Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Week 4: Trouble With a Capital T

Week 4 Roundup

Jerry Montalvo, Cleveland Thunderbolts
The story of Week 4 is that there is trouble brewing for some teams, especially a few who made the playoffs last season.

Four teams that qualified for the 1974 postseason – San Jose SaberCats, Denver Gold, Detroit Wheels, and Boston Breakers – fell to 1-3 with Week 4 losses. The veteran-stocked Breakers are giving up 32.3 points per game, second-worst in the USFL/WFL. Detroit is on a three-game losing streak after opening with a win over the Jacksonville Bulls. San Jose is also on a three-game skid after a victory in its opener. Denver has taken two tough-luck losses in the last three weeks.

  • The Cleveland Thunderbolts picked up their first win by stunning the Wheels, 24-17. Cleveland WR William Dolloff's only reception of the day was a 40-yard TD from QB Jerry Montalvo with 2 minutes to play. The Wheels drove to the Cleveland 7 with 36 seconds to go, but two sacks snuffed out that final drive. Montalvo was 14-for-19 and threw three TDs and SS Brady Kizer made 10 tackles.
  • The New Jersey Generals (3-1) took over first place in the East Division with a 20-10 win over the Philadelphia Bell. Doug Fluty's TD pass to Maurice Carthon with 2 minutes to play broke a 10-10 tie. New Jersey CB Mike Williams, who had eight interceptions in 1974, picked off two passes, including one at the Philadelphia 32 that set up the decisive score.
  • The Arizona Wranglers handed previously unbeaten Oklahoma (3-1) its first loss, shutting out the Outlaws, 32-0. Arizona QB Ralph Trowbridge balanced out his five interceptions (sort of) with three TD passes.
  • Winston Hampton kicked a 50-yard field goal to give the Los Angeles Express a 35-33 lead, but Birmingham gained 48 yards on what looked like a middle screen (does anyone else have the middle screen in their playbook?) to set up Roger Reed's 43-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining, giving the Stallions a 36-35 win.
  • The Chicago Blitz (4-0) remained unbeaten, but just barely, edging Denver, 17-11. Chicago QB Daniel McKee found TD Michael Leonard for a 65-yard TD with 1:13 to go on a play in which the Gold was penalized for defensive overuse.
  • The Houston Gamblers won their second in a row, outlasting the New York Stars, 19-10. Houston CB Wayne Mashburn, who intercepted five passes last season, recorded his first pick of 1975.
  • Honolulu QB Michael Laboy threw three of his four TD passes after intermission as the Hawaiians broke away from a 10-10 halftime tie to best San Jose, 44-20. All four of Laboy's TDs were from 50 or more yarda away, including this 75-yard bomb to WR Michael Hunter.
  • The Portland Storm (3-1) reversed last year's surprise loss to Michigan, beating the Panthers, 38-13. Portland QB William Hill threw for 490 yards and five TDs and RDE Norman Paulk had three sacks.
  • Shreveport (3-1) shut out New Orleans (2-2) until just 27 seconds remained in the Steamer's 17-8 win over the VooDoo. New Orleans QB Vincent Goode was 18-for-39 and picked off three times.

Week 5 Preview

The Florida Blazers (4-0) travel to Boston (1-3) to face the Breakers, a rematch of last season's National Conference championship game. The Chicago Blitz (4-0) are at Jacksonville (3-1) in a matchup of 1974 playoff teams. The New Jersey Generals (3-1) host the Oklahoma Outlaws (3-1) in a battle of division leaders. It's a big day in the South Division, with the Georgia Force (4-0) hosting the Shreveport Steamer (3-1) and the New Orleans VooDoo (2-2) at the Birmingham Stallions (3-1).

Pernbronze
Coach Profile/Predictions

User Name: Pernbronze
Team: Portland Storm
Playing MFN Since: 4/1/17
Hometown (town, state): Eugene OR
Current residence (town, state): Coos Bay OR
Favorite teams (all sports): 49ers, Jaguars, Oregon Ducks
A real-life sports experience: In football, returning a kick that was high and getting hit as I tried to catch it, doing a backflip and suffering a possible concussion and arm injury. I came back in after laying on the bench for a series because someone else got injured and we didn't have enough players. I ended up springing two long TD runs and two short ones as a TE that game. I played football in grades 4, 5 and 7 and junior in high school due to knee injuries. In wrestling, tying up with someone who was a favorite to be state champion and beating him in 15 seconds with a toss over my hip. I wrestled in grades K-4 and my junior year in high school.
A fantasy sports experience: Been doing fantasy for as long as I can remember.
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Try your hardest and always learn from your shortcomings. If you don't know something, look it up and ask.
Predictions: Pernbronze declined to offer Week 5 predictions
at