1983: Bandits Pull Out Win Over Breakers in USFL Debut

March 6, 1983 marked the debut of the United States Football League with the first game starting in Tampa between the Tampa Bay Bandits and Boston Breakers, just ahead of four other Sunday afternoon contests.

The Bandits were owned by John Bassett, a Canadian businessman who had once operated the Memphis Southmen in the World Football League. The head coach was Steve Spurrier, a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at the University of Florida who played in the NFL with the 49ers and Buccaneers and had most recently been offensive coordinator at Duke. 33-year-old John Reaves (pictured above) was the starting quarterback and, like his coach, had also starred at Florida but had little success as a pro and had been dogged by drug and alcohol problems off the field. Reaves had last played for Houston in 1981 and was selling real estate in that city when the opportunity to play in the new league came along.

Boston also had a veteran quarterback in John Walton, a 35-year-old who had last played as a backup with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1979 before becoming head coach at Elizabeth City State for three years. Walton was also a veteran of the Continental and World Football Leagues along the way and had demonstrated a strong passing arm. Head Coach Dick Coury was an experienced NFL assistant who had also been head coach with the WFL’s Portland Storm.

There was plenty of hoopla surrounding the opening game at Tampa Stadium with a good crowd of 42,447 fans in attendance on a sunny, 80-degree afternoon. The Bandits came out fast, running their first eight plays without a huddle, but it was Boston’s Tim Mazzetti who put the first points on the board a minute before the end of the first quarter with a 30-yard field goal.

In the second quarter, the Bandits put together a 75-yard drive in six plays that culminated in Reaves throwing to RB Ricky Williams for a five-yard touchdown with six minutes remaining in the first half. Zenon Andrusyshyn added the extra point. Boston responded with an eight-play, 80-yard series that also led to a TD on a pass from John Walton to RB Anthony Steels. Mazzetti successfully added the PAT to give the Breakers a three-point lead at 10-7.

In their first possession of the third quarter, the Bandits drove 83 yards to score again. Reaves completed all four of his passes, the last one for a six-yard touchdown to WR Eric Truvillion. Moving the ball effectively later in the period and ahead by 14-10, it seemed as though the Bandits were on the verge of taking control of the game as they faced third-and-goal at the Boston three yard line. However, Reaves fired a pass into the end zone that was tipped twice before being intercepted by CB Terry Love five yards deep in the end zone. Love proceeded to run 102 yards before being brought down at the Tampa Bay three by Truvillion. Three plays later, the Breakers re-took the lead on a one-yard carry by FB Tony Davis and Mazzetti added the point after.

The momentum had shifted and Tampa Bay’s next possession also ended with an interception, but the Breakers were unable to add points. With 10:17 left in the game, Reaves went long to WR Willie Gillespie for a 33-yard touchdown that put the Bandits back in front to stay, Andrusyshyn capping the score with his third extra point of the contest.

That was it for the scoring. Holding a four-point lead and with 1:35 left in the contest, the Bandits were in possession at their own 29 and Coach Spurrier gambled by seeking to convert a fourth-and-one situation. The Breakers stopped the ensuing running play by RB Greg Boone but were flagged for being offsides. Tampa Bay was able to run out the clock and win by a final score of 21-17. 

The Bandits easily outpaced Boston in total yards (470 to 225) and first downs (26 to 14). However, the Breakers led in time of possession (31:02 to 28:58) and Tampa Bay turned the ball over twice, to one turnover suffered by the visitors.

John Reaves had a fine performance, completing 28 of 39 passes for 358 yards and three touchdowns, along with two interceptions. Ricky Williams, who played collegiately at Florida State, got the starting nod at running back due to a foot injury suffered by RB George Ragsdale on the opening kickoff and rushed for 97 yards on 25 carries and also had 6 catches for 49 more yards that included a TD (his only production of the season, as he went down with a knee injury the following week). WR Danny Buggs led the club with 7 pass receptions for 112 yards and Eric Truvillion contributed 6 catches for 88 yards and a score.

For the Breakers, John Walton was successful on 17 of 28 throws for 163 yards and a TD along with one interception. Tony Davis rushed for 29 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts while RB Anthony Steels gained 23 yards on 6 carries and added 4 receptions for 35 yards. Veteran WR Charlie Smith, a former teammate of Walton’s in Philadelphia, gained a team-leading 48 yards on his two catches.

“I was very much pleased with what I saw,” said former Steelers RB Rocky Bleier, who was on hand to cover the game for a Pittsburgh television station. “It was wide open, there was a good selection of plays and there wasn’t the kind of sloppy play you might expect for a game like this.”

The opening-week win was the first of four straight for the Bandits, but they stumbled during the second half of the season and the resulting 11-7 record left them third in the Central Division and just short of the playoffs. The loss of John Reaves with a broken wrist was a factor, although backup Jimmy Jordan performed well until also going down with an injury.

Boston recovered to go 11-7 as well, good enough for second in the Atlantic Division although also on the outside looking in for the postseason.

1984: Stallions Defeat Express with Strong Running Game

The upgraded Birmingham Stallions were 0-1 as they traveled to Los Angeles to take on the equally winless Express in a United States Football League game on March 4, 1984. Head Coach Rollie Dotsch’s team was coming off a 9-9 inaugural season, but had added NFL veterans to the roster in the offseason, most notably QB Cliff Stoudt, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and ex-Bills RB Joe Cribbs. WR Jim Smith also came from the Steelers to bolster the receiving corps. Still, Birmingham lost to the New Jersey Generals in Week 1 by a score of 17-6 at home.

The Express, coached by ex-pro quarterback John Hadl, had problems on offense, most notably at quarterback where Tom Ramsey was the starter. Still, WR JoJo Townsell was a promising player out of UCLA and the offensive line featured well-regarded rookie linemen in OT Mark Adickes and G Gary Zimmerman. LA lost to Denver by a 27-10 score in the opening week.

There was a typically sparse crowd of 14,789 in attendance at the cavernous Memorial Coliseum. They witnessed a scoreless first quarter. In the early part of the second quarter, and following a shanked punt by the Express deep in their own territory, Birmingham went 38 yards in four plays that ended with FB Leon Perry (pictured above) running for a 29-yard touchdown and Scott Norwood added the extra point. With just under six minutes remaining in the half, LA tied the score. Tom Ramsey connected with TE David Hersey for a 42-yard TD and Tony Zendejas was successful with the PAT.

Birmingham came out strong with the first possession of the third quarter. Cliff Stoudt completed a six-play, 87-yard drive with a one-yard run that put the Stallions back in front, with Norwood adding the point after. Along the way, Stoudt had a 13-yard carry and a pass completion to Joe Cribbs that picked up 26 yards.

Birmingham utilized a strong ground game along with Stoudt’s judicious passing to take control in the second half. Thirteen seconds into the fourth quarter, the Stallions got what would prove to be the clinching TD when Cribbs ran for a touchdown from 18 yards out and Norwood booted his third extra point.

Late in the third quarter, Coach Hadl replaced Ramsey with backup QB Frank Seurer, who provided some excitement.  The Express scored on a two-yard carry by RB Kevin Nelson, but a pass to WR Malcolm Moore that reached the Birmingham five was wiped out by a penalty and the home team never again threatened. The Stallions held on to win by a final score of 21-14.

The Stallions outgained Los Angeles by 330 yards to 305, with 225 of that total coming on the ground. They also had a 17 to 16 edge in first downs. Each team suffered one turnover.

Leon Perry rushed for 93 yards on 13 carries that included a touchdown and Joe Cribbs contributed 81 yards, also on 13 attempts. Cliff Stoudt completed 9 of 17 passes for 142 yards and ran the ball 7 times for 33 yards with one TD. WR Jim Smith was the team’s top receiver with four catches for 64 yards.

For the Express, Tom Ramsey was successful on 11 of 25 throws for 126 yards and a TD with one interception before being lifted for Frank Seurer, who was 7 of 17 for 123 yards. Kevin Nelson ran for 50 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries and TE Mike Sherrod was the top receiver with 5 receptions for 51 yards. JoJo Townsell added 48 yards on four catches and WR Anthony Allen gained 52 yards on his two receptions.

“It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win and we’re thankful to be leaving here with a ‘W’,” said a relieved Coach Rollie Dotsch.

To make matters worse for Los Angeles, Mark Adickes went down with torn knee ligaments, costing him the remainder of the season. Furthermore, Tom Ramsey expressed annoyance at being relieved and Coach Hadl indicated that Seurer might start the next week (which he did), but any quarterback controversy was resolved once rookie Steve Young joined the team a few weeks later.

The win ignited the Stallions, who put together a nine-game winning streak before losing to the Philadelphia Stars on May 9. The offense continued to perform well – even when Joe Cribbs left the team due to a contract dispute – and the defense was outstanding against the run. Birmingham was the USFL’s top ground-gaining team (3313 yards) and finished atop the Southern Division with a 14-4 record but, after handily defeating Tampa Bay in the opening playoff round, again fell to the Stars in the Eastern Conference Championship Game.

Los Angeles also reached the postseason, performing better on offense once Young took over at quarterback. In the mediocre Pacific Division, the Express placed first with a 10-8 record and unseated the defending-champion Michigan Panthers in an epic overtime win before losing to Arizona in the Western Conference title contest.

Rookie of the Year: Gail Cogdill, 1960

Split End, Detroit Lions

Age: 23

College: Washington State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

Cogdill received All-American recognition following his last two college seasons and overall compiled 64 pass receptions for 1256 yards and 13 touchdowns, including a 7-catch, 252-yard performance against Northwestern during his junior year. He was chosen by the Lions in the sixth round of the 1960 NFL draft and, spurning an offer from the Dallas Texans of the new AFL, moved directly into the starting lineup.

1960 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 43 [8, tied with Willard Dewveall]

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 115 yds.) vs. San Francisco 10/9

Yards – 642 [11]

Most yards, game – 115 (on 8 catches) vs. San Francisco 10/9

Average gain – 14.9

TDs – 1

100-yard receiving games - 1

Scoring

TDs – 1

Points – 6

Awards & Honors:

NFL Rookie of the Year: UPI, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Lions went 7-5 to finish second in the NFL Western Conference (along with the 49ers).

Aftermath:

Cogdill followed up in 1961 with 45 catches for 956 yards (21.2 avg.) and six touchdowns. He achieved career highs with 53 receptions and 991 yards in 1962 and 10 TD catches in ’63, garnering Pro Bowl honors both years. Fast and prone to making big plays, Cogdill was a solid deep receiver for a team that relied more on ball control and strong defense. Injuries became a factor later in his career. A dislocated shoulder ended his 1964 season in the 11^th game and a fractured kneecap during the ’65 preseason cost him five games and severely limited his performance when he did play. He came back to catch 47 passes in 1966, but for just 411 yards, and following a down year in ’67 he was waived during the 1968 season and picked up by the Colts, where he sat on the bench as leg problems continued to be an issue. Cogdill finished up with two years in Atlanta, catching a total of 31 passes and retiring after the ’70 season. Overall, he caught 356 passes for 5696 yards (16.0 avg.) and 34 touchdowns – of those totals, 325 receptions, 5221 yards, and 28 TDs came with Detroit. He was named to the Pro Bowl three times.and received second-team All-NFL honors following the 1962, ’63, and ’64 seasons.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year). 

1985: Flutie Throws 4 TD Passes as Generals Defeat Renegades

The New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League were 0-1 as they faced the Orlando Renegades, also 0-1, on March 1, 1985. The center of attention for New Jersey was rookie QB Doug Flutie, the diminutive Heisman Trophy winner out of Boston College who had struggled in his debut against the Birmingham Stallions.

Flutie signed a five-year, $7 million deal to join the Generals, and was put even more on the spot when veteran QB Brian Sipe was traded away to Jacksonville, thus propelling the rookie immediately into the starting lineup. Head Coach Walt Michaels’ team had been heavily dependent on another ex-Heisman winner, RB Herschel Walker, in its first two years and had benefited from an influx of veteran talent that owner Donald Trump signed to bolster the roster. Flutie was hoping to rebound from a rough performance against the Stallions in which he misfired on his first nine passes, two of which were intercepted.

The Renegades were the transplanted Washington Federals of 1983 and ’84 under new ownership and a new head coach in Lee Corso. The Federals had been a losing team, but RB Curtis Bledsoe and WR Joey Walters were quality players. Quarterback was a question mark with mediocre veteran Jerry Golsteyn starting, who was sacked eight times in a Week 1 loss to Tampa Bay.

There were 32,748 fans in attendance for the nationally televised Friday night game at the Florida Citrus Bowl. They had little to cheer about, as the Generals dominated the first half. Orlando had difficulty generating offense with Jerry Golsteyn. Meanwhile, Doug Flutie’s mobility and the rushing of Herschel Walker and FB Maurice Carthon allowed the visitors to score three touchdowns in the first thirty minutes of play.  

Flutie threw to WR Clarence Collins for a nine-yard touchdown in the first quarter and connected with Collins, again from nine yards, for another TD midway into the second quarter. Just before the half, Flutie tossed his third touchdown pass, this time covering 25 yards to TE Sam Bowers. Roger Ruzek added the extra point after each and the score was 21-0 at halftime.

In addition to his scoring passes, Flutie scrambled for 48 yards in the first half and continually kept the Orlando defense off balance.  Walker and Carthon combined for 139 yards on 29 carries. Meanwhile, Jerry Golsteyn was successful on only four of 15 first half passes.

Early in the third quarter, Orlando’s offense finally came alive and put together an impressive 10-play, 64-yard drive that stalled at the New Jersey 12. Jeff Brockhaus kicked a 22-yard field goal to get the Renegades on the board. However, Flutie tossed his fourth touchdown pass, once again to Collins on a 47-yard play that put the home team 25 points behind.

Orlando finally scored again midway through the fourth quarter. Golsteyn threw to TE Bob Niziolek for a two-yard touchdown. It followed a Golsteyn completion to TE Don Echols that gained 18 yards to the three, where Echols fumbled into the end zone but, although Orlando recovered, the officials ruled the ball dead at the three. It was of no consequence to the outcome as New Jersey came away with a convincing 28-10 win.

The Generals dominated in total yards (449 to 214), with 258 of that total coming on the ground, and had twice as many first downs (26 to 13) as Orlando. The Renegades also turned the ball over twice, to no turnovers suffered by New Jersey.

Doug Flutie didn’t have a high-percentage passing day as he was successful on 11 of 24 throws, but they were good for 191 yards and four touchdowns while none were intercepted. Flutie also ran the ball 6 times for 57 yards. Herschel Walker, as was typically the case, led the ground attack with 110 yards on 25 carries and Maurice Carthon contributed another 91 yards on 20 attempts. Clarence Collins (pictured below) was the receiving star with four catches for 82 yards and three TDs.

For the Renegades, Jerry Golsteyn was successful on 12 of 27 passes for 138 yards and a TD while giving up one interception. Curtis Bledsoe ran for 68 yards on 15 attempts and also caught four passes for 29 more yards. WR Ricky Simmons gained a team-leading 37 yards on his two receptions and Bob Niziolek was right behind with 36 yards on three catches that included the club’s only TD.

“It was a load off my back,” said a relieved Doug Flutie after a strong performance in a win for the Generals.

“I think what did us in was the speed and quickness of Flutie…He just did us in,” said Orlando’s Coach Corso. “He did some great things individually. I was very impressed with Flutie. I thought he played very well.”

The Generals went on to post an 11-7 record in finishing second in the Eastern Conference. They lost their Quarterfinal playoff game to the Baltimore Stars. Orlando continued to struggle and ended up at the bottom of the conference at 5-13.

Doug Flutie passed for 2109 yards with 13 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, and, as he did against the Renegades, utilized his running ability to good effect in gaining 465 yards on 65 carries. A broken collar bone sidelined him late in the season. Clarence Collins caught just one more scoring pass over the course of the season, ending up with 27 catches for 566 yards (21.0 avg.). 

MVP Profile: Adrian Peterson, 2012

Running Back, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 27

6^th season in pro football & with Vikings

College: Oklahoma

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 217

Prelude:

Taken by the Vikings in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft, Peterson made an immediate impact as he rushed for 1341 yards as a rookie, including a single-game record 296 yards against San Diego. If there was any downside, it came in the knee injury that caused him to miss two games, his lesser numbers as defenses stacked the line to stop him when he returned, and his mediocre pass blocking. Still, with his speed complemented by power, he was named Offensive Rookie of the Year and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Peterson followed up by leading the NFL in rushing (1760 yards) and yards from scrimmage (1885) in 2009 and received the Bert Bell Award as well as consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors. In 2009, he compiled 1383 rushing yards and a league-leading 18 TDs while also catching a career-high 43 passes as the Vikings went 12-4 and advanced to the NFC Championship game. While a tendency to fumble was still a concern (he lost the ball 9 times in 2008 and 7 in ’09), Peterson was again a consensus first-team All-Pro and was named to the Pro Bowl. Turmoil touched the team in 2010, which dropped to 6-10, but Peterson was a bulwark who ran for 1298 yards, scored 13 TDs, fumbled only once, and was selected to a fourth straight Pro Bowl. However, it appeared that his career was in jeopardy when he went down with a torn ACL twelve games into the 2011 season that required surgery.

2012 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 348 [2]

Most attempts, game - 34 (for 199 yds.) vs. Green Bay 12/30

Yards – 2097 [1]

Most yards, game – 212 yards (on 24 carries) at St. Louis 12/16

Average gain – 6.0 [2]

TDs – 12 [3, tied with Stevan Ridley]

200-yard rushing games – 2

100-yard rushing games - 10

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 40      

Most receptions, game – 7 (for 50 yds.) at Washington 10/14

Yards – 217

Most yards, game - 50 (on 7 catches) at Washington 10/14

Average gain – 5.4

TDs – 1

All-Purpose Yards – 2314 [2]

Scoring

TDs – 13 [3, tied with Eric Decker & Alfred Morris]

2-pt PAT – 1

Points – 80

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff at Green Bay)

Rushing attempts – 22

Rushing yards – 99

Average gain rushing – 4.5

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 1

Receiving yards – 8

Average gain receiving – 8.0

Receiving TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL MVP: AP, PFWA, Sports Illustrated, Bert Bell Award

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: AP, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Pro Football Focus

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 10-6 to finish second in the NFC North and qualify for a Wild Card playoff spot while ranking second in the NFL in rushing (2634 yards). Lost NFC Wild Card playoff to Green Bay Packers (24-10).

Aftermath:

Following up his remarkable comeback in 2012 that nearly resulted in a new NFL rushing record, Peterson ran for 1266 yards in 14 games in ‘13 and had 1437 yards from scrimmage. Through the 2013 season he had rushed for 10,115 yards on 2033 carries (5.0 avg.) and caught 206 passes for 1697 yards, totaling 91 touchdowns. He has been a consensus first-team All-NFL selection on three occasions, received at least some first- or second-team recognition after three other seasons, and has been named to the Pro Bowl six times in seven years.

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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). 

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.

1985: Zendejas Field Goals Propel Outlaws Over Breakers

The season-opening United States Football League game in Tempe, Arizona on February 24, 1985 featured the Arizona Outlaws and the Portland Breakers, two teams that had undergone transformations over the course of the offseason.

The Outlaws were a combination of clubs that played as the Arizona Wranglers and Oklahoma Outlaws in 1984. From Oklahoma came QB Doug Williams, previously of the NFL Buccaneers, who performed well until knocked out of action by a knee injury. WR Alphonso Williams and TE Ron Wheeler were capable receivers. From the previous Arizona franchise that had reached the USFL Championship game came such savvy veterans as RB Kevi n Long, DT Kit Lathrop, and DE Karl Lorch (although they were missing WR Trumaine Johnson, who held out). One newcomer was rookie PK Luis Zendejas out of Arizona State, where he set a NCAA record with 368 career points. Also new was Head Coach Frank Kush, long-time coach at ASU who had most recently been with the NFL Colts.

The Breakers, coached by Dick Coury, were in their third city in three USFL seasons. Originally based in Boston with an inadequate home venue, they moved to New Orleans for ’84 but, with the announced plan to shift to a Fall schedule in 1986, the club was forced to move again, this time to Portland, Oregon. The Breakers had featured an exciting offense led by QB John Walton, but he was now retired and being replaced by backup Doug Woodward. Still, there were good receivers in WR Frank Lockett and TE Dan Ross and capable runners in RBs Buford Jordan and Marcus Dupree. LB Marcus Marek was the keystone of a solid defense.

There were 20,321 fans in attendance at Sun Devil Stadium in what would prove to be a low-scoring struggle. The Outlaws scored first eight minutes into the opening period when Luis Zendejas kicked a 25-yard field goal. Zendejas added another field goal, from 29 yards, in the second quarter. It was set up by a pass from Doug Williams to WR William Davis that covered 46 yards to the Portland nine yard line (it would be the only catch of the year for Davis). The Outlaws took a 6-0 lead into halftime.

Late in the third quarter, the Breakers drove 80 yards on 15 plays and scored on an 11-yard touchdown carry by Marcus Dupree. Tim Mazzetti’s extra point put Portland ahead by 7-6.

In the final period, an interception by Arizona CB Carl Allen gave the Outlaws the ball at the Portland 39, and that set up a Zendejas field goal from 43 yards with 6:33 remaining to play. The Breakers reached the Arizona 37 in a last-gasp effort to pull the game out, but Doug Woodward fumbled the ball away on a fourth down play with 32 seconds left on the clock and the Outlaws came away with a 9-7 win.

Arizona had more total yards (279 to 210), although only 31 of those yards came on 25 rushing attempts while New Orleans had more balance on offense (108 rushing, 102 passing). The teams were even with 11 first downs apiece. Each team turned the ball over two times.

Doug Williams completed 16 of 26 passes for 254 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Ron Wheeler had three catches for 85 yards while WR John Mistler and RB Allan Clark also contributed three receptions apiece, for 30 and 28 yards, respectively. Kevin Long led the miniscule running attack with 18 yards on 11 carries. Luis Zendejas was the scoring star, with three field goals in as many attempts in his pro debut.

For the Breakers, Doug Woodward was successful on just 11 of 26 throws for 140 yards and had one intercepted. Marcus Dupree ran for 69 yards on 17 carries but had to be carried off the field on a stretcher with just over two minutes remaining in the contest. TE David Bayle caught three passes for 33 yards and Dan Ross gained 49 yards on his two receptions.

Dupree’s knee injury proved to be severe and finished him for the season. It would be a disappointing one for the Breakers, who were less productive on offense and finished at 6-12 and fifth in the Western Conference. Arizona ended up not being much better, going 8-10 in placing fourth in the conference.

Luis Zendejas was the USFL’s seventh-leading scorer (tied with Danny Miller of Birmingham) as he connected on 24 of 33 field goal attempts and added 36 extra points, albeit with five misses, in compiling 108 points. He went on to play in the NFL, with the Cowboys and Eagles, as did two of his brothers, Tony and Max (a cousin, Joaquin, kicked in one game for the Patriots).