World Bowl XX: An Almost Perfect Storm

 Portland Storm 38 Washington Federals 10

 The twentieth season of USFL/WFL concluded today with World Bowl XX from Honolulu, Hawaii between the Portland Storm and Washington Federals. All season long it kind of felt like we were 31 teams chasing after Portland, and except a Week 7 loss to Oakland, nobody could catch the Storm. In the post season, Portland had to get through 13-3 Houston, then 14-2 Memphis before facing off with 14-2 Washington today. There wasn't much drama to the game, as Portland scored 2 touchdowns the final 3 minutes of the first half to take a 21-3 lead before continuing to roll in the second half.

None of that should take away from the fine season Washington had. The Federals were in a tough division with 2 other playoff caliber teams, yet came out on top with only 2 losses. In the post season, they had to get through 13-3 Florida and travel to 15-1 New Jersey to reach World Bowl XX with a QB in Scott Bieber who wasn't playing his best football all season.

Portland got the ball first and Melvin Driggers led a 12 play, 75 yard TD drive for a 7-0 Storm lead on a 5 yard run by Timothy Roquemore. Scott Bieber led Washington to a FG on the Federals opening drive before the defenses showed up. Washington forced a three and out, but Scott Bieber threw an interception and the first quarter ended 7-3 Portland.

The second quarter began with Melvin Driggers throwing an interception as Portland approached the red zone, keeping the score 7-3. A few punts later, Portland had the ball on their own 20 and 13 plays later, James Pritchard ran it the final 10 yards to the end zone, extending Portland's lead to 14-3. Washington had about 2:30 to answer that score, and it looked like they were going to do just that as Scott Bieber drove the Federals inside the Portland 10. Portland CB John Quigley made sure there would be no points, intercepting Bieber at the 6 and bringing it back to the 33 yard line. Melvin Driggers then completed 4 of 5 passes, with the last pass covering 31 yards for a TD to Peter Jessee. That extended the lead to 21-3 and Washington missed a chance to creep closer as John Bazile was wide right on a 56 yard FG attempt to close out the first half.

Washington was down but not out, but the Federals went three and out on their first drive and Scott Bieber was sacked and lost a fumble on the next. WLB James Waggoner got the sack and the strip, while MLB Raymond McDonald scooped up the loose ball, returning it 10 yards. Portland turned that into 7 points after James Pritchard's 2nd TD run, this one for 6 yards and a 28-3 lead. 

That was our score entering the 4th, and it didn't take long for Portland to extend that to 35-3. FB John Nance punched it in from the 1 for that score, and the only question now was what would the final score be. Portland would add an Alan Grossi FG for a 38-3 lead, then Scott Bieber found Ronald Matthews for a 49 yard TD, and our final score was Portland 38 Washington 10.

The Portland defense held Washington RB Robert Trammell in check, allowing him just 67 yards on 19 touches and RB James Dunn only had 5 touches all game. Scott Bieber completed 20/37, 234 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT and he was sacked twice. WR Ronald Matthews was the lone bright spot for the Federals with his 3 catches, 112 yards and a TD.

Portland RB Jose Moses was left off the All Pro ballot and he did not score today, but he still drives away in a brand new 1994 Chevrolet Corvette as the World Bowl MVP. Moses ran 23 times for 126 yards with 28 more yards on 4 receptions. Portland ran for 4 TDs in all, amassing 242 yards as a team, with Timothy Roquemore running for 72 yards and 1 TD. James Pritchard only ran 5 times for 35 yards, but he scored twice, and even little used ball carrier FB John Nance got in on the scoring. That left Melvin Driggers not much to do, but he did complete 20/31 for 198 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. 

This is Portland's 3rd championship in 5 seasons, with the Storm taking a year off in between the previous ones. If form holds true, we'll have a new champion next season, but Lord help us all if Seth decides he's on a mission for back to back titles.

Conference Championships

 It was Conference Championship weekend and the top 2 seeds from each conference faced off for the right to play in World Bowl XX. Memphis and Portland had combined to make 5 of the last 7 World Bowls prior to this season, so it's only fitting they face off to see which team makes it 6 of 8. Memphis lost only 2 games in the regular season, but one was to Portland, so would they be able to get revenge? If so, it would have to be in a low scoring game as Portland has not allowed more than 17 points in any game this season. Memphis was last in World Bowl XVII while Portland is looking to continue an every other year trend, having won World Bowls XVI and XVIII.

In the National Conference we have Washington at New Jersey. No team has made more World Bowl appearances than the Generals with 6, although they've only won 2. New Jersey hasn't been to a World Bowl since 1986. Up to that 1986 season, the Washington Federals had never reached the big game, but since then, they have made it every 3 seasons, losing World Bowls XIV and XVII to the Memphis Showboats. 

Storm 32 Showboats 16

Portland got the ball first, driving for a FG and a 3-0 lead. The Storm defense then got the ball right back to the offense, intercepting Norman Maldonado on the first Memphis offensive play. Six plays later, David Smith plowed into the end zone for a quick 10-0 Storm lead. Maldonado brought Memphis back with an 11 play, 74 yard TD drive, with Erik McNamee running the last 3 yards for the score, cutting the lead to 10-7. The rest of the first half was all FGs, with Portland's Alan Grossi making 2 and Memphis' Gary Ridgeway 1 for a 16-10 Portland halftime lead. 

Memphis went three and out to start the 3rd qtr and Portland would add a 57 yard Grossi FG for a 19-10 lead. Another Memphis three and out led to another Grossi FG for a 22-10 lead late in the 3rd. Portland would then get another interception of Maldonado, which led to David Smith's 2nd TD of the game, this one a 25 yard pass from Melvin Driggers.

That TD gave Portland a 29-10 lead heading into the 4th qtr, and Memphis faced a 4th and 4 from the Portland 30 early in the final quarter. The Showboats opted for a 49 yard FG try but the kick was wide right, leaving the deficit at 19. Portland took over and Melvin Driggers was driving the Storm to the game clinching TD, when the Showboats defense finally got their first legitimate stop of the game. Up to this point, Portland had scored on every drive except for the short 1 minute drive to run out the end of the first half. This drive ended without points for Portland because Driggers threw an interception at the doorstep of the red zone. Three plays later, Maldonado gave the ball back to Portland, and another Grossi FG increased the lead to 32-10, essentially clinching the game. Memphis would add a late, 79 yard Maldonado to Glenn TD to make the final score closer.

Melvin Driggers finished 24/33, 249 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT with Richard Robinson the leading receiver with 84 yards on 4 catches. RB Jose Moses had 129 combined yards, 78 rushing and 51 receiving on 8 receptions while Timothy Roquemore had 94 combined yards to pace the Storm attack. Portland's defense made life rough for Norman Maldonado, as he completed just 14/33, 204 yards, 1 TD and 4 INT while sacking him twice.

Federals 22 Generals 19 (OT)

New Jersey got the ball first and Don Ferguson led the Generals into FG range after 11 plays, but the usually reliable Al Borland was wide left on the 42 yard attempt. The rest of the 1st quarter was punts and the New Jersey defense created the game's first turnover in the 2nd. Generals LB Reno Raines forced a John Blankenship fumble, which Jeff Hanneman recovered, setting up the offense just inside Washington territory. Ferguson drove New Jersey into the red zone, but an interception by Robert Tejada kept the game scoreless. Washington took over at their own 8, and on 3rd and 10, New Jersey DT Dan Conner burst through the line, sacking Scott Bieber in the end zone for a safety and the game's first score. The Generals would add a 30 yard Borland FG as the half expired, taking a 5-0 lead into the locker room.

Washington got the ball to start the second half and Bieber led the Federals 75 yards in 10 plays, taking a 7-5 lead on a 3 yard Bieber TD pass to Ronald Matthews. That was the first of what would be 5 lead changes in the game, with the 2nd coming on New Jersey's next drive. Al Borland's 51 yard FG gave the Generals an 8-7 lead heading into the 4th quarter and he would add a 26 yard FG early in the 4th for an 11-7 New Jersey lead. Washington would come back with a John Bazile 38 yard FG to pull within 11-10, then following a New Jersey three and out, Bieber found Matthews again, this time for a 76 yard catch and run TD to make the score 16-11. New Jersey would intercept the 2 point try, leaving the score 16-11 Washington. Ferguson would then lead New Jersey on a 7 play, 73 yard TD drive as they finally crack the end zone on a 42 yard Ferguson pass to Cody Schiavo. Kurt Cobain ran in the 2 point conversion to give New Jersey a 19-16 lead with about 4 minutes to play. Each team punted, giving Washington 1:06 to go from their own 20 into FG range to send the game to OT. Scott Bieber was 4/4 on the final drive in regulation and a 50 yard John Bazile FG with 0:03 left did indeed send this game to OT.

New Jersey got the ball first in the overtime period, going three and out. Bieber then completed a 25 yard pass to Andrew Favela to get into Generals territory and 3 plays later, another 50 yard John Bazile FG sent Washington to their 3rd World Bowl in 7 seasons.

Don Ferguson finished 33/47, 291 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT, with Cody Schiavo the leading skill player with 123 yards and a TD on 8 catches. Rookie RB David Koresh ran for 84 yards on 23 carries, adding 31 yards on 5 receptions for 115 combined yards. Scott Bieber was 19/36, 291 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT. RB Robert Trammell was held under 100 combined yards (31 rushing, 62 receiving) but Ronald Matthews caught 5 passes for 106 yards and 2 TDs.

Divisional Round

 Today we eliminate 4 more teams in the quest for World Bowl XX and the BYES have it. Portland, Memphis, New Jersey, and Washington all earned first round byes and all four advance to the Conference Championship. Houston, Michigan, Pittsburgh, and Florida all had great seasons, but ultimately only one playoff team can end their season with a win. Which team will it be? Time will tell. 

Storm 41 Gamblers 7

Houston has had problems stopping the run all season, but Tony Dean and the rest of the Gamblers offense usually overcame that. Today however, they ran into Portland, who seem to be on a mission for a trophy. Storm RB Jose Moses just found out he was left off of the All Pro ballot and he showed today that perhaps that was a mistake. Moses took the handoff on the first play from scrimmage and announced his presence with authority, galloping 75 yards for a TD and an instant 7-0 lead. Portland forced a three and out, then on the next Storm drive, Timothy Roquemore ripped a 72 yard TD run but a holding penalty brought it back. The Storm would end up punting, but wide open running lanes would be a theme for the game. 

Tony Dean brought Houston back, tying the game at 7 with a 26 yard TD to Jett Black. The 1st quarter ended 7-7 and Jose Moses gave Portland the lead for good with a TD reception in the 2nd qtr. This was the only TD of the game for Melvin Driggers, who finished 20/30, 261 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. That gave the Storm a 14-7 lead going into halftime.

Houston got the ball to start the 2nd half and punted. On Portland's first play of the second half, they handed the ball off to Jose Moses, and he did what he did to start the game, he kept running until he got to the end zone. This one went for 87 yards, then following a Houston three and out, Timothy Roquemore busted a 63 yard TD run, and nobody was called for holding, and the game was essentially over at 28-7. If it wasn't over at that point, it was over soon after as Tony Dean threw an interception to set up Jose Mose's 3rd, and shortest TD run of the game and a 35-7 lead. K Alan Grossi booted a pair of FGs in the 4th to give us our final score of 41-7.

Jose Moses finished the game with 4 TDs and 332 combined yards. Moses caught 4 passes for 80 yards and a score, but his running was the story, as he carried the ball 17 times for 252 yards and 3 TDs. Timothy Roquemore also ran for 94 yards on 9 carries as the pair accounted for most of the Storm's 365 rushing yards.

Showboats 10 Panthers 3

We'll skip to the 4th quarter as the first 45 minutes of action resulted in zero points scored. Memphis and Michigan took turns frustrating the opposing offense, as every drive but 3 up to this point ended in a punt. One drive in the 2nd quarter ended with a Larry Henderson interception and one drive ended when the clock ran out at halftime. The 3rd non punting drive was still in progress entering the 4th, and Memphis K Gary Ridgeway nailed a 50 yard FG on the first play of the 4th and we finally have a score. A couple drives later, Memphis was driving for more points when Norman Maldonado threw an interception, and the Panthers drove to the Memphis 38. On 4th down, they decided to pin the Showboats deep rather than attempt a 55/56 yard FG, and they left Memphis at their 9. The Michigan defense held and the Panthers offense used the good field position to tie the game at 3 on a John Hensley 46 yard FG. 

There were just over 5 minutes left at this point, and Memphis got the ball back on their 25 after a touchback on the kickoff. Two pass completions and a run later, Memphis faced a 1st and 10 from the Michigan 14. Maldonado completed a pass to FB Larry Ceasar, who fumbled on a hit by Jerry Green, but Ceasar fell on it to keep the drive alive. From there, two Thomas Saunders runs cracked the end zone for the game's first TD. Henderson tried to lead the Panthers to the tying score but the offense stalled around midfield and the game was over.

Generals 34 Maulers 29

New Jersey QB Don Ferguson was making his first ever post season start and the USFL's leading passer wasted no time getting the Generals on the scoreboard. New Jersey went 75 yards in 8 plays, capping the drive with a Ferguson 12 yard TD pass to David Koresh. Late in the 1st quarter Ferguson made his first mistake, getting intercepted by Stephen Ray Vaughan. Pittsburgh QB Will Allison drove the Maulers into the end zone with a 9 yard TD pass to Robert Erickson but Brett Bowman missed the XP, and the Generals still led 7-6. Ferguson then led New Jersey down the field only to be intercepted in the end zone by Bryant Heard. Allison then drove the Maulers to the brink of another TD, but they had to settle for a 22 yard Bowman FG to take the lead 9-7 with less than 2 minutes until halftime. The next New Jersey drive, Ferguson promptly threw his 3rd INT of the half and two Will Allison passes to Joel Davis later, Pittsburgh got a TD for a 16-7 lead. Ferguson was left just enough time to drive for a long FG attempt by Al Borland, and the 59 yard kick was good to cut the lead to 16-10 at the break.

The second half started and New Jersey forced a three and out, then Ferguson led an 11 play, 69 yard TD drive, finishing it off with a 3 yard TD pass to Eric Davis. The Generals defense then got an interception of Allison by Jay Leno, then Ferguson found Duncan Meyer on the next play for a 47 yard TD and a 24-16 lead. Pittsburgh answered that with a 45 yard Will Allison TD pass to Franklin Cherry, and while a 2 point conversion would tie it, we were still in the 3rd quarter so the Maulers kicked the XP to pull within 24-23. Ferguson and Meyer would hook up again for a TD, this one 41 yards in the final minute of the 3rd, allowing New Jersey to take a 31-23 lead into the 4th.

Will Allison drove Pittsburgh to a TD on their first 4th qtr drive, scoring on a 35 yard pass to Travis Vargas. That made the score 31-29 so the Maulers went for 2 but failed, leaving the deficit at 2. Each team would punt, then the Generals started a drive with 6 minutes to go, taking nearly 4 minutes off the clock and getting a 54 yard Al Borland FG and a 5 point lead. Pittsburgh would get one first down before failing on 4th down from their own territory, allowing Ferguson to kneel down 3 times to seal the win.

Allison completed 31/45, 307 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT, with the TDs going to 4 different receivers. The Maulers skill players were led by Joel Davis, who caught 6 for 87 yards and a TD. Ferguson completed 32/46, 361 yards, 4 TDs and 3 INTs. RB David Koresh led the Generals in rushing (42 yards) and caught 10 passes for 122 yards and a TD while Duncan Meyer caught 2 TD passes as part of his 4-102-2 day. 

Federals 34 Blazers 13

Washington QB Scott Bieber has been taking heat from the media all season about his sub par play, but he started out on fire today to help the Federals advance to the National Conference Championship Game. The Federals defense helped Bieber out by intercepting Florida QB Sidney Maggard on the first play from scrimmage, and 2 plays later, Bieber found Andrew Favela for a 9 yard TD and a 7-0 lead. Washington's defense then forced a three and out and Bieber engineered a 72 yard TD drive in 7 plays, with a 4 yard TD pass to James Dunn giving the Federals a 14-0 lead. The Federals defense forced another punt and this time Bieber led an 85 yard scoring drive, ending with his 2nd TD pass to Andrew Favela. The Blazers offense had not done much, so Antonio Calvo took it upon himself to bring the kickoff out of the end zone and did not stop running until he found the other end zone 106 yards away for a TD to cut the lead to 21-7. Inside the 2 minute warning, Bieber and Favela connected for a 3rd TD, this one 26 yards and Washington took a 28-7 lead into halftime. The second half was drama and TD free as both teams kicked a pair FGs apiece for our final score of 34-13 Federals. 

The Washington defense held Florida to only 184 yards, intercepting Maggard twice and recovering a fumble. Bieber finished the game 23/40, 301 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT, with Andrew Favela catching 3 of the scores. RB Robert Trammell was the Federals leading rusher and receiver, gaining 72 yards on the ground and 71 through the air on 7 catches.

Wildcard Weekend

 The quest for World Bowl XX began with Wildcard Weekend today and we say goodbye to 4 teams, San Jose, Honolulu, New Orleans and Philadelphia. The National Conference games were closer but none of the games came down to the wire. Houston and Pittsburgh continue their road warrior path while Michigan and Florida leave the comforts of home to continue their journey. 

Gamblers 30 SaberCats 10

Houston got the ball first and Tony Dean led the Gamblers 75 yards in 6 plays, capping off the drive with a 23 yard TD pass to Lloyd Ellis. The Gamblers defense forced 3 straight three and outs to begin the game while Houston added a pair of Earl Castro FGs for a 13-0 lead early in the 2nd. San Jose finally put together an extended drive, going 75 yards in 12 plays, cutting the lead to 13-7 on Donald Brown's 1 yard TD run. Just after the 2 minute warning, Dean found Ellis for another TD, this one for 43 yards as Houston takes a 20-7 lead into halftime.

San Jose got the ball to start the 2nd half and they got 3 points to pull within 10. Tony Dean then led Houston 75 yards in 10 plays and threw his 3rd TD pass of the game, a 1 yard toss to William Fey, extending the Gamblers lead to 27-10. The rest of the game was mostly punts and Houston advances. 

All World WR Mark Hsu was shut down to the tune of 2 catches for 19 yards as QB Jake Plummer was not good today. Plummer finished 16/33, 87 yards and an INT. Tony Dean completed 23/28 for 261 yards and 3 TDs, 2 to Lloyd Ellis. William Fey caught 10 passes for 71 yards and a score while RB Donald Turner had 111 combined yards to help Houston advance to face Portland.

Panthers 28 Hawaiians 10

All eyes were on the QBs in this game as Michigan's Larry Henderson has been Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde while Honolulu's Edwin Clarkson took over the starting job a few games ago and the jury is still out on him. Neither played great, but Henderson was much better as he led the Panthers offense to 21 points off of 4 Clarkson INTs to help Michigan advance to play Memphis.

Michigan turned the ball over first as Henderson lost the snap, putting Honolulu in instant FG range. Facing a 4th and 1 from the Michigan 23, the Hawaiians decided to go for it but an incomplete pass gave the ball back to Michigan, leaving the game scoreless. On the Hawaiians next drive, Clarkson threw interception #1 which led to a 37 yard TD pass from Henderson to James Hills. Clarkson threw INT #2 on the next drive, leading to a FG and a 10-0 Michigan lead. 

Honolulu got the ball to start the 3rd qtr and the Hawaiians got right back in the game as Clarkson led a 10 play, 75 yard TD drive. Curtis Holland ran it in from 5 yards out to cut the lead to 10-7. Michigan's first drive of the 2nd half ended in an INT by Henderson which turned into a FG for Honolulu and we were tied at 10. Henderson responded by leading a 7 play, 75 yard scoring drive that ended with a 27 yard TD TD pass to Walter Simmons. 

The game remained 17-10 Michigan until midway through the 4th when Clarkson threw interception #3. The Panthers turned that into 8 points after John Tingle ran it in from 5 yards out and Milton Schwab ran in the 2 point conversion. Two plays later came interception #4, leading to a FG and a 28-10 Michigan lead, which they held onto. Henderson finished 33/46, 248 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT while Clarkson finished 20/37, 117 yards and 4 INTs. James Hills was Michigan's leading skill player, catching 9 passes for 88 yards and a TD while rookie RB Anthony Davis led Honolulu with 87 combined yards.

Maulers 19 VooDoo 10

Pittsburgh forced New Orleans into 3 three and out drives to start the game while Will Allison led the Maulers to a TD and a FG their first 3 drives to take a 9-0 lead. Allison orchestrated a 12 play, 75 yard TD drive the first time Pittsburgh had the ball, capping it off with an 8 yard TD pass to Robert Erickson, although the XP was no good. Brett Bowman would make a 49 yard FG in the 2nd quarter as Pittsburgh took that 9-0 lead into halftime.

The Maulers got the ball to start the 3rd and Allison led Pittsburgh on a 7 play, 75 yard TD drive. The scoring play was an 11 yard pass to Franklin Hall, giving Pittsburgh a 16-0 lead. New Orleans QB Joseph Jones then led the VooDoo on their own 7 play, 75 yard TD drive, with a 7 yard TD pass to Mario Burton finally getting them on the scoreboard. Jones then led the VooDoo to a FG on the next drive to cut the Maulers lead to 16-10. It remained that until New Orleans turned it over on downs near midfield and Pittsburgh tacked on a FG for a 9 point lead. New Orleans then drove into the Pittsburgh red zone before the clock ran out on their season as the Maulers advance with the 19-10 win.

New Orleans played turnover free football but had trouble on 3rd down, converting just 2/13. Joseph Jones finished 27/36 for 230 yards and a TD while Will Allison finished 25/34, 279 yards and 2 TDs. RB Robert Erickson had a combined 139 yards, catching 9 passes for 115 yards and a TD. Next up for Pittsburgh is a trip to New Jersey to play the Generals.

Blazers 38 Bell 24

Florida got the ball first but Sidney Maggard threw an interception. Philadelphia couldn't capitalize on that turnover, but they would get another chance after a William Merkel fumble. Bell RB Jamie Epperson took it 23 yards for a score on the next play for a 7-0 Philadelphia lead. Following a 3 and out, Bell QB Robert Hernandez led Philadelphia to their second straight 1 play scoring drive, hitting Craig Hines for a 71 yard TD. Maggard then led Florida on a 12 play, 75 yard scoring drive, with Joshua Estes hauling in a 6 yard TD pass to cut the lead in half, 14-7. The Blazers then forced a 3 and out before embarking on a 9 play, 68 yard TD drive. Kevin Forester's 2 yard TD run tied the game at 14. Maggard capped off the first half scoring with a 5 yard TD pass to Richard Carstens with 1:19 left to give Florida a 21-14 halftime lead.

Maggard and Estes connected for another TD in the 3rd quarter, with the 7 yard pass giving the Blazers a 28-14 lead. The Florida defense would later intercept a Robert Hernandez pass, leading to a FG to extend the lead to 31-14. In the early part of the 4th, Kevin Forester lost a fumble and Philadelphia made them pay. Hernandez found James Jones with a 5 yard TD pass to cut the lead to 31-21. The Bell added a FG with just over 6 minutes left to pull within 7 but the Philadelphia defense couldn't prevent Florida from extending the lead. Maggard led a 9 play, 75 yard TD drive, with Kevin Forester's 2nd TD run putting the Blazers ahead 38-24 with less than 2 minutes to play. Hernandez tossed his 2nd INT and the Blazers ran out the remaining clock to advance next week against Washington.

Sidney Maggard completed 29/40 for 269 yards, 3 TD and 1 INT, with 2 of the scores to RB Joshua Estes. RB Kevin Forester ran for 68 yards and a pair of scores while William Merkel caught 8 passes for 119 yards. Philadelphia QB Robert Hernandez finished 16/31, 158 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT. RB Jamie Epperson was the leading skill player for the Bell, rushing for 73 yards and a score, adding 23 yards on 6 receptions.

 

Week 16: Playoffs Start Early

 The 1993 regular season concluded today with Week 16 action, and half of the games had playoff implications. Memphis won the showdown with Houston, claiming the #2 seed and the South came down to a version of "Not It", as all 3 teams had a chance to win and get in and they all lost, with New Orleans getting the nod in a tiebreaker. The American Conference Wildcard contenders fared badly as well, with Cleveland relinquishing the #6 seed in a loss to Portland. That opened the door for Oakland to get in but Orlando played spoiler. Honolulu finally stopped the trend of losing must win games by defeating Los Angeles and claiming the #6 seed. Had the Hawaiians lost, Chicago was ready to keep playing as the next team up by beating Detroit. Michigan defeated San Jose to claim the #3 seed, leaving the suddenly ownerless SaberCats the #4.

Showboats 38 Gamblers 16

There was a lot of drama coming into the game, but a 28 point 2nd quarter explosion by Memphis took the drama off the field as the Showboats claim the #2 seed and the all important BYE. Following an exchange of FGs, Memphis QB Norman Maldonado found Mark Glenn for a 68 yard TD pass and a 10-3 lead. Two plays later, Dennis Torres intercepted Tony Dean, taking it 29 yards for a score. Houston's Anthony Fulks then returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a score, and a 3-3 game quickly turned into a 17-10 game. Memphis RB Thomas Saunders got the first of his 2 rushing TDs with 4:40 left in the half and Maldonado tossed his 2nd TD pass in the half's final minute, sandwiching a Houston FG for a 31-13 halftime lead. 

The second half didn't produce much to write about, so let's go to the stats. Maldonado only completed 20/45 for 256 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT. WR Mark Glenn caught 7 for 161 yards and a TD while RB Erik McNamee ran 18 times for 175 yards to lead the Memphis skill players.

Generals 23 VooDoo 9

New Orleans had the first shot at winning the South based on tiebreakers, and a win over New Jersey would seal the deal. The Generals were playing for home field advantage however, and did not lay down for the VooDoo. The New Jersey defense bent but didn't break, allowing just 3 FGs while Don Ferguson threw for 301 yards and 2 TD passes. Ferguson ends the season with 5,626 yards and 51 TDs, both tops in the league. WR Duncan Meyer was Ferguson's favorite target today, hauling in 6 receptions for 174 yards and 2 TDs as New Jersey wins the right to play at home in the playoffs.

Bulls 9 Stallions 6

With the New Orleans loss, next up in the tiebreakers is Birmingham. The Stallions defense did their part, limiting Jacksonville to 204 yards and forcing 3 turnovers. The Stallions offense never got going though, as Willie Benge threw 4 INTs on 20/47 passing for just 123 yards. Jacksonville wins the FG kicking contest 3-2 and they send the Stallions home for the winter.

Federals 44 Steamer 14

Shreveport now had a chance at the post season if they could beat Atlantic champ Washington, and the Steamer hung with them in the first half. George Marcil led Shreveport to touchdowns on 2 of the first 3 drives, taking a 14-10 2nd qtr lead, but Federals QB Scott Bieber found Andrew Favela for a 54 yard TD just after the 2 minute warning as Washington took a 17-14 lead into halftime. 

In the second half the Washington defense stiffened up, forcing 2 interceptions and 5 punts in shutting out Shreveport. The Washington offense also responded, scoring on 5 of 7 second half possessions, with RB James Dunn scoring the last 3 TDs. Dunn caught Bieber's 2nd TD pass, then ran in a short TD in the 4th. Less than a minute later he capped the scoring after recovering his own fumble, returning it for a score. Speaking of Bieber, he was decent today, completing 16/26 for 283 yards and 2 TDs. WR Andrew Favela was the leading receiver with 4 for 141 yards and a score while RB Robert Trammell ran in a score and had a combined 127 yards (73 rushing, 54 receiving).

The Shreveport loss coupled with the losses by New Orleans and Birmingham means we have a 3 way tie for the South at 8-8, and New Orleans is declared the winner based on conference record.

Storm 20 Thunderbolts 6

Cleveland had the first shot at the #6 seed in the American Conference, and all they had to do was beat the #1 seed Portland. The Thunderbolts had a couple of early successful drives, but they couldn't put the ball in the end zone, settling for a pair of FGs. The Cleveland defense also played well early, allowing a FG following a fumble in their own territory. After the initial burst, the Portland defense went into lockdown mode while the offense finally had a couple of TD drives. The Storm's 2nd TD came early in the 3rd quarter and Portland enjoyed a 17-6 lead for most of the rest of the game until a late FG extended the lead to 14. WR Richard Robinson caught 7 for 118 yards and James Pritchard ran for 92 yards to lead the Portland offense.

Renegades 23 Invaders 6

The Cleveland loss opened the door for Oakland to claim the #6 seed but the Invaders fell behind 14-0 in the 1st half and could get no closer than 11 points the rest of the game. Orlando QB Emory Howard finished 17/22, 156 yards and a 1st qtr TD pass to Milton Pearce as the Renegades took a 7-0 lead and Ben Dehaven had a 4 yard TD run in the 2nd qtr, with 3 Scott Mueller FGs rounding out the scoring. Oakland QB Andrew Moreno did lead the Invaders inside the Orlando 10 yard line twice, but they had to settle for 3 both times, and Moreno also threw 2 INTs.

Hawaiians 34 Express 7

New Honolulu starting QB Edwin Clarkson completed 29/43 for 281 yards and 3 TDs and the Hawaiians defense held Los Angeles to 206 yards and made life rough on Express QB William Mauriello. They forced Mauriello into 2 INTs and sacked him 4 times, including twice for safeties in the 4th qtr. Rookie RB Anthony Davis led the RBBC with 59 yards, adding 93 yards and a TD on 6 receptions to lead the Honolulu skill players. 

Honolulu led 20-0 at the half, getting it up to 23-0 before Los Angeles scored a TD late in the 3rd. Clarkson's 3rd TD pass extended it to 30-7 before the 2 safeties closed out the scoring as the Hawaiians claim the #6 seed, thanks to losses by Cleveland and Oakland.

Panthers 16 SaberCats 9

San Jose is suddenly ownerless as Hollyhh left the team following the loss to Michigan. Perhaps he's mad I forgot to mention that WR Mark Hsu set an all time record for most receiving yards in a season? I hope not, but anyway the Michigan defense held Hsu in check, allowing him a harmless 5 yard catch and nothing else. Michigan QB Larry Henderson fired a 41 yard TD pass to James Hills for the game's lone TD in the 2nd qtr for a 7-0 Michigan lead and the teams exchanged 3 FGs apiece the rest of the game. Henderson finished 32/50, 346 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs and Hills caught 10-127 and a TD to lead the Panthers offense. 

The win gives Michigan the #3 seed, pushing San Jose down to #4.

Blitz 16 Wheels 13

Had Honolulu lost as well as Cleveland and Oakland, Chicago could have claimed the last playoff spot. The Blitz got 88 yards and a TD from Dale Davis and a Ronald Brown TD pass to Ian Gordon as they took a 14-13 lead into the 4th. Detroit shut out Chicago in the first half, but they could only muster a pair of FGs for a 6-0 lead. The Brown to Gordon TD pass gave Chicago a 7-6 lead before Flanagan put Detroit back on top with a TD pass to Matthew Houston. The Davis TD that gave Chicago the 14-13 lead came late in the 3rd qtr and from there the Blitz defense stood tall. In the 4th quarter alone the Blitz intercepted 2 passes, forced 3 three and outs and even scored a safety thanks to sacking Flanagan in the end zone.

Blazers 9 Bandits 3

Florida quietly went through the motions in this game that saw zero touchdowns scored. The Blazers got 3 FGs from Gerald Harmon and the Florida defense allowed just a single FG to defeat Tampa Bay. Bandits QB Antonio Martinez finished the year with the most INTs this season with 34, but he threw none today as he heads into an offseason full of film study. If he can cut his INTs in half, Tampa Bay could have a dangerous offense.

Maulers 33 Force 18

Georgia had 410 offensive yards but 4 turnovers hurt the cause as Pittsburgh wins to claim the top wildcard spot in the national Conference. Force QB Milton People finished 33/56, 353 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs and Ricardo Thomas lost 2 fumbles. Those turnovers led to Pittsburgh FGs and RB Chris Goldberg had a combined 187 yards and 2 TDs. Goldberg had just 35 yards and a TD on 15 carries but his 5 receptions netted 152 yards and a TD. As a team, Pittsburgh had 5 red zone trips with just 2 TDs and a FG to show for it. 

Bell 33 Breakers 18

The Philadelphia offense amassed 375 yards but suffered 3 turnovers while Boston had 340 offensive yards and 7 turnovers. The Bell built a 27-9 halftime lead then held on in the second half to head into the playoffs with some positive momentum. Philadelphia ran for 205 yards as a team, with Jamie Epperson's 97 leading the way. Robert Hernandez tossed 2 TD passes to go with his 2 INTs, with Faustino Dixon catching both scores.Boston QB Adam Scales threw 2 TDs but 3 INTs while the Breakers also coughed up 4 fumbles to Philadelphia. 

Gold 54 Wranglers 0

Denver took their frustrations out on Arizona today, as William Oleson and Richard Funkhouser had themselves quite a game. Oleson completed 27/40, 580 yards and 5 TD passes, 3 to Funkhouser who finished with 14 catches and 356 yards. Defensively they held Arizona to 106 total yards and helped out on the scoreboard with a sack in the end zone. 

Stars 41 Hornets 16

Baltimore overcame 3 Jon Snow INTs and 12 penalties to sting the Hornets today. In between the interceptions, Snow threw for 401 yards and 5 TDs, 3 to John Warkentin, who finished with 28 on the season. That would have been a new league record but San Jose WR Mark Hsu finished this season with 29. Warkentin caught 6 for 182 yards in all. RB Orville Barker ran for 56 yards, adding 80 more on 8 catches as Baltimore misses the playoffs for the first time since 1987.

Sun 12 (NY) Stars 10

Southern California got a 1st quarter TD pass from Wilmer Kimble and a 4th qtr sack of New York QB Willie Bust in the end zone for a safety was the winning margin as the Sun beat the Stars. At the 2 minute warning, New York faced a decision on 4th down, trailing by 5. It was 4th and goal from the 14 and they opted for a FG and an onside kick. The FG was good but the onside kick was not, and New York never saw the ball again.

Gunslingers 13 Outlaws 0

San Antonio got a Randy Leger 13 yard TD run in the 1st quarter and a 5 yard Robert Fanelli TD pass to Miles Marshall in the 2nd and the Gunslingers defense did the rest in the win over Oklahoma today. Benjamin Regalado missed an XP, hence only 13 points. San Antonio intercepted 3 passes and recovered a fumble in shutting out the Outlaws. San Antonio closes out 1993 with 3 wins in a row and hope to build on that momentum in 1994.

 

Week 15: Invitations and Eliminations

 Week 15 saw some teams earn a playoff invitation while other teams got the bad news that their season is over next week. Two of the teams getting that bad news were our defending champs Denver and the National Conference champs Baltimore, meaning we'll have a pair of brand new teams in World Bowl XX. Let's dig into the action...

Steamer 22 VooDoo 17

New Orleans sports talk radio went ballistic after the game, criticizing the game management of HC Samuel Jones. The critics might have some valid points, but it's easy to make the right decision in hindsight from the couch. Two things for those "fans", first of all the decisions were consistent with what Jones has done all season long and second, had the VooDoo executed better in the first 45 minutes, Jones wouldn't have to channel his inner Riverboat Ron Rivera.

To set up the fans angst, Shreveport had just kicked a FG late in the 3rd for a 16-3 lead. The New Orleans offense finally woke up after gaining less than 100 yards up to this point. QB Joseph Jones led the VooDoo on a 6 play, 75 yard TD drive, the last 58 coming on a TD pass to Eric Duncan to cut the lead to 16-10. Shreveport would drive for a FG and a 9 point lead before New Orleans faced a 4th and 4 from their own 31 with over 9 minutes to play. Rather than punt, Jones decided to go for it and failed, putting the Steamer in instant FG range. Shreveport K William Neal made his 5th FG of the day to give the Steamer a 22-10 lead with 7 minutes to go. The VooDoo then went on a 12 play, 75 yard drive that took just under 3 minutes off the clock, with Joseph Jones throwing an 11 yard TD pass to Roderick Patterson, making the score 22-17. There were still over 4 minutes left, so the VooDoo could have kicked away, but they opted for an onside kick, which failed. Luckily for them, Neal finally missed a FG so New Orleans could win with a TD rather than needing a TD and a 2 point conversion. It didn't matter as the Shreveport defense held and the offense ran out all but 6 seconds.

Both QBs were accurate today with Jones completing 29/38, 250 yards and 2 TDs while Shreveport's George Marcil completed 18/22 for 271 yards and a TD. The Steamer win forces a 3 way tie atop the South division standings, setting up a wild Week 16.

Stallions 24 Breakers 14

Boston was the better offensive team today, especially through the air but mistakes broke the Breakers chances at spoiling Birmingham's post season bid. Boston fumbled on their first drive and turned it over on downs deep in Stallions territory on their second. Their 4th and last drive of the half ended with an interception, giving Birmingham the ball in FG range with 0:36 left. The Stallions went backwards, but Gerald Hinton was good from 49 yards out for a 3-0 halftime lead.

Boston tied the game at 3 with 5 minutes left in the 3rd qtr, but Francis Schultz returned the ensuing kickoff 102 yards for a TD. Boston would cut the lead to 10-6 in the middle of the 4th before a wild final 4 and a half minutes. Boston QB Adam Scales had a pretty good game except for turnovers, and his 2nd INT came at a really bad time and in really bad field position. Birmingham took over on the Breakers 13 and a few plays later Willie Benge found Jermaine Voight for a 4 yard TD, extending the lead to 17-6. Undeterred, Scales led Boston 75 yards in 7 plays, finishing the TD drive with a 34 yard pass to Craig Maddox. Scales added the 2 point conversion via the air to Emanuel Adams. This pulled the Breakers within 17-14 inside the 2 minute warning and the onside kick failed. Benge took advantage of the field position, firing a 23 yard TD pass to Joseph Oliver.

The win enables Birmingham to be part of the 3 way logjam atop the South.

Thunderbolts 24 Hornets 6

Cleveland's defense and RB Bobby Colley led the Thunderbolts to victory over Charlotte today, keeping their lead in the race for the #6 seed. Cleveland QB Tony Romo didn't do much, but he didn't need to as his counterpart, Robert Ament, threw 5 INTs. The first 2 led to Thunderbolt TDs, with Bobby Colley running in both scores. Late in the 3rd quarter, Colley padded his stats with his 3rd TD run, a 71 yard jaunt that helped him finish with 106 yards and 3 TDs on 18 carries. Cleveland K Carlos Reed only made 1 of 3 FGs, but CB Ronald Briggs (3 INTs) and the defense made sure it didn't matter.

Invaders 19 Bandits 7

The Oakland defense forced 3 turnovers and held Tampa Bay to 18 minutes of possession as they defeat the Bandits. Neither team ran the ball well, averaging around 3 feet per carry (3 feet sounds better than 1 yard), but the Bandits also struggled in the air. Oakland QB Andrew Moreno completed 30/44 for 302 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT, and while RB Ronald McDevitt ran like he was stuck in mud (28 carries, 22 yards) he caught 10 passes for 91 yards to help the Invaders convert 8/21 3rd downs. 

Oakland might be bitter rivals with Portland playing them twice a year, but next week they are the biggest Storm fans of all. If Portland beats Cleveland next week, Oakland is in the playoffs with a win.

Hawaiians 33 Outlaws 27

Coming into today's game, Oklahoma has only had 2 games with a 300 yard passer in the decade of the 90's, and they have only surpassed 20 points 6 times in that same time span. Today the Outlaws did both, leading Honolulu 27-17 at the 2 minute warning. Hawaiians QB Edwin Clarkson threw his 2nd TD pass of the game with 1:41 left, a 43 yard pass to Brian Vizcarra to pull Honolulu within 27-23. The XP was no good but the onside kick was, so the Hawaiians still had a chance at victory. Clarkson took all the drama out of it with a 53 yard TD to Michael Argueta on the next play to take the lead 30-27 once this XP sailed through the uprights. Oklahoma QB John Crisp had time to lead a tying or winning drive but 1 completion in 4 plays netted just 2 yards, turning it over on downs and allowing Honolulu to tack on 3 points. 

Crisp finished 24/39, 317 yards and 2 TDs, with Clint Young the leading receiver with 144 yards and a TD on 4 catches. For Honolulu, Clarkson completed 25/44, 327 yards. 3 TD, 1 INT and RB Anthony Davis ran for 101 yards.

Storm 47 Blitz 16

Melvin Driggers threw for 430 yards and 3 TDs (2 INTs) and the Portland RBBC ran 28 times for 171 yards and 2 TDs to lead the Storm over Chicago. Richard Robinson caught 7 passes for 165 yards and 2 TDs while Jeffrey Frost caught 5 for 110 yards and the other TD pass. It wasn't all offense for Portland as the defense intercepted 4 Ronald Brown passes and held the Blitz to 2/11 on 3rd down.

Panthers 62 Wranglers 0

Michigan QB Larry Henderson came into the game with 25 INTs on the season but it was Arizona QB Zachary Kinkead who had interception problems today, throwing 5. Meanwhile, Henderson carved up the Wranglers defense like a Christmas ham, completing 47/62, 508 yards and 8 TDs. Oh, and 0 INTs. Doing the most damage at the other end of all those passes was WR James Hills, who caught 17 for 202 yards and 4 TDs.

Federals 36 Stars 31

Washington and Baltimore usually play exciting games and it's a shame we won't be getting a 3rd game between these bitter Atlantic division rivals. The Stars were fighting for their playoff lives, and QB Jon Snow threw for 350 yards and 4 TDs, while Washington's Scott Bieber regressed to the slumping QB we saw in the middle of the season, completing 16/34 for 109 yards and an INT. That doesn't tell the whole story though, as Snow also threw 3 INTs and the Stars defense was shredded on the ground by Robert Trammell and James Dunn. Trammell got the big yardage, 19 carries, 162 yards and 1 TD while Dunn scored twice in 10 carries for 114 yards. The game saw 5 lead changes and a tie after Washington took an early 7-0 lead, the last on a 50 yard John Bazile FG early in the 4th. The game remained 26-24 Washington until the Federals scored 10 points in an 82 second span late in the quarter. Baltimore would score last to get within 5 points but the onside kick failed, as did the Stars last ditch drive.

Bulls 13 Gold 3

What a difference a year makes. The 1993 regular season has been a disappointment for Denver, but nobody can take away their World Bowl trophy from last season. The Gold opted to start journeyman QB William Oleson, and while he did complete 50% of his passes, 18 completions only covered 116 yards and 3 of his passes ended up in the hands of the defense. Jacksonville QB Derek Joyce actually had less yards per completion, finishing 32/48, 176 yards and a TD, but no turnovers.The Bulls win their second in a row, definitely not tanking for a high pick.

Generals 16 Blazers 13

Florida traveled up the East Coast to New Jersey in the hopes of not having to come back here in January for a potential playoff game, while the Generals needed a win to secure at least a BYE. This game was a tale of 2 halves as Florida fumbled on their opening possession while New Jersey scored the first 4 times they had the ball. The Generals struggled in the red zone however, and only had a 16-0 halftime lead. The Blazers chipped away in the 3rd and early 4th, pulling within 16-13 but the New Jersey defense forced a pair of three and outs to preserve the win. Generals rookie RB David Koresh had a combined 142 yards to lead the New Jersey offense.

SaberCats 30 Bell 13

Thanks to the Baltimore loss, it's a certainty that Philadelphia will make their first post season appearance since 1982. The Bell are struggling lately though, as this is their 5th loss in 6 games after their 9-0 start, although the losses were to teams in the playoffs (New Jersey, San Jose), in the hunt for the playoffs (Honolulu and New Orleans), or were recently in the hunt (Tampa Bay). Philadelphia moved the ball, gaining 293 offensive yards, but they had 2 turnovers and their only TD was a 104 yard kickoff return by Faustino Dixon. Defensively, they had the same problem most teams do against the Pacific Champs, they couldn't stop the Jake Plummer to Mark Hsu connection, as the pair connected on 10 passes for 303 yards and 3 scores.

Showboats 40 Wheels 9

Not a lot of good QB play this week, even for some of the winning teams. Memphis QB Norman Maldonado was 20/33 for 323 yards and 3 TD passes , but he was also intercepted twice and sacked 3 times. WR Mark Glenn caught 5 for 173 yards and 2 TDs while the defense forced 4 turnovers (2 INT, 2 fumbles) and sacked Gabriel Flanagan twice. Memphis scored the first 6 times they had the ball, and it would have been 7 but for a missed FG. 

Gamblers 43 Sun 13

It took about a quarter for Houston to get rolling, but once they did, Southern California stood no chance. The Sun led 10-9 after 1 before Houston took the lead 12-10 on a FG early in the 2nd. The Gamblers defense then intercepted their 2nd of 5 passes, leading to a Tony Dean 27 yard TD pass to Donald Turner. The Gamblers pulled away in the second half to win going away. Dean finished the game 33/44, 360 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT. RB Donald Turner nearly had a double triple, rushing for 82 yards and a TD, adding 111 yards and 2 TDs on 8 receptions.Sun QB Wilmer Kimble was harassed by the Gamblers defense all game, completing only 14/33 for 107 yards and 5 INTs, 3 in the final quarter, and he was sacked 4 times.

Maulers 16 (NY) Stars 6

Pittsburgh QB Will Allison completed 31/39, 285 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT to lead the Maulers to victory over New York. Allison completed passes to 10 different receivers and the Pittsburgh defense kept William Hall and the rest of the Stars out of the end zone all game long. The game was closer than it needed to be as Pittsburgh scored just 1 TD in 4 red zone attempts and they kept the ball 38 minutes.

Renegades 20 Force 3

This was one of just 2 games that did not involve a team in the playoff chase, and it would have been a frustrating game to watch, if we could, you know, actually watch games right now. Georgia QB Milton People threw for 270 yards but it took 53 pass attempts to get there. People completed 39, but with no scores and 3 INTs and he got no help from the running game (11 carries, 19 yards). The Force also tried to give the ball away 3 more times on fumbles, but they recovered all of them. Orlando QB Emory Howard was just 9/20, 85 yards and an INT, but their RBBC ran 44 times for 233 yards and 2 TDs. Those TDs were red zone TDs and Orlando got FGs on their other 2 trips inside the 20. Not great but not bad, and certainly not like Georgia today, who had 3 red zone trips and just 1 FG to show for it. 

Gunslingers 27 Express 6

San Antonio has now scored 51 points the last 2 games after combining for 5 in their previous 2. QB Robert Fanelli completed 23/28, 250 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT, with Eugene Bufkin catching 5 for 109 yards and both scores. The Gunslingers RBBC ran 40 times for 154 yards and a TD. San Antonio also had it working on defense today, holding Los Angeles to 244 yards, 3/14 on 3rd down with 4 interceptions and 2 sacks.