Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Week 10: Playoffs? We're Talking About Playoffs?

Playoff Races Heating Up


The race for the USFL/WFL's final playoff spots just got a little tighter.

Chuck Johnson, CB, Detroit Wheels
Shreveport (6-4) continues to hang on to the sixth spot in the National Conference, but the Steamer's 21-12 loss to Jacksonville cut their margin of error to one game. The Tampa Bay Bandits (5-5) have won four in a row. The defending World Bowl champion Florida Blazers (5-5) finally ended their five-game losing streak. The Baltimore Stars (5-5) took over second place in the Atlantic Division by beating the Washington Federals.

The good news for Shreveport is, they only play one team with a winning record the rest of the way.

In the American Conference, Detroit (6-4) is currently on the outside looking in, but it wouldn't take much for the Wheels to exchange places with the Portland Storm (7-3), Oklahoma Outlaws (7-3) and Honolulu Hawaiians (7-3).

The bad news for Detroit is, the Wheels still must play unbeaten Chicago twice.

Week 10 Roundup


  • There were 20 points scored in the final 2 minutes of Baltimore's wild 30-27 win over Washington. The Stars had a seemingly safe 27-17 lead, but Federals QB Joe Richardson fired a 17-yard TD pass to WR Matt Ellis with 51 seconds to go and, after Washington recovered an onside kick, Matthew Eno kicked a 52-yard field goal with 14 seconds left to tie the score. Baltimore got the ball back and did not play it safe. QB Victor Gorman made a hot read and found WR David Reed all alone down the left sideline for a 72-yard completion that set up Bernard Twiggs' game-winning 26-yard field goal with 1 second left.
  • The most boring game of the week at least had an exciting finish, as Samuel Hoye's field goal with 2 seconds to go lifted the Pittsburgh Maulers over the New Orleans VooDoo, 6-3. Hoye's game-winner was set up by Michael White's 16-yard pass to WR Vito Moffat on third-and-11.
  • Detroit CB Chuck Johnson was credited with 13 tackles and intercepted two passes as the Wheels moved back into the postseason picture with a 23-6 win over the Cleveland Thunderbolts.
  • Florida DT Shaun Saunders returned an interception 16 yards for the winning TD as the Blazers finally got off the schneid with a 22-17 victory over the Orlando Renegades.
  • The Houston Gamblers nearly came all the way back from a 21-6 deficit, but Memphis LDE Nathan Branch sacked Gamblers QB Chester Dougherty on the 2-point attempt to preserve the Showboats' 21-19 win.
  • A back-and-forth game finally ended in Chicago's favor when CB Robert Davis intercepted a William Hill pass with 1:15 remaining, preserving a 34-33 Blitz victory. Chicago is 10-0, with six of those wins coming by 6 or fewer points.
  • The Denver Gold are showing signs of life, having won three of their last four after pummeling the Arizona Wranglers, 38-19. Denver QB Dustin Nichols threw five TD passes, including a 68-yarder to WR Jimmy Rupe just before halftime.
  • The Birmingham Stallions (9-1) won their eighth in a row by stampeding the New Jersey Generals, 30-8. The Stallions limited New Jersey to 175 total yards as CB Dusty Edwards made five tackles, intercepted a pass, and recovered a fumble.

Week 11 Preview


A pair of division leaders square off when the Chicago Blitz (10-0) travel to San Antonio to face the Gunslingers (8-2). The Honolulu Hawaiians (7-3) will try to extend their four-game win streak at Birmingham (9-1). The Stallions have won eight in a row. The Oklahoma Outlaws (7-3) have won four in a row entering their home game against the Houston Gamblers (4-6).


at