Gamblers 45 Force 3
Welcome to the league RyanFitzmagic, your first game is against the defending Champions. Houston was in top form as Tony Dean threw for 499 yards and 5 TD, 3 of those to Gabriel Ahrens. Ahrens caught 7 total passes for 220 yards and Willie Nelson smoked his way to 2 TDs as well.
Stars 24 Hornets 3
Baltimore WR Jeffrey Zimmer caught 4 passes for 120 yards and 2 TDs as the Stars defense stole the show today. They held Charlotte to 195 offensive yards and forced 2 turnovers in the victory. The Hornets defense did okay against the Baltimore offense, but too many short possessions by the Charlotte offense seemed to wear out their defense a bit.
(NY) Stars 26 VooDoo 24
These two teams were eliminated in the 1988 playoffs by the Baltimore Stars and they're looking to start 1989 off on the right foot. Neither team had a 100 yard RB or WR nor a 300 yard QB. New Orleans actually won the box score, outgaining New York 400-296, but the 2 INTs by VooDoo QB Bruno Wilson were the difference. Wilson found Billy Brink for a TD late in the 4th to cut the Stars lead to 26-24 but the 2 point conversion failed, as did the onside kick. New York then ran out the final 3:26 to preserve victory.
Renegades 35 Bandits 28
Orlando is an up and coming team in the Southeast division and Tampa Bay has to be sick of seeing the Renegades. Orlando eliminated Tampa Bay in the 1988 playoffs and they start 1989 against each other. Orlando had a 21-13 lead after 3 but Tampa tied it with a TD and 2 point conversion early in the 4th. A few minutes later, Orlando retook the lead with a TD but a missed XP left the score 27-21. Tampa Bay would score a TD and the XP made the score 28-27 Bandits. Orlando would come right back with a TD and a 2 point conversion just inside the 2 minute warning to take a 35-28 lead. Needing a TD, the Bandits drove all the way down to the Orlando 9 yard line before the clock hit 0:00.
Panthers 25 Thunderbolts 6
Cleveland started rookie QB Michael McGowan and he experienced the expected rookie jitters. McGowan has the tools to be a fine QB eventually but today he threw 3 INTs and just 189 yards. The Thunderbolts defense held Michigan's offense down except for Nicholas Dorey, who had 161 combined yards. The Panthers scored just 1 TD but added 6 John Bibler FGs.
Showboats 44 Blitz 6
Memphis RB Mark Lambert had a combined 171 yards and a TD while Big Play Willie Howland chipped in with 125 receiving yards and 2 TDs. Memphis allowed Chicago 338 offensive yards but kept them out of the end zone all game.
Maulers 17 Blazers 3
Florida had no answer for Pittsburgh WR Robert Wheeler today. Wheeler had 6 catches for 136 yards and the game's only 2 TDs to lead the Maulers to victory. Pittsburgh hald Florida to 231 offensive yards.
Steamer 21 Stallions 6
New Birmingham QB Joe Richardson is one of the USFL's all time QBs but his Stallions debut was anything but stellar. Richardson was 16/32, 2 INT and 155 yards. Shreveport RB Orville Barker had 2 TDs and 131 total yards as Shreveport left Birmingham steamed about the loss.
Gunslingers 7 Outlaws 3
The defenses came to play today as both teams combined for just 443 yards of offense. The only TD of the game was a 56 yard pass from Gary Wiggins to Chris Cornell as San Antonio never drove into the red zone. Oklahoma got to the red zone 4 times but their "kicker" missed 3 of 4 FGs. That "kicker" was actually center William Downing. If Oklahoma had a kicker on the roster, perhaps they'd be 1-0 instead of 0-1.
Federals 23 Wheels 10
Detroit got on the scoreboard right away, as Billy Smith celebrated his All Pro election with a 108 yard kickoff return TD. Things went downhill for the Wheels after that, as they could only muster 91 offensive yards. Federals QB Scott Bieber threw for 434 yards and 2 TD but also threw 2 INT. Robert Sullivan had 180 combined yards and Joseph Andrews had 100 receiving yards and 2 TD.
Generals 38 Breakers 3
New Jersey had the 1988 Defensive Rookie of the Year in DE Dan Conner and the Generals started off 1989 with a win led by 2 offensive rookies. RB Sam Beckett quantam leaped to the top of the leagues rushing list with 162 yards but also quantam leaped to the training room with a bad neck injury. Fellow rookie, WR Duncan Meyer, chipped in with 5 catches, 103 yards and 3 TDs. Meyer's namesake lost 2 foot races to comedian Jerry Seinfeld under suspicious circumstances.
Gold 47 Express 10
Los Angeles only had 230 offensive yards and could not stop Jake Peralta of Denver. Peralta ran 17 times for 78 yards but also added 6 catches for 234 yards and 3 TD. For those not counting along, that's 312 yards for Peralta, 230 for Los Angeles. Gold QB Andrew Brewer tossed 5 TD without an INT and had 433 yards.
Storm 20 Bulls 16
Portland overcame 5 INTs by Oscar Willis to survive Jacksonville 20-16. The Storm held the Bulls to 5 rushing yards on 15 carries and had a nearly 37-23 edge in time of possession. Jacksonville Defensive MVP Gordon Wong had 2 INT today, starting 1989 where he left off in 1988.
Invaders 26 Wranglers 17
Total yards were almost even but Oakland forced 3 Arizona turnovers, leading to 2 short TD drives for the Invaders. Kicker John Hensley converted all 4 FG attempts and Oakland had a 36-24 edge in time of possession.
Hawaiians 26 Sun 24
This game didn't have the crazy wild 4th qtr of Orlando/Tampa Bay but Honolulu K Howard Bury buried a 53 yard FG as time expired to give the Hawaiians the victory. I haven't watched the game film, but the scores were back and forth while the box score also indicates an evenly matched game. Southern California RB Gene Ingram had a combined 140 yards and a TD, but his lost fumble just after the 2 minute warning, set up Honolulu for the game winning FG.
Bell 12 SaberCats 0
This game was a defensive struggle but Philadelphia came out on top, thanks to 4 FGs by kicker Robert Albertson. San Jose missed 3 FGs, all by RDE Jurrell Casey despite having a real kicker on the roster.
Friday, May 29, 2020
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
World Bowl XV: Houston wins 4th Championship
Houston Gamblers 38 Baltimore Stars 24
The last decade of USFL/WFL football has been dominated by two teams, the Memphis Showboats and Houston Gamblers. Houston defeated Baltimore 38-24 in front of 80,126 fans at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida to win their 4th World Bowl, all in the last 7 seasons. That ties them with the Memphis Showboats for the most in league history.
Houston got the ball to start the game and the Gamblers drove the length of the field in 7 plays, capping it off with a 33 yard TD run by Wesley Hull for the early 7-0 lead. Baltimore went three and out their first drive and the Gamblers struck again 6 plays later. Tony Dean found Kevin Leech in the flat and 42 yards later the lead was stretched to 14-0. The Stars would not go down without a fight however, as Jon Snow found Mark Numbers for a 38 yard TD to slice the lead in half.
The first quarter would end with the score 14-7 Houston and we had a kicking exhibition in the second. First, Daniel McCormack connected from 40, giving the Gamblers a 17-7 lead. Baltimore's Fred Boyce would make it 17-10 with a 19 yard chipshot, then McCormack extended the lead to 20-10 with a 50 yarder.
The 3rd quarter was pretty much exactly like the 2nd, a kicking exhibition. Houston's McCormack has an 86.7% career success rate from 50+ regular/postseason combined, and he connected on a 54 yard attempt for a 23-10 lead. Fred Boyce connected on another short FG, cutting the lead to 23-13. McCormack then capped off the 3rd qtr scoring with a 43 yard FG and a 26-13 lead entering the final 15 minutes.
Nearly half of the 4th went by before Fred Boyce made another FG. The 39 yarder cut the Houston lead to 10 points, but the Gamblers struck quickly. Houston needed just 2 plays to get down to the Baltimore 12, and Tony Dean took it from there. The Dean-Skeen connection gave the Gamblers a 17 point lead but there were still well over 6 minutes left and the Stars can score just as quickly as Houston. Baltimore did score a TD on their next drive as Jon Snow found Justin Coffey for a 9 yard score. Knob Creek caught the 2 point conversion to cut the lead to 33-24 with about 4 minutes remaining. The ensuing onside kick failed, then Daniel McCormack added another 54 yard FG for our final score of 36-24.
For Baltimore, Jon Snow completed 26/43 for 284 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT, and was sacked 4 times. Irvin Balzer got 2 of those 4 sacks for the Houston defense while John Rogers picked off 2 passes. Baltimore RB Mark Numbers combined for 178 yards with a TD while Knob Creek had 125 yards.
World Bowl MVP Tony Dean completed 25/33 for 365 yards 2 TD and 2 INT. The Gamblers OL kept the Stars defense off of Dean all game long, allowing zero sacks. RB Ryan Dearing had a combined 161 yards while fellow RB Wesley Hull combined for 134 and a TD.
The last decade of USFL/WFL football has been dominated by two teams, the Memphis Showboats and Houston Gamblers. Houston defeated Baltimore 38-24 in front of 80,126 fans at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida to win their 4th World Bowl, all in the last 7 seasons. That ties them with the Memphis Showboats for the most in league history.
Houston got the ball to start the game and the Gamblers drove the length of the field in 7 plays, capping it off with a 33 yard TD run by Wesley Hull for the early 7-0 lead. Baltimore went three and out their first drive and the Gamblers struck again 6 plays later. Tony Dean found Kevin Leech in the flat and 42 yards later the lead was stretched to 14-0. The Stars would not go down without a fight however, as Jon Snow found Mark Numbers for a 38 yard TD to slice the lead in half.
The first quarter would end with the score 14-7 Houston and we had a kicking exhibition in the second. First, Daniel McCormack connected from 40, giving the Gamblers a 17-7 lead. Baltimore's Fred Boyce would make it 17-10 with a 19 yard chipshot, then McCormack extended the lead to 20-10 with a 50 yarder.
The 3rd quarter was pretty much exactly like the 2nd, a kicking exhibition. Houston's McCormack has an 86.7% career success rate from 50+ regular/postseason combined, and he connected on a 54 yard attempt for a 23-10 lead. Fred Boyce connected on another short FG, cutting the lead to 23-13. McCormack then capped off the 3rd qtr scoring with a 43 yard FG and a 26-13 lead entering the final 15 minutes.
Nearly half of the 4th went by before Fred Boyce made another FG. The 39 yarder cut the Houston lead to 10 points, but the Gamblers struck quickly. Houston needed just 2 plays to get down to the Baltimore 12, and Tony Dean took it from there. The Dean-Skeen connection gave the Gamblers a 17 point lead but there were still well over 6 minutes left and the Stars can score just as quickly as Houston. Baltimore did score a TD on their next drive as Jon Snow found Justin Coffey for a 9 yard score. Knob Creek caught the 2 point conversion to cut the lead to 33-24 with about 4 minutes remaining. The ensuing onside kick failed, then Daniel McCormack added another 54 yard FG for our final score of 36-24.
For Baltimore, Jon Snow completed 26/43 for 284 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT, and was sacked 4 times. Irvin Balzer got 2 of those 4 sacks for the Houston defense while John Rogers picked off 2 passes. Baltimore RB Mark Numbers combined for 178 yards with a TD while Knob Creek had 125 yards.
World Bowl MVP Tony Dean completed 25/33 for 365 yards 2 TD and 2 INT. The Gamblers OL kept the Stars defense off of Dean all game long, allowing zero sacks. RB Ryan Dearing had a combined 161 yards while fellow RB Wesley Hull combined for 134 and a TD.
Monday, May 4, 2020
1988 Conference Championships
It would have been extremely difficult to repeat the drama of the divisional round, and alas, there was no drama at all. The Houston Gamblers and Baltimore Stars flexed their muscles and will meet in World Bowl XV.
Gamblers 48 Panthers 18
This game was actually close in the first half and neither team scored at all the first 15 minutes of the game. Houston opened the scoring early 2nd qtr with a Daniel McCormack 44 yard FG. The first TD of the game came with 5:23 left in the half as Tony Dean found Chase Miles with a short pass to make the score 10-0 Gamblers. Michigan QB Alan Scales would throw an INT on the next drive and Houston would capitalize three plays later. Tony Dean found Ryan Dearing this time, and 18 yards later it was 17-0.
The Panthers crowd was stunned by this turn of events, but Michigan wasn't going to go down without a fight. Adam Scales hit Peter Lewis for a 22 yard TD and the ensuing 2 point conversion made the score 17-8. Houston lived up to their nickname as they gambled they could score before halftime rather than just go into the locker room with a 9 point lead. The gamble did not pay off as Tony Dean was intercepted by Robert Kimball. Michigan would kick a FG at the end of the half for a halftime score of 17-11 Houston.
The 3rd qtr was a different story however, as Adam Scales threw 2 more INTs and the offense punted 3 times. Houston scored a FG on their first drive of the second half, then scored 3 straight TDs for a 41-11 lead heading into the final quarter. The first TD was another Dean to Miles TD pass and Miles struck again for the second TD with an 8 yard run. Following Scales' second INT of the quarter, Ryan Dearing ran in the final TD of the quarter from 25 yards out.
Gabriel Ahrens was uncharacteristically silent most of the game but he did end up with 3-143-1 thanks to this 71 yard catch and run TD to cap the Houston scoring for the game. Ryan Dearing had a combined 197 yards and backup QB Clifford Saul even saw some action, but this pick six was not the kind of action he wanted.
Stars 31 VooDoo 3
Baltimore went to New Orleans and quickly took the crowd out of the game with TDs on their first 3 drives. New Orleans got the ball first and punted. Baltimore then went 77 yards in 12 plays which ended with this short TD pass from Jon Snow to Timothy Harmon. Following the ensuing VooDoo punt which left Baltimore pinned at their 10, Jon Snow led the Stars on an 11 play 90 yard drive. Justin Coffey caught this pass from Snow for a 14-0 Stars lead. Three and out for the VooDoo and their defense is right back on the field, surely gassed from the previous 2 long drives. The third Baltimore drive ended just like the first 2, with a Jon Snow TD pass. This one went to Brian Darden, giving Baltimore a 21-0 lead.
New Orleans went on a long drive of their own, but turned it over on downs at the Stars 22 yard line. That drive plus the halftime break gave the VooDoo defense some much needed rest. Baltimore got the ball to start the 3rd qtr, but the VooDoo defense had other ideas. This was just the break New Orleans needed if they were going to have another double digit comeback in the playoffs, but they could only manage a FG, so it was 21-3.
That was the score when the 4th qtr started, but one play later it was 28-3, thanks to the second Snow-Darden hookup. The VooDoo struggled with their offense the whole game and the early deficit was too much to overcome as Baltimore advances to their first ever World Bowl.
Gamblers 48 Panthers 18
This game was actually close in the first half and neither team scored at all the first 15 minutes of the game. Houston opened the scoring early 2nd qtr with a Daniel McCormack 44 yard FG. The first TD of the game came with 5:23 left in the half as Tony Dean found Chase Miles with a short pass to make the score 10-0 Gamblers. Michigan QB Alan Scales would throw an INT on the next drive and Houston would capitalize three plays later. Tony Dean found Ryan Dearing this time, and 18 yards later it was 17-0.
The Panthers crowd was stunned by this turn of events, but Michigan wasn't going to go down without a fight. Adam Scales hit Peter Lewis for a 22 yard TD and the ensuing 2 point conversion made the score 17-8. Houston lived up to their nickname as they gambled they could score before halftime rather than just go into the locker room with a 9 point lead. The gamble did not pay off as Tony Dean was intercepted by Robert Kimball. Michigan would kick a FG at the end of the half for a halftime score of 17-11 Houston.
The 3rd qtr was a different story however, as Adam Scales threw 2 more INTs and the offense punted 3 times. Houston scored a FG on their first drive of the second half, then scored 3 straight TDs for a 41-11 lead heading into the final quarter. The first TD was another Dean to Miles TD pass and Miles struck again for the second TD with an 8 yard run. Following Scales' second INT of the quarter, Ryan Dearing ran in the final TD of the quarter from 25 yards out.
Gabriel Ahrens was uncharacteristically silent most of the game but he did end up with 3-143-1 thanks to this 71 yard catch and run TD to cap the Houston scoring for the game. Ryan Dearing had a combined 197 yards and backup QB Clifford Saul even saw some action, but this pick six was not the kind of action he wanted.
Stars 31 VooDoo 3
Baltimore went to New Orleans and quickly took the crowd out of the game with TDs on their first 3 drives. New Orleans got the ball first and punted. Baltimore then went 77 yards in 12 plays which ended with this short TD pass from Jon Snow to Timothy Harmon. Following the ensuing VooDoo punt which left Baltimore pinned at their 10, Jon Snow led the Stars on an 11 play 90 yard drive. Justin Coffey caught this pass from Snow for a 14-0 Stars lead. Three and out for the VooDoo and their defense is right back on the field, surely gassed from the previous 2 long drives. The third Baltimore drive ended just like the first 2, with a Jon Snow TD pass. This one went to Brian Darden, giving Baltimore a 21-0 lead.
New Orleans went on a long drive of their own, but turned it over on downs at the Stars 22 yard line. That drive plus the halftime break gave the VooDoo defense some much needed rest. Baltimore got the ball to start the 3rd qtr, but the VooDoo defense had other ideas. This was just the break New Orleans needed if they were going to have another double digit comeback in the playoffs, but they could only manage a FG, so it was 21-3.
That was the score when the 4th qtr started, but one play later it was 28-3, thanks to the second Snow-Darden hookup. The VooDoo struggled with their offense the whole game and the early deficit was too much to overcome as Baltimore advances to their first ever World Bowl.
Sunday, May 3, 2020
1988 National Conference Divisional Round
The two National Conference Divisional games ended within one score just like the American Conference, but the way they played out was completely different. The American Conference had back and forth games while the National Conference featured double digit come from behind wins. The television ratings just came in and viewership was through the roof as the closely contested games held America's attention.
VooDoo 20 Renegades 17 (OT)
Orlando was enjoying their first playoff season since 1978 when they made it to the National Conference Championship game and a win in New Orleans would see the Renegades back in a conference championship. The VooDoo have been playoff regulars who are seeking their first conference championship game since 1982.
New Orleans got the ball first, and an excellent opening drive seemingly stalled with a 4th and goal at the 5. Most head coaches would opt for the easy 3 but Smirt decided for the aggressive approach. This time, the gamble did not work as James Perry's pass was knocked down by Orlando LB Chung Hill. Following an Orlando punt, New Orleans faced a 4th and 1 on their second drive, opting to punt from their 40 yard line rather than be extra aggressive. Given what happened next, perhaps they should have went for it as Orlando QB Elwood Savage found Ben Dehaven for an 86 yard catch and run TD for a 7-0 Renegades lead. Midway through the second quarter, Renegades rookie RB/WR Jose Rush punched it in from 2 yards out to extend the lead to 14-0.
New Orleans would finally dent the scoreboard late in the first half to cut the lead to 14-3. Orlando got that 3 back in the 3rd qtr and the score heading into the 4th quarter was 17-3 Renegades. New Orleans finally crossed the goal line early in the 4th qtr as James Perry found Socrates Rogers in the end zone, cutting the lead to 17-10. The Renegades next drive stalled at the VooDoo 38 and Orlando opted to punt since their kicker, Jacob Barger's long on the year is just 54 yards and he is 5/8 on 50+ FGs in 1988.
New Orleans was well on their way toward the tying TD, having the ball 1st and 10 from the Orlando 11 with just over 2 and a half minutes to go in regulation. James Perry tried to force the ball to James Sheckler despite double coverage and Renegades CB John Greenway intercepted. The VooDoo defense had Perry's back though, forcing a three and out to give the ball back to the offense. Four plays later, Perry found WR Leonard Robles who broke a tackle before sprinting into the end zone with the game tying TD.
There were still 0:55 left, plenty of time for Orlando to maneuver into FG range but for some reason they decided to run the ball on first and second down, wasting precious seconds. The regulation clock ran out with Orlando in VooDoo territory, 10-15 yards too far for a FG try.
So on to OT we go and we'll fast forward over 2 punts from each offense. New Orleans CB Dennis Camp picked off Elwood Savage in Orlando territory, and the return had the ball at the Renegades 24. One running play later, New Orleans K Jordan Fuller booted the game winner from 37 yards out, sending the VooDoo to the conference championship game.
Baltimore Stars 29 New York Stars 24
These two teams share the same name and the box score for each team from this game look like mirror images of each other. Forgive me for over using their city names in this recap, but I can't very well just say Stars. New York got the ball first and wasted little time scoring, with Willie Bust hitting Joseph Clark in stride for a 59 yard TD four plays in. Following a Baltimore punt, New York took 5 plays to pad the lead to 14-0 as Ernest Lynch imitated his cousin Marshawn with a 56 yard TD run. New York forced Baltimore to go three and out then struck again 6 plays later. Willie Bust threw a 33 yard TD pass to Tomas Abbott and New York had a 21-0 lead with about 2:30 left in the 1st qtr.
At this point of the game, Baltimore needed a nice long drive to give their defense a break but WR Brian Darden had other ideas. Jon Snow found him for a 75 yard TD on the first play of the drive to cut it to 21-7.
New York got the ball right back and embarked on a 13 play 72 yard drive. They got as close as the Baltimore 3 yard line, but could not get a TD, settling for a short FG and a 24-7 lead. This turned out to be a huge stop for Baltimore as they began to slowly take momentum back from New York. A 10 play, 40 yard drive ended with a FG, then following a three and out by New York, Snow and Darden hooked up again to make the halftime score 24-17 New York.
The 3rd qtr was scoreless and Baltimore kicked 2 FGs early in the 4th, but New York was still clinging to a 1 point lead. Baltimore had been doing a great job of slowing down the New York offense after their first quarter onslaught and that continued throughout the final quarter. Just inside the 2 minute warning, New York punted and left Baltimore at their own 34. The New York fans were in full throat as the Baltimore offense took the field but Jon Snow quieted them rather quickly. Jeffrey Gentry took the pass and raced 66 yards for the go ahead score, but the 2 point try failed, making the score 29-24 Baltimore. New York had plenty of time for a drive, but they turned it over on downs at the Baltimore 43 and one Jon Snow kneel down sealed victory.
VooDoo 20 Renegades 17 (OT)
Orlando was enjoying their first playoff season since 1978 when they made it to the National Conference Championship game and a win in New Orleans would see the Renegades back in a conference championship. The VooDoo have been playoff regulars who are seeking their first conference championship game since 1982.
New Orleans got the ball first, and an excellent opening drive seemingly stalled with a 4th and goal at the 5. Most head coaches would opt for the easy 3 but Smirt decided for the aggressive approach. This time, the gamble did not work as James Perry's pass was knocked down by Orlando LB Chung Hill. Following an Orlando punt, New Orleans faced a 4th and 1 on their second drive, opting to punt from their 40 yard line rather than be extra aggressive. Given what happened next, perhaps they should have went for it as Orlando QB Elwood Savage found Ben Dehaven for an 86 yard catch and run TD for a 7-0 Renegades lead. Midway through the second quarter, Renegades rookie RB/WR Jose Rush punched it in from 2 yards out to extend the lead to 14-0.
New Orleans would finally dent the scoreboard late in the first half to cut the lead to 14-3. Orlando got that 3 back in the 3rd qtr and the score heading into the 4th quarter was 17-3 Renegades. New Orleans finally crossed the goal line early in the 4th qtr as James Perry found Socrates Rogers in the end zone, cutting the lead to 17-10. The Renegades next drive stalled at the VooDoo 38 and Orlando opted to punt since their kicker, Jacob Barger's long on the year is just 54 yards and he is 5/8 on 50+ FGs in 1988.
New Orleans was well on their way toward the tying TD, having the ball 1st and 10 from the Orlando 11 with just over 2 and a half minutes to go in regulation. James Perry tried to force the ball to James Sheckler despite double coverage and Renegades CB John Greenway intercepted. The VooDoo defense had Perry's back though, forcing a three and out to give the ball back to the offense. Four plays later, Perry found WR Leonard Robles who broke a tackle before sprinting into the end zone with the game tying TD.
There were still 0:55 left, plenty of time for Orlando to maneuver into FG range but for some reason they decided to run the ball on first and second down, wasting precious seconds. The regulation clock ran out with Orlando in VooDoo territory, 10-15 yards too far for a FG try.
So on to OT we go and we'll fast forward over 2 punts from each offense. New Orleans CB Dennis Camp picked off Elwood Savage in Orlando territory, and the return had the ball at the Renegades 24. One running play later, New Orleans K Jordan Fuller booted the game winner from 37 yards out, sending the VooDoo to the conference championship game.
Baltimore Stars 29 New York Stars 24
These two teams share the same name and the box score for each team from this game look like mirror images of each other. Forgive me for over using their city names in this recap, but I can't very well just say Stars. New York got the ball first and wasted little time scoring, with Willie Bust hitting Joseph Clark in stride for a 59 yard TD four plays in. Following a Baltimore punt, New York took 5 plays to pad the lead to 14-0 as Ernest Lynch imitated his cousin Marshawn with a 56 yard TD run. New York forced Baltimore to go three and out then struck again 6 plays later. Willie Bust threw a 33 yard TD pass to Tomas Abbott and New York had a 21-0 lead with about 2:30 left in the 1st qtr.
At this point of the game, Baltimore needed a nice long drive to give their defense a break but WR Brian Darden had other ideas. Jon Snow found him for a 75 yard TD on the first play of the drive to cut it to 21-7.
New York got the ball right back and embarked on a 13 play 72 yard drive. They got as close as the Baltimore 3 yard line, but could not get a TD, settling for a short FG and a 24-7 lead. This turned out to be a huge stop for Baltimore as they began to slowly take momentum back from New York. A 10 play, 40 yard drive ended with a FG, then following a three and out by New York, Snow and Darden hooked up again to make the halftime score 24-17 New York.
The 3rd qtr was scoreless and Baltimore kicked 2 FGs early in the 4th, but New York was still clinging to a 1 point lead. Baltimore had been doing a great job of slowing down the New York offense after their first quarter onslaught and that continued throughout the final quarter. Just inside the 2 minute warning, New York punted and left Baltimore at their own 34. The New York fans were in full throat as the Baltimore offense took the field but Jon Snow quieted them rather quickly. Jeffrey Gentry took the pass and raced 66 yards for the go ahead score, but the 2 point try failed, making the score 29-24 Baltimore. New York had plenty of time for a drive, but they turned it over on downs at the Baltimore 43 and one Jon Snow kneel down sealed victory.
Saturday, May 2, 2020
1988 American Conference Divisional Round
Wildcard week was mostly boring blowout games but the Divisional Round more than made up for that. All four games were within one score, one went to OT and we had 2 big comebacks. I was going to do all 4 games in 1 blog, but so much happened that I'm splitting it into 2 parts.
Panthers 3 Showboats 0
The Memphis Showboats traveled to Pontiac, MI to take on the Panthers in their quest for a threepeat. If you had told anyone before the game that Memphis would hold Michigan to just 3 points, 99% or more would guess the Showboats won. The Panthers have been a thorn in the side of the Showboats the last 2 years, stopping their 24 game win streak in 1987 and tying them this season. In this game, Memphis suffered their first shutout since the Los Angeles Express did it to them November 29, 1981.
It's not like Memphis didn't have chances to score, as they had the 2 longest drives of the game. The longest went 60 yards in 11 plays covering the end of the 1st/beginning of the 2nd qtrs. That drive ended badly, as James Ewing was wide right on a 38 yard FG attempt.
The first half was scoreless as every drive but 2 ended with a punt. One of those was the missed FG discussed above, the other one ended with the clock running out on the half. The second half was slightly different, with 4 non punting drives. The first such drive was late 3rd qtr when David Allen was intercepted. Michigan could not capitalize though, punting and pinning Memphis at their 9. Three plays later David Allen was intercepted again, this time by Bryan Odom. That gave Michigan the ball in the red zone and they almost punched it in, setting up a 4th and goal from the 1. In a scoreless game, the Panthers opted for the chip shot FG to take a 3-0 lead.
Memphis had one last shot, but they were pinned at their own 4 after another fine punt by Julius Horowitz, who nailed 7 of 10 inside the 20. The Showboats had 1:49 and 2 time outs to try to get 60 yards or so to tie the game or 96 to win. Memphis converted twice on 4th down, once on a completed pass despite pass interference, then another pass interference penalty kept the drive alive. A couple plays later, Donut Mogul Tim Horton caught a pass and fumbled, but the ball went harmlessly out of bounds.
All of the fans in the Silverdome were holding their collective breaths as the Showboats were getting all the breaks and it was looking like we could possibly be headed for OT. David Allen took a sack on the next play and the clock would hit 0:00 shortly after, preserving victory for Michigan.
Gamblers 27 Gold 20
This was a back and forth game on the scoreboard though Denver literally threw the game away. The Gold had little trouble moving the ball on the Gamblers defense as Richard Funkhouser ran for 108 yards and had 109 receiving. Andrew Brewer was 33/55, 373 yards and 2 TDs. While the Houston defense bent, the only breaking they did was breaking the spirit of the Denver offense. Despite all of the offensive yards, Brewer was sacked 5 times and intercepted 4. Denver ran the ball 20 times for 140 yards and had a 27-10 first down advantage.
It's not like Houston did nothing though. Tony Dean was an efficient 24/33, 283 yards and 3 TD. Zero was the most important number for Houston and Dean, as in zero INT and zero turnovers. Denver scored first to take a 7-0 lead, then Houston scored 10 straight to take the lead back. Denver tied it at 10 before halftime, and tied it again at 17 in the 3rd. Denver got their 2 TDs from Richard Huff, and Richard Funkhouser. Houston's 2 TD up to this point came from Chase Miles, and Gabriel Ahrens.
That TD pass from Dean to Ahrens came on the first play after a Brewer INT. Midway through the 4th qtr, Brewer suffered a case of deja vu, watching a Gabriel Ahrens TD on the first play following an INT. That made the score 27-17 Houston, though Denver would pull within 27-20 with 4:05 to go. Houston went 3 and out, punting Denver at their own 12 with just over 3 minutes left.
Needing a TD to tie, the Gold advanced all the way to Houston's 5 yard line before Charles Wallace sacked Brewer with 0:40 left, allowing Denver time for just 1 more play. That 4 yard gain was not enough and the time ran out on Denver's season.
Panthers 3 Showboats 0
The Memphis Showboats traveled to Pontiac, MI to take on the Panthers in their quest for a threepeat. If you had told anyone before the game that Memphis would hold Michigan to just 3 points, 99% or more would guess the Showboats won. The Panthers have been a thorn in the side of the Showboats the last 2 years, stopping their 24 game win streak in 1987 and tying them this season. In this game, Memphis suffered their first shutout since the Los Angeles Express did it to them November 29, 1981.
It's not like Memphis didn't have chances to score, as they had the 2 longest drives of the game. The longest went 60 yards in 11 plays covering the end of the 1st/beginning of the 2nd qtrs. That drive ended badly, as James Ewing was wide right on a 38 yard FG attempt.
The first half was scoreless as every drive but 2 ended with a punt. One of those was the missed FG discussed above, the other one ended with the clock running out on the half. The second half was slightly different, with 4 non punting drives. The first such drive was late 3rd qtr when David Allen was intercepted. Michigan could not capitalize though, punting and pinning Memphis at their 9. Three plays later David Allen was intercepted again, this time by Bryan Odom. That gave Michigan the ball in the red zone and they almost punched it in, setting up a 4th and goal from the 1. In a scoreless game, the Panthers opted for the chip shot FG to take a 3-0 lead.
Memphis had one last shot, but they were pinned at their own 4 after another fine punt by Julius Horowitz, who nailed 7 of 10 inside the 20. The Showboats had 1:49 and 2 time outs to try to get 60 yards or so to tie the game or 96 to win. Memphis converted twice on 4th down, once on a completed pass despite pass interference, then another pass interference penalty kept the drive alive. A couple plays later, Donut Mogul Tim Horton caught a pass and fumbled, but the ball went harmlessly out of bounds.
All of the fans in the Silverdome were holding their collective breaths as the Showboats were getting all the breaks and it was looking like we could possibly be headed for OT. David Allen took a sack on the next play and the clock would hit 0:00 shortly after, preserving victory for Michigan.
Gamblers 27 Gold 20
This was a back and forth game on the scoreboard though Denver literally threw the game away. The Gold had little trouble moving the ball on the Gamblers defense as Richard Funkhouser ran for 108 yards and had 109 receiving. Andrew Brewer was 33/55, 373 yards and 2 TDs. While the Houston defense bent, the only breaking they did was breaking the spirit of the Denver offense. Despite all of the offensive yards, Brewer was sacked 5 times and intercepted 4. Denver ran the ball 20 times for 140 yards and had a 27-10 first down advantage.
It's not like Houston did nothing though. Tony Dean was an efficient 24/33, 283 yards and 3 TD. Zero was the most important number for Houston and Dean, as in zero INT and zero turnovers. Denver scored first to take a 7-0 lead, then Houston scored 10 straight to take the lead back. Denver tied it at 10 before halftime, and tied it again at 17 in the 3rd. Denver got their 2 TDs from Richard Huff, and Richard Funkhouser. Houston's 2 TD up to this point came from Chase Miles, and Gabriel Ahrens.
That TD pass from Dean to Ahrens came on the first play after a Brewer INT. Midway through the 4th qtr, Brewer suffered a case of deja vu, watching a Gabriel Ahrens TD on the first play following an INT. That made the score 27-17 Houston, though Denver would pull within 27-20 with 4:05 to go. Houston went 3 and out, punting Denver at their own 12 with just over 3 minutes left.
Needing a TD to tie, the Gold advanced all the way to Houston's 5 yard line before Charles Wallace sacked Brewer with 0:40 left, allowing Denver time for just 1 more play. That 4 yard gain was not enough and the time ran out on Denver's season.
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