1983 Week 2 Roundup

Yes, you should have gone to Las Vegas and put down a bunch of money on the San Jose SaberCats and Florida Blazers leading their divisions after two weeks.

Gregory Skidmore, QB, San Jose

The SaberCats, who have not made the playoffs since the league's first season (1974) and were 3-13 last season, edged the Cleveland Thunderbolts, 14-6. Second-year QB Gregory Skidmore was 33-for-36 passing for 262 yards and TD passes of 34 and 10 yards.

Skidmore is a fourth-round pick with 100 vol who boomed. He has gained 17 points since being drafted and now has 80 potential (my weights). RDE Nickolas Taylor recorded 10 tackles.

The Blazers, after outscoring the Georgia Force, 34-21, have won as many games (2-0) as they did all last season (2-14). Florida also has not made the playoffs since 1974.

WR Arthur Strickland rushed for 138 yards and two TDs and DT John Biggs had three sacks. SLB Luther Shoemake returned an interception 28 yards for a Florida TD.

In other Week 2 games:

• New Jersey QB Stephan Labelle threw for 419 yards and four TDs and the New Jersey defense intercepted five passes as the Generals outscored the Charlotte Hornets, 47-26. Generals WR Aaron Paul returned the opening kickoff 109 yards for a TD.
• Jose Fouche's 24-yard field goal as time expired gave the San Antonio Gunslingers a 6-3 win over the Boston Breakers. Boston K Willie Putnam missed a 53-yard attempt with 1:54 to play and San Antonio QB Tony Smith completed 5 of 6 passes to set up Fouche's game-winning kick.
• Dustin McKeown's 7-yard TD run with 35 seconds to go lifted the Portland Storm to a 26-22 win over the Washington Federals. Portland QB Oscar Willis completed a 28-yard pass on fourth-and-10, a play on which Washington was penalized for defensive overuse, to keep the Storm's final drive alive.

Week 3 Preview

This week features a huge game in the South Division when the New Orleans VooDoo (2-0) host the Birmingham Stallions (2-0).  A pair of defending division champions meet when the Washington Federals (1-1) travel to meet the Jacksonville Bulls (2-0). Last year's division champs meet in Honolulu when the Hawaiians (0-2) host the Houston Gamblers (2-0).

Record Book

• San Antonio QB Tony Smith is going to set some sort of record if he isn't more careful. Smith has thrown zero TDs and seven interceptions during the Gunslingers' first two games.
• Charlotte FB Rickey Jackson had 15 receptions during his team's Week 1 loss to Washington, which ranks No. 7 all-time for a single game. Hawaiians RB Ronald Boatman caught 21 passes during a 1981 game against the Southern California Sun.