Week 14: Three Teams, Two Weeks, One Spot

Players of the Week

National Conference

Offense: Doug Fluty, QB, New Jersey Generals. Fluty completed 26 of 40 passes for 338 yards and three TDs in the Generals' 43-0 win over the Charlotte Hornets that kept New Jersey in the hunt for the final wild-card playoff spot in the National Conference.

Doug Fluty, New Jersey Generals

Honorable Mention: Vincent Goode, QB, New Orleans VooDoo; Victor Gorman, QB, Baltimore Stars; Cliff Thomas, RB, Pittsburgh Maulers; Herschel Walker, RB, New Jersey Generals.

Defense: John Cintron, MLB, Shreveport Steamer. Cintron had 13 tackles, and interception and a fumble recovery during a 15-8 victory over the Birmingham Stallions that evened Shreveport's record at 7-7 and kept them in the race for a wild-card playoff spot.

Honorable Mention: Bernard Washington, WLB, Florida Blazers; George Simmons, LDE, New Orleans VooDoo; Wayne Bouchard, RDE, New Orleans VooDoo; Jesse Amos, MLB, Georgia Force.

American Conference

Offense: William Carter, QB Houston Gamblers. Carter completed 25 of 39 passes for 508 yards and did not throw an interception, but Houston fell to the Michigan Panthers, 59-27.

Honorable Mention: Brandon Robertson, QB, Michigan Panthers, Timothy Hanna, WR Detroit Wheels; Alan Scurry, RB, Denver Gold; Nolan Loos, QB, Southern California Sun.

Defense: John Hernandez, WLB, Cleveland Thunderbolts. Hernandez had 11 tackles, a sack and an interception during a 16-10 win over the Oklahoma Outlaws.

Honorable Mention: James Tolentino, DE, Honolulu Hawaiians; Ryan Welch, DT, Arizona Wranglers; Fred Falgout, WLB, Oakland Invaders; Joseph Carter, MLB, Michigan Panthers.

Notes

• The American Conference playoff field is all set, but the National Conference will have two more weeks of intrigue. The New Jersey Generals, Baltimore Stars and Shreveport Steamer are all tied at 7-7 for the sixth and final playoff spot. All three have one game remaining in which they will be the favorite and one in which they will be the underdog. The only decision among them came in Week 4, when New Jersey edged Baltimore, 10-7. The Generals are currently 6-4 in their conference, Baltimore 6-5 and Shreveport 5-5.
• There was a fantastic finish in Pittsburgh, where the Maulers faced the Boston Breakers in a battle of division leaders. Boston QB Jonathan Keefe hit WR Angel Howell with a 70-yard TD pass to pull the Breakers within 24-22 with 29 seconds to go. Boston went for the 2-point conversion in an attempt to tie, but Pittsburgh LDE Nathaniel Miles stuffed RB Matthew Brinkley for a short loss to preserve his team's victory.
• The Tampa Bay Bandits are 2-0 under new coach Mcarovil after beating the Orlando Renegades, 14-6.
• The Jacksonville Bulls extended their winning streak to five games by shutting down the San Antonio  Gunslingers, 22-6. San Antonio managed just 218 net yards.
• Houston Gamblers QB William Carter hit RB hit RB Robert Carroll with a 99-yard TD pass during his team's 59-27 loss to the Michigan Panthers. I love that the game log description of this includes "You can tell that the offense is starting to figure out how to beat that defensive play." You think?
• The three QBs who took part in the Oklahoma Outlaws vs. Cleveland Thunderbolts game combined to throw four interceptions and QB ratings of 40.63, 42.36, and 45.60. That is some serious secondary play. Thunderbolts CB Charles Stark intercepted a pass with 1:29 to play to preserve his team's 16-10 win.
• Two of the better QBs in the American Conference, William Hill of the Portland Storm and Henry Prieto of the Detroit Wheels, both threw four TDs and four interceptions, but both were on the winning side. Hill threw a 70-yard TD to WR Michael Black early in the fourth quarter as the Storm edged the Oakland Invaders, 29-26.
• Detroit WR Timothy Hanna caught only four passes, but three were for TDs (62, 70, 24 yards) in the Wheels' 28-16 victory over the Showboats at Memphis.
• The New Orleans VooDoo sacked Georgia Force QB Phillip Anderson 14 times during a 52-0 VooDoo victory. RDE Wayne Bouchard, DT James Rodriquez and DT John Lawrence all had four sacks.
• The San Jose SaberCats (12-2), battling Chicago and Detroit for home-field advantage in the playoffs, travel to Memphis to face the Showboats (8-6) this week on Monday Night Football. The Sunday Night Football game features a pair of South Division rivals when the Birmingham Stallions host the Georgia Force.

Week 13: Wranglers Back From the Dead

Players of the Week

American Conference

Offense: Ray Bryant, RB, Denver Gold. Bryant had 19 carries for 92 yards and four receptions for 92 yards and a TD during a 26-10 win over the Cleveland Thunderbolts.

Honorable Mention: James Rowlins, WR, Arizona Wranglers; Robert Costello, RB, Detroit Wheels; Tony Smith, QB, San Antonio Gunslingers; Brandon Rocha, QB, Memphis Showboats.

Defense: Jonathan Neal, MLB, San Antonio Gunslingers. Neal had 7 tackles, 2 sacks, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries as San Antonio defeated Memphis, 52-35. Neal's fumble return for a TD was his second in three weeks.

Jonathan Neal, MLB, San Antonio

Honorable Mention: James Barclay, DE, Cleveland Thunderbolts; Allen Herrera, SS, Oklahoma Outlaws; Eugene Pacheco, DT, Portland Storm; James Kelly, SS, Southern California Sun.

National Conference

Offense: Vincent Goode, QB, New Orleans VooDoo. Goode completed 29 of 50 passes for 550 yards and six TDs as New Orleans rolled past the Michigan Panthers, 52-9.

Honorable Mention: Phillip Anderson, QB, Georgia Force; Victor Gorman, QB, Baltimore Stars; Dean Williamson, WR, Georgia Force; Cliff Thomas, RB, Pittsburgh Maulers.

Defense: Carlos Johnson, MLB, Tampa Bay Bandits. Johnson had 12 tackles and a sack as the Bandits shut out the Birmingham Stallions 12-0.

Honorable Mention: Bruce Schumann, WLB, Georgia Force. Marvin Anderson, MLB, Pittsburgh Maulers; Wayne Bouchard, RDE, New Orleans VooDoo; Gregory Johnson, CB, New Jersey Generals.

Notes

• Reports of the death of the Arizona Wranglers were, apparently, very exaggerated. The Wranglers (6-7), losers of five of their last six and still without injured all-world RB Curtis Scott, stunned the previously undefeated Boston Breakers, 26-23, on Christopher River's 31-yard field goal with 2 seconds to play. The game-winner was set up by SLB Mike Harmon's interception with 44 seconds remaining and QB Ralph Trowbridge completing a 27-yard pass to WR James Rawlins on the next play. The Breakers (11-1-1) are now a half-game behind the Florida Blazers (12-1) for the top seed in the National Conference.
• The Detroit Wheels (11-2) pulled into a first-place tie with Chicago (11-2) in the Midwest Division by edging the Blitz, 10-9. QB Henry Prieto's 32-yard pass to RB Robert Costello with 44 seconds remaining before halftime was the game's only TD. Blitz QB Daniel McKee, a league MVP candidate, had perhaps his worst day of the season (62.95 QB rating) as the Wheels avenged a 23-0 loss to Chicago in Week 3.
• Congrats to Charlotte coach UKRAIN, who earned his first league victory when the Hornets outlasted the Washington Federals, 25-20. The Hornets trailed, 20-10, at halftime but QB George Melton threw a pair of TDs in the second half, including the 62-yard game-winner to Emil Hoban with 7:59 to go. The Federals have lost eight of their last nine.
• The New Jersey Generals scored two TDs in the final 3:30 to edge the Philadelphia Bell, 20-16, and move into the last wild-card spot in the National Conference. Maurice Carthon ran for a 52-yard score to pull New Jersey within 16-13, then caught a 66-yard TD pass from QB Doug Fluty with 34 seconds remaining.
• New Tampa Bay coach Mcarovil picked up a victory in his first game on the sidelines, the Bandits shutting out the Birmingham Stallions, 12-0. QB Antonio Christy hit WR Devin Bennett with a 3-yard scoring pass, the game's only touchdown.
• The San Antonio Gunslingers extended their Southwest Division lead over Memphis to three games by winning a wild 55-32 decision over the Showboats. San Antonio scored 30 fourth-quarter points, including MLB Jonathan Neal's second fumble return for a TD in three weeks.
• The Jacksonville Bulls (7-5-1), currently holding onto the No. 5 playoff seed in the National Conference, host the San Antonio Gunslingers (11-2) on Sunday Night Football. The Boston Breakers (11-1-1) will try to bounce back from their first defeat when they travel to Pittsburgh to face the Maulers (10-3) on Monday Night Football.

Youngsters and Oldsters

I had a little fun with Excel today, using it to determine which USFL team is the youngest and which is the oldest in terms of average pro experience. The results did not surprise me at the top and bottom, but some of those in-between did.

New Jersey	2.0
Honolulu	2.6
Washington	2.7
Pittsburgh	2.9
Portland	2.9
Houston	3.0
Oakland	3.0
Chicago	3.1
Detroit	3.1
San Antonio	3.3
Oklahoma	3.5
New Orleans	3.6
Baltimore	3.8
Shreveport	3.8
Georgia	3.9
Orlando	4.0
Birmingham	4.1
Cleveland	4.1
Memphis	4.1
San Jose	4.3
Michigan	4.4
Charlotte	4.5
Denver	4.5
SoCal	4.5
Tampa Bay	4.6
Jacksonville	4.7
Arizona	4.8
Los Angeles	4.8
Philadelphia	5.2
New York	5.3
Florida	6.3
Boston	8.2

Based on how the teams approached the allocation draft, we might have figured on New Jersey being the youngest and Boston the oldest. The Generals (5-7) have only five players on their roster with more than three years of pro experience. The Breakers (11-0-1) have 18 players with 10 or more years of experience. Somehow the Generals still have a shot at the playoffs, which is to raidergreg's credit.

raidergreg, head coach, New Jersey Generals

But, a look at the Midwest Division yields some scary results. The Chicago Blitz (11-1) and Detroit Wheels (10-2) are both among the league's best teams, and its youngest. Honolulu (6-5-1), Pittsburgh (9-3) and Portland (8-4) are all young, but also in the playoff hunt. In fact, seven of the 10 youngest teams are still in postseason contention.

Week 12: Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

Players of the Week

National Conference

Offense: William Trombly, QB, Florida Blazers.Trombley completed 24 of 40 passes for 400 yards and four TDs in a 31-3 victory over the Baltimore Stars that stopped Florida's one-game losing streak.

William Trombly (12), Florida Blazers

Honorable Mention: Matthew Mitchell, RB. Orlando Renegades; Matthew Brinkley, RB, Boston Breakers; Scott Williams, RB, Jacksonville Bulls; Mark Collins, RB, Shreveport Steamer.

Defense: Daniel Carrier, RDE, New Orleans VooDoo. Carrier had 6 tackles and 6 sacks as the VooDoo defeated the Georgia Force, 35-3.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Moore, DT, Georgia Force; Shawn Arzola, SS, Tampa Bay Bandits; Thomas Mandell, WLB, Orlando Renegades; Bradley Garcia, FS, Birmingham Stallions.

American Conference

Offense: Gene Nowlin, QB, Los Angeles Express. Nowlin completed 11 of 13 passes for 262 yards and three TDs in a 30-13 win over the Washington Federals. Nowlin has 17TDs and 3 interceptions this season.

Honorable Mention: Agustin Cook, QB, Denver Gold; Robert Herrera, WR, Memphis Showboats; William Hill, QB, Portman Storm; William Delatorre, WR, Denver Gold.

Defense: Juan Bacote, CB, Memphis Showboats. Bacote had 5 tackles and 2 interceptions during a 40-17 win over the Houston Gambler.

Honorable Mention: Brian Vasquez, QB San Jose Sabercats; Kenneth Back, LDE, Portman Storm' Wayne Mashburn, CB, Houston Gamblers; Monte Cherry, SS, Cleveland Thunderbolts.

Notes

• The American playoff picture solidified a bit during Week 12. Denver, Portland, and Memphis are all 8-4; only two can make it. Memphis is the long shot, as the Showboats finish with four games against teams that are all 10-2. Denver has three winnable games, but must also play mighty Boston. Portland has a big game this week against the Hawaiians, as a Storm victory would give them the edge for one of the wild-card spots.
• Five teams are still in the race for two wild-card spots in the National Conference. Shreveport has the easiest road, but the Steamer plays Jacksonville, another contender, in two weeks. New Jersey has three winnable games followed by its season finale against Boston.
• The Southern California Sun handed San Jose just its second loss, 25-22, on Donald Gary's 47-yard field goal with 2:10 to play.
• The San Antonio Gunslingers outlasted the Detroit Wheels, 22-17, on Monday Night Football, taking a little of the shine off this week's Chicago-Detroit matchup. This was a defensive struggle all the way, as both QBs had tough days, a combined 28-for-70 passing and 10 sacks.
• The Midwest Division lead is up for grabs on Sunday Night Football when the Detroit Wheels host the Chicago Blitz. The Stars come out on Monday Night Football when the Baltimore Stars host the New York Stars.

Week 11: And Then There Were None

Players of the Week

National Conference

Offense: Phillip Anderson, QB, Georgia Force. Anderson threw for 443 yards and five TDs in a 44-23 win over the Michigan Panthers. Georgia outscored Michigan, 30-2, in the second half

Honorable Mention: Michael White, QB, Pittsburgh Maulers.Cliff Thomas, RB, Pittsburgh Maulers; Roy Weeks, RB, Birmingham Stallions.

Defense: Bruce Schumann, WLB, Georgia Force. Schumann had nine tackles and four sacks during a 44-23 victory over the Michigan Panthers. The Force allowed just 222 yards total offense and did not allow the Panthers to score in the second half. He has started all 10 games despite not having been chosen in the allocation draft until the 18th pick of the 44th round.

Bruce Schumann, Georgia Force (58)

Honorable Mention: Dan Gordon, RDE, Boston Breakers; Gary Barbaro, FS, New Jersey Generals; John Cintron, MLB, Shreveport Steamer.

American Conference

Offense: Daniel McKee, QB, Chicago Blitz. McKee was 13-for-20 passing for 349 yards, five TDs and a 147.92 rating during a 45-13 victory over the Houston Gamblers.

Honorable Mention: David Perez, WR, San Jose SaberCats; Karl Moore, RB, Honolulu Hawaiians; Augustin Crook, QB, Denver Gold; Gerard Hall, WR, Memphis Showboats.

Defense: Jimmie McCartney, DE, Los Angeles Express. McCartney was credited with three tackles and four sacks and forced a fumble before being taken out of the game with a neck injury that will sideline him for the next six weeks. The Express beat the Arizona Wranglers, 31-17.

Honorable Mention: Daniel Ibarra, SS, Los Angeles Express; Terry Crum, SS, Portland Storm;  Jonathan Neal, MLB, San Antonio Gunslingers; Arthur Ellis, WLB, Michigan Panthers.

News

• The USFL/WFL's last unbeaten and untied team, the Florida Blazers, are unbeaten no more. The San Antonio Gunslingers (9-2) forced four turnovers in defeating the Blazers, 22-16. San Antonio MLB Jonathan Neal recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter. Neal intercepted a pass with 5:04 to play and CB Bruno Miller killed Florida's final drive with another pickoff with less than 2 minutes remaining. Neal also had two sacks.
• The Jacksonville Bulls have surged into the National Conference wild-card playoff spot by winning four times in their last five games, including this week's 29-24 defeat of the Memphis Showboats. Jacksonville CB Justin Armstrong intercepted a Memphis pass at the 4-yard line with 29 seconds left in the game. Four of the Bulls' last five games are vs. teams with losing records.
• It didn't take new Los Angeles Express coach coltsfan75 long to notch his first victory. One day after he took over the team, the Express went on the road and defeated the Arizona Wranglers, 31-17. QB Gene Nowlin threw a 69-yard TD pass and now had 14 TDs to 3 interceptions.
• The Oakland Invaders won their third in a row, 25-8, over the New York Stars. Oakland's last five games are all against teams with winning records.
• The Denver Gold pulled into a first-place tie with Portland in the West Division by handing the Storm their third consecutive loss, 37-22. Denver attempted 2-point conversions after each of its four TDs and was successful all four times, leading 32-16 at intermission.
• The Oklahoma Outlaws snapped a five-game losing streak with a 14-10 win over the Tampa Bay Bandits. QB Dale Brown hit WR Dusty Heckman with a 1-yard TD pass with 2:56 to play and SS Ronald Green intercepted a pass in the end zone with 25 seconds to go.
• The San Antonio Gunslingers (9-2) travel to Detroit to face the Wheels (10-1) in what should be a great game on Monday Night Football. Will the Wheels be distracted by next week's Midwest Division showdown with the Chicago Blitz? Two games with serious American Conference playoff implications will be televised regionally Sunday Night when the resurgent Oakland Invaders (4-7) host the fading Portland Storm (7-4) and the Denver Gold (7-4) host the Honolulu Hawaiians (6-4-1). The weather may be a factor in that game with a late November date in Denver and the opposing team used to a warm climate.

Week 10: Gamblers roll 7s vs. Portland

Players of the Week

American Conference

Offense: Antonio Wilson, QB, San Jose SaberCats. Wilson was 21 for 27 passing for 366 yards, three TDs and a 140.12 QB rating during a 27-22 win over the Southern California Sun that snapped San Jose's one-game losing streak.

Honorable Mention: Bruce Fine, RB, Chicago Blitz; Michael Black, WR, Portland Storm; William Delatorre, WR, Denver Gold,

Defense: Edward Alston, CB, Oakland Invaders. Alston intercepted New Jersey QB Doug Fluty twice as the Invaders picked up their second consecutive lopsided victory, 48-6, over the Generals.

Edward Alston, CB, Oakland Invaders

Honorable Mention: Ronald Murphy, WLB, Portland Storm; Harold Puga, MLB, Arizona Wranglers; Wayne Holland, WLB, Cleveland Thunderbolts.

National Conference

Offense: Nicolas Wingfield, RB, Boston Breakers.Wingfield rushed 25 times for 222 yards and a TD and returned four kicks for 119 yards and another TD.

Honorable Mention: Victor Gorman, QB, Baltimore Stars; Scott Williams, RB, Jacksonville Bulls; John Weston, QB, New York Stars.

Defense: Ryan Moore, DT, Georgia Force. Seven tackles, five sacks.
Honorable Mention: Garland Gipson, LDE, Washington Federals; Eric Reed, DT, Pittsburgh Maulers; Wilbert Sierra, RDE, Philadelphia Bell.

Notes

• There were two big surprises in Week 10. One was the Houston Gamblers (4-6) knocking off the Portland Storm (7-3), 22-17. The Storm drove to the Gamblers' 14-yard line late, but Houston LDE Paul Walker hit Portland QB William Hill hard, forcing a fumble, and Walker recovered with 1:50 to play.
• The other upset was the Philadelphia Bell (3-7) knocking off the New Orleans VooDoo (7-3), 17-10. The Philadelphia defense intercepted four passes and recovered three fumbles and RDE Wilbert Sierra was credited with four sacks.
• The Oakland Invaders (3-7) won big for the second week in a row, pummeling the New Jersey Generals, 48-6. The Invaders intercepted New Jersey QB Doug Fluty five times and sacked him five times. Oakland DT Steven Martinez had three of those sacks.
• New Jersey's loss allowed the Baltimore Stars (5-5) and Shreveport Steamer (5-5) to move into the National Conference wild card spots. The Stars pounded the Washington Federals, 40-20, behind QB Victor Gorman's 408 yards passing and five TDs.
• Denver (6-4) is back into the American Conference playoff hunt after the Gold beat the Los Angeles Express, 32-24, on Hector Morris' 100-yard kickoff return with 9:32 to play. Morris wriggled free from three tacklers to break a 24-24 tie and Denver added its third 2-point conversion of the game.
• Roger Reed of the Birmingham Stallions kicked six field goals as his team edged the Georgia Force, 18-17.
• The Philadelphia Bell, fresh from their upset win over New Orleans, will travel to Washington to face the Federals on Sunday Night Football. The Federals were the only team not to have yet been featured on national TV. The Monday Night Football game will see Portland travel to Denver as the Gold tries to pull into a first-place tie with the Storm in the West Division.

Week 9: Stars Surprise SaberCats

Players of the Week

American Conference

Offense: Jason Brooks, RB, Oakland Invaders. Brooks rushed 23 times for 246yds and three TDs and caught two passes for 49 yards and another score as the Invaders picked up their second win by overwhelming the Arizona Wranglers, 55-23.

Honorable Mention: Henry Prieto, QB, Detroit Wheels; Robert Ross, WR, Chicago Blitz; Brian Wesley, WR, San Jose Sabercats; Tony Smith, QB, San Antonio Gunslingers.

Defense: David Burt, WLB, Houston Gamblers. Burt had five tackles, a sack and an interception as the Gamblers fended off the Tampa Bay Bandits, 18-11.

David Burt, Houston Gamblers (lower left)

Honorable Mention: Marvin Cash, WLB, Honolulu Hawaiians; Walter Silva, FS, Los Angeles Express; Allen Herrera, SS, Oklahoma Outlaws; Scott StJohn, FS, Michigan Panthers.

National Conference

Offense: John Murray, RB, Pittsburgh Maulers. Murray rushed 25 times for 147 yards and four TDs as the Maulers blanked the Charlotte Hornets, 41-0, to maintain a three-game lead over the Baltimore Stars in the Atlantic Division

Honorable Mention: Matthew Brinkley, RB, Boston Breakers; Cliff Thomas, RB, Pittsburgh Maulers; Robert Zapata, WR, Orlando Renegades.

Defense: Nathaniel Miles, LDE, Pittsburgh Maulers. Miles had 9 tackles and 5 sacks in a 41-0 shutout of the Charlotte Hornets.

Honorable Mention: Ambrose Oneil, RDE, Baltimore Stars; Fredie Gilbert, LDE, New Jersey Generals; Juan Bellino, SS, Charlotte Hornets.

Notes

• The San Jose SaberCats are unbeaten no more. The Baltimore Stars led, 26-0, in the second quarter on the way to a stunning 36-21 victory as San Jose took its first loss. The SaberCats tried to use injured RB Christopher Gray, but he managed just 30 yards on eight carries. With Gray hobbled, San Jose took to the air, throwing 59 times, but QB Antonio Wilson was sacked 10 times and intercepted twice. Baltimore TE Scott Ayotte and WR Dustin Taylor combined for 290 receiving yards and three TDs.
• There was another big upset in Anaheim, where the Southern California Sun (2-7) surprised the San Antonio Gunslingers (7-2), 27-24. SoCal QB Adam Schroeter hit WR John Burgos with a 52-yard game-winning TD pass with 1:28 to play.
•  In a Monday Night Football battle of division leaders, Boston RB Marco Preston scored a 4-yard TD with 1:42 to play, giving the Breakers a wild 44-37 victory over the Portland Storm. Preston's game-winner was set up by QB Jonathan Keefe's 65-yard pass to Angel Howell.
• The Oakland Invaders finally flexed their muscles in a 55-23 win over the Arizona Wranglers. The Invaders picked up their second win of the season, while the Wranglers took their third consecutive loss.
• All of the game's points were scored in the first quarter during the Honolulu Hawaiians' 7-7 tie with the Los Angeles Express. Both teams missed what would have been game-ending field goals in overtime. Los Angeles QB Gene Nowlin threw his first interception(s) of the season and the teams combined to punt 24 times.
• Rookie MLB Travis Pino made his first career start for the Florida Blazers and had nine tackles and a sack in a 24-3 win over the Jacksonville Bulls.
• When Week 8 began, Orlando led the National Conference wild-card race, but seven teams were either 3-4-1 or 3-5. The postseason hotseat now belongs to the New Jersey Generals (4-5), who trounced the Georgia Force, 30-7. The Baltimore Stars are also 4-5.
• This week's Monday Night Football game sees the Atlantic Division leader Pittsburgh Maulers (7-2) hosting the Honolulu Hawaiians (5-3-1). On Sunday Night Football, the San Antonio Gunslingers will try to bounce back at home against the Oklahoma Outlaws.

Week 8: Another One Bites the Dust

Players of the Week

National Conference

Offense: Michael White, QB, Pittsburgh Maulers. White passed for 177 yards and two TDs, did not throw an interception and accumulated a 149.31 passer rating during a 32-10 mauling of the Philadelphia Bell that gave Pittsburgh a 6-2 record at the halfway point.

Honorable Mention: Michael Brinkley, RB, Boston Breakers; Cliff Thomas, RB, Pittsburgh Maulers; Darryl Green, WR, Philadelphia Bell; Joseph Baker, WR, Washington Federals.

Defense: Shawn Arzola, SS, Tampa Bay Bandits. The No. 1 overall pick in the allocation draft earned that huge contract during a Monday Night Football loss to the Memphis Showboats, making 15 tackles and forcing a fumble.

Not Shawn Arzola

Honorable Mention: Donald Sullivan, SS, New York Stars; Mike Williams, CB, New Jersey Generals; Anthony Munoz, MLB, New Orleans Voodoo; Justin Armstrong, CB, Jacksonville Bulls; Jesse Amos, MLB, Georgia Force.

American Conference

Offense: Robert Herrera, WR, Memphis. Herrera caught nine passes for 260 yards and three TDs as the Showboats sailed to an easy 62-10 victory over Tampa Bay on Monday Night Football.

Honorable Mention: Robert Costello, RB, Detroit Wheels; Augustin Crook, QB, Denver Gold;  Gregory Shea, RB, Memphis Showboats; Thomas Dayton, WR, Southern California Sun; William Delatorre, WR, Denver; Randall Stern, WR, Honolulu Hawaiians.

Defense: Guillermo Cooper, MLB, Portland Storm. Cooper had seven tackles and a sack, intercepted a pass and returned a fumble for a TD during a 48-27 victory over the Southern California Sun.

Honorable Mention: Douglas Banda, WLB, Memphis Showboats; Frank Wakefield, DT, San Jose SaberCats; Mike Harmon, SLB, Arizona Wranglers; Thomas Erwin, FS, Houston Gamblers; Allen Herrera, SS, Oklahoma Outlaws.

Notes

• The last few weeks have been filled with teams earning their first win or taking their first loss. The Week 8 victim was the previously unbeaten Chicago Blitz, which fell, 24-12, to the New Orleans VooDoo. Yes, that is the same VooDoo team that lost to previously winless Birmingham just a week earlier. MLB Anthony Munoz made 11 tackles for New Orleans. VooDoo QB Vincent Goode threw four interceptions and Chicago QB Daniel McKee was 20-for-24 ... but, yes, New Orleans won the game.
• With Chicago's loss, the San Jose SaberCats have now become the team to beat in the USFL/WFL. Antonio Wilson threw TD passes of 54 and 58 yards as San Jose (8-0) defeated the Los Angeles Express, 23-13. The SaberCats open the second half of the season with a run of five consecutive games against teams below .500. San Jose and Chicago lead the league with a turnover margin of plus-14.
• San Jose's Christopher Gray (1,061) and Chicago's Bruce Fine (1,067) are the first two RBs to pass 1,000 yards rushing. Gray is averaging a league-high 7.7 yards per carry, but now is sidelined eight weeks with a leg injury.
• Tony Smith's 48-yard TD pass to Steven Hooper with just under 5 minutes to play lifted the San Antonio Gunslingers to a 24-20 victory over Michigan, ending the Panthers' two-game win streak. 
• The Washington Federals snapped a three-game losing streak with a 36-14 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Federals RBs John Horn and Gary Munch both topped 100 yards rushing.
• Denver QB Agustin Cook hit WR William Delatorre with a 26-yard TD pass with 6:23 to play, lifting the Gold to a 24-20 win over the Oakland Invaders.
• The Georgia Force limited Orlando to 160 net yards and forced three turnovers during its 16-0 shutout win over the Renegades MLB Jesse Amos had 13 tackles for the Force.
• One week after being shut out by Chicago, the Cleveland Thunderbolts rolled up 475 net yards in a 34-13 victory over the Houston Gamblers.
• The Portland Storm (7-1) hosts the unbeaten Boston Breakers (7-0-1) in a battle of division leaders this week on Monday Night Football. The Georgia Force, coming off a shutout win over Orlando, travel to New Jersey to face the Generals on Sunday Night Football.

Week 7: Another Week, Another Huge Upset

Players of the Week

National Conference

Offense: Darius Mace, WR, Birmingham Stallions. Mace had nine receptions for 172 yards, 19.11 average yards per catch, as the previously winless Stallions stunned the New Orleans VooDoo, 22-19.

Darius Mace (86), WR, Birmingham Stallions

Honorable Mention: Cliff Thomas, RB, Pittsburgh Maulers; Jeff King, WR, Boston Breakers; Randy Christmas, WR, Baltimore Stars;

Defense: John Cintron, MLB, Shreveport Steamer. Cintron had 12 tackles and a sack as the Steamer shut out the New York Stars, 5-0.

Honorable Mention: Roy Edelman, WLB, Tampa Bay Bandits; Stephen Miller, MLB, Charlotte Hornets; Nathanial Miles, LDE, Pittsburgh Maulers; Anthony Munoz, MLB, New Orleans Voodoo; Jacob Mummert, FS, Baltimore Stars; William Sierra, RDE, Philadelphia Bell.

American Conference

Offense: Bruce Fine, RB, Chicago Blitz. Fine carried 25 times for 232 yds and a TD during a 21-0 victory over the Cleveland Thunderbolts that kept the Blitz undefeated.

Honorable Mention: John Sanders, WR, Michigan Panthers; Randall Stern, WR, Honolulu Hawaiians; Brandon Robertson, QB, Michigan Panthers; Christopher Gray, RB, San Jose SaberCats; Timothy Hanna, WR, Detroit Wheels.

Defense: Frank Wakefield, DT, San Jose SaberCats. Wakefield might want to trademark Beast Mode before Marshawn Lynch is born and becomes a star. He wrangled Arizona to the tune of 8 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 hurries, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and one of the many safeties of Week 7.

Honorable Mention: Walter Gabbert, CB, Houston Gamblers; James Kelley, MLB, Southern California Sun; Douglas Cotter, CB, Denver Gold; Jimmie McCartney, LDE, Los Angeles Express.

Notes

• The formerly-winless Birmingham Stallions recorded the USFL/WFL's second shocking upset in as many weeks, stunning the powerhouse New Orleans VooDoo, 22-19. Coach BabyHuey was doused with a Gatorade shower after his team overcame a 19-6 VooDoo lead and ran out the clock after recovering a New Orleans fumbled punt return with 1 minute to play.
• The Michigan Panthers did it again, following up on last week's stunning upset of the Portland Storm to outduel the Oklahoma Outlaws, 30-24, in OT. The Panthers missed a field goal in overtime but got the ball back at their own 8. Two plays later, QB Brandon Robertson found WR John Sanders for a 92-yard game-ending TD. See it here:
• https://usflwfl.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/174#31690
• Arizona Wranglers RB Curtis Scott, a league MVP candidate, will be sidelined 8 more weeks with a knee injury. Scott's absence was clearly felt during a 25-10 loss to the unbeaten San Jose SaberCats, as Arizona QB Ralph Trowbridge was picked off three times and sacked nine times.
• Seven games into the season, Los Angeles Express QB Gene Nowlin has 10 TDs and ZERO interceptions.
• Don't look now, but here come the Tampa Bay Bandits. Thomas Hummel's 49-yard field goal with 2:30 to play gave Tampa Bay a 15-14 victory over the Orlando Renegades, Tampa Bay's third win in four games under new coach squidkhm.
• The Honolulu Hawaiians broke a three-game losing skid with a 23-8 victory over the Southern California Sun. The Hawaiians are tied with the Los Angeles Express for second place in the Pacific Division behind San Jose.
• The Pittsburgh Maulers have seized control of the Atlantic Division. The Maulers handled Washington, 25-10, the Federals' third consecutive loss.
• The unbeaten Boston Breakers won a thriller on Monday Night Football, scoring with 3:39 to play to edge the New Jersey Generals, 30-23, in Piscataway.
• Birmingham's win earned it a date on Sunday Night Football when the Stallions host the Jacksonville Bulls. This week's Monday Night Football game showcases resurgent Tampa Bay, which travels to Memphis to face the Showboats.
• Wanted to share two notes I missed from Week 6. First, the Jacksonville Bulls and Orlando Renegades have already played twice, and both games went into OT. The Renegades won, 22-16, in OT in Week 2 and the teams fought to a 3-3 overtime tie in Week 6.
• Second, the Denver Gold defense coaches need to put in some more time on the tip drill. This is the play-by-play of Arizona's second-quarter touchdown during the Wranglers' 40-26 victory: (Qtr 2) Wranglers: 2-10-DEN 13 (7:33) 1-Ralph Trowbridge pass tipped by 41-Gary Brown, tipped by 44-Donald Lopez, tipped by 47-Keith Marsh, complete to 42-Curtis Scott for 13 yards. TOUCHDOWN! Extra point GOOD by 7-Christopher Rivera. ARZ 14 DEN 20. You don't really see all those tips in the video version, but here it is:
• https://usflwfl.myfootballnow.com/gamecenter/view/156#28333

Week 6: Zeros to Heroes

Players of the Week

American Conference

Offense: Brandon Robertson, QB, Michigan Panthers. Robertson was 24-for-34 for 433 yards and four TDs as the Panthers stunned the Portland Storm, 37-23, for their first win of the season while handing Portland its first loss.

Brandon Robertson, QB, Michigan Panthers

Honorable Mention: Curtis Scott, RB, Arizona; Bradley Sharp, WR, Houston Gamblers; Chester Daugherty, QB, Houston Gamblers; John Sanders, WR, Michigan Panthers; Bruce Fine, RB, Chicago Blitz.

Defense: Arthur Smith, LDE, Arizona Wranglers. Smith had 9 tackles, 4 sacks, and 7 hurries during the Wranglers' 40-26 defeat of the Denver Gold to take over sole possession of second place in the West Division and move within one game of Portland.

Honorable Mention: Earl Washington, DT, San Antonio Gunslingers; Ryan Willey, LDE, Denver Gold; Jerry Shen, RDE, Chicago Blitz; Donald Goad, SS, Memphis Showboats.

National Conference

Offense: Lonny Wooding, RB, New Jersey Generals. Wooding ran for 166 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries (15 yard average per rush) and caught four passes for 132 yards as the Generals scored 30 points in the second half to rout the Philadelphia Bell, 40-9.

Honorable Mention: Jonathan Keefe, QB, Boston Breakers; Stephen Labelle, QB, New Jersey Generals; James Clarke, RB, New York Stars; Thomas Canale, WR, New Orleans Voodoo; Wendall Pinegar, WR, Birmingham Stallions;

Defense: Donald Sullivan, SS, New York Stars. Sullivan made 9 tackles, returned an intereception for a TD, forced three fumbles and recovered one as the Stars spanked the Charlotte Hornets, 58-7, for their second win.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Moore, DT, Georgia Force; John Borkowski, CB, Orlando Renegades; Gregory Hubbard, MLB, Baltimore Stars; James Cruz, CB, Washington Federals; Ramon Boldt, WLB, New Orleans Voodoo; William Oates, SLB, Tampa Bay Bandits.

Notes

• It didn't take new coach Hellbriner long to make an impact on the Michigan Panthers. QB Brandon Robertson passed for 433 yards and four TDs and the Panthers forced three turnovers while making none themselves as previously winless Michigan stunned the previously unbeaten Portland Storm, 37-23, at the Pontiac Silverdome. Safe to say, this is the biggest upset of the season (six games into the season). The Panthers' patchwork secondary stepped up to the challenge of Portland QB William Hill, intercepting Hill twice while allowing him to complete just 21 of 47 passes.
• The Southern California Sun also presented coach DannyG-96 with a game ball after his first career victory, edging the Oakland Invaders, 35-29. SoCal WR Thomas Dayton returned the second-half kickoff 103 yards for a TD, part of a 19-point third quarter for the Sun.
• Pittsburgh Maulers kicker Daniel Hall also went from zero to hero. Hall had single-handedly cost his team a Week 4 loss to the Georgia Force by missing an extra point and a field goal in the final 1:06. Fast forward two weeks and Hall kicks two field goals in the final 57 seconds, the last one from 50 yards out with 3 seconds to play, to give the Maulers a thrilling 27-24 Monday Night Football win over the Baltimore Stars. The Stars set up Hall's game-winner by fumbling with 42 seconds to go.
• James Peeler's 34-yard field goal with 52 seconds to play lifted the Houston Gamblers to a 39-37 win over Honolulu, the Hawaiians' third consecutive loss.
• The Arizona Wranglers scored the game's last 19 points to defeat the Denver Gold, 40-26, and pull within one game of Portland in the West Division.
• The Southern California Sun will see if they can continue their winning ways when they meet the scuffling Hawaiians on Sunday Night Football. The New Jersey Generals put their talented youngsters in front of a national TV audience for the first time when they host the World Bowl favorite Boston Breakers on Monday Night Football.

Week 5: Maulers Move Into First

Players of the Week

American Conference

Offense: William Delatorre, WR, Denver Gold.  Delatorre's receiving line was 11-144-2 with a 2-point conversion thrown in during a 42-30 win over the Memphis Showboats that moved Denver into a second-place tie in the West Division.

William Delatorre, WR, Denver Gold

Honorable Mention: Curtis Scott, RB, Arizona Wranglers; William Dolloff, WR, Cleveland Thunderbolts; Damon Rosato, WR, Portland Storm; Bruce Fine, RB, Chicago Fire.

Defense: Jason Hendon, DT, Portland. Facing an Arizona Wranglers offense averaging 36.5 points per game coming in, Hendon and teammate DT Eugene Pacheco dominated, helping keep the Wranglers out of the end zone all game in a 26-9 victory that gave the Storm a two-game lead in the West Division. Hendon only had one tackle and his 3 sacks were one less than Pacheco, but Hendon threw in a lot more extras. Pacheco got a safety but Hendon caused three fumbles, recovering two of them, one for a TD. Human wrecking ball.

Honorable Mention: Eugene Pacheco, DT, Portland Storm; Christopher Taylor, RDE, Memphis Showboats; Allen Herrera, SS, Oklahoma Outlaws; Leon Crisman, CB, San Antonio Gunslingers.

National Conference

Offense: Randy Christmas, WR, Baltimore Stars. Caught four passes for 193 yards and four TDs in a 35-13 victory over the Charlotte Hornets that moved the Stars within a game of the first-place Pittsburgh Maulers in the Atlantic Division.

Honorable Mention: Matthew Mitchell, RB, Orlando Renegades; William Trombly, QB, Florida Blazers; Victor Gorman, QB, Baltimore Stars; Edward Miller, FB, Florida Blazers; Jose Medina, RB, Philadephia Bell.

Defense: Jim Byrne, DT, New Jersey Generals. Made seven tackles, intercepted a pass and forced a fumble during a 25-23 loss to the Orlando Renegades.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Moore, DT, Georgia Force; Joseph Poulsen, WLB, New Orleans Voodoo; George Grant, SLB, Pittsburgh Maulers; Barry Litchford, CB, Florida Blazers; Kelvin Funk, SS, Boston Breakers.

Notes

• The Atlantic Division race is going to be fun to watch all season. Last week, it looked like the Washington Federals were going to assert themselves after fighting mighty Boston to a tie. Fast forward one week, and the Pittsburgh Maulers knocked off the Federals, 31-26, to take a half-game lead in the division. The Maulers (3-2) led, 31-7, going into the fourth quarter, but Federals QB Joe Richardson fired three TD passes to make it close. The Maulers got the ball back with 5 minutes to go and reeled off an 11-play drive. Washington (2-2-1) didn't see the ball again until 27 seconds remained.
• The Michigan Panthers came oh-so-close to their first win under new coach Hellbriner. A wild fourth quarter against the Cleveland Thunderbolts saw the teams score a combined 35 points. The Panthers led, 25-24, with 1:31 to play before Cleveland scored twice and then held on for a 34-32 victory.
• Michigan Panthers RB Steven Napier had 42 yards on seven carries with two receptions for 62 and a TD, but returned four kicks for 254 yds and two TDs. Napier may take over the starting RB job from rookie Travis Tucker, who fumbled four times.
• The Jacksonville Bulls picked up their first victory, beating Tampa Bay, 23-7, while limiting the Bandits to 135 total yards.
• The Chicago Blitz handed the San Antonio Gunslingers their first loss, 27-20. after trailing, 20-7, entering the fourth quarter. Chicago RB Christian Martens scored the winning touchdown on a 2-yard run with 2 minutes to play — his only carry of the game.
• The New Orleans VooDoo seized control of the South Division by routing the Shreveport Steamer, 40-6. The VooDoo, along with the San Jose SaberCats, Portland Storm, and Florida Blazers, have a two-game lead in their division.
• The now-first-place Maulers will travel to Baltimore to face the Stars (2-3), just a game behind them, in this week's Monday Night Football matchup. The Sunday Night Football game will see a battle of unbeatens, with the Florida Blazers meeting the New Orleans VooDoo at the Superdome.

Week 4: Getting Off the Schneid

Players of the Week

National Conference

Offense: Thomas Canale, WR, New Orleans Voodoo. Had 14 receptions, 278 receiving yards, 19.86 average yards per catch, and three TDs in a 35-17 win over the Birmingham Stallions.

Honorable Mention: Thomas Ross, WR, Washington Federals; Felipe Kraus, WR, Florida Blazers; Mark Collins, RB, Shreveport Steamer; William Trombly, QB, Florida Blazers; Ralph Vaughn, WR, Georgia Force; Vincent Goode, QB, New Orleans Voodoo.

Defense: William Coffey, SLB, Washington Federals. Recorded 12 tackles in a 20-20 tie with East Division leader Boston Breakers.

William Coffey, SLB, Washington Federals (50)

Honorable Mention: Mike Williams, CB, New Jersey Generals; Oscar Rodriquez, RDE, Shreveport Steamer; Robert Mason, CB, Charlotte Hornets; Jesse Draper, MLB, Philadelphia Bell; Byron Flanagan, CB, Boston Breakers.

American Conference

Offense: Agustin Cook, QB, Denver Gold. The 10th-year pro had a direct hand in 44 of Denver's 55 points, tossing six TDs and four 2-point conversions covering 406 yards. He completed 75 percent of his throws with zero interceptions,

Honorable Mention: Daniel McKee, QB, Chicago Blitz; WR Donnie Baker, San Antonio Gunslingers; Brandon Rocha, QB, Memphis Showboats; Curtis Scott, RB, Arizona Wranglers; John Ayala, WR, Chicago Blitz; Christopher Gray, RB, San Jose SaberCats.

Defense: Wayne Mashburn, CB, Houston Gamblers. Mashburn takes Defensive POW for Week 4 in the American Conference with his 10 tackles, 2 passes knocked down, and a forced fumble as the Gamblers picked up their first win, 20-12, over the Orlando Renegades.

Honorable Mention: Brent Sylvain, FS, Honolulu Hawaiians; Elton Engler, LDE, Chicago Blitz; Francis Rosa, DT, Detroit Wheels; Steven Flanagan, WLB, Cleveland Thunderbolts.

Notes

• Week 4 was the week of the underdog, as four 0-3 teams all rose up to earn their first victories of the season. The Oakland Invaders surprised a Monday Night Football audience with a 34-13 trouncing of the Los Angeles Express. On Sunday Night Football, the Tampa Bay Bandits edged the New York Stars, 13-9. The New Jersey Generals topped the Baltimore Stars, 10-7, and the Houston Gamblers topped the Orlando Renegades, 20-12.
• The Generals lost starting QB Doug Fluty for 8 weeks with a leg injury, but backup Stephan Labelle stopped in and led New Jersey to its first win of the season. Labelle wasn't exactly Joe Willie Namath out there (61.33 QB rating), but threw to WR Clarence Collins 12 yards for the game's only touchdown.
• Boston needed a TD with 57 seconds remaining to force a 20-20 tie with the Washington Federals. Washington fumbled on its own 1-yard line with 1:01 left to set up the tying score. Neither team sniffed the end zone during OT.
• Pittsburgh Maulers kicker Daniel Hall is the goat of the week. He missed what would have been the game-tying extra point with 1:06 to play, then missed a 32-yard field goal with 16 seconds remaining in a 17-16 loss to the Georgia Force.
• Two sacks in the final 1:26 preserved Tampa Bay's 13-9 win over the New York Stars.
• In a battle of undefeated teams, the Memphis Showboats erased a 38-14 Chicago Blitz advantage to score with 57 seconds to go and take a 45-44 lead. Chicago QB Daniel McKee then completed consecutive passes for 21, 43, and 43 yards, scoring the winning TD with 40 seconds to play.
• A big game in the South Division this week on Monday Night Football when the Shreveport Steamer hosts the New Orleans VooDoo. The Sunday Night Football game this week has the Cleveland Thunderbolts a 6-point favorite over the host Michigan Panthers.

Week 3: Dancing With the Stars

Players of the Week

American Conference

Offense: Brandon Rocha, QB, Memphis Showboats. Rocha threw for 306 yards and three TDs, completing 22 of 30 passes while just taking one sack in a 39-19 victory over the Michigan Panthers.

Honorable Mention: Curtis Scott, RB, Arizona Wranglers; RB Gregory Shea, Memphis Showboats;  WR Russell Clausen, San Jose SaberCats; Winston Hampton, K, Los Angeles Express.

Defense: Eugene Pacheco, DT, Portland Storm. Pacheco recorded 4 tackles, 5 sacks, forced 2 fumbles and recovered one. His strip sack early in the fourth quater set up the Storm offense for a second consecutive short-field TD following sacks, taking their lead from 9 to 22 in a 35-13 win over the New Jersey Generals.

Eugene Pacheco, DT, Portland Storm

Honorable Mention: James Goss, DT, Honolulu Hawaiians; Kenneth Back, LDE, Portland Storm; Brady Kizer, SS, Cleveland Thunderbolts; Chuck Johnson, CB, Detroit Wheels; Richard Hartnett, MLB, Oklahoma Outlaws; Jerry Collins, WLB, Southern California Sun.

National Conference

Offense: Jonathan Keefe, QB, Boston Breakers. Had 337 passing yards, 5 TDs, no interceptions or fumbles, and a 143.75 passer rating during a 44-17 victory over the Oakland Invaders.

Honorable Mention: Joseph Cantwell, QB, Birmingham Stallions; Joe Richardson, QB, Washington Federals; Stephen Hale, WR, Orlando Renegades; Shawn Trevino, WR, Jacksonville Bulls; Cliff Thomas, RB, Pittsburgh Maulers; Randy Christmas, WR, Baltimore Stars.

Defense: Robert Newton, CB, New Orleans Voodoo. Made 3 interceptions and 7 tackles in a 23-12 win over the Jacksonville Bulls.

Honorable Mention: Jim Southard, MLB, Orlando Renegades; Jesse Draper, MLB, Philadelphia Bell; Nathan Sherrard, RDE, Jacksonville Bulls; Martin Wildermuth, MLB, Birmingham Stallions; Jim Byrne, DT, New Jersey Generals.

Notes

• The New York Stars surprised the Philadelphia Bell, 23-7, to pull into a second-place tie with Philadelphia in the East Division. Both teams are two games behind the Boston Breakers, who finally played like the bullies of the block during a 44-17 win over the Oakland Invaders.
• The Stars' win earned them a spot on national TV this week. New York will be a 9-point favorite this week when the Stars host the Tampa Bay Bandits on Sunday Night Football. The Monday Night Football game will be a West Coast affair, with the Los Angeles Express traveling to Oakland to face the Invaders.
• The crazy game of the week took place in Denver. The Gold fell behind the Arizona Wranglers, 30-7, at halftime. Denver then reeled off 32 unanswered points in the third quarter to regain the lead, 39-30. Arizona QB Ralph Trowbridge threw a TD pass to draw the visitors within 39-37, then drove Arizona 77 yards, thanks to a facemask penalty and completions of 2, 10 and 46 yards. With 56 seconds to go and the ball inside the 1, Trowbridge avoided a sack and hit WR James Rawlins with the game-winning toss.
• The Monday Night showdown for Midwest Division supremacy wasn't much of a showdown, as showdowns go. The Chicago Blitz shut out the Detroit Wheels, 23-0, at Soldier Field. Chicago's defense allowed 177 net yards, intercepted two passes, recovered two fumbles, and had Detroit QB Henry Prieto doubting his manhood: 12-for-34, 140 yards, 24.14 QB rating. 

Week 2: Check Your Gameplans (or else)

Players of the Week

National Conference

Offense: Roy Weeks, RB, Birmingham Stallions. Seven receptions, 168 receiving yards, 2 TDs, 24 yard average per catch.

Honorable Mention: Leonard Ricks, WR, Florida Blazers; William Clemente, RB, Jacksonville Bulls; Thomas Canale, WR, New Orleans Voodoo.

Defense: Martin Wolf, WLB, New York Stars. Made 14 tackles and recovered a fumble.

Martin Wolf, WLB, N.Y. Stars (45)

Honorable Mention: Harvey Miller, SS, New Orleans Voodoo; Jim Byrne, DT, New Jersey Generals; Shawn Arzola, SS, Tampa Bay Bandits.

American Conference

Offense: Curtis Scott, RB, Arizona Wranglers. Scott had nine runs of 10 yards or more in the Wranglers' 41-20 win over the Invaders of Oakland. Scott was the one doing the invading, punishing the Oakland defense with 171 yards on 26 carries. He was also quite the receiver out of the backfield, adding 108 yards with 2 TDs on four catches. The most important stat this week when comparing the stat fillers were Scott's ZERO fumbles.

Honorable Mention: Jeffrey Graham, RB, San Antonio Gunslingers; Daniel McKee, QB, Chicago Blitz; Christopher Gray, RB, San Jose SaberCats; William Hill, QB, Portland Storm; Russell Clausen, WR, San Jose SaberCats; Chester Landes, WR, Chicago Blitz; Michael Black, WR, Portland Storm.

Defense: Samuel Kelly, WLB, Denver Gold. While Kelley didn't dominate any one phase, he was a jack of all trades, a swiss army knife if you will. Kelley's stat line in a 20-14 win over the New Jersey Generals was 3 tackles, 1 sack, 3 hurries, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble, and just 1 catch allowed in 4 thrown at him.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Welch, DT, Arizona Wranglers; Mike Harmon, SLB, Arizona Wranglers; Kenneth Flowers, MLB, Chicago Blitz.

Notes

• This week's national TV games will include the showdown of Midwest Division powerhouses when the Detroit Wheels travel to Soldier Field to face the Chicago Blitz on Monday Night Football. Two of the league's youngest, and fastest improving, teams meet in a Sunday Night Football matchup when the Oklahoma Outlaws take on the Houston Gamblers.
• Week 2 was a real heart-breaker for the Birmingham Stallions. Birmingham led the Cleveland Thuderbolts, 31-29, in the final minute but fumbled the ball away at the Cleveland 7-yard line with 44 seconds to play. Thunderbolts QB Eddie Hudgins completed a 14-yard pass to WR William Dolloff. Then, with 20 seconds to go, Birmingham used one of its defenses "a bit too frequently" and Hudgins hit Dolloff with a 79-yard TD for a 35-31 win.
• The Philadelphia Bell led the Boston Breakers, 23-17, in the fourth quarter but Boston K Timothy Riley kicked three field goals with 9:39, 1:44, and 0:20 to play, lifting the Breakers to a 26-23 win.
• A missed extra point in the second quarter came back to haunt the Jacksonville Bulls in a 22-16 overtime loss to the Orlando Renegades. Orlando kicked two field goals in the fourth quarter to erase a 16-10 deficit, then Renegades WR Robert Zapata, playing RB, scored from15 yards out in OT when the Bulls "seemed to be calling that play a lot."
• The Memphis Showboats drove 75 yards and scored with 1:15 to go, edging the Houston Gamblers, 20-17, on Brandon Rocha's 5-yard pass to WR Robert Herrera. One play earlier, Memphis gained 24 yards because its offense "was starting to get familiar with that (Houston) defensive play."

The Most Improved Award

The preseason is a time to get better, and nobody got better during the 1974 training camp than the Oklahoma Outlaws.

The table below shows how much teams improved their average current player value from the end of the allocation draft (left column) through Week 1 of the regular season (middle column). Oklahoma head coach Hypnorhino took over the team during the late free agency period and made some moves that improved the Outlaws tremendously, raising the average current value of his players nearly 18 points.

During the preseason, teams can improve in several ways: signing key free agents, releasing young players who have "busted" and lousy players who came in at the end of the allocation draft, and the general improvement younger players will show during training camp and exhibition play

The New Jersey Generals were not far behind, as raidergreg69's youthful squad was designed to get better over time. Teams who drafted more veterans, like the Boston Breakers, improved less, as you might expect.

Oklahoma	37.09	54.98	17.89
New Jersey	35.5	52.74	17.24
Portland	41.61	57.66	16.05
Honolulu	42.07	58.08	16.01
Detroit	42.54	57.18	14.64
Washington	39.04	53.26	14.22
Pittsburgh	40.85	55	14.15
Oakland	42.46	56	13.54
Memphis	46.85	60.29	13.44
Chicago	45.41	57.34	11.93
Orlando	49.35	61.26	11.91
San Antonio	43.37	55.22	11.85
Southern Calif.	45.67	57.3	11.63
Shreveport	43.48	55.09	11.61
Houston	39.76	51.36	11.6
Charlotte	46.22	57.65	11.43
Georgia	47.02	58.25	11.23
Baltimore	46.07	57.16	11.09
New Orleans	49.13	59.98	10.85
Michigan	45.15	55.91	10.76
Cleveland	42.78	53.26	10.48
Denver	48.24	57.08	8.84
San Jose	49.35	57.86	8.51
Jacksonville	51.57	59.78	8.21
Arizona	48	56.17	8.17
Birmingham	50.15	58.29	8.14
Los Angeles	51.28	58.3	7.02
Tampa Bay	52.74	58.62	5.88
New York	51.67	57.17	5.5
Philadelphia	51.26	56.7	5.44
Florida	59.43	64	4.57
Boston	66.28	66.61	0.33