Just like Week 1, we only had 3 one score games in Week 2. The average margin of victory so far has been over 17 points through 2 weeks of action. The Memphis winning streak has reached 21 games and nine other teams are also 2-0, while ten teams are 0-2. We have 4 RB's with over 200 yards and 17 on pace for 1,000 yard seasons, which would be the most since 1975. The last time there were more than 9 RB to get 1,000 was 1980. Memphis WR Willie Howland is lapping the field in receiving stats, already 161 yards ahead of 2nd place.
Gold 26 Gamblers 23
Reigning two time MVP Tony Dean failed to throw a TD pass for the first time since his rookie season and another slow start for Houston had them trailing entering the 4th quarter for the second straight week. The score was 23-13 after 3 but Houston managed to score 10 to tie the game with 4:38 left. Following an exchange of punts, Denver got the ball with just under 2 minutes left and drove the field for the game winning FG at the final gun.
Bell 22 Force 21
Georgia won most stat categories and the Force jumped out to a 21-7 lead at halftime. Philadelphia QB Eric Pierce was sacked 7 times but it was a sack of Force QB Norris Thomas that was the difference. Thomas Wheeler sacked him in the end zone for a safety and combined with 2 fourth quarter FG's, Philadelphia earns the come from behind win.
Bulls 27 Bandits 19
Yet another game where the losing team had the better stats. Both teams ran the ball well, though Tampa Bay had almost 7 ypc and Tampa had more passing yards but Jacksonville was more efficient. The Bulls never trailed in the game, though Tampa Bay had a chance to tie the game late in the 4th and couldn't get it done. Craig Maddox ran it in from 2 yards out but the XP was no good, making the score 20-19 Jacksonville. The Bulls would add an insurance TD for the final score.
Wheels 18 Gunslingers 0
Detroit earns their first shutout since Eyeballll ran the Wheels in what was probably the best game so far of fhunt3's USFL career. Detroit couldn't find the end zone but 6 FG's is more than enough when you limit your opponent to 118 total yards.
Steamer 23 SaberCats 13
San Jose had a 13-10 lead after 3 quarters but Shreveport scores 13 unanswered points in the 4th to win the game and improve to 2-0 on the year.
Hawaiians 35 VooDoo 3
Both teams ran for at least 8 ypc but Honolulu had a lot more attempts as they ran for 268 yards. The story was the Honolulu defense as they intercepted 4 VooDoo passes as part of a 5 turnover day. Red zone efficiency was a factor in this game as well. New Orleans WR/RB Ricky Hash had 114 yards on just 12 rushes while Hawaiians RB Ronald Boatman had 198 yards on 22 carries and WR Allen Grant had 3 TD receptions among his 11-113.
Generals 44 (NY) Stars 13
New Jersey got started fast as they took the opening kickoff and drove down the field for the first of 5 Ric Flair TD passes. The Generals defense intercepted the Stars on their first play leading to TD pass #2. New Jersey's biggest lead was 31-3 and they coasted from there. For some reason, New York decided to play all 3 QB's on the roster.
Storm 29 Federals 12
Portland allowed 300 yards of offense but they held the prolific Washington offense out of the end zone all game, allowing just 4 FG's. Portland didn't have a great stat day either but going 3 for 3 scoring TD's in the red zone is a winning recipe. It seems Setherick has his players now and the Storm are a team to watch in 1987.
Panthers 26 Thunderbolts 17
Both teams scored 14 first quarter points and it seemed we were headed for a shootout, but things settled down after that initial flurry. Cleveland ran the ball well behind Samuel Draper (23-141-1) but struggled through the air. Michigan was the opposite, they ran for 27 yards on 21 carries but QB Jerry Ruiz was 31/38 374 yards and 3 TD's. That ability to find the end zone was the difference in the Michigan victory.
Wranglers 19 Sun 7
Judging by the box score it seems Arizona controlled the game throughout, as Southern California struggled to move the ball until the 4th qtr. Wranglers QB Joseph Jones tossed 2 TD passes and WR Chris Goldberg had 136 yards receiving.
Stars 24 Hornets 6
Charlotte scored first and last but it wasn't enough to beat the 24 points Baltimore scored in between. Baltimore overcame 3 interceptions with 444 yards and a solid defense that only allowed Charlotte 203.
Blazers 20 Renegades 6
Orlando only had 2 drives longer than 14 yards all day so Florida had little trouble overcoming 3 turnovers. Second year Blazers TE Kevin Forester had 8 catches for 106 yards and DE Ramon Carter had 3 sacks.
Invaders 18 Blitz 3
Oakland had an incredible 6 red zone trips, though they crossed the end zone just once. Both teams had 22 completions but the Invaders had double the yards per completion as Chicago could only muster 176 yards on the day.
Maulers 27 Breakers 3
Boston had trouble holding onto the football, losing 2 fumbles and throwing an interception. Pittsburgh wasn't spectacular but they were efficient on offense. The biggest thing I noticed from this game is Pittsburgh allowed their kicker to try 2 60+ yard FG's, both were short.
Showboats 40 Outlaws 17
Life is grand when you're on a 20 game win streak coming into a game, you play sloppy with 3 turnovers (one a pick six) and less than 3 ypc, yet still win by 23 points. Such is the case with the Champion Memphis Showboats. It helps that the Showboat defense made Oklahoma dink and dunk their way down the field, out gaining them 521-165. Willie Howland continued to dominate, with 215 yards and a TD on 7 catches. Donut Mogul Tim Horton might need to go on a diet as he had 1 yard per touch, 12 carries 12 yards and 2 receptions for 2 yards, although both receptions were touchdowns.
Stallions 44 Express 3
Both teams had 17 first downs and almost equal time of possession, but that's where the box score similarity ends. Birmingham dominated the stats and the scoreboard en route to the easy victory. Some time either during or immediately after the game, Express owner/GM buenoboss11 vanished, so LA needs an owner again.
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Kickoff 1987
1987 begins the way 1986 ended, with a Memphis victory. Every team saw action however, and no team was shutout. The Pacific division went a combined 0-4 yet somehow aren't last in the division rankings. The Jacksonville Bulls were one of seven teams to only score single digit points, yet they won 7-3. Washington scored 49 and the Champion Showboats scored 41. On to the action on the field...
Showboats 41 Breakers 10
Sure fire future Hall of Famer Willie Howland was up to his usual tricks, hauling in 7 catches for 195 yards and 4 TD's. Howland's first TD was also the longest, going for 90 yards and the ensuing 2 point conversion gave Memphis an early 8-0 lead. Three minutes later, QB David Allen found Howland again, this time for a 56 yard TD and the 2 point conversion pushed the lead to 16-0.
Following a Boston FG, new Showboat RB Mark Lambert paid dividends with a 46 yard TD run. Lambert would finish the day with 157 yards rushing. The 2 point conversion gave Memphis an insurmountable 22-3 lead. Boston did manage the next score, QB Richard Garrett finding Joseph Clark for a 61 yard TD. The second half was a Memphis FG and 2 more Willie Howland TD receptions from David Allen.
Bandits 20 Blazers 16
Tampa Bay got 3 TD passes from Melvin Driggers and intercepted 2 passes to upset Florida 20-16. Two of those TD passes went to Paul Meade, the first of which covered 70 yards and gave Tampa an early 7-3 lead. It wasn't all bad for Florida QB Sidney Maggard, as his 2nd qtr 73 yard TD pass to Arthur Strickland gave Florida the lead back briefly, 10-7.
Early in the 4th qtr, the 2nd TD catch by Paul Meade was the difference maker. The XP was no good but it gave the Bandits a 20-10 lead. Florida would add 2 4th qtr FG's for the final margin.
Bulls 7 Force 3
In the words of my favorite baseball broadcaster Marty Brennaman, this game was a "titanic struggle". Defense ruled the day for the most part, save for one big play and one long, empty drive. The big play was a 79 yard Joseph Serio TD pass to Stanton Redman, giving Jacksonville the game's first points with 5:11 left in the 3rd. Georgia would kick a FG in the 4th to cut the deficit to 7-3, then got the ball back with 4:11 left in the game after a three and out. The Force held the ball until the final gun, going 67 yards in an incredible 18 plays only to stall out at the Bulls 9 yard line.
Steamer 23 Express 17
There were only three one score games Week 1 and this was one of them. New Los Angeles owner Buenoboss 11 got his USFL/WFL career started on the right foot. On the first offensive play of the season, Express QB Robert Burns found WR Dane Britt for an 82 yard TD pass for the early 7-0 lead. It was at that point sideline reporter Jayne Kennedy overheard Shreveport QB George Marcil tell teammates "hold my beer". The first Steamers offensive play was also a long TD pass, 79 yards to Joseph Wagner. Two minutes later, Burns and Britt were at it again, this time for 65 yards for the 14-7 Express lead. George Marcil would also throw a 2nd TD pass in the 1st qtr and we were knotted at 14 through one. The rest of the game was a FG contest but Steamer QB Marcil finished an efficient 35/42 for 372 yards and the 2 TD's while Express QB Burns had trouble moving the chains, finishing below 50% (17/39).
Federals 49 Gold 23
Denver had made the playoffs 5 straight years before missing out in 1986, so to have to start 1987 on the road at juggernaut Washington was no easy task. The Federals are 39-9 the last 3 seasons, largely due to the play of former starting QB Joe Richardson. Washington decided to let 4th year pro Shane "Justin" Bieber start. When asked about the nickname, Bieber replied "I don't get it, who is Justin Bieber?" Good question since he wasn't even born in 1987 (1994).
The first drive for Bieber ended well, with a 48 yard TD to Jason Laughlin. The second "drive" ended badly, as WLB Robert Givens intercepted the pass and walked into the end zone. Bieber would end the day 26/50 349 yards 5 TD and 2 INT. Denver put up 415 yards of their own but QB Andrew Brewer finished 30/56 383 yards 1 TD but 3 INT. Gold backup QB Walton Vazquez also saw action, though they might as well have used Mr. Magoo as Vazquez only completed 2 of his 6 passes, both to Washington defenders.
Stars 38 (NY) Stars 6
The battle of the Stars wasn't much of a battle as Baltimore QB Jon Snow threw for 399 yards and 4 TD's in the victory. Baltimore WR Justin Coffey had a big day with 180 yards and a TD on 7 catches. Baltimore had 547 yards of offense to 225 for New York.
Thunderbolts 16 Renegades 3
Move along, nothing to see here. Cleveland didn't do anything spectacular on offense but their defense didn't let Orlando do much of anything. Cleveland WR/RB Samuel Draper ran for 106 yards on 28 carries and QB Allen Rose was 18/22 passing as the Thunderbolts grinded to victory.
Maulers 22 Hornets 10
Charlotte brought the defense today, holding Pittsburgh to just 22 rushing yards on 37 attempts but offensive turnovers doomed the Hornets to defeat. Both teams scored 1 TD but Maulers K Bret Curley booted 5 FG's to just 1 for Hornets K Samuel Hoye.
Storm 30 Wranglers 10
Arizona finished as the #2 seed in 1986 but they ran into a Storm to start 1987. Portland ran for over 4.5 yards a carry and QB Oscar Willis was 33/41 for 332 yards and a TD. The Storm also scored TD's on 4 of 5 red zone possessions and if they continue to play like this, they'll be contending for conference superiority with Memphis and Houston.
Panthers 19 Wheels 3
Michigan controlled Detroit at home, forcing 2 turnovers, and allowing just 223 yards and zero red zone trips. The Panthers didn't look great on offense but they did enough to win. Nobody on either team had a great stat day.
Invaders 34 SaberCats 13
San Jose didn't look too bad on offense, racking up 330 yards with no turnovers. They did only kick FG's on both red zone trips but even had they converted those, it wouldn't have been enough. The Oakland offense was on point, 7.5 yards per carry (24-180), 29/40 passing and 495 yards of total offense. Invader RB Oliver Thomas had 159 rushing yards on 15 carries while QB Dustin Nichols tossed 3 TD passes in the victory.
VooDoo 32 Sun 6
New Orleans won this game with defense, holding Southern California to 220 total yards and turning them over 3 times. The VooDoo turned those into 3 first qtr TD's and 3 2 point conversions to lead 24-0. The VooDoo even scored a defensive TD, with CB Joseph Walton's pick six.
Gamblers 31 Gunslingers 13
If one just looks at the final score, they'd assume Houston won easily. You know what they say about assumptions though, as the Gamblers trailed 13-7 through 3 quarters. Houston has had one of the league's best offenses the last few seasons, so to keep them to 7 points through 3 is impressive. One thing about having a big play offense is lightning can strike at any time. San Antonio had just punted and pinned Houston at their own 6 yard line when reigning 2 time MVP Tony Dean did his thing. That 94 yard TD pass to Gabriel Ahrens was the game winner as Houston scores 24 points in the final quarter for the victory.
Generals 31 Bell 14
World Bowl loser hangover? Not with New Jersey as they are used to losing World Bowls (2-4 record). Philadelphia did a good job on run defense, holding the Generals to 2.45 ypc (33-81). RB Rudi Johnson was the stat star of this game, finishing with 60 rushing yards and a TD (21 carries) while chipping in 8 catches for 126 yards and another TD to help QB Ric Flair top 300 yards passing. The Nature Boy did throw 2 INT but the Generals defense intercepted 3 passes to offset that.
Stallions 37 Hawaiians 14
Birmingham had quite the balanced attack as they had 273 yards rushing (over 10 ypc) and 320 passing. RB Mark Peterson had 141 of those rushing yards and 52 receiving, but hurt his ankle and is questionable for Week 2. WR Jeffrey Zimmer hauled in 2 TD's among his 6 catches for 132 yards to the pleasure of sold out Legion Field.
Blitz 20 Outlaws 7
Oklahoma nearly doubled Chicago in total yards (331-175) and dominated the rushing stats (31/162 vs 30/71) but they also dominated turnovers (4-1). One of those turnovers was a pick six by Chicago CB Herbert Brigham just before halftime to give the Blitz a 14-0 lead at the break.
Showboats 41 Breakers 10
Sure fire future Hall of Famer Willie Howland was up to his usual tricks, hauling in 7 catches for 195 yards and 4 TD's. Howland's first TD was also the longest, going for 90 yards and the ensuing 2 point conversion gave Memphis an early 8-0 lead. Three minutes later, QB David Allen found Howland again, this time for a 56 yard TD and the 2 point conversion pushed the lead to 16-0.
Following a Boston FG, new Showboat RB Mark Lambert paid dividends with a 46 yard TD run. Lambert would finish the day with 157 yards rushing. The 2 point conversion gave Memphis an insurmountable 22-3 lead. Boston did manage the next score, QB Richard Garrett finding Joseph Clark for a 61 yard TD. The second half was a Memphis FG and 2 more Willie Howland TD receptions from David Allen.
Bandits 20 Blazers 16
Tampa Bay got 3 TD passes from Melvin Driggers and intercepted 2 passes to upset Florida 20-16. Two of those TD passes went to Paul Meade, the first of which covered 70 yards and gave Tampa an early 7-3 lead. It wasn't all bad for Florida QB Sidney Maggard, as his 2nd qtr 73 yard TD pass to Arthur Strickland gave Florida the lead back briefly, 10-7.
Early in the 4th qtr, the 2nd TD catch by Paul Meade was the difference maker. The XP was no good but it gave the Bandits a 20-10 lead. Florida would add 2 4th qtr FG's for the final margin.
Bulls 7 Force 3
In the words of my favorite baseball broadcaster Marty Brennaman, this game was a "titanic struggle". Defense ruled the day for the most part, save for one big play and one long, empty drive. The big play was a 79 yard Joseph Serio TD pass to Stanton Redman, giving Jacksonville the game's first points with 5:11 left in the 3rd. Georgia would kick a FG in the 4th to cut the deficit to 7-3, then got the ball back with 4:11 left in the game after a three and out. The Force held the ball until the final gun, going 67 yards in an incredible 18 plays only to stall out at the Bulls 9 yard line.
Steamer 23 Express 17
There were only three one score games Week 1 and this was one of them. New Los Angeles owner Buenoboss 11 got his USFL/WFL career started on the right foot. On the first offensive play of the season, Express QB Robert Burns found WR Dane Britt for an 82 yard TD pass for the early 7-0 lead. It was at that point sideline reporter Jayne Kennedy overheard Shreveport QB George Marcil tell teammates "hold my beer". The first Steamers offensive play was also a long TD pass, 79 yards to Joseph Wagner. Two minutes later, Burns and Britt were at it again, this time for 65 yards for the 14-7 Express lead. George Marcil would also throw a 2nd TD pass in the 1st qtr and we were knotted at 14 through one. The rest of the game was a FG contest but Steamer QB Marcil finished an efficient 35/42 for 372 yards and the 2 TD's while Express QB Burns had trouble moving the chains, finishing below 50% (17/39).
Federals 49 Gold 23
Denver had made the playoffs 5 straight years before missing out in 1986, so to have to start 1987 on the road at juggernaut Washington was no easy task. The Federals are 39-9 the last 3 seasons, largely due to the play of former starting QB Joe Richardson. Washington decided to let 4th year pro Shane "Justin" Bieber start. When asked about the nickname, Bieber replied "I don't get it, who is Justin Bieber?" Good question since he wasn't even born in 1987 (1994).
The first drive for Bieber ended well, with a 48 yard TD to Jason Laughlin. The second "drive" ended badly, as WLB Robert Givens intercepted the pass and walked into the end zone. Bieber would end the day 26/50 349 yards 5 TD and 2 INT. Denver put up 415 yards of their own but QB Andrew Brewer finished 30/56 383 yards 1 TD but 3 INT. Gold backup QB Walton Vazquez also saw action, though they might as well have used Mr. Magoo as Vazquez only completed 2 of his 6 passes, both to Washington defenders.
Stars 38 (NY) Stars 6
The battle of the Stars wasn't much of a battle as Baltimore QB Jon Snow threw for 399 yards and 4 TD's in the victory. Baltimore WR Justin Coffey had a big day with 180 yards and a TD on 7 catches. Baltimore had 547 yards of offense to 225 for New York.
Thunderbolts 16 Renegades 3
Move along, nothing to see here. Cleveland didn't do anything spectacular on offense but their defense didn't let Orlando do much of anything. Cleveland WR/RB Samuel Draper ran for 106 yards on 28 carries and QB Allen Rose was 18/22 passing as the Thunderbolts grinded to victory.
Maulers 22 Hornets 10
Charlotte brought the defense today, holding Pittsburgh to just 22 rushing yards on 37 attempts but offensive turnovers doomed the Hornets to defeat. Both teams scored 1 TD but Maulers K Bret Curley booted 5 FG's to just 1 for Hornets K Samuel Hoye.
Storm 30 Wranglers 10
Arizona finished as the #2 seed in 1986 but they ran into a Storm to start 1987. Portland ran for over 4.5 yards a carry and QB Oscar Willis was 33/41 for 332 yards and a TD. The Storm also scored TD's on 4 of 5 red zone possessions and if they continue to play like this, they'll be contending for conference superiority with Memphis and Houston.
Panthers 19 Wheels 3
Michigan controlled Detroit at home, forcing 2 turnovers, and allowing just 223 yards and zero red zone trips. The Panthers didn't look great on offense but they did enough to win. Nobody on either team had a great stat day.
Invaders 34 SaberCats 13
San Jose didn't look too bad on offense, racking up 330 yards with no turnovers. They did only kick FG's on both red zone trips but even had they converted those, it wouldn't have been enough. The Oakland offense was on point, 7.5 yards per carry (24-180), 29/40 passing and 495 yards of total offense. Invader RB Oliver Thomas had 159 rushing yards on 15 carries while QB Dustin Nichols tossed 3 TD passes in the victory.
VooDoo 32 Sun 6
New Orleans won this game with defense, holding Southern California to 220 total yards and turning them over 3 times. The VooDoo turned those into 3 first qtr TD's and 3 2 point conversions to lead 24-0. The VooDoo even scored a defensive TD, with CB Joseph Walton's pick six.
Gamblers 31 Gunslingers 13
If one just looks at the final score, they'd assume Houston won easily. You know what they say about assumptions though, as the Gamblers trailed 13-7 through 3 quarters. Houston has had one of the league's best offenses the last few seasons, so to keep them to 7 points through 3 is impressive. One thing about having a big play offense is lightning can strike at any time. San Antonio had just punted and pinned Houston at their own 6 yard line when reigning 2 time MVP Tony Dean did his thing. That 94 yard TD pass to Gabriel Ahrens was the game winner as Houston scores 24 points in the final quarter for the victory.
Generals 31 Bell 14
World Bowl loser hangover? Not with New Jersey as they are used to losing World Bowls (2-4 record). Philadelphia did a good job on run defense, holding the Generals to 2.45 ypc (33-81). RB Rudi Johnson was the stat star of this game, finishing with 60 rushing yards and a TD (21 carries) while chipping in 8 catches for 126 yards and another TD to help QB Ric Flair top 300 yards passing. The Nature Boy did throw 2 INT but the Generals defense intercepted 3 passes to offset that.
Stallions 37 Hawaiians 14
Birmingham had quite the balanced attack as they had 273 yards rushing (over 10 ypc) and 320 passing. RB Mark Peterson had 141 of those rushing yards and 52 receiving, but hurt his ankle and is questionable for Week 2. WR Jeffrey Zimmer hauled in 2 TD's among his 6 catches for 132 yards to the pleasure of sold out Legion Field.
Blitz 20 Outlaws 7
Oklahoma nearly doubled Chicago in total yards (331-175) and dominated the rushing stats (31/162 vs 30/71) but they also dominated turnovers (4-1). One of those turnovers was a pick six by Chicago CB Herbert Brigham just before halftime to give the Blitz a 14-0 lead at the break.
Monday, December 30, 2019
1986 Hall of Fame Inductees
The votes have been counted and this year we will be inducting five players into the USFL/WFL Hall of Fame. Commissioner raidergreg69 declared the threshold for enshrinement be lowered this year, because there seems to be a flaw in the voting procedure. Any vote that doesn't include our league's top 2 TD scorers ever is broken. Let's meet this year's inductees.
Mario Valencia, QB Detroit Wheels
Twelve seasons (1974-85)
Jacksonville 1974-75, Detroit 1976-81, Houston 1982, Los Angeles 1983-85
48,322 yards, 60.8 pct, 374 TD, 155 INT, 94.77 QBR
6th all time passing yards, 3rd all time TD's, 5th all time QBR (1,400 or more attempts)
Offensive MVP 1976, 1982
All Pro 1976, 1982
1st all time postseason passing yards (6,852) and TD passes (47)
3 time World Bowl Champion
John Murray, RB Pittsburgh Maulers
Twelve Seasons 1974-85
1,887 rushes, 8600 yards (4.6 ypc) 82 TD's
341 receptions, 3,268 yards (9.6 ypr) 23 TD's
59 kickoff returns, 32.0 avg, 3 TD's, 94 punt returns 7.3 avg
14,454 career total yards, 108 TD's
6th all time rushing yards, 1st all time rushing TD's, 2nd all time total TD's, 14th all time in total yards
All Pro 1975
Cory Robinzine, WR Arizona Wranglers
Twelve Seasons 1974-85
Philadelphia 1974-75
835 receptions, 12,311 yards (14.7 avg) 100 TD's
419 rushes, 1,715 yards (4.1 ypc) 15 TD's
1st all time in receiving TD, 1st all time total TD's, 2nd all time receptions, 3rd all time receiving yards, 12th all time total yards
All-Pro 1976
Charles Bukowski, RT Boston Breakers
Five seasons (1974-78)
Arizona Wranglers, 1977-78
Average per season: 1,297 plays, 2.2 sacks allowed, 571 pass blocks, 439 run blocks
Pass block 100 rating, run block 100 at retirement
All-Pro 1974, 1976
Leroy Selmon, TE New Jersey Generals
Ten Seasons 1976-85
Oakland Invaders 1985
583 receptions, 7,769 yards (13.3 ypr) 51 TD's
1st all time among TE's in receiving yards and TD's, 2nd all time in recptions by a TE
2nd all time among TE's in Postseason receptions (60) and receiving yards (582)
12th all time in postseason receptions
All-Pro 1978
2 time World Bowl Champion
Mario Valencia, QB Detroit Wheels
Twelve seasons (1974-85)
Jacksonville 1974-75, Detroit 1976-81, Houston 1982, Los Angeles 1983-85
48,322 yards, 60.8 pct, 374 TD, 155 INT, 94.77 QBR
6th all time passing yards, 3rd all time TD's, 5th all time QBR (1,400 or more attempts)
Offensive MVP 1976, 1982
All Pro 1976, 1982
1st all time postseason passing yards (6,852) and TD passes (47)
3 time World Bowl Champion
John Murray, RB Pittsburgh Maulers
Twelve Seasons 1974-85
1,887 rushes, 8600 yards (4.6 ypc) 82 TD's
341 receptions, 3,268 yards (9.6 ypr) 23 TD's
59 kickoff returns, 32.0 avg, 3 TD's, 94 punt returns 7.3 avg
14,454 career total yards, 108 TD's
6th all time rushing yards, 1st all time rushing TD's, 2nd all time total TD's, 14th all time in total yards
All Pro 1975
Cory Robinzine, WR Arizona Wranglers
Twelve Seasons 1974-85
Philadelphia 1974-75
835 receptions, 12,311 yards (14.7 avg) 100 TD's
419 rushes, 1,715 yards (4.1 ypc) 15 TD's
1st all time in receiving TD, 1st all time total TD's, 2nd all time receptions, 3rd all time receiving yards, 12th all time total yards
All-Pro 1976
Charles Bukowski, RT Boston Breakers
Five seasons (1974-78)
Arizona Wranglers, 1977-78
Average per season: 1,297 plays, 2.2 sacks allowed, 571 pass blocks, 439 run blocks
Pass block 100 rating, run block 100 at retirement
All-Pro 1974, 1976
Leroy Selmon, TE New Jersey Generals
Ten Seasons 1976-85
Oakland Invaders 1985
583 receptions, 7,769 yards (13.3 ypr) 51 TD's
1st all time among TE's in receiving yards and TD's, 2nd all time in recptions by a TE
2nd all time among TE's in Postseason receptions (60) and receiving yards (582)
12th all time in postseason receptions
All-Pro 1978
2 time World Bowl Champion
Sunday, December 22, 2019
World Bowl XIII: 19-0!!!
None of those "one score" games came in the playoffs, but Memphis had to play Michigan in the Divisional Round and the Panthers were the closest to defeating the Showboats at any point in 1986, losing in OT 12-6 back in Week 5. No problem, Memphis won going away, 32-13. Next up would be the Sun of Southern California but the big, bad Showboats caused an eclipse and won handily, 45-14.
Only one team stood in the way of perfection, the New Jersey Generals. New Jersey is no stranger to playing in the World Bowl as this is their 6th appearance in our leagues 13 years. The Generals came into World Bowl XIII with a 2-3 record in their previous 5 trips, including a loss to Memphis way back in World Bowl VI when they were run by Private Snowflake.
Memphis Showboats 36
New Jersey Generals 16
New Jersey got the ball first and punted after 5 plays while Memphis marched down the field in 5 plays on their first possession. Numbers Zielinski punched it in from the 1 and Jessie Cepeda ran in the 2 point conversion for an 8-0 Showboat lead. The biggest play of that drive was 3rd and 4 with New Jersey looking to force a three and out. David Allen found Jerome Betancourt for 21 yards, then The Donut Mogul Tim Horton broke loose on a swing pass, taking the ball inside New Jersey's 5 yard line, setting up the Zielinski score.
New Jersey fought back, going on an 11 play, 53 yard drive but had to settle for a Lucio Grant FG to trim the deficit to 8-3. On Memphis's next possession, sure fire HOF'er Willie Howland struck for a 55 yard catch and run to set up Ken Hubbard's 7 yard TD run. Jessie Cepeda ran in his second 2 point conversion for a 16-3 Memphis lead.
Following another New Jersey FG cut the lead to 16-6, the Generals got some bad news...the Memphis offense would get the ball back. Their first two TD drives were just 5 plays each, so to be different on drive #3, they took their time scoring, taking 12 plays. The Donut Mogul caught a 3 yard TD from David Allen for a 22-6 lead. One small positive for New Jersey, practice makes perfect in stopping the 2 point conversion as the defense held and the score remained 22-6. New Jersey finally had a highlight worthy play as Ric Flair found Aaron Paul for a 40 yard catch and run TD. That seemed to give the Generals a little boost, as they finally forced a Memphis punt, and Lucio Grant's 3rd FG of the first half gave us our halftime score of 22-16 Memphis.
Any momentum gained by New Jersey quickly vanished as Memphis took the second half kickoff and marched downfield for a 5 yard TD pass form David Allen to Numbers Zielinski. The conventional XP made the score 29-16. Late in the 3rd quarter, a Numbers Zielinski fumble started a series of bizarre plays involving turnovers. Ric Flair was intercepted, but Chris Elmore fumbled it away during the return, with Radar O'Reilly recovering to regain possession. New Jersey just couldn't stand prosperity though, as backup OL turned backup FB Jimmy Hoffa caught a pass in the flat and fumbled fighting for yardage, killing the drive.
The 4th quarter began with that 29-16 score and the final straw was this 38 yard TD from Allen to Willie Howland to give us our final score 36-16. Memphis QB David Allen won World Bowl MVP.
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Conference Championships: Showboats and Generals In World Bowl XIII
Memphis and New Jersey will face off at an as yet undisclosed stadium to see which franchise will join the Houston Gamblers as 3 time USFL/WFL Champion. This will be the Showboat's first World Bowl appearance since winning back to back World Bowls (VI and VII), and at 18-0, they are aiming for the second perfect season in league history. No word on whether the 1977 Detroit Wheels will have a celebration like the '72 Dolphins do every year if New Jersey is able to make that 18-1. Memphis is 2-0 in the World Bowl under previous owner PrivateSnowflake, including a victory over the Generals in World Bowl VI. This may be the first title appearance in this league for Infinity On Trial, but across MFN, he is accustomed to being in this position.
The New Jersey Generals are certainly accustomed to playing in the World Bowl, as this is their 6th appearance in the last 8 seasons. This year is perhaps their most unlikely run yet, as they were losers of 5 of 6 games heading into wildcard weekend and seemed destined to get bounced by somebody in the playoffs before now. It's almost as if the players have a "playoff switch" and step up their performance. They certainly have had the breaks fall their way, especially late 2nd/early 3rd qtr against Baltimore. New Jersey is 2-3 in the World Bowl, including the aforementioned loss to Memphis.
MFN oddsmakers have installed Memphis as 4 point favorites.
Showboats 45 Sun 14
Memphis took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in 12 plays, scoring a TD on a 4 yard run by Tim "Donut Mogul" Horton. Jessie Cepeda ran in the 2 point conversion to give Memphis the early 8-0 lead. Southern California's first 3 drives ended with a punt, a fumble, and another fumble, both lost by Nicholas Wittrock. Memphis turned those turnovers into FG's for a 14-0 lead and another 2nd qtr FG made the halftime score 17-0.
The second half wasn't any better for the Sun as they went three and out three straight drives in the 3rd qtr. Memphis scored TD's after the first two to take a commanding 31-0 lead. The first TD was a hot read 83 yard TD to Jessie Cepeda, the second a Numbers Zielinski 1 yard TD run. Memphis would add two more TD's to take a 45-0 lead before the Sun scored twice in garbage time.
This loss may have ended the Southern California season, but it still was the best season in franchise history and there is no shame in losing to an 18-0 Memphis team.
Generals 38 Stars 13
This game was closer than the score indicates and a couple of breaks here and there for Baltimore could have made for a much different outcome. New Jersey got the ball first and GM raidergreg69 was quite surprised when the first 3 plays were all passes as the game plan was supposed to be run heavy. The Generals went three and out while Baltimore took the punt and marched 77 yards in 3 plays for the game's first score. Jon Snow found Brian Darden on a Flanker Hitch and 65 yards later it was 6-0, extra point made it 7. New Jersey finally got around to running the ball on their second drive, going 75 yards in 14 plays, with Rudi Johnson getting the final 3 yards to tie the score.
Baltimore's first drive gave us one theme for the day, the Stars were going to rack up yardage in chunks all game long. The Stars out gained the Generals 410-367. Their third drive gave us another theme, the turnover. New Jersey won the turnover battle 7-0, and they capitalized on that Bob Marley INT, driving 76 yards in 10 plays, with Marcus Allen doing the honors of punching it in from the 3. On Baltimore's next drive, RB Mark Numbers seemed to be on his way to the end zone with the tying TD but Bob Marley struck again, stripping Numbers short of the goal line and recovering in the end zone for a touchback.
Following 3 punts, Baltimore got the ball inside the 2 minute warning, still trailing 14-7. The Stars ran two plays and called their last 2 time outs, leaving themselves 44 seconds from their own 49 yard line. Jon Snow found Brian Darden on the Flanker Hitch again, but this time Generals SS Walter Moore was able to tackle Darden inside the 1. It set up a first and goal but with only 5 seconds and no time outs, Baltimore elected to kick the FG for a halftime score of 14-10 New Jersey.
New Jersey had to be feeling lucky at the break as they could have easily been down 28-14 the way Baltimore moved the ball. Baltimore got the ball to start the 3rd quarter and Jon Snow quickly turned it over. The very next play Generals QB Ric Flair found Aaron Paul streaking down the seam for a 49 yard TD. Baltimore's next offensive play was another INT of Jon Snow, this one by Lars Ulrich. New Jersey added a Lucio Grant FG for a 24-10 lead. Baltimore would kick a FG for a score of 24-13 New Jersey after 3.
It's tough to come back from an 11 point 4th qtr deficit on the road, but it's darn near impossible when your QB throws 3 INT while trying. The first one of the 4th was by Rod Martin and 5 plays later, Ric Flair tossed a 4 yard TD pass to Richard Hansen, making the score 31-13. The rest was garbage time, as Snow threw 2 more INT's for a total of 6, while Richard Hansen added a 7 yard TD run for the final score of the game.
Baltimore had an excellent season, losing their 3rd straight Conference Championship Game. If they keep knocking on the door like that every year, eventually they'll get in the World Bowl. GM 4343 is a proven MFN winner so no doubt they'll be a contender in 1987.
Monday, December 16, 2019
Divisional Round: The "Road" To The Championship
The Divisional Round of the playoffs saw 3 of 4 road teams win, with unbeaten Memphis the lone home winner. Southern California doesn't want to leave the playoffs now they've finally got here after 13 seasons. Baltimore won round 3 against division rival Washington, the third straight year the Stars have bounced the Federals from the playoffs. New Jersey got revenge on Birmingham for last year's playoff embarrassment, reaching their 6th Conference Championship Game.
Sun 23 Wranglers 20
The closest game of the weekend was in Tempe, Arizona between Southern California and the Arizona Wranglers. The first quarter and a half was a kicking contest, Arizona getting 2 FG's and a punt while the Sun got a FG and a punt. The last half of the second quarter was a different story as we saw 3 TD's scored. The first TD was scored by Southern California, a 1 yard pass from Christopher Kimbrough to Daniel Dungan to make the score 10-6 Sun. Following an Arizona punt, Southern California got the ball back and scored another TD. James Wise caught this TD pass from Kimbrough to put the Sun up 17-6 with 1:12 left before halftime.
There were more fireworks before the break however, as Arizona drove 75 yards in 4 plays, getting a 44 yard TD pass from Luis Gero to Desmond Kirkland. That cut the Sun lead to 17-13, but they scored too quick, allowing Southern California to kick a FG at the end of the 2nd qtr to take a 20-13 lead into halftime.
The second half saw 10 punts, 3 FG attempts (1 good) and 3 turnovers with 2 of those on one play. It wasn't all bad play in the second half as Arizona managed to tie the score at 20 thanks to this 7 yard TD pass from Gero to Chris Goldberg. Southern California K Alan Grossi missed a go ahead 47 yd FG with 2:13 left, but Wranglers QB Luis Gero gave the ball right back to the Sun.
Southern California twice almost blew a chance to win the game in regulation. The first time, RB Nicholas Wittrock fumbled but RG David Wilson was there to fall on it and keep the drive alive. The second time, Daniel Dungan was flagged for OPI, pushing back the game winning FG try. Kimbrough got those yards back and then some on the next play, setting up Alan Grossi's 28 yard game winning FG as time expired.
Showboats 32 Panthers 13
Michigan got the ball first and drove for a FG to take an early 3-0 lead. The Memphis offense started slow with a three and out before scoring on their next 3 possessions. The first TD was a familiar sight, David Allen to Willie Howland. The successful 2 point run made the score 8-3 Memphis. Two plays later, the Showboats defense stepped up, intercepting Michigan QB Jerry Ruiz. That set up a short Numbers Zielinski TD run. Jessie Cepeda added his second 2 point run to make the score 16-3. Memphis would add a FG to make the halftime score 19-3 Showboats.
The 3rd quarter saw an exchange of FG's, making the score 22-6 entering the 4th. Early in that 4th qtr, a 4 yard Jerry Ruiz TD to Albert Barraza cut the Memphis lead to 22-13. Two plays later, Memphis stopped that little bit of momentum and slammed the door shut on Michigan. This 75 yard TD from Allen to Jerome Betancourt did the trick. There was more football played, but it was just a formality as Memphis sails into the Conference Championship.
American Conference Championship: Southern California @ Memphis (-12)
Stars 33 Federals 21
These two divisional foes are quite familiar with each other, having faced off 3 times each of the last 3 seasons. Just like 1984 and 1985, the Baltimore Stars ended the Washington Federals season. Baltimore scored FG's their first 2 drives to take a 6-0 lead after 1 quarter. Early in the 2nd, Washington intercepted Jon Snow, with John Meyer returning it 22 yards, to the Stars 11. Two plays later, Joe Richardson found Cory Martin for a 2 yard TD pass to give the Federals a 7-6 lead. Following a Baltimore punt, Washingtom had their best drive of the day. Fifteen plays, 89 yards, culminating in another Joe Richardson TD pass, 6 yards to Patrick Begay. That made the score 14-6 Washington and that score would hold up until halftime.
Baltimore got TD's their first 2 drives of the second half to take a 20-14 lead. First, Jon Snow found Timothy Harmon for a short TD pass then Knob Creek ran it in from 7 yards out. Washington was able to retake the lead on this 32 yard Richardson to Luther Ellis TD pass. That's the only points the Federals got from 3 straight Jon Snow INT's following the 2 Stars scoring drives.
Washington carried that slim 21-20 lead deep into the 4th qtr until Fred Boyce nailed a 34 yard FG to take the lead with 3:30 left. Baltimore then forced a punt before scoring the game sealing TD with 1:40 left. That Snow to Brian Darden TD was preceded by a bad face mask penalty against Federal Matthew Minor. Washington fumbled the ball away on their last drive, enabling the Stars to tack on a last second FG. I'm interested to see if this "rubbing it in" FG will cause some Bengals/Steelers type brawl when these teams meet in 1987.
Generals 30 Stallions 13
Last year was on the minds of the Generals in this game as David Schmitt torched New Jersey for 11 TD passes in the 79-19 beatdown to knock New Jersey out of the 1985 playoffs. Birmingham got the ball first and punted while New Jersey went 80 yards in 11 plays for their opening drive, scoring on a short pass to Calvin Hobbes from Ric Flair. It didn't take long for Birmingham to tie the score at 7 as Richard Sutton took the kickoff 103 yards to the house. New Jersey kicked a FG to give the generals a 10-7 lead after a quarter.
Generals P Clark W. Griswold pinned the Stallions inside their own 10 and one play later, Lars Ulrich intercepted David Schmitt to set up an instant red zone opportunity. New Jersey capitalized a few plays later on this 5 yard Ric Flair TD pass to Justin Timberlake to give the Generals a 17-7 lead. Lucio Grant kicked his second FG to push the Generals lead to 20-7 before the back breaking play just after the 2 minute warning.
David Schmitt threw late across the field, getting intercepted by CB Bernardo Schoenberger who returned it 32 yards for a TD. That gave us our halftime score of 27-7 New Jersey. The second half was uneventful, with 3 FG's, 2 by Birmingham and a bunch of punts by both teams.
National Conference Championship: Baltimore (-2) @ New Jersey
Sun 23 Wranglers 20
The closest game of the weekend was in Tempe, Arizona between Southern California and the Arizona Wranglers. The first quarter and a half was a kicking contest, Arizona getting 2 FG's and a punt while the Sun got a FG and a punt. The last half of the second quarter was a different story as we saw 3 TD's scored. The first TD was scored by Southern California, a 1 yard pass from Christopher Kimbrough to Daniel Dungan to make the score 10-6 Sun. Following an Arizona punt, Southern California got the ball back and scored another TD. James Wise caught this TD pass from Kimbrough to put the Sun up 17-6 with 1:12 left before halftime.
There were more fireworks before the break however, as Arizona drove 75 yards in 4 plays, getting a 44 yard TD pass from Luis Gero to Desmond Kirkland. That cut the Sun lead to 17-13, but they scored too quick, allowing Southern California to kick a FG at the end of the 2nd qtr to take a 20-13 lead into halftime.
The second half saw 10 punts, 3 FG attempts (1 good) and 3 turnovers with 2 of those on one play. It wasn't all bad play in the second half as Arizona managed to tie the score at 20 thanks to this 7 yard TD pass from Gero to Chris Goldberg. Southern California K Alan Grossi missed a go ahead 47 yd FG with 2:13 left, but Wranglers QB Luis Gero gave the ball right back to the Sun.
Southern California twice almost blew a chance to win the game in regulation. The first time, RB Nicholas Wittrock fumbled but RG David Wilson was there to fall on it and keep the drive alive. The second time, Daniel Dungan was flagged for OPI, pushing back the game winning FG try. Kimbrough got those yards back and then some on the next play, setting up Alan Grossi's 28 yard game winning FG as time expired.
Showboats 32 Panthers 13
Michigan got the ball first and drove for a FG to take an early 3-0 lead. The Memphis offense started slow with a three and out before scoring on their next 3 possessions. The first TD was a familiar sight, David Allen to Willie Howland. The successful 2 point run made the score 8-3 Memphis. Two plays later, the Showboats defense stepped up, intercepting Michigan QB Jerry Ruiz. That set up a short Numbers Zielinski TD run. Jessie Cepeda added his second 2 point run to make the score 16-3. Memphis would add a FG to make the halftime score 19-3 Showboats.
The 3rd quarter saw an exchange of FG's, making the score 22-6 entering the 4th. Early in that 4th qtr, a 4 yard Jerry Ruiz TD to Albert Barraza cut the Memphis lead to 22-13. Two plays later, Memphis stopped that little bit of momentum and slammed the door shut on Michigan. This 75 yard TD from Allen to Jerome Betancourt did the trick. There was more football played, but it was just a formality as Memphis sails into the Conference Championship.
American Conference Championship: Southern California @ Memphis (-12)
Stars 33 Federals 21
These two divisional foes are quite familiar with each other, having faced off 3 times each of the last 3 seasons. Just like 1984 and 1985, the Baltimore Stars ended the Washington Federals season. Baltimore scored FG's their first 2 drives to take a 6-0 lead after 1 quarter. Early in the 2nd, Washington intercepted Jon Snow, with John Meyer returning it 22 yards, to the Stars 11. Two plays later, Joe Richardson found Cory Martin for a 2 yard TD pass to give the Federals a 7-6 lead. Following a Baltimore punt, Washingtom had their best drive of the day. Fifteen plays, 89 yards, culminating in another Joe Richardson TD pass, 6 yards to Patrick Begay. That made the score 14-6 Washington and that score would hold up until halftime.
Baltimore got TD's their first 2 drives of the second half to take a 20-14 lead. First, Jon Snow found Timothy Harmon for a short TD pass then Knob Creek ran it in from 7 yards out. Washington was able to retake the lead on this 32 yard Richardson to Luther Ellis TD pass. That's the only points the Federals got from 3 straight Jon Snow INT's following the 2 Stars scoring drives.
Washington carried that slim 21-20 lead deep into the 4th qtr until Fred Boyce nailed a 34 yard FG to take the lead with 3:30 left. Baltimore then forced a punt before scoring the game sealing TD with 1:40 left. That Snow to Brian Darden TD was preceded by a bad face mask penalty against Federal Matthew Minor. Washington fumbled the ball away on their last drive, enabling the Stars to tack on a last second FG. I'm interested to see if this "rubbing it in" FG will cause some Bengals/Steelers type brawl when these teams meet in 1987.
Generals 30 Stallions 13
Last year was on the minds of the Generals in this game as David Schmitt torched New Jersey for 11 TD passes in the 79-19 beatdown to knock New Jersey out of the 1985 playoffs. Birmingham got the ball first and punted while New Jersey went 80 yards in 11 plays for their opening drive, scoring on a short pass to Calvin Hobbes from Ric Flair. It didn't take long for Birmingham to tie the score at 7 as Richard Sutton took the kickoff 103 yards to the house. New Jersey kicked a FG to give the generals a 10-7 lead after a quarter.
Generals P Clark W. Griswold pinned the Stallions inside their own 10 and one play later, Lars Ulrich intercepted David Schmitt to set up an instant red zone opportunity. New Jersey capitalized a few plays later on this 5 yard Ric Flair TD pass to Justin Timberlake to give the Generals a 17-7 lead. Lucio Grant kicked his second FG to push the Generals lead to 20-7 before the back breaking play just after the 2 minute warning.
David Schmitt threw late across the field, getting intercepted by CB Bernardo Schoenberger who returned it 32 yards for a TD. That gave us our halftime score of 27-7 New Jersey. The second half was uneventful, with 3 FG's, 2 by Birmingham and a bunch of punts by both teams.
National Conference Championship: Baltimore (-2) @ New Jersey
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Wildcard Weekend: A New Champion Will Be Crowned
Wildcard Weekend lived up to it's name as 3 of the 4 games were won by the underdogs. Southern California were the only favored team to earn a victory, and now they get to play the 2nd ever playoff game in franchise history. Michigan stunned 2 time defending champion Houston, guaranteeing us of a new champion. Baltimore was the lone road team to win, going to Florida and torching the Blazers. New Jersey defeated New Orleans despite losing 5 of 6 coming into this game.
Panthers 34 Gamblers 29
Michigan got the ball first and drove 75 yards in 11 plays, culminating in a Darrick Dutra 7 yard TD run. Houston responded with a 75 yard drive of their own, needing just 4 plays to get a 61 yard TD pass from Tony Dean to Bruce Edwards. Michigan's second drive also resulted in a Darrick Dutra TD, this time it was a receiving TD. That drive was a 75 yard 7 play drive, so 3 drives into the game, we have 3 75 yard TD drives. Houston made it 4 for 4 on their next possession, needing only 2 plays to cover the field, ending with this 73 yard TD pass from Tony Dean to Mark Lambert.
The first quarter ended 14-14, and Michigan scored 10 points in the 2nd quarter, including this 19 yard TD pass from Jerry Ruiz to James Hills with 1:09 left before halftime. Reigning MVP Tony Dean threw 2 INT's in the second quarter and Houston's problems continued in the second half.
The Gamblers missed a FG and saw Dean's 3rd INT their first 2 drives of the 3rd quarter. Houston's defense stiffened in the 3rd quarter and the 2nd Dean to Edwards TD pass cut the Panther's lead to 24-21.
That was our score entering the 4th quarter and Michigan extended their lead with Darrick Dutra's 3rd TD of the day, making the score 31-21. Houston fought back like the champions they are, getting a safety and another Mark Lambert TD to cut the lead to 31-29. Houston went for 2 points after Lambert's TD, but the pass failed and Michigan's lead was still intact. Houston's last 2 drives ended in Dean's 4th INT of the game, and the clock hitting 0:00.
Divisional Round: Michigan @ Memphis (-10)
Sun 23 Hawaiians 10
Southern California were playing their first ever playoff game and they got a familiar division foe in Honolulu. The Sun got the ball first and drove 66 yards in 7 plays, ending with an Alan Grossi 29 yd FG. Honolulu had a three and out their first drive and the Sun then drove 75 yards for a TD, Christopher Kimbrough to James Wise for 38 yards.
Honolulu fought back with Bruno Wilson finding Delmar Moeller for a 3 yard TD pass to cut the Sun lead to 10-7. The two teams then traded possessions, mostly punts or turnovers, and even traded FG's to give us a 13-10 game in the 3rd quarter.
Following the Hawaiians FG late in the 3rd qtr, David Grier took the kickoff 98 yards to the house, effectively sealing the victory. The Sun only completed 8 passes all day, but ran it 38 times and forced 2 turnovers.
Divisional Round: Southern California @ Arizona (-8)
Stars 45 Blazers 17
The first 5 drives of this game were INT, INT, missed FG, punt, INT. Baltimore got the ball first, and following Jon Snow's 2nd INT, Florida scored the first points of the game. Michael London found Lucas Irwin for the 23 yard TD, but it was all downhill from there as Baltimore scored their next 4 drives.
Jon Snow found Knob Creek for the tying TD, a 28 yard pass. Timothy Harmon caught a short TD pass, Fred Boyce kicked a FG, and Jon Snow hit Brian Darden for a 68 yard TD. That made the score 24-7 at the half.
Baltimore scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter on 2 more Jon Snow TD passes to put the game away. Baltimore had 557 yards of offense while holding Florida to only 196. Jon Snow tossed 6 TD passes on the day, tied for 2nd best all time in the playoffs. Nobody will likely ever tough the 11 that David Schmitt threw against New Jersey last season.
Divisional Round: Baltimore @ Washington (-3)
Generals 19 VooDoo 9
Speaking of New Jersey, this was their first playoff game since being torched by Birmingham last year, and they came in losers of 5 of 6 games. New Orleans has had an up and down history in the USFL, as Smirt is the 4th different owner to take the VooDoo to the playoffs.
New Orleans held New Jersey to a three and out on their first possession, then drove 73 yards in 7 plays for the game's first points. James Sheckler ran it in from 1 yard out but the 2 point conversion was no good, 6-0 VooDoo. The two teams then traded punts and FG's through 3 quarters.
Entering the 4th, New Orleans had a 9-6 lead. Early in the 4th, New Jersey tied the score at 9 with Lucio Grant's 3rd FG of the day, before the huge momentum swing. Bob Marley intercepted a James Perry pass at the VooDoo 29 yard line. The very next play Ric Flair hit Aaron Paul for a TD to give New Jersey their first lead of the day. From there, New Orleans had a three and out and two turnover on downs.
Divisional Round: New Jersey @ Birmingham (-10)
Panthers 34 Gamblers 29
Michigan got the ball first and drove 75 yards in 11 plays, culminating in a Darrick Dutra 7 yard TD run. Houston responded with a 75 yard drive of their own, needing just 4 plays to get a 61 yard TD pass from Tony Dean to Bruce Edwards. Michigan's second drive also resulted in a Darrick Dutra TD, this time it was a receiving TD. That drive was a 75 yard 7 play drive, so 3 drives into the game, we have 3 75 yard TD drives. Houston made it 4 for 4 on their next possession, needing only 2 plays to cover the field, ending with this 73 yard TD pass from Tony Dean to Mark Lambert.
The first quarter ended 14-14, and Michigan scored 10 points in the 2nd quarter, including this 19 yard TD pass from Jerry Ruiz to James Hills with 1:09 left before halftime. Reigning MVP Tony Dean threw 2 INT's in the second quarter and Houston's problems continued in the second half.
The Gamblers missed a FG and saw Dean's 3rd INT their first 2 drives of the 3rd quarter. Houston's defense stiffened in the 3rd quarter and the 2nd Dean to Edwards TD pass cut the Panther's lead to 24-21.
That was our score entering the 4th quarter and Michigan extended their lead with Darrick Dutra's 3rd TD of the day, making the score 31-21. Houston fought back like the champions they are, getting a safety and another Mark Lambert TD to cut the lead to 31-29. Houston went for 2 points after Lambert's TD, but the pass failed and Michigan's lead was still intact. Houston's last 2 drives ended in Dean's 4th INT of the game, and the clock hitting 0:00.
Divisional Round: Michigan @ Memphis (-10)
Sun 23 Hawaiians 10
Southern California were playing their first ever playoff game and they got a familiar division foe in Honolulu. The Sun got the ball first and drove 66 yards in 7 plays, ending with an Alan Grossi 29 yd FG. Honolulu had a three and out their first drive and the Sun then drove 75 yards for a TD, Christopher Kimbrough to James Wise for 38 yards.
Honolulu fought back with Bruno Wilson finding Delmar Moeller for a 3 yard TD pass to cut the Sun lead to 10-7. The two teams then traded possessions, mostly punts or turnovers, and even traded FG's to give us a 13-10 game in the 3rd quarter.
Following the Hawaiians FG late in the 3rd qtr, David Grier took the kickoff 98 yards to the house, effectively sealing the victory. The Sun only completed 8 passes all day, but ran it 38 times and forced 2 turnovers.
Divisional Round: Southern California @ Arizona (-8)
Stars 45 Blazers 17
The first 5 drives of this game were INT, INT, missed FG, punt, INT. Baltimore got the ball first, and following Jon Snow's 2nd INT, Florida scored the first points of the game. Michael London found Lucas Irwin for the 23 yard TD, but it was all downhill from there as Baltimore scored their next 4 drives.
Jon Snow found Knob Creek for the tying TD, a 28 yard pass. Timothy Harmon caught a short TD pass, Fred Boyce kicked a FG, and Jon Snow hit Brian Darden for a 68 yard TD. That made the score 24-7 at the half.
Baltimore scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter on 2 more Jon Snow TD passes to put the game away. Baltimore had 557 yards of offense while holding Florida to only 196. Jon Snow tossed 6 TD passes on the day, tied for 2nd best all time in the playoffs. Nobody will likely ever tough the 11 that David Schmitt threw against New Jersey last season.
Divisional Round: Baltimore @ Washington (-3)
Generals 19 VooDoo 9
Speaking of New Jersey, this was their first playoff game since being torched by Birmingham last year, and they came in losers of 5 of 6 games. New Orleans has had an up and down history in the USFL, as Smirt is the 4th different owner to take the VooDoo to the playoffs.
New Orleans held New Jersey to a three and out on their first possession, then drove 73 yards in 7 plays for the game's first points. James Sheckler ran it in from 1 yard out but the 2 point conversion was no good, 6-0 VooDoo. The two teams then traded punts and FG's through 3 quarters.
Entering the 4th, New Orleans had a 9-6 lead. Early in the 4th, New Jersey tied the score at 9 with Lucio Grant's 3rd FG of the day, before the huge momentum swing. Bob Marley intercepted a James Perry pass at the VooDoo 29 yard line. The very next play Ric Flair hit Aaron Paul for a TD to give New Jersey their first lead of the day. From there, New Orleans had a three and out and two turnover on downs.
Divisional Round: New Jersey @ Birmingham (-10)
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