Tuesday, August 15, 2017

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:
  • 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:
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