1978 Week 10 Roundup: Invaders Still Undefeated

Chris Brooks, RB, Oakland Invaders (43)

Maybe it's still too early to talk World Bowl predictions. But, a conversation of that type certainly needs to include the Oakland Invaders.

The unbeaten Invaders (10-0) knocked off the two-time World Bowl champion Detroit Wheels, 21-14 on back-to-back huge plays to open the fourth quarter.

Oakland DT Henry Kellogg sacked Detroit QB Mario Valencia in the end zone for a safety that tied the score at 14-14. After Oakland's Christopher Curtis returned the ensuing kickoff to the 31, RB Chris Brooks took a short pass from QB Les Lacy and weaved his way through the Detroit secondary for the 59-yard game-winning TD. The Wheels could get no closer than the Oakland 42 the rest of the way.

Detroit DT Chad Brown had three sacks and CB Bradley Mondragon eight tackles.

In other Week 10 games:

• Michigan QB Michael London threw for 465 yards and six TDs as the Panthers snapped a four-game losing streak and climbed back into the playoff race with a 51-30 win over the Southern California Sun.
• The Birmingham Stallions also climbed back into the playoff picture by edging the Philadelphia Bell, 29-24, on Karl Moore's TD pass to Matthew Morgan with 2:56 to play.
• The Oklahoma Outlaws pulled off an improbable 31-28 overtime win over the Arizona Wranglers. The Outlaws got the ball back with 31 seconds to play and QB Dale Brown promptly found WR Dusty Heckman for a 63-yard game-tying TD. The Outlaws won on their first possession of OT via Nathan Booker's 46-yard field goal.
• Tampa Bay joined Oakland as the only unbeaten teams when the Bandits outlasted the San Antonio Gunslingers, 29-20. Edward Conner of the Bandits caught 10 passes for 179 yards and LDE William Lewis had four sacks.

Week 11 Preview

Portland (6-4) has stormed back into the playoff race with four consecutive wins. The Storm now hosts the unbeaten Oakland Invaders (10-0). Unbeaten Tampa Bay (10-0) faces a tough test against the Memphis Showboats (8-2). The Orlando Renegades (7-3) host the Birmingham Stallions (6-4) in a game with National Conference playoff implications. The Michigan Panthers (5-5) will try to avenge an overtime loss to the Detroit Wheels (7-3) five weeks ago.

Record Book

• Oklahoma WR Dusty Heckman is the league's all-time receiving leader -- more than 1,000 yards ahead of second-place Robert Zapata of Orlando.
• Pittsburgh's John Murray (58) and Cliff Thomas (45) are 1-2 in career rushing TDs. Third place is Tampa Bay's James Haigh with 31.
• Detroit's David Peralta has six interceptions this season and a league-best 35 for his career.

1978 Week 9 Roundup

Almost from the beginning of the USFL/WFL, the South Division has been one of the most competitive races each season. That is certainly the case again during the 1978 season.

The Shreveport Steamer (6-3) fell to the Cleveland Thunderbolts, 24-16, allowing the Birmingham Stallions (5-4) and New Orleans VooDoo (5-4) to pull within one game of first place. Birmingham defeated the Boston Breakers, 24-9, and New Orleans outlasted the Florida Blazers, 23-20, in overtime.

The top three South Division teams in the 1977 season were separated by just 1.5 games. New Orleans edged Georgia by one game for first place in 1976. In 1975, the top three teams were Georgia (15-1), Birmingham (13-3) and Shreveport (12-4). The only runaway winner was New Orleans in 1974, a three-game edge over the Steamer.

Shreveport appeared to be on its way to another win Saturday, but Cleveland jumped ahead on a 75-yard TD pass with 1:41 to play when the Steamer was assessed a defensive overuse penalty.

Florida was assessed two defensive overuse penalties on the VooDoo's game-winning drive in overtime that ended on John Langdon's 37-yard field goal.

The Stallions had lost 4 of 5 before recovering against Boston. Roger Boyer threw a pair of long TD passes for Birmingham.

In other Week 9 games:

• Washington Federals QB Joe Richardson threw for 500 yards and seven TDs in a 48-20 win over the Southern California Sun. Only 10 QBs in league history have passed for more than seven TDs in a game. Washington CB Elmer Bunting forced a fumble and intercepted a pass in addition to his five tackles.
• Houston QB James Lightfoot found fullback August Madrid for a TD with 7 seconds to play, giving the Gamblers a 32-31 win over the Jacksonville Bulls. Six of Houston's nine games this season have been decided by 4 points or fewer.
• Timothy McLaughlin's interception in the end zone with 1:49 remaining preserved Portland's third consecutive win, a 34-29 Storm victory over the Denver Gold.

Week 10 Preview

The Oakland Invaders (9-0) one of just two unbeaten teams in the USFL/WFL, host the Detroit Wheels (7-2), who have won the last two World Bowls. The Arizona Wranglers (7-2) are at Oklahoma (7-2) in a game likely to impact the postseason picture. Shreveport (6-3) puts its South Division lead on the line when it travels to New Orleans (5-4).

1978 Week 6 Roundup: Two Unbeatens Remain

Gene Nowlin, QB, Los Angeles Express

The list of unbeaten teams in the USFL/WFL is down to two.

Los Angeles QB Gene Nowlin passed for 521 yards and four TDs as the Express knocked off the previously undefeated Memphis Showboats, 32-26. The loss by Memphis (5-1) left the Oakland Invaders (6-0) and Tampa Bay Bandits (6-0) as the only teams without a defeat.

The Showboats fell into a first-place tie with the Oklahoma Outlaws in the Southwest Division, while Los Angeles (5-1) has a two-game lead on San Jose in the Pacific Division.

Memphis led, 17-13, late in the second quarter, but Nowlin fired three TD passes to convert that deficit into a 32-17 Express lead. Memphis rallied within 6 points, but its final two drives went nowhere.

In another key Week 6 game:

Wheels 41, Panthers 35, OT

The Detroit Wheels forced a three-way tie atop the Midwest Division when they outlasted the Michigan Panthers, 41-35, in overtime. Michigan led, 35-14, entering the fourth quarter, but Detroit forced OT when Mario Valencia threaded the needle between three defenders and found WR John Risinger in the end zone with 4 minutes to play. Michigan had the ball on the Detroit 38 with 1:12 to go in regulation, but Wheels CB Chuck Johnson's interception at the 9 killed that drive.

Michigan kicked what appeared to be the game-winning field goal in OT, but a holding penalty forced the Panthers to punt instead. Two defensive overuse penalties helped the Wheels move into position for the game-winning score, Valencia's 21-yard pass to Paul Lee.

In other Week 6 games:

• Cleveland CB Monte Cherry intercepted three passes, returning two for TDs, in the Thunderbolts' 47-17 win over the Georgia Force. Cleveland is now tied with Detroit and Michigan for first place in the Midwest Division.
• Honolulu Hawaiians LDE John Nelson had 18 hurries and 3 sacks during a 20-17 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte's Jerry Roux returned a kickoff 107 yards for a TD.
• Southern California QB James Perry was 20-for-23 passing and the Sun scored all of their points during the second quarter of a 24-0 shutout of the Baltimore Stars.
• Oklahoma's Patrick Hiebert rushed for 212 yards as the Outlaws edged the Jacksonville Bulls, 27-20. That marked the second time this season Hiebert has broken the 200-yard mark. Hiebert is on pace to break the league record of 2,056 yards in a season, set by Chicago's Bruce Fine in 1974.

Week 7 Preview

The South Division-leading Shreveport Steamer (5-1) hosts the Midwest Division co-leading Michigan Panthers (4-2). Another game with possible postseason implications sees the Pittsburgh Maulers (4-2) travel to San Jose to face the SaberCats (3-3).

1978 Week 5 Roundup: Look Who's In First Place

Michael London, Michigan Panthers (11)

There has been a major shakeup in the Midwest Division this season, one that has left three other teams shaking their collective heads.

Michigan QB Michael London threw for 524 yards and five TDs as the Panthers (4-1) overwhelmed the Birmingham Stallions, 68-3, to extend their franchise-record win streak to four games and take over the division lead.

The Panthers dropped their season opener to Chicago, but will be riding a wave of momentum heading into Saturday's showdown against the crosstown rival Detroit Wheels. Michigan holds a one-game lead over Detroit (3-2) and Cleveland (3-2).

Birmingham came into Thursday's game 3-1, but QB Roger Boyer was intercepted twice and sacked six times. Anthony Toler and Gerald Miller combined for 320 yards receiving for Michigan.

In other Week 5 games:

• Detroit avenged a loss to Cleveland earlier this season by beating the Thunderbolts, 34-19. Wheels QB Mario Valencia threw two TD passes each to Rigoberto Gonzales and John Risinger, including a 75-yarder to Gonzales on the second play from scrimmage. Cleveland LDE Jim Zarate had 5 tackles, 5 sacks, and 14 hurries.
• Unbeaten Memphis improved to 10-0 all-time against Houston by edging the Gamblers, 24-20. Antonio Wilson's 8-yard TD pass to Jerome Wheeler early in the fourth quarter broke a 17-17 tie.
• Three interceptions were New Jersey's undoing as the Generals fell to the Oakland Invaders, 22-20, in a battle of previously undefeated teams. New Jersey drove into Oakland territory twice in the final 2 minutes, but one drive ended on a Philip Shurtz pickoff and the other when time expired.
• New Orleans WLB Ramon Boldt had 13 tackles and an interception as the VooDoo nipped the Chicago Blitz, 23-20.
• Tampa Bay LDE William Lewis had four sacks and 14 hurries during a 21-6 win over the Charlotte Hornets that left the Bandits (5-0) as one of the league's three unbeaten teams, along with Oakland and Memphis.
• Florida RB Jamie Giles rushed for 133 yards as the Blazers recovered from a 14-0 deficit to defeat the San Antonio Gunslingers, 21-17. Giles also caught three passes for 23 yards and a TD.

Week 6 Preview

The Detroit Wheels (3-2) find themselves in the unusual situation of being the hunter instead of the hunted when they travel to the Pontiac Silverdome to face the Midwest Division-leading Michigan Panthers (4-1). Tampa Bay (5-0) is at Pittsburgh (4-1) in a battle of division leaders. Another battle of division leaders sees the Los Angeles Express (4-1) at Memphis (5-0).

Coach's Profile

chermy10, Washington Federals

chermy10, Washington Federals
Playing MFN Since: 2015
Hometown: Eagan, MN
Current residence: Eagan, MN
Day job: In school
Favorite teams: Vikings, MN Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, MN Twins, Atlanta Braves, MN United, Tottenham Hotspur
A real-life sports experience: Scoring the winning goal in the championship youth hockey game
A fantasy sports experience: Winning the Super Bowl
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Be patient

1978 Week 4 Roundup: Taking Boston By Storm

The Portland Storm, off to an uncharacteristic 0-3 start, broke out of it in a big way Tuesday.

William Hill passed for 532 yards and eight TDs as Portland set a USFL/WFL record for points in a game by overwhelming the Boston Breakers, 87-24.

The Oakland Invaders set the previous record when they routed Charlotte, 86-10, in Week 11 of the 1975 season.

The Storm scored 73 points in the first three quarters before taking their foot off the gas pedal a bit. They accumulated 745 yards, but were helped along by seven Boston turnovers.

To put this in perspective, there are 13 teams that have not scored 87 points in their first FOUR games this season.

Detroit beat the Southern California Sun, 76-0, in 1976. Birmingham beat the Georgia Force, 76-24, in 1977 and 72-41 in 1976. Cleveland beat Boston, 76-26, in 1976.

John Sanders caught 11 passes for 387 yards (35.18 per catch) and five TDs, one for 92 yards. That ranks No. 2 all-time to Oklahoma's Dusty Heckman, who had 394 receiving yards vs. Chicago last season. The five TDs is also second all-time to Thomas Canale of New Orleans (seven).

The 12 extra points by Portland kicker Donald Dosch tied a league record set by Oakland's Lester Reed in that 1975 game against the Hornets. Hill's eight TD passes ties for No. 5 all-time. Birmingham legend Agustin Crook fired 10 TDs in that 1977 win over Georgia.

Boston (0-4) gets a break this week. They get to face the equally pathetic New York Stars (0-4).

In other Week 4 games:

• The Michigan Panthers moved into a first-place tie with Cleveland atop the Midwest Division when they beat New Orleans, 21-11, and the Detroit Wheels were knocked off by Oklahoma, 25-19. Julio Prince and Anthony Toler combined for 240 receiving yards and a TD for Michigan.
• Washington CB Elmer Bunting had a pair of interceptions and new coach chermy10 earned his first USFL/WFL victory as the Federals held off the Charlotte Hornets, 19-17.
• Baltimore trailed Birmingham, 34-24, midway through the fourth quarter. But a 102-yard kickoff return by Jordan Devers and John Peters' 73-yard TD pass to Douglas Finch gave the Stars a 37-34 win and Birmingham its first loss.
• The Memphis Showboats won a battle of previously unbeaten teams, rolling past the San Jose SaberCats, 38-7. The Memphis defense intercepted San Jose QB David Schmitt three times and sacked him five times.
• Oakland backup QB Jimmy Barahona hit Jason Brooks for a 9-yard TD with 1:05 to play, lifting the Invaders to a 23-20 win over the Chicago Blitz. Oakland marched 75 yards to win the game after Chicago had taken the lead with 2:05 remaining.
• Pittsburgh DT John Hunter returned a fumble 27 yards for a TD with 1:59 to play, giving the Maulers a 20-13 win over the New York Stars. New York drove to the Pittsburgh 19 in the final minute, but could not score.
• Cleveland's Jim Zarate, last season's rookie of the year, had 5 tackles, 3 sacks, and 16 hurries during a 29-0 shutout of the Honolulu Hawaiians.

Week 5 Preview

Two weeks ago, Cleveland snapped Detroit's 27-game win streak with a 24-22 win over the Wheels. Detroit (2-2) will try to avenge that loss when they travel to Cleveland to face the Thunderbolts (3-1).  There are only four undefeated teams in the USFL/WFL and that number will likely be pared down after the Oakland Invaders (4-0) host the New Jersey Generals (4-0).  The Los Angeles Express (3-1) is at Baltimore (3-1) and the Birmingham Stallions (3-1) at Michigan (3-1) in twin battles of division co-leaders.

Coach Profile

Duval, Baltimore

Duval, Baltimore

Playing MFN Since: January, 2018

Hometown (town, state): Jacksonville, FL

Current residence (town, state): Jacksonville, FL

Day job: Cable 

Favorite teams (all sports): Jacksonville Jaguars

A real-life sports experience: Dealt poker to Michael Phelps.

A fantasy sports experience: Played Front Office Football for a while. 

Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Don't accept trades from anyone. Don't let anyone talk you into a trade.

1978 Week 3 Roundup: For Whom the Bell Tolls

Please tell the Philadelphia Bell they have our attention.

Gerald Gallagher, DT, Philadelphia

Philadelphia's defense stood tall with 2 minutes to play as the Bell held off the Florida Blazers, 29-27,  to improve to 3-0. It is the first 3-0 start in franchise history and the first three-game win streak in franchise history.

DT Gerald Gallagher had the defensive play of the day, a sack with 2 minutes remaining that forced Florida to settle for a field goal. Philadelphia recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock. SS Herbert Lynn provided the eventual margin of victory when he sacked Walter Jackson for a safety late in the first quarter.

The fast start under new coach Jaybo911 is great, but a reality check is on the way. Take a look at the Bell's next seven games--at Shreveport, Arizona, at Oakland, Portland, New Orleans, at New Jersey, Birmingham. That's a touch stretch for anybody, but perhaps Philadelphia will prove it is up to the task.

In other Week 3 games:

• The Cleveland Thunderbolts were still celebrating last week's big win over Detroit when Arizona crashed the party, the Wranglers winning, 31-13. Cleveland scored the game's first TD, then never crossed the goal line again. LDE Charlie Lee had two sacks and a fumble recovery.
• The New Jersey Generals kept pace with Philadelphia in the East Division with a 30-13 win over the New York Stars. New Jersey is 11-1 in its last 12 regular-season games. Four players (Jim LeClair, James Lockette, Jim Byrne, Bobby Leopold) had two sacks each for the Generals.
• The Birmingham Stallions are also 3-0 after edging the New Orleans VooDoo, 22-19. The Birmingham defense made several key plays, including a fumble recovery with 10 minutes to play.
• The San Antonio Gunslingers trailed Jacksonville, 22-10, entering the fourth quarter but scored 18 unanswered points to win, 28-22. An 80-yard drive culminated in Jeffrey Graham's game-winning 8-yard TD run with 1:44 to play. The Bulls drove to the San Antonio 8 in the final seconds, but couldn't get lined up for another play before time expired.
• Oklahoma RB Patrick Hiebert ran for 211 yards on 16 carries (13.2 per carry) and a 25-yard TD during a 34-7 Outlaws win over the Honolulu Hawaiians. That ranks No. 16 all-time in single-game rushing yardage. Philadelphia's Jose Medina had games of 305 and 303 yards during the 1974 season.
• Charlotte CB Robert Mason had nine tackles and intercepted three passes during a 38-19 loss to the Los Angeles Express.
• Michigan QB Michael London passed for 532 yards and five TDs during a 45-30 victory over the Houston Gamblers. James Connelly of the Gamblers returned kickoffs for 97- and 100-yard TDs. Gregory Shea of the Memphis Showboats returned three kickoffs for TDs last season vs. Detroit.
• The Baltimore Stars knocked off four-time Atlantic Division winner Pittsburgh, 31-24, on John Peters' 31-yard TD pass to Hector Morris with 7:06 remaining.

Week 4 Preview

A pair of surprise division leaders square off when the San Jose SaberCats (3-0) travel to Memphis to face the Showboats (3-0). A playoff rematch from last year takes place when the Detroit Wheels (2-1) host the Oklahoma Outlaws (2-1). Detroit won, 35-6, in the second round of the 1977 postseason. The Birmingham Stallions (3-0) will try to maintain their South Division lead when they host the Baltimore Stars (2-1), who are coming off a big win over the Pittsburgh Maulers.

Coach's Profile

Jaybo911, Philadelphia Bell

Jaybo 911, Philadelphia Bell
Playing MFN Since: August 3, 2017
Hometown (town, state): Roanoke, AL
Current residence (town, state): Pinewood, SC
Day job: Manufacturing (work in a plant making cardboard boxes )
Favorite teams (all sports): College football: Alabama (ROLL TIDE); NFL: Philadelphia Eagles; Baseball: Atlanta Braves
A real-life sports experience: None
A fantasy sports experience: Have played some fantasy baseball
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Your playbook comes with your head coach. If you change head coaches, you may lose some of your plays, so keep an eye on that.

1978 Week 2 Roundup: Wheels' Streak Ends at 27

The Streak is finally over.

Cleveland FS Michael Rodriguez knocked away an attempted 2-point conversion pass in the end zone with 33 seconds to play, preserving the Thunderbolts' 24-22 victory over Detroit that snapped the Wheels' winning streak at 27.

Detroit has won the last two World Bowls and has not lost a regular- or post-season game since falling to Cleveland, 26-19, in Week 12 of the 1976 regular season. The Wheels have won 34 in a row against teams not named "Cleveland Thunderbolts." The last non-Cleveland team to beat them was the Portland Storm, in Week 4 of the 1976 regular season.

The Wheels, trailing 24-16, took the ball on their own 20 with 1:47 to play and scored in eight plays, QB Mario Valencia hitting WR John Risinger for a 29-yard score on a defensive overuse penalty. On the 2-point conversion attempt, Valencia tried to lob a ball to the double-covered Hanna in the right back corner of the end zone, but Rodriguez was able to tap the ball away and preserve the win.

The Cleveland defense made life miserable for Valencia all day (18-for-38, 2 sacks, 3 INT, 64.14 QBR). Thunderbolts MLB Geoffrey Knight provided what proved to be a crucial 2 points in the third quarter when he stuffed Detroit RB Robert Costello for a safety.

In other Week 2 games:

• Looks like the San Jose SaberCats are back. San Jose, coming off three consecutive non-winning seasons, stunned the defending Pacific Division champion Los Angeles Express, 26-21. LAX appeared to have scored the winning TD with 5 minutes to play on a defensive overuse, but a holding penalty negated that score. The SaberCats defense came up big again with 1:50 remaining when CB Bryan Leisure intercepted a Gene Nowlin pass at the San Jose 24.
• A lot of Week 2 games came down to the final minutes. One was Houston at Memphis, where Showboats K James Ewing was good from 37 yards away on the final play of the game, giving his team a 36-34 win over the Houston Gamblers. Memphis started with the ball on its 25 and 1:21 to play, but QB Antonio Wilson came up big on a hot read, finding RB Sterling Willis down the middle for a 58-yard completion that set up Ewing's game-winner.
• James Hooper kicked a 49-yard field goal on the game's final play to give the Shreveport Steamer a 27-26 win over the New Orleans VooDoo in a big South Division game. One play earlier, Shreveport had gained 17 yards on a New Orleans defensive overuse penalty.
• QB Luis Gero was 28-for-36 passing and threw four TDs as the Tampa Bay Bandits stomped repeatedly on the groin of the New York Stars, 55-19.
• Oklahoma QB Dale Brown passed for 579 yards (No. 13 on the league's all-time single game list) and five TDs as the Outlaws bounced back from last week's shutout loss at Orlando to beat the Florida Blazers, 42-10.
• The Orlando Renegades, who surprised by shutting out Oklahoma last week, were surprised this time around by the Baltimore Stars, 16-14. Bernard Twiggs put Baltimore ahead via a 42-yard field goal with 3:59 to play, then the Stars defense shut down Orlando on its final two drives.
• Philadelphia RB Steve McKenzie rushed for 135 yards and a TD and CB Victor Benedict had 12 tackles during a 21-13 win over the Washington Federals. The Bell are off to a 2-0 start for the first time in franchise history and have won consecutive games for the third time in franchise history.

Week 3 Preview

The Baltimore Stars (1-1) and Pittsburgh Maulers (2-0) meet in a key early season Atlantic Division game. The Philadelphia Bell (2-0) will go for the first three-game win streak in franchise history when they host the Florida Blazers (1-1). The Birmingham Stallions (2-0) are at New Orleans (1-1) in an important South Division contest.

Coach's Profile

Big Poppa, Oklahoma Outlaws

Big Poppa, Oklahoma Outlaws

Playing MFN Since: 02/09/2015

Hometown (town, state): Born in Waurika, Oklahoma; raised in Dumas, Texas, and Westlake, Louisiana

Current residence (town, state): LeBleu Settlement, Louisiana

Day job: Retired construction superintendent/heavy equipment operator

Favorite teams (all sports): New Orleans Saints/Dale Earnhardt Sr.

A real-life sports experience: I was on Bourbon Street the night the Saints won the
Super Bowl (it was awesome!).

A fantasy sports experience: Did the Richard Petty Driving Experience in Orlando.

Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Don't go strictly by a player’s overall rating or trade value; look at their production and or their progression. Also … speed kills.

1978 Week 1 Roundup

William Ramsey (8), WR, New Orleans

Call it mojo or voodoo or whatever, but they seem to have found it again in New Orleans.

QB Ryan Tate threw for 453 yards and five TDs as the New Orleans VooDoo scored 42 points in the first half of its 45-13 season-opening win over the Georgia Force.

Tate found WR William Ramsey behind the Georgia secondary for a 95-yard TD late in the first quarter that made the score 21-0.

New Orleans, if you recall, went to the World Bowl in 1976, then fell to 1-15 last season. That netted the VooDoo the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, which they spent on LDE Miguel Gross. He had 7 tackles, 5 sacks, and 5 hurries in his USFL/WFL debut. Ramsey caught five passes for 269 yards (53.8 per catch) and two TDs.

In other Week 1 games:

• New Philadelphia coach Jaybo911 picked up a victory in his debut, the Bell recovering from a 9-0 deficit to beat the Boston Breakers, 17-9. Philadelphia CB Jason Hubbard recorded 11 tackles and QB  Roy Rhyne threw a pair of TD passes.
• The supposedly rebuilding Orlando Renegades stunned Southwest Division favorite Oklahoma, shutting out the Outlaws, 19-0. Orlando intercepted five passes as Outlaws QB Dale Brown suffered perhaps his worst day ever (19.44 QBR). Renegades LDE Chris McDuffie recorded three sacks and intercepted a pass. I was surprised to check and see Oklahoma had been shut out before; in fact, the hihg-powered Outlaws were blanked in back-to-back 1975 games against Arizona and New Jersey.
• The Memphis Showboats and Houston Gamblers find themselves tied for first place in the Southwest.  Memphis beat the San Antonio Gunslingers, 35-23, after trailing, 23-20, midway through the third quarter. Gregory Shea (amazingly) did not return a kickoff for a TD in this game, but did run for 124 yards and catch a TD pass. Houston broke open a close game in the second half to beat the Southern California Sun, 45-23. Big plays were key for the Gamblers, who scored TDs from 6, 72, 42, 83, 54, and 6 yards.
• The Honolulu Hawaiians led defending Pacific Division champion Los Angeles, 10-9, with 4 minutes to go, but an interception by CB Stephen Farmer led to the winning TD with 3:12 to play as the Express escaped with a 17-10 victory. Honolulu LDE Keith Smith had 4 sacks, 5 tackles, and 11 hurries.
• The Cleveland Thunderbolts forced five Portland turnovers during a 41-13 win over the Storm. Cleveland LDE Jim Zarate, last season's defensive rookie of the year, had 21 hurries and four sacks.

Week 2 Preview

The Houston Gamblers (1-0) and Memphis Showboats (1-0) will square off for first place in the Southwest Division (yes, you read that correctly). The Cleveland Thunderbolts (1-0) will be at Detroit (1-0) in a key Midwest Division game. The New York Stars (0-1) will be at Tampa Bay (1-0) in a rematch of last season's National Conference championship game. The San Jose SaberCats (1-0) and Los Angeles Express (1-0) will try to break a tie atop the Pacific Division.

1978 Preview: Can Wheels Three-Peat?

The USFL/WFL begins its fifth season May 8. This league prides itself on competitive balance (26 of 32 teams have made at least one playoff appearance), but the Detroit Wheels apparently never got that memo.

Detroit will be seeking its third consecutive championship after having outlasted the Tampa Bay Bandits, 29-22, in World Bowl IV. The Wheels return almost all of the key players from that team, including former league MVP Mario Valencia and offensive Rookie of the Year TE Zachary Powell. Detroit added 90-rated running back Matthew Mitchell in a trade with Orlando. The Wheels have 11 players rated 80 or higher.

But, they also have 14 players with eight or more pro seasons of mileage, so maybe age will eventually catch up to them and balance can be restored to the force ... I mean the top of the league (sorry, this is May 4 after all).

The league welcomes three new coaches in Big Poppa (Oklahoma Outlaws), chermy10 (Washington Federals), and Jaybo911 (Philadelphia Bell). Coach adamsneeka (Jacksonville Bulls) came in at the end of last season.

A quick look, by divisions.

Midwest Division

Detroit is riding a 26-game overall win streak, so that brings us to a question. How good would the Cleveland Thunderbolts be in any other division? Pretty good, we are guessing. LDE Jim Zarate was the defensive Rookie of the Year on a team that has won 24 games in two seasons under coach jabillups85 but is 0-2 in the playoffs. The Michigan Panthers continue to add young studs to their roster. Michigan beat the Chicago Blitz for the first time last season and could pass them in the 1978 standings. Former MVP Daniel McKee's quarterback rating has declined three consecutive seasons.

Southwest Division

The Oklahoma Outlaws won their first division title and made their first playoff appearance last season under a rookie head coach. With a seasoned veteran coach taking over, and the league's all-time receiving leader (WR Dusty Heckman) still in place, the Outlaws could be setting up for a long run of success. The San Antonio Gunslingers won the first three division titles, then totally fell off the wagon last season (5-11). Look for a bounce-back season from San Antonio. The Memphis Showboats have perhaps the league's most exciting player in RB/KR Gregory Shea and just need some stability to field a contender. The Houston Gamblers could get there if they could just win a game inside their division. Houston is 4-20 (.167) all-time against Southwest teams, 13-27 (.325) against everybody else.

West Division

The Arizona Wranglers won their first division title and made their first playoff appearance last year, but had to go into the postseason without injured QB Jerry Montalvo. If they stay healthy, the Wranglers could go farther this season. The Oakland Invaders, who won World Bowl II, still have many of those stars in place and should battle Arizona and the Portland Storm for the top of the division. The Storm missed the playoffs for the first time in 1977, but, like Oakland, still have plenty of stars in place. The Denver Gold have been hindered by playing in a loaded division, but doubled their victory total from 1976 (3-13 to 6-10), beat Portland and took Arizona down to the wire twice.

Pacific Division

The Los Angeles Express have won the last two division crowns, but have run into Detroit twice in the playoffs and come to a screeching halt. Maybe this is the year? Seth Wynn ran for 1,370 yard for LAX last season and WR Robert Herrera accumulated 2,160 receiving yards. The Honolulu Hawaiians and San Jose SaberCats tied for second place in the division last season at 8-8 and could do so again this time around. Honolulu's starting defensive front four combined for 60 sacks. San Jose will contend as long as The Unbreakable David Schmitt remains their QB. His QBR has improved from 60 to 82 to 88 in three pro seasons. The Southern California Sun keep trying different directions in hopes of gaining some forward momentum.

Southeast Division

By the time you read this, the Tampa Bay Bandits will have clinched the division title. Tampa Bay was 2 minutes away from winning the World Bowl last season and are a combined 30-2 over the last two regular seasons. The Orlando Renegades have gone into semi-rebuilding mode, trading away veterans like Mitchell and CB Michael Ellis (New York Stars). The Jacksonville Bulls and Florida Blazers continue to build their franchises in hopes of catching Tampa Bay someday.

South Division

The Shreveport Steamer front office threw a big retirement party recently ... for players on another team. When the Birmingham Stallions lost three of the league's all-time best (QB Agustin Crook, OT Ben Arnold, WR Bruno Fredericks), it certainly increased the changes of Shreveport repeating as division champ. The Georgia Force were only one win away from the playoffs and could be right there again. We don't know what to make of the New Orleans VooDoo. They were in the World Bowl two seasons ago, then fell to 1-15 last season. So, you tell me.

Atlantic Division

After 11 games last season, the Baltimore Stars were 8-3 and the Pittsburgh Maulers were 6-4-1. Suddenly, one team shifted into "drive," the other into "reverse." Baltimore lost five in a row while Pittsburgh won five in a row to claim its fourth consecutive division title. Maybe the Stars can hang on a while longer this time around, but the Maulers will be favored to make it five straight. The Charlotte Hornets have improved their record three consecutive years under coach UKRAIN and could battle Baltimore for second place this season. The Washington Federals have begun the process under a new head coach and this team has enough talent to make that rebuild a quick one.

East Division

The New Jersey Generals started off 2-5, then won eight in a row and knocked Pittsburgh out of the playoffs. The Generals are likely to capture that momentum again and reclaim the division title. The New York Stars have won the last two division crowns, but were whupped by New Jersey in the teams' second meeting last season, a game that showcased their deficiencies. The Boston Breakers drafted the oldest team in the league in 1974 and now have more grandfathers in their locker room than anyone else in the USFL/WFL — 24 players with 9 or more pro seasons. BUT, they were darn good in 1974. The Philadelphia Bell begins the long road back under a new coach, and have plenty of solid young players to build around.

Who's Beatin' Who?

I have always thought a league's history was important, and part of that history is how Team A always seems to beat Team B.

Sometimes there are reasons for this. In this league, and others, my teams always lose to Pittsburgh Maulers coach Otterpop. Every time. Why? Because he is a smart coach who fields good teams and most coaches have a losing record against him. The reasons are not always that clear. Some teams seem to have a dominance over others that can't be explained by coach genius or team strength.

I started this chart below when the league began. I like to use it as a reference when writing previews or when one team finally breaks the dominance of another. To use it (click to enlarge), find your team on the left and read across. If you are the Honolulu Hawaiians coach, for instance, find your team on the left and read across three squares to see your team is 6-2 against the San Jose SaberCats.

A link to the chart is now posted on the left navigation column of the league blog. Or, you can follow this link to go directly to the page. I have also made a permanent page for the league's All-Pro teams.

Just click on the image below to enlarge. See below the chart for some trivial points.

Here is the trivia I promised:

• The Southern California Sun beat the Honolulu Hawaiians for the first time last season (1-7). 
• The Arizona Wranglers beat the Portland Storm for the first time last season (1-7).
• The Michigan Panthers beat the Chicago Blitz for the first time last season (1-7).
• The Chicago Blitz and San Antonio Gunslingers have played a non-division game every season. Chicago has won all four.
• There are just a few division rivalries where one team has won all eight games: Los Angeles over Southern California; Memphis over Houston; San Antonio over Memphis; Detroit over Michigan; Baltimore over Washington; Pittsburgh over Charlotte and Washington; and New Jersey over Philadelphia.