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.
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.
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.
