A couple of new coaches will lead their teams into the USFL/WFL playoffs, which begin Wednesday.
Baltimore coach 4343 (he's just a number to us) guided the Stars to five consecutive victories to close the season and the second Atlantic Division title in team history. Baltimore (11-5) will host division rival Washington (11-5) in the first round. The Stars swept the Federals during the regular season, 37-13 and 30-24.
The New Orleans VooDoo (10-6) qualified for the postseason in rookie head coach Shavar's first season. The VooDoo will travel to face the defending World Bowl champion New Jersey Generals (12-4). New Orleans defeated New Jersey, 17-13, in Week 2. The Generals finally have a stable of healthy RB ... but they went 5-2 with all those guys injured anyway.
The Michigan Panthers (10-6) will make their second-ever playoff appearance when they travel to Denver to face the Gold (12-4). The teams faced each other two weeks ago, Michigan prevailing, 19-16, in OT. Denver was then shut out by Birmingham, 16-0, in Week 16 to miss out on a first-round bye.
The Houston Gamblers (13-3) will face a Memphis Showboats team that is under temporary league ownership and is riddled by injuries. The Gamblers defeated the Showboats twice during the season, 49-14 and 30-14.
Memphis and Michigan both qualified for the playoffs when the Arizona Wranglers and Los Angeles Express lost their regular-season finales. The Express lost three in a row to end the season out of the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five seasons. The Wranglers had won five in a row before falling to Detroit in Week 16.
Honolulu, Detroit, Jacksonville, and Birmingham all received first-round byes.
* Jacksonville CB Gordon Wong finished the season with a league-record 15 interceptions, breaking the mark of 14 set last season by Honolulu MLB Douglas Oneal.
* Oneal set another league record, however, by returning three pickoffs for TDs this season. Four other players have recorded two interception returns for TDs in a season.
* Tampa Bay SLB Jim Grisby made 138 tackles in 1984, just missing the league record he set last season (141).
* Michigan punter Julius Horowitz pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 70 times 1984, breaking the record of 69 he set last season.
* Birmingham RB Mark Peterson caught 138 passes this season, missing by one the league record set by Honolulu's Ronald Boatman in 1981.
* Memphis QB James Perry threw for 6,940 yards, which ranks No. 3 all-time, and 56 TDs, which ranks No. 2 all-time.
* Tampa Bay rookie QB Melvin Driggers was intercepted 38 times, missing by one the league record of 39 shared by Boston's Michael Temples (1979) and San Antonio's Tony Smith (1977).
* For those tracking Driggers' progress, the No. 1 draft pick finished with 19 TDs, 38 INT, and a 44.33 QBR. His overall rating (my weights) improved from 59.96 to 74.68 and his passing accuracy is up to 56/100.
* The Oakland Invaders and Orlando Renegades tied for the worst record (2-14). Oakland SHOULD get the No. 1 pick based on its 0-6 division record vs. Orlando's 2-4.
Last edited 7/29/2019 1:05 pm
