Highlighted Year: Tom Blanchard, 1974

Punter, New Orleans Saints

Age: 26

4^th season in pro football, 1^st with Saints

College: Oregon

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 190

Prelude:

A quarterback in college, Blanchard had problems with an injured knee as a senior and split time with sophomore Dan Fouts, who would go on to a Hall of Fame career as a pro. He was chosen by the New York Giants in the 12^th round of the 1971 NFL draft and caught on as the punter. In three years with the Giants, Jennings punted 169 times for a 41.6-yard average, with a high of 42.7 in 1972. He was beaten out by Dave Jennings in the 1974 preseason, but when the Saints cut P Donnie Gibbs following the first game, Blanchard took his place.

1974 Season Summary

Appeared in 13 of 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting

Punts – 88 [4]

Most punts, game – 10 at Atlanta 10/20

Yards – 3704 [2]

Average – 42.1 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Best average, game – 47.5 (on 6 punts) vs. LA Rams 11/17

Punts blocked – 0

Longest punt – 71 yards

Saints went 5-9 to finish third in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

Blanchard spent another four seasons with the Saints and averaged 41.3 yards on 447 punts. He again led the NFC with a 42.4-yard average in 1977 and proved adept at dropping punts inside the 20. The arrival of kicker Russell Erxleben, a first-round draft choice in 1979, caused the Saints to trade Blanchard to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he remained for the last three years of his career. An injury finished his ’81 season in the third week and he was released afterward. Overall, he averaged 41.3 yards on 819 punts for his career. Blanchard returned to his hometown of Grants Pass, Oregon and coached high school football for 18 years, as well as softball.

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Highlighted Years features players who were first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: Gino Cappelletti, 1961

Split End/Placekicker, Boston Patriots

Age: 27

2^nd season in pro football & with Patriots

College: Minnesota

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 190

Prelude:

A quarterback in college, Cappelletti was undrafted by the NFL and played semi-pro football in Canada before failing in a preseason tryout with the Detroit Lions. After sitting out all of 1959, he made the Patriots of the new AFL as a defensive back and placekicker. He intercepted four passes but was successful on just 8 of 21 field goal attempts. Cappelletti was shifted to split end on offense for 1961.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 45 [10]          

Most receptions, game – 6 (for 131 yds.) vs. Houston 10/13

Yards – 768 [9]

Most yards, game – 131 (on 6 catches) vs. Houston 10/13

Average gain – 17.1 [8]

TDs – 8 [5, tied with Don Maynard]

100-yard receiving games – 1

Passing

Attempts – 1

Completions – 1

Yards – 27

TD passes – 1

Interceptions – 0

Kicking

Field goals – 17 [1]

Most field goals, game – 3 at Buffalo 9/23, at NY Titans 10/1

Field goal attempts – 32 [1]

Most field goal attempts, game – 5 at NY Titans 10/1

Field goal percentage – 53.1 [2]

PATs – 48 [2]

PAT attempts – 50 [2]

Longest field goal – 46 yards at Buffalo 9/23

Scoring

TDs – 8 [8, tied with five others]

Field Goals – 17

PATs – 48

Points – 147 [1]

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-AFL: League, UPI, NY Daily News

AFL All-Star Game

Patriots went 9-4-1 to finish second in the AFL Eastern Division while ranking second in the league in touchdowns (52, tied with San Diego) and scoring (411 points).

Aftermath:

Cappelletti scored 128 points in 1962 and again led the league with 113 in ’63 (and also again in field goals with 22). He was named an AFL All-Star for the second time. Slow but sure-handed, he caught a career-high 49 passes for 865 yards and 7 TDs in 1964 while again topping the circuit with 25 field goals and in scoring with 155 points. He received AFL Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press and UPI. Cappelletti led the AFL in scoring over the next two seasons as well (132 points in 1965, 119 in ’66), for a total of five times in all, and had the league’s best field goal percentage in ‘65 (63.0). He was named to the league All-Star game after the ’65 and ’66 seasons. Cappelletti played a total of 11 seasons, all with the Patriots, and scored a total of 1130 points (his 1100 points in the AFL were the most in league history), with a total of 42 TDs, 176 field goals, and 342 extra points. One of 20 players who were in the AFL for all ten seasons, he also finished with 292 pass receptions for 4589 yards.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1967: Packers Obtain Ben Wilson from Rams

On July 7, 1967, with 31-year-old FB Jim Taylor, who had been an integral member of four NFL Championship squads in Green Bay, having played out his option and a deal worked out to allow him to join the expansion New Orleans Saints, the Packers traded a future draft choice to the Los Angeles Rams for FB Ben Wilson.

The 28-year-old Wilson was formerly a star at USC and had been chosen as a future pick by the Rams in the fifth round of the 1962 NFL draft. Known as “Big Ben”, he weighed 247 pounds as a rookie in ’63, although he had slimmed down to 217, which he found to be a more ideal playing weight (he reported to the Packers at 225). He fit LA’s need for a big fullback behind the effective but smallish (5’10”, 200) Dick Bass, but after running for 394 yards in his first year, Wilson stunned the club by announcing that he would go to dental school instead of returning in ‘64. He reconsidered, however, and with Bass suffering a knee injury Wilson led the team with 553 yards on 159 carries (3.5 avg.). He dropped to 189 yards with a 3.2-yard average gain in 1965 and was relegated to LA’s taxi squad in ‘66 after being beaten out by Les Josephson and Henry Dyer as the backups to Bass.

The Packers were coming off of back-to-back NFL titles but were in transition at the running back positions. The heir apparent to Taylor was second-year FB Jim Grabowski. HB Donny Anderson was slated to replace Paul Hornung, who had been taken by New Orleans in the expansion draft (he retired during training camp). Veteran backup Elijah Pitts was still around at halfback and a newcomer was fleet rookie HB Travis Williams, who would prove to be especially valuable as a kick returner.

Wilson saw little action in the first two games of the season with Grabowski starting at fullback, but led the team in rushing with 82 yards on 13 carries in a Week 3 win against the Falcons. That was his most extensive playing time until a Week 8 loss to the Colts when Grabowski suffered a knee injury (Pitts was also lost for the remainder of the year with an Achilles tendon injury). Wilson rushed for 100 yards on 16 attempts the following week in a 55-7 shellacking of the Browns (better remembered for Travis Williams returning two kickoffs for TDs and Donny Anderson scoring four times). He gained 80 yards in a win over the 49ers and led the team in ground gaining in each of the next two games, although with lesser numbers.

In the regular season finale, Wilson had injury problems and Chuck Mercein, who had been claimed off waivers from the Giants, saw more action. It was Mercein starting in the Western Conference Championship game against the Rams and the frigid NFL Championship win over Dallas. But Head Coach Vince Lombardi chose to go with Wilson instead of Mercein in the Super Bowl matchup with Oakland and he responded with 62 yards in 17 carries as Green Bay won by a 33-14 score. It turned out to be Wilson’s last game with the Packers, but it was a good one as he capped off his career as part of a makeshift committee of running backs that contributed to a third consecutive NFL title and second straight Super Bowl victory.  

For the season, Wilson rushed for 453 yards on 103 carries, which was second on the team only to Jim Grabowski’s 466 yards on 120 attempts, for a 4.4-yard average with two TDs. He also caught 14 passes for 88 yards. In the postseason, he ran the ball 21 times for 75 yards.

As a footnote, the draft choice that the Rams obtained for Wilson turned out to be a second round pick in 1968 that was sent on to Atlanta and used to take John Wright, a star flanker out of Illinois who had a short and inconsequential career with the Falcons and Lions.

Highlighted Year: Gary Anderson, 1998

Placekicker, Minnesota Vikings

Age:  39

17^th season in pro football, 1^st with Vikings

College: Syracuse

Height: 5’11” Weight: 178

Prelude:

Born in South Africa, Anderson’s family moved to the US when he was a teenager. Having played rugby while growing up, he quickly showed that he could kick an American football and received a scholarship to Syracuse University. In college, he played two seasons of soccer and, in football he set school season records for field goals (18) and field goal percentage (94.7) in 1981. Anderson was chosen in the seventh round of the 1982 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills, who cut him prior to the season. Picked up by the Steelers, he was successful on 10 of 12 field goal attempts as well as all 22 tries for extra points during the strike-shortened ’82 season. Wearing his characteristic single-bar facemask, Anderson went on to kick for 13 seasons with the Steelers. He topped the AFC in scoring in 1983, the first of three consecutive seasons in which he did so, and he led the AFC in field goals in ’84 (24) and the entire NFL with 33 in 1985 (his high with Pittsburgh). Anderson received at least some All-NFL recognition in 1985 and ’93 and was named to the Pro Bowl three times as a Steeler. He left Pittsburgh following the 1994 season as the franchise leader in field goals (309) and scoring (1343 points) and spent two years with Philadelphia and one with the 49ers in ’97. Anderson signed a three-year contract to join the Vikings in 1998.

1998 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 35 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Most field goals, game – 6 at Baltimore 12/13

Field goal attempts – 35 [4, tied with Richie Cunningham & John Hall]

Most field goal attempts, game – 6 at Baltimore 12/13

Field goal percentage – 100.0 [1]

PATs – 59 [1]

PAT attempts – 59 [1]

Longest field goal – 53 yards vs. Jacksonville 12/20

Scoring

Field Goals – 35

PATs – 59

Points – 164 [1]

Postseason: 2 G

Field goals – 4

Most field goals, game – 2 vs. Arizona, NFC Divisional playoff

Field goal attempts – 5

Most field goal attempts, game – 3 vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship

PATs – 8

Most PATs, game – 5 vs. Arizona, NFC Divisional playoff

PAT attempts – 8

Longest field goal – 35 yards vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 15-1 to finish first in the NFC Central with the league’s best record while leading the NFL in passing yards (4328), touchdowns (64), and scoring (556 points). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Arizona Cardinals (41-21). Lost NFC Championship to Atlanta Falcons (30-27).

Aftermath:

His excellent 1998 season having come to a disappointing end in the postseason, Anderson followed up with a career-low 63.3 field goal percentage in 1999 but bounced back to connect on 95.7 percent in 2000 (22 of 23) and lasted with the Vikings through 2002. He finished his career with two seasons in Tennessee in 2003 and ’04, by which time he was 45 years old. Overall, over the course of 23 seasons, Anderson kicked 538 field goals in 672 attempts, both career NFL records at the time, for an 80.1 percentage and 2434 points, also the league career high (his contemporary, Morten Andersen, ultimately surpassed him in all three NFL-record categories). He also kicked 820 extra points, which were second-highest in league history at the time. Anderson added another 32 field goals, in 40 attempts (80.0 %) and 57 extra points in 22 postseason games, with a high of four field goals against the Oilers in 1989.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1975: Eagles Obtain Stan Walters from Bengals

On July 3, 1975 the Cincinnati Bengals traded OT Stan Walters and QB Wayne Clark to the Philadelphia Eagles for QB John Reaves and an unspecified draft choice (it turned out to be a second-round pick for 1976). The transaction was only noteworthy at the time in that a failed first-round draft choice was being dealt away, but one of the players received in return would achieve stature with his new club.

John Reaves had become a forgotten backup for the Eagles after being drafted in the first round out of Florida in 1972. In college he established himself as an outstanding passer, throwing for what was then an NCAA-record 7549 yards and winning the Sammy Baugh Trophy as a senior in ’71. He was tossed into the lineup as a rookie with a poor team, unused to calling his own plays and unprepared for facing NFL defenses. Reaves completed 48.2 percent of his passes for 1508 yards and seven touchdowns while giving up 12 interceptions and, playing with torn ankle ligaments, being sacked 38 times. The Eagles obtained Roman Gabriel, a well-established veteran, from the Rams the next year and Reaves became a little-used backup. When Gabriel, who began to fade after an outstanding ’73 season, was benched for the last three games in 1974, it was in favor of rookie Mike Boryla, not Reaves.

The 25-year-old Stan Walters was 6’6”, 270 and had spent three seasons with the Bengals after being drafted in the ninth round in 1972 out of Syracuse. He became part of the starting lineup midway through his rookie season but a bout with hepatitis limited him to four games in ’73. Walters was again the starting right tackle in 1974 although it was anticipated that he would have to compete for a starting job in ’75 due to the return of Vern Holland from injury.

Wayne Clark, 28, had been acquired from San Diego in ‘74 for QB Virgil Carter and was a backup to Ken Anderson. He started one game when Anderson was injured and it was an abysmal season-ending loss to Pittsburgh in which he completed three of eight passes for 23 yards and gave up an interception. Clark had seen his most significant action the preceding year with the Chargers, tossing 90 passes, completing 40, and giving up nine interceptions while throwing for no touchdowns.

Clark never played with Philadelphia, but Stan Walters moved into the starting lineup for the Eagles, who dropped from 7-7 in ’74 to 4-10 in 1975. He did not make much of an impression that first year and was judged as lacking the necessary fire to be more successful, but in ‘76 new Head Coach Dick Vermeil challenged him to do better and his performance steadily improved. By the time the club reached the postseason in 1978, he was part of an outstanding tandem with RT Jerry Sisemore, despite playing with an injured ankle. Walters was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of two straight seasons and was in the starting lineup as the Eagles attained the NFC Championship in 1980. He spent a total of nine years with Philadelphia, until 1983, and started 148 regular season games plus another seven in the playoffs. The well-spoken Walters later became a radio color commentator on Eagles game broadcasts for 14 years.

Reaves spent four years as the backup to Anderson in Cincinnati, winning two starts in 1975 and ’77 but losing all four in extended relief in 1978. It was his last year with the club. Overall, he threw for 1546 yards and seven TDs while giving up 17 interceptions. Unfortunately, Reaves became better known for off-field problems with alcohol and drugs and, after moving on to the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Oilers, his pro career came to an apparent end in 1981. He resurfaced in the USFL in ’83 and played well for the Tampa Bay Bandits under the tutelage of another ex-Florida star quarterback, Head Coach Steve Spurrier, showing off the passing ability that had attracted the Eagles in 1972. Reaves ultimately made it back to the NFL in 1987 as a strike replacement player with the Buccaneers but never lived up to his first round draft status.   

As a footnote, the second-round draft choice that the Bengals obtained in the trade was used to take a guard, Glenn Bujnoch, out of Texas A & M. He was with Cincinnati for seven seasons and started a total of 67 games.

Highlighted Year: Chris Chambers, 2003

Wide Receiver, Miami Dolphins

Age: 25

3^rd season in pro football & with Dolphins

College: Wisconsin

Height: 5’11” Weight: 210

Prelude:

Chambers caught 127 passes for 2004 yards and 16 touchdowns in college and was chosen by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft. While part of a run-oriented offense, he started seven games and caught 48 passes for 883 yards, averaging 18.4 yards per reception and scoring seven TDs. After impressing as a deep threat in his first season, Chambers had a lesser year in 2002 while opponents concentrated more coverage on him. He had 52 receptions for 734 yards, for a 14.1-yard average and just three touchdowns.

2003 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 64      

Most receptions, game – 9 (for 153 yds.) vs. NY Jets 12/28

Yards – 963 [18]

Most yards, game – 153 (on 9 catches) vs. NY Jets 12/28

Average gain – 15.0 [13]

TDs – 11 [3, 1^st in AFC]

100-yard receiving games – 2

Rushing

Attempts – 4

Yards – 30

Average gain – 7.5

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 11 [10, tied with four others]

Points – 66

Dolphins went 10-6 to finish second in the AFC East.

Aftermath:

Fast and athletic, but not always consistent, Chambers followed up in 2004 with 69 catches for 898 yards (13.0 avg.) and seven touchdowns. He had his best season in ’05, achieving career-highs with 82 receptions for 1118 yards (13.6 avg.) and 11 TDs and was named to the Pro Bowl. But he dropped back to 59 catches for 677 yards (11.5 avg.) and four scores in 2006 and was dealt to San Diego during the ’07 season, where he paired well with WR Vincent Jackson. Injuries limited his performance in 2008 and he was waived during ’09 and picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent one last injury-plagued year with the Chiefs in 2010, his last season. Overall, Chambers caught 540 passes for 7648 yards (14.2 avg.) and 58 touchdowns, with 405 of those receptions for 5688 yards (14.0 avg.) and 43 TDs coming with Miami. He was chosen to one Pro Bowl.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1984: Stars Defeat Generals in USFL Playoff Contest

Two rivals from the Atlantic Division of the United States Football League faced off in a First Round Playoff game on June 30, 1984. The Philadelphia Stars had gone 16-2 during the regular season, the league’s best record, but both losses were to the New Jersey Generals, the club that finished second in the division with a 14-4 tally. The second meeting had been just the previous week, and Philadelphia had been uncharacteristically sloppy in both contests.

The Stars, who narrowly lost the USFL Championship game the previous year, were coached by Jim Mora. QB Chuck Fusina, the league’s most efficient passer, directed the ball-control offense that featured RB Kelvin Bryant (pictured #44 above, with WR Willie Collier) operating behind a solid line. The tough and opportunistic defense that included All-League performers in NT Pete Kugler, LB Sam Mills, CB Garcia Lane, and FS Mike Lush yielded a league-low 12.5 points per game.

New Jersey was coached by Walt Michaels and was much improved over the 1983 unit thanks to the addition of significant veteran talent. QB Brian Sipe was one of those upgrades, and while he didn’t have a big season, he was far more effective than the signal callers of the previous year. RB Herschel Walker was again the key to the offense, but he suffered from a sore shoulder all season and looked more tentative, although he still rushed for 1399 yards and 16 TDs while FB Maurice Carthon also reached a thousand yards (1042). The defense benefited from the addition of linebackers Willie Harper, Bobby Leopold, and Jim LeClair, FS Gary Barbaro, and CB Kerry Justin.

The game was played before 19,038 fans at Franklin Field of the Univ. of Pennsylvania, once home of the NFL Eagles, due to a conflict with major league baseball’s Phillies for use of Veterans Stadium. The locker rooms were too small to accommodate the teams and they had to suit up at the nearby Hollenbeck Center and walk to the stadium.

It had rained during the morning, but stopped prior to kickoff. In the first quarter, a promising ten-play possession for the Generals ended with a pass by Brian Sipe being intercepted by FS Scott Woerner at the Philadelphia 16, and he returned it to his 40.  

The opening period remained scoreless as the teams traded punts. Early in the second quarter, another turnover by the Generals set up the first score of the game. Pete Kugler sacked Sipe, causing the quarterback to fumble. LB John Bunting recovered and the Stars took just three plays to travel 49 yards. Chuck Fusina connected with WR Scott Fitzkee for 17 yards and FB David Riley for 22, and Kelvin Bryant reached the end zone on a ten-yard sweep. David Trout added the extra point and Philadelphia was ahead by 7-0 three minutes into the period.

New Jersey’s next possession ended in a punt and Garcia Lane, sprung thanks to outstanding blocks by DB Bill Hardee and WR Herbert Harris, returned it 70 yards for a TD. Trout again converted to widen the home team’s lead to 14-0.

The Generals, down by two touchdowns, were forced out of their game plan, but they advanced into Philadelphia territory on the next series, helped along by a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Stars. However, the visitors came up empty when Roger Ruzek missed on a 42-yard field goal attempt. Bryant immediately took off on a 38-yard jaunt to key an eight-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in Bryant catching an 11-yard touchdown pass over his shoulder in the corner of the end zone. Trout added the point after. The first half ended with Ruzek failing on a field goal try from 49 yards and, despite New Jersey running more plays and generating the most yards, the Stars took a 21-0 lead into halftime. Adding to their problems, the Generals lost three starters to injuries in the hard-hitting first half: Gary Barbaro, Kerry Justin, and G Wayne Harris.

The Stars punted following the first possession of the third quarter and New Jersey advanced into scoring territory, but after reaching the Philadelphia 15 following Herschel Walker’s run to convert a fourth down, the Stars stiffened on defense and Ruzek missed a third field goal attempt, hooking to the left from 42 yards.  

Philadelphia proceeded to put together a 20-play drive that covered 75 yards and ran 11:48 off the clock. Bryant punched over from the one for a touchdown that, with Trout’s PAT, put the Stars up by 28-0 with 10:41 to play and effectively sealed the win. The Generals finally got on the board when Sipe threw to WR Clarence Collins for a 14-yard TD, but it was of no consequence. Philadelphia advanced to the next round by a decisive score of 28-7.

New Jersey had the edge in total yards (313 to 269) and first downs (24 to 17), but also suffered the game’s only two turnovers, both of which were turned into points by the Stars. Philadelphia held the Generals to just 70 yards on the ground and recorded three sacks, to one by New Jersey. There were a total of 16 penalties called in the hard-hitting game, with the Stars getting flagged 10 times.

Kelvin Bryant rushed for 117 yards on 23 carries that included two touchdowns and scored another on one of his two catches for 32 yards. Chuck Fusina didn’t go to the air often but was typically efficient, completing 9 of 14 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, including six-of-six for 77 yards in the first half. David Riley and Scott Fitzkee caught three passes apiece, for 39 and 33 yards, respectively.

For the Generals, Brian Sipe was successful on 24 of 40 throws for 259 yards and a TD along with one interception. Herschel Walker was limited to 50 yards on 15 rushing attempts but led the club with 6 catches for 79 yards. Clarence Collins contributed 5 receptions for 62 yards and a score and TE Jeff Spek added 58 yards on his 5 catches.

“A loss today meant the season,” said Kelvin Bryant. “We really wanted to get them because they were the only team to beat us.”

“We were a lot more physical today, there was a lot of emotion out there,” said Coach Mora of the Stars.

The Stars went on to defeat the Birmingham Stallions the following week for the Eastern Conference title and won the USFL Championship handily over the Arizona Wranglers. New Jersey came back in 1985 to go 11-7 and again qualify for the playoffs, and once more fell to the Stars, now based in Baltimore, in the first round.