Week 1, Part 1: Champs Roll

 It wasn't that long ago when Tony Dean and the Houston Gamblers hoisted the championship trophy, and here we are, starting season 22 already. Dean and the Gamblers did not miss a beat as all 3 phases contributed to a 50-0 shellacking of division rival Oklahoma. That was one of just 5 division games, with 2 of them being Wildcard rematches. Just like January, Detroit beat Michigan and New Jersey beat Philadelphia. We also had a game in Week 1 that some people thought would be the World Bowl XXI matchup, Portland vs Baltimore. The Storm ended the Stars 17 game regular season winning streak. We also saw the Tankers become the Wranglers again, as they win and are over .500 for the first time in a long time. 

Gamblers 50 Outlaws 0

It took a few drives for the Houston offense to get on track, but the Gamblers defense was able to score first following a strip sack of Oklahoma QB John Crisp. LDE Wesley Douglass hit the trifecta, getting the sack, strip, and fumble recovery in the end zone. Tony Dean then led a FG drive before firing the first of his 4 TDs near the end of the 1st quarter for a 17-0 lead after 15 minutes. Dean's 4 TD passes went to 4 different receivers with Jett Black leading the way in yardage, with 150 on 5 catches. Dean finished the game 27/37, 423 yards and 4 TDs. The Houston defense made like rough all game for the Outlaws offense, turning them over 6 times and holding them to 110 total yards. 

Federals 27 (NY) Stars 16

New York QB Damien Oleary lit up the Washington defense for 403 yards, but his 2 INTs hurt the cause, as did 3 lost fumbles and a late turnover on downs. Washington had a slim 16-10 lead late in the 4th when New York opted to go for a 4th and 8 from their own 13 with just over 3 minutes left. The pass failed and Washington capitalized with a 2 yard James Dunn TD run and a 2 point run by Robert Trammell. Oleary's 2nd INT came on the next play, allowing John Bazile to boot his 4th FG of the game. Oleary then completed a 75 yard TD pass to Albert Olson that was too little, too late. 

Storm 23 Stars 13

This game was ruled by the defense as neither offense threw the ball well at all. Both teams were able to run for a decent average but each team also lost a fumble. The Portland defense allowed Jon Snow just 177 passing yards on 23 completions, intercepting him 4 times and Marcelino McCarthy returned one 50 yards for a TD in the 1st qtr to give Portland the lead for good. The Storm did have a 100 yard receiver as Richard Robinson had exactly half of Melvin Driggers 226 passing yards, catching 6 for 113 yards on the day. The Storm did have 325 yards of offense, but they also turned the ball over 3 times, only to be bailed out by their defense making Jon Snow's life miserable. 

Wheels 15 Panthers 7

Detroit flexed their muscles on defense today, intercepting Larry Henderson 5 times and holding the Panthers to 217 yards. Henderson had a miserable all around game, completing 16/35 for 92 yards and those 5 INTs. Detroit also sacked Henderson 3 times, including once for a safety. Michigan's offense was held in check most of the game, and almost half of their yardage came on a 4th qtr 97 yard TD run by Walter Simmons to get the Panthers within 12-7. Their last 3 drives went INT, 3 and out, INT and Detroit added a FG for the tight division win.

Generals 28 Bell 6

New Jersey wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as Forrest Gump took the opening kickoff 104 yards to the house and an instant 7-0 lead for the Generals. Philadelphia would later face a 4th and goal from the 1 and opted for a FG to cut the lead to 7-3. Don Ferguson extended the Generals lead with a 27 yard TD pass to Redd Foxx, then Philadelphia once again drove into the New Jersey red zone only to come away with a FG. The game stayed 14-6 through the 3rd quarter before Ferguson threw a pair of 4th qtr TD passes to lead New Jersey to victory. Philadelphia RB Jamie Epperson had a combined 184 offensive yards, rushing for 67 and catching 8 passes for 117 yards.

World Bowl XXI: Gamblers Win 5th World Bowl

 All eyes were on New Orleans today as the Superdome played host to World Bowl XXI. We had the Houston Gamblers looking for history against the Washington Federals, seeking their first title. Houston had won 4 World Bowls before tonight and if they get their 5th, they would tie the Memphis Showboats for most in league history. We've had just 9 franchises win the first twenty World Bowls, with 5 winning more than one: Memphis (5), Houston (4), Portland (3), Detroit (2), and New Jersey(2). The first 3 teams on that list are all undefeated in the World Bowl while Washington was aiming to join Florida, Oakland, Los Angeles, and Denver in winning one.

World Bowl XXI

Houston Gamblers 24 Washington Federals 8

Houston got the ball to start the game and each team punted on their first drive, which set the tone of the game. If you consider the 25 yard line average starting position, Houston had 5 drives start behind schedule while Washington had 8. The Gamblers started their second drive from their 15 yard line but Tony Dean completed 6/7 passes to get down to the Washington 6 yard line. Donald Turner ran it down to the 2, then Ryan Dearing finished the drive with a TD and a 7-0 lead. More punts followed and Washington's 3rd and 4th drives both began inside their own 10. The Federals gained some yards on their 4th drive before punting, forcing Houston to start at their own 17. Dean later found Jett Black with a 67 yard TD pass to extend the Gamblers lead to 14-0, and they took that lead into halftime. 

Washington got the ball to start the second half and they got to start at the 25, which had to feel great given the poor first half drive starts. The Federals never crossed midfield in the first half, so it had to be tempting to go for it on 4th and 1 from the Houston 49, but they opted for field position and Miguel Browning pinned Houston at their own 5. Unfortunately for the Federals, Dean was able to get the Gamblers across midfield before the drive stalled and Washington once again found themselves starting a drive in negative field position. The offense went nowhere but Ryan Dearing fumbled, and Washington recovered at their own 46. The 3rd quarter ended with Washington facing a 2nd and 4 from the 4 and a half.

James Dunn started the 4th with a 3 yard run down to the 2, setting up 3rd and 1. Reminiscent of the Seattle Seahawks, many thought Washington should run the ball, but Scott Bieber dropped back to pass and was intercepted by Thomas Hutson in the end zone to leave the score 14-0. Houston would get a FG on the ensuing drive for a 17-0 lead. A couple drives later, Washington finally got on the scoreboard thanks to a 66 yard Scott Bieber TD pass to Andrew Favela. Bieber then tossed a 2 point pass to Brian Parsons, cutting the lead to 17-8, but with less than 5 minutes left and down 2 scores, Washington tried an onside kick. That failed, as did a desperation 4th and 4 from their own 16 which allowed Francisco Russell to tack on an insurance TD on a 5 yard run. 

Tony Dean completed 26/32 for 274 yards and a TD in winning his 4th World Bowl, but the MVP goes to Jett Black. Black caught 4 passes for 129 yards and his TD reception gave Houston all the cushion they needed as the defense kept the Federals in bad field position all game long. For his efforts, Black will drive home in a brand new 1995 Chevy Corvette.

 

Conference Championship Weekend

 The USFL/WFL had their Conference Championship Games tonight and World Bowl XXI will feature the Houston Gamblers looking for their 5th title against the Washington Federals, who are seeking their first championship after losing 3 previous World Bowls. Neither team was the best in their conference during the regular season but both beat their nemesis in the playoffs. Houston and Denver met in Week 16 to determine home field advantage and the Gold won, which meant Houston had to travel to Denver for tonight's game. Washington was the #3 seed but were really the 2nd best team in the National Conference behind Baltimore, as the Stars gave the Federals their only 2 losses. Washington then won 3 straight road playoff games against division winners and once again winning the Conference Championship Game in New Jersey for the 2nd straight season.

Gamblers 26 Gold 7

Houston got the ball first and punted, then forced a Denver punt which pinned the Gamblers at their own 7 yard line. Tony Dean then led a 7 play, 93 yard TD drive with Ryan Dearing getting a short TD run for a 7-0 lead. Denver came back with one of those long drives like they had against Portland last week, going 75 yards in 11 plays, tying the game on a Frederick Barron 2 yard TD run and the XP. Tony Dean watched that from the sideline before he matched it exactly, leading Houston 75 yards in 11 plays, breaking the tie with a 15 yard TD pass to Jett Black. 

The rest of the half and most of the 3rd quarter was a punt fest, with Houston increasing their lead to 16-7 with a sack of Andrew Brewer in the end zone. Joseph Taylor got the sack/safety and Tony Dean put the final nail in the coffin after the free kick, leading Houston 65 yards to a TD and a 23-7 4th quarter lead. The score was an 11 yard pass to Jett Black and the Gamblers defense kept Denver from making a comeback as they return to the World Bowl after a 6 year hiatus.

Fredrick Whidden ran for 101 yards for Denver but Andrew Brewer had a rough day, completing 15/35, 195 yards and 2 INTs. Tony Dean was 22/29, 305 yards and 2 TDs to Jett Black. RB Donald Turner didn't score, but he ran for 64 yards on 19 carries, adding 120 receiving yards on 6 receptions.

Federals 30 Generals 13

This was a rematch of the 1993 National Conference Championship Game, although Washington made sure they didn't need overtime this year. The Federals also gave the Generals their first shutout loss in years this regular season, but New Jersey scored first on an Al Borland FG. Washington answered quickly as Scott Bieber found James Larson for a 60 yard TD pass and a 7-3 lead. Don Ferguson then led the Generals on their best drive of the game, going 75 yards in 14 plays with Eric Davis catching a 17 yard TD pass. John Bazile would add a FG and the first half ended in a 10-10 tie.

In the middle of the 3rd, Scott Bieber broke the tie with an 81 yard TD pass to Andrew Favela. Don Ferguson then immediately threw an INT setting up another Bazile FG and a 20-10 Washington lead. Next New Jersey drive resulted in another Ferguson INT but the Generals defense forced a punt. Forrest Gump fumbled it away however, and Bieber made the most of this opportunity with a 9 yard TD pass to James Dunn, and the 3rd quarter ended with the Federals enjoying a 27-10 lead. 

Each team added a 4th qtr FG, but the mistake filled 3rd did New Jersey in, and Washington gets back to the World Bowl for the 2nd straight season.Scott Bieber completed 19/32, 313 yards and 3 TD passes while ex Washington backup QB Don Ferguson continues to be haunted by his former team. He did complete 34/52 for 270 yards and a TD, but 3 INTs did not help the cause.

1994 Divisional Round

 The USFL/WFL Divisional Round was played today and we had 3 close games and a blowout. In the American Conference, the Houston Gamblers are looking for their first World Bowl appearance in 6 seasons as they flatten the Detroit Wheels to advance to the Conference Championship Game. They will face the Denver Gold who won a slugfest with the Portland Storm. In the National Conference, it was the road teams avenging regular season losses, and in the case of the Washington Federals, they avenged a sweep. I felt all along that if Baltimore got past Washington, they would win it all, as the Federals were probably the team best suited to take them out. Congratulations again to Baltimore on their 16-0 regular season, which is still an impressive accomplishment despite no title to back it up. New Jersey had to travel to Florida thanks to the Blazers regular season win and the Generals had fun in the sun as a late 4th down stop seals the win. New Jersey will host Washington in the Conference Championship Game as the Generals try to avenge a shutout loss to the Federals earlier this season.

Gold 16 Storm 14

Portland got the ball first and were driving for a score when David Smith coughed up the ball after a reception and Denver SS Joshua Woodruff fell on the ball after knocking it loose. Andrew Brewer led the Gold offense into the Storm red zone, but the drive stalled and a Robert Deacon 31 yard FG gave Denver an early 3-0 lead. Denver forced a three and out before Andrew Brewer led the longest drive I think I've ever seen in MFN. The Gold went 85 yards, taking a whopping 20 plays to do it and 10:12 of game clock. Frederick Barron's 1 yard TD run was the 20th play to put Denver up 10-0 after the XP. Melvin Driggers brought Portland back with a TD drive to get back within 3 points, with his 32 yard TD pass to Peter Jessee. The first half would end 10-7 Denver.

Denver's FG drive in the first half took 11 plays, and their first drive of the second half took 14 plays, resulting in a FG for a 13-7 lead. The Gold defense forced a punt and the Denver offense had their 4th drive of double digit plays, driving 55 yards in 13 plays, but Robert Deacon missed the 53 yard try. Four long, grueling drives against the Storm defense had to take their toll, and they did a great job only allowing 13 points to this point. 

Melvin Driggers and Jose Moses got Portland's defense some rest with a 9 play, 58 yard TD drive. Moses got the TD with a 2 yard run and Donald Atkins made the XP to give the Storm a 14-13 lead with 8:35 to play. Denver was forced to punt and Driggers was leading Portland on a clock draining drive with a 1st and 10 at the Denver 37 yard line when the 2 minute warning hit. On the next play, MLB Herbert Patterson knocked the ball loose from Jose Moses and CB James Butts fell on the loose ball for Denver. Andrew Brewer led the Gold offense into FG range and Robert Deacon was good from 48 yards to give Denver a 16-14 lead. Melvin Driggers and Portland had 1:17 to work with but the drive ended short of midfield and the Denver Gold advance to host the American Conference Championship Game.

Gamblers 47 Wheels 12

Tony Dean fired TD passes on Houston's first 2 drives and the Gamblers got out to a 17-3 lead and never looked back as they earn a trip to Denver. Houston's defense never let Detroit get comfortable on offense, holding them to 215 total yards and 1/12 on 3rd down. Detroit did get a FG on their opening drive and sacked Dean in the end zone for a safety, but Dean bounced back with his 3rd TD pass of the first half as the Gamblers enjoyed a 24-5 halftime lead. Dean threw his 4th TD on the first second half drive and it was all over but the shouting. Ryan Dearing ran for 118 yards while Donald Turner ran for 95 and catching 10 passes for 88 yards and a TD to lead Houston. Dean finished 30/43, 281 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT while Detroit's Gabriel Flanagan had a day to forget, 17/44, 187 yards, 1 TD, 4 INT.  Houston CB Thomas Hutson put the final nail in the Detroit coffin when he intercepted Flanagan, returning it 34 yards for a TD early in the 4th.

Federals 19 Stars 17

Baltimore entered the game 16-0, having swept Washington in the regular season and owning a 5-1 post season record against the Federals. Jon Snow led the Stars to a TD on their opening drive, finding TE Ivan Oneil 4 times, the last one being a 3 yard TD for a 7-0 lead. Baltimore would add a FG on their 2nd drive for a 10-0 lead before we had some punts by both teams. Washington finally got on the scoreboard with a John Bazile 37 yard FG before a wild sequence of plays in the final 2 minutes before halftime. Right after the 2 minute timeout, Scott Bieber threw an interception to Jeffery Venable. Jon Snow was playing hot potato though, as he promptly gave it back with an interception to Robert Cosby. Given new life, Bieber got Washington into the end zone with 3 completions, with the 5 yard score going to Oliver Jeter. On the ensuing kickoff, Glenn Sprinkle fumbled on a hit by Theodore Paladino and Francisco Bailey fell on the loose ball for the Federals. Bieber couldn't get a TD out of it, but another Bazile FG gave Washington a 13-10 halftime lead.

The 3rd quarter was a punt fest and a John Bazile FG early in the 4th extended the Washington lead to 16-10. Jon Snow would lead Baltimore back with a 1 yard TD pass to Walter Bowser and the Fred Boyce XP gave the Stars a late 17-16 lead. Washington had just under 6 minutes to work with and the drive almost stalled near midfield, but Scott Bieber converted a 4th and 8 to keep the drive alive. John Bazile did the honors, booting a 21 yard FG for the Washington lead and the Federals defense held for 4 downs and they win the game.

Generals 17 Blazers 13

Two possessions in and both teams had 1 punt and 1 FG. Don Ferguson had New Jersey poised to score again, but on 2nd and 3 from the Florida 9, he was intercepted by James McCormick, keeping the game tied at 3. The rest of the half was punts as neither team had good starting field position. 

Third quarter started similar, with Florida punting, pinning the Generals at their own 9. Ferguson led New Jersey on a 10 play, 91 yard drive, getting the game's first TD with a 20 yard scoring strike to WR Eric Davis (Go Reds!). It only took Sidney Maggard 4 plays to match that score as he quickly led the Blazers down field. WR William Sheppard was the recipient of the 53 yard scoring strike that knotted the game at 10. The punting resumed for a bit until Florida K Gerald Harmon booted a 47 yard FG for a 13-10 Blazers lead with 9:15 to play in the 4th. Ferguson answered by leading New Jersey to an 8 play, 75 yard TD drive, with Kurt Cobain's 13 yard TD reception giving the Generals the lead. Al Borland's XP made the score 17-13, meaning Florida had 4:55 to score a TD. Sidney Maggard and Robert Romero led Florida down the field and the Blazers hit the 2 minute warning facing a 4th and 6 from the New Jersey 16. Maggard connected on the pass to Romero, but Nuke LaLoosh stopped Romero short of the line to gain, allowing New Jersey to drain the clock and advance.

1994 Wildcard Weekend

 The Road to World Bowl XXI begins for real now, with 12 teams vying for the coveted trophy. Denver, Houston, Baltimore, and Florida had BYE weeks and they now know their first playoff opponent in the Divisional Round. The American Conference games were as tight as their standings were all season while in the National Conference one game was close and one was a blowout. San Jose, Michigan, Shreveport, and Philadelphia all have bowed out of the playoffs involuntarily, but they all deserve props for great seasons. 

Storm 17 SaberCats 13

Portland got the ball first and was forced to punt near midfield. Jason Harper did what coaches always say not to do by fielding the punt inside the 10 yard line. Harper got hit and fumbled, with Christopher Schneider recovering it for Portland to set up a first and goal. Three plays later Melvin Driggers found Donald Langlois for an 8 yard TD pass and a 7-0 lead. A few drives later, San Jose would get a FG and the first quarter ended 7-3 Portland. In the second quarter, Portland faced a 4th and 1 from the San Jose 41, and the run failed but Jake Plummer threw an interception 3 plays later, so it's like they made it all along. The Storm would continue to drive, getting a 46 yard Donald Atkins FG to take a 10-3 lead. Plummer brought the SaberCats back to tie the game just inside the 2 minute warning with a 46 yard TD pass to David Hartwig.

The 3rd quarter saw an exchange of punts until we neared the 4th as Driggers led Portland on a 9 play, 80 yard TD drive to take a 17-10 lead into the 4th. Val Smith caught the 24 yard TD pass, and the TE led the Storm in receiving today. In the middle of the 4th, Plummer drove San Jose into FG range and Robert Rodriguez was good on his 51 yard try, cutting the lead to 17-13. Driggers then had Portland driving for a score when he was intercepted by Geoffrey Kessler, giving Plummer 2 minutes to score a TD for the win. That drive went nowhere and Portland holds on for the win, advancing to face Denver for the 3rd time this year.

Wheels 13 Panthers 12

Speaking of teams playing for the 3rd time, all 4 games this weekend deal with that in one way or another. Portland and Washington victories have them advancing to face division rivals, while just like Philadelphia and New Jersey, the Detroit Wheels and Michigan Panthers have their 3rd game take place wildcard weekend. It was 14 degrees in Detroit and both offenses played like they wish this game was in the Silverdome instead of Rynearson Stadium, as 5 combined red zone trips resulted in just 3 FGs and neither team scored an offensive TD today. 

Detroit forced a Michigan punt deep in Panthers territory and the Wheels began their drive from the Michigan 40. The offense didn't move much but Kent Olden's 44 yard FG gave Detroit the 3-0 lead. Later on in the first, Detroit FB Thomas Love fumbled after a reception with Miguel Lamar recovering it, leading to a Jonathan Ruch 46 yard FG and a tie game. Late in the first and early in the 2nd, Gabriel Flanagan threw interceptions that the Michigan offense turned into FGs for a 9-3 lead. Flanagan then led Detroit on their best offensive drive of the game, but on 4th and 1 from the Michigan 7, they opted to play it safe and try a 26 yard FG to get within 3 points but Kent Olden was wide right, leaving the score 9-3. Michigan then drove into FG range where Jonathan Ruch was wide left on a 41 yard try. Detroit then drove into FG range and Olden was good on the 32 yard kick for a halftime score of 9-6 Michigan.

Michigan got the ball to start the 3rd quarter and a FG drive extended the Panthers lead to 12-6. From there the teams took turns punting and throwing interceptions and the score remained 12-6 entering the 4th. On the first play of the final quarter, Larry Henderson threw his 2nd INT of the game and CB Ralph Thomas returned it 39 yards for the only TD of the game. Olden's XP gave Detroit a 13-12 lead with most of the 4th yet to play. Henderson threw an interception on the very next Michigan play and Gabriel Flanagan had Detroit on the doorstep of a TD, but Ronald Sparling intercepted him in the end zone, leaving the score 13-12. The Panthers offense could not cross midfield on their last 2 drives, allowing Detroit to hold on for the first Wheels playoff win in the fhunt3 era. His reward is a trip to Houston to face the Gamblers and Tony Dean.

Federals 24 Steamer 3

Not much drama in this game as each team had 5 full first half possessions in which Shreveport punted 5 times while Washington scored on 4 of their 5 for a 16-0 halftime lead. Scott Bieber completed 28/37 for 287 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT while RBs Robert Trammell and James Dunn did most of the heavy lifting as Washington advances to face Baltimore for the 3rd time.

Bieber found Dunn for a 7 yard TD pass to give the Federals a 7-0 lead after 1 quarter while John Bazile made 3 FGs in the 2nd quarter for that 16-0 halftime lead. Bieber had Washington driving for more points in the 3rd quarter before being intercepted by William Augustine at the goal line. George Marcil drove Shreveport from one 20 yard line to almost the other 20 before the drive stalled. A Jeffrey Smith 40 yard FG got the Steamer on the scoreboard but they still trailed by 13 points and time was running out. Early in the 4th, Bieber fired his 2nd TD pass, a 1 yard toss to Jonathan Fuller and a 2 point conversion pass to James Dunn to make the score 24-3. The rest of the 4th was uneventful and the Federals win. 

Robert Trammell ran for 89 yards, adding 21 receiving while James Dunn ran for 43 yards, catching 9 passes for 145 yards and a TD to lead the Washington skill players.

Generals 33 Bell 24

It was even colder in New Jersey (7 degrees) than Detroit, but the offenses of both teams came out of the gates on fire, with 5 combined 75 yard drives to start the game. New Jersey got the ball first and drove 75 yards in 9 plays, capping the drive with a 7 yard Don Ferguson TD pass to Duncan Meyer. It took Joseph Serio 2 plays to match that with a 75 yard TD pass to Craig Hines. New Jersey then took 11 plays to drive 75 yards with a Ferguson 1 yard TD pass to Sam Beckett breaking the tie. Al Borland was wide right on the XP and the Generals led 13-7 after a quarter.

Philadelphia's 2nd drive also went 75 yards, with Jamie Epperson's 3 yard TD run tying the game at 13. Robert Albertson made the XP for a 14-13 Philadelphia lead. Ferguson led the Generals down the field on their next drive, finding Kurt Cobain for a 46 yard TD and a 20-14 lead. The defenses finally settled down and we had some punts and an Al Borland FG to close out the first half with New Jersey enjoying a 23-14 lead.

In the 3rd quarter Philadelphia was driving in New Jersey territory when Charles Weymouth lost a fumble on a hit by Michael Nieves and Martin Riggs fell on the loose ball for the Generals. Don Ferguson then led New Jersey on another TD drive, with a 9 yard pass to Redd Foxx giving the Generals a 30-14 lead. It only took Philadelphia one play to get those points back as Joseph Serio found Craig Hines for their 2nd 75 yard TD hookup of the game. 

That made the score 30-21 entering the 4th, and early in the final quarter, the Bell had a first and goal from the 8 yard line. Three runs netted just 1 yard and a Robert Albertson FG cut the lead to 30-24. New Jersey would punt on their next drive and time was running out for Philadelphia. The Bell went for a 4th and 8 from their own 22 with less than 4 minutes to play but Martin Riggs knocked down the pass and the Generals offense took over. They took a couple minutes off the clock and added a FG by Al Borland for a 9 point lead, 33-24. Michael Nieves then intercepted Serio, sealing the game for New Jersey as they advance to face the Florida Blazers.

Don Ferguson completed 32/39, 330 yards, 4 TD and 0 INT, with the TDs all going to different receivers while Beckett and Cobain combined for 121 rushing yards. WR Craig Hines led the way for Philadelphia with 4 catches, 191 yards and 2 TDs.

Week 16: Early Playoffs Part 2

 We've had several weeks of elimination football in the American Conference and now that the dust has settled, our playoff field is finally set. First of all, great seasons for Memphis and Cleveland, who both just missed the playoff party despite winning double digit games. They will be forces to be reckoned with the next few seasons, so this year's playoff teams will need to stay on their toes. Congratulations to Denver, Houston, Detroit, and San Jose for winning their divisions and congrats to Portland and Michigan for making it as wildcards. The 6 National Conference Teams have been known for a few games, but formal congratulations go out to Baltimore, Florida, New Jersey, and Shreveport for winning their divisions and congrats to Washington and Philadelphia for being the wildcard teams. 

Gold 35 Gamblers 28

The defenses took the day off in this game that turned out to be a battle for home field advantage. Denver put up 529 yards of offense while Houston smoked the Gold defense for 420 yards. Houston took an early 3-0 lead on their opening drive but Denver answered in 1 play, a 75 yard Andrew Brewer TD pass to Douglas Crowley. Another Houston FG cut the Gold lead to 7-6, but Brewer found Brian Thornton for an 86 yard TD and a 14-6 lead they took into halftime.

Tony Dean led Houston to a TD on their first drive of the second half, cutting the lead to 1 but a pair of long Denver touchdowns gave the Gold a 28-13 lead after 3. Denver's first TD of the second half came on a Frederick Barron 74 yard TD run, then Brewer found Dennis Harris for a 66 yard TD pass. Tony Dean started the 4th quarter scoring with a 12 yard TD pass to Jett Black, and Dean also threw for the 2 point conversion to pull Houston within 7. The Gamblers defense made Denver drive for once, but the Gold still got a Brewer 9 yard TD pass to James Riley for a 35-21 lead. Dean then led the Gamblers down the field, getting a 5 yard TD pass to Jose Ridgeway to make the score 35-28 just inside the 2 minute warning. Houston would recover the onside kick but was forced to punt. The Gamblers defense forced a quick three and out but Dean couldn't produce any heroics as the Gamblers limp into the playoffs with their 2nd straight loss. The win gives Denver home field advantage throughout the playoffs while results from other games gives Houston the other BYE week.

Blitz 20 Wheels 3

Detroit just needed to beat Chicago and they would win the Midwest division while a loss meant scoreboard watching to see if they get a playoff invitation. The Wheels literally threw away their chance to win as Detroit QBs combined for 8 INTs. Backup Ellis Soza continues to make brief cameos every game, usually putting up Arizona Wrangler (Tankers) like stats and today was no exception as Soza was 0/5 with 3 INTs. Gabriel Flanagan did complete 28/40 but he was also responsible for 5 INTs. Chicago could only take advantage for 20 points, but it was enough to force Detroit into scoreboard watching. Ronald Brown threw for 2 TD passes while John Gates ran for 116 yards to lead the Blitz offense.

SaberCats 15 Panthers 10

The Detroit loss opened the door for Michigan to win the Midwest if they could beat Pacific champs San Jose. The SaberCats fate was already written prior to the game, as they would be the #4 seed, hosting the top wildcard. Michigan's offense had trouble running the ball and stopping the run as the SaberCats RBBC had 176 yards on 42 carries. The Panthers forced FGs by San Jose however, and Larry Henderson's 3rd quarter TD pass to Lawrence Dummer gave Michigan a 10-6 lead. San Jose cut it to 10-9 in the 4th before Jake Plummer found Mark Hsu for a 79 yard TD pass and a 15-10 lead after the 2 point try failed. Michigan was driving toward the San Jose red zone but Larry Henderson threw an interception that sealed the victory for the SaberCats. The Michigan loss gives Detroit the Midwest crown and now it's the Panthers that have to watch the scoreboard.

Storm 17 Gunslingers 13

Portland was hoping Houston could beat Denver to open the door for the division title, but the Gold won, which meant Portland needed to beat San Antonio to assure themselves a wildcard spot. The Gunslingers came up short today but they gave Portland all they wanted and beat them up physically, sending the Storm into the playoffs banged up. San Antonio got on the board first with a short Robert Arroyo TD run, then Melvin Driggers tied the game with his TD pass to Timothy Roquemore. Driggers threw his 2nd TD pass to David Smith and Portland held a 14-7 halftime lead. San Antonio thought they had tied it in the 3rd after Charlie Shanks 3 yard TD run but the XP was no good. Portland added a FG later in the 3rd for a 17-13 lead that held up after a scoreless 4th.

Blazers 12 Showboats 7

Florida would secure a BYE with a win while Memphis needed a win to grab a playoff spot, and each team's defense did everything they could to make it happen for their team. Memphis held Florida to 246 yards and less than 2 yards a carry on the ground, while keeping the Blazers out of the end zone all day. Florida held the Showboats to 238 yards of offense while also forcing 2 turnovers that led to 2 of the Blazers 4 FGs on the day. Those 4 FGs were enough to overcome the 1 TD Memphis scored as both teams get next week off. The Florida win gives them a BYE while Memphis goes home until 1995 begins. The Memphis loss put the Showboats into a tie with Michigan for the #6 seed which they lost due to the head to head loss to Michigan in Week 4.

Stars 16 Federals 10

It seemed that Baltimore would get the home field advantage and Atlantic division crown even with a loss, but that theory wasn't tested as Baltimore wins once again to complete a 16-0 regular season. The Stars join the 1977 Detroit Wheels and 1986 Memphis Showboats as the only 3 teams to ever finish the regular season 16-0. Can Baltimore complete the 19-0 season like the Wheels and Showboats? Time will tell. This last game was no cake walk as Washington had a 7-0 lead after Robert Trammell's 2 yard TD run in the 1st qtr. Baltimore would get a pair of Fred Boyce FGs to pull within 7-6 at the half. Washington extended the lead to 10-6 early in the 4th before Jon Snow finally got the Stars in the end zone. His 18 yard TD pass to Jeffrey Zimmer gave Baltimore a 13-10 lead and Fred Boyce added 3 points at the 2 minute warning for our final margin. 

Generals 61 Bell 12

New Jersey was fighting for a BYE, trying hard to win while Philadelphia reportedly sat 7 starters and the results were predictable. New Jersey QB Don Ferguson completed 41/55, 538 yards and 6 TDs to lead the Generals offense. Only 1 receiver topped 100 yards despite Ferguson's stats and that was RB Sam Beckett, who had 199 combined yards, catching 7 for 152 yards and 2 TDs. Fellow RB David Koresh had the reverse game of Beckett, catching a TD pass among his 5 for 57 yards while rushing for 133 yards and a TD for a combined 190 yards. 

Steamer 27 Maulers 3

Shreveport tuned up for the playoffs by limiting Pittsburgh to 112 offensive yards and getting 4 George Marcil TD passes in the first half to cruise to victory. Rookie WR David Shafer did most of the damage with 6 catches, 194 yards and 3 TDs while Jeffrey Morris led a productive RBBC with 87 of the team's 170 rushing yards.

VooDoo 14 Thunderbolts 12

Cleveland was 10-2 after 12 weeks only to come into this game on a 3 game losing streak (all losses to playoff teams) and finding themselves destined to go home after this game. Cleveland more than doubled the offensive yards of New Orleans but 4 red zone trips resulted in just 1 TD and 2 FGs. Joseph Jones threw a pair of TD passes to give New Orleans a 14-0 lead in the 3rd quarter before Cleveland finally scored some points. A pair of FGs got Cleveland within 14-6 and they nearly had a TD before turning it over on downs very deep in VooDoo territory. The Thunderbolts got the ball back for one last drive and Tony Romo led them to a TD with a 7 yard pass to Matthew Martin with 0:01 on the clock, but the 2 point conversion was no good and the game ended with a thud for Cleveland.

Force 22 Stallions 18

Milton People was in a giving mood today, passing for 3 TDs for Georgia while throwing 3 INTs to the Birmingham defense. People's first TD pass, a 7 yarder to Matthew Taylor gave the Force a 7-0 lead. Then 2 INTs and a lost fumble on Georgia's next 3 drives led to 13 Birmingham points and a 13-7 Stallions lead at halftime. Birmingham's defense tackled Shaun Sutton in the end zone for a safety and a FG a bit later gave the Stallions an 18-7 4th quarter lead. Milton People then threw a pair of TD passes to lead Georgia to 15 unanswered points and a come from behind victory.

Hawaiians 42 Hornets 18

Honolulu took out their playoff frustrations out on Charlotte today, intercepting 4 passes including 1 for a TD as they sting the Hornets. Derek Henry threw for 270 yards and 4 TDs to lead the Hawaiians offense. RB Anthony Davis had 129 combined yards with a rushing TD while WR Brian Vizcarra caught 5 for 127 yards and a TD. 

Express 23 Sun 13

Los Angeles last made the playoffs in 1987 with the remnants of what once former/now current owner mwd65 left behind. With his return, the Express ended the season with momentum and a 4 game winning streak to put the Pacific on notice for 1995. Today, Gary Sappington scored a pair of rushing TDs to help Los Angeles get out to a 20-6 halftime lead. The Express extended the lead to 23-6 in the 4th before a late Southern California TD made the score closer.

Outlaws 24 Invaders 9

Oklahoma won despite just 132 offensive yards thanks to 3 Andrew Moreno INTs, one returned for a TD. Oklahoma QB Steven Rigney only completed 5 of 13 passes today but one went 75 yards to Craig Icenhour, who served as the Outlaws PK early this season. The Outlaws running game went nowhere, gaining 41 yards on 35 carries but Alfred Brown had a 10 yard TD run while the Outlaws defense allowed just 3 FGs all day for the win.

(NY) Stars 42 Bandits 24

Baseball teams often have fireworks shows to end wins, seasons, or to celebrate home runs, or at least they do with my local team, the Cincinnati Reds. New York and Tampa Bay did something similar to end 1994 by putting up an aerial fireworks display of footballs with a combined 932 passing yards. 118 combined passes thrown and zero sacks. Antonio Martinez was 34/66, 455 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT while Damien Oleary completed 30/51, 477 yards and 3 TD passes. Each team had just 1 receiver get over 100 but each in different ways. The Bandits spread the ball around today, with WR Richard Miller leading the way with 7 catches 131 yards while Martinez found a different receiver for all of his TD passes. Oleary focused more on one guy, WR Albert Olson, and the rookie speedster caught 10 passes for 327 yards and 3 TDs. 

Tampa bay got off to a fast start, as they led early in the 2nd quarter 24-7. The Stars held the Bandits scoreless the final 42 minutes of the game and by halftime, Oleary had New York within 24-21. New York went on to win the second half 21-0 and their 35 unanswered points gave them the come from behind win.

Bulls 7 Renegades 6

Orlando controlled the action, holding the ball over 41 minutes and out gaining Jacksonville 273-219. Orlando did not turn the ball over, they converted 8/19 3rd downs, and Trey Lyons completed 22/28 passes but all of that produced just a pair of Scott Mueller FGs. Orlando also had 21 total first downs to just 5 for Jacksonville, but the Bulls actually put the ball in the end zone once, which was just enough to beat 2 FGs. In fact, their TD accounted for 41% of their total yards today as Derek Joyce found Leon Gutierrez for a 91 yard TD pass.

Breakers 63 Tankers 0

I am glad the tanking ends here because these box scores have got quite ridiculous. Arizona QBs combined for 0/55/6 with 7 sacks for a grand total of negative 58 offensive yards. James Nash led the Boston RBBC with 104 yards and a TD as the Breakers used 6 different ball carriers to rush for 287 yards and 4 TDs. QB Joseph Haight completed 22/36 for 255 yards and 3 TDs, 2 to Anthony Temple (4-112-2). Boston finishes 7-9, their best record since 1990.

Week 15: Early Playoffs Part 1

 With so many teams in the American Conference fighting for playoff spots, we're essentially having pre-playoffs now. Heading into Week 16, the standings glitch has appeared as Detroit has not really clinched the Midwest yet. In fact the only division in that conference to be decided is the Pacific and the wildcard scenarios are truly wild. We have 7 playoff type games on the schedule for Week 16 although it appears that Washington @ Baltimore is meaningless other than the Stars run for perfection. 

Detroit @ Chicago

San Jose @ Michigan

Houston @ Denver

Memphis @ Florida

Portland @ San Antonio

Philadelphia @ New Jersey *(Only matters for seeding/BYE)

Washington @ Baltimore *(MFN says it doesn't matter and I can't prove otherwise)

That's all next week though, and we had a full slate of Week 15 games that set this chaos up.

SaberCats 30 Hawaiians 10

San Jose finally found a way to get WR Mark Hsu involved in the offense again and the SaberCats win to complete the sweep and win the Pacific. Things started off poorly for Jake Plummer as he was intercepted by John Meyer, who returned it for a TD and a 7-0 Honolulu lead. Plummer bounced back, driving San Jose down the field, tying the game with a 10 yard TD pass to David McEntee. Each team would add a FG for a halftime score of 10-10.

The 3rd quarter saw Plummer find Mark Hsu for a pair of TDs to put the game away. The first one went for 41 yards and broke the 10 all tie while the back breaker covered 73 yards. The SaberCats defense shut down the Hawaiians offense and will host a playoff game.

Gold 26 Thunderbolts 23

In the real life NFL, Denver and John Elway broke Cleveland fans hearts with 2 improbable come from behind playoff wins in the 1980's. The stakes weren't as high today but Denver once again breaks Cleveland's heart with a come from behind win to eliminate the Thunderbolts from the playoffs. 

Denver actually had a 13-9 lead entering the 4th and early on, extended it to 16-9 before Tony Romo tied the game with an 18 yard TD pass to Bobby Colley. On the ensuing kickoff, Calvin Hoffman fumbled on a hit by Edgar Blanchard, who also recovered the fumble and Romo didn't waste the gift. Romo found James Bull for a 13 yard TD pass that gave Cleveland a 23-16 lead with 3:24 to play.It only took Andrew Brewer 3 plays to tie the game with a 76 yard catch and run TD pass to Douglas Crowley. The Gold forced Cleveland into a three and out, then Andrew Brewer methodically led Denver down the field, draining the clock. Robert Deacon made a 39 yard FG as time expired to give Denver the win that clinches a playoff spot, eliminating Cleveland at the same time.

Storm 25 Gamblers 6

Portland took an instant 7-0 lead on the first play from scrimmage as Melvin Driggers found Richard Robinson with a 75 yard TD. The defenses for both teams took over from there as we saw nothing but FGs until Timothy Roquemore's clinching 8 yard TD run inside the 2 minute warning. Portland's defense allowed the Gamblers no running room, and being forced to throw, the Storm limited Tony Dean to 178 scoreless yards. Houston's defense slowed down Driggers after the first play but Robinson ended with 6 catches for 168 yards and a TD while the Storm RBBC ran for 220 yards. That running game made the difference in the FG kicking contest that ensued after the initial TD.

MFN says neither team has qualified for the playoffs yet, although both will be in with a win next week. Even with losses most of the tiebreakers seem in their favor, although there is no guarantee I'm right.

Showboats 20 Outlaws 17 (OT)

Memphis dodged a major bullet after blowing a 14-0 lead only to win in overtime to keep their playoff hopes alive. Norman Maldonado threw 2 early TD passes as the Showboats jumped out 14-0 but Oklahoma cut the lead in half on a John Crisp TD pass. The first quarter ended 14-7 Memphis, and nobody scored again until the 4th. Maldonado threw 2 INTs in that stretch and Gary Ridgeway also missed 2 FGs for Memphis while Eric Chandler also missed 2 FGs for the Outlaws. Chandler made a chip shot early in the 4th and Ridgeway nailed a 51 yard attempt for a 17-10 lead. John Crisp threw his 2nd TD pass with 1:10 left, a 5 yard pass to Carl Hunt, and the XP tied the game. 

Each team punted twice in the extra session before Memphis finally got in FG range and Gary Ridgeway's 33 yard FG with 0:36 left allowed the Showboats to exhale, as they didn't eliminate themselves.

Wheels 33 Tankers 0

Games like this are exactly why the tanking has to end after this season. Detroit matched Arizona turnover for turnover in a mistake and sack filled game. Each team threw 5 INTs and lost a fumble while Arizona QBs were sacked 7 times, Detroit's 4 (both teams played 2 QBs). The difference was Arizona completed just 1 of 57 passes to their own players while Detroit completed 34 for 364 yards and the Wheels ran for 135 yards while the Tankers once again did not run the ball. Detroit wins 33-0 in a game they probably lose to any other opponent in the league.

Blitz 33 Panthers 19

Michigan has the 3rd ranked defense, but Chicago put 420 yards on them, 149 rushing as the Blitz upset the Panthers. John Gates got the yards (91 on 25 carries) and Dale Davis got 2 rushing TDs while Ronald Brown completed 26/37 for 279 yards and a TD as the Blitz played turnover free football. For Michigan, Larry Henderson threw for 406 yards and 2 TDs on 32/62 passing, but he also threw 2 INTs. Michigan was aggressive early in the game, turning the ball over on downs twice in their own territory, handing Chicago 6 free points. Michigan WR Harvey Williams had 155 yards receiving and 2 TDs in the losing effort.

Stars 38 Stallions 13

Jon Snow completed 34/47, 463 yards and 5 TDs as Baltimore runs their record to a quiet 15-0. The Stars have to be loving the American Conference chaos as their run for perfection has flown under the radar. RB Herman Hayes had a combined 183 yards and a receiving TD and John Warkentin had 107 receiving yards and 2 TDs to lead the Baltimore skill players. It will be interesting how Baltimore plays their game against Washington in Week 16. Do they believe MFN that the #1 seed is clinched and rest some injured players? 

Federals 55 Hornets 20

Washington seems destined to be a wildcard but they made quite a statement today. Scott Bieber threw for 432 yards and 6 TDs on 17/27 passing, with 5 of the scores going to Ronald Matthews, who caught 7 for 353 yards in all. Robert Trammell ran for 138 yards and a TD, adding 58 receiving yards while fellow RB James Dunn ran for 93. If MFN is to be believed, the Federals next meaningful game will be the wildcard game at Shreveport.

Blazers 14 Breakers 9

Boston hung tough with Southeast champs Florida, winning the turnover battle 2-0 and converting 6/18 on 3rd down while holding the Blazers to 3/11. The Breakers Curtis Zuniga scored 3 times while the Blazers got 2 scores from Robert Romero, but using football math, 2 is better than 3. Zuniga is Boston's kicker, and he made all 3 of his FG attempts, but the Breakers only got 3 points fron a pair of red zone trips. Robert Romero is a RB and he caught a 30 yard TD pass from Sidney Maggard and ran one in from 13 yards out to lead Florida to the narrow win. Romero finished with 120 combined yards as Florida keeps the inside track on the #2 seed.

Generals 24 Invaders 13

New Jersey RB David Koresh had a combined 206 yards, 135 rushing, and his 62 yard TD run on the opening possession gave the Generals an early 7-0 lead. Don Ferguson then threw 2 TD passes as New Jersey took a 21-3 halftime lead. Oakland clawed back, getting within 21-13 late in the 4th, but the onside kick failed, allowing New Jersey to tack on a FG and hold on for the win. The Generals are suddenly huge Memphis fans as a Showboats victory over Florida coupled with a New Jersey win would give the Generals the #2 seed and a BYE. Otherwise, it looks like the Generals and Bell will play back to back weeks in New Jersey.

(NY) Stars 30 Bell 13

Philadelphia got out to a 10-0 lead thanks to a Jamie Epperson 4 yard TD run and a Robert Albertson 24 yard FG before New York came back. William Hall had a 1 yard TD run and Damien Oleary had a 10 yard TD pass to Wayne Ryals. The XP was no good, so the Stars led 13-10. Each team added a FG for a halftime score of 16-13 New York. The Stars defense shut Philadelphia out in the second half and a pair of 4th qtr TDs, including Hall's 2nd rushing score, gave the Stars the win, eliminating any chance Philadelphia had of winning the East. The Bell do have a wildcard spot to fall back on and will travel to either New Jersey or Florida for the post season.

Renegades 27 Steamer 6

Shreveport will win the South and host a playoff game against Washington most likely, and if not them, Baltimore. That prospect must have the Steamer steamed, as they are limping into the post season with their 2nd loss in a row. Orlando put up 366 offensive yards while allowing Shreveport just 145. The Renegades weren't efficient in the red zone, settling for too many FGs, but their defensive performance negated that as Orlando wins handily. The Renegades got 168 receiving yards from David King as the offense scored 6 FGs and a Trey Lyons TD pass to Ben Dehaven with a safety thrown in for good measure.

Gunslingers 17 Sun 9

San Antonio's RBBC ran for 155 yards at 5 yards a pos, while Robert Fanelli was an efficient 16/21, 167 yards as the Gunslingers win to improve to 8-7. This clinches just the 5th non losing season in franchise history and best finish since 1979. The Gunslingers won 8 games total in the first 3 years under current owner Mjlee555, and the 4th year was just 4-11-1. The last 3 seasons have shown steady improvement, from 6-10 in 1992, 7-9 last season to at least 8-8 this year. With continued improvement, perhaps the Southwest will turn into a 3 team race in the near future.

Express 20 Maulers 6

David Tavarez threw 2 TD passes and the Express ran for 120 yards as Los Angeles wins their 3rd game in a row. Mwd65 seems to be settling into his new/old home just fine after a tumultuous time in New Orleans, although he did inherit a team with an unbalanced roster and a weak free agent pool to fix it from. While Los Angeles is building momentum going into 1995, Pittsburgh is hoping for a good draft/free agency so they can be more competitive.

Bulls 30 Bandits 12

Jacksonville overcame 2 first quarter fumbles thanks to Derek Joyce TD passes to Leon Gutierrez. The first one went for 80 yards, the second 31 as the Bulls got out to a 14-0 lead after 15 minutes. The next 5 scores were all FGs, 3 by Jacksonville as the Bandits never got closer than 11 points after the initial Jacksonville flurry. Derek Joyce finished the game 38/52, 398 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs with Gutierrez finishing with 6 catches, 154 yards and 2 TDs.

Force 26 VooDoo 20

Georgia and New Orleans played an entertaining, back and forth game today. We had 4 lead changes and the first half was about the offenses. New Orleans got the ball first and drove 62 yards for a TD, with a Joseph Jones pass to Thomas Thomas giving the VooDoo a 7-0 lead. Georgia answered with a 75 yard TD drive capped off by a Paul Meade 3 yard TD run. New Orleans would get a FG on their second drive, while Thomas Jacobi found Willard Brekke for a 76 yard TD to give Georgia a 14-10 lead. Brekke has come alive late in the season and is currently just outside the top 10 in receiving yards after his 8-186 today. Thomas Thomas had a short TD run to give the lead back to New Orleans before Georgia tied it with a FG just before the half. The second half turned into a FG kicking contest, with Georgia's James May making 3 to Jordan Fuller's 1 for New Orleans to give the Force the win.