1983: Jim Kelly Signs with USFL

The Houston Gamblers, one of the United States Football League’s six expansion franchises for its second season, made a major acquisition on June 9, 1983 as prize QB Jim Kelly from the Univ. of Miami signed a contract.

Kelly had been chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the NFL draft as part of a much-heralded quarterback class that included Stanford’s John Elway and Dan Marino of Pittsburgh. While contract terms were not released at the time of the signing, it was later revealed to be a five-year fully-guaranteed deal for $3.3 million. While they were at it, the Gamblers also signed Kelly’s roommate at Miami, RB Mark Rush, who had been Minnesota’s fourth-round draft pick (he lasted five games with Houston before being released).

“Kelly is more ready to play pro football than some of the others because of the type of offense he was under in college,” explained Gene Burrough, Houston’s general manager.

Playing under Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger at Miami, who utilized a pro-style passing offense, Kelly set school records for pass completions (376), passing yards (5228), and TD passes (31), but his college career was curtailed when he suffered a separated shoulder against Virginia Tech in the third game of the 1982 season. Already given a clean bill of health, but with the USFL season not set to start until February of 1984, he would have that much more time to fully heal.

While the Gamblers were coached by Jack Pardee, the offensive coordinator was Darrel “Mouse” Davis, architect of the “run-and-shoot” offense at Portland State. Houston lost its opening game, 20-17 to the Tampa Bay Bandits, and Kelly passed for 229 yards and a touchdown while giving up two interceptions. But the following week, on a Monday night, the Gamblers blasted the San Antonio Gunslingers, another first-year club, and Kelly threw for 309 yards and a TD while running for two more. The Gamblers got off to a 3-1 start, stumbled for two losses, and then went on to a 13-5 record that placed first in the Central Division. Moreover, the offense was nothing short of sensational, averaging 34.3 points per game on the way to racking up 618 points, which were 79 more than the runner-up, and scoring 79 touchdowns over the course of 18 games.

Kelly significantly exceeded rookie expectations, topping the circuit in pass attempts (587), completions (370), yards (5219), and touchdowns (44), although also in interceptions (26). In addition, he rushed for 493 yards on 85 carries (5.8 avg.) and five TDs. Two of his receivers, Richard Johnson (115 catches, 1455 yards, 15 TDs) and Ricky Sanders (101 receptions, 1378 yards, 11 TDs) finished first and second in pass receptions. For his efforts, Kelly was a consensus first-team All-USFL selection and was named Player of the Year by the league. That the Gamblers fell short in the first round of the playoffs against the Arizona Wranglers took little luster off of the season of accomplishments.

The Gamblers were without “Mouse” Davis in 1985, who became the head coach of the Denver Gold, but it did not slow down Kelly and the offense. In the opening game against the Los Angeles Express and another heralded young quarterback, Steve Young, Kelly had a remarkable performance in a 34-33 come-from-behind win. His 574 passing yards not only far exceeded the existing USFL record but also the NFL mark of 554 set in 1951 by Norm Van Brocklin of the Rams. He went to the air 54 times, completed 35, and five were good for touchdowns.

Kelly maintained high production through another outstanding season until he was sidelined for the last four games with a knee injury, yet he still topped the USFL in pass attempts (567), completions (360), yards (4623), and TD passes (39). He again received consensus first-team All-USFL honors. And while Kelly returned for the postseason, Houston was once more eliminated in the first round.

The 1985 season proved to be the end of the line for the USFL. A planned move to the autumn in 1986 was aborted when an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL led to a favorable ruling but, essentially, no cash award (one dollar, times three), something that was desperately needed by the USFL. The Gamblers had been merged with the New Jersey Generals during the offseason in a move that was to put Kelly in the same backfield with star RB Herschel Walker, but it was not to be. He left the USFL having thrown for 9842 yards and 83 TDs in just two seasons and 32 games.

Kelly went on to the NFL and the Buffalo Bills, who retained his rights. He stayed with Buffalo for eleven years, passing for 35,467 yards and 237 touchdowns, and performing well in a fast-paced, no-huddle offense that was similar to the one he had so much success with in the USFL. The club won four straight AFC Championships between 1990 and ’93 and Kelly, who received consensus first-team All-NFL honors once and was chosen to five Pro Bowls, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.    

1984: Gamblers Rally but Panthers Win in Overtime

The Michigan Panthers hosted the Central Division-rival Houston Gamblers in a United States Football League game on May 6, 1984 with hopes of ending a four-game losing streak.

The Panthers were the defending USFL Champions under Head Coach Jim Stanley and had started the season fast with six straight wins before going into the swoon to stand at 6-4 and in a three-way battle for the division lead. QB Bobby Hebert (pictured at right) was hampered by a bad knee and the losses had begun when star WR Anthony Carter went down for the year with a broken arm. The offensive line, a strength coming into the season, was injury-ridden as well, but the defense remained one of the league’s better units.

Houston, a first-year club coached by Jack Pardee, was also at 6-4 and was coming off a tough overtime loss the previous week. Rookie QB Jim Kelly had been outstanding in operating the run-and-shoot passing offense, although he had taken many sacks. The Gamblers had lost starting RB Sam Harrell to injury and Todd Fowler, a lightly-regarded rookie out of Stephen F. Austin, was taking his place.

There were 29,068 fans in attendance at the Astrodome. The first quarter was scoreless until, following an interception by LB John Corker that gave the Panthers the ball at the Houston 39, the home team advanced in four plays to a touchdown on a 13-yard pass from Bobby Hebert to a wide-open RB Ken Lacy. Novo Bojovic added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

With the Michigan defense keeping the Gamblers in check, the Panthers moved methodically in a 12-play, 61-yard series that extended into the second quarter and ended with another Hebert TD pass, this time to WR Walter Broughton from four yards out. Bojovic converted and Michigan was up by 14-0.

The next possession by the Panthers ended with Hebert being picked off by CB Mike Mitchell and the Gamblers capitalized when Kelly completed a third down pass to WR Ricky Sanders for a 37-yard touchdown. Toni Fritsch added the extra point to narrow the score to 14-7.

A short Michigan possession led to a punt and Bojovic, normally just the placekicker but forced to do double duty due to an injury to SS/P David Greenwood, boomed a 59-yard kick that pinned the Gamblers inside their 10 yard line. The teams traded punts for the remainder of the half and the score remained unchanged.

The Panthers had first possession in the third quarter and, with Hebert passing effectively and RB John Williams picking up 17 yards on a key carry, they drove 72 yards in nine plays to a TD on a seven-yard run by Williams. Bojovic converted to put Michigan ahead by 14 points at 21-7.

Todd Fowler ran effectively on Houston’s next series that ended with Kelly firing long to Sanders for a 44-yard touchdown. Fritsch’s point after narrowed Michigan’s lead to seven points once more. But it didn’t take long for the Panthers to respond as, on their third play of the next series, Williams took off down the right sideline for a 68-yard TD. Bojovic booted the extra point and the score was 28-14 in favor of the home team.

WR Clarence Verdin returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards and the Gamblers again interspersed draw plays by Fowler to good effect. With the game now early in the fourth quarter, they scored on a five-yard bootleg by Kelly to complete the six-play, 61-yard drive. Fritsch successfully converted to make the score 28-21.

An onside kick by Houston was recovered by the Panthers and, while they were unable to capitalize, Bojovic’s punt was downed at the Gamblers’ seven yard line. Fowler immediately took off for a 20-yard run and caught a third-and-10 screen pass for a first down, but the visitors were ultimately forced to punt. However, they got the ball back at the Michigan 14 when Hebert fumbled while being sacked and FS Tommy Myers recovered. Fowler hit the line repeatedly, the last time for a touchdown from less than a yard out. Fritsch’s kick tied the score at 28-28 with 4:37 remaining in regulation. Neither team was able to get into scoring position the rest of the way and the contest headed into overtime.

The Gamblers won the toss for the overtime period but the squibbed kick hit a Houston player and was recovered by Michigan center Max Gill at the Houston 49. However, Hebert was sacked on first down and two passes fell incomplete to force a punt. The Gamblers drove into Michigan territory, converting two third downs along the way, and appeared set to win until Fritsch’s 30-yard field goal attempt was partially deflected by John Corker and missed to the left. Granted a reprieve, the Panthers drove methodically in 12 plays with Williams running well and Hebert hitting key passes. Bojovic kicked a 29-yard field goal and Michigan won by a final score of 31-28 with 59 seconds remaining in the extra period.   

Both teams rolled up significant yardage, with the Panthers coming out ahead (420 to 405) and also holding the edge in first downs (24 to 21) and time of possession (40:54 to 33:07). Michigan gained 246 yards on the ground to 181 for the normally air-oriented Gamblers. The Panthers accumulated five sacks, to three for Houston and the Gamblers turned the ball over three times, to two by the home team.

Bobby Hebert completed 20 of 36 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown while giving up an interception. John Williams had a big day with 165 yards on 22 carries that included two TDs. WR Derek Holloway and Walter Broughton each caught five passes, for 61 and 46 yards, respectively, and Broughton scored a touchdown. On defense, DE Larry Bethea accounted for three of Michigan’s sacks.

For the Gamblers, Jim Kelly was successful on 23 of 36 throws for 249 yards and two TDs, along with two interceptions. Todd Fowler (pictured at left) rushed for 140 yards on 22 attempts with a touchdown, his best outing to date. Ricky Sanders had 9 pass receptions for 120 yards and two TDs and Richard Johnson also caught 9, for 67 yards.

The win put the Panthers alone in first place in the Central Division, but they lost their next three games and had to rally to finish second and grab a wild card playoff slot with a 10-8 record. They lost an epic First Round playoff game to the Los Angeles Express in the third overtime period. Houston, having now lost two straight games in overtime, reeled off seven consecutive wins to close out the season in first place at 13-5. However, the Gamblers then fell to Arizona in a close First Round contest.

Both John Williams and Todd Fowler remained productive on the ground. Williams rushed for 984 yards on 194 carries for a 5.0 average and scored eight touchdowns. Fowler, barely a footnote during the first half of the season, ended up gaining 1003 yards on 170 attempts (5.9 avg.), including 208 in a single game, and compiled 11 TDs.  

Highlighted Year: Pete Catan, 1984

Defensive End, Houston Gamblers

Age: 26

4^th season in pro football, 1^st in USFL & with Gamblers

College: Eastern Illinois

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 240

Prelude:

In college, Catan set school records with 47 career sacks, including 21 in a season and six in a single game. He joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL in 1981 and spent three seasons with them, compiling 26.5 sacks and six fumble recoveries. His CFL high for sacks was 12.5 in ’82, a season in which he was named a Western All-Star. Catan signed with the Gamblers as a free agent in 1984, although contractual issues caused him to miss the team’s first game.

1984 Season Summary

Appeared in 15 of 18 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Sacks – 16 [2, tied with Sam Clancy]

Most sacks, game – 3 at Oklahoma 3/31

Multi-sack games – 4

Interceptions – 0

Fumble recoveries – 2

Fumble recovery TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

(TD scored on return of blocked field goal)

Postseason: 1 G (USFL First Round playoff vs. Arizona)

Sacks – 2

Interceptions – 0

TD – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-USFL: League, Sporting News, College & Pro Football Newsweekly

Gamblers went 13-5 to finish first in the USFL Central Division. Lost USFL First Round playoff to Arizona Wranglers (17-16).

Aftermath:

Catan missed time due to injuries in 1985 but still accounted for 11 sacks and received second-team All-USFL recognition. Following the spring league’s demise, he failed to catch on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL but did return briefly to the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in ’87. Overall, he accumulated 53.5 sacks in his pro career, 27 of with the Gamblers.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1984: Gamblers Lose Lead, Score Twice in 4th Quarter to Beat Wranglers

The United States Football League’s most prolific offense faced the top-ranked defense in a Saturday night game on April 21, 1984. The Houston Gamblers, one of six expansion teams for the USFL’s second season, utilized the “run-and-shoot” offense to good effect, rolling up yardage and averaging 32 points per contest. Rookie QB Jim Kelly (pictured above) proved highly effective operating in the quick-striking offense and WR Richard Johnson was the most productive of a good pass receiving corps and came into the game leading the USFL in pass receptions. The team could run the ball well, too, although RB Sam Harrell, the league’s top scorer and second-ranked rusher, was out with a broken foot. The Gamblers had a 5-3 record, which put them one behind the co-leaders in the Central Division.

The Arizona Wranglers were coached by George Allen and, as was typical of his teams in the NFL, the roster was filled with veteran talent, especially on defense. The club that had been the Chicago Blitz in 1983, before an offseason exchange of franchises moved them to the Phoenix area, had a conservative offense that was directed by capable 16-year veteran QB Greg Landry. The defense averaged just 14.25 points given up per game, but the team still struggled with consistency and had difficulty winning games. The Wranglers were 4-4 and three games behind the Denver Gold in the Pacific Division. As a side note, Head Coach Jack Pardee of the Gamblers had played under Allen with the NFL Rams, thus adding a pupil-vs.-teacher element to the matchup with Arizona.

There were 23,117 fans in attendance for the Easter weekend game at the Astrodome. The Gamblers had the first possession and drove into Arizona territory with the help of big completions to Richard Johnson and WR Greg Moser, who made a spectacular leaping catch. Toni Fritsch kicked a 39-yard field goal for the early lead.

Houston CB Mike Mitchell intercepted a pass by Greg Landry on the next series, but on the next play DE John Lee grabbed a Kelly screen pass out of the air. A completion to RB Tim Spencer got the ball into scoring territory and, while the Houston defense held, Frank Corral booted a field goal from 23 yards.

The score remained 3-3 after one period of play, but the Gamblers were at the Arizona 20 as the second quarter started. Kelly passed to RB Todd Fowler, the fill-in for the injured Sam Harrell, to get the ball to the five and, two plays later, Kelly ran into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown. Fritsch added the extra point and the home team held a 10-3 lead.

Houston got the ball back when the Wranglers punted from deep in their own territory and the Gamblers struck quickly with a Kelly completion to a wide-open Johnson for a 53-yard TD. Fritsch converted. Down by two touchdowns, Arizona drove into Houston territory but came up short on a fourth down play at the 18. The Gamblers capitalized with another long pass play, this time with Kelly throwing to WR Ricky Sanders for a 77-yard touchdown. With Fritsch’s PAT, the home team led by a commanding 24-3 margin. The Wranglers fought back on a possession that concluded with a 25-yard TD carry by Spencer. Corral’s extra point made it 24-10, and that remained the score at halftime.

Arizona drove methodically to start the third quarter, going 70 yards in 11 plays and ending up with a Landry pass to WR Trumaine Johnson, who caught the ball between two defenders for a 13-yard touchdown. Corral again added the point after and it was a seven-point game.

The offensive show slowed with the teams exchanging punts after short possessions before the Gamblers advanced into Arizona territory, but after reaching the 16 they fumbled the ball away on a third down play. The Wranglers took full advantage on a series highlighted by completions to WR Lenny Willis and Tim Spencer that concluded with Spencer running for a two-yard TD. Corral’s kick tied the game at 24-24 with thirty seconds remaining in the period.

With the once-large lead gone and the game now in the fourth quarter, the Gamblers drove 80 yards in six plays to score a touchdown on a 17-yard Kelly throw to Johnson, who was left uncovered in the end zone. Fritsch kicked the extra point and the home team was back in the lead by seven points.

Arizona reached the Houston 20 in response, but after being backed up by a penalty and a sack, a 50-yard field goal attempt by Corral was blocked and returned 58 yards for a TD by DE Pete Catan. Fritsch hooked the try for the extra point, but it didn’t matter. With ten minutes remaining, the Gamblers were back in control.

The Wranglers had a chance to get back into the game when Kelly fumbled in his own territory, giving the visitors the ball. But after getting one first down, a fourth-and-five pass play came up short and the Gamblers regained possession. It was the last gasp for Arizona and Houston won by a final score of 37-24.

The total yards were nearly even, with the Gamblers holding a one-yard edge (401 to 400) while the Wranglers accumulated more first downs (26 to 17) and held onto the ball longer (34:37 to 25:23). Arizona had the better offensive balance, with 266 passing and 134 rushing yards, to 61 yards on the ground and 340 through the air for Houston. The Gamblers also turned the ball over three times, to one turnover by the Wranglers, and Houston was hurt by 14 penalties, to eight flags thrown on Arizona. But big, quick-striking plays put points on the board for the Gamblers, as well as the decisive blocked field goal return.

Jim Kelly completed 17 of 23 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception. Richard Johnson had 6 catches for 143 yards and two of the TDs and Ricky Sanders gained 86 yards on just two receptions thanks to the one long touchdown. Todd Fowler, in place of the injured Sam Harrell, was an effective receiver out of the backfield with 6 catches for 70 yards, and he rushed for 51 yards on 11 attempts.

For the Wranglers, Greg Landry was successful on 27 of 41 throws for 278 yards and a TD while being picked off once. Tim Spencer ran for 110 yards on 16 carries and also gained 52 yards on five catches. RB Doug Dennison led the club with 6 pass receptions, for 35 yards, while Lenny Willis contributed 69 yards on five catches.

Houston went on to top the Central Division with a 13-5 record. The Wranglers, seemingly in danger of falling out of contention after the loss in Houston, won six of their remaining nine games, including the last four straight, to place second in the Pacific Division at 10-8, good enough to grab a Wild Card playoff spot. Arizona got revenge on the Gamblers with a 17-16 First Round playoff upset and made it to the USFL Championship game, falling to the Philadelphia Stars.

Jim Kelly went on to accumulate 5219 passing yards while throwing for 44 touchdowns and averaging 8.9 yards per attempt. Richard Johnson remained first among USFL pass receivers with 115 catches, for 1455 yards and 15 TDs, while Ricky Sanders placed second with 101, gaining 1378 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns.

1984: Fowler Runs for 208 Yards as Gamblers Defeat Gold

In their first season in the United States Football League, the Houston Gamblers had developed into an exciting offensive team with their prolific passing attack led by rookie QB Jim Kelly. However, Head Coach Jack Pardee’s team could also run the ball, and on June 3, 1984 it was the ground game that achieved headlines.

Todd Fowler (pictured above) had been a tight end in college and was converted to running back by the Gamblers during the preseason, although he was viewed more as a blocking back at that time. His value as a runner rose once Sam Harrell, who had set a USFL single-game record with 200 yards earlier in the season, went on injured reserve, and he had already compiled three hundred-yard rushing performances.

Houston had won three straight games and was atop the USFL’s Central Division with a 9-5 record prior to traveling to Denver to take on the Gold. Denver, on the other hand, slumped badly after getting off to a 7-1 start and was now 8-6 after snapping a five-game losing streak the previous week. Coached by Craig Morton, the Gold suffered from instability at quarterback and was giving up too many yards on defense. Still, they remained in first place in the mediocre Pacific Division and were battling to maintain that position.

There was a typically good turnout of 50,057 at Mile High Stadium. To blunt Houston’s passing attack the Gold started no linemen, but instead five linebackers and six defensive backs. The overcompensation left them vulnerable to running plays.

Late in the first quarter, Todd Fowler ran seven yards for a touchdown for the game’s first score, with Toni Fritsch adding the extra point. Fowler set up Houston’s next score in the second quarter with a 53-yard burst up the middle, and that possession resulted in a 36-yard Toni Fritsch field goal that made the tally 10-0.

Craig Penrose came in at quarterback in the second quarter, replacing Fred Mortensen, who had failed to connect on any of his six passes. The Gold narrowed the Houston lead with a 56-yard drive that was kept alive when, forced to punt at one point, the Gamblers roughed the kicker. Penrose finished off the series by passing to RB Harry Sydney for a 28-yard TD. Brian Speelman made it a three-point game with his extra point.

That was the high water mark for Denver. The Gamblers proceeded to score 26 unanswered points to take a commanding lead. They first extended their margin when Jim Kelly threw to WR Ricky Sanders for an 18-yard touchdown to complete an 86-yard series. Houston topped off the first half scoring with a 43-yard field goal by Fritsch on the last play before halftime and the Gamblers took a 20-7 lead into the locker room.

Fritsch kicked a 49-yard field goal in an otherwise-scoreless third quarter in which the Houston defense continued to stymie the home team. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Fowler took a pitchout and broke away for a 46-yard touchdown and, while the extra point try was blocked, Houston was well in front by a score of 29-7.

The Gamblers tallied once more, on a Kelly pass to WR Scott McGhee that covered 23 yards. Denver managed to put two TDs on the board before it was over, with the Gold’s third quarterback of the day, Ken Hobart, connecting with WR Elmer Bailey from 12 yards out and then RB Bo Matthews running one yard for a touchdown. The two-point conversion after the second TD was unsuccessful, but it had no effect on the outcome as the Gamblers came away with a comfortable 36-20 win.

Houston dominated in total yards (465 to 279) and first downs (23 to 15), and the yardage total showed balance with 244 gained on the ground and 221 through the air. The Gold turned the ball over four times, to none by the Gamblers, and Houston also accounted for four sacks, to two by Denver. There were many penalties, with Houston leading in that category as well, drawing 10 flags at a cost of 70 yards to 8 penalties and 74 yards on the Gold.

Todd Fowler broke teammate Sam Harrell’s record by rushing for 208 yards on 21 carries that included two TDs. Jim Kelly (pictured below) completed 20 of 31 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, with none intercepted. Ricky Sanders led the receivers with 8 catches for 91 yards. Toni Fritsch kicked three field goals, tying the league record of 12 straight, but a fourth attempt late in the contest was blocked to end the streak.

For the Gold, Craig Penrose had little more luck than Fred Mortensen with his passing, succeeding on just five of 17 throws for 61 yards and a TD while giving up two interceptions. Ken Hobart went 7-of-11 for 156 yards and a touchdown as well as an interception. Three Denver players caught two passes apiece, with Elmer Bailey gaining 79 yards on his pair that included a score. RB Vincent White paced the ground game with 28 yards on 6 attempts and Ken Hobart was right behind with his 25 yards on three carries.

“My offensive line knocked out some big holes in the defense, and all the credit should go to them,” said Todd Fowler regarding his record-setting performance.

“I don’t know what the motivational factor is when we have a championship to play for, then come out and play the way we did,” said a frustrated Coach Craig Morton from the losing side. “The playoffs right now are a dream for us unless we find some kind of spark.”

The Gamblers went on to win the Central Division with a 13-5 record, although they were beaten in their First Round playoff game by the Arizona Wranglers. Denver ultimately slid to a disappointing 9-9 tally, placing third in the Pacific Division.

Todd Fowler ended up rushing for 1003 yards on 170 carries with an impressive 5.9-yard average while scoring 11 touchdowns. Jim Kelly’s two touchdown passes put him at 36 for the season (tying the then-existing NFL record) on his way to 44 as he led the USFL in most major passing categories and received league MVP honors.

1984: Anderson TDs Lift Bandits Over Gamblers

The Tampa Bay Bandits commenced their second United States Football League season by hosting one of six expansion teams, the Houston Gamblers, on February 26, 1984.

The Bandits, coached by Steve Spurrier, had featured an exciting passing attack in the inaugural ’83 season, with 33-year-old QB John Reaves successfully reviving his career until breaking his wrist seven weeks into the schedule. WR Eric Truvillion was an All-USFL selection and all-purpose RB Gary Anderson joined the club as a high-profile rookie midway through the year, played well, and was now available for a full season. Tampa Bay just missed qualifying for the playoffs and was looking to move up in 1984.

Houston had a high-profile rookie of its own in QB Jim Kelly, formerly of the Univ. of Miami and now starting behind center for the first-year club. While Head Coach Jack Pardee was known for his skill with building defenses, the team would be operating a wide-open “run-and-shoot” offense.

There were 42,915 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium. It looked good for the Bandits when they took the opening kickoff and drove to the Houston 14, but Zenon Andrusyshyn missed wide to the right on a 31-yard field goal attempt.

Now it was Houston’s turn, and Jim Kelly completed four consecutive passes on a nine-play, 80-yard possession, the last of which resulted in a nine-yard touchdown to WR Ricky Sanders. Jeff Brockhaus added the extra point and the visitors had the early 7-0 lead.

The Bandits again moved the ball effectively on their next series, but on a first down play at the Houston 27, John Reaves fumbled the snap and LB Rickey Young recovered for the Gamblers. Finally, at 3:15 into the second quarter, the Bandits got on the board when Andrusyshyn booted a 25-yard field goal.

Andrusyshyn kicked another field goal for Tampa Bay with just under two minutes remaining in the first half, this time from 32 yards, making it a one-point game. They got the ball back and went ahead before halftime on a two-yard run by Gary Anderson. Reaves threw to WR Willie Gillespie for a two-point conversion and the home team took a 14-7 lead into the intermission.

Houston came back in the third quarter to tie the score when RB Sam Harrell caught a pass from Kelly for a seven-yard TD and, with Brockhaus adding the point after, the tally was 14-14.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Gamblers drove deep into Tampa Bay territory, but on a third-and-goal play at the four yard line, an option run lost four yards and they had to settle for three points. Still, Houston went ahead when Brockhaus successfully kicked a 26-yard field goal.

It seemed as though the field goal might be enough to pull off the upset. Tampa Bay appeared to be in trouble when, facing third-and-20 at the Houston 45, Anderson dropped a short throw from Reaves. But far from the play, Houston CB Donald Dykes was flagged for an illegal hit on Gillespie and the Bandits stayed alive with a first down at the 30. Reaves threw to Eric Truvillion for 17 yards and, with 2:33 remaining, Anderson took a handoff and ran 12 yards for a touchdown. The extra point attempt was unsuccessful, but the home team was ahead by three points.

There was still plenty of time for the Gamblers, and they reached the Tampa Bay 39 with 57 seconds left on the clock. But on fourth-and-six, Kelly kept the ball on an option play and was stopped short of a first down by DE James Ramey. The Bandits ran out the clock to win by a final score of 20-17.

Tampa Bay led in total yards (435 to 316) and time of possession, holding onto the ball some 15 minutes longer than the Gamblers. The Bandits also held a 28 to 18 edge in first downs, but they had difficulty making the most of scoring opportunities despite being inside the Houston 20 on five occasions. Each team turned the ball over twice.

Gary Anderson had a big day , rushing for 114 yards on 26 carries that included two touchdowns and catching 6 passes for another 100 yards. With Houston’s defensive backs playing deep coverage, John Reaves used short throws effectively and completed 25 of 42 passes for 308 yards with one interception. Willie Gillespie, like Anderson, had 6 receptions, gaining 70 yards, and Eric Truvillion contributed 73 yards on his four catches.

For the Gamblers, Jim Kelly had a strong performance in his pro debut, completing 24 of 41 throws for 229 yards and two TDs, although he also gave up two interceptions. Ricky Sanders caught 7 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. WR Richard Johnson added 6 receptions for 44 yards and Sam Harrell gained 44 yards on 5 catches that included a TD to go along with his team-leading 57 yards on 10 rushing attempts. On defense, LB Andy Hawkins, formerly of the NFL Buccaneers, was credited with 11 tackles in his Tampa homecoming.

“We moved the ball and had a lot of yards, but it seemed like all the bad plays were happening to us,” said Tampa Bay’s Coach Spurrier. “A lot of penalties, a missed field goal, a missed extra point.”

Tampa Bay went on to win their next two games on the way to a 14-4 finish that was good for second place in the Southern Division. Qualifying for the postseason as a Wild Card, the Bandits lost their First Round playoff game to the Birmingham Stallions. The Gamblers recovered from their first week loss to win three straight contests on the way to a 13-5 record and first place in the Central Division. They also lost in the initial round of the postseason, to the Arizona Wranglers.

Gary Anderson gained 1008 yards on 268 carries (3.8 avg.) and led the USFL with 19 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 66 passes for 682 more yards and another two TDs for a total of 21, tying for the league lead with New Jersey’s Herschel Walker.

John Reaves stayed healthy and ranked second in passing yards (4092), attempts (544), and completions (313) while accumulating 28 touchdown passes against 15 interceptions. Ahead of him was Jim Kelly, who ranked at the top in yards (5219), TDs (44), attempts (587), and completions (370) in putting together a remarkable rookie year. He received consensus Player of the Year and All-USFL honors.

1984: Wranglers Score 2 TDs in 4th Quarter to Edge Gamblers

The United States Football League First Round playoff game at the Houston Astrodome on July 1, 1984 featured the high-powered Houston Gamblers against the defense-rich Arizona Wranglers.

Under Head Coach Jack Pardee and offensive coordinator Darrel “Mouse” Davis, the first-year Gamblers operated with a high-scoring run-and-shoot offense that generated the most touchdowns (79) and points (618) of any USFL club. Rookie QB Jim Kelly had phenomenal success, most notably passing for 5219 yards and 44 touchdowns while garnering MVP honors from the league. Wide receivers Richard Johnson and Ricky Sanders ranked first and second among the league’s receivers, with 115 and 101 catches, respectively. Houston could move the ball on the ground, too, as RB Todd Fowler gained 1003 yards with a hefty 5.9-yards per carry average and RB Sam Harrell added another 697 yards. If there was a chink in the attack, it was the 82 sacks the Gamblers gave up. The defense was not nearly as glamorous, but was tough against the run. Overall, Houston had been the most successful of the USFL’s six new teams for 1984, finishing atop the Central Division with a 13-5 record.

The Wranglers were a veteran-filled club coached by 66-year-old George Allen. Allen’s teams, most notably the Rams and Redskins in the NFL, were characterized by strong defense and ball-control offense, and Arizona was no different. QB Greg Landry was in his 16^th pro season at age 37 and still an effective field general who completed 63 percent of his passes for 3534 yards and 26 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. The tandem of RB Tim Spencer (1212 yards) and FB Kevin Long (1010 yards) was a productive one and WR Trumaine Johnson led the receivers with 90 catches for 1268 yards and 13 TDs. The defense was the best at giving up the fewest yards (250.9) and points (11.3) per game while generating the most sacks (73). DE John Lee was the individual leader in sacks (20).

There was a crowd of 32,713 on hand at the Astrodome. They saw the Gamblers put together a scoring drive of 74 yards in the first quarter. Jim Kelly completed four of his five passes for 44 yards and ran the ball three times for another 29 yards that included a 14-yard touchdown.

The Arizona defense began to assert itself in the second quarter, however, as two key sacks by the Wranglers forced the Gamblers to settle for field goal attempts, one of which was successful by Toni Fritsch from 38 yards and the other a miss from 46 yards following back-to-back sacks by John Lee and DE Karl Lorch. Just before the half, Frank Corral booted a 32-yard field goal for the Wranglers and the score was 10-3 at the intermission.

For all of Houston’s ability to move the ball, the home team had difficulty getting into the end zone. Still, Arizona wasn’t scoring either and, after Fritsch kicked a 22-yard field goal midway through the third quarter and then added another three points from 25 yards out early in the final period, the Gamblers held a 16-3 lead with fewer than 14 minutes to play.

Two squibbed punts helped Arizona to come back. First, a 15-yard kick by Dale Walters gave the Wranglers good field position. They made the most of it as Greg Landry completed a pass to TE Paul Ricker for 28 yards and then Tim Spencer ran 20 yards for a touchdown that, with the successful extra point, put them six points behind with 6:11 still to play.

Once again Houston was forced to punt, and this time Walters booted the ball only 13 yards. Landry completed passes to RB Doug Dennison that gained 22 yards and WR Lenny Willis for another 13 before tossing to Dennison again for an 11-yard touchdown. Corral added the critical extra point to provide Arizona with a one-point margin with 1:49 left on the clock. The defense made it stand up and the Wranglers came away with a 17-16 win to advance to the next round.

Houston significantly outgained the Wranglers (415 yards to 196), had more first downs (23 to 13), and dominated time of possession (37:15 to 22:45). However, Arizona’s defense held when necessary and sacked Jim Kelly six times while intercepting two of his passes – plus, the two shanked punts in the fourth quarter were disastrous for the Gamblers.

Greg Landry completed 11 of 22 passes for 130 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Doug Dennison caught three passes for 27 yards and the game-winning TD while RB Allan Clark topped the club with 43 yards on his two receptions. Tim Spencer rushed for 39 yards on 10 carries that included a TD and Kevin Long was held to 19 yards on 6 attempts.

For the Gamblers, Jim Kelly was successful on 23 of 34 throws for 301 yards with no TDs and the two interceptions – he was held without a touchdown pass for the first time all season. WR Scott McGhee pulled in 7 passes for 112 yards and Todd Fowler carried the ball 19 times for 84 yards. Kelly added another 59 yards and a TD on 8 rushes.

“The key to winning the game was poise and playing together,” said George Allen, who broke a personal four-game postseason losing streak as a pro head coach with Arizona’s win. “Don’t take chances. Every play could be the game in the last six minutes.” 

The Wranglers went on to mount another fourth quarter comeback and defeat the Los Angeles Express the next week to win the Western Conference Championship. Advancing to the USFL title game, they lost to the Philadelphia Stars, which marked the end of Allen’s pro coaching career. The team was merged with the Oklahoma Outlaws to become the Arizona Outlaws in 1985 and finished at 8-10 in the USFL’s final year. Houston reached the postseason at 10-8 but again fell in the first round.

1984: Zendejas Field Goals Give Express Win Over Gamblers in OT

On April 30, 1984 two of the United States Football League’s top rookie quarterbacks went head-to-head as the Houston Gamblers hosted the Los Angeles Express in a Monday night game at the Astrodome. The Gamblers, coached by Jack Pardee in their first season in the USFL, were off to a 6-3 start and had a chance to take sole possession of first place in the Central Division since both the Michigan Panthers and Oklahoma Outlaws had lost the previous day. QB Jim Kelly was performing very well operating in a run-and-shoot offense and had fine targets to throw to in wide receivers Richard Johnson and Ricky Sanders.

The Express, meanwhile, had gotten off to a miserable 2-5 start but improved to 4-6 for the most part thanks to the addition of QB Steve Young (pictured above). Head Coach John Hadl’s team had averaged just 10.7 points per game prior to the mobile lefthander taking over at quarterback, and his presence was making a difference in the team’s offensive production.

There was a crowd of 30,727 fans on hand for the nationally-televised contest. The Gamblers took the opening kickoff and drove 57 yards in eight plays, reaching the end zone on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Kelly to Richard Johnson.  On their initial possession, the Express came right back with an 86-yard series that ended with a four-yard scoring pass from Young to RB Tony Boddie.

Late in the second quarter, DT Eddie Weaver returned a fumble 22 yards for a TD to put LA in front. Houston responded by driving 90 yards in eight plays. Kelly threw to Ricky Sanders for a 14-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left on the clock and, with all extra point attempts successful, the score remained 14-14 at the half.

In the third quarter, the Express drove to the Houston one but, on fourth down, Coach Hadl decided against a chip-shot field goal attempt and called for a quarterback sneak. While unsuccessful, an offside call on the Gamblers gave the Express another shot and RB Mel Gray carried and appeared to score, but officials ruled that he was short.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Houston took the lead on a four-yard touchdown carry by RB Todd Fowler.  It finished off a 67-yard drive that was helped along by a pass interference penalty. The home team was up by 21-14.

Three minutes later, LA got on the board when Young passed to WR JoJo Townsell for a 17-yard touchdown.  That capped a seven-play, 73-yard series. However, following a punt by the Express, the Gamblers went 87 yards. 39-year-old Toni Fritsch, the league’s oldest placekicker, booted a 26-yard field goal to again pull the Gamblers in front at 24-21.

With time running down, the Express put together a drive in which Young completed key passes to Boddie, the second for 19 yards, and scrambled for 15 yards for a first down at the Houston 28. Now down to four seconds left in regulation, Tony Zendejas kicked a 41-yard field goal to tie the score and send the game into overtime.

In the overtime period, a decisive turnover occurred when safety Troy West of the Express intercepted a Kelly pass and returned it 16 yards to the Houston 44. It seemed as though the Gamblers still might dodge the bullet, but an incomplete pass by Young on third down was negated when DE Pete Catan was flagged for roughing the quarterback. That kept the drive alive at the Houston 27. Turning conservative, three plays gained three yards and Zendejas then came on to boot the game-winning 42-yard field goal at 4:41 into the extra period. Los Angeles came away with a big 27-24 win.

The Gamblers outgained Los Angeles (412 yards to 373) and had more first downs (26 to 23). However, while the Express suffered no turnovers, Houston turned the ball over four times. LA’s defense also sacked Kelly seven times, to three sacks of Young.

Steve Young completed 17 of 28 passes for 211 yards with two touchdowns and and also rushed for 56 yards on 6 carries. RB Kevin Nelson gained 89 yards on 18 rushing attempts. JoJo Townsell caught 5 passes for 75 yards and a TD. Tony Zendejas missed two field goal attempts but redeemed himself with the two clutch kicks.

For the Gamblers, Jim Kelly was successful on 37 of 50 throws for 380 yards and two TDs but also had two interceptions. Richard Johnson (pictured below) set a league record with 15 pass receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown and Ricky Sanders added another 10 catches for 98 yards and a score. Todd Fowler was the leading ground gainer with 32 yards on 11 attempts.

“I don’t like to miss, and I got a chance to redeem myself,” said Tony Zendejas. “I have a lot of pride, and I feel like every time I go out there I should make it.”

“The win is going to create some momentum,” said John Hadl. “We beat a division-leading team on the road. And we beat a great team with a great quarterback in Jim Kelly.”

Coach Hadl’s words proved to be correct – the Express went on to win six of the next eight games to top the Pacific Division with a 10-8 record. They upended the defending-champion Michigan Panthers in triple overtime of their epic First Round playoff game but lost the Western Conference title game to the Arizona Wranglers. Meanwhile, the defeat kept the Gamblers from taking sole possession of first place in the Central Division, but they eventually did prevail with a 13-5 tally. They were upset in the First Round by Arizona.

Steve Young, in the course of 12 games, passed for 2361 yards and also ranked second among USFL quarterbacks with 515 rushing yards on 79 carries. He passed for 10 touchdowns and ran for 7.

Tony Zendejas, a rookie out of Nevada-Las Vegas, was successful on 21 of 30 field goal attempts and all 33 of his extra point tries.

Jim Kelly had a phenomenal rookie season, leading the league in pass attempts (587), completions (370), yards (5219), and touchdown passes (44), although also interceptions (26). He received MVP and All-League honors from the USFL.

Richard Johnson also received All-League honors as he led the USFL in pass receptions (115) and scoring receptions (15) and was second in yards (1455). His record for catches in a game was broken by Gill Stegall of Denver, who had 16 in a game, also against the Express, in 1985.

1984: Kelly Passes & Runs Gamblers to Win Over Generals

The Houston Gamblers, new to the United States Football League in its second season, were off to a 2-1 start as they hosted the undefeated New Jersey Generals on March 18, 1984. Owned by Dr. Jerry Argovitz and coached by Jack Pardee, the Gamblers had a pass-oriented “run-and-shoot” offense operated by rookie QB Jim Kelly, who was proving to be remarkably well-suited to it.

The visiting Generals were coached by ex-Jets mentor Walt Michaels and, while they still were a ground-oriented team based around the presence of RB Herschel Walker, had taken steps to improve the overall roster. Newly-acquired veterans included QB Brian Sipe, G Dave Lapham, CB Kerry Justin, FS Gary Barbaro, SS Greggory Johnson, and linebackers Jim LeClair, Willie Harper, and Bob Leopold and the result was great improvement over the team that went a disappointing 6-12 in the USFL’s inaugural season.

There were 35,532 in attendance at the Astrodome for Houston’s home-opening game. The Generals opened the scoring as Sipe threw to TE Jeff Spek for a seven-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter. Houston responded with a scoring drive that featured a Kelly completion to WR Gerald McNeil for 29 yards and a 12-yard pass to WR Greg Moser. It ended in a five-yard touchdown run by RB Sam Harrell. PK Toni Fritsch completed a two-point TD pass to Harrell shot-put style after the center snap on the extra point try was bobbled by the holder, Moser, who then lateraled to the veteran placekicker. The result was that the Gamblers were ahead by 8-7 after a period of play.

That lead was extended in the second quarter after CB Will Lewis (pictured below) intercepted a Sipe pass and returned it to the New Jersey one yard line. From there, Harrell scored again and, with Fritsch kicking the extra point this time, the Gamblers were up by 15-7 at the half.

Houston made it 22-7 ten minutes into the third quarter when Kelly threw a screen pass to WR Scott McGhee for a 25-yard TD that was followed by another successful Fritsch PAT. Three minutes into the final period, Fritsch added a 20-yard field goal and the game was essentially put away shortly thereafter when Lewis again picked off a Sipe pass and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown.

The Generals fought back with Sipe throwing to WR Clarence Collins for a six-yard TD and then tossing to Walker for a successful two-point conversion. With less than three minutes remaining, Walker scored another touchdown from a yard out, but that was it for the visitors. Houston came away with a convincing 32-25 win.

The Gamblers outgained New Jersey (370 yards to 234) and had more first downs (22 to 17). In addition, the Generals turned the ball over three times, all on interceptions, to one suffered by Houston.

Jim Kelly showed off his mobility as well as his passing skill, leading the team with 65 yards on 6 carries in addition to completing 22 of 36 passes for 271 yards with a touchdown and an interception. WR Richard Johnson caught 6 passes for 46 yards while Gerald McNeil gained 73 yards on his 5 pass receptions. Sam Harrell was right behind Kelly as he rushed for 60 yards on 20 carries that included two TDs.

For the Generals, Brian Sipe was successful on 18 of 29 throws for 148 yards and two touchdowns but also the three interceptions. Herschel Walker had relatively modest output, rushing for 65 yards on 14 attempts and catching three passes for 21 yards. Clarence Collins led the club with 6 catches for 64 yards.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the way this team played,” said Houston Head Coach Jack Pardee. “We held down a good club today and came up with the turnovers when we had to have them. It was a great team effort.”

The Gamblers went on to become the most successful of the six new USFL franchises in ’84, topping the Central Division with a 13-5 record before losing to Arizona in the first round of the playoffs. New Jersey placed second in the Atlantic Division at 14-4 but also exited in the first round of the postseason, falling to the division-rival Philadelphia Stars.

Jim Kelly had a sensational year throwing the football as he led the league in most major passing categories, including yards (5219) and TD passes (44) – although also interceptions (26). However, as the game against the Generals suggested, he was also one of the USFL’s most productive quarterbacks at running the ball as he gained 493 yards on 85 carries (5.8 avg.) and scored five touchdowns. 

MVP Profile: Jim Kelly, 1984

Quarterback, Houston Gamblers

Age: 24

1^st season in pro football

College: Miami (FL)

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 215

Prelude:

A star in college, Kelly missed most of his senior year due to a shoulder separation but was still taken in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. He was also chosen by the Chicago Blitz of the new USFL, who traded his draft rights to the Houston Gamblers. Kelly signed with the new team in the second-year league and also benefited from the extra time to recuperate while awaiting the spring ’84 season. He immediately became the starting quarterback as a rookie, directing Houston’s run-and-shoot offense.

1984 Season Summary

Appeared in all 18 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 587 [1]

Most attempts, game – 50 vs. Los Angeles 4/30

Completions – 370 [1]

Most completions, game – 37 vs. Los Angeles 4/30

Yards – 5219 [1]

Most yards, game – 380 vs. Los Angeles 4/30

Completion percentage – 63.0 [2]

Yards per attempt – 8.9 [1]

TD passes – 44 [1]

Most TD passes, game – 5 at Pittsburgh 5/12

Interceptions – 26 [1]

Most interceptions, game – 4 at Oakland 4/16, vs. San Antonio 6/18

Passer rating – 98.2 [3]

300-yard passing games – 9

200-yard passing games – 17

Rushing

Attempts – 85

Most attempts, game - 9 (for 65 yds.) vs. San Antonio 6/18

Yards – 493

Most yards, game – 65 yards (on 6 carries) vs. New Jersey 3/18, (on 9 carries) vs. San Antonio 6/18

Yards per attempt – 5.8 [3]

TDs – 5

Scoring

TDs – 5

2-pt conversions – 1

Points - 32

Postseason: 1 G (First Round playoff vs. Arizona)

Pass attempts – 34

Pass completions – 23

Passing yardage – 301

TD passes – 0

Interceptions – 2

Rushing attempts – 8

Rushing yards – 59

Average gain rushing – 7.4

Rushing TDs – 1

Awards & Honors:

USFL MVP: League

USFL Rookie of the Year: Sporting News

1^st team All-USFL: League

Gamblers went 13-5 to finish first in the Central Division while leading the USFL in passing yards (5311), scoring (618 points), and TDs (79). Lost USFL First Round playoff to Arizona Wranglers (17-16).

Aftermath:

While Kelly missed several games due to injury in 1985, he still led the USFL in pass attempts (567), completions (360), yards (4623), TD passes (39), completion percentage (63.5), and overall passing (97.9) and the team again reached the postseason. With the end of the league, Kelly joined the Bills for the 1986 season and threw for 3593 yards and 22 TDs. He went to the Pro Bowl for the first of five times in ’87 and Buffalo made it to the postseason in 1988. In 1990 he led the NFL in passing (101.2) and the team won the AFC title, barely losing the Super Bowl. It was the first of four straight conference championships, marred by the failure to win any of the resulting Super Bowls. Kelly proved to be a tough competitor and savvy field general. He retired following the 1996 season having passed for 35,467 yards and 237 touchdowns with an 84.4 rating in the NFL along with 9842 yards and 83 TDs in the USFL. The Bills retired Kelly’s #12 and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2002.

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MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). 

[Updated 2/8/14]

1985: Sipe Rallies Bulls Past Gamblers

The 1985 United States Football League season had been a rough one for Jacksonville Bulls QB Brian Sipe as he prepared to take the field on May 20 against the Houston Gamblers. Sipe, once the NFL’s Most Valuable Player with the Cleveland Browns in 1980, had been signed to the USFL by the New Jersey Generals in ’84, and was unceremoniously dumped off to the Bulls after Heisman Trophy-winner Doug Flutie signed with the Generals for 1985. Taking over as starting quarterback for Jacksonville, he had suffered a severe shoulder separation in the season-opening game and Ed Luther had been behind center as the team got off to a 6-6 start.

Head Coach Lindy Infante’s team had a fine tandem of wide receivers in Alton Alexis and Perry Kemp and also benefited from the presence of RB Mike Rozier, who had spent his rookie season in ’84 with the Pittsburgh Maulers. The defense was improved due to the play of DE Keith Millard and LB Vaughan Johnson.

The Week 13 opponents, the Gamblers, were coached by Jack Pardee and boasted the USFL’s most explosive offense, led by second-year QB Jim Kelly. However, after being well-supported by the Houston fans in their inaugural ’84 season, the announced move to the fall for 1986 significantly dampened attendance during 1985.

For the Monday night game, there were just 17,127 in attendance at the Astrodome – the crowd was especially disappointing since there was a promotion in which, if there were at least 40,000 present, a selected fan would win a $1 million annuity ($10,000 if there were at least 35,000).

Houston nevertheless started off the scoring in electrifying fashion as WR Gerald McNeil returned a punt 49 yards down the middle of the field for a TD. The Bulls drove to the Houston one yard line but two penalties and a sack of Sipe forced them to settle for a field goal. Brian Franco was successful from 29 yards and the score was 7-3 after a quarter of play.

Toni Fritsch added a 44-yard field goal for the Gamblers at just over five minutes into the second quarter and Kelly connected with slotback Richard Johnson for a 15-yard touchdown. Late in the first half, the Bulls drove to the Houston 23, helped along by two pass interference penalties, but SS Luther Bradley intercepted a Sipe pass to end the threat with 10 seconds remaining.

Houston was ahead by 17-3 at the half, but the Bulls took control in the third quarter. The defense allowed the high-powered Gamblers to gain just four net yards while holding the ball for a total of 4:35 during the entire period.

Meanwhile, Sipe threw two TD passes during the period. The first covered 22 yards to Alexis and the second came just over two minutes later on a five-yard toss to RB Larry Mason. With 40 seconds left in the quarter, Franco kicked a 27-yard field goal and it proved to be the winning margin.

Houston did threaten once more during the fourth quarter, driving to the Jacksonville 30, but RB Todd Fowler fumbled the ball away with just under six minutes remaining in the contest, LB Terry Beeson recovering for the Bulls. Jacksonville hung on for the 20-17 win.

The Bulls had more first downs (19 to 15) although Houston had more total yards (331 to 309), but only 19 yards on 12 carries came on the ground. Jacksonville had a better-balanced attack and led significantly in time of possession (36:27 to 23:33). The Gamblers turned the ball over three times and were penalized on nine occasions while the Bulls turned the ball over just once.

Brian Sipe completed 14 of 32 passes for 191 yards with two TDs and an interception. Mike Rozier led the Bulls with 86 yards on 20 carries, putting him over a thousand yards for the year (he ended up second in the USFL with 1361). Perry Kemp caught 4 passes for 82 yards.

Jim Kelly had a rough outing against Jacksonville’s defense, completing 23 of 39 passes for 312 yards while being twice intercepted and sacked five times. Gerald McNeil had 5 pass receptions for 65 yards, WR Scott McGhee added 5 for 65 yards, and Richard Johnson contributed 63 yards on his four catches. Todd Fowler was Houston’s leading ground gainer with just 14 yards on 5 attempts, and had the costly fumble late in the contest.

 “This is my first game back and I am still getting fully integrated into the offense,” said Sipe. “But they pay me to put wins in the win column, so I’m going to just sneak out of here and grin all the way back to Jacksonville.”

“They had a real good defensive line,” said Jack Pardee about the Bulls. “They came with four men for the most part and put a lot of heat on our passer.”

Jacksonville ended up with a 9-9 record that placed sixth in the Eastern Conference. Houston made the playoffs by finishing third in the Western Conference at 10-8, although the Gamblers lost in the first round of the postseason for the second straight year.

The come-from-behind win proved to be a last hurrah for Brian Sipe, who suffered another injury and ended up completing just 55 of 89 passes for 685 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions in what ended up being his final pro season. 

1984: Outlaws Use Late Comeback to Force Tie, Beat Gamblers in OT

Two of the United States Football League’s six new teams for 1984 met on March 31 in a Week 6 contest at Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Outlaws and Houston Gamblers were both off to promising 3-2 starts and were jockeying for position in the USFL Central Division.

Coached by Woody Widenhofer, former defensive coordinator of the Steelers, the Outlaws didn’t run the ball especially well, but they did have former Buccaneer Doug Williams (pictured above) at quarterback. Their games had typically been low-scoring and they had yet to put more than 17 points on the board. A cause for concern was a 49-7 loss at Arizona the previous week.

Houston, under Head Coach Jack Pardee and offensive coordinator Darrel “Mouse” Davis, had no difficulty scoring with its run-and-shoot offense. Highly-touted rookie QB Jim Kelly was proving to be the master of it and there was a talented group of receivers. RB Sam Harrell even had a 200-yard rushing game in the early going. But the Gamblers were also coming off a tough defeat the week before, by a 52-34 margin to the defending-champion Michigan Panthers.

There were 17,266 in attendance on a Saturday at Skelly Stadium, and for most of the game it appeared that the home team would disappoint them. The Gamblers scored first as Kelly connected with slotback Richard Johnson for a 39-yard touchdown in the opening period. It was 14-0 ten minutes into the second quarter when Harrell ran for a one-yard TD. Meanwhile, the Outlaws were struggling - at one point during the first half, Doug Williams missed on 10 straight pass attempts. Only a 45-yard field goal by Efren Herrera with four seconds left before halftime kept Oklahoma from being shut out in the first thirty minutes of play.

Williams ran six yards for a touchdown to narrow the margin to 14-10, but less than two minutes later Harrell scored on another one-yard carry for Houston. Herrera booted a 37-yard field goal, but it seemed as though the Gamblers had put the game away when Kelly again passed to Johnson for a TD, this time on a play that covered 25 yards.

The 28-13 score held up through most of the fourth quarter. However, Oklahoma got a break when DB Lee Wilson intercepted a Kelly pass and the Outlaws capitalized as RB Sidney Thornton scored a touchdown on a one-yard plunge with 1:58 remaining (pictured below).


It was 28-20 and the home team had one more opportunity with 35 seconds left. Doug Williams engineered a 68-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 48-yard touchdown pass to rookie WR Alphonso Williams, who out-jumped two defenders in the end zone and held on as they attempted to wrestle the ball away with no time remaining in regulation. Williams then threw to RB Ted Sample at the goal line for the two-point conversion that sent the game into overtime.

Houston won the toss for the extra period and it appeared that the Gamblers would prevail as they drove to midfield. But Kelly’s pass intended for WR Greg Moser went through the receiver’s hands and was intercepted by Wilson, making his second key pickoff of the game.

On a flea-flicker play, Doug Williams went long for Alphonso Williams, who again made a spectacular catch in which he pulled the ball away from defenders at the one yard line for a 53-yard gain. On the next play, Herrera kicked the game-winning field goal at 3:19 into the overtime period and the Outlaws came away with a stunning 31-28 victory.

The Gamblers outgained Oklahoma (350 yards to 308) and had the edge in first downs (19 to 17). The Outlaws suffered one turnover while Houston gave the ball up three times. Both teams recorded five sacks apiece and the Gamblers were penalized 9 times for a loss of 92 yards to 7 flags thrown on Oklahoma at a loss of 65 yards.

While Doug Williams had the first-half dry spell, he made big completions when they counted most and ended up connecting on 16 of 35 passes for 243 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Alphonso Williams was the receiving star with 4 catches for 115 yards and a TD. RB Andrew Lazarus led the team in rushing with 41 yards on 10 carries. Efren Herrera was successful on three of his four field goal attempts, missing from 51 yards on a kick that bounced off the crossbar.

For Houston, Jim Kelly was successful on 25 of 42 passes for 325 yards and two touchdowns, but also was picked off three times. Richard Johnson pulled in 10 of those throws for 162 yards and both scores. Sam Harrell rushed 8 times for 32 yards and two TDs.

While the thrilling come-from-behind win put Oklahoma a game in front of the Gamblers, the two teams moved in divergent directions over the remainder of the season. The Outlaws peaked at 6-2, keeping pace atop the division standings with Michigan, before the bottom fell out and they lost their remaining 10 games to end up at a disappointing 6-12. Houston completed the schedule with a 13-5 record to win the Central Division, although the Gamblers were upset in the first round of the playoffs.

Before he was lost to a knee injury late in the season (the crowning blow in the team’s total collapse), Doug Williams threw for 3084 yards with 15 TDs but 21 interceptions, with a low completion percentage (49.4) and average gain per attempt (5.8) for the offensively-challenged team. Alphonso Williams remained a bright spot, catching 50 passes for 1087 yards (21.7 avg.) and seven touchdowns. The lack of a running game remained a chronic problem for the offense – none of the backs accumulated as many as 300 yards.

Houston remained an offensive juggernaut. Jim Kelly had a momentous rookie year, leading the league in most major passing categories including yards (5219) and touchdowns (44). Richard Johnson led the USFL in pass receptions with 115, good for 1455 yards and 15 TDs.