None of those "one score" games came in the playoffs, but Memphis had to play Michigan in the Divisional Round and the Panthers were the closest to defeating the Showboats at any point in 1986, losing in OT 12-6 back in Week 5. No problem, Memphis won going away, 32-13. Next up would be the Sun of Southern California but the big, bad Showboats caused an eclipse and won handily, 45-14.
Only one team stood in the way of perfection, the New Jersey Generals. New Jersey is no stranger to playing in the World Bowl as this is their 6th appearance in our leagues 13 years. The Generals came into World Bowl XIII with a 2-3 record in their previous 5 trips, including a loss to Memphis way back in World Bowl VI when they were run by Private Snowflake.
Memphis Showboats 36
New Jersey Generals 16
New Jersey got the ball first and punted after 5 plays while Memphis marched down the field in 5 plays on their first possession. Numbers Zielinski punched it in from the 1 and Jessie Cepeda ran in the 2 point conversion for an 8-0 Showboat lead. The biggest play of that drive was 3rd and 4 with New Jersey looking to force a three and out. David Allen found Jerome Betancourt for 21 yards, then The Donut Mogul Tim Horton broke loose on a swing pass, taking the ball inside New Jersey's 5 yard line, setting up the Zielinski score.
New Jersey fought back, going on an 11 play, 53 yard drive but had to settle for a Lucio Grant FG to trim the deficit to 8-3. On Memphis's next possession, sure fire HOF'er Willie Howland struck for a 55 yard catch and run to set up Ken Hubbard's 7 yard TD run. Jessie Cepeda ran in his second 2 point conversion for a 16-3 Memphis lead.
Following another New Jersey FG cut the lead to 16-6, the Generals got some bad news...the Memphis offense would get the ball back. Their first two TD drives were just 5 plays each, so to be different on drive #3, they took their time scoring, taking 12 plays. The Donut Mogul caught a 3 yard TD from David Allen for a 22-6 lead. One small positive for New Jersey, practice makes perfect in stopping the 2 point conversion as the defense held and the score remained 22-6. New Jersey finally had a highlight worthy play as Ric Flair found Aaron Paul for a 40 yard catch and run TD. That seemed to give the Generals a little boost, as they finally forced a Memphis punt, and Lucio Grant's 3rd FG of the first half gave us our halftime score of 22-16 Memphis.
Any momentum gained by New Jersey quickly vanished as Memphis took the second half kickoff and marched downfield for a 5 yard TD pass form David Allen to Numbers Zielinski. The conventional XP made the score 29-16. Late in the 3rd quarter, a Numbers Zielinski fumble started a series of bizarre plays involving turnovers. Ric Flair was intercepted, but Chris Elmore fumbled it away during the return, with Radar O'Reilly recovering to regain possession. New Jersey just couldn't stand prosperity though, as backup OL turned backup FB Jimmy Hoffa caught a pass in the flat and fumbled fighting for yardage, killing the drive.
The 4th quarter began with that 29-16 score and the final straw was this 38 yard TD from Allen to Willie Howland to give us our final score 36-16. Memphis QB David Allen won World Bowl MVP.
