) Stars held them to just 121 total yards. The Stars of New York didn't light up the scoreboard but the offense seems to have found comfort knowing Willie Bust will be under center, instead of the yo-yo of the first 2 weeks. Boston falls to 0-4 while the (NY) Stars second win in a row evens their record at 2-2.
Generals 40 Gunslingers 9
In 1986, New Jersey started 10-0 before collapsing down the stretch to finish 11-5. In 1987, New Jersey is again looking like an early season bully as they pushed San Antonio around. More accurately, they passed all over them as WR Corey True caught 5 passes for 330 yards and 4 TD's. QB Ric Flair tossed 5 TD's and 434 yards. The Generals were sloppy in the red zone again, which might come back to bite them when the schedule toughens up.
Hawaiians 38 SaberCats 20
The game was knotted at 17 after a half of football and San Jose had great rushing success (26-250). The SaberCats struggled through the air however, finishing with just 86 passing yards and 3 INT's. Honolulu had 516 yards of offense, 376 through the air as they won the second half 21-3. The Hawaiians had 100+ yard receiving days from Scott Stillings (9-119-1) and Mark Moody (3-110-2). Honolulu improves to 3-1, first place in the Pacific.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Week 3: 22 In a Row
Week 4 is in 2 hours so the Week 3 blog will be just a quick rundown. I had 2 drafts in Round 1 today which took up a good chunk of my time.
Showboats 36 Wranglers 13
The Memphis winning streak is now 22 games, as the Showboats raced out to a 29-3 lead despite Willie Howland's "sub-par" performance. The sure fire future HOFer "only" had 112 yards on 6 catches and zero TD's. Every other WR in the league would love 6-112 every week, but Howland has set the bar so high with all of his stellar stat lines. I joked about the Donut Mogul last week but I guess he took me seriously. Tim Horton had a nice game leading the team in rushing and chipping in 3 catches for 98 yards and 2 TD's. Arizona has struggled out of the gate after making the playoffs the last 2 years and their upcoming schedule doesn't look pretty.
Hawaiians 20 Gunslingers 14
We had 7 one score games Week 3 after only 6 such games the first 2 weeks combined. San Antonio ran the ball well but struggled through the air. Honolulu had more passing yards but all 4 TD's this game came via the running game. The Hawaiians made 5 red zone trips (2 TD/2 FG) vs 2 for the Gunslingers (2/0). Honolulu has the early Pacific Division lead while San Antonio is struggling at 0-3.
Invaders 25 Storm 17
Portland had the better stats for the most part, including the red zone. The Storm scored touchdowns on both of their trips and defensively, they held Oakland to a TD and 2 FG's in their 3 trips inside the 20. The difference in the game was an Oliver Thomas 108 yard kickoff return for a TD after Portland's first TD and one of Oakland's 2 sacks of Oscar Willis occurred in the end zone for a safety. The West Division is up for grabs among all 4 teams, though as noted above, Arizona has a rough stretch ahead.
Thunderbolts 17 Wheels 10
There isn't much to say about this seemingly boring game, which isn't meant as an insult. It just means there didn't seem to be any big plays or outstanding statistical performances. In 1986 the Midwest Division was a pushover but all 4 teams are playing some serious defense, averaging between allowing 10-13 ppg. Despite their 1-2 record, this is the best I've seen Detroit look in awhile. The Wheels still struggle to score but their defense is keeping them in every game. Cleveland has looked solid as well at 2-1, though they're a game behind division leading Michigan.
Gold 24 Hornets 19
Denver built a 24-7 halftime lead then watched as Charlotte mounted a late comeback attempt with 2 4th qtr TD's to get within 5 points. The Gold then ran out the remaining clock to preserve victory. The Hornets barely ran for half a yard per carry (29-16) and Gold WR Jose Buford caught 5 for 166 and 2 TD's. Denver sits at 2-1 in the thick of the West race while Charlotte is 0-3 despite looking better than 1986.
VooDoo 13 Bell 10
New Orleans survives the Philadelphia scare and comes away with the victory. The VooDoo won this game on 3rd down, converting 5 of 18 plus 2 for 2 on 4th down while holding the Bell to 0-11. Philadelphia has a top half run defense and they limited the VooDoo ground game but QB James Perry had the short passing game working. Perry completed nearly all his passes, 21/24 for 173 yards. WR James Sheckler did most of the damage through the air, catching 9 for 133 and the TD. New Orleans is currently in a 3 way tie for 1st in the South at 2-1 while the Bell are 1-2.
Force 13 Steamer 7
This game was similar to Cleveland/Detroit as in not much action. Shreveport only had 206 yards all game with 63 coming on their TD. The Steamer were 1 for 12 on 3rd down while Georgia was 6 for 18. The Force had a more consistent day with the ball but they're usually going to have to do better than 10 points in 3 red zone trips to maintain winning ways. Georgia really needed this game as a loss would have made the Force 0-3 to the Steamer's 3-0. Instead, Georgia is now 1-2 while Shreveport is tied with New Orleans and Birmingham at 2-1.
Blitz 13 Express 7
Chicago's defense held down the ownerless Express offense and the Blitz did just enough to come away with the 13-7 victory. Chicago's running game made the difference as they doubled Los Angeles's output (29-104 to 28-49). Chicago is 2-1 and tied with Cleveland for 2nd in the Midwest while Los Angeles shares the Pacific basement with San Jose.
Gamblers 24 Outlaws 6
Houston still struggled some early offensively but the Gamblers defense kept Oklahoma from taking advantage. Tony Dean led Houston's 11 play 84 yard opening drive which culminated in a TD pass. That was a good sign for the Gamblers fans as talk radio had been freaking out all week about the goose egg Dean put up in TD passes last game and the team's slow starts. The next 3 drives did not go as well however, ending in a fumble and 2 punts. Houston's defense gave up chunk yardage on the ground but gave up very little through the air as Oklahoma punted their first 7 drives before the turnovers started. Houston fumbled 5 times, losing 3 of them, which is quite odd with the game in a dome. Despite the up and down nature of the Houston offense, they won handily as they try to keep Memphis in their sights. Oklahoma falls to 0-3.
Bulls 33 Maulers 24
Jacksonville got out to a 30-10 lead before Pittsburgh closed the gap to 30-24 just before the 2 minute warning. Pittsburgh struggled to run the ball but they were 8-18 on 3rd down and scored 3 TD's and a FG in their 4 red zone trips. Jacksonville ran much more effectively and hit some big plays in the passing game thanks to Stanton Redmon (4-128-1). Jacksonville is 3-0 with a 2 game division lead while Pittsburgh suffered their first loss to fall a game behind Baltimore in the Atlantic.
Sun 27 SaberCats 13
Southern California scored the last 17 points of the game to turn a 13-10 deficit into the 27-13 win. The Sun ran for 212 yards as a team, converted 8 of 14 3rd downs and was 4 for 4 in the red zone (3 TD/1 FG). San Jose actually had more yards than the Sun but they also had 2 lost fumbles and less red zone success (1 TD/2 FG's in 3 trips). The win makes the Sun 1-2, a game behind Honolulu while San Jose falls to 0-3.
Generals 44 Breakers 0
New Jersey had 748 yards of offense, including a whopping 360 on the ground while the Generals defense held Boston to 90 total yards. The only negative for New Jersey, aside from a bunch of minor injuries, was red zone efficiency. Six red zone trips resulted in just 3 FG's as QB Ric Flair was careless with the football. That's easily overcome when Rudi Johnson runs for 219 yards and 3 TD's. New Jersey is 3-0, leading the East while Boston falls to 0-3.
Panthers 27 Renegades 10
I started this blog post 90 minutes ago, need to start hurrying up as Week 4 rolls in 40 minutes. Michigan was all over Orlando in this game. The Panthers defense pretty much completely shut down Orlando's passing attack and the Renegade's lone TD was a defensive TD. Michigan did have trouble running the ball effectively but they were 7 for 18 on 3rd down conversions while holding Orlando to 1-13.
(NY) Stars 23 Stallions 10
Visitors to NYC often say New Yorkers are rude, and the Stars lived up to that image. Birmingham came up for a visit and the (NY) Stars wouldn't let the Stallions keep the ball. Birmingham only called 6 running plays all game and threw 3 INT and suffered 3 sacks. New York ran the ball 44 times as they had 42 minutes of possession. The upset win makes New York 1-2 while Birmingham falls to 2-1.
Federals 31 Bandits 16
There were a combined 105 pass attempts in this game, 64 by Tampa Bay. The YPA and YPCompletion were very close but Washington ran the ball better. The Federals scored 3 TD's and a FG in their 4 red zone trips while the Bandits got 1 TD and 2 FG's in 3 trips. This was a back and forth game for 3 quarters before Washington pulled away in the 4th. Washington improves to 2-1 while Tampa Bay falls to 1-2.
Stars 38 Blazers 16
It seems this week there were many great team rushing performances and many terrible ones. This game featured both. Florida could only muster 6 yards on 16 carries while Baltimore was 30-198. The passing stats were close to equal but 3rd down conversions weren't. Baltimore was the team blazing for first downs, converting 10 of 15 3rd downs while Florida was 2 for 11. Baltimore is off to a 3-0 start while Florida fell to 1-2.
Showboats 36 Wranglers 13
The Memphis winning streak is now 22 games, as the Showboats raced out to a 29-3 lead despite Willie Howland's "sub-par" performance. The sure fire future HOFer "only" had 112 yards on 6 catches and zero TD's. Every other WR in the league would love 6-112 every week, but Howland has set the bar so high with all of his stellar stat lines. I joked about the Donut Mogul last week but I guess he took me seriously. Tim Horton had a nice game leading the team in rushing and chipping in 3 catches for 98 yards and 2 TD's. Arizona has struggled out of the gate after making the playoffs the last 2 years and their upcoming schedule doesn't look pretty.
Hawaiians 20 Gunslingers 14
We had 7 one score games Week 3 after only 6 such games the first 2 weeks combined. San Antonio ran the ball well but struggled through the air. Honolulu had more passing yards but all 4 TD's this game came via the running game. The Hawaiians made 5 red zone trips (2 TD/2 FG) vs 2 for the Gunslingers (2/0). Honolulu has the early Pacific Division lead while San Antonio is struggling at 0-3.
Invaders 25 Storm 17
Portland had the better stats for the most part, including the red zone. The Storm scored touchdowns on both of their trips and defensively, they held Oakland to a TD and 2 FG's in their 3 trips inside the 20. The difference in the game was an Oliver Thomas 108 yard kickoff return for a TD after Portland's first TD and one of Oakland's 2 sacks of Oscar Willis occurred in the end zone for a safety. The West Division is up for grabs among all 4 teams, though as noted above, Arizona has a rough stretch ahead.
Thunderbolts 17 Wheels 10
There isn't much to say about this seemingly boring game, which isn't meant as an insult. It just means there didn't seem to be any big plays or outstanding statistical performances. In 1986 the Midwest Division was a pushover but all 4 teams are playing some serious defense, averaging between allowing 10-13 ppg. Despite their 1-2 record, this is the best I've seen Detroit look in awhile. The Wheels still struggle to score but their defense is keeping them in every game. Cleveland has looked solid as well at 2-1, though they're a game behind division leading Michigan.
Gold 24 Hornets 19
Denver built a 24-7 halftime lead then watched as Charlotte mounted a late comeback attempt with 2 4th qtr TD's to get within 5 points. The Gold then ran out the remaining clock to preserve victory. The Hornets barely ran for half a yard per carry (29-16) and Gold WR Jose Buford caught 5 for 166 and 2 TD's. Denver sits at 2-1 in the thick of the West race while Charlotte is 0-3 despite looking better than 1986.
VooDoo 13 Bell 10
New Orleans survives the Philadelphia scare and comes away with the victory. The VooDoo won this game on 3rd down, converting 5 of 18 plus 2 for 2 on 4th down while holding the Bell to 0-11. Philadelphia has a top half run defense and they limited the VooDoo ground game but QB James Perry had the short passing game working. Perry completed nearly all his passes, 21/24 for 173 yards. WR James Sheckler did most of the damage through the air, catching 9 for 133 and the TD. New Orleans is currently in a 3 way tie for 1st in the South at 2-1 while the Bell are 1-2.
Force 13 Steamer 7
This game was similar to Cleveland/Detroit as in not much action. Shreveport only had 206 yards all game with 63 coming on their TD. The Steamer were 1 for 12 on 3rd down while Georgia was 6 for 18. The Force had a more consistent day with the ball but they're usually going to have to do better than 10 points in 3 red zone trips to maintain winning ways. Georgia really needed this game as a loss would have made the Force 0-3 to the Steamer's 3-0. Instead, Georgia is now 1-2 while Shreveport is tied with New Orleans and Birmingham at 2-1.
Blitz 13 Express 7
Chicago's defense held down the ownerless Express offense and the Blitz did just enough to come away with the 13-7 victory. Chicago's running game made the difference as they doubled Los Angeles's output (29-104 to 28-49). Chicago is 2-1 and tied with Cleveland for 2nd in the Midwest while Los Angeles shares the Pacific basement with San Jose.
Gamblers 24 Outlaws 6
Houston still struggled some early offensively but the Gamblers defense kept Oklahoma from taking advantage. Tony Dean led Houston's 11 play 84 yard opening drive which culminated in a TD pass. That was a good sign for the Gamblers fans as talk radio had been freaking out all week about the goose egg Dean put up in TD passes last game and the team's slow starts. The next 3 drives did not go as well however, ending in a fumble and 2 punts. Houston's defense gave up chunk yardage on the ground but gave up very little through the air as Oklahoma punted their first 7 drives before the turnovers started. Houston fumbled 5 times, losing 3 of them, which is quite odd with the game in a dome. Despite the up and down nature of the Houston offense, they won handily as they try to keep Memphis in their sights. Oklahoma falls to 0-3.
Bulls 33 Maulers 24
Jacksonville got out to a 30-10 lead before Pittsburgh closed the gap to 30-24 just before the 2 minute warning. Pittsburgh struggled to run the ball but they were 8-18 on 3rd down and scored 3 TD's and a FG in their 4 red zone trips. Jacksonville ran much more effectively and hit some big plays in the passing game thanks to Stanton Redmon (4-128-1). Jacksonville is 3-0 with a 2 game division lead while Pittsburgh suffered their first loss to fall a game behind Baltimore in the Atlantic.
Sun 27 SaberCats 13
Southern California scored the last 17 points of the game to turn a 13-10 deficit into the 27-13 win. The Sun ran for 212 yards as a team, converted 8 of 14 3rd downs and was 4 for 4 in the red zone (3 TD/1 FG). San Jose actually had more yards than the Sun but they also had 2 lost fumbles and less red zone success (1 TD/2 FG's in 3 trips). The win makes the Sun 1-2, a game behind Honolulu while San Jose falls to 0-3.
Generals 44 Breakers 0
New Jersey had 748 yards of offense, including a whopping 360 on the ground while the Generals defense held Boston to 90 total yards. The only negative for New Jersey, aside from a bunch of minor injuries, was red zone efficiency. Six red zone trips resulted in just 3 FG's as QB Ric Flair was careless with the football. That's easily overcome when Rudi Johnson runs for 219 yards and 3 TD's. New Jersey is 3-0, leading the East while Boston falls to 0-3.
Panthers 27 Renegades 10
I started this blog post 90 minutes ago, need to start hurrying up as Week 4 rolls in 40 minutes. Michigan was all over Orlando in this game. The Panthers defense pretty much completely shut down Orlando's passing attack and the Renegade's lone TD was a defensive TD. Michigan did have trouble running the ball effectively but they were 7 for 18 on 3rd down conversions while holding Orlando to 1-13.
(NY) Stars 23 Stallions 10
Visitors to NYC often say New Yorkers are rude, and the Stars lived up to that image. Birmingham came up for a visit and the (NY) Stars wouldn't let the Stallions keep the ball. Birmingham only called 6 running plays all game and threw 3 INT and suffered 3 sacks. New York ran the ball 44 times as they had 42 minutes of possession. The upset win makes New York 1-2 while Birmingham falls to 2-1.
Federals 31 Bandits 16
There were a combined 105 pass attempts in this game, 64 by Tampa Bay. The YPA and YPCompletion were very close but Washington ran the ball better. The Federals scored 3 TD's and a FG in their 4 red zone trips while the Bandits got 1 TD and 2 FG's in 3 trips. This was a back and forth game for 3 quarters before Washington pulled away in the 4th. Washington improves to 2-1 while Tampa Bay falls to 1-2.
Stars 38 Blazers 16
It seems this week there were many great team rushing performances and many terrible ones. This game featured both. Florida could only muster 6 yards on 16 carries while Baltimore was 30-198. The passing stats were close to equal but 3rd down conversions weren't. Baltimore was the team blazing for first downs, converting 10 of 15 3rd downs while Florida was 2 for 11. Baltimore is off to a 3-0 start while Florida fell to 1-2.
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Week 2: Where have all the close games gone?
Just like Week 1, we only had 3 one score games in Week 2. The average margin of victory so far has been over 17 points through 2 weeks of action. The Memphis winning streak has reached 21 games and nine other teams are also 2-0, while ten teams are 0-2. We have 4 RB's with over 200 yards and 17 on pace for 1,000 yard seasons, which would be the most since 1975. The last time there were more than 9 RB to get 1,000 was 1980. Memphis WR Willie Howland is lapping the field in receiving stats, already 161 yards ahead of 2nd place.
Gold 26 Gamblers 23
Reigning two time MVP Tony Dean failed to throw a TD pass for the first time since his rookie season and another slow start for Houston had them trailing entering the 4th quarter for the second straight week. The score was 23-13 after 3 but Houston managed to score 10 to tie the game with 4:38 left. Following an exchange of punts, Denver got the ball with just under 2 minutes left and drove the field for the game winning FG at the final gun.
Bell 22 Force 21
Georgia won most stat categories and the Force jumped out to a 21-7 lead at halftime. Philadelphia QB Eric Pierce was sacked 7 times but it was a sack of Force QB Norris Thomas that was the difference. Thomas Wheeler sacked him in the end zone for a safety and combined with 2 fourth quarter FG's, Philadelphia earns the come from behind win.
Bulls 27 Bandits 19
Yet another game where the losing team had the better stats. Both teams ran the ball well, though Tampa Bay had almost 7 ypc and Tampa had more passing yards but Jacksonville was more efficient. The Bulls never trailed in the game, though Tampa Bay had a chance to tie the game late in the 4th and couldn't get it done. Craig Maddox ran it in from 2 yards out but the XP was no good, making the score 20-19 Jacksonville. The Bulls would add an insurance TD for the final score.
Wheels 18 Gunslingers 0
Detroit earns their first shutout since Eyeballll ran the Wheels in what was probably the best game so far of fhunt3's USFL career. Detroit couldn't find the end zone but 6 FG's is more than enough when you limit your opponent to 118 total yards.
Steamer 23 SaberCats 13
San Jose had a 13-10 lead after 3 quarters but Shreveport scores 13 unanswered points in the 4th to win the game and improve to 2-0 on the year.
Hawaiians 35 VooDoo 3
Both teams ran for at least 8 ypc but Honolulu had a lot more attempts as they ran for 268 yards. The story was the Honolulu defense as they intercepted 4 VooDoo passes as part of a 5 turnover day. Red zone efficiency was a factor in this game as well. New Orleans WR/RB Ricky Hash had 114 yards on just 12 rushes while Hawaiians RB Ronald Boatman had 198 yards on 22 carries and WR Allen Grant had 3 TD receptions among his 11-113.
Generals 44 (NY) Stars 13
New Jersey got started fast as they took the opening kickoff and drove down the field for the first of 5 Ric Flair TD passes. The Generals defense intercepted the Stars on their first play leading to TD pass #2. New Jersey's biggest lead was 31-3 and they coasted from there. For some reason, New York decided to play all 3 QB's on the roster.
Storm 29 Federals 12
Portland allowed 300 yards of offense but they held the prolific Washington offense out of the end zone all game, allowing just 4 FG's. Portland didn't have a great stat day either but going 3 for 3 scoring TD's in the red zone is a winning recipe. It seems Setherick has his players now and the Storm are a team to watch in 1987.
Panthers 26 Thunderbolts 17
Both teams scored 14 first quarter points and it seemed we were headed for a shootout, but things settled down after that initial flurry. Cleveland ran the ball well behind Samuel Draper (23-141-1) but struggled through the air. Michigan was the opposite, they ran for 27 yards on 21 carries but QB Jerry Ruiz was 31/38 374 yards and 3 TD's. That ability to find the end zone was the difference in the Michigan victory.
Wranglers 19 Sun 7
Judging by the box score it seems Arizona controlled the game throughout, as Southern California struggled to move the ball until the 4th qtr. Wranglers QB Joseph Jones tossed 2 TD passes and WR Chris Goldberg had 136 yards receiving.
Stars 24 Hornets 6
Charlotte scored first and last but it wasn't enough to beat the 24 points Baltimore scored in between. Baltimore overcame 3 interceptions with 444 yards and a solid defense that only allowed Charlotte 203.
Blazers 20 Renegades 6
Orlando only had 2 drives longer than 14 yards all day so Florida had little trouble overcoming 3 turnovers. Second year Blazers TE Kevin Forester had 8 catches for 106 yards and DE Ramon Carter had 3 sacks.
Invaders 18 Blitz 3
Oakland had an incredible 6 red zone trips, though they crossed the end zone just once. Both teams had 22 completions but the Invaders had double the yards per completion as Chicago could only muster 176 yards on the day.
Maulers 27 Breakers 3
Boston had trouble holding onto the football, losing 2 fumbles and throwing an interception. Pittsburgh wasn't spectacular but they were efficient on offense. The biggest thing I noticed from this game is Pittsburgh allowed their kicker to try 2 60+ yard FG's, both were short.
Showboats 40 Outlaws 17
Life is grand when you're on a 20 game win streak coming into a game, you play sloppy with 3 turnovers (one a pick six) and less than 3 ypc, yet still win by 23 points. Such is the case with the Champion Memphis Showboats. It helps that the Showboat defense made Oklahoma dink and dunk their way down the field, out gaining them 521-165. Willie Howland continued to dominate, with 215 yards and a TD on 7 catches. Donut Mogul Tim Horton might need to go on a diet as he had 1 yard per touch, 12 carries 12 yards and 2 receptions for 2 yards, although both receptions were touchdowns.
Stallions 44 Express 3
Both teams had 17 first downs and almost equal time of possession, but that's where the box score similarity ends. Birmingham dominated the stats and the scoreboard en route to the easy victory. Some time either during or immediately after the game, Express owner/GM buenoboss11 vanished, so LA needs an owner again.
Gold 26 Gamblers 23
Reigning two time MVP Tony Dean failed to throw a TD pass for the first time since his rookie season and another slow start for Houston had them trailing entering the 4th quarter for the second straight week. The score was 23-13 after 3 but Houston managed to score 10 to tie the game with 4:38 left. Following an exchange of punts, Denver got the ball with just under 2 minutes left and drove the field for the game winning FG at the final gun.
Bell 22 Force 21
Georgia won most stat categories and the Force jumped out to a 21-7 lead at halftime. Philadelphia QB Eric Pierce was sacked 7 times but it was a sack of Force QB Norris Thomas that was the difference. Thomas Wheeler sacked him in the end zone for a safety and combined with 2 fourth quarter FG's, Philadelphia earns the come from behind win.
Bulls 27 Bandits 19
Yet another game where the losing team had the better stats. Both teams ran the ball well, though Tampa Bay had almost 7 ypc and Tampa had more passing yards but Jacksonville was more efficient. The Bulls never trailed in the game, though Tampa Bay had a chance to tie the game late in the 4th and couldn't get it done. Craig Maddox ran it in from 2 yards out but the XP was no good, making the score 20-19 Jacksonville. The Bulls would add an insurance TD for the final score.
Wheels 18 Gunslingers 0
Detroit earns their first shutout since Eyeballll ran the Wheels in what was probably the best game so far of fhunt3's USFL career. Detroit couldn't find the end zone but 6 FG's is more than enough when you limit your opponent to 118 total yards.
Steamer 23 SaberCats 13
San Jose had a 13-10 lead after 3 quarters but Shreveport scores 13 unanswered points in the 4th to win the game and improve to 2-0 on the year.
Hawaiians 35 VooDoo 3
Both teams ran for at least 8 ypc but Honolulu had a lot more attempts as they ran for 268 yards. The story was the Honolulu defense as they intercepted 4 VooDoo passes as part of a 5 turnover day. Red zone efficiency was a factor in this game as well. New Orleans WR/RB Ricky Hash had 114 yards on just 12 rushes while Hawaiians RB Ronald Boatman had 198 yards on 22 carries and WR Allen Grant had 3 TD receptions among his 11-113.
Generals 44 (NY) Stars 13
New Jersey got started fast as they took the opening kickoff and drove down the field for the first of 5 Ric Flair TD passes. The Generals defense intercepted the Stars on their first play leading to TD pass #2. New Jersey's biggest lead was 31-3 and they coasted from there. For some reason, New York decided to play all 3 QB's on the roster.
Storm 29 Federals 12
Portland allowed 300 yards of offense but they held the prolific Washington offense out of the end zone all game, allowing just 4 FG's. Portland didn't have a great stat day either but going 3 for 3 scoring TD's in the red zone is a winning recipe. It seems Setherick has his players now and the Storm are a team to watch in 1987.
Panthers 26 Thunderbolts 17
Both teams scored 14 first quarter points and it seemed we were headed for a shootout, but things settled down after that initial flurry. Cleveland ran the ball well behind Samuel Draper (23-141-1) but struggled through the air. Michigan was the opposite, they ran for 27 yards on 21 carries but QB Jerry Ruiz was 31/38 374 yards and 3 TD's. That ability to find the end zone was the difference in the Michigan victory.
Wranglers 19 Sun 7
Judging by the box score it seems Arizona controlled the game throughout, as Southern California struggled to move the ball until the 4th qtr. Wranglers QB Joseph Jones tossed 2 TD passes and WR Chris Goldberg had 136 yards receiving.
Stars 24 Hornets 6
Charlotte scored first and last but it wasn't enough to beat the 24 points Baltimore scored in between. Baltimore overcame 3 interceptions with 444 yards and a solid defense that only allowed Charlotte 203.
Blazers 20 Renegades 6
Orlando only had 2 drives longer than 14 yards all day so Florida had little trouble overcoming 3 turnovers. Second year Blazers TE Kevin Forester had 8 catches for 106 yards and DE Ramon Carter had 3 sacks.
Invaders 18 Blitz 3
Oakland had an incredible 6 red zone trips, though they crossed the end zone just once. Both teams had 22 completions but the Invaders had double the yards per completion as Chicago could only muster 176 yards on the day.
Maulers 27 Breakers 3
Boston had trouble holding onto the football, losing 2 fumbles and throwing an interception. Pittsburgh wasn't spectacular but they were efficient on offense. The biggest thing I noticed from this game is Pittsburgh allowed their kicker to try 2 60+ yard FG's, both were short.
Showboats 40 Outlaws 17
Life is grand when you're on a 20 game win streak coming into a game, you play sloppy with 3 turnovers (one a pick six) and less than 3 ypc, yet still win by 23 points. Such is the case with the Champion Memphis Showboats. It helps that the Showboat defense made Oklahoma dink and dunk their way down the field, out gaining them 521-165. Willie Howland continued to dominate, with 215 yards and a TD on 7 catches. Donut Mogul Tim Horton might need to go on a diet as he had 1 yard per touch, 12 carries 12 yards and 2 receptions for 2 yards, although both receptions were touchdowns.
Stallions 44 Express 3
Both teams had 17 first downs and almost equal time of possession, but that's where the box score similarity ends. Birmingham dominated the stats and the scoreboard en route to the easy victory. Some time either during or immediately after the game, Express owner/GM buenoboss11 vanished, so LA needs an owner again.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Kickoff 1987
1987 begins the way 1986 ended, with a Memphis victory. Every team saw action however, and no team was shutout. The Pacific division went a combined 0-4 yet somehow aren't last in the division rankings. The Jacksonville Bulls were one of seven teams to only score single digit points, yet they won 7-3. Washington scored 49 and the Champion Showboats scored 41. On to the action on the field...
Showboats 41 Breakers 10
Sure fire future Hall of Famer Willie Howland was up to his usual tricks, hauling in 7 catches for 195 yards and 4 TD's. Howland's first TD was also the longest, going for 90 yards and the ensuing 2 point conversion gave Memphis an early 8-0 lead. Three minutes later, QB David Allen found Howland again, this time for a 56 yard TD and the 2 point conversion pushed the lead to 16-0.
Following a Boston FG, new Showboat RB Mark Lambert paid dividends with a 46 yard TD run. Lambert would finish the day with 157 yards rushing. The 2 point conversion gave Memphis an insurmountable 22-3 lead. Boston did manage the next score, QB Richard Garrett finding Joseph Clark for a 61 yard TD. The second half was a Memphis FG and 2 more Willie Howland TD receptions from David Allen.
Bandits 20 Blazers 16
Tampa Bay got 3 TD passes from Melvin Driggers and intercepted 2 passes to upset Florida 20-16. Two of those TD passes went to Paul Meade, the first of which covered 70 yards and gave Tampa an early 7-3 lead. It wasn't all bad for Florida QB Sidney Maggard, as his 2nd qtr 73 yard TD pass to Arthur Strickland gave Florida the lead back briefly, 10-7.
Early in the 4th qtr, the 2nd TD catch by Paul Meade was the difference maker. The XP was no good but it gave the Bandits a 20-10 lead. Florida would add 2 4th qtr FG's for the final margin.
Bulls 7 Force 3
In the words of my favorite baseball broadcaster Marty Brennaman, this game was a "titanic struggle". Defense ruled the day for the most part, save for one big play and one long, empty drive. The big play was a 79 yard Joseph Serio TD pass to Stanton Redman, giving Jacksonville the game's first points with 5:11 left in the 3rd. Georgia would kick a FG in the 4th to cut the deficit to 7-3, then got the ball back with 4:11 left in the game after a three and out. The Force held the ball until the final gun, going 67 yards in an incredible 18 plays only to stall out at the Bulls 9 yard line.
Steamer 23 Express 17
There were only three one score games Week 1 and this was one of them. New Los Angeles owner Buenoboss 11 got his USFL/WFL career started on the right foot. On the first offensive play of the season, Express QB Robert Burns found WR Dane Britt for an 82 yard TD pass for the early 7-0 lead. It was at that point sideline reporter Jayne Kennedy overheard Shreveport QB George Marcil tell teammates "hold my beer". The first Steamers offensive play was also a long TD pass, 79 yards to Joseph Wagner. Two minutes later, Burns and Britt were at it again, this time for 65 yards for the 14-7 Express lead. George Marcil would also throw a 2nd TD pass in the 1st qtr and we were knotted at 14 through one. The rest of the game was a FG contest but Steamer QB Marcil finished an efficient 35/42 for 372 yards and the 2 TD's while Express QB Burns had trouble moving the chains, finishing below 50% (17/39).
Federals 49 Gold 23
Denver had made the playoffs 5 straight years before missing out in 1986, so to have to start 1987 on the road at juggernaut Washington was no easy task. The Federals are 39-9 the last 3 seasons, largely due to the play of former starting QB Joe Richardson. Washington decided to let 4th year pro Shane "Justin" Bieber start. When asked about the nickname, Bieber replied "I don't get it, who is Justin Bieber?" Good question since he wasn't even born in 1987 (1994).
The first drive for Bieber ended well, with a 48 yard TD to Jason Laughlin. The second "drive" ended badly, as WLB Robert Givens intercepted the pass and walked into the end zone. Bieber would end the day 26/50 349 yards 5 TD and 2 INT. Denver put up 415 yards of their own but QB Andrew Brewer finished 30/56 383 yards 1 TD but 3 INT. Gold backup QB Walton Vazquez also saw action, though they might as well have used Mr. Magoo as Vazquez only completed 2 of his 6 passes, both to Washington defenders.
Stars 38 (NY) Stars 6
The battle of the Stars wasn't much of a battle as Baltimore QB Jon Snow threw for 399 yards and 4 TD's in the victory. Baltimore WR Justin Coffey had a big day with 180 yards and a TD on 7 catches. Baltimore had 547 yards of offense to 225 for New York.
Thunderbolts 16 Renegades 3
Move along, nothing to see here. Cleveland didn't do anything spectacular on offense but their defense didn't let Orlando do much of anything. Cleveland WR/RB Samuel Draper ran for 106 yards on 28 carries and QB Allen Rose was 18/22 passing as the Thunderbolts grinded to victory.
Maulers 22 Hornets 10
Charlotte brought the defense today, holding Pittsburgh to just 22 rushing yards on 37 attempts but offensive turnovers doomed the Hornets to defeat. Both teams scored 1 TD but Maulers K Bret Curley booted 5 FG's to just 1 for Hornets K Samuel Hoye.
Storm 30 Wranglers 10
Arizona finished as the #2 seed in 1986 but they ran into a Storm to start 1987. Portland ran for over 4.5 yards a carry and QB Oscar Willis was 33/41 for 332 yards and a TD. The Storm also scored TD's on 4 of 5 red zone possessions and if they continue to play like this, they'll be contending for conference superiority with Memphis and Houston.
Panthers 19 Wheels 3
Michigan controlled Detroit at home, forcing 2 turnovers, and allowing just 223 yards and zero red zone trips. The Panthers didn't look great on offense but they did enough to win. Nobody on either team had a great stat day.
Invaders 34 SaberCats 13
San Jose didn't look too bad on offense, racking up 330 yards with no turnovers. They did only kick FG's on both red zone trips but even had they converted those, it wouldn't have been enough. The Oakland offense was on point, 7.5 yards per carry (24-180), 29/40 passing and 495 yards of total offense. Invader RB Oliver Thomas had 159 rushing yards on 15 carries while QB Dustin Nichols tossed 3 TD passes in the victory.
VooDoo 32 Sun 6
New Orleans won this game with defense, holding Southern California to 220 total yards and turning them over 3 times. The VooDoo turned those into 3 first qtr TD's and 3 2 point conversions to lead 24-0. The VooDoo even scored a defensive TD, with CB Joseph Walton's pick six.
Gamblers 31 Gunslingers 13
If one just looks at the final score, they'd assume Houston won easily. You know what they say about assumptions though, as the Gamblers trailed 13-7 through 3 quarters. Houston has had one of the league's best offenses the last few seasons, so to keep them to 7 points through 3 is impressive. One thing about having a big play offense is lightning can strike at any time. San Antonio had just punted and pinned Houston at their own 6 yard line when reigning 2 time MVP Tony Dean did his thing. That 94 yard TD pass to Gabriel Ahrens was the game winner as Houston scores 24 points in the final quarter for the victory.
Generals 31 Bell 14
World Bowl loser hangover? Not with New Jersey as they are used to losing World Bowls (2-4 record). Philadelphia did a good job on run defense, holding the Generals to 2.45 ypc (33-81). RB Rudi Johnson was the stat star of this game, finishing with 60 rushing yards and a TD (21 carries) while chipping in 8 catches for 126 yards and another TD to help QB Ric Flair top 300 yards passing. The Nature Boy did throw 2 INT but the Generals defense intercepted 3 passes to offset that.
Stallions 37 Hawaiians 14
Birmingham had quite the balanced attack as they had 273 yards rushing (over 10 ypc) and 320 passing. RB Mark Peterson had 141 of those rushing yards and 52 receiving, but hurt his ankle and is questionable for Week 2. WR Jeffrey Zimmer hauled in 2 TD's among his 6 catches for 132 yards to the pleasure of sold out Legion Field.
Blitz 20 Outlaws 7
Oklahoma nearly doubled Chicago in total yards (331-175) and dominated the rushing stats (31/162 vs 30/71) but they also dominated turnovers (4-1). One of those turnovers was a pick six by Chicago CB Herbert Brigham just before halftime to give the Blitz a 14-0 lead at the break.
Showboats 41 Breakers 10
Sure fire future Hall of Famer Willie Howland was up to his usual tricks, hauling in 7 catches for 195 yards and 4 TD's. Howland's first TD was also the longest, going for 90 yards and the ensuing 2 point conversion gave Memphis an early 8-0 lead. Three minutes later, QB David Allen found Howland again, this time for a 56 yard TD and the 2 point conversion pushed the lead to 16-0.
Following a Boston FG, new Showboat RB Mark Lambert paid dividends with a 46 yard TD run. Lambert would finish the day with 157 yards rushing. The 2 point conversion gave Memphis an insurmountable 22-3 lead. Boston did manage the next score, QB Richard Garrett finding Joseph Clark for a 61 yard TD. The second half was a Memphis FG and 2 more Willie Howland TD receptions from David Allen.
Bandits 20 Blazers 16
Tampa Bay got 3 TD passes from Melvin Driggers and intercepted 2 passes to upset Florida 20-16. Two of those TD passes went to Paul Meade, the first of which covered 70 yards and gave Tampa an early 7-3 lead. It wasn't all bad for Florida QB Sidney Maggard, as his 2nd qtr 73 yard TD pass to Arthur Strickland gave Florida the lead back briefly, 10-7.
Early in the 4th qtr, the 2nd TD catch by Paul Meade was the difference maker. The XP was no good but it gave the Bandits a 20-10 lead. Florida would add 2 4th qtr FG's for the final margin.
Bulls 7 Force 3
In the words of my favorite baseball broadcaster Marty Brennaman, this game was a "titanic struggle". Defense ruled the day for the most part, save for one big play and one long, empty drive. The big play was a 79 yard Joseph Serio TD pass to Stanton Redman, giving Jacksonville the game's first points with 5:11 left in the 3rd. Georgia would kick a FG in the 4th to cut the deficit to 7-3, then got the ball back with 4:11 left in the game after a three and out. The Force held the ball until the final gun, going 67 yards in an incredible 18 plays only to stall out at the Bulls 9 yard line.
Steamer 23 Express 17
There were only three one score games Week 1 and this was one of them. New Los Angeles owner Buenoboss 11 got his USFL/WFL career started on the right foot. On the first offensive play of the season, Express QB Robert Burns found WR Dane Britt for an 82 yard TD pass for the early 7-0 lead. It was at that point sideline reporter Jayne Kennedy overheard Shreveport QB George Marcil tell teammates "hold my beer". The first Steamers offensive play was also a long TD pass, 79 yards to Joseph Wagner. Two minutes later, Burns and Britt were at it again, this time for 65 yards for the 14-7 Express lead. George Marcil would also throw a 2nd TD pass in the 1st qtr and we were knotted at 14 through one. The rest of the game was a FG contest but Steamer QB Marcil finished an efficient 35/42 for 372 yards and the 2 TD's while Express QB Burns had trouble moving the chains, finishing below 50% (17/39).
Federals 49 Gold 23
Denver had made the playoffs 5 straight years before missing out in 1986, so to have to start 1987 on the road at juggernaut Washington was no easy task. The Federals are 39-9 the last 3 seasons, largely due to the play of former starting QB Joe Richardson. Washington decided to let 4th year pro Shane "Justin" Bieber start. When asked about the nickname, Bieber replied "I don't get it, who is Justin Bieber?" Good question since he wasn't even born in 1987 (1994).
The first drive for Bieber ended well, with a 48 yard TD to Jason Laughlin. The second "drive" ended badly, as WLB Robert Givens intercepted the pass and walked into the end zone. Bieber would end the day 26/50 349 yards 5 TD and 2 INT. Denver put up 415 yards of their own but QB Andrew Brewer finished 30/56 383 yards 1 TD but 3 INT. Gold backup QB Walton Vazquez also saw action, though they might as well have used Mr. Magoo as Vazquez only completed 2 of his 6 passes, both to Washington defenders.
Stars 38 (NY) Stars 6
The battle of the Stars wasn't much of a battle as Baltimore QB Jon Snow threw for 399 yards and 4 TD's in the victory. Baltimore WR Justin Coffey had a big day with 180 yards and a TD on 7 catches. Baltimore had 547 yards of offense to 225 for New York.
Thunderbolts 16 Renegades 3
Move along, nothing to see here. Cleveland didn't do anything spectacular on offense but their defense didn't let Orlando do much of anything. Cleveland WR/RB Samuel Draper ran for 106 yards on 28 carries and QB Allen Rose was 18/22 passing as the Thunderbolts grinded to victory.
Maulers 22 Hornets 10
Charlotte brought the defense today, holding Pittsburgh to just 22 rushing yards on 37 attempts but offensive turnovers doomed the Hornets to defeat. Both teams scored 1 TD but Maulers K Bret Curley booted 5 FG's to just 1 for Hornets K Samuel Hoye.
Storm 30 Wranglers 10
Arizona finished as the #2 seed in 1986 but they ran into a Storm to start 1987. Portland ran for over 4.5 yards a carry and QB Oscar Willis was 33/41 for 332 yards and a TD. The Storm also scored TD's on 4 of 5 red zone possessions and if they continue to play like this, they'll be contending for conference superiority with Memphis and Houston.
Panthers 19 Wheels 3
Michigan controlled Detroit at home, forcing 2 turnovers, and allowing just 223 yards and zero red zone trips. The Panthers didn't look great on offense but they did enough to win. Nobody on either team had a great stat day.
Invaders 34 SaberCats 13
San Jose didn't look too bad on offense, racking up 330 yards with no turnovers. They did only kick FG's on both red zone trips but even had they converted those, it wouldn't have been enough. The Oakland offense was on point, 7.5 yards per carry (24-180), 29/40 passing and 495 yards of total offense. Invader RB Oliver Thomas had 159 rushing yards on 15 carries while QB Dustin Nichols tossed 3 TD passes in the victory.
VooDoo 32 Sun 6
New Orleans won this game with defense, holding Southern California to 220 total yards and turning them over 3 times. The VooDoo turned those into 3 first qtr TD's and 3 2 point conversions to lead 24-0. The VooDoo even scored a defensive TD, with CB Joseph Walton's pick six.
Gamblers 31 Gunslingers 13
If one just looks at the final score, they'd assume Houston won easily. You know what they say about assumptions though, as the Gamblers trailed 13-7 through 3 quarters. Houston has had one of the league's best offenses the last few seasons, so to keep them to 7 points through 3 is impressive. One thing about having a big play offense is lightning can strike at any time. San Antonio had just punted and pinned Houston at their own 6 yard line when reigning 2 time MVP Tony Dean did his thing. That 94 yard TD pass to Gabriel Ahrens was the game winner as Houston scores 24 points in the final quarter for the victory.
Generals 31 Bell 14
World Bowl loser hangover? Not with New Jersey as they are used to losing World Bowls (2-4 record). Philadelphia did a good job on run defense, holding the Generals to 2.45 ypc (33-81). RB Rudi Johnson was the stat star of this game, finishing with 60 rushing yards and a TD (21 carries) while chipping in 8 catches for 126 yards and another TD to help QB Ric Flair top 300 yards passing. The Nature Boy did throw 2 INT but the Generals defense intercepted 3 passes to offset that.
Stallions 37 Hawaiians 14
Birmingham had quite the balanced attack as they had 273 yards rushing (over 10 ypc) and 320 passing. RB Mark Peterson had 141 of those rushing yards and 52 receiving, but hurt his ankle and is questionable for Week 2. WR Jeffrey Zimmer hauled in 2 TD's among his 6 catches for 132 yards to the pleasure of sold out Legion Field.
Blitz 20 Outlaws 7
Oklahoma nearly doubled Chicago in total yards (331-175) and dominated the rushing stats (31/162 vs 30/71) but they also dominated turnovers (4-1). One of those turnovers was a pick six by Chicago CB Herbert Brigham just before halftime to give the Blitz a 14-0 lead at the break.
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