1974: Efficient Adams Leads Sun to Win Against Storm

The Southern California Sun were at 4-3 and leading the World Football League’s Western Division as they faced the winless Portland Storm, who had a 0-6-1 record, on August 28, 1974 in the eighth week of the first WFL season.

The Sun were coached by Tom Fears, a former Hall of Fame player for the Rams and, more recently, the first head coach of the New Orleans Saints. They had good luck in signing draft choices, most notably HB Kermit Johnson and FB James McAlister from UCLA and OT Booker Brown of USC. They also had a fair sprinkling of quality veterans such as WR Dave Williams and OT Joe Carollo, while unheralded QB Tony Adams (pictured above) was proving to be a pleasant surprise guiding the offense. Southern California had won its last two contests and was trying to build its lead in the division. However, the Sun was without McAlister, who was replaced in the starting lineup by Greg “Buffalo” Herd, due to a thigh injury as well as Booker Brown.

Portland had been the last franchise to enter the WFL and was guided by Head Coach Dick Coury. QB Greg Barton had CFL experience and replaced rookie Ken Johnson, who suffered a broken hand in the opening week. Running backs Rufus “Road Runner” Ferguson and Marv Kendricks were talented but the team had difficulty producing points, reaching 20 in a game only once thus far.

There were 27,814 fans in attendance at Anaheim Stadium on a Wednesday night. The Sun started off the scoring following a turnover when DT Charles DeJurnett forced Marv Kendricks of the Storm to fumble at the Portland 41 on the game’s second play.  Four plays later, Tony Adams threw to Dave Williams for a 28-yard touchdown. The pass for the action point was unsuccessful (In the WFL, touchdowns counted for seven points and were followed by an action point that could not be kicked).

Late in the opening period, Adams tossed another TD pass, this time to WR Terry Lindsey covering 37 yards, and although the action point attempt again failed, the home team held a 14-0 advantage.

Heading into the second quarter, Portland came back with a 61-yard drive that culminated in Greg Barton connecting with TE Bob Christiansen, who was free in the end zone for a four-yard touchdown. A throw for the action point was no good. But the Sun quickly advanced to another score, helped by a pass interference penalty near the goal line, and HB Ralph Nelson pounded over from a yard out for another TD. Once again the try for the action point was unsuccessful, but it hardly mattered. On Portland’s next play from scrimmage, CB Gene Howard intercepted a Barton pass and returned it 44 yards for another touchdown and this time the action point was added thanks to an Adams toss to Williams that put Southern California well in front by a 29-7 score.

On the final play of the first half, Adams added to the home team’s lead by finishing off a long drive of 92 yards in 16 plays with an 11-yard completion to Williams, and the two once again connected for the action point. The halftime score stood at 37-7 and Adams took a seat for the remainder of the contest. 

Southern California’s backup QB Gary Valbuena helped to pile on to the home team’s lead in the opening minutes of the third quarter when he threw to Lindsey along the right sideline and, when the defender dove and missed, he ran 26 yards for another TD. Nelson ran for the action point and the crowd began heading for the exits.

The Storm finally scored again when a Barton pass intended for WR Jim Krieg drew a pass interference penalty of 33 yards to the Southern California two and, three plays later, Kendricks drove over right tackle for a one-yard touchdown. QB Ken Johnson ran a bootleg to add the action point. It counted for nothing more than pride as the Sun came away with a convincing 45-15 win.

The Sun outpaced Portland in total yards (394 to 233) and first downs (22 to 15). The Storm turned the ball over twice to one suffered by Southern California.

Tony Adams, in his half of action, completed 12 of 13 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns while Gary Valbuena, in mop-up duty, was 8 of 14 for 77 yards and a TD. HB Alonzo Emery gained 40 yards on 7 carries while, in his relief appearance, Greg Herd (pictured at right) rushed for 31 yards on 8 attempts and caught an eight-yard pass. Dave Williams had 6 catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns and Terry Lindsey gained 86 yards on his three pass receptions. MLB Eric Patton and DT Dave Roller performed notably well on defense.

For the Storm, Greg Barton was successful on 8 of 15 throws for 57 yards and a TD while giving up one interception. Rufus Ferguson was held to 31 yards on 13 carries and led the club in pass receiving with three for 50 yards.

“They’re an excellent team,” said Portland’s Coach Coury of the Sun. “They have good talent, good receivers, and they executed very well.”

The Sun lost the following week but then reeled off seven straight wins on the way to easily topping the Western Division with a 13-7 record. However, they also encountered financial problems and the star rookies Johnson, McAlister, and Brown chose to sit out the playoff game against the Hawaiians, which the demoralized club lost. As for Portland, the Storm finally won the next week against the Detroit Wheels, the first of four victories in five games, and finished the season at 7-12-1.

Tony Adams was named one of the WFL’s three co-MVPs as he led the league in passing yards (3905) and finished second in attempts (510), completions (276), and yards per attempt (7.7). He was also a first-team All-WFL selection by The Sporting News and moved on to the NFL in 1975, where he spent four seasons primarily as a backup with the Kansas City Chiefs before moving on to Canada.

1984: Cribbs & Clanton Star as Stallions Defeat Breakers

The Birmingham Stallions had won four straight games and were trying to catch the undefeated New Orleans Breakers in the United States Football League’s Southern Division as they went head to head in a Monday night game on April 2, 1984.

Coached by Rollie Dotsch, the Stallions were much improved on offense from the previous year thanks largely to the addition of RB Joe Cribbs (pictured at right), formerly of the Buffalo Bills, and ex-Steelers QB Cliff Stoudt. Another former Steeler, WR Jim Smith, was back for a second year and provided Stoudt with an outstanding target. The defense was the USFL’s best thus far against the run, although less adept at covering passes.

New Orleans was coached by the offense-minded Dick Coury and it was the explosive attack that had the Breakers at 5-0. QB John Walton, who had been sacked only once thus far, had a strong arm and rarely threw interceptions. WR Frank Lockett was the top receiver for the Breakers and had able partners in WR Charlie Smith and TE Dan Ross, both veterans with significant NFL experience. Rookie RB Buford Jordan powered the ground game.

It was a rainy Monday night at Legion Field with attendance held to 28,100 as a result. On the game’s third play, a pass by John Walton, throwing under pressure, was intercepted by FS Chuck Clanton, who raced 29 yards for a touchdown. Danny Miller added the extra point for the quick 7-0 advantage.

New Orleans missed out on a scoring opportunity when Tim Mazzetti was wide on a 47-yard field goal attempt, his first failure of the season. Following a punt by the Stallions, the Breakers were driving as the opening period ended, having advanced from their 20 to the Birmingham 14. On the first play of the second quarter, RB Marcus DuPree fumbled and the Stallions recovered but Joe Cribbs immediately fumbled the ball back and the Breakers came away with a 31-yard Mazzetti field goal that narrowed the score to 7-3.

Cliff Stoudt quickly passed the Stallions into New Orleans territory and Cribbs ran effectively. Two bootlegs by Stoudt got the ball inside the one from where FB Leon Perry crashed into the end zone for a TD to complete the eight-play, 69-yard series. Miller added the point after to extend the home team’s lead to 14-3.

On the ensuing series, Walton threw to Charlie Smith for a long gain in a third-and-12 situation to get the ball into Birmingham’s end of the field and the 72-yard possession that took nine plays ended with Buford Jordan running seven yards for a touchdown. Mazzetti’s PAT made it a four-point contest with 2:46 remaining in the first half. The score remained 14-10 at halftime as a drive by the Stallions ended with Miller missing on a 45-yard field goal try.

Birmingham had the ball first in the third quarter and advanced methodically in a 17-play drive that covered 89 yards and used up 7:22 of playing time. Cribbs had two key carries along the way and the Stallions converted two fourth downs. Stoudt passed to Cribbs for a six-yard touchdown and Miller converted to make the score 21-10.

The Breakers stormed back, advancing 70 yards in eight plays helped by a pass interference penalty, and Jordan ran around end for an 11-yard TD. Mazzetti added the extra point to again narrow the Birmingham lead at 21-17.

Birmingham put together another time-consuming drive that featured a dropped near-interception and a fake field goal that backup QB Bob Lane, the holder, converted into a first down at the New Orleans 12. It led to a 29-yard Miller field goal and seven-point lead for the Stallions.

A turnover by the Breakers on the first play following the ensuing kickoff, when a pitchout went awry deep in their own territory, was recovered by LB Mike Murphy for the Stallions at the one and quickly led to another short Perry touchdown carry. Miller booted the point after and Birmingham was ahead by 14 points and in control with 9:30 remaining to play.

It was more than enough for the Stallions. Clanton interceptions ended the next two New Orleans possessions, with a Birmingham drive in between that ended with a missed field goal but, most importantly, once again ran significant time off the clock. The Stallions won convincingly by a final score of 31-17.

Birmingham had the edge in total yards (354 to 199), first downs (23 to 17), and time of possession (34:11 to 25:49), including 22:49 to 7:11 in the second half. Of the yardage total for the Stallions, 231 came on the ground. The Breakers also turned the ball over five times, to two by Birmingham. There were only two punts during the game, one by each team.

Joe Cribbs was the star for the Stallions on offense, rushing for 162 yards on 26 carries and catching 5 passes for 32 yards and a touchdown. Cliff Stoudt completed 12 of 25 throws for 123 yards and a TD while giving up no interceptions. Leon Perry contributed 48 yards on 15 rushing attempts that included the two short touchdowns. WR Jim Smith gained 63 yards on his four pass receptions. On defense, Chuck Clanton (pictured at left) had three interceptions that he returned for 57 yards and a TD.

For the Breakers, John Walton, who was heavily pressured throughout the contest, completed 12 of 31 passes for 116 yards and no touchdowns while being picked off three times. Buford Jordan ran the ball 7 times for a team-leading 44 yards and two TDs. TE Dan Ross had four catches for 43 yards.

“We played our kind of game in the second half,” said Birmingham’s Coach Dotsch. “We took the ball, ground it out, and scored. It was nothing fancy – just football.”

Birmingham’s winning streak reached nine games on the way to a 14-4 record that topped the Southern Division. The Stallions defeated Tampa Bay in the first playoff round before losing to Philadelphia for the Eastern Conference Championship. The Breakers regained their winning touch the following week but collapsed during the second half of the season and ended up at a disappointing 8-10 tally that placed a distant third in the division.

Joe Cribbs took over the USFL rushing lead with his big performance against New Orleans and that is where he ended up, gaining 1467 yards on 297 carries (4.9 avg.) with eight touchdowns. He also caught 39 passes for 500 yards and another five TDs, and received consensus All-League honors. Chuck Clanton intercepted 10 passes, which he returned for a league-leading 249 yards and three TDs.

1983: Backup Woodward Leads Breakers to Win Against Bandits

On June 19, 1983 two teams with playoff aspirations in the inaugural United States Football League season met in Boston. Both were also playing without their regular quarterbacks.

The Boston Breakers were 9-6 and in second place in the Atlantic Division. With the Philadelphia Stars having already clinched the division title, the Breakers were in the hunt for the lone Wild Card playoff spot. Coached by Dick Coury, they had proven adept at rallying for wins with their exciting offense, but veteran QB John Walton was out with a strained knee and the untested Doug Woodward would be making his first start at quarterback.

The Tampa Bay Bandits also had injury problems at quarterback, and were starting Mike Kelley in place of Jimmy Jordan, originally himself a backup who had in turn taken over for John Reaves when the 33-year-old veteran went down with a broken wrist. Under pass-oriented Head Coach Steve Spurrier, the Bandits had gotten off to a 4-0 start but were now at 10-5 and trying to keep pace with the Chicago Blitz atop the Central Division. They had beaten the Breakers in the season’s first week.

There were 15,530 fans in attendance at Nickerson Field of Boston University on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Among those in attendance was actor Burt Reynolds, a minority owner of the Bandits. With the inexperienced Woodward at quarterback, who had thrown just three passes thus far, the Breakers came into the contest utilizing a simplified offense and relying on a good defensive effort.

On the first play from scrimmage, Tampa Bay RB Gary Anderson fumbled and SS Joe Restic recovered for the Breakers. Four plays later, Doug Woodward, rolling to his left, tossed a scoring pass to FB Dennis Johnson from 11 yards out. Tim Mazzetti added the extra point and, less than two minutes into the game, the home team was up by 7-0. To make matters worse for Tampa Bay, Anderson, the star rookie whose arrival at midseason had bolstered the running attack, aggravated a shoulder injury.

The Bandits responded by driving to a 35-yard field goal by Zenon Andrusyshyn, but the Breakers then put together a 46-yard series that was capped by Johnson diving for a two-yard TD. Mazzetti again successfully converted and Boston was staked to a 14-3 first quarter lead.

Early in the second quarter, the Bandits scored on a 20-yard touchdown carry by RB Sam Platt and Mike Kelley threw to WR Eric Truvillion for a two-point conversion. Mazzetti kicked a 22-yard field goal with 2:20 remaining in the first half that increased Boston’s advantage to 17-11. As time expired before halftime, Andrusyshyn kicked a field goal from 51 yards that hit the crossbar but went over. The score was 17-14 at the intermission.

In the third quarter, the Bandits put together a drive that started from their 25 and advanced deep into Boston territory. But facing third-and-three at the seven, Anderson ran for two yards and then, attempting to convert fourth down, the rookie was stopped by LB Marcus Marek for no gain (although the spot by the officials was highly disputed) to end the threat and turn the ball back over to the Breakers.

Later in the period, a 72-yard punt by Boston’s Dario Casarino pinned the Bandits back at their two yard line. Tampa Bay reached the 12 before having to punt in turn early in the fourth quarter, and it took the Breakers just two plays to score from their own 49. Woodward connected with TE Beau Coash for 44 yards and then WR Nolan Franz for a seven-yard TD. Mazzetti kicked the point after.

With 7:50 to play, Andrusyshyn narrowed the margin to seven points with a 35-yard field goal, but that proved to be the last gasp for the Bandits, who failed to cross midfield for the remainder of the contest. On the game’s next-to-last play, LB Ray Phillips sealed the 24-17 win for the Breakers by intercepting a Kelley pass at the Boston 40.

Tampa Bay dominated in total yards (355 to 222) and first downs (22 to 10), and ran 27 more offensive plays than the Breakers. However, the Bandits failed too often to convert long possessions into touchdowns and turned the ball over three times, to none by Boston. The Breakers also recorded four sacks, while Tampa Bay had none.

Staked to an early lead, Doug Woodward completed 12 of 17 passes for just 80 yards, but two were good for touchdowns and he gave up no interceptions. RB Richard Crump rushed for 79 yards on nine carries. Thanks to his one long catch, Beau Coash led the Breakers with 47 yards on two pass receptions.

For the Bandits, Mike Kelley was successful on 22 of 40 throws for 238 yards and no TDs and was picked off once. Gary Anderson, who was knocked out of the contest for a time in addition to reinjuring his shoulder, rushed for 49 yards on nine attempts and Greg Boone contributed 36 yards on 10 carries. WR Willie Gillespie caught four passes for 87 yards.

“It was a fairly simple game plan, but the young kid did an excellent job,” said Boston’s Coach Coury. “He’s a heady kid, throws the ball real well, and came up with a couple of big plays.”

It was the fifth win in six games for the Breakers. Meanwhile, the loss put the Bandits a game behind the Chicago Blitz in the Central Division with two contests remaining. Both clubs ultimately failed to make the postseason. They each split their remaining games and ended up with 11-7 records (Chicago was the Wild Card at 12-6).

1985: Outlaws Control the Ball to Defeat Breakers, End Losing Streak

The Arizona Outlaws had lost six straight games as they traveled to Portland to take on the Breakers, losers of their last five contests, in a United States Football League game on May 19, 1985. A combination of 1984’s Oklahoma Outlaws and Arizona Wranglers, the team was coached by Frank Kush, formerly of Arizona State, and had an established veteran in QB Doug Williams (pictured above) to direct the offense. But after getting off to a 4-2 start, which included a win over Portland in the opener, the losing streak had them struggling at 4-8.

The Breakers were also at 4-8 after having lost their last two games by a combined score of 59-7. Coached by Dick Coury, the club was not as proficient on offense as it had been in Boston and New Orleans, its previous locations. The Breakers missed the retired John Walton at quarterback and the situation was not helped by the loss of promising RB Marcus Dupree with a knee injury in the opening week.

There were 15,275 fans in attendance at Civic Stadium. The Breakers had the game’s first possession and drove down the field, but an apparent nine-yard touchdown run by RB Buford Jordan was nullified by a holding penalty and the Breakers came up empty when Tim Mazzetti was unsuccessful on a 49-yard field goal attempt.

On Portland’s next series, Jordan fumbled the ball away at his 22 yard line. Arizona took advantage as RB Reggie Brown ran for a 13-yard TD with four minutes remaining in the first quarter and Luis Zendejas added the extra point.

As the contest entered the second quarter, the Outlaws added to the lead on their next series that culminated in Doug Williams tossing a pass to WR Greg Anderson for a 12-yard TD. Zendejas again successfully converted to increase the margin to 14-0. Before the first half was over, Zendejas added two field goals, from 22 and 26 yards, which boosted the visitors to a 20-0 lead at the intermission.

Portland QB Matt Robinson suffered an elbow injury during the first half and didn’t come back for the second half. Meanwhile, Arizona started the third quarter with a 68-yard drive and Williams threw to TE Ron Wheeler for a four-yard touchdown.

Ahead by 27-0, Arizona had to endure a strong comeback by the Breakers with backup QB Kevin Starkey directing the offense. Starkey, who had been signed as a free agent a few weeks earlier, was seeing his first action of the season.

The Outlaws reached paydirt on a Starkey pass to WR Ron Johnson that covered 35 yards for a TD late in the third quarter. The try for extra point failed. Now in the final period, Starkey struck again, throwing over the middle to Jordan on a touchdown play that covered 80 yards. This time Mazzetti added the point after and, with 12:36 remaining, the Arizona lead was cut to 27-13.

Needing to keep the ball away from Starkey and the suddenly hot Breakers, the Outlaws helped themselves with a long, ten-minute drive that ended with a 33-yard Zendejas field goal, which in essence clinched the win. Starkey came back to complete a TD pass covering 13 yards to RB Dwight Beverly, but there were only 53 seconds left on the clock. Arizona came away the winner by a final score of 30-21.

The Outlaws dominated in time of possession (41:44 to 18:16) and that translated into a lead in total yards of 348 to 256 plus a 21 to 14 edge in first downs. Arizona recorded five sacks, to one by the Breakers, and Portland suffered the game’s only turnover. However, the Outlaws also were penalized seven times while just two flags were thrown on the Breakers.

Doug Williams completed 17 of 28 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. RB Mack Boatner led Arizona’s effective ground game with 86 yards on 17 carries and Reggie Brown contributed 63 yards on 15 attempts. Greg Anderson had five pass receptions for 83 yards.

For the Breakers, Kevin Starkey was successful on 7 of 12 throws for 187 yards and three TDs with no pickoffs after relieving Matt Robinson, who was six-of-10 for 67 yards. Ron Johnson topped the club with three catches for 76 yards and a score while WR Marion Brown and RB Louis Jackson also had three receptions apiece, for 41 and 22 yards, respectively. Buford Jordan rushed for 35 yards on 9 attempts.

“Our main philosophy is to keep control of the ball, and that’s just what we did,” explained Coach Kush of Arizona.

The Outlaws lost badly to the Houston Gamblers the next week but then reeled off three straight wins on the way to an 8-10 record and fourth place finish in the Western Conference. Portland won its next game and ended up at 6-12 and fifth in the conference.

The 1985 season was the last for Kevin Starkey, who spent most of his brief pro career in the Canadian Football League. His performance against the Outlaws was the highlight of the year as he completed 16 of 33 passes for 287 yards overall. The three TD passes were his entire output and he gave up two interceptions.

1983: Rae Rallies Express Past Breakers

The May 7, 1983 United States Football League game in Los Angeles featured a pair of teams that had lost their last two games and were struggling to remain in playoff contention.

The Los Angeles Express were coached by Hugh Campbell, who had been highly successful in the CFL. They sported a mediocre 4-5 record, but that was the same as the other three teams in the lackluster Pacific Division of the USFL. While the defense was tough, the offense had difficulty scoring points. Former NFL backup Mike Rae (pictured above) had been starting at quarterback, but was typically relieved by rookie Tom Ramsey out of UCLA, and now Ramsey was getting an opportunity to start.

The visiting Boston Breakers, coached by Dick Coury, had a better record coming into the game at 5-4, but in the Atlantic Division that put them three games behind the Philadelphia Stars. They were coming off two tough losses, including one the week before in which QB John Walton passed for 423 yards, the highest total in the new league’s brief history. A veteran of the Continental and World Football leagues, as well as the NFL, Walton had good targets in wide receivers Charlie Smith, formerly of the NFL Eagles, Nolan Franz, and Frank Lockett. They could also run the ball well, and while the passing defense was spotty, there was a good group of linebackers led by rookie Marcus Marek from Ohio State.

There were 16,307 fans on hand for the nationally-televised game late on a Saturday afternoon at the Memorial Coliseum. The Express got the first break when DB Alvin Burleson intercepted a third-down pass by John Walton and returned it to the Boston nine yard line. It led to an eight-yard touchdown pass from Tom Ramsey to WR Kris Haines. Vince Abbott missed the extra point attempt, but the home team held the early 6-0 lead.

The Breakers responded with a 44-yard Tim Mazzetti field goal after going 36 yards in nine plays and then got the ball back when the Express fumbled the ensuing kickoff return. The visitors made the most of the opportunity as FB Tony Davis swept around left end for a six-yard TD. Mazzetti added the extra point and Boston took a 10-6 lead into the second quarter.

LA put together a good drive of 75 yards in 13 plays that featured two Ramsey-to-Haines passes, but a holding penalty wiped out a carry to the one yard line and the Express had to settle for an Abbott field goal from 22 yards.

The Breakers came back with a series that featured effective running, a pass interference penalty on LA, and a flea-flicker pass to WR Charlie Smith that set up RB Richard Crump’s one-yard leap into the end zone for a touchdown. Mazzetti added the point after, and the score was 17-9 at the half.

Five minutes into the third quarter, Mike Rae relieved the injured Tom Ramsey at quarterback, who went out after being sacked by DE Daryl Wilkerson and suffered a bruised Achilles tendon. Abbott missed on a 42-yard field goal attempt shortly thereafter, but two plays later the Express got another huge break on defense when RB Anthony Steels fumbled and CB Wymon Henderson scooped up the loose ball and ran 33 yards for a touchdown. Abbott’s successful conversion again made it a one-point game at 17-16 heading into the final period.

The Breakers again moved effectively on their next series, but an offensive pass interference penalty called in the end zone on Smith forced a long field goal attempt of 48 yards by Mazzetti that was partially blocked and fell short.

Boston got a break, intercepting a Rae pass, but after driving to a first down at the five yard line, the Breakers could only come up with a 24-yard field goal by Mazzetti as the Express defense stiffened. Still, the lead was four points with less than eight minutes remaining to play.

It seemed as though it would be enough when LA was forced to punt on its next series and the Breakers responded with a long drive that finally stalled deep in Express territory. With 1:03 now on the clock, Mazzetti missed a 28-yard field goal attempt that would have given the visitors a seven-point lead.

The Express, who had such difficulty on offense for most of the game, proceeded to put together a six-play, 80-yard possession that was helped along by three completions to RB Tony Boddie for sizable gains. With 18 seconds remaining on the clock, Rae threw to Haines for a six-yard touchdown, and Los Angeles came away with a stunning 23-20 win.

Boston dominated in total yards (339 to 211), with only 22 of LA’s yards coming on the ground, in first downs (20 to 12), and time of possession (38:27 to 21:33). In addition, the Breakers sacked LA quarterbacks four times, to one by the Express. However, Boston turned the ball over four times, to two suffered by Los Angeles, and was penalized 12 times at a cost of 80 yards while the Express was flagged 7 times for 60 yards.

In his relief effort, Mike Rae completed 9 of 12 passes for 104 yards and one touchdown along with one interception. Prior to leaving due to injury, Tom Ramsey was 10 of 18 for 117 yards and a TD with none intercepted. Tony Boddie had 7 catches for 79 yards in addition to his team-leading 11 rushing yards on three carries and Kris Haines added 6 receptions for 86 yards that included the two touchdowns.

For the Breakers, John Walton was successful on 19 of 33 throws for 196 yards and was picked off three times. Anthony Steels ran for 92 yards on 17 attempts and caught three passes for 18 more yards. Nolan Franz topped the club with four catches for 64 yards.

“For the third straight week we played well enough to win, and didn’t get the job done,” said a disappointed Coach Coury of the Breakers. “It’s very frustrating, probably the most frustrating three-week period in my career.”

The Breakers went on to win their next four games, but ended up with an 11-7 record that was good enough to maintain second place in the Atlantic Division but not enough for the Wild Card playoff spot. The Express ultimately also came up short in the Pacific Division, also placing second at 8-10. Mike Rae and Tom Ramsey continued to split time at quarterback the rest of the way.

1984: Breakers Edge Maulers Despite Carano’s Big Passing Day

The Week 7 United States Football League contest on April 8, 1984 between the New Orleans Breakers and Pittsburgh Maulers appeared to be a classic mismatch on paper. The Breakers were 5-1, having lost for the first time in their previous game, and were in the thick of the Southern Division race. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh was struggling at 2-4, although they were coming off a win.

The Maulers were one of six expansion teams for the USFL’s second season and were coached by Joe Pendry, a former college assistant who had been offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Stars in ’83. They had made a high-profile signing by picking up the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, RB Mike Rozier, and they had a quarterback with NFL experience in former Dallas backup Glenn Carano. But the offense struggled, at least until picking up WR Jackie Flowers from the Chicago Blitz, and the defense had many holes.

The Breakers, coached by Dick Coury for the second year, had been in Boston in 1983 but were thriving in their new home. 36-year-old QB John Walton directed an offense that was productive both on the ground and through the air and the defense, anchored by LB Marcus Marek, was effective as well.

There was a crowd of 39,315 on hand at the Louisiana Superdome. The Breakers scored first on a five-yard carry around end by RB Marcus Dupree for a touchdown that finished off a 91-yard drive and Tim Mazzetti added the extra point. Dupree ran the ball five times for 31 yards during the series, but also aggravated a hamstring problem that hindered him the remainder of the game (he gained just ten more yards).

Just before the opening period ended, Glenn Carano connected with WR Greg Anderson for a nine-yard TD and Tony Lee added the point after to tie the score. The Maulers moved the ball well again on their next possession, going 77 yards, but they came up empty when a hurried throw by Carano was picked off by SS Eric Johnson.

Carano gave up another interception on the next Pittsburgh series, this time on a bomb intended for Anderson that was grabbed by CB Bruce Miller at the New Orleans 18. Pittsburgh got the ball back thanks to a fumble recovery when DT David Graham stripped RB Tony Good at the New Orleans 48. Once again the Maulers moved into scoring territory, but after reaching the 25 a penalty moved them back five yards and Lee ultimately was short on a 47-yard field goal attempt. Despite moving the ball well, Pittsburgh was unable to take advantage of scoring opportunities and the tally remained 7-7 at the half.

Early in the third quarter, Mazzetti booted a 33-yard field goal to put the Breakers back in front by 10-7. The Maulers responded with a field goal of their own, with Lee successful from 32 yards. New Orleans drove 79 yards on a series that ended with Walton throwing to WR Marion Brown, who dove to make the catch for a 15-yard touchdown, and Mazzetti’s PAT made it a seven-point contest with less than a minute remaining in the period.

In the fourth quarter, the Maulers came through with a big stop on defense when the Breakers attempted to convert a fourth-and-two play and RB Buford Jordan was tackled for a one-yard loss at the Pittsburgh 36. The Maulers responded with 63-yard drive in seven plays, all passes, six of which were completions. The last was to Anderson for a seven-yard TD and, with the successful extra point, the score was tied at 17-17.

The Maulers were backed up to their seven yard line when they next got the ball, but they went 93 yards to take the lead. Carano again had the hot hand, competing six of seven for 78 yards along the way, the biggest a toss to Anderson that picked up 27 yards down the left sideline. That got the ball to the New Orleans one, from where Carano got the touchdown on a quarterback sneak.

Down by seven points with 2:46 left in the contest, Walton led the Breakers 80 yards in five plays over the course of 57 seconds to tie the score. Three of the plays were pass completions to WR Charlie Smith that picked up a total of 48 yards, and each victimized safety Larry Friday, who was in the game as a nickel back. Friday hit Smith with an elbow after one reception to add another 15 yards and advance the ball to the Pittsburgh 24. Smith’s last catch was in the corner of the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown. Mazzetti tied the score once more at 24-24 with the extra point.

The ensuing kickoff was returned just 10 yards by RB William Miller, who was brought down hard at his own 11 yard line. Carano had a short toss to Mike Rozier for three yards but then threw two incomplete passes before Larry Swider, kicking from his end zone, launched a 49-yard punt to the New Orleans 36.

Jordan ran 21 yards on a draw play to the Pittsburgh 43. On a third down play, Walton connected with Smith once again for a 14-yard gain to the 24 that set up a 41-yard Tim Mazzetti field goal with 12 seconds left on the clock. Having scored ten points inside the last two minutes, the Breakers came away with a 27-24 win.

Pittsburgh led in total yards (452 to 425) and also had the edge in first downs (29 to 28). However, the Maulers had three turnovers, to one suffered by the Breakers, and they were also penalized 9 times at a cost of 84 yards, to 8 flags thrown on New Orleans for 49 yards.

John Walton completed 18 of 33 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Buford Jordan ran for 111 yards on 12 carries and gained another 50 yards on his three pass receptions. The 10-year veteran Charlie Smith, who had been a teammate of Walton’s with the Eagles in the NFL, topped the receivers with 7 catches for 113 yards and a TD, most of which came in the clutch in the fourth quarter.

For the Maulers, Glenn Carano went to the air 48 times and had 35 completions for 388 yards and two TDs, although he also gave up three interceptions. Jackie Flowers and Greg Anderson each caught 10 passes, for 135 and 128 yards, respectively, and two of Anderson’s were good for scores. Mike Rozier led the ground game with 45 yards on 13 carries and also had 7 receptions for 23 yards.

“We’re fortunate to get out of here alive,” said a relieved Coach Dick Coury afterward.

“We let the offense down,” said Pittsburgh DE Sam Clancy. “We gave up ten points in the final two minutes. No team can win like that.”

The win improved New Orleans’ record to 6-1 but, after splitting their next two games, the Breakers collapsed and won only once more the rest of the way to finish at a disappointing 8-10 for third place in the Southern Division. Pittsburgh fell to 2-5 and continued to flounder, ending up at the bottom of the Atlantic Division along with the Washington Federals with a 3-15 record. Coach Pendry was gone after ten games and replaced by Ellis Rainsberger.

Glenn Carano, who had such a big day in a losing cause, went on to complete 53.7 percent of his passes for 2368 yards and 13 touchdowns against 19 interceptions in what was his last pro season. Greg Anderson led the team with 63 catches for 994 yards (15.8 avg.) and six TDs while Jackie Flowers contributed 51 receptions for 904 yards (17.7 avg.) and eight scores. 

1983: Bandits Pull Out Win Over Breakers in USFL Debut

March 6, 1983 marked the debut of the United States Football League with the first game starting in Tampa between the Tampa Bay Bandits and Boston Breakers, just ahead of four other Sunday afternoon contests.

The Bandits were owned by John Bassett, a Canadian businessman who had once operated the Memphis Southmen in the World Football League. The head coach was Steve Spurrier, a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at the University of Florida who played in the NFL with the 49ers and Buccaneers and had most recently been offensive coordinator at Duke. 33-year-old John Reaves (pictured above) was the starting quarterback and, like his coach, had also starred at Florida but had little success as a pro and had been dogged by drug and alcohol problems off the field. Reaves had last played for Houston in 1981 and was selling real estate in that city when the opportunity to play in the new league came along.

Boston also had a veteran quarterback in John Walton, a 35-year-old who had last played as a backup with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1979 before becoming head coach at Elizabeth City State for three years. Walton was also a veteran of the Continental and World Football Leagues along the way and had demonstrated a strong passing arm. Head Coach Dick Coury was an experienced NFL assistant who had also been head coach with the WFL’s Portland Storm.

There was plenty of hoopla surrounding the opening game at Tampa Stadium with a good crowd of 42,447 fans in attendance on a sunny, 80-degree afternoon. The Bandits came out fast, running their first eight plays without a huddle, but it was Boston’s Tim Mazzetti who put the first points on the board a minute before the end of the first quarter with a 30-yard field goal.

In the second quarter, the Bandits put together a 75-yard drive in six plays that culminated in Reaves throwing to RB Ricky Williams for a five-yard touchdown with six minutes remaining in the first half. Zenon Andrusyshyn added the extra point. Boston responded with an eight-play, 80-yard series that also led to a TD on a pass from John Walton to RB Anthony Steels. Mazzetti successfully added the PAT to give the Breakers a three-point lead at 10-7.

In their first possession of the third quarter, the Bandits drove 83 yards to score again. Reaves completed all four of his passes, the last one for a six-yard touchdown to WR Eric Truvillion. Moving the ball effectively later in the period and ahead by 14-10, it seemed as though the Bandits were on the verge of taking control of the game as they faced third-and-goal at the Boston three yard line. However, Reaves fired a pass into the end zone that was tipped twice before being intercepted by CB Terry Love five yards deep in the end zone. Love proceeded to run 102 yards before being brought down at the Tampa Bay three by Truvillion. Three plays later, the Breakers re-took the lead on a one-yard carry by FB Tony Davis and Mazzetti added the point after.

The momentum had shifted and Tampa Bay’s next possession also ended with an interception, but the Breakers were unable to add points. With 10:17 left in the game, Reaves went long to WR Willie Gillespie for a 33-yard touchdown that put the Bandits back in front to stay, Andrusyshyn capping the score with his third extra point of the contest.

That was it for the scoring. Holding a four-point lead and with 1:35 left in the contest, the Bandits were in possession at their own 29 and Coach Spurrier gambled by seeking to convert a fourth-and-one situation. The Breakers stopped the ensuing running play by RB Greg Boone but were flagged for being offsides. Tampa Bay was able to run out the clock and win by a final score of 21-17. 

The Bandits easily outpaced Boston in total yards (470 to 225) and first downs (26 to 14). However, the Breakers led in time of possession (31:02 to 28:58) and Tampa Bay turned the ball over twice, to one turnover suffered by the visitors.

John Reaves had a fine performance, completing 28 of 39 passes for 358 yards and three touchdowns, along with two interceptions. Ricky Williams, who played collegiately at Florida State, got the starting nod at running back due to a foot injury suffered by RB George Ragsdale on the opening kickoff and rushed for 97 yards on 25 carries and also had 6 catches for 49 more yards that included a TD (his only production of the season, as he went down with a knee injury the following week). WR Danny Buggs led the club with 7 pass receptions for 112 yards and Eric Truvillion contributed 6 catches for 88 yards and a score.

For the Breakers, John Walton was successful on 17 of 28 throws for 163 yards and a TD along with one interception. Tony Davis rushed for 29 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts while RB Anthony Steels gained 23 yards on 6 carries and added 4 receptions for 35 yards. Veteran WR Charlie Smith, a former teammate of Walton’s in Philadelphia, gained a team-leading 48 yards on his two catches.

“I was very much pleased with what I saw,” said former Steelers RB Rocky Bleier, who was on hand to cover the game for a Pittsburgh television station. “It was wide open, there was a good selection of plays and there wasn’t the kind of sloppy play you might expect for a game like this.”

The opening-week win was the first of four straight for the Bandits, but they stumbled during the second half of the season and the resulting 11-7 record left them third in the Central Division and just short of the playoffs. The loss of John Reaves with a broken wrist was a factor, although backup Jimmy Jordan performed well until also going down with an injury.

Boston recovered to go 11-7 as well, good enough for second in the Atlantic Division although also on the outside looking in for the postseason.

1985: Zendejas Field Goals Propel Outlaws Over Breakers

The season-opening United States Football League game in Tempe, Arizona on February 24, 1985 featured the Arizona Outlaws and the Portland Breakers, two teams that had undergone transformations over the course of the offseason.

The Outlaws were a combination of clubs that played as the Arizona Wranglers and Oklahoma Outlaws in 1984. From Oklahoma came QB Doug Williams, previously of the NFL Buccaneers, who performed well until knocked out of action by a knee injury. WR Alphonso Williams and TE Ron Wheeler were capable receivers. From the previous Arizona franchise that had reached the USFL Championship game came such savvy veterans as RB Kevi n Long, DT Kit Lathrop, and DE Karl Lorch (although they were missing WR Trumaine Johnson, who held out). One newcomer was rookie PK Luis Zendejas out of Arizona State, where he set a NCAA record with 368 career points. Also new was Head Coach Frank Kush, long-time coach at ASU who had most recently been with the NFL Colts.

The Breakers, coached by Dick Coury, were in their third city in three USFL seasons. Originally based in Boston with an inadequate home venue, they moved to New Orleans for ’84 but, with the announced plan to shift to a Fall schedule in 1986, the club was forced to move again, this time to Portland, Oregon. The Breakers had featured an exciting offense led by QB John Walton, but he was now retired and being replaced by backup Doug Woodward. Still, there were good receivers in WR Frank Lockett and TE Dan Ross and capable runners in RBs Buford Jordan and Marcus Dupree. LB Marcus Marek was the keystone of a solid defense.

There were 20,321 fans in attendance at Sun Devil Stadium in what would prove to be a low-scoring struggle. The Outlaws scored first eight minutes into the opening period when Luis Zendejas kicked a 25-yard field goal. Zendejas added another field goal, from 29 yards, in the second quarter. It was set up by a pass from Doug Williams to WR William Davis that covered 46 yards to the Portland nine yard line (it would be the only catch of the year for Davis). The Outlaws took a 6-0 lead into halftime.

Late in the third quarter, the Breakers drove 80 yards on 15 plays and scored on an 11-yard touchdown carry by Marcus Dupree. Tim Mazzetti’s extra point put Portland ahead by 7-6.

In the final period, an interception by Arizona CB Carl Allen gave the Outlaws the ball at the Portland 39, and that set up a Zendejas field goal from 43 yards with 6:33 remaining to play. The Breakers reached the Arizona 37 in a last-gasp effort to pull the game out, but Doug Woodward fumbled the ball away on a fourth down play with 32 seconds left on the clock and the Outlaws came away with a 9-7 win.

Arizona had more total yards (279 to 210), although only 31 of those yards came on 25 rushing attempts while New Orleans had more balance on offense (108 rushing, 102 passing). The teams were even with 11 first downs apiece. Each team turned the ball over two times.

Doug Williams completed 16 of 26 passes for 254 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Ron Wheeler had three catches for 85 yards while WR John Mistler and RB Allan Clark also contributed three receptions apiece, for 30 and 28 yards, respectively. Kevin Long led the miniscule running attack with 18 yards on 11 carries. Luis Zendejas was the scoring star, with three field goals in as many attempts in his pro debut.

For the Breakers, Doug Woodward was successful on just 11 of 26 throws for 140 yards and had one intercepted. Marcus Dupree ran for 69 yards on 17 carries but had to be carried off the field on a stretcher with just over two minutes remaining in the contest. TE David Bayle caught three passes for 33 yards and Dan Ross gained 49 yards on his two receptions.

Dupree’s knee injury proved to be severe and finished him for the season. It would be a disappointing one for the Breakers, who were less productive on offense and finished at 6-12 and fifth in the Western Conference. Arizona ended up not being much better, going 8-10 in placing fourth in the conference.

Luis Zendejas was the USFL’s seventh-leading scorer (tied with Danny Miller of Birmingham) as he connected on 24 of 33 field goal attempts and added 36 extra points, albeit with five misses, in compiling 108 points. He went on to play in the NFL, with the Cowboys and Eagles, as did two of his brothers, Tony and Max (a cousin, Joaquin, kicked in one game for the Patriots).

1983: Invaders Edge Breakers to Win Pacific Division Title

The Oakland Invaders had a mediocre 8-8 record with two contests to go in the inaugural United States Football League season, but that was enough to put them in control of their own destiny in the weak Pacific Division. On June 25, 1983 they hosted the Boston Breakers, who were 10-6 and trying to secure the lone Wild Card playoff spot.

The Invaders, coached by John Ralston, had uncovered a hidden talent in 29-year-old QB Fred Besana, a former semi-pro player who was proving to be one of the USFL’s most productive passers. Two former members of the NFL Raiders, TE Raymond Chester and RB Arthur Whittington, were better known to Bay Area football fans and key players on the offense, although Whittington was out with an injury for the Breakers game. The inconsistent defense had a good group of linebackers, most notably Frank Manumaleuga and Gary Plummer on the inside as they utilized a 3-4 alignment.

Head Coach Dick Coury’s Breakers boasted a well-balanced offense directed by QB John Walton, a veteran of the Continental and World Football Leagues as well as the NFL who had come out of retirement to play in the USFL. With a fine group of receivers plus ex-Canadian Football League RB Richard Crump, Boston could typically move the ball. Like the Invaders, the best part of the defense was the linebacking corps that was led by rookie Marcus Marek, but stopping the pass was a chronic problem.

There was a crowd of 30,396 on hand at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum for the Saturday contest. They saw the home team take the early lead when Besana, rolling to his right, just got off a pass before going out of bounds that was caught in the end zone by HB Louis Jackson for a touchdown. Kevin Shea’s successful extra point made it 7-0, and that was the score after a period of play.

Boston got on the board in the second quarter thanks to a 35-yard Tim Mazzetti field goal. Oakland again moved into scoring position but a field goal attempt was blocked and returned 75 yards for a touchdown by LB Ben Needham. Instead of extending their lead, the Invaders were behind by 10-7. Before the half was over, Shea got another shot at a field goal and was successful from 22 yards out to tie the game at 10-10 at the half.

Mistakes by the Breakers in the third quarter put Oakland back in front. A fumble was recovered at the Oakland 48 and, with the help of three penalties, the Invaders moved to the Boston three. On the first play of the fourth quarter, FB Ted Torosian powered into the end zone for a touchdown and, with the successful extra point, Oakland took a 17-13 lead.

The Breakers again hurt themselves when an apparent touchdown was called back due to a penalty. Mazzetti was able to add a 24-yard field goal but the Oakland defense held the rest of the way and the Invaders won the game, and the division title, by the slender margin of 17-16.

Oakland outgained the Breakers (322 yards to 282), had more first downs (18 to 9), and significantly dominated time of possession (39:21 to 20:39). The Invaders also recorded five sacks, for a total loss of 31 yards, while Boston got to Besana twice. The Breakers turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Oakland, and while the Invaders were penalized 11 times, Boston was flagged on 12 occasions, often in key situations, at a total cost of 115 yards.

Fred Besana had a solid, if unspectacular, performance as he completed 25 of 36 passes for 227 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. In place of Arthur Whittington, Louis Jackson rushed for 90 yards on 23 carries and caught 8 passes for 110 yards and a TD. Ted Torosian pulled in 10 receptions for 63 yards in addition to his 8 rushes for 16 yards and a score as most of Besana’s completions went to backs. Raymond Chester added 4 catches for 45 yards and only two completions were made to a wide receiver.

For the Breakers, John Walton was successful on only 7 of 20 throws for 109 yards with no TDs and one picked off while Doug Woodward went two-for-six and 28 yards with another interception. Richard Crump gained 122 yards on just 13 rushing attempts. WR Nolan Franz caught three passes for 36 yards while WR Charlie Smith gained 55 yards on his two receptions.

The Invaders lost their season finale and ended up at 9-9. They were defeated decisively by the Michigan Panthers in the Semifinal playoff game. Boston finished second in the Atlantic Division at 11-7 and out of the postseason. 

Fred Besana led the USFL in passing yards (3980) and completion percentage (62.7) while ranking second in passing overall. He tossed 21 TD passes as opposed to 16 interceptions.  In a backup role, Louis Jackson rushed for 273 yards on 82 carries (3.3 avg.) and caught 29 passes for 294 yards – his touchdown against Boston was his only one of the year.

1984: Late Field Goals Propel Showboats Past Breakers

The United States Football League matchup in Memphis on June 1, 1984 featured the New Orleans Breakers, at 8-6 struggling to stay in the playoff hunt, against the Memphis Showboats, 6-8 and in an even more precarious situation, although much improved after a 2-7 start.

The Showboats, coached by colorful Pepper Rodgers in their first USFL season, had an exciting offense but had backup QB Mike Kelley (pictured at right) behind center in place of injured rookie QB Walter Lewis. And while the defense had a star in rookie DE Reggie White, the unit as a whole gave up too many yards.

New Orleans was coached by Dick Coury and was moving in the opposite direction of the Showboats, having stumbled after winning seven of the first nine games. Veteran QB John Walton led a talented offense, but the defense, while also containing talent, had trouble against the pass.

There were 31,191 in attendance at the Liberty Bowl for the Friday night game. They saw the visitors score first on a 42-yard Tim Mazzetti field goal. The Showboats scored the initial touchdown of the game on their second possession that ended with Kelley throwing to TE Gary Shirk from three yards out.

A blocked punt set up the second Memphis TD late in the second quarter. RB Cornelius Quarles ran in for the score from a yard out with less than a minute left on the clock and the Showboats led by 14-3 at the half.

The Breakers narrowed the margin in the third quarter thanks to a three-play, 69-yard drive that ended with John Walton throwing to WR Frank Lockett for a 42-yard TD. Walton struck again in the fourth quarter with a 10-yard scoring throw to RB Buford Jordan and it was 17-14 in favor of New Orleans with just over five minutes remaining in regulation.

The Showboats fought back and with 1:10 left on the clock Alan Duncan booted a 45-yard field goal to tie the score. Overtime appeared likely until DB Mike Thomas made the biggest defensive play of the game, intercepting a Walton pass and returning it 28 yards to the New Orleans 35. Duncan came through with another long field goal, from 52 yards, with two seconds to spare and Memphis came away with a stunning 20-17 win.

New Orleans outgained the Showboats (341 yards to 266) and had the edge in first downs (15 to 14). Memphis even turned the ball over five times, to four by the Breakers, but the last New Orleans turnover proved to be fatal.

Mike Kelley completed 17 of 25 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown, but also tossed three interceptions. RB Glenn Ford gained 80 yards on 18 carries and caught 5 passes for 36 yards. WR Cormac Carney gained 49 yards on his three pass receptions.

For the Breakers, John Walton was successful on just 14 of 29 throws for two touchdowns but also the one big interception. Buford Jordan rushed for 104 yards on 14 carries and scored a TD on one of his three pass receptions for 16 more yards. RB Marcus Dupree led the team with four pass receptions, for 37 yards, to go along with his 12 carries for 29 yards while Frank Lockett had 59 yards and a score on his two catches.

Despite the win, Memphis was eliminated from postseason contention two days later. The Showboats ended up fourth in the Southern Division with a 7-11 record. The Breakers were right ahead of them at 8-10, having lost all of their remaining games.

 

Alan Duncan, who had been drafted by the NFL’s Eagles in 1981 but never made it to the regular season and was an assistant coach at Carson Newman College in 1983, was successful on 21 of his 28 field goal attempts and all but one of his 36 extra point tries to end up with 98 points in what was his most successful pro season. 

1983: Stars Hold Off Rally to Beat Breakers

The Philadelphia Stars were off to a 6-1 start in the inaugural United States Football League season as they hosted the Boston Breakers on April 24, 1983. Head Coach Jim Mora’s team benefited greatly from the presence of rookie RB Kelvin Bryant on a ball-control offense directed by QB Chuck Fusina. The “Doghouse Defense” was even more the key to the club’s success, having given up an average of just eight points a game in the first seven weeks.

Boston was 5-2 and right behind the Stars in the Atlantic Division standings. Coached by the offensive-minded Dick Coury, who had ex-NFL star quarterback Roman Gabriel as offensive coordinator, the Breakers had a fine passing game with 35-year-old QB John Walton, a veteran of the WFL and NFL who had come out of retirement as a college coach, throwing to wide receivers Frank Lockett, Nolan Franz, and ex-Eagle Charlie Smith. Ex-CFL halfback Richard Crump was productive both as a receiver out of the backfield and runner from scrimmage.

There were just 10,257 fans in attendance at Veterans Stadium. The home team started off the scoring as Fusina tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to WR Willie Collier seven minutes into the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, Kelvin Bryant ran around the left side for a 21-yard TD.

The defense set up another scoring series for the Stars when FS Mike Lush knocked the ball out of the hands of Nolan Franz and LB Sam Mills recovered at the Philadelphia 37. The resulting drive ended up with a 34-yard David Trout field goal for a 17-0 margin.

Five minutes into the second half, Trout added another field goal, this time from 34 yards, and it seemed as though the Stars were cruising at 20-0. However, the Breakers came up with a big play with just over five minutes to go in the third quarter. Walton connected with Frank Lockett down the middle for an 86-yard touchdown to get them on the board.

Two minutes later, LB Ben Needham intercepted a Fusina throw and that resulted in a Boston possession that concluded with Walton tossing another TD pass, this time from eight yards out to Richard Crump. Suddenly, the Breakers were only six points down with plenty of time remaining.

The Stars defense showed its mettle in keeping the surging Breakers from again reaching the end zone. In the closest call, a fake field goal attempt by the Breakers came up short at the Philadelphia three yard line with 4:19 left on the clock.

The Stars couldn’t move out of their end of the field and took an intentional safety with 2:29 remaining in the game as punter Sean Landeta ran out of the end zone. But while that pulled the Breakers to just four points behind, Boston RB Ira Matthews fumbled the free kick and CB Jonathan Sutton of the Stars recovered at the Breakers’ 30. David Trout added a 42-yard field goal to make it a seven-point game.

The Breakers had one last shot and drove to the Philadelphia 10 with 26 seconds remaining. However, they could get no further as Walton threw two incomplete passes and the Stars hung on for a tough 23-16 win.

Although Philadelphia held the ball for five minutes longer than the Breakers, Boston outgained the Stars (471 yards to 254) and had more first downs (19 to 14). However, the visitors also turned the ball over five times, to three by Philadelphia.

As usual, Kelvin Bryant was the key producer on offense for the Stars with 110 yards on 23 rushing attempts that included a TD. Chuck Fusina completed 12 of 18 passes for 124 yards with a touchdown and the one costly interception. WR Rodney Parker led the receiver s with three catches for 55 yards.

For the Breakers, John Walton went to the air 44 times and was successful on 31 for 367 yards and two TDs with one intercepted. Nolan Franz caught 7 of those passes for 74 yards while, with the one long scoring grab, Frank Lockett gained 131 yards on 5 receptions. Charlie Smith contributed another 5 catches for 97 yards. Richard Crump ran for 51 yards on 13 carries and pulled in 6 passes for 50 more yards and a TD.

The fumble on the free kick, not surprisingly, drew the most comments after the game.

“I think the Stars made a poor decision in calling for the safety,” said Dick Coury. “It gave us a chance, but we fumbled it away, and that fumble cost us the game.”

“The biggest thing we wanted to do was make sure we made the tackle to keep them from getting good field position,” explained Jonathan Sutton of the key turnover. “Mark McCants made a good hit. We saw the ball pop out and I was right there to cover the ball.”

The Stars continued on to win the Atlantic Division with a 15-3 record, eventually losing to the Michigan Panthers in the USFL Championship game. Boston won the rematch with Philadelphia but finished second in the division at 11-7 and missed the postseason.

Kelvin Bryant ranked second in the league in rushing with 1442 yards on 318 carries (4.5 avg.) and 16 touchdowns and had 53 pass receptions for 410 more yards and a TD. He received All-USFL recognition and was named MVP by the league.

John Walton led the USFL in pass attempts (589) and ranked second in completions (330) and yards (3770) while tying for third (with Alan Risher of Arizona) with 20 touchdown passes. Nolan Franz led the Breakers with 62 catches, for 848 yards, while Charlie Smith gained 1009 yards on 54 receptions for a fine 18.7-yard average and five scores. Frank Lockett, who missed five games, had 37 catches for 535 yards and three TDs. 

1985: Breakers Beat Express for First Win in Portland

On March 2, 1985 the United States Football League’s Portland Breakers played their first regular season home game in their third different host city in as many years. The franchise started off as the Boston Breakers in 1983, playing in the 20,535-seat Nickerson Field, and then moved to New Orleans and the significantly larger Louisiana Superdome for ’84. However, the USFL’s planned move to the fall for 1986 forced the franchise to uproot again and head for the Pacific Northwest, which had last hosted a World Football League team in 1974 and ’75.

The Breakers had an offense-minded coach in Dick Coury, but coming off a disappointing 8-10 record in ’84 they were without retired veteran QB John Walton and had just lost RB Marcus Dupree with a season-ending knee injury in the opening contest. The capable RB Buford Jordan (pictured above) was still available, however, and QB Doug Woodward, backup to Walton, inherited the starting role behind center. The Breakers lost at Arizona in a low-scoring 9-7 game in Week 1.

Their opponent for the first Portland home game was the Los Angeles Express. The headliner for Head Coach John Hadl’s team was QB Steve Young, who had signed a huge contract to join the club as a rookie in 1984 and had an immediate good effect on the offense. With a good stable of running backs, plus the USFL’s fifth-ranked defense over the course of the previous year, the Express appeared to be in good shape entering the season. LA barely lost to the Houston Gamblers by a 34-33 score in the opening week.

There were 25,232 fans in attendance at Civic Stadium, which had a capacity of 32,500, on a cool and clear Saturday evening. They saw the lead change four times in the low-scoring contest. With just over three minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Express got on the board first thanks to a Tony Zendejas field goal from 31 yards out.

On the first play of the second quarter, RB Vince Williams took a handoff and pitched the ball back to Doug Woodward who then threw to WR Frank Lockett all alone in the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown. It was Portland’s first touchdown pass of the young season.

Later in the period, LA regained the lead by 10-7 thanks to a nine-play, 64-yard drive that ended with Steve Young running for an eight-yard TD. Despite the ability of the Express to move the ball well, that was it until five seconds into the fourth quarter when Buford Jordan ran off tackle for a four-yard touchdown.

LA threatened twice in the final minutes of the game. LB David Howard recovered a Jordan fumble at the Portland 26 with 4:32 remaining on the clock, but RB Robert Alexander fumbled the ball back shortly thereafter with safety Joe Restic of the Breakers recovering at the eight. Getting one last shot, time ran out as WR Duane Gunn caught a pass from Young for a 21-yard gain to the Portland four.  The Breakers held on to win by a score of 14-10.

Los Angeles led in total yards (399 to 323) and first downs (21 to 16). However, the Express also turned the ball over four times, to one suffered by the Breakers.

Doug Woodward completed 11 of 20 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Buford Jordan ran effectively, gaining 110 yards on 17 carries and scoring the game-winning TD. Frank Lockett was the top receiver with three catches for 94 yards and a score.

For the Express, Steve Young was successful on 15 of 26 throws for 203 yards with no TDs and one interception but also rushed for 110 yards on 13 attempts that included a score. Duane Gunn had 4 pass receptions for 95 yards.

“We beat ourselves,” said John Hadl. “We made entirely too many mistakes when we were inside the 20 yard line. We can’t rely on Steve Young running the ball every time to save us.”

There were plenty of positive reactions to the new Portland fan base.

“This is a big-league city,” said Dick Coury. “People don’t realize it, but they should.”

“I loved it because the stadium echoed a lot,” said an enthused Buford Jordan of the home crowd. “It sounded like a lot more than 25,000.”

“They had a great crowd tonight,” added Steve Young. “It seems they might have a lot of fun here with this team.”

Things did not go so well overall for the Breakers, who continued to have difficulty putting points on the board and ended up fifth in the Western Conference with a 6-12 record. The high hopes of the Express faded into oblivion. A rash of injuries, combined with financial problems that made it difficult to replenish the depleted roster as the season wore on, caused LA to drop to the bottom of the conference at 3-15.

1974: Huarte TD Passes Lead Memphis Over Storm

The Thursday night nationally-televised World Football League game on July 18, 1974 featured the Memphis Southmen hosting the Portland Storm. The Southmen (or “Grizzlies”, as the locals preferred to call them) had won their opening game handily over the Detroit Wheels the week before while Portland had been trounced by the Philadelphia Bell.

Owned by Canadian businessman John Bassett Jr., the franchise was originally slated to play in Toronto, but legislation introduced in the Canadian Parliament that banned US-based pro football leagues from that nation caused the team to be moved to Memphis. Prior to the move, Bassett had made the biggest preseason splash for the new league by signing three stars from the NFL-champion Miami Dolphins – FB Larry Csonka, HB Jim Kiick, and WR Paul Warfield – to contracts for the 1975 season. That was, of course, a year away and they were not available for ’74, but Head Coach John McVay’s team still boasted some promising talent, including rookie QB Danny White and RB J.J. Jennings and young veterans such as RB John Harvey.

Starting at quarterback was 31-year-old John Huarte (pictured above), who had been a career backup in pro football since winning the Heisman Trophy at Notre Dame in 1964. He had been taken in the sixth round of the ’65 NFL draft by the Eagles and second in the AFL draft by the New York Jets. Huarte signed with the Jets but found himself quickly overshadowed by another rookie quarterback who had been taken in the first round, Joe Namath. He spent time on New York’s taxi squad before being dealt to the Patriots, where he saw scant action over the course of two years. He moved on to the Eagles, Chiefs, and Bears, retiring from the NFL in 1973 having thrown a career total of just 48 passes (his one TD pass came with Philadelphia in ‘68). However, Huarte decided to take another shot at pro football with the new league.

The Portland Storm was the last of the WFL franchises to set up shop, having originally been slated to play in New York City (where a different ownership group ended up with a team). Dick Coury, previously an assistant with the NFL Denver Broncos, became head coach and the roster drew heavily from the Pacific Northwest.

There were 31,088 fans in attendance at the Liberty Bowl on an 87-degree night. They had reason to cheer early on as the Southmen scored in spectacular fashion in their first possession on a Huarte pass to wide-open rookie WR Jack Ettinger that covered 42 yards. Huarte successfully threw for the action point (touchdowns were worth seven points in the WFL, followed by an action point that could not be kicked) and the home team was ahead by 8-0.

However, after that electrifying beginning neither squad was able to score again during first half. Portland tied the game with just over six minutes left in the third quarter when QB Greg Barton threw to WR Sam Dickerson for a 29-yard touchdown. The successful action point made it 8-8. Dickerson, a rookie out of USC, had been activated from Portland’s taxi squad the day before the game.

The winning touchdown for the Southmen was set up later in the period when CB David Thomas intercepted a Barton pass and returned it to the Portland 17. Huarte passed to WR Ed Marshall for a 14-yard TD and again successfully threw for the action point.

Thomas intercepted another pass at the Portland 34 in the fourth quarter but Memphis failed to add to its lead when an attempt to convert a fourth-and-one situation at the 12 came up short and the Storm took over on downs. The Southmen held on to win the low-scoring contest by a score of 16-8.

Memphis outgained the Storm (346 yards to 220) and had significantly more first downs (22 to 12). Portland was also hurt by turning the ball over four times, to two fumbles lost by the “Grizzlies”.

John Huarte was good on 15 of 24 passes for 197 yards and the two touchdowns with none intercepted. John Harvey rushed for 64 yards on 10 carries while J.J. Jennings added 63 yards on his 20 attempts. TE Gary Shirk caught 5 passes for 62 yards and Jack Ettinger, thanks to the long scoring pass, gained 64 yards on his two catches.

For the Storm, Greg Barton completed 11 of 23 throws for 163 yards and a TD but also was picked off twice. HB Marv Kendricks ran for 75 yards on 17 attempts. Sam Dickerson pulled in 4 passes for 98 yards and the team’s lone touchdown.

“Huarte’s experience and cool really showed up,” said Coach McVay. “Our receivers and the defensive team really played a great game.”

The former Heisman Trophy winner’s performance was indeed the biggest story of the night. Huarte went on to have his best pro season, leading the WFL in yards per attempt (8.2) while completing 154 of 294 passes for 2416 yards with 23 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

Memphis put together the league’s best record, topping the Central Division at 17-3, although the Southmen were upset by the Florida Blazers in the second round of the playoffs. The Storm was 7-12-1 to tie for third in the Western Division. 

The long scoring pass in the first quarter was the only touchdown of the year for Jack Ettinger, who caught just 7 passes for 167 yards. Ed Marshall, who scored the game-winning TD, had a far more significant season, accumulating 60 receptions for 1159 yards and a league-leading 19 touchdowns – adding his 11 action points, he led the WFL in scoring with 144 total points. Likewise, David Thomas, with the two key interceptions in the second half, led the WFL in that category with 10 and was named to the league All-Star Team by The Sporting News. 

1983: Breakers Pull Away in Second Half to Beat Wranglers

The United States Football League Week 7 contest at Tempe, Arizona on April 17, 1983 featured the Boston Breakers, a 4-2 team that was in contention in the Atlantic Division, against the Arizona Wranglers, 3-3 along with the other three clubs in the Pacific Division.

The Breakers, coached by Dick Coury, had a potent offense directed by 35-year-old QB John Walton, who came out of retirement following previous stints in the Continental, World, and National football leagues. WR Charlie Smith, formerly of the NFL Eagles, combined with rookie wide receivers Nolan Franz and Frank Lockett to provide good targets and the running game was paced by HB Richard “Fast” Crump (pictured above). A solid linebacker corps, led by rookie Marcus Marek, anchored the defense. Boston was a game behind the division-leading Philadelphia Stars coming into the contest in Arizona.

Head Coach Doug Shively’s Wranglers had less talent across the board. The roster was undistinguished, but the team was holding its own in a mediocre division and had put together two exciting come-from-behind wins in doing so. Rookie QB Alan Risher played well and had a big-play wide receiver available in Jackie Flowers. Another ex-Eagle, Calvin Murray, was the top running back.

There were 20,911 in attendance at Sun Devil Stadium, and they had little to cheer about. Boston got the first big break early in the first quarter as Arizona punter Jim Asmus fumbled a snap and was tackled at his own two yard line. Walton promptly fired a pass to Crump for a touchdown.

The Wranglers immediately turned the ball over again thanks to a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. The Breakers came away with a 38-yard Tim Mazzetti field goal and the score was 10-0 with 7:21 left in the opening period.

Arizona finally got on the board halfway through the second quarter when Risher tossed a four-yard scoring pass to Flowers. With 31 seconds remaining before halftime, Mazzetti booted a 20-yard field goal and the score was 13-7 at the intermission.

In the third quarter, Boston put together a seven-play, 58-yard drive that resulted in FB Tony Davis running for a six-yard TD. The score was 20-7 with just under nine minutes remaining in the period. It got worse for the home team three minutes later when Breakers safety Joe Restic intercepted a Risher pass which resulted in Mazzetti adding to the margin with a 50-yard field goal.

Before the period was over, Arizona scored again, this time on a one-yard touchdown run by Murray that was followed by a successful two-point conversion on a throw from Risher to WR Neil Balholm. It was 23-15 after three quarters of play and Arizona was still within striking range.

However, there would be no late-game heroics for the mistake-prone Wranglers in this contest. The Breakers put it away with three fourth quarter touchdowns, the first two on four-yard runs by Crump and the last a fumble recovery by Lockett in the end zone. Arizona scored once more on a two-yard pass from backup QB Todd Krueger to Balholm, and the two connected again on a successful two-point conversion, but by then the outcome had long been decided. Boston came away with a convincing 44-23 win.

The Breakers outgained Arizona, 325 yards to 253, while the Wranglers had the edge with 19 first downs to Boston’s 18. Time of possession was nearly equal – the Breakers held the ball for 30:26 to Arizona’s 29:34. However, turnovers put the Wranglers in an early hole and sealed their fate – they gave up the ball five times to Boston’s one.

John Walton had an efficient day, completing 20 of 26 passes for 183 yards with one touchdown and none intercepted. Richard Crump rushed for an even 100 yards on 21 carries that included two TDs and caught 5 passes for 17 yards and one score. Nolan Franz had 6 receptions for 63 yards and Charlie Smith gained 66 yards on his 4 catches. Tim Mazzetti’s three field goals gave him 12 straight and, together with five extra points, he took over as the USFL’s scoring leader with 56 points.

For the Wranglers, Alan Risher was successful on 13 of 26 throws for 123 yards with a TD but two intercepted; Todd Krueger tossed 11 passes in relief and completed 6 for 55 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Calvin Murray was the leading rusher with 77 yards on 19 attempts and a TD. Neil Balholm pulled in 7 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown while Jackie Flowers caught 5 for 35 yards.

The Breakers remained in contention throughout the season, finishing second in the division with an 11-7 record and barely missing a wild card spot in the postseason. Arizona, however, completely collapsed, winning one more game the rest of the way and ending up tying Washington for the USFL’s worst record at 4-14.

John Walton missed time due to injury but still managed to throw more passes (589) than any other USFL quarterback and completed 56 percent of them for 3772 yards with 20 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Richard Crump was the league’s seventh-ranked rusher with 990 yards on 190 carries, giving him a 5.2-yard average. He also scored a total of 12 TDs. The ex-Falcon Tim Mazzetti (pictured below) ended up second in scoring (119 points) and field goals (27).