In their first season in the United States Football
League, the Houston Gamblers had developed into an exciting offensive team with
their prolific passing attack led by rookie QB Jim Kelly. However, Head Coach
Jack Pardee’s team could also run the ball, and on June 3, 1984 it was the
ground game that achieved headlines.
Todd Fowler (pictured above) had been a tight end in college and was
converted to running back by the Gamblers during the preseason, although he was
viewed more as a blocking back at that time. His value as a runner rose once
Sam Harrell, who had set a USFL single-game record with 200 yards earlier in
the season, went on injured reserve, and he had already compiled three
hundred-yard rushing performances.
Houston had won three straight games and was atop the
USFL’s Central Division with a 9-5 record prior to traveling to Denver to take
on the Gold. Denver, on the other hand, slumped badly after getting off to a
7-1 start and was now 8-6 after snapping a five-game losing streak the previous
week. Coached by Craig Morton, the Gold suffered from instability at
quarterback and was giving up too many yards on defense. Still, they remained
in first place in the mediocre Pacific Division and were battling to maintain
that position.
There was a typically good turnout of 50,057 at Mile High
Stadium. To blunt Houston’s passing attack the Gold started no linemen, but
instead five linebackers and six defensive backs. The overcompensation left
them vulnerable to running plays.
Late in the first quarter, Todd Fowler ran seven yards
for a touchdown for the game’s first score, with Toni Fritsch adding the extra
point. Fowler set up Houston’s next score in the second quarter with a 53-yard
burst up the middle, and that possession resulted in a 36-yard Toni Fritsch
field goal that made the tally 10-0.
Craig Penrose came in at quarterback in the second
quarter, replacing Fred Mortensen, who had failed to connect on any of his six
passes. The Gold narrowed the Houston lead with a 56-yard drive that was kept
alive when, forced to punt at one point, the Gamblers roughed the kicker.
Penrose finished off the series by passing to RB Harry Sydney for a 28-yard TD.
Brian Speelman made it a three-point game with his extra point.
That was the high water mark for Denver. The Gamblers
proceeded to score 26 unanswered points to take a commanding lead. They first
extended their margin when Jim Kelly threw to WR Ricky Sanders for an 18-yard
touchdown to complete an 86-yard series. Houston topped off the first half
scoring with a 43-yard field goal by Fritsch on the last play before halftime
and the Gamblers took a 20-7 lead into the locker room.
Fritsch kicked a 49-yard field goal in an
otherwise-scoreless third quarter in which the Houston defense continued to
stymie the home team. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Fowler took a
pitchout and broke away for a 46-yard touchdown and, while the extra point try
was blocked, Houston was well in front by a score of 29-7.
The Gamblers tallied once more, on a Kelly pass to WR
Scott McGhee that covered 23 yards. Denver managed to put two TDs on the board
before it was over, with the Gold’s third quarterback of the day, Ken Hobart,
connecting with WR Elmer Bailey from 12 yards out and then RB Bo Matthews
running one yard for a touchdown. The two-point conversion after the second TD
was unsuccessful, but it had no effect on the outcome as the Gamblers came away
with a comfortable 36-20 win.
Houston dominated in total yards (465 to 279) and first
downs (23 to 15), and the yardage total showed balance with 244 gained on the
ground and 221 through the air. The Gold turned the ball over four times, to
none by the Gamblers, and Houston also accounted for four sacks, to two by
Denver. There were many penalties, with Houston leading in that category as
well, drawing 10 flags at a cost of 70 yards to 8 penalties and 74 yards on the
Gold.
Todd Fowler broke teammate Sam Harrell’s record by
rushing for 208 yards on 21 carries that included two TDs. Jim Kelly (pictured below) completed
20 of 31 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, with none intercepted. Ricky
Sanders led the receivers with 8 catches for 91 yards. Toni Fritsch kicked
three field goals, tying the league record of 12 straight, but a fourth attempt
late in the contest was blocked to end the streak.
For the Gold, Craig Penrose had little more luck than
Fred Mortensen with his passing, succeeding on just five of 17 throws for 61
yards and a TD while giving up two interceptions. Ken Hobart went 7-of-11 for
156 yards and a touchdown as well as an interception. Three Denver players
caught two passes apiece, with Elmer Bailey gaining 79 yards on his pair that
included a score. RB Vincent White paced the ground game with 28 yards on 6
attempts and Ken Hobart was right behind with his 25 yards on three carries.
“My offensive line knocked out some big holes in the
defense, and all the credit should go to them,” said Todd Fowler regarding his
record-setting performance.
“I don’t know what the motivational factor is when we
have a championship to play for, then come out and play the way we did,” said a
frustrated Coach Craig Morton from the losing side. “The playoffs right now are
a dream for us unless we find some kind of spark.”
The Gamblers went on to win the Central Division with a
13-5 record, although they were beaten in their First Round playoff game by the
Arizona Wranglers. Denver ultimately slid to a disappointing 9-9 tally, placing
third in the Pacific Division.
Todd Fowler ended up rushing for 1003 yards on 170
carries with an impressive 5.9-yard average while scoring 11 touchdowns. Jim
Kelly’s two touchdown passes put him at 36 for the season (tying the
then-existing NFL record) on his way to 44 as he led the USFL in most major
passing categories and received league MVP honors.
