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: Fourth Quarter Rally Propels Wranglers Past Express

The teams meeting for the championship of the United States Football League’s Western Conference on July 7, 1984 both had 10-8 regular season records and had recently been hot, winning six of their previous seven games. But beyond that, there were significant differences in the composition and style of the two clubs.

The Arizona Wranglers were coached by George Allen, a 66-year-old veteran of 12 NFL head coaching seasons and one in the USFL’s inaugural year. As was typical of Allen’s teams, the Wranglers relied on veteran pro talent, with strong defense that ranked at the top of the league complemented by a conservative, ball-control offense. 37-year-old QB Greg Landry (pictured above) directed the attack that featured two thousand-yard rushers in Tim Spencer (1212 yards) and Kevin Long (1010 yards) as well as a talented wide receiver in Trumaine Johnson. Still, Arizona got off to a slow start before coming on strong to conclude the season and, qualifying for the playoffs as a Wild Card team after finishing second in the Pacific Division, came from behind to defeat the high-powered Houston Gamblers by a 17-16 score in the Quarterfinal round.

The Express, on the other hand, consisted of a large number of first- and second-year players and had an offensive-minded first-year head coach in John Hadl, a former AFL and NFL quarterback. Following a 2-3 start, the offense benefited from the arrival of rookie QB Steve Young, with talent that matched a huge contract. An effective left-handed passer with outstanding mobility, Young had second-year WR JoJo Townsell leading the receiving corps plus a group of three effective rookie running backs in Kevin Nelson, Mel Gray, and Kevin Mack to handle the ground game. The Express won the Pacific Division and then eliminated the defending-champion Michigan Panthers the previous week in a game that wasn’t settled until the third overtime period. Unfortunately, Gray, in scoring the winning touchdown, also suffered a broken leg.

There had been controversy in the week leading up to the game when Hadl accused Allen of putting a bounty on Steve Young. Beyond that, there was bad feeling between the two teams, and numerous scuffles broke out during the contest.

There were 33,188 fans in attendance at Sun Devil Stadium, as the Express had forfeited home field advantage due to lack of an available venue (although lack of fan support may have been the bigger consideration). USFL Commissioner Chet Simmons moved the starting time back by eight hours due to concerns about the intense daytime heat, but it was still 100 degrees at the 8:30 pm kickoff, mitigated somewhat by a light breeze.

Los Angeles took the opening kickoff and methodically drove 73 yards down the field, with running backs Kevin Nelson and Kevin Mack, who had a 34-yard carry, running effectively. The series stalled at the Arizona seven yard line and Tony Zendejas kicked a 25-yard field goal for the first score of the game.

Following a short series and punt by the Wranglers, Young threw a pass that was intercepted by FS Luther Bradley, thus giving Arizona good field position. The Wranglers took advantage of it, driving 36 yards in four plays culminating in a four-yard touchdown run by Tim Spencer. Frank Corral added the extra point and the tally remained 7-3 at the end of the opening period.

Early in the second quarter, the Express took advantage of a pass interference penalty to retake the lead on an 11-yard run by Nelson. On their next possession, the visitors again drove 62 yards to a score, once again on a Nelson carry, this time from a yard out. Zendejas successfully added both extra points for a 17-7 lead.

A promising Arizona drive came to naught when DB Darrell Pattillo picked off a Landry pass. However, up by ten points and with time running down in the first half, the Express attempted a fake punt, with Jeff Partridge trying to throw to DB Troy West, but the pass was broken up. Taking possession at the LA 35, the Wranglers were able to score a touchdown on a six-yard run by Spencer followed by a Corral PAT that narrowed the margin to three points going into halftime.

The defenses dominated the third quarter as the teams traded punts. Young had difficulty completing passes, not helped by injuries to his receivers, and Los Angeles, which was already missing Mel Gray, lost Kevin Nelson, who left the game in the third quarter with a sprained neck.

Still, the Express held a three-point lead and got a break when CB Wymon Henderson intercepted a Landry pass and returned it 28 yards to gain possession in Arizona territory. But, with the partisan crowd roaring, the Wranglers sacked Young on successive plays to force a punt from midfield.

Arizona responded with a long scoring series. A pass to RB Allan Clark picked up 44 yards and, on the second play of the fourth quarter, Kevin Long ran for a touchdown from a yard out. Corral’s extra point gave the home team a 21-17 lead.

A short LA possession that ended in a punt gave the Wranglers good starting field position at the Express 45 and they again drove to a score, this time with Landry throwing to Tim Spencer for a five-yard TD that extended the lead to 28-17.

Any prospect for a comeback by the Express, now being thoroughly dominated by the Wranglers, was snuffed out a few plays later when LB Jim Fahnhorst intercepted a pass by Young. Arizona moved methodically 36 yards down the field in eight plays and FB Mack Boatner finished off the spree of three touchdowns in 11 minutes by rushing five yards for a score. With less than three minutes left on the clock, the Wranglers were up by 18 points.

The Express came alive to score once, with a scrambling Young connecting with a leaping TE David Hersey in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown. But the try for a two-point conversion failed, as did the attempted onside kick. Time ran out on LA and the Wranglers advanced by a final score of 35-23.

The Wranglers overcame a significant deficit in the first half to lead in total yards (329 to 283) although Los Angeles maintained the edge in first downs (19 to 18). Each team turned the ball over twice, but the Wranglers recorded four sacks, for a loss of 36 yards, to just one by LA. Both teams were also penalized ten times apiece.

Greg Landry completed 10 of 21 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown along with two interceptions, but was at his best during the fourth quarter surge. Tim Spencer (pictured at right) rushed for 94 yards on 18 carries that included two TDs and Kevin Long contributed 60 yards on 13 attempts. WR Lenny Willis topped the receivers with three catches for 60 yards.

For the Express, Steve Young had his worst statistical game of the season, succeeding on only 7 of 23 throws for 126 yards and a TD, but with two picked off. Kevin Mack ran the ball 14 times for 88 yards and Kevin Nelson added 72 yards on 18 attempts that included two for scores before having to leave the game, with most of that production coming in the first half. David Hersey was the only LA receiver to catch two passes, for 27 yards and the one late TD, while WR Freddie Scott gained 39 yards on his lone reception.

“We never really got going,” said Steve Young in defeat. “It’s my job to make things happen. I’m the guy who’s supposed to be the catalyst, and unfortunately I didn’t do that. I’ve got to take the blame.”

The Wranglers were beaten the next week for the USFL Championship by the Philadelphia Stars, which proved to be the end of the line for George Allen, who stepped down as head coach. Arizona was merged with the Oklahoma Outlaws for 1985 and went 8-10 to finish fourth in the revamped Western Conference. Things got much worse for the financially strapped Express, who fell to the bottom of the conference at 3-15.

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: Wranglers Pull Away in 4th Quarter to Upset Stallions

The Arizona Wranglers came into the United States Football League game on June 3, 1984 against the Birmingham Stallions as ten-point underdogs. Head Coach George Allen’s team was 6-8 and barely staying alive in the Pacific Division (Due to what was, in essence, a trade of franchises, the Wranglers were for the most part the same veteran-laden club that played as the Chicago Blitz under Allen in 1983). Meanwhile the Stallions, under Head Coach Rollie Dotsch, were leading the Southern Division with a 12-2 record and had won their last three games in impressive fashion. Furthermore, star RB Joe Cribbs would be back in uniform for Birmingham following a two-week walkout over a contract dispute.

There were 32,500 fans at Birmingham’s Legion Field and they saw the home team score first. An interception by CB Ricky Ray that was returned 24 yards – and had an additional 15 tacked on at the end thanks to a facemask penalty – gave the Stallions the ball on the Arizona 15 yard line and set up an eight-yard touchdown pass from QB Cliff Stoudt to WR Ken Toler late in the first quarter. However, Arizona no sooner got the ball back when RB Tim Spencer took off on an 81-yard scoring run that, with the successful extra point, tied the score at 7-7.

The Wranglers scored twice in the second quarter, first on a 32-yard field goal by Frank Corral and then, in the final minute before the half, on a 25-yard touchdown pass play from 16-year QB Greg Landry to WR Larry Douglas. Arizona went into halftime with a surprising 17-7 lead.

However, the Stallions mounted a comeback in the third quarter. First, RB Leon Perry dove into the end zone from three yards out for a touchdown and then Birmingham took the lead when Stoudt threw to WR Jim Smith for a 21-yard TD. It was 21-17 heading into the final period.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Wranglers went back in front thanks to a 17-yard scoring pass from Landry to WR Lenny Willis. They got a further, and ultimately decisive, break when Stoudt fumbled and DT Joe Ehrmann recovered at the Birmingham 15. Landry hit WR Trumaine Johnson for a touchdown from 12 yards out and, with the extra point, Arizona once again held a ten-point lead.

Birmingham kept it close when Stoudt threw to WR Joey Jones for a 10-yard TD in the last two minutes, but an onside kick attempt was recovered by the Wranglers who proceeded to deliver the final blow as Spencer ran for a 43-yard touchdown. Arizona came away with a big 38-28 win.

The Wranglers outgained Birmingham, 416 to 361, with 246 of those yards coming on the ground (as opposed to 196 yards rushing for the Stallions). Birmingham led in first downs, 25 to 17. However, Arizona sacked Cliff Stoudt seven times, with three accounted for by DT Mark Buben and two by DT Kit Lathrop. Both teams suffered many penalties, as the Wranglers were flagged 15 times at a cost of 105 yards and the Stallions were penalized on 9 occasions for 79 yards.

Tim Spencer ran for 177 yards on just 12 carries thanks to the two long scoring runs and FB Kevin Long added another 12 rushes for 62 yards. Greg Landry completed 12 of 21 passes for 185 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Trumaine Johnson led the team’s receivers with 4 catches for 71 yards and a TD.

In his return to the lineup, Joe Cribbs had 110 yards on 16 rushing attempts. Cliff Stoudt was successful on 21 of 27 passes for 225 yards and three scoring passes of his own along with one interception, and also rushed for 43 yards on five carries – however, he also suffered the seven sacks. Lost in the defeat was a big day by Jim Smith, who caught 9 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.

“This was unquestionably our biggest win,” said a happy George Allen. “We cam in here ten-point underdogs and beat them in their own backyard by ten points. We showed a lot of character, toughness and guts.”

“It’s not the end of the world, but it’s always depressing when you lose,” summed up Coach Dotsch of the Stallions.

Arizona didn’t lose again the rest of the regular season, winning the next three contests to finish at 10-8 and qualifying for the playoffs as a Wild Card. The Wranglers kept up the momentum by upsetting Houston in the first round and beat the Lost Angeles Express in the Conference Championship to advance to the league title game, where they fell to the Philadelphia Stars. Birmingham closed out the regular season atop the Southern Division with a 14-4 record, handily beating Tampa Bay in the first round but losing to the Stars in the Eastern Conference Championship game.

Despite leaving the team for two games, Joe Cribbs ended up leading the USFL in rushing with 1467 yards. Tim Spencer was fifth with 1212 yards on 227 carries for a 5.3-yard average and 17 rushing touchdowns.

1983: Chicago Loses QB but Beats Walker & Generals in Overtime

The Chicago Blitz had come into the inaugural season of the United States Football League as the heavy favorites to win the title. The Blitz had the most experienced pro head coach in George Allen and a great deal of veteran talent, including 36-year-old QB Greg Landry to direct the offense and 11-year NFL veteran LB Stan White on defense. In addition, Chicago picked up two prominent rookie prizes in WR Trumaine Johnson out of Grambling and Ohio State RB Tim Spencer.

The going had been tougher than anticipated in the highly-competitive USFL Central Division, but coming into the May 22 game against the visiting New Jersey Generals the Blitz had a 7-4 record and were a game behind the Tampa Bay Bandits.

The Generals, coached by Chuck Fairbanks, had made the most publicized single signing going into the new league’s first year. RB Herschel Walker (pictured at right), winner of the 1982 Heisman Trophy as a junior at Georgia, had chosen to forego his last year of college eligibility and went with the USFL. But while the signing generated plenty of publicity – and controversy – and Walker overcame a slow start to become a formidable ground gainer, New Jersey overall was not a good team and sported a 3-8 tally coming into the contest at Chicago.

Attendance at Soldier Field numbered a season-high 33,812 fans (helped by Walker’s presence) and they saw the visitors get the first break of the game. On Chicago’s initial possession, the Generals recovered a Landry fumble at his own eight yard line and four plays later Walker plunged over the goal line from a yard out for a touchdown.

That proved to be the end of the first half scoring. Landry had a rough two quarters, completing just 8 of 23 passes for 112 yards with three interceptions as well as the fumble.

Three minutes into the third quarter, Blitz DT Karl Lorch blocked a New Jersey field goal attempt, which seemed to ignite the Chicago offense. The Blitz went 80 yards in nine plays, highlighted by Landry completions of 22 yards to RB Kevin Long and 12 yards to TE Paul Ricker and culminating in a 36-yard Landry scoring pass to WR Lenny Willis. With the successful conversion, the score was tied at 7-7.

Landry was 7-for-10, accumulating 128 yards, in the third quarter as Chicago’s offense played more effectively. Late in the period, the Blitz took over at their own 35, but five plays into the series, and just 11 seconds into the fourth quarter, Landry suffered a season-ending broken ankle when C Wally Pesuit was knocked into him. With the ball at the New Jersey 25, rookie backup QB Tim Koegel came into the game and the Blitz continued their drive to the two yard line. On fourth-and-one, Coach Allen elected to go for a field goal and Frank Corral was successful from 20 yards. The Blitz had their first lead of the game at 10-7.

New Jersey came right back with a six-play, 72-yard possession. Walker put the Generals ahead with a 25-yard touchdown run with 8:40 left in the fourth quarter, but Dave Jacobs missed the extra point and it remained a three-point contest at 13-10.

Chicago’s next drive stalled but the veteran all-purpose kicker Corral booted a clutch 63-yard punt that rolled out of bounds at the New Jersey one. Four plays later, Walker fumbled when stripped by SS Don Schwartz and CB Lance Shields recovered for the Blitz. With just under three minutes remaining in regulation, Corral (pictured below) tied the game with a 35-yard field goal and the score remained knotted at 13-13 after four quarters.

In overtime, Chicago received the kickoff and Koegel’s 38-yard pass completion to Trumaine Johnson moved the ball to the New Jersey seven. On third-and-goal, Koegel, holding for an apparent field goal attempt, instead ran around left end for a five-yard touchdown and, at 3:53 into the extra period, the Blitz were winners by a score of 19-13.  

Chicago outgained the Generals (392 yards to 314), although New Jersey rolled up 225 yards on the ground, and had more first downs (20 to 15). The Blitz were called for 10 penalties, however, at a cost of 74 yards, while the Generals were flagged five times.

Prior to suffering his injury, Greg Landry completed 15 of 33 passes for 240 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. Tim Koegel performed well in relief, completing 6 of 9 throws for 74 yards and running for the game-winning TD. Tim Spencer led the ground game with 72 yards on 16 carries and also caught 5 passes for 70 more. WR Wamon Buggs had 5 catches for 77 yards.

For the Generals, Herschel Walker rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries but also suffered the key fumble in the fourth quarter. He was also one of three New Jersey receivers to catch two passes, for 17 yards, while WR Tom McConnaughey gained 36 yards on his two receptions. QB Bobby Scott went to the air 21 times and completed 10 for 112 yards with two intercepted.

“I’m obviously disappointed that it happened,” said the 15-year veteran Landry of the injury that prematurely ended his season. “I’ve had three season-ending knee operations before, so I’ve been in this situation, and it’s not what you want to happen.”

Four days after the game, the Blitz obtained Scott from the Generals to provide a veteran backup for Koegel. Chicago finished the regular season at 12-6 to place second to the Michigan Panthers (who had the same record but won the division title on tiebreakers) and qualify as a wild card for the postseason. They lost to the Philadelphia Stars in a come-from-behind thriller in the first round.

The Generals placed a disappointing third in the Atlantic Division at 6-12. Herschel Walker was the team’s brightest star, however, leading the USFL in rushing with 1812 yards.