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| Norman Paulk, LDE, Portland Storm (55) |
The 1976 USFL/WFL season has reached its halfway point, and that couldn't be a more welcome sight for the Portland Storm.
Storm kicker Donald Dosch booted a 54-yard field goal just inside the left upright with 1:51 to play, giving Portland a 17-15 win over the Birmingham Stallions. LDE Norman Paulk had 13 hurries and recorded two sacks, giving him 29 in 1-plus seasons since being drafted in the first round out of Florida State.
Portland finished the first half of the season at 5-3 and remains in the playoff hunt despite a suicidal schedule. Seven of the Storm's eight opponents are .500 or better and those foes are a combined 42-22 (.656). Things do get incrementally easier in the second half, as Portland's opposition for those games is only a combined 36-28 (.563).
In other Week 8 Games:
- Los Angeles QB Gene Nowlin heaved a 91-yard TD pass to WR Jimmy Landon with 2:22 remaining as the Express hung on to first place in the Pacific Division with a 37-30 win over the San Jose SaberCats. San Jose was penalized for defensive overuse on the decisive play.
- The Orlando Renegades have won three in a row under new head coach setherick, including Thursday's 16-7 defeat of the New York Stars. Orlando QB David Judkins was 41-for-59 passing, including a 34-yard TD to WR Robert Zapata. The loss snapped New York's franchise-record four-game win streak.
- Jeffrey Graham's 5-yard TD run with 1:43 to play lifted San Antonio to a 15-10 win over Oakland. Gunslingers CB Leon Crisman sealed the victory with his third pickoff of the day and 22nd of his career, most of any player. If the playoffs began today, the defending World Bowl champion Invaders (6-2) would be on the outside looking in.
- The Charlotte Hornets have won back-to-back games for the first time in their history, following up on last week's victory over Washington with a 7-3 decision over the Baltimore Stars. Baltimore QB Victor Gorman, who has taken every snap for the Stars over the last two-plus seasons, sustained an 8-week ankle injury. Baltimore has never had a backup QB on its roster.
- Samuel Hoye's 37-yard field goal on the final play from scrimmage gave the Honolulu Hawaiians a 12-10 victory over the Jacksonville Bulls. Honolulu remains a game behind LAX in the Pacific Division standings.
- Detroit QB Mario Valencia passed for 587 yards and eight TDs, one shy of the league record, during a 76-0 shutout of the Southern California Sun.
- Washington kicker Matthew Eno's 34-yard field goal with 1:04 to play lifted the Federals to a 24-21 win over the Philadelphia Bell, who have lost 17 of their last 18.
Week 9 Preview
The Chicago Blitz (6-2) is at Detroit (7-1) as the Wheels try to remain tied for first place in the Midwest Division with the Cleveland Thunderbolts (7-1), who have a tough game at the Los Angeles Express (5-3). The suddenly revived New Jersey Generals (3-5) will try to extend their win streak to four games with a victory over the New York Stars (5-3).
Record Book
- Pittsburgh's John Murray has 36 career TD runs, most in the USFL/WFL's short history and 11 ahead of second place -- which happens to be Maulers teammate Cliff Thomas.
- Birmingham's Bruno Fredericks has the only punt return TD in league history, at Baltimore in Week 13 of the 1974 season while Fredericks was still with the New York Stars.
- The two leading punters in league history, Dean Long (48.1 average) and Wesley Bradley (48.0) are both unemployed. Long was released by the Oklahoma Outlaws before the 1975 season and Bradley was released by the New Jersey Generals before the 1976 season after being signed away from the Baltimore Stars during free agency. The current career leader among active punters in Tampa Bay's David Manion (47.5).
