No time for a blog post today, so I will just jot some notes:
* At the halfway point, two divisions are in a four-way tie and one is in a three-way tie. Honolulu (4-4) has won three in a row after a 1-4 start, so I am still picking the Hawaiians to claim their fourth consecutive Pacific Division title. As for the Midwest Division, I am thinking Detroit's fate will be decided over the next two weeks, when the Wheels play the Michigan Panthers and Chicago Blitz on the road.
* Southern California knocked off the previous undefeated Denver Gold, 16-9, leaving the New Jersey Generals (8-0) as the league's only unbeaten. The Sun (4-4) needs one more win to tie the franchise record of five victories in a season.
* The best game of the day was Houston's 16-13 overtime victory over Detroit. Enrique Pacheco of the Wheels returned a punt 84 yards for a TD in the fourth quarter, the third punt return touchdown of the season in the USFL/WFL. The Curse of the Backup QB hit the Wheels in OT when Steve Voll was intercepted, setting up the game-winning 56-yard field goal by Houston's Daniel McCormack. In two seasons with the Wheels, Voll has completed as many of his 42 pass attempts to the opposition (3) as to his own receivers (3).
* The Birmingham Stallions (7-1) are looking more powerful by the day. Birmingham rolled up 607 yards total offense during a 49-3 destruction of the Shreveport Steamer. Old-timer Gene Nowlin passed for 491 yards and five TDs and Lee Rice had 99 yards rushing and 121 receiving.
* The New Orleans VooDoo has the league's leader in rushing TDs (Socrates Rogers, 5) and receiving TDs (James Sheckler, 7).
* Of the 40 players who have thrown a pass this season, only 16 have more TDs than interceptions.
* Week 9 games of the week: Wheels (5-3) at Panthers (5-3), Bulls (6-2) at Generals (8-0), Storm (6-2) at Gamblers (7-1), Showboats (4-4) at Bell (4-3-1).
