1985: Johnson’s 3 TDs Lead Gold to Win Against Generals

Two 8-4 teams that were in the running for playoff spots in the United States Football League’s third season met in Denver on May 19, 1985. The hosts, the Denver Gold, were in contention with Oakland and Houston in the Western Conference while the visiting New Jersey Generals were trying to keep pace with the Birmingham Stallions, Tampa Bay Bandits, and Memphis Showboats in the Eastern Conference.

The Gold were coached by Darrell “Mouse” Davis and utilized his run-and-shoot offense. After starting slowly, Bob Gagliano replaced nine-year veteran Vince Evans at quarterback and the club had won four of five games. WR Leonard Harris was the favored target on pass plays and RB Bill Johnson (pictured above) was productive carrying the ball.

As had been the case since the Generals came into being, RB Herschel Walker was the key to the offense, and he had a string of six straight hundred-yard rushing games on the line coming into Denver. Prize rookie QB Doug Flutie was suffering growing pains but brought mobility and a strong arm to the offense.

There were 29,139 fans in attendance at Mile High Stadium. The Generals struck quickly on their first play from scrimmage as Herschel Walker looped out of the backfield and sped past the coverage to pull in a pass by Doug Flutie for a 68-yard touchdown. Roger Ruzek added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead.

Following an exchange of punts, the Gold put together a quick three-play, 63-yard drive that featured a carry by Bill Johnson and a personal foul on the Generals that set up a 30-yard scoring pass from Bob Gagliano to Leonard Harris. Jim Asmus tied the game with the point after.

Neither team threatened again until late in the opening period when the Gold, deep in their own territory, turned the ball over when Johnson fumbled while fighting for extra yardage on a running play and New Jersey recovered at the 12. A sack of Flutie moved the Generals back but they regained the lead by three points on a Ruzek field goal from 35 yards.

The score remained unchanged during the second quarter as the defenses dominated and a rain shower passed through. With 1:23 remaining in the first half, DE Calvin Turner of the Gold recovered a fumble by FB Maurice Carthon at the New Jersey 15 and, shortly thereafter, Johnson took a pitchout and ran three unmolested yards for a TD. Asmus converted and Denver took a 14-10 lead into halftime.

The Generals started the third quarter by advancing methodically on a 12-play, 80-yard drive that featured ten carries for 31 yards by Walker and a fine pass from Flutie to WR Walter Broughton. Walker crashed over for a touchdown from five yards out, Ruzek added the extra point, and the visitors were back in front by 17-14.

The Gold responded by going to the air and Gagliano connected with WR Vincent White for a 48-yard gain to the New Jersey 15. A pass to Johnson out of the backfield picked up 12 yards and Johnson powered over for a three-yard TD. Asmus kicked the point after and Denver was in the lead by 21-17.

The Generals were driving as the game headed into the fourth quarter and Walker started the final period off by hurdling for a yard to convert a fourth down at the Denver 16. Flutie bootlegged to the six and, with Walker pounding into the line play after play, the visitors again faced a fourth-and-goal situation at the one that resulted in a Walker touchdown dive. Ruzek’s kick had New Jersey ahead in the back-and-forth contest by 24-21.

Denver again responded with a 69-yard scoring drive in which Gagliano completed passes to four different receivers and concluded with Johnson blasting into the end zone for the final yard and a TD. Asmus converted to put the Gold up by four points with 6:02 remaining to play.

The offenses had taken command in the second half with every possession ending in a touchdown and it appeared that the Generals might continue the trend on the next series but, after reaching the Denver 43, Flutie was sacked for a five-yard loss on second down by LB Craig Walls and, while a throw to Walker gained seven yards, a fourth-and-four pass was tipped and fell incomplete. A clutch completion to Johnson that converted a third down allowed Denver to run the clock down to 22 seconds remaining before the Generals were able to regain possession and the Gold won by a final score of 28-24.

Denver had the edge in total yards (310 to 301) and first downs (17 to 15) although the Generals led in time of possession (32:42 to 27:18). New Jersey also accounted for four sacks, to two by the Gold, but the Generals turned the ball over twice, one of which led to a Denver touchdown, to one by the home team.

Bob Gagliano completed 17 of 31 passes for 242 yards (167 of which came in the second half) and a touchdown while giving up no interceptions. Bill Johnson rushed for 98 yards on 23 carries that included three TDs and caught four passes for another 46 yards. Leonard Harris also had a team-leading four pass receptions, for 62 yards and a score.

For the Generals, Herschel Walker was productive despite Denver’s efforts to stack the line of scrimmage, gaining 142 yards on 36 rushing attempts with two touchdowns and pulling in three passes for 106 yards that included the one long TD. Doug Flutie was successful on just 5 of 15 throws for 141 yards and a touchdown while being intercepted once.

Denver went on to place second in the Western Conference with an 11-7 record and qualified for the postseason where the club took a thrashing in the Quarterfinal playoff round at the hands of the Memphis Showboats. As for the Generals, the loss dropped them to 8-5 and they also finished at 11-7 and second in the Eastern Conference. They lost a close Quarterfinal round game to the Baltimore Stars.

Bill Johnson rushed for a total of 1261 yards on 212 carries (5.9 avg.) with 15 touchdowns. His yardage ranked third in the league and he received All-USFL recognition from College & Pro Football Newsweekly. At the top of the rushing rankings was Herschel Walker, who gained a gargantuan 2411 yards on 438 attempts (5.5 avg.) and also led the circuit in scoring with 22 touchdowns for 132 points. He received consensus Player of the Year as well as All-USFL honors.

1985: Denver Rolls Up Yardage to Defeat Stallions

The Denver Gold were 0-1 as they took on the Birmingham Stallions in a United States Football League game on March 3, 1985. A team that drew well at home but failed to post a winning record in either of its first two USFL seasons, the Gold now was coached by Darrel “Mouse” Davis, formerly of Portland State and most recently offensive coordinator of the Houston Gamblers. Utilizing the high-powered run and shoot offense, the Gamblers had been exciting and productive. Now Davis was bringing the same scheme to Denver, but the run and shoot had misfired in the opening week 31-10 loss to Oakland.

Birmingham, coached by Rollie Dotsch, was coming off of a 14-4 record in ’84 and won its first contest of 1985 (over New Jersey). The Stallions had QB Cliff Stoudt and WR Jim Smith, both formerly of the Steelers, and ex-Buffalo RB Joe Cribbs as key players on offense, which was anchored by an outstanding line.

There were 27,400 fans in attendance at Legion Field in Birmingham and they saw Denver get off to a fast start. On the offense’s first play from scrimmage, QB Vince Evans connected with RB Bill Johnson on a screen pass that gained 55 yards to the Birmingham one yard line. Johnson carried on the next play to gain the final yard and a touchdown and Brian Speelman added the extra point.

The Stallions responded by driving 80 yards in eight plays. Cliff Stoudt finished the series off with a seven-yard TD run and Danny Miller tied the score with the point after. It seemed as though the Gold would score again on the next possession as they reached the Birmingham nine, but FS Chuck Clanton recovered a fumble to snuff out the threat. Three plays later, however, Stoudt fumbled a bad snap that went out of the end zone for a safety to put the visitors back in the lead by 9-7.

Early in the second quarter, Evans threw long to RB Vincent White for a 48-yard touchdown. Speelman’s PAT put the Gold ahead by 16-7. Shortly thereafter, a Stoudt pass was intercepted by Clanton and, two plays after that, Evans completed a pass to WR Leonard Harris for a 39-yard TD. Speelman again converted and Denver was up by 23-7 with 8:33 remaining in the first half.

Later in the period, the Gold put together a 48-yard drive in nine plays that concluded with Speelman kicking a 28-yard field goal. The Stallions got a break on defense when Clanton intercepted his second pass of the game, returning it 23 yards to the Birmingham 48. Stoudt tossed a touchdown pass to Jim Smith eight plays later that covered nine yards with 32 seconds left on the clock. Miller kicked the extra point and the score was 26-14 at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, the Stallions drew closer as Stoudt threw to WR Joey Jones for a 53-yard TD. Miller converted and the Denver margin was down to five points at 26-21. The Gold came back with a 10-play, 78-yard series that was capped by Evans gaining one yard for a touchdown on a quarterback sneak. Speelman’s kick made it a 33-21 contest.

Early in the fourth quarter, Denver scored again when Johnson ran eight yards for a TD, followed by another Speelman extra point. The Stallions had opportunities to close the gap again, but twice came up empty inside the Denver ten in the final period.  They picked up two more points when Evans was tackled in the end zone for a safety, but it was of no consequence as the Gold came away with a convincing 40-23 win.

Denver compiled a total of 564 yards, with 284 coming on the ground, to 325 yards for the Stallions. The Gold also had the edge in first downs (24 to 19) and time of possession (35:02 to 24:58). However, Denver was hindered by five turnovers, to just one suffered by Birmingham, and 12 penalties, while only five flags were thrown on the Stallions.

Vince Evans completed 14 of 28 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns, although giving up three interceptions. RB Todd Gerhart led the impressive running game with 119 yards on 21 carries, followed by Bill Johnson’s 74 yards on 9 attempts that included two TDs, and Evans contributed 50 yards on five carries. Leonard Harris topped the Denver receivers with four catches for 74 yards.

For the Stallions, Cliff Stoudt was successful on 17 of 38 throws for 259 yards and two TDs, giving up one interception and scoring once on the ground. Joe Cribbs had just 36 yards on 9 carries. Jim Smith caught 6 passes for 83 yards and Joey Jones gained 96 yards on four receptions that included a TD. Chuck Clanton (pictured at left) starred on defense, accumulating all three interceptions, recovering a fumble, and getting credit for eight tackles.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” said Coach Davis of his team’s performance. “We had too many picks (interceptions), but we’re certainly pleased. We’re excited to get our first win and hope it’s the first of many.”

Denver won four of its next five games on the way to an 11-7 record that placed second in the Western Conference. The team ranked third in the USFL in total yards (6629) and, with Vince Evans splitting time at quarterback with Bob Gagliano, rated third in passing yards (4550). In the Gold’s only playoff game, they were thrashed in the Quarterfinal round by the Memphis Showboats. The Stallions recovered to go 13-5 and finish at the top of the Eastern Conference. They defeated Houston in the first round but lost to the Baltimore Stars at the Semifinal level. 

1985: Gold Beat Gamblers to Clinch Playoff Spot

The teams that met on June 9, 1985 at Denver’s Mile High Stadium were battling for postseason berths in the United States Football League’s third season. The host Gold had missed out in the USFL’s first two years and came into this contest at 10-5 while the visiting Houston Gamblers, who had joined the league in 1984, were 9-6. Both clubs were in the Western Conference of the restructured league.

The announced move from spring to fall for 1986 had a devastating impact on the Gold, despite the success on the field. After averaging a league-high 41,736 fans per home game in 1983 and 33,953 in ’84, Denver averaged just 14,446 in 1985 and, for the finale at Mile High Stadium with a playoff spot on the line, there was a paltry crowd of 12,553.

Former Gamblers’ offensive coordinator Darrel “Mouse” Davis (pictured above) was now the head coach in Denver, and had brought his exciting run-and-shoot offense with him. Houston, coached by Jack Pardee, also continued to utilize the quick-striking scheme. However, star QB Jim Kelly was injured and backup Todd Dillon started against the Gold.

The Gold opened the scoring in spectacular fashion in the first quarter as QB Bob Gagliano connected on a bomb to WR Leonard Harris that resulted in a 63-yard touchdown. Houston responded with two Toni Fritsch field goals, of 46 yards later in the first quarter and 31 yards less than five minutes into the second quarter, to cut Denver’s lead to 7-6.

The nationally-televised game was delayed in the second quarter for 19 minutes due to lightning and torrential rain. The stadium lights briefly went out and parts of the field were flooded with over an inch of rain while the officials sent the teams back to the locker room until the storm passed.

Play resumed, but Denver’s offense, while moving the ball effectively, squandered four second quarter scoring opportunities and one in the third period as well. Gagliano was intercepted in the end zone three times and PK Jim Asmus missed field goal attempts of 19 and 30 yards. The Gold clung to a one-point lead at halftime.

Asmus was finally successful on a 40-yard field goal attempt midway through the third quarter and also connected from 47 yards early in the final period, putting the Gold ahead by a 13-6 score. However, Houston came back with a five-play, 73-yard drive that culminated in RB Todd Fowler running for a six-yard touchdown with just over eight minutes remaining in regulation. Fritsch was successful on the extra point conversion, and the score was tied at 13-13.

The teams traded punts, and then the Gold, taking over at their own 27 yard line, drove to the Houston one. Along the way, Gagliano completed passes of 27 yards to WR Marc Lewis and 20 yards to WR Lonnie Turner. Asmus booted the game-winning kick from 18 yards with one second left on the clock, atoning for the two earlier misses, and Denver clinched a playoff spot by a score of 16-13.

Considering that both teams had explosive offenses, the game was remarkably low-scoring (the 13 points were the fewest ever scored by the Gamblers). Denver significantly outgained the Gamblers (462 yards to 291) and also led in first downs (20 to 16), but had difficulty putting points on the board. The Gold gained just 47 yards on 21 rushing attempts and the Gamblers sacked Bob Gagliano five times (to three by Denver).

Gagliano nevertheless piled up plenty of passing yards as he set a Denver club record with 445 while completing 24 of 45 throws, including the one long TD but also the three costly interceptions. Marc Lewis caught 9 passes for 130 yards while Leonard Harris (pictured below), with the long scoring reception, had 177 yards on his four catches. RB Bill Johnson led the ground game with 38 yards on 15 carries.



For Houston, QB Todd Dillon was successful on 21 of 36 passes for 233 yards with no touchdowns and one picked off. Wide receivers Ricky Sanders and Scott McGhee and RB Sam Harrell all caught four passes apiece, with Sanders gaining the most yards (56). Harrell and Todd Fowler had identical rushing statistics - 25 yards on six carries.

“I could hear Coach Davis swearing at me as I walked off the field after the first half,” Jim Asmus said afterward. “But then he told me to go out in the second half and kick it through the uprights. I was glad I was able to come back and score points when we need them. I owed it to the guys.”

“Yes, it's true we had a difficult time getting into the end zone,” added Mouse Davis, “and yes, it's true we had a tough time making those field goals. But we won and it gets us in the playoffs.”

In the other locker room, Houston’s Pardee could only shake his head and mutter, “Two run-and-shoot teams in a defensive battle.”

While the loss put Houston’s playoff hopes in jeopardy, in the end both clubs made it to the postseason. Denver was second in the conference at 11-7 but was crushed by the Memphis Showboats in the first round (48-7). The Gamblers, who came in third at 10-8, also lost in the Quarterfinal playoff round, but to the Birmingham Stallions by the much closer score of 22-20.

With fan support dwindling, Denver owner Doug Spedding was considering moving the franchise for the ’86 fall season, but the USFL folded before the shift ever happened. Meanwhile, the Gamblers (who also suffered at the gate as a result of the announced move to the fall) merged with the New Jersey Generals, and while it created what could have been a dominating club, the end of the league rendered such speculation moot.