The Memphis Showboats of the United States Football
League had their work cut out for them as they faced the Birmingham Stallions
on May 3, 1985. Coached by the colorful Pepper Rodgers, the Showboats were 6-4
in their second USFL season, but had stumbled after getting off to a 4-0 start.
The defense, which featured DE Reggie White, was benefiting from the addition
of rookies Leonard Coleman at cornerback and safety Mossy Cade. The offense was
slipping, however, and Mike Kelley (pictured above) had replaced Walter Lewis at quarterback the
previous week.
Birmingham was a formidable adversary, tied for first
place atop the USFL’s Eastern Conference with New Jersey and Tampa Bay at 7-3. The
Stallions, under Head Coach Rollie Dotsch, were a well-balanced team with a
productive offense guided by QB Cliff Stoudt and featuring RB Joe Cribbs and WR
Jim Smith, while the tough defense was one of the league’s best. Moreover,
Memphis had lost to them in each of the three previous meetings between the
clubs.
There were 29,025 fans in attendance for the Friday night
game at the Liberty Bowl. On their first play from scrimmage, the Showboats
lined up in a spread formation with both quarterbacks, Mike Kelley and Walter
Lewis, in the backfield. Lewis, after faking to Kelley, ran around end for 22
yards to the Memphis 43 and spurred a six-play, 79-yard drive that concluded with
Kelley throwing to TE Mark Raugh for a touchdown from five yards out. Alan Duncan
added the extra point.
Late in the first quarter, the Memphis defense stopped
the Stallions near the goal line and Birmingham settled for a 31-yard field
goal by Danny Miller. However, the Showboats fumbled away the ensuing kickoff
and less than a minute later the Stallions scored again, this time on a pass
from Cliff Stoudt to WR Ken Toler that covered 34 yards. The extra point
attempt failed, but Birmingham was in front by 9-7.
In the second quarter, Kelley tossed another scoring pass
for the Showboats, this time covering nine yards to WR Derrick Crawford to
finish off a 55-yard possession. Alan Duncan again added the PAT and his 20-yard
field goal later in the period improved the Memphis lead to 17-9.
The Stallions fought back as Stoudt threw to Jim Smith
for a 15-yard TD with 30 seconds remaining in the half and was followed by a
Stoudt toss to Toler for two points, tying the contest at 17-17 going into
halftime.
Four minutes into the third quarter, the Showboats took
advantage of a Birmingham fumble to regain the lead as RB Harry Sydney ran 18
yards for a touchdown. Early in the fourth quarter, Sydney scored again, this
time gaining the final yard to cap a 62-yard series.
It got worse for the Stallions on their next possession.
Stoudt, under a heavy rush, fumbled and Reggie White (pictured at left) recovered and returned it
20 yards for another Memphis TD. All of Duncan’s extra point attempts were
successfully added, thus giving the home team a sizable lead of 38-17.
The Stallions finally put a scoring drive together later
in the final period, going 72 yards in 11 plays that ended with Stoudt throwing
to Toler for an 18-yard touchdown, but by then the outcome was a foregone
conclusion. The Showboats came away with a convincing 38-24 upset win.
The Showboats had the edge in total yards (320 to 315)
while both teams accumulated 19 first downs. The Memphis defense did a fine job
against the normally-proficient running game of the Stallions, holding them to
88 yards on the ground. Each club also turned the ball over two times and time
of possession was nearly even with Memphis holding a 30:51 to 29:09 edge. The
Showboats accounted for the only two sacks of the game.
Mike Kelley completed 21 of 28 passes for 211 yards and
two touchdowns while giving up one interception. WR Greg Moser had 5 catches
for 72 yards. Harry Sydney topped the Memphis rushers with 37 yards on 8
carries that included two TDs.
For the Stallions, Cliff Stoudt was successful on 24 of
33 throws for 240 yards and three TDs with none picked off. Jim Smith had 7 pass receptions for 82 yards
and a touchdown. Joe Cribbs rushed for 69 yards on 12 attempts and caught two
passes for 29 more.
“We made things happen on both sides of the ball,” said
an effusive Coach Pepper Rodgers, who called the win the most impressive in the
team’s short history.
The Showboats won their next two games and five of their
last seven to end up at 11-7 and third in the Eastern Conference. They thrashed
Denver in the Quarterfinal playoff round before losing to the Oakland Invaders
in the Semifinal game. Birmingham recovered to top the conference with a 13-5
record, edging Houston in the Quarterfinal contest before also falling in the
Semifinal round, to the eventual-champion Baltimore Stars.
