All four of the USFL/WFL's wild card games came down to the final minutes, setting up some interesting matchups for the divisional round.
Invaders 26, Storm 23
The Oakland Invaders and Portland Storm met for the third time this season. The final tally for those matchups was 1-1-1 after the Invaders pulled out a 26-23 playoff victory. Quarterbacks William Hill and Les Lacy both passed for two TDs, but Oakland's Lester Reed kicked
his fourth field goal of the day with 4:08 remaining, from 47 yards away, for the margin of victory. Portland had the ball on the Oakland 49 with 2:43 to play, but decided to punt. A pair of defensive overusage penalties on the Storm allowed the Invaders to hang onto the ball. When Portland got the ball back, it was on their own 8-yard line, and the Storm eventually turned it over on downs. Portland WR Michael Black
caught 10 passes for 210 yards.
Express 32, Thunderbolts 30
 |
| Lewis Duron, RDE, LAX (73) |
In the first-ever playoff game for both franchises, Los Angeles held off a furious comeback by Cleveland to advance. The Express led, 32-10, with 10:44 to play, before 'Bolts QB Brandon Robertson fired three TD passes, the last with 5:14 to go. Chester Dougherty replaced Robertson behind center for the rest of the game, but
was picked off by LDE Michael Salzman and turned the ball over on downs on Cleveland's final possession. Los Angeles QB Gene Nowlin passed for 397 yards and
a pair of TDs. Express RDE Louis Duron was credited with 17 hurries.
Maulers 14, Renegades 13
There was no scoring, but plenty of action, during the final 20 minutes of this game. The Renegades punted with 2:57 to play and never saw the ball again. Pittsburgh extended an olive branch when QB Michael White
threw an interception with 1:46 remaining, but the pickoff was negated by an offsides penalty. The Maulers ran for a first down on the next play, then ran out the clock. Orlando WR Robert Zapata caught 10 passes for 199 yards and CB John Borkowski
intercepted a pair of passes. White and Brandon Rocha
each threw a TD pass for the Maulers.
Stars 29, Force 14
 |
| Martin Wolf, WLB, NY Stars (45) |
New York won its first-ever playoff game, pulling away from Georgia in the final minutes. The Stars were clinging to a 19-14 lead when
an interception by RDE Richard Kirkwood gave the ball to New York at midfield. Seven plays later, RB Mark Post
scored the clinching TD from 3 yards away. New York WLB Martin Wolf and DT Ryan Moore both recorded two sacks, and Moore had nine hurries.
Divisional Round Preview
- The Detroit Wheels will host defending World Bowl champion Oakland in a semifinal game. The teams are 1-1 against each other in the regular season, but the Invaders won, 9-6, in last season's American Conference Championship Game. The Wheels will be without CB Bradley Mondragon, an All-Pro candidate with a bum ankle. Oakland's star RB/KR, Christopher Curtis, is questionable with an ankle injury.
- The Los Angeles Express face the San Antonio Gunslingers in another American Conference semifinal. The only previous meeting of these teams came in the 1975 regular-season opener, San Antonio winning, 37-16. LAX backup QB William Trombley is out with a concussion, while all hands are on deck for the Gunslingers.
- The Tampa Bay Bandits, who had the league's best regular-season record (15-1) are a 14-point favorite over the New York Stars in a National Conference semifinal. The Bandits won, 17-3, in this year's regular-season opener and won, 13-9, during the 1974 regular season. New York center Luis Carswell is out with a foot injury and starting SS Adrian Hill (foot) is questionable.
- The Pittsburgh Maulers travel to the Big Easy to face the South Division champions VooDoo in the other National Conference semi. The regular-season series is 1-1, New Orleans winning, 17-14 in overtime, in Week 3 this season. The Maulers will be missing four injured starters--center Andre Adkins, RG Herman Winn, SLB George Grant and WLB Brian Lowe. New Orleans will be minus TE William Ramsey and RG Dale Gregory.
