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.
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.
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.
