World Bowl XVII: Showboats Win 5th Title With 3rd Owner

 

 

 Last night the Washington Federals and Memphis Showboats played World Bowl XVII in front of a near capacity crowd (couldn't sell out a World Bowl???) in our nation's capital, which is also the Federals home field. This is a rematch of World Bowl XIV, won by Memphis, and the Showboats were vying for their 5th Championship under their 3rd different owner/GM. Washington was trying for their first trophy in their second chance.

Showboats 28 Federals 10

Memphis got the ball first and drove down into the Federals red zone before David Allen was intercepted by Kenneth Williams to stop the scoring threat. The Showboat's second drive would result in a David Allen 19 yard TD pass to Arthur Devore, giving Memphis an early 7-0 lead. A James Ewing FG would extend the Memphis lead and the score was 10-0 after the 1st quarter of action.

The 2nd quarter saw just a FG for each team and our halftime score was 13-3 Showboats. Memphis out gained Washington 252-70 in the half and the Federals were fortunate to only be down 10.

Washington would get the ball to start the second half and the teams exchanged 2 punts each before the Federals would cut the lead to 3 points. Washington traveled 76 yards in just 3 plays, scoring on a Scott Bieber 28 yard pass to Ronald Matthews. Memphis would respond with a 9 play, 75 yard drive of their own, but a goal line stand by Washington forced a FG attempt. The Showboats had a 1st and goal at the 4 yard line before Allen was sacked by Washington's John Broussard. Memphis would advance the ball to the 1 on second down, but on 3rd and goal, Mark Lambert was tackled just short of the goal line. That play ended the 3rd quarter, and with time to think about it, Memphis HC John Vang opted to kick a FG rather than go for the TD.

That FG gave Memphis a 16-10 lead and a short time later, it was 22-10 as David Allen hit Mark Glenn with a 72 yard TD pass. The Showboats tried for 2 points but failed. Washington then drove close to midfield but had to punt, and Memphis would add 3 points, for a 25-10 lead with just over 4 minutes to play. Washington would again drive to midfield, and this time the Federals turned it over on downs. Memphis would milk the clock and add a FG for a 28-10 lead with just over a minute to play, and the game was sealed.

Memphis QB David Allen was named World Bowl XVII MVP, and as a reward, he gets this brand new 1991 Chevrolet Corvette. Allen threw for 382 yards on 29/41 passing with 2 TDs and the early INT. Washington did a great job limiting the production of the Showboats WR group, but they were gashed by the RBs. Mark Lambert ran for 87 yards, adding 80 more on 5 receptions. Mark Glenn may technically be a WR, but he ran 10 times for 42 yards, while catching 5 for 118 and that long TD. Even Numbers Zielinski contributed 76 combined yards. Washington only had the ball 23 minutes and change, so their offensive numbers were down. Scott Bieber threw for 224 yards with a TD and no INTs, and no Federals skill player had more than 73 yards.

1990 Conference Championship Weekend

 World Bowl XVII looks a lot like World Bowl XIV as the Memphis Showboats and Washington Federals will meet at an undisclosed location to determine the 1990 USFL/WFL Champion. Washington is trying for their first championship in it's second try while Memphis is going for it's 5th title under a 3rd different owner. Memphis won World Bowls VI and VII under PrivateSnowFlake and they won World Bowls XIII and XIV under Infinity on Trial. Previous USFL Commissioner tribewriter took over the Memphis team earlier this season and the Showboats keep on winning. Washington won 3 straight road playoff games to earn their spot in World Bowl XVII, and are currently riding an 11 game winning streak. 

Showboats 31 Storm 13

Memphis forced a Portland punt on the opening possession, but Glenn Jacobsen pinned the Showboats at their own 6 yard line. Memphis then drove 94 yards in 10 plays, taking a 7-0 lead on a Mark Lambert 4 yard TD run. The Storm answered with a 10 play, 82 yard TD drive capped off by a Jeffrey Frost 3 yard TD jaunt. The first quarter would end 7-7 and Memphis was forced to punt early in the 2nd. That Richard Huber punt pinned Portland at their own 4 and Jeffrey Frost promptly fumbled the ball away, setting up another short Mark Lambert TD run. The half would end 14-7 Memphis.

Both defenses started the 3rd quarter on fire, as Memphis went three and out, then Shawn Hicks sacked Oscar Willis, stripping the ball in the process. Lee Tharpe fell on the loose ball and the Showboats were in business. The Storm defense bailed out Oscar Willis by intercepting David Allen in the red zone and Willis responded by leading Portland on a 12 play, 87 yard TD drive. Willis found Timothy Roquemore for the 12 yard TD pass but Daniel McCormack missed the XP, so Memphis still led 14-13. 

The Storm defense had some chances to get the ball back in good field position for the offense, but mental errors allowed Memphis to keep driving. Christopher Schneider intercepted David Allen in Showboats territory, but he was flagged for pass interference. A few plays later, with Memphis facing a 3rd and 13, Schneider was again flagged for PI. This drive did end in a Memphis punt, but the Storm got the ball on their own 8 yard line thanks to Schneider. That started a string of three straight three and outs before David Allen found Arthur Devore with a 57 yard TD pass to extend the Memphis lead to 21-13. 

Portland then had another 3 and out before another Allen to Devore long TD pass. This one went 53 yards and Memphis now led 28-13 with 8:27 left in the game. Portland would turn it over on downs, effectively sealing the game for Memphis.

Oscar Willis completed 30/48 for 175 yards and a TD to Timothy Roquemore, who had 97 combined yards (49 rushing, 48 receiving). David Allen completed 25/36 for 240 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT. Mark Lambert ran for 94 yards and 2 TDs and Arthur Devore caught 5 for 131 yards and 2 TDs.

Federals 29 VooDoo 20

No team in the league is as hot as the Washington Federals are and New Orleans found that out quickly today. VooDoo QB Bruno Wilson threw an interception on the opening drive and the Federals capitalized  with a 20 yard TD pass from Scott Bieber to Joseph Andrews. VooDoo then go three and out before Bieber found Matthew Cuevas for a 57 yard TD pass to extend the lead to 14-0. John Bazile would add a FG later in the 1st and after 15 minutes of play, Washington led 17-0. 

New Orleans finally started to move the ball on their 6th drive, as Bruno Wilson led the VooDoo on an 11 play, 66 yard TD drive. Nicholas Dorey ran it in from 1 yard out for the TD and followed it up with a 2 point run to cut the Federals lead to 17-8. Bazile would score the last 6 points of the half with 2 field goals, giving Washington a 23-8 halftime lead.

Washington got the ball to start the second half, and another Bazile FG extended the lead to 26-8. The VooDoo decided to go into comeback mode early, turning it over on downs at the edge of FG range. Washington missed a long FG attempt but they did take over 5 and a half minutes off the clock. New Orleans then drove into the red zone before Wilson tossed his second INT of the game, thwarting a potential scoring drive. 

Wilson bounced back by throwing a 14 yard TD pass to Nicholas Dorey, but the 2 point pass was incomplete, making the score 26-14. Despite more than 14 minutes to play, New Orleans tried an onside kick and failed. That led to a short John Bazile FG and a 29-14 Washington lead. New Orleans would respond with a Wilson 4 yard TD pass to Magic Johnson, cutting the score to 29-20. Just like the earlier 4th qtr TD, the VooDoo 2 point try and onside kick try failed. The VooDoo defense held, getting the ball back and Wilson had them on the brink of making it a one score game, but a 4th and goal pass from the 8 yard line was knocked down by Robert Sanderson. Washington then ran the rest of the time off the clock to advance to World Bowl XVII.

Bruno Wilson was 34/65, 365 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT. Nicholas Dorey had 1 TD rushing and 1 receiving, catching 5 for 99 yards. Scott Bieber was 31/48, 368 yards and 2 TD passes. James Dunn ran for 88 yards on 17 carries, adding 146 yards receiving on 13 receptions.

Drama Free Division Round

 We had 4 games in the divisional round, and all four were decided by double digit margins. In the American Conference, Portland and Memphis took care of business and the Storm are playing to reach and win their second consecutive league championship. Memphis will be playing for the chance to become the league's first 5 time champion. In the National Conference, New Orleans and Washington both avenged history as they finally defeated their playoff nemesis. Previously, New Jersey had eliminated New Orleans from the playoffs 5 times in 5 tries. Same with Baltimore and Washington, and to add insult to injury, Washington has to face Baltimore twice each season. Now the VooDoo and Federals face off, with the winner looking for their first World Bowl title.

Storm 28 Gamblers 12

Portland scored first following an exchange of punts as QB Oscar Willis led the Storm on an 11 play, 77 yard TD drive. Willis found Chris Goldberg for the first of his 3 TD passes today and Portland led 7-0 after the 1st quarter. The second qtr saw just a Daniel McCormack FG to extend the Storm lead to 10-0 at the half, holding the usually prolific Gamblers offense to 85 yards. 

With 6:09 left in the 3rd qtr, Willis fired a 58 yard TD pass to Jose Moses to extend Portland's lead to 17-0. McCormack nailed another FG early in the 4th for a 20-0 lead before the Houston offense finally came to life. Through 3 quarters, the Gamblers had 137 offensive yards, but 2 plays after McCormack's FG, Tony Dean found Hugh Chance for a 68 yard TD pass, cutting the lead to 20-7. Then Portland's Peter Jessee was involved in 2 of the next 3 scoring plays. The WR caught a 33 yard TD pass from Oscar Willis, and Tony Abbott ran in the 2 point try for a 28-7 lead. On Portland's next offensive series, they had the 191 lb Jessee lined up at FB deep in their own end for some reason. Jessee was no match for the 300 lb William Russell, who bull rushed past the center and Jesse, sacking Oscar Willis in the end zone for a safety. That made the score 28-9, but time was running out on Houston's season, and the Gamblers could only get a FG following the free kick. That was the last scoring play of the game and Portland plays on.

For Houston, Tony Dean threw for 252 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT and Hugh Chance caught 5 passes for 91 yards and that TD from Dean. Portland was led by Oscar Willis , who threw for 323 yards and 3 TD with no interceptions. HIs favorite receiver today was Peter Jessee, at least until he gave up that sack. Jessee finished with 7 catches, 102 yards and a TD while Timothy Roquemore had 120 combined yards (91 rushing) in his return from injury.

Showboats 36 SaberCats 7

One week after hanging 69 on Honolulu, San Jose had trouble getting their offense in gear against Memphis. Jake Plummer threw the first of his 3 INTs on the opening drive. San Jose's defense forced a punt, but would allow TDs on the Showboats next 4 drives to give Memphis a 28-7 halftime lead. Memphis got their first TD on a Mark Lambert 4 yard run, and San Jose would answer with an 80 yard catch and run TD from Jake Plummer to Curt Boren. Memphis would answer with 2 David Allen TD passes, one to Willie Howland and one to Arthur Devore. The first half scoring was capped by Mark Lambert's second short TD run.

The second half went much better for the SaberCats defense, although the offense continued to struggle. Plummer started the half the same way he started the game, with an INT. The rest of the game went punt, punt, punt, safety, punt, INT, punt. The safety was recorded by DE Shawn Hicks early in the 4th qtr, extending the Memphis lead to 33-7 at the time.

David Allen threw for 2 TDs and 262 yards and Arthur Devore was the leading receiver, catching 6 for 108 yards and a TD. Memphis shut down San Jose's running game, allowing 5 yards on 14 carries. 

Federals 23 Stars 10

The defenses shined in this game as the division rivals combined for only 415 yards. Baltimore had seven first half drives and all seven ended with punts. Washington QB Scott Bieber was sacked twice on the Federals opening drive and tossed an INT on the second before leading a 5 play, 84 yard TD drive on the third possession. Joseph Andrews caught the pass and ran to the end zone for a 54 yard score and a 7-0 Washington lead. A 50 yard FG by John Bazile as the first half clock expired extended the lead to 10-0.

Baltimore would punt on their first possession of the 3rd qtr, but Scott Bieber followed that with 2 straight interceptions, allowing Baltimore to tie the game at 10. The Stars scored on a 1 yard Jon Snow TD pass to Jose Gough following the first INT and Fred Boyce made a 22 yard FG after the second. As the 3rd qtr wound down, Scott Bieber found James Dunn for a 22 yard TD pass, breaking the tie. Jon Snow would throw 3 INTs in the 4th qtr, and Washington kicked FGs after the first 2, salting the game away for Washington.

VooDoo 27 Generals 9

I'm starting to see why Marvin Lewis never won a playoff game with the Cincinnati Bengals. Lewis said often that he wanted every offensive drive to end with a kick, and that's exactly what the Generals did today (except for the last drive when the clock expired) in playing turnover free football. The problem was 9 of those 12 kicks were punts and the other 3 field goals, and 9 points won't get it done when the defense allows 575 yards. New Jersey did hold Nicholas Dorey to a combined 115 yards and a single TD, but the VooDoo spread the ball around to take advantage of the extra attention New Jersey paid Dorey. 

New Orleans QB Bruno Wilson was not exactly efficient, completing 32/62 with 2 TD and 2 INT but he did throw for 425 yards. The VooDoo also ran for 150 yards on 20 carries as New Orleans scored 21 unanswered points after the Generals took an early 3-0 lead. The VooDoo's first TD was a Nicholas Dorey 5 yard run and Dorey ran it in for 2, giving them an 8-3 lead. Wilson then found Leonard Robles with a 23 yard TD and a 14-3 VooDoo lead as Dorey's 2 point try failed. 

14-3 was the halftime score and New Orleans didn't waste any time extending their lead in the 3rd qtr, as it only took 58 seconds for Wilson to connect with Billy Brink for a 24 yard TD. The teams would then exchange FGs on the next 4 drives, 2 apiece, and from that point, New Orleans just needed the clock to run.

 

1990 National Conference Wildcard Weekend

 The National Conference Wildcard games didn't have a team score 69 points, but we did have a record set here as well. For the first time in the 17 year history of USFL football, we had a punt return for a TD in the post season as New Jersey's Sam Beckett took one 61 yards to the end zone to break open their game against Shreveport. The Generals went on to win and now face New Orleans. Washington scored 13 4th qtr points to break a tie game and advance to face division rival Baltimore. In a strange stat, both New Jersey and Baltimore have 5-0 playoff records against their opponent next week.

Federals 26 Renegades 13

Washington WR Andrew Favela fumbled the ball away after a reception on the Federals opening drive, allowing Orlando to take an early 3-0 lead on a Robert Moulton 47 yard FG. Washington and Orlando would then take turns kicking FGs and the Renegades had a 6-3 lead after 15 minutes. Scott Bieber then led the Federals on a 13 play, 70 yard TD drive, capped off by a 2 yard TD pass to Ronald Matthews. That gave Washington a 10-6 lead and they would add 3 more when 5 time All Pro K John Bazile made his second FG of the first half. 

Orlando received the second half kickoff and was forced to punt, but they got the ball back quickly when Scott Bieber threw his first INT of the game. It took Orlando 9 plays to travel 37 yards, but they did tie the game at 13 on a Bradley Austin to David King 1 yard TD pass. Bieber would throw another INT on the next drive, but the Federals defense forced a punt, and Bieber settled down. 

Bazile would nail a 55 yd FG early in the 4th to break the tie, then Bieber led a 6 play, 80 yard TD drive to effectively put the game away. That TD was a Bieber 27 yard pass to Andrew Favela, who atoned for his early fumble to give Washington a 23-13 lead. Orlando would have three more drives, but none went anywhere and Bazile tacked on another FG and Washington advances.

 Generals 34 Steamer 16

New Jersey did their best to keep Shreveport in the game during the first half, as they had a 3-0 lead in the 1st qtr when William Neal was short on a 58 yard FG attempt. For some reason, Rod Martin jumped offsides and Neal's second kick was good from 53 yards to tie the game. New Jersey would kick another FG for a 6-3 lead before Steamer RB Orville Barker fumbled the ball away. That would lead to a short Ric Flair TD pass to Duncan Meyer. That gave New Jersey a 13-3 lead, and they seemed to shut down the next Shreveport drive with an interception, but a pass interference penalty by William S. Preston Esq. negated his pick. David Oldham ran it in from 4 yards out on the very next play to cut the lead to 13-10. Ric Flair had completed his first 14 pass attempts before an incompletion, and he had the Generals driving for a TD at the end of the first half. Instead of a 20-10 halftime lead, Flair was intercepted in the end zone by Matthew Smith.

New Jersey received the second half kickoff and again, Flair had the Generals offense driving, only this time he got the TD on a 22 yard pass to Duncan Meyer. That gave the Generals a 20-10 lead, and after a few drives, history was made. Sam Beckett returned a punt 61 yards for a TD, the first time that's happened in the postseason ever. "Dr." Beckett played much like the TV character he was named after, quantam leaping all over the place. Beckett was effective in the passing game, but struggled running, and his fumble on the second play of the 4th qtr gave the Steamer some hope. The Generals defense held Shreveport to a FG, then Ric Flair put the game away for good with a 72 yard catch and run TD, his 3rd of the day to Duncan Meyer. In all, Meyer caught 7 passes for 142 yards and those 3 TDs as New Jersey advances. 

1990 American Conference Wildcard Weekend

 The quest for World Bowl XVII began early Friday morning with four wildcard games. There is a lot of action to cover in these 4 games, and it's getting late for me, so I'm breaking this into two parts. San Jose hung 69 points on Honolulu in the SaberCats second ever post season game, yet that's not a record. Birmingham hanging 77 on New Jersey in 1985 still stands, but SaberCats rookie WR Mark Hsu did set 2 records. Hsu caught 6 TD passes and amassed 404 yards, both single game highs in the playoffs. Memphis will have their hands full trying to cover him next week. Speaking of next week, Houston almost didn't get there as they trailed Chicago late in the 4th before the Gamblers pulled it out. Houston travels to Portland next in a matchup of the last 2 World Bowl Champions.

SaberCats 69 Hawaiians 26

San Jose and Honolulu hooked up for a third game this season after splitting their regular season games, and the scoreboard operator got quite a workout today. The SaberCats got the opening kickoff and needed all of two plays to take an early 7-0 lead on a 54 yard TD pass from Jake Plummer to rookie sensation Mark Hsu. Honolulu would tie the score later in the 1st on a 14 yard TD pass from Derek Henry to Brian Vizcarra. San Jose would retake the lead on Mark Hsu's second TD catch, a 34 yarder that would be the shortest of his record breaking 6 TDs today. Hsu deservedly is getting all the attention, but the SaberCats also ran for 240 yards today and they extended their first quarter lead to 21-7 on a 61 yard scoring run from Graham Peterson.

Early in the second quarter, Plummer and Hsu hooked up for a 3rd TD, a 38 yard pass to extend the lead to 28-7. Honolulu got a short TD run from Scott Stillings but Howard Bury missed the XP, so they trailed by 15 at this point. Rodney Richardson ran in a TD from 6 yards out and a FG by Bury made the halftime score 35-16 San Jose. 

The second half didn't get any better for Honolulu as they promptly went three and out while San Jose got another TD run from Graham Peterson for a 42-16 lead. For the rest of the game, it was the Mark Hsu Show, as he caught 3 more touchdown passes covering 62, 75, and 79 yards respectively.

San Jose had 799 offensive yards and 3 players with huge games. WR Mark Hsu had a record setting 404 yards and 6 TDs among his 9 receptions and QB Jake Plummer threw for 559 yards with those 6 TD passes against 2 interceptions. RB Graham Peterson ran for 176 yards and 2 TDs, with an additional 50 receiving. Honolulu RB Scott Stillings ran for 59 yards and a TD while catching 7 for 115 yards while Allen Grant caught 5 for 111 yards. QB Derek Henry threw for 439 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs on 37/62 passing.

Gamblers 24 Blitz 19

Chicago went on a 12 play, 77 yard drive on their opening possession, but had to settle for a 39 yard Leon Rupe FG. Houston would fumble, allowing Chicago to have a short drive for another FG and an early 6-0 Blitz lead. The 1st qtr would end 6-0, though Houston took the lead early in the 2nd on a Tony Dean TD pass to Wesley Hull. The Gamblers would add 2 Vern McKinney FGs for a halftime lead of 13-6. 

In the 3rd qtr, DE Charles Wallace sacked Chicago QB Ronald Brown in the end zone for a safety, and another McKinney FG gave Houston 18 unanswered points and an 18-6 lead heading into the 4th qtr. The lead could have been bigger, but a holding penalty on James Nation negated a would be Dean TD pass. Chicago RB Ronald Miller had a 3 yard TD run, cutting the Gamblers lead to 18-13. Dean would throw his 3rd INT on the next drive and the Blitz capitalized, getting a 30 yard Ronald Brown TD pass to Jared Hutton. That TD made the score 19-18 Chicago, and the Blitz went for 2 and failed. Houston then went on a 10 play drive that ended in a go ahead FG with less than 3 minutes to play. Chicago's next 3 plays were incomplete passes, leaving them with a 4th and 10 from their 25, down 2 with 2:38 to play. Rather than punt and hope for a stop, the Blitz went for it and failed. Houston would tack on another FG to take a 5 point lead and Chicago's last drive went nowhere.

Neither QB had a memorable game as Chicago's Ronald Brown finished 25/48, 245 yards with 1 TD and 2 INTs, while Tony Dean was 26/45, 226 yards, 1 TD and 3 INTs. Blitz WR Frank Stout caught 5 passes for 103 yards while the Gamblers were led by RB Lloyd Ellis and his 195 combined yards. Ellis rushed for 74 yards on 18 carries, adding 12 catches for 121 yards. Houston K Vern McKinney was 5 for 5 on FG attempts.

Week 16: Last Call For Playoff Spots

 Week 16 has a different feel than the rest of the season, as some teams are playing out the string, while others are preparing for January football, trying to get healthy. Then we have several teams with important Week 16 games that will determine when, where, and IF they continue playing. 

Congratulations to the playoff teams and best of luck in the post season. Let's see what happened in Week 16.

Showboats 33 Gamblers 27

Houston got the opening kickoff and drove down the field, only to have Tony Dean throw an interception in the end zone to kill the potential scoring drive. Memphis took over at their 20 and marched 80 yards for an early 7-0 lead they would never relinquish. Houston would get 3 points on their next drive but that was as close as they would get to Memphis today. With just under 3 minutes to go, Houston got a Tony Dean TD pass to Gabriel Ahrens to pull within 33-27, but the onside kick failed. Houston was able to force a punt, but they were pinned at their own 6 with less than 2 minutes to go. Tony Dean did not have a miracle drive in him today, and the Gamblers turned the ball over on downs and must play Wildcard Weekend.

Tony Dean finished 32/45, 425 yards with 3 TD and 3 INT. Houston had a trio of 100 yard receivers, Jett Black (5-125-1), Anthony Fulks (8-110-1), and Hugh Chance (6-103). The Gamblers had very little success on the ground on either side of the ball. Offensively they ran for 23 yards on 16 carries while allowing Memphis 162 yards on 31 runs. Mark Lambert led the way with 89 yards on the ground with 41 more receiving. Showboats QB David Allen was 25/42, 299 yards with 1 TD and 2 INTs and no Memphis receiver had more than David Austin's 88 yards.

Blitz 20 Wheels 10

The winner of the game would be the winner of the Midwest while the loser was staying home for the playoffs. Detroit would get on the scoreboard first with a FG, but Chicago held the Wheels offense at bay after that drive, allowing just 195 yards today. Chicago got rushing TDs from Jay Kinder and Ronald Miller, with Miller's score allowing Chicago to reclaim the lead at 14-10. The Blitz lost their 7-3 halftime lead on the kickoff to start the 3rd as Detroit's Ronald Geter took it back 106 yards for the TD. Chicago QB Ronald Brown led a ball control offense today, completing 25 of 34 for 256 yards and Leon Rupe added 2 second half FGs to help Chicago win. The reward for the Blitz is a game against Houston Wildcard Weekend.

SaberCats 33 Express 27

San Jose escaped from L.A. with a win despite a poor game from Jake Plummer. Plummer did throw for 354 yards and a TD, but his 3 INTs nearly cost them the game. Express RB Jessie Cepeda gave Los Angeles an early lead with a short TD run, but his fumble in the 4th quarter deep in their own territory proved costly. San Jose RDE Jae Travis scooped it up and rumbled into the end zone from 6 yards out to extend the SaberCats lead to 30-20. Los Angeles WR Fredrick Whidden caught 6 passes for 195 yards and 2 TDs and San Jose's Tim Horton caught 4 for 143 yards and a TD.

The San Jose win gives the SaberCats the Pacific Division title and a home playoff game against the #6 seed, either Denver or Honolulu.

Gold 41 Bell 20

Denver needed to beat Philadelphia and hope Southern California could defeat Honolulu to make the playoffs, and the Gold held up their end of the deal. Philadelphia finishes 7-9, missing a chance on their first season .500 or better since 1983. The Bell had no answer for WR/RB Chad Magana today, as he rushed for 90 yards and caught 6 passes for 179 yards with 2 TDs. Gold QB Andrew Brewer only completed 18 passes (only 22 attempts) but they went for 346 yards and 3 TDs, with the 3rd going to Jake Peralta, who finished with 9 catches and 149 yards. 

Hawaiians 28 Sun 22 (OT)

Southern California did their best to play spoiler after Honolulu got out to an early 14-0 1st qtr lead. The Sun ran for 253 yards today, led by Gene Ingram's 140 and a TD, but the red zone was the difference. Both teams had 4 red zone trips but the Hawaiians went 4-4 scoring TDs there, the SaberCats only had 9 points from their 4 trips. San Jose took a 19-14 lead into the 4th qtr, but Honolulu scored a TD and a 2 point conversion for a 22-19 lead. San Jose would tie the game with a FG, and went 3 and out on their lone OT possession. Honolulu only needed a FG to win the game, yet kept their offense on the field despite being well within the range of K Howard Bury. Bury has been shaky on FGs this season, only making 75.7% and the strategy paid off when Robert Schuler plunged into the end zone for the game winning TD. The win gives us a 3rd game between Honolulu and San Jose Wildcard Weekend.

Storm 25 (NY) Stars 3

All Portland needed to do was win and they wouldn't have to leave Oregon until the World Bowl. QB Oscar Willis reverted back to his 1989 form, tossing 3 INTs to just 1 TD, but the Storm defense made life absolutely miserable for the New York offense. The Stars only rushed for 7 yards on 12 carries and QB Willie Bust was 14/31, 141 yards with an INT and 7 sacks. Frank Baker led the way with 3 of those sacks while Armando Wells had 2, one for a safety. Portland was able to run for 5 yards a carry and Chris Goldberg caught 9 passes for 113 yards and a TD, so it wasn't all bad today.

Stars 34 Bandits 13

Holy turnovers Batman! Baltimore turned the ball over 4 times, 3 on Jon Snow interceptions, but the Stars defense forced Melvin Driggers into throwing 6 interceptions. Baltimore scored 21 unanswered 3rd qtr points to break open a close game and send Tampa Bay home for the playoffs. Snow managed to balance his INTs with 3 TD passes, while Tampa Bay's lone TD came on an INT return late in the game and only served to make the score tighter. No word on whether the Bandits defense posed for a team picture afterwards like real NFL defenses do in garbage time.

VooDoo 48 Steamer 10

The Tampa Bay loss means Shreveport claims the #6 seed regardless of this game's outcome. That's a good thing because Bruno Wilson and Nicholas Dorey put on quite a show. Wilson led the USFL with nearly 6,000 passing yards in 1990 after throwing for 538 yards and 5 TDs today. Nicholas Dorey caught 4 of those TD passes as part of his 12 catch, 422 yard day. Dorey finished 1990 with 2,430 yards, 3rd best all time and his 25 TD receptions was 1 shy of the all time league record. 

Hornets 34 Renegades 9

Orlando already had the #4 seed wrapped up, so it was an easy decision to sit Ben Dehaven today. Charlotte made life difficult for Renegades QB Bradley Austin, sacking him 4 times and intercepting 3 passes. Hornets RB Henry Young ran for 2 TDs to help Charlotte end their season on a positive note. Orlando will need to flip the switch next week when Washington comes to town for Wildcard Weekend.

Federals 33 Generals 3

Speaking of Washington, their victory today gives the Federals a 13-3 record, yet they have to travel to Orlando for Wildcard Weekend. New Jersey was locked into the #3 seed, so they opted to sit some people, including QB Ric Flair. The Generals also started #3 RB Greg Ayala due to injuries and the offense had no flow. The Generals defense must have taken their cue from the offense, because they couldn't get off the field. Washington QB Scott Bieber tossed 2 TD passes, one to Ronald Matthews, who had 140 combined yards today (61 rushing, 79 receiving). James Dunn chipped in with 93 rushing yards and a TD to go along with 6 catches for 42 yards. Washington out gained New Jersey 425-186 and controlled the ball nearly 38 minutes.

Thunderbolts 37 Stallions 34 (OT)

Birmingham was 0-15 coming in, and many people figured the Stallions had their vehicles running in the parking lot with all their bags packed to get outta town. That was especially true as most of the 45,498 fans left after the 3rd quarter with Cleveland enjoying a seemingly insurmountable 34-13 lead. They missed the best quarter of football all season as Stephen Ponder fired 3 TD passes in the quarter (4 overall), two to Mario Burton, as the Stallions rally to send the game into overtime. Cleveland got the ball first and missed a FG. Following a Birmingham punt, Cleveland made a FG on their next drive to win the game and finish 8-8.

Both teams had over 500 offensive yards as Ponder threw for 398 yards while Michael McGowan threw for 423 and 4 TDs like Ponder did. 

Outlaws 13 Gunslingers 10 (OT)

San Antonio had a 10-0 lead following a Brian Johnson FG early in the 4th qtr, but Oklahoma scored 13 unanswered points to win the game in overtime. There was not much offense to speak of in this game as they combined for 557 total yards. San Antonio got the ball first in OT and punted, as did Oklahoma. Willie Benge threw an INT on the next drive, allowing Oklahoma to kick the game winning FG.

Blazers 30 Bulls 7

Florida RB Robert Romero ran for 95 yards and 2 TDs to lead the Blazers to a victory over in state rival Jacksonville. Romero added 5 catches for 44 yards and the Blazers defense held the Bulls to 215 total yards. 

Breakers 26 Invaders 17

Boston RB Robert Torres had 90 combined yards and a TD run, while QB Edward Swafford threw for 232 yards and a TD to lead the Breakers to victory. Donald Dosch booted 3 late FGs to break a 17 all tie, allowing Boston to finish 7-9, their best record since 1985.

Panthers 30 Wranglers 12

Arizona ran the ball well against the Michigan defense, but Simmon and Palmer continued their horrid play, combining for 13/33 passing with 4 INTs. Panthers QB Adam Scales threw 3 INTs of his own, but he also fired 4 TD passes to James Hillis, who caught 6 in all for 174 yards. The win makes Michigan 8-8, and the whole Midwest Division finished .500 or better.

Force 19 Maulers 9

Georgia finishes 1990 on a positive note, as they held Pittsburgh to 208 total yards in defeating the Maulers. The Force were led by Richard Donofrio's 107 rushing yards, and if Georgia had better red zone success (1 TD, 3 FG), the game wouldn't have been so tight. Georgia finished their 4-12 season by going 3-2 in their final 5 games, including a win over playoff bound Shreveport.

 

Week 15: Regular Season Playoff Games

 We had 5 games this week with huge playoff implications, and we'll look at those games first. We had some playoff seeds settled, but Week 16 still finds the USFL with 3 divisions undecided, along with some wildcards. Next week, we have Detroit @ Chicago, where the winner is in the playoffs, the loser is out. We have Houston @ Memphis, where the winner will be the #2 seed (unless Portland loses) and the loser #5. San Jose has a spot, but will they win the division or be a wildcard? Honolulu will make the playoffs with a win, but a loss opens the door for Denver to sneak in as the #6. The only drama in the National Conference is for the final wildcard spot. It's Shreveport's with a win, but if the Steamer lose, Tampa Bay can get in with a win. If they both lose, Shreveport is #6.

Storm 41 Showboats 31

These two teams have won 3 of the last 4 World Bowls, and they met today fighting for possible home field advantage in the playoffs. Portland's defense has stymied offenses all season long, as they gave up just 14 points in their lone defeat, but they faced the best scoring offense in the league today. Memphis was able to amass 458 yards and 31 points, but the Storm defense forced 3 David Allen INTs. 

The first half was a back and forth game, with Memphis scoring first for a 7-0 lead. Portland would score the next 2 TDs for a 14-7 lead before Memphis tied the game late in the 1st qtr. Portland would go ahead 21-14 before Memphis tied it again, then the Storm scored the next 10 points for a halftime lead of 31-21. Portland would score first in the 3rd qtr for a 38-21 lead before Memphis scored the next 10 to get within 38-31. That's as close as Memphis could get on the scoreboard, and they'll need a better defensive effort against Houston if they want a week of rest.

Lots of stats to talk about from this game. Memphis QB David Allen was 26/36, 286 yards with 2 TDs and 3 INTs. Mark Lambert had 85 rushing yards and a TD, adding 5 catches for 64 yards. Mark Glenn ran for 84 and a TD, adding 3 catches for 29 yards. Portland was led by Oscar Willis, who finished 32/44, 426 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INT. Jeffrey Frost ran for 87 yards and caught a TD pass among 4 catches and 44 yards. Willis also had 3 100 yard receivers today, Chris Goldberg caught 5 for 127 and 2 TDs, Jose Moses caught 6 for 110 yards, and Peter Jessee 11 for 106.

Renegades 34 Bandits 31

Tampa Bay traveled to Orlando with the Southeast Division title on the line and there were 8 lead changes in the game that saw no lead bigger than 4 points at any time. Those facts make it harder for Tampa Bay as they lost the turnover battle 3-0 and have to wonder what could have been if they'd only had better ball security. Bandits QB Melvin Driggers was 22/33, 365 yards with 2 TD and 2 INT. Most of that went to Thomas Whitley, who caught 8 for 284 yards and a TD. Orlando QB Bradley Austin finished 32/47, 307 yards and 4 TD passes. Austin spread the ball around, and the Renegades leading receiver was David King, who caught 5 for 101 yards and 2 TDs. 

Tampa Bay tied the game at 31 with 5:40 remaining in the game, but allowed Orlando to drive down for a go ahead FG. The Bandits had just under 2 minutes left to try to tie or win the game, but Driggers threw an INT on the first play and Orlando ran out the clock, securing the Southeast Division in the process.

SaberCats 22 Hawaiians 6

San Jose welcomed back rookie WR Mark Hsu, and while Hsu didn't have a monster game, his presence opened up running lanes for Graham Peterson. Peterson ran for 114 yards and a TD and the SaberCats had 194 as a team. Honolulu tried an aerial attack today, and while they had some yardage, it didn't translate into points. San Jose has qualified for the playoffs and will win the Pacific with a victory in Week 16. Honolulu can still win the division with a win and a San Jose loss, but just need to win to be a wildcard.

Panthers 23 Wheels 0

Michigan rookie RB/WR Walter Simmons had a combined 108 yards and a rushing TD while the Panthers defense shut out Detroit today. The Panthers were eliminated today despite the win, and they wanted to help their in state rivals stay home with them. Michigan held Detroit to just 142 total yards and forced 4 total turnovers, 2 interceptions and 2 lost fumbles. If Detroit can bounce back and defeat Chicago in Week 16, they will make the playoffs for the first time since 1984.

Blitz 30 Thunderbolts 6

Chicago got back into 1st place with a victory in Cleveland today. The Blitz forced Cleveland into 3 turnovers and held the Thunderbolts to 248 yards. Chicago had both sides of the ball working in the red zone, scoring 4 TDs and a FG in 5 offensive tries, while defensively, they held the Thunderbolts to just a FG on 2 trips. The Blitz didn't have any statistically huge games, but their offense was efficient, as QB Ronald Brown was 25/32 for 238 yards and a TD, while RB Jay Kinder ran for 73 yards and 2 TDs.

Gold 40 Wranglers 7

Denver kept their playoff hopes alive with a convincing win over Arizona today. WR/RB Richard Huff ran 26 times for 137 yards, adding 5 receptions for 72 yards and a TD, giving him 205 combined yards. WR Jake Peralta caught 3 passes for 121 yards and a TD. Arizona is still plagued by horrible QB play, as Simmon and Palmer combined to finish 10/31, 102 yards and 2 INTs, allowing Denver to hog the ball for 41 minutes.

Gamblers 45 Gunslingers 6

Houston just keeps rolling in preparation for the showdown with the Showboats next week. QB Tony Dean was 23/32, 221 yards and 3 TD passes and the Gamblers rushed for 171 yards while forcing 3 INTs by the San Antonio offense. One of those interceptions  was returned 102 yards. 

Thomas Hutson was the one who returned that INT, and it might be the longest ever (that's what she said). Ryan Dearing had 3 total TDs, 1 rushing and 2 receiving to lead the Houston offense.

Express 13 Invaders 10

Los Angeles has been eliminated for a few weeks but the Express are liking the role of spoiler. They defeated Charlotte in Week 13 to start the Hornets toward elimination, and gave Baltimore fits for awhile last week. Today, they eliminate Oakland from the post season with the 13-10 victory. Express RB Daniel Franks had 129 combined yards (84 rushing, 45 receiving) and QB Joe Richardson didn't turn the ball over. 

Steamer 27 (NY) Stars 9

Shreveport had been winning with defense, and that unit played well against New York, but their offense stole the show today. The Steamer win keeps them in the #6 slot for the playoffs, and they were led by QB Edgar Jones,  RB Orville Barker, and WR Richard Wise. Jones tossed 3 TD passes as part of his 24/31, 299 yard day with all 3 TDs going to Richard Wise (5-97-3). Barker ran for 114 yards, adding 44 receiving in a game Shreveport never trailed.

Federals 23 Hornets 7

Washington held Charlotte to 226 offensive yards and QB Scott Bieber threw for 366 and 2 TDs to lead the Federals to victory. James Dunn was Washington's leading receiver with a TD catch to go with 6 catches and 107 yards. The Federals didn't have a lot of success on the ground, but the offense was more than enough today to get the job done. On a side note, this game featured 26 punts, 14 by Charlotte, 12 by Washington.

VooDoo 46 Force 7

Georgia had 309 offensive yards and they scored the first TD of the game, and they led at halftime 7-6, but the Force pass defense were like statues today. New Orleans went to an aerial assault, and QB Bruno Wilson chucked 65 passes today, completing 38 with 6 TDs and 0 INTs and a whopping 713 yards. WR/RB Nicholas Dorey caught 10 passes, 3 for TDs and 303 yards while teammate Leonard Robles caught 3 for 123 and a TD.  Dorey also caught a 2 point conversion late in the 4th qtr that started an on field brawl. Just before the 2 minute warning, New Orleans scored a TD, taking a 44-7 lead. For some reason, the VooDoo went for 2, and immediately after the catch, Dorey was blasted by one of the Georgia DBs and a huge scrum ensued. There was no post game handshake by the coaches following the game.

Generals 27 Breakers 6

New Jersey ran for 238 yards as a team, getting 124 and a TD from rookie RB Eric Davis plus 81 and a TD from Greg Ayala. The Generals held Boston to 195 offensive yards and sacked Edward Swafford 3 times.

Stars 28 Sun 16

Baltimore QB Jon Snow threw for 436 yards with 2 TD and 2 INT and Jeffrey Zimmer caught 6 for 154 and a TD. Baltimore's defense intercepted Wilmer Kimble 3 times and sacked him 4 times, once for a safety. The Stars made 7 trips into the Sun's red zone but only scored 2 TDs, settling for 4 Fred Boyce FGs.

Maulers 26 Bulls 20 (OT)

Pittsburgh fumbled 4 times but lost just one, while the Maulers defense intercepted Jacksonville QB Joseph Serio 4 times. Pittsburgh had a chance to win the game in regulation, but Dominick Cochran missed a 40 yard try wide left, forcing OT. The extra session did not last long, as Pittsburgh's Robert Wheeler returned the kickoff 102 yards for a walk off win.

Bell 30 Stallions 6

Birmingham scored 2 early FGs for a 6-0 lead before the Philadelphia defense settled down and shut down the Stallions offense. The Bell had 398 offensive yards, led by Jamie Epperson's 122 rushing yards. Philadelphia held the Stallions to 160 offensive yards, forcing Stephen Ponder into a bad, 13/33, 140 yard, 2 INT day.

Blazers 9 Outlaws 3

If you like defense, you'll like this kicking contest. Oklahoma rushed for negative 5 yards on 11 carries and just 173 passing yards. Florida did put up 308 offensive yards but the Outlaws intercepted Blazers QB Sidney Maggard 4 times and keeping Florida out of the end zone. In 4 red zone trips, Florida came away with all of 3 points but a win is a win no matter how they come.

Week 14: Midwest Round Robin Part 1

 Heading into Week 14, the Midwest Division saw all 4 teams separated by just 1 game, and as fate would have it, Weeks 14 and 15 are basically a round robin of division games. We also have ties in the Pacific and Southeast, and once again the schedule makers gift us with those teams facing each other in Week 15. Next week is an exciting, important week for the league with so many games having playoff implications.

Wheels 22 Thunderbolts 3

In the early days of the USFL, Detroit was one of the best teams in the league, as they won World Bowls III and IV and qualified for the playoffs in 10 of the league's first 11 seasons. Eyeballl left the organization following the 1983 season, and in 1984 an AI led team made the playoffs. Fhunt3 took over a team with an AI caused cap mess, and the Wheels struggled through the last half of the 80's. The Wheels improve to 8-6 with this victory today, their best record since 1984.

Wheels QB Gabriel Flanagan was 26/37, 226 yards and a TD to Thomas Mazzeo, who had exactly 100 combined yards to lead Detroit to victory. The Wheels held Cleveland to 196 offensive yards. Next week, Detroit plays @ Michigan while Cleveland hosts Chicago.

Blitz 24 Panthers 13

Michigan rookie Walter Simmons had been on fire the last few weeks but the Chicago defense held down his output today, as they defeat Michigan and hurt the Panthers playoff chances (MFN says they're already out). Chicago RB Jay Kinder rushed for 92 yards and 2 TDs to lead the Blitz offense. Michigan had cut the lead in the 3rd qtr with a FG, making the score 17-13, but Michigan's offense went literally nowhere after that, and Kinder finally put the game away with his 2nd rushing TD at the 2 minute warning.

Storm 24 Gold 7

Portland won the game today, thanks to their defense, but the Storm offense clearly missed Timothy Roquemore. QB Oscar Willis struggled, throwing for 206 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, and while their RBBC was productive, it's just not the same without #10. Denver QB Andrew Brewer was sacked just once, but he failed to crack 180 yards while throwing 3 INTs of his own. 

Portland plays Memphis next week for home field advantage, while MFN says the Denver Gold are eliminated. I think the Gold may still be alive if Oakland and one of San Jose/Honolulu finish 0-2, while Denver wins both.

Showboats 38 Gunslingers 8

The beat rolls on for Memphis, as David Allen tossed 4 more TD passes to help the Showboats break open the game in the second half and win. San Antonio was held to 166 total yards and a frustrating 0-12 on 3rd down. The Gunslingers defense "held" Memphis to 477 yards, which is nearly 100 below their average, and they forced an INT and had a sack for a safety in the first half. The Gunslingers only trailed 17-8 in the 2nd qtr before Memphis scored 21 unanswered points. The Showboats were led by Mark Lambert (85 rushing yards, 62 receiving) and Numbers Zielinski (51 rushing yards and a TD, 96 receiving yards and a TD).

Gamblers 31 Outlaws 3

Houston keeps lurking in the Memphis shadow, as they wait for an opportunity to possibly steal the Southwest from the Showboats. Gamblers QB Tony Dean had an efficient game today, completing 24/30 for 327 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INT. Hugh Chance caught 2 of those TD passes as part of his huge game (7-156-2) and Wesley Hull hauled in the other 2. Ryan Dearing didn't score, but he contributed 64 rushing yards, adding 7 receptions for 71 yards. Houston's defense held Oklahoma to 170 total yards.

Hawaiians 43 Hornets 24

Honolulu got out to a 20-0 lead, eventually extending it to 33-7 at halftime, en route to a victory to set up a huge Week 15 game against San Jose. Hawaiians QB Derek Henry threw for 373 yards with 4 TD and 2 INT, while WR Michael Argueta caught 6 for 121 yards and 3 TDs. RB Scott Stillings ran for 100 yards and a score while also catching 4 passes for 78 yards. Honolulu forced Charlotte QB Robert Ament into 3 INTs, as MFN says this loss eliminates the Hornets.

SaberCats 36 Sun 17

San Jose won a turnover filled game to set up a Pacific Division showdown against Honolulu next week. Both QBs threw 4 INTs, but San Jose QB Jake Plummer also threw 3 TDs and the SaberCats out gained the Sun 410-214. Curt Boren caught 2 of Plummer's TD passes among his 8 for 112 yards while William Smalling ran for 122.

VooDoo 17 Bandits 10

New Orleans went back to their passing game this week and Bruno Wilson did not disappoint. Wilson was 27/48, 365 yards and 2 TDs with no interceptions and the New Orleans defense forced Tampa Bay's Melvin Driggers into 5 INTs, 4 in the second half. Despite all of that, after 3 quarters of play, Tampa Bay held a 10-0 lead. New Orleans gained 225 offensive yards in the 4th quarter, scoring 17 unanswered points in the process to steal the win. Nicholas Dorey got back on track today with a TD catch and 154 receiving yards. 

Renegades 20 Maulers 17

League owned Pittsburgh gave Orlando all they had, and if it weren't for 2 missed FGs, they might have pulled the upset. Maulers QB Will Allison tossed 2 TD passes to William Cox, who caught 10 overall for 90 yards, but 2 costly interceptions set up short Orlando scoring drives. Pittsburgh also had missed FG tries on their first and last drives, the second one would have tied the game very late. The Maulers defense shut down most of the Renegades offense, but they had no answer for RB Ben Dehaven today. Dehaven rushed for 156 yards and 2 TDs, helping Orlando get back into a first place tie in the Southeast with Tampa Bay.

Invaders 23 Wranglers 3

The Oakland defense held Arizona to 191 total yards, forcing 4 turnovers in defeating the Wranglers and staying one game behind Honolulu/San Jose for the #6 seed. Invaders QB Andrew Moreno threw for 270 yards, including a 66 yard TD to Nelson Martinez on their opening drive, before Marty Ball stepped in. For you young ones and memory challenged, Marty Ball refers to Marty Schottenheimer and his conservative game plans that often hurt his teams in big games. If you prefer college references, think Tressel Ball (The Ohio State). Whatever you want to call it, the plan worked as Oakland won comfortably.

Force 16 Steamer 13

Georgia upsets Shreveport, damaging their chances at the playoffs in the process. The Steamer have relied on their defense all season, so it's a surprise that the Force were able to put up 353 total yards on the Steamer today. Georgia even lost the turnover battle 3-1, yet still won. Shreveport QB Edgar Jones was 30/36, 262 yards and a TD, while Orville Barker ran for 89 but K William Neal missed 2 FGs. Georgia got 106 rushing yards from Richard Donofrio and a TD run from John Huynh, plus 3/3 FGs from Javier Gill. It was a 52 yard Gill FG at the final gun that gave Georgia the win. 

Stars 24 Express 10

Baltimore QB Jon Snow was 30/46, 294 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT to help the Stars break open a 7-7 game in the 4th quarter and win home field advantage. Los Angeles fought hard, but Knob Creek, Mark Numbers, and Jeffrey Zimmer were just too much to keep down for 60 minutes. Zimmer caught 5 for 93 and a TD, Knob Creek had a combined 117 yards (45 rushing, 72 receiving) and Mark Numbers caught 6 passes for 63 yards and a TD, adding 38 rushing for 101 total.

Federals 43 Bulls 0

The Baltimore win shuts the door on a division title for Washington, but they secured the top wildcard in shutting out Jacksonville today. The Federals defense held the Bulls to 196 yards and forced 4 turnovers, 3 of those interceptions. Jacksonville never even reached the red zone today. Washington QB Scott Bieber threw for 338 yards and 3 TDs, one to Robert Sullivan who had a combined 188 yards. Sullivan caught 8 for 132, adding 56 rushing yards, while teammate James Dunn ran for 76 and a TD, adding 4 catches, 35 yards and a TD reception. All Pro K John Bazile booted 5 FGs, and leads the league with 40 made FGs this season.

Bell 27 Generals 26

New Jersey lost any realistic chance at a BYE today as Philadelphia outscored the Generals in the 4th qtr 17-7, turning a 19-10 deficit into a 27-26 win. Bell QB Robert Hernandez was 29/36, 259 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT. Both TD passes went to Andres Freeman, who caught 7 for 115 overall. New Jersey won the turnover battle 3-1, but Ric Flair couldn't get much going through the air as the Generals tried way too many FGs.

Breakers 13 Blazers 10 (OT)

Boston got a 75 yard Edward Swafford to Alfred Gale TD inside the 2 minute warning to tie the game at 10 and K Donald Dosch nailed a 49 yard FG in OT to win the game for the Breakers. Boston got the ball first in OT, and their FG drive took 6:18 off the clock, forcing Florida to sort of hurry to get in FG range. David Jackson intercepted Sidney Maggard for the walk off interception.

(NY) Stars 23 Stallions 6

Birmingham scored first and last, but New York did all of the scoring in between to continue the Stallions' miserable 1990. RB Cam Dalton had 149 combined yards and the Stars defense held Birmingham to 225 total yards. QB Willie Bust finished 20/27, 224 yards and a TD pass to Joseph Clark. 

Week 13: The "Pre" Playoffs

 The last 4 weeks of the season will feature many games that will directly affect playoff seeding, so they are sort of pre-playoff games. I will preview the race to the playoffs on the league message board, so let's get right to the Week 13 action.

Hawaiians 22 SaberCats 21

Honolulu needed a win to have a realistic shot at the division, and early in the game, it looked like San Jose was going to bury the Hawaiians. SaberCats QB Jake Plummer threw 3 first half TD passes, two to William Smalling as they built an early 21-0 lead. Honolulu would get a TD run from Scott Stillings but Howard Bury missed the PAT. Bury would boot a FG and the SaberCats went to the locker room with a 21-9 lead.

In the second half, Honolulu forced San Jose into a fumble on their first drive and the next two drives ended with missed FGs. Meanwhile, Honolulu's Tom Jacobs scored 2 TDs, one running and one on a pass from Derek Henry. The 2 point try failed after the 2nd TD, but Honolulu had a 22-21 lead with just over 9 minutes to play. San Jose had a golden opportunity with 3 minutes left, recovering a fumble at the Hawaiians 39 yard line, just outside of FG range. The Honolulu defense forced the SaberCats backwards and they ended up punting and never seeing the ball again.

The Honolulu win has forced a tie atop the Pacific, and the rematch is Week 15.

Showboats 38 Renegades 3

Orlando is fighting for a playoff spot, so seeing 12-0 Memphis on the schedule wasn't good news. QB David Allen threw for 313 yards and 4 TDs and this week's big game WR was Arthur Devore. Devore caught 4 passes for 146 yards and 3 TDs. The Showboats defense intercepted Bradley Austin 3 times and held the Renegades to 137 offensive yards.

Orlando gets league owned Pittsburgh next before their big game against Tampa Bay in Week 15. Memphis gets San Antonio before facing the league's toughest last 2 games against Portland and Houston.

Gamblers 52 Sun 13

Ever since the commish rankings restarted and Houston wanted wins/losses included, all they've done is put up stats and win. Previous Memphis owner IOT had some criticism for Houston QB Tony Dean before he left, and if there were whispers about Dean's abilities, they were put to rest today. Dean finished 25/30, 488 yards with 7 TD passes and no interceptions. Wesley Hull caught 5 for 204 yards and 2 TDs, Hugh Chance 3 for 138 and 2 TDs and Donald Turner also caught 2 TD passes to lead the prolific Gamblers offense. Southern California did not turn the ball over, but their offense only generated 146 yards, and their TD came on a 106 yard kickoff return by Billy Brown.

Storm 41 Invaders 0

Looks like losing didn't sit well with Portland as they obliterate Oakland, holding them to 11 total yards. LB Frank Baker is playing the McKeon role, at least today as he had 7 sacks (his speed is 76, no rule broken). Portland went with a RBBC in the absence of Timothy Roquemore, and the Storm ran for 228 yards on 42 carries. Jeffrey Frost led the committee with 93 yards and a TD, while Oscar Willis threw for 312 yards and 3 TDs. Jose Moses led the receivers with 3 catches, 111 yards and 2 TDs.

Gold 34 Breakers 21

The Oakland loss opened the door for Denver to move into the #7 spot with a win over Boston. The Breakers hung tough in the first half, but their offense couldn't stay on the field long enough, and the Gold offense broke the game open in the second half. Boston only had the ball for 18 minutes, yet put up 290 yards, almost all through the air as their running game was stymied. Denver ran for 211 yards, led by Chad Magana's 92 and a TD, and passed for 335. Andrew Brewer found 10 different receivers today and tossed 2 TDs.

VooDoo 14 Blitz 12

Two division leaders faced off in a defensive slugfest, as they combine for 441 total yards. New Orleans had the #1 pass offense coming into the game, but they opted for a run heavy approach against the Blitz defense. Chicago got a 1st qtr FG for a 3-0 lead before New Orleans WR/RB Nicholas Dorey had a short TD run and a 2 point run for an 8-3 VooDoo lead. Bruno Wilson was sacked in the end zone to cut the VooDoo lead to 8-5, then Ronald Brown tossed a TD pass to David Karim, giving Chicago a very short lived 12-8 lead. Short lived because Jose Little returned the kickoff 103 yards for a TD, but the 2 point try failed. New Orleans took a 14-12 lead into halftime, and a scoreless second half means that lead held up for the win.

Wheels 13 Outlaws 3

That Chicago loss opened the door for the rest of the Midwest, and all 3 teams won their games. Detroit out gained Oklahoma 332-164 as Gabriel Flanagan was an efficient 23/28 for 271 yards. Detroit got the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards for the games only TD, a short run by James Fischer. The Wheels defense sacked Shane Falco 3 times and forced an INT.

Thunderbolts 29 Wranglers 3

Heading into 1991, the Arizona Wranglers will be looking for a QB, as they have had sub par performances from multiple QBs this year. Robert Palmer was simply irresistible to the Cleveland defense, finishing 8/29 with 3 INTs. Samuel Draper had 96 rushing yards and a TD while QB Michael McGowan threw for 241 yards and a TD to James Bull to lead Cleveland to the victory. 

Cleveland and Detroit play each other next week, with the winner taking sole possession of first in the Midwest.

Panthers 48 Stallions 0

Michigan might still be in last place at 6-7, but they are now only 1 game out of 1st place with the easy win over struggling Birmingham. Michigan rookie WR/RB Walter Simmons is trying to change the offensive ROY narrative with another huge game today while San Jose WR Mark Hsu nurses a foot injury. Simmons ran 25 times for 183 yards and a TD, adding 56 yards on 8 catches. QB Adam Scales was 37/47, 299 yards and 4 TDs. The Panthers defense had Birmingham QB Stephen Ponder pondering a new line of work after his 9/40, 2 INT, 2 sack day.

Bandits 38 Maulers 12

Pittsburgh had more first downs and time of possession, but the Maulers could not get the ball in the end zone, getting 4 FGs today. Tampa Bay had trouble hanging onto the ball, fumbling 4 times, yet they lost just 1 and put up some yards otherwise. Melvin Driggers was only 16/33 but he got 307 yards from those completions with 4 TD passes and 1 INT. Those TD passes went to 4 different receivers as Driggers spread the ball around, and a 5th different player, Paul Meade, had a TD run.

This win, coupled with the Orlando loss means the Bandits now have sole possession of first place in the Southeast.

Federals 36 Steamer 13

Washington and Shreveport are both fighting for the playoffs, and both offenses were on fire today, except in the red zone. There were 5 total TDs in the game, all but one over 60 yards, and that short one was 43. Washington had 3 red zone trips but just 2 FGs to show for them, while Shreveport also got 2 red zone FGs with no TDs. Steamer QB Edgar Jones completed 33/51 for 331 yards and a TD to James Brown, who caught 12 for 212 yards. Washington QB Scott Bieber was 22/37, 422 yards and 4 TDs. Matthew Cuevas caught 2 of those as part of his 3-133 yard day.

Washington broke open a 13-10 halftime game in the second half, outscoring Shreveport 23-3 en route to a playoff clinching win. The Atlantic division title is still possible, though unlikely as they were swept by Baltimore. MFN lists Shreveport as #6 seed over Orlando, so they must have a tiebreaker edge.

Stars 31 Blazers 3

Baltimore couldn't get their ground game going but QB Jon Snow was 24/38, 342 yards and 4 TD passes to lead the Stars to victory. Snow's favorite target was Jeffrey Zimmer, who caught 5 for 165 yards and 2 TDs. DE Joseph Gerald had 4 sacks for the Stars defense as they hold Florida to 158 total yards. Baltimore has qualified for the playoffs and are expected to win the Atlantic and at least have a BYE, if not the #1 seed.

Express 17 Hornets 7

Los Angeles has been eliminated from playoff contention and their remaining schedule is full of playoff hopefuls, so they can at least play spoiler. Charlotte came in at 6-6, fighting with Orlando, Tampa Bay, and Shreveport for a playoff spot. Express QB Joe Richardson bounced back from last week's horrible game finishing 26/31 for 227 yards, 2 TDs and 0 INTs. Los Angeles held the Hornets to 7 rushing yards on 19 carries and limiting their passing game to a dink and dunk attack. 

Charlotte's last 3 opponents have a combined 26-13 record, so the Hornets have their work cut out for them if they want to play football in January.

Generals 20 (NY) Stars 3

In 1974 the Boston Breakers won the East division, and since then, the East has been owned by New Jersey and New York. The Generals entered the game as presumed East Champs by MFN, though there was some doubt as to the accuracy of that. Today's win puts any doubt to rest. New Jersey got 76 rushing yards from Dr. Sam Beckett and 74 from Greg Ayala, who also caught a TD pass from Ric Flair for the game's lone offensive TD. Early in the 4th qtr, Lars Ulrich intercepted a Willie Bust pass, returning it 39 yards for a TD to seal the win.

Bulls 21 Gunslingers 6

Jacksonville QB Joseph Serio threw for 286 yards and 3 TDs to lead the Bulls to a win over San Antonio. The Gunslingers defense did sack Serio 4 times, but once the Bulls entered the red zone, they scored TDs, going 3 for 3. San Antonio had trouble on the ground, not being able to get their running game going while allowing Jacksonville to gain 6 yards a carry.

Bell 20 Force 7

Georgia got another decent performance from QB Thomas Jacobi but it wasn't enough to get the victory over Philadelphia today. The Bell got very efficient QB play from Robert Hernandez, who finished 20/22, 198 yards and a TD. James Jones (5-106-1) was his favorite target and Richard Brown contributed 99 rushing yards.