Want to know why I often do game recaps so close to the next game? I don't want to do game recaps right after the game sims run, I want you guys to have a chance to watch your game before I spoil anything. The next day is when I'd really like to get it done but I always work the next day so sometimes I have time, sometimes I don't. When I don't have/make time before work, I always plan on doing it in the morning, but some days I don't have the mental energy to deal with it so I put it off until I wake up like today. Tbf, I did draft prep for XFL instead.

Well I needed to go to the bank and drop off some change that I've accumulated over the last 6 months to a year and go to the drug store for meds. I had some time after that but I decided to talk about the playoff races instead. Then it was laundry, still doing that btw, and the stupid grocery store. If you've heard my 24 hour grocery rant before, feel free to skip to the next paragraph. With my work schedule, getting off around 3-4 am, the ability to do my grocery shopping after work is something I took for granted pre covid. Since covid, the stores close at midnight at the latest, making things inconvenient for me. They claim it's because of theft, but they still have shelf stockers working so why not stay open and make money? They might think they aren't losing sales but they are losing some of mine. When I'm feeling lazy and/or don't need much, sometimes I go to Save a Lot or pick up take out somewhere.

I figured it was easier on me to go to the store first because if I did the recaps first I probably wouldn't have went to the store, then I'd be mad when I didn't have any milk with my meal in a few hours.

I'll try to get the recaps done now, while also watching the Reds game. They are in LA playing the Dodgers and it's the bottom of the first.

New Orleans survived Pittsburgh 16-13 in OT in a mistake filled game. Pittsburgh took the early lead but the XP was no good. Neither QB completed 50% of his passes, with Thomas Hampton throwing 2 INTs and getting sacked twice for Pittsburgh while James Wright threw 3 INTs and was sacked 5 times. Pittsburgh led 13-10 at the half and New Orleans tied it early in the 4th. James Wright had the VooDoo within game winning FG range at the end of regulation but he threw his 3rd INT and we went to OT. New Orleans got the ball first and kicked a FG, then the defense held and the win streak is now at 40 and counting.

Washington crushed Baltimore 48-2. The Federals ran for 218 yards and 2 TDs, led by James Ford's 139 yards. Michael Erickson threw for 314 yards and 4 TDs with Jacob Hazlett catching 6 for 186 yards and 2 TDs. Defensively the Federals forced 2 turnovers, had 6 sacks and held Baltimore to 91 total yards.

Honolulu beat Portland 24-19 to maintain their lead in the Pacific. Portland hung tough, trailing 14-13 early in the 4th but Victor Russell led 2 long drives, throwing his 2nd TD pass of the game on one, then getting a FG on the next for a 24-13 lead to seize control of the game. Inside the 2 minute warning, Portland had 1st and goal but QB George Schacht was injured and had to leave the game. Thomas Santos came in and threw a TD pass to get within 24-19 but the 2 point pass was dropped, the onside kick failed and Victor Russell kneeled down 3 times to seal the win for the Hawaiians.

San Jose escaped with a 29-26 win over Michigan. This was a game of runs, with Michigan jumping out to a 17-0 lead before San Jose got within 17-15 at the half with a pair of TDs and a FG, with both 2 point tries failing. Nobody scored in the 3rd but San Jose extended their run to 29 points in a row with a pair of 4th qtr TDs, with one 2 point conversion successful. The SaberCats now led 29-17 with 9:23 to play, but Michigan scored the next 9 points on a sack in the end zone for a safety and Willie Reddish's 3rd TD pass of the game and now trailed 29-26 with 3 minutes to go. That was the end of the scoring though as San Jose gets the W. Scott Isaacs led the SaberCats in receiving with 10 for 144 yards and a TD.

Houston put themselves in great position to win the Southwest by beating Oklahoma 24-3. Dale Baber threw 3 TD passes and the Gamblers defense forced the Outlaws to punt on every possession but 2, with one being a short, 2 play drive to end the first half. This win gives Houston a 5-1 division record, meaning they win tiebreakers over San Antonio (better division record) and Oklahoma (sweep). There were no 300 yard passers or any skill player with a 100 yard game, even combined with rushing, although Bobby Mendoza made the most of his 3 catches for 18 yards, scoring twice.

San Antonio might have a hard time winning the division but every playoff team but one has to win 3 games and the Gunslingers are still eyeing a playoff berth of any kind. San Antonio had their offense working today in a 35-10 win over Florida, gaining 531 yards and holding the ball 40 minutes. George Warner threw for 392 yards and 3 TDs, with Eric Rodriguez catching 9 for 112 yards and a TD. Glenn Graham returned to action for the first time since Week 3, gaining 135 combined yards with a receiving TD.

Philadelphia beat Denver 20-7 behind 363 passing yards and 2 TDs by Joel Jasso. Von Sustaita and Jason Wharton had very similar stat lines, both had 5 catches with a TD while Saustaita outgained Wharton 104-100. Philadelphia scored the game's first 20 points before allowing the Gold a TD on their final drive.

Oakland got back on the winning track with a 15-10 win over Cleveland. The Invaders ran for 185 yards as a team while Domingo Robinson completed 23/28, 235 yards and a TD. Guillermo Rockwell led Oakland is rushing (16-78) and receiving (7-87).

Birmingham beat Orlando 35-30 in a game that had the same scoring pattern as Michigan/San Jose. In this game, Orlando started off moving the ball well, getting a FG and a TD for an early 10-0 lead but then the Stallions defense forced punts until the 4th. In the meantime, Birmingham put together a 35-0 run behind a running game that had 185 yards while Russell Gall completed 17/21, 199 yards and 3 TDs, 0 INT, and just 1 sack. Orlando QB Dwayne Byrd finished with 385 passing yards and 3 TDs as he led a furious, but eventually fruitless comeback bid in the 4th, getting the Renegades within 35-30 before the onside kick failed in the final minute.

I'm glad I don't watch my games because I'd surely be frustrated watching New Jersey's 5-3 win over Charlotte. Both teams ran the ball well as of the combined 330 yards, 258 came on the ground. Generals QB Kevin Via completed 16 passes for all of 83 yards and he was the "good" QB. Charlotte QB Keith Carter was 7/12, 45 yards and he was sacked 6 times, once for a safety by Sheldon Cooper. The 6 sacks meant the Hornets had minus 11 passing yards for the game. Despite that, Charlotte kicked a FG early in the 2nd to take a 3-2 lead they kept until the 4th. That's when Howie Schwab made a 54 yard FG in the middle of the 4th as New Jersey gets the win 5-3.

Jacksonville beat Tampa Bay 44-13 for their 4th straight win. William Barron completed 37/52, 540 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs and a sack, with three receivers topping 100 yards. William McLendon caught 10 for 117, Randall Guenther caught 3 for 108 and a TD, and Larry Stafford caught 4 for 104 and 2 TDs.

Arizona beat New York 16-10, dealing a blow to the Stars' playoff hopes. New York got a Jamie Orman TD pass on their opening drive before the offense stalled for most of the rest of the game. While the Wranglers defense roped in the Stars, the Arizona running game churned out 164 yards and a TD in 37 carries. That TD run by Ronald Steinman was the go ahead TD, giving Arizona a 13-10 lead in the 4th. On their final drive they chewed up most of the remaining clock and added a FG, forcing New York to score a TD to tie or win but the Wranglers defense held.

Shreveport beat Boston 31-6, rushing for 460 yards and 3 TDs. I'm kind of burying the lead as Frederick Martin broke the single game rushing record of 305 yards set by Philadelphia's Jose Medina all the way back in 1974. Martin finished with 311 yards and 2 TDs as his name is now etched in the record books. The Steamer also got 124 rushing yards from Kevin Burnett. Boston also had a 100 yard rusher as Aaron Bush had exactly 100 on 11 carries.

I'm running out of time, still have to game plan for my important game against Philadelphia so I'm going the express route now.

Philip Curry's 4 yard TD run with 7:06 to play broke a 6-6 tie as Southern California beat Detroit 13-6.

Herman Gonzalez returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a score and added a 3rd qtr TD run as Georgia beat Chicago 16-10.

Memphis beat Los Angeles 23-6 as Gary Westerfield threw for a pair of 1st qtr TDs to seize momentum, then Randy Schmidt took the momentum and ran with it. Schmidt had a double triple, rushing for 127 yards and a TD while catching 7 for 114 yards.

Good luck tonight everyone.

New Orleans beat Shreveport 21-0 for their 41st straight win. James Wright threw 2 TD passes and the VooDoo ran for 150 yards and a TD to lead the offense. Shreveport's Frederick Martin was held to 39 yards on 18 carries one week after breaking the all time single game rushing record.

Washington beat Charlotte 30-0 to improve to 10-1. Norman Thomas ran for 163 yards and a TD while William Flock caught 11 for 127 yards and both of Michael Erickson's TD passes. Defensively they held the Hornets to 147 yards, forced 2 turnovers and had 2 sacks.

Honolulu got by Oakland 16-13 in a battle of division leaders. The defenses ruled this game as the score was 9-6 Hawaiians early in the 4th with a battle of FGs. Albert Callan's 2 yard TD run with 4:08 to go extended the lead to 16-6 before Domingo Robinson got the Invaders within 16-13 at the 2 minute warning. The onside kick failed and when they finally did get the ball back, at their own 2, Domingo Robinson threw his 5th INT to seal the win for Honolulu. Robinson only had 6 INTs all season coming into this game. Robert Haynes had 3 of the 5 INTs for Honolulu.

Houston shut out Orlando 40-0 as Dale Baber threw for 354 yards and 5 TD passes. David Malinowski caught 11 for 183 yards and 2 TDs. The Gamblers defense held Orlando to 202 yards and allowed just 1/16 3rd downs.

San Antonio beat Jacksonville 30-10. George Warner threw for 310 yards and 2 TDs with Eric Rodriguez the leading receiver, catching 11 for 132 yards. Glenn Graham ran for 76 yards and a TD, adding 59 receiving yards on 5 catches. The Gunslingers held the ball over 44 minutes and held William Barron under 40% completions (15-41).

Philadelphia scored 21 1st qtr points on a 73 yard Joel Jasso TD pass to Von Sustaita, a 2 yard Lamar Rathjen TD run, and a 28 yard Pick Six by Fred Patel. Gary Simmons ran for 106 yards and the Bell went on to win 35-13. Philadelphia did allow 6 sacks of Jasso but the Bell defense sacked Kevin Via 4 times and intercepted him twice as they seize control of the East.

Michigan is the Midwest leader and they got there with a strong defense and running game. The Panthers beat Portland 40-26 today despite subpar performances from both units. Michigan did force 3 turnovers and have 3 sacks but they still gave up 398 yards and 26 points. The Panthers ran for 3 feet a carry, commonly known as 1 yard but Willie Reddish threw for 475 yards and 3 TDs. Alvin Eckenrode was the leading receiver for Michigan, catching 11 for 137 yards and a TD. George Schacht threw for 322 yards and 3 TDs, getting 100 yard days from Lonnie Johnson (5-119-2) and George Baines (7-101). Despite all the points, the teams combined to convert only 4/29 3rd downs and 1 of 6 red zone drives (1 TD/5 FGs).

San Jose beat Arizona 28-15 to keep pace with Honolulu. Myron Dustin threw for 399 yards and 2 TDs with 100 yard games from Lynn McLaurin (16-154-1) and Scott Isaacs (10-137). John Adams tried to keep Arizona in the game as he found 11 different receivers in throwing for 315 yards and 2 TDs but it wasn't enough for the win.

Oklahoma scored the first 4 times they had the ball, building a 24-0 lead en route to a 27-10 win over Cleveland. The Outlaws defense had 7 sacks and an INT, holding the Thunderbolts to 155 yards. Gary Kahn ran for 131 yards and a TD for Oklahoma and Domenic Winstead caught 4 for 121 yards and a score.

Southern California beat Pittsburgh 24-10. Thomas Hampton led the Maulers down the field for an Arthur Ortega TD run on the opening possession, then proceeded to throw 7 INTs the rest of the game. The record for most INTs thrown in a game is 8, done six times previous. Several of those INTs resulted in short fields for the Sun, and while they were 0/4 in the red zone for TDs, Raymond Evenson booted 8 FGs for all of the Sun's points.

Birmingham got by Tampa Bay 21-16 despite being outgained 341-222. Birmingham QB Russell Gall threw 2 INTs and Philip Snyder lost a fumble as the Stallions converted just 1/13 3rd downs. Tampa Bay QB Curtis Torres also threw 2 INTs while the Bandits fumbled 5 times, losing 4. The biggest fumble came on a punt return when Joseph Bell knocked the ball loose and scooped it up for a 15 yard TD. Birmingham led 14-10 at the half and after 3 qtrs before Georgia made several mistakes in the 4th. They started with a missed FG, then turned the ball over on 3 of their last 4 drives.

New York beat Georgia 18-6 behind 6 Kenneth Williams FGs. New York played move the chains ball, rushing for 88 yards on 21 carries and getting 219 passing yards on 39 completions. That grind it out offense wasn't good for TDs (0/4 in red zone) but it was great if Kenneth Williams was your fantasy kicker. His 5th FG gave the Stars a 15-0 lead in the 4th when Georgia's Herman Gonzalez returned the kickoff 110 yards for a TD, tying a record done many times before that will never be broken unless they expand the field of play or the end zones. The 2 point run was good but that's as close as the Force would get.

Denver shut out Memphis 23-0 behind 285 passing yards and a TD from Bernard Smith. Christopher Cook caught 10 for 179 yards and a TD to lead the receivers. The Gold even scored a TD on a punt block as Frederick Devitt blocked the kick, scooped up the loose ball, and took it in the end zone for a TD.

Chicago beat Detroit 23-9. The Wheels won the first half FG contest 3-2 for a 9-6 halftime lead. Late in the 3rd, Eric Hansen found Marco Anderson for a 4 yard TD pass, then early in the 4th, Anderson had a short TD run as the Blitz seize control of the game in the 4th. Anderson finished with 112 combined yards, 65 rushing and 7 catches for 47 yards.

Florida beat Boston 32-3 as the Blazers ran for 263 yards and 3 TDs today. Robert Moreira ran for 122 yards and a TD while John Sanchez had 120 and 2 scores. QB Nicholas Meis had an efficient, low volume passing day as the Blazers held the ball nearly 43 minutes. Boston managed just 72 yards on the day and Jerry Parker threw 2 INTs.

Baltimore went to Los Angeles where the loser of the game would be in line for a possible top 2 pick as both teams came in 1-9. Baltimore outgained Los Angeles 310-223 but neither team found the end zone. Los Angeles led 6-3 after 3 but Baltimore kicked 2 4th qtr FGs for a 9-6 lead with 5:52 to play. Los Angeles tied the score at 9 just inside the 2 minute warning, then both kickers missed long FGs (57 and 56 yard tries) in the final 20 seconds of regulation. The OT period was 10 minutes of scoring futility and the game ended in a 9-9 tie.

Week 12 had some important games that impact the playoff picture but the biggest story of the week is that the streak is over. Philadelphia crushed New Orleans 39-3, ending the VooDoo's USFL record win streak at 41 games. Congratulations on that impressive streak Legend. I'll have more on that game shortly. That was just one of six games between current playoff teams this week and three were one score games. Houston had a win slip through their fingers against Jacksonville, San Jose outlasted Oklahoma and Honolulu got by Washington.

Philadelphia had a solid, if unspectacular offensive day as they scored two TDs and 6 FGs but a lot of that was set up by the Bell defense. Philadelphis intercepted James Wright 5 times with Paul Watts taking one to the house for a TD. The Bell also sacked Wright 5 times, holding him to 16/46 passing for 133 yards. Philadelphia got out to a 17-0 first qtr lead then coasted to a 39-3 shellacking of the back to back champs. New Orleans should bounce back, especially now that the win streak has ended as the media will no longer pester them about it each week.

Jacksonville escaped Houston with a 17-16 win that keeps the Bulls alone in first place in the Southeast. With the loss, the Gamblers lost the division lead to San Antonio in the Southwest. Each team topped 340 offensive yards but this was still a defensive game. Jacksonville sacked Dale Baber 10 times and recovered a fumble. Houston got to their yardage total via an 86 yard TD in the final minute, more on that shortly. The Gamblers defense sacked William Barron 4 times and intercepted him 3 times. The game was tied at 10 until the first play of the 4th when William Barron's 2nd TD pass gave the Bulls a 17-10 lead they held until the final minute. That's when Dale Baber found David Malinowski for a short pass. Malinowski broke a tackle, then raced down the sideline for an 86 yard TD, making the score 17-16. Rather than go for OT, Houston opted for a 2 point play. Baber found Razor Ramon in the end zone but he had Edward Scissorhands and dropped the would be game winning 2 point play. Houston recovered the onside kick but had time for just one play and the game was over.

San Jose got out to a 19-0 lead then had to hold on late as Oklahoma rallied. The SaberCats won 25-23 in a game that saw Myron Dustin throw 1 pass for 4 yards. San Jose ran on every other offensive play, rushing 73 times for 294 yards and 3 TDs, 2 by James Valdez. David Babin led the way with 103 yards and a TD. Lynn McLaurin is still on pace to break the single season reception record even after a game where he ran the ball 21 times (76 yards) with zero targets. McLaurin needs 41 for the 214 to break the record. McLaurin did have one very important play I'll get to shortly. Oklahoma came back in the 3rd and 4th qtr to get within 19-16 before Babin's TD run gave San Jose a 25-16 lead after the 2 point try failed. Oklahoma scored a TD in the final minute with the XP making the score 25-23 but Lynn McLaurin recovered the onside kick to seal the win for San Jose.

Honolulu and Washington have been the cinderella stories of the season and their game was showcased for the nation on Monday Night Football. They didn't disappoint as there were 4 lead changes after Honolulu took the initial 3-0 lead with 2 of the lead changes coming in the 4th qtr. Each offense had over 300 yards but the defenses still had some big plays as the Hawaiians forced Michael Erickson into 5 turnovers, 4 INTs and a lost fumble, sacking him 6 times. Washington's defense "only" had 4 sacks and 2 forced turnovers but the Federals special teams gave them the lead in the 4th. Trailing 16-10, William Flock returned a punt 70 yards for a TD, his 3rd punt return TD this season, tying the record set by Arizona's William Haubert in 1999. The XP gave Washington a 17-16 lead. Victor Russell then found Fred Thomas for a 68 yard TD to take a 22-17 lead. The 2 point try failed but the Hawaiians were able to force an Erickson fumble on a sack to thwart their comeback bid. Honolulu punted in the final minute and Flock returned it 35 yards into Hawaiian territory, giving them time for 2 plays to gain 41 yards and a TD. They didn't make it and Honolulu holds on for the 22-17 win that keeps them half a game ahead of San Jose.

Birmingham ran all over New Jersey, winning 31-15 in a battle of current wildcard teams. The Stallions galloped for 371 yards on the ground, led by Gary May's 254 and a TD. Russell Gall didn't throw for many yards or a good percentage but he did throw 3 TD passes. Vic Mackey ran for 41 yards in his return to action, leaving him 33 yards behind Brian Smith (SJ) for the active lead and 263 yards behind Scott Randall for the all time lead.

San Antonio beat Michigan 35-17 in an aerial war. The teams combined to complete 63/117, 684 yards, 4 TDs and 6 INTs with just 3 sacks. Each team had a Pick Six. George Warner threw for 381 yards for San Antonio with 3 TDs and 3 INT. Daniel Cruz caught 9 for 182 yards and a TD while James Douglas caught 6 for 165. San Antonio broke open a close game with 22 straight points in the second half.

Oakland took a huge step toward winning the West with a 31-16 win over Denver. Domingo Robinson threw 2 TD passes and the Invaders defense held the Gold to 204 total yards and allowing just 1 TD after a fumble gave Denver a short field. The Gold scored 9 points in a wild stretch of the 3rd qtr. Rafael Thomas sacked Robinson in the end zone for a safety, then Kevin Hillman returned the free kick 97 yards for a TD. Oakland got 7 right back when Stacey Slavin returned the kickoff 99 yards for a TD. That made the score 21-16 Oakland and the Invaders scored the game's last 10 points to seal the win.

Pittsburgh had the offense working today in a 37-6 win over Los Angeles. They ran for 284 yards and passed for 272. Christopher Goins ran for 114 yards, Marc Morgan 104 and Felix Vaughn caught 2 long TD passes for a total of 145 yards. Thomas Hampton threw for 272 yards and 4 TDs while the defense limited the Express to 85 total yards.

New York beat Portland 20-3 in a battle of playoff hopefuls. The Stars defense intercepted Richard Akins 3 times, who was playing in place of George Schacht. New York QB Jamie Orman threw 2 TD passes to Perry Nelson, who caught 6 for 101 yards total as the Stars improve to 7-5.

Orlando got past pesky Baltimore 23-16 to improve to 6-6, keeping pace with Jacksonville. Dwayne Byrd threw for 333 yards and 2 TDs and the Renegades led 13-3 at the half. Rodger Brown started the 4th off with a bang, scoring on a 90 yard run to get the Stars within 3 points. The teams would trade TDs later in the 4th, Orlando first and Baltimore missed their XP to make the score 20-16 Orlando. The Renegades would add a FG and their defense shut down the last drive to preserve the win.

Southern California beat Charlotte 20-9, evening their record at 6-6, 2 games out of a wildcard spot. It wasn't a great day for either offense as the Sun lost 2 fumbles and allowed 5 sacks while the Hornets threw 3 INTs and allowed 3 sacks. Southern California was able to put the ball in the end zone twice while Charlotte settled for FGs.

AI Georgia improves to 6-6 with a 13-10 OT win over Florida. The Blazers had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation but the 56 yard FG try was wide right and it was on to OT. Each team punted on their first possession then Georgia was able to get into FG range and win the game on a 51 yard FG.

I have to go to work soon so it's time to be faster.

Tampa Bay started slow, leading 7-0 at the half but they eventually pushed it to 17-0 early in the 4th and went on to win 20-3.

Cleveland beat Detroit 17-6 behind 2 Carl Langlois TD passes and a defense that forced 5 turnovers.

Chicago got out to a 14-6 lead on Memphis but the Showboats scored the last 17 points of the game to win 23-14. Randy Schmidt led Memphis in rushing (141 yards) and receiving (6-52) for a combined 193 yards.

Arizona beat Boston 34-15, running for 316 yards and 4 TDs as a team. Mitchell Barnes led the committee with 117 yards and a TD as 6 runners had at least 23 yards. As good as the OL blocked in the running game, they were bad in the passing game. John Adams only attempted 10 passes and suffered 3 sacks, but as you can see the passing game was not needed today.

I'm going to do this in the morning after work. I might have enough time before but with several important games this week I don't want to rush through them. We had 5 divisional games with direct impact on playoff races, we had Washington vs New Jersey plus several other games between would be playoff contenders prior to kickoff, with those results eliminating teams.

San Jose went back to their normal game plan and Lynn McLaurin caught 20 passes, giving him 193 for the season. That's already 3rd most in a season and he's 20 short of tying Jacob Newman's 213 from 2006.

New Jersey's Vic Mackey ran for 53 yards against Washington, giving him 10,291 for his career. He finally passed San Jose's Brian Smith (10,288) for the most yards by an active runner. He is 211 yards away from breaking Scott Randall's all time record of 10,501. With just 3 games left it's going to be close unless he goes off. I haven't resigned him yet so where will he play next year? I'm hoping he can break the record this season as I have younger, faster ball carriers waiting their turn. If I had a QB that was actually good I may not play Mackey as much but as long as my QB options are Via or Axe, we won't be going to a World Bowl so why not chase history.

Well turns out I lied. Work just called and said I could come in at 8 so I now have a couple hours to kill. When it's hot like this, our dinner rush is often light and we get a little busy when it gets dark. Plus the daytime driver probably wanted to stay until 8.

We'll start our look at Week 13 with the important division games.

New Orleans just had their 41 game win streak broken but they still have a lot to play for, like a division title, #1 seed, and hopefully for them a 3rd straight championship. First things first as they needed to beat Birmingham to clinch the South. The Stallions ran for 208 yards and 2 TDs, led by Gary May's 123 and 1. Birmingham led 13-10 at the half and May's TD in the 3rd extended the lead to 20-10. James Wright led the New Orleans comeback with his 2nd TD of the game, a 6 yard TD to Wendell Lee late in the 3rd. The VooDoo trailed 20-17 with 5:43 left as they started a drive at their own 20. 11 plays later, James Wright threw his 3rd TD of the game, this one 6 yards to David Ellison and the XP made the score 24-20 New Orleans. Birmingham would get within long FG range as time ran out but they needed a TD.

James Wright finished with 301 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT and Michael Ferrell caught 7 for 118 and a TD. Despite the loss Birmingham is in good shape playoff wise with a 9-4 record and is currently the top wildcard.

There was some controversy last week when I said Michigan was Midwest champs while MFN said not so fast. Michigan beat Chicago 32-0 today to remove any doubt. Michigan has been running the ball well most of the season while the passing game was a work in progress. If Willie Reddish keeps playing like he did today, the Panthers could make a deep playoff run. Reddish completed 42/58, 436 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT. William Barrett caught 12 for 163 yards and 2 TDs. Michigan held the ball for 45 minutes and held Chicago to 127 total yards.

Jacksonville and Orlando played a swing game. If Orlando wins, they would be in 1st place, winning the tiebreaker thanks to completing the sweep of the Bulls. A Jacksonville win would give the Bulls a 2 game lead with 3 to play.

This game had lots of yards, sacks, and turnovers, but not much in the running game. Jacksonville scored 14 points in the first for a quick lead en route to a 17-6 halftime score. The 3rd qtr saw Orlando get back in the game to trail 24-22 going into the 4th. There were 4 total turnovers up to this point, 3 by Jacksonville and in the 4th, the teams matched that. The Bulls lost a pair of fumbles while Dwayne Byrd threw a pair of INTs. The only score of the quarter came on an 88 yard William Barron TD pass to Randall Guenther to extend the lead to 31-22.

Guenther finished with 3 catches, 115 yards and a TD, William McLendon caught 2 TDs and William Barron completed 23/48, 327 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs, and 3 sacks allowed. For Orlando, Dwayne Byrd was 28/52, 400 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs, and 6 sacks. John Jones caught 4 for 114 yards.

Oklahoma and San Antonio had a kicking contest as neither offense could cross the goal line. The Gunslingers had trouble moving the ball all day, gaining just 143 yards and failing to convert on all 11 3rd down plays. The Outlaws gained 349 yards of offense, getting 100 combined yards from Gary Kahn (83 rushing, 17 receiving) and 108 yards on 11 catches by Domenic Winstead. Oklahoma ended up winning the kicking contest 4-1, which in football terms made it a 12-3 final score. This result plus the Houston result has the Gamblers back in first place.

Shreveport stays alive for a playoff spot with a 9-0 win over AI Georgia. The Force could have put themselves in a much better position with a win, plus put Shreveport on the brink of elimination but they could only muster 79 total yards against the Steamer defense with zero scoring chances. Shreveport only had 211 yards themselves but their 3 Oscar Hall FGs were enough for the win.

Those were the 5 key division games, now the one other game between 2 current playoff teams, although New Jersey is hanging onto the #7 seed by a fingernail.

Washington clinched the Atlantic with a 19-13 win over New Jersey. The Generals pass defense slowed down Michael Erickson and Jacob Hazlett but Norman Thomas ran for 133 yards as the Federals controlled the action on both sides of the ball. New Jersey had 206 total yards, but 75 of that came on the final drive of the game to turn a 19-6 game into a "more respectable" 19-13. New Jersey has now lost 3 straight as they continue to leave the door wide open for another team to take the #7 seed from them.

There were 3 games between teams in the playoff chase at kickoff time but with losses today, they're now out.

San Jose gave QB Myron Dustin a week of just handing off last week and his stat line makes it seem like he's refreshed. The SaberCats beat Southern California 46-13 to eliminate the Sun. Dustin completed 47/62, 498 yards, 3 TDs, and 2 INTs with 5 sacks. Sure, the INTs and sacks aren't great but that's sort of a cost of doing business in this high volume passing attack. San Jose ran for 156 yards and 3 TDs as well, led by David Babin's 86 yards and a score. Lynn McLaurin caught 20 for 183 and a TD while Arthur Reina caught 7 for 132 yards.

Honolulu keeps finding ways to win as they eliminate Denver with a 26-13 win in a game where the offense turned the ball over 3 times. The Hawaiians have the 14th ranked offense and 13th ranked defense yet they have the 2nd best record in the league at 11-1-1. One reason is they are +16 in turnover margin, 2nd best in the league. They even added to that total in this game despite Victor Russell's 3 INTs as the Hawaiians intercepted Bernard Smith 4 times. One Honolulu TD came on a 98 yard kickoff return by Michael Sinclair.

Philadelphia needed OT to eliminate Portland 22-16. Philadelphia led 10-9 after 3 thanks to a missed XP by Storm kicker Aaron David. Philadelphia would add a pair of 4th qtr FGs, the last coming with 1:45 to play for a 16-9 lead. Richard Akins then led Portland 75 yards in 4 plays, throwing a 4 yard TD pass to Frank Gonzalez. This time the XP was good and we went to OT. Portland got the ball first and punted, then Joel Jasso led a 10 play, 74 yard TD drive, getting the walkoff TD on a 22 yard pass to David Thomas. Jasso ended with 325 yards and 2 TD passes while Jason Wharton caught 7 for 118 yards.

The next 4 games involve 1 team either in the playoffs or in the chase.

Pittsburgh beat Baltimore 33-7 as the Maulers ran for 381 yards and 3 TDs. Arthur Ortega led the way with 10 carries, 190 yards and 2 TDs while Christopher Goins ran 18 times for 120 yards and a score. This game had 4 long TD runs, with Baltimore's Rodger Brown going first with a 67 yard run. Christopher Goins answered that with a 75 yard score before Arthur Ortega put the finishing touches on the game with TD runs of 95 and 58 yards in the 4th qtr.

Houston had a San Jose type offensive game minus the 2 point conversions in beating Cleveland 50-10. Dale Baber completed 32/52, 432 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs, and 6 sacks. The Houston defense had 4 turnovers and 5 sacks of their own, allowing just a single TD. Houston got 139 yards and 3 TDs from their running committee led by Snake Roberts' 49 yards and 2 scores. The Gamblers had a pair of 100 yard receivers, Randy Savage (6-143-1) and Bo Bullet (8-116-1). Macho Man added 39 rushing yards for 182 combined.

Boston got an 81 yard TD run by Clarence Valdez and a 49 yard TD pass by Leon Payne to Danny Robinson for a 14-7 halftime lead. The Breakers extended it to 17-7 in the 3rd before holding on to win 17-12. Oakland lost despite rushing for 200 yards as a team and the Invaders still claim the West since Portland and Denver also lost.

Tampa Bay scored a TD and a FG their first two drives for a 10-0 lead, then held on to beat New York 10-9. Carl Gillard ran for 110 yards and a TD to lead the Bandits offense while the defense played bend but don't break. New York QB Jamie Orman completed 27/33 for 225 yards but the Stars offense managed just 3 FGs on the day. Tampa Bay got the ball with 4:41 to play, leading 10-9 and they ran the clock down to 0:00 for the win.

The last 3 games are between eliminated teams.

Memphis beat Florida 27-7 behind Randy Schmidt's 131 rushing yards and 2 TDs. Gary Westerfield threw for 254 yards and a TD while the Showboats defense sacked Nicholas Meis 11 times. Darrell Johnson led the way with 5 sacks.

Los Angeles was beating Charlotte 13-3 after 3 quarters but Harold Smith had a Pick Six off Express QB Donald Davis and Lee Dorman had a short TD run as the Hornets score 14 in the 4th to win 17-13. The Hornets defense had 5 sacks and 3 INTs for the game.

Arizona had a 6-0 lead on Detroit when John Adams extended it to 13-0 with a 67 yard TD pass to Patrick McManus. Detroit would come back with a Mark Lott TD before halftime and a FG in the 3rd to trail 13-10 going into the 4th. Neither offense did much in the quarter with Arizona adding a FG following a turnover on downs by Detroit in their own territory late in the quarter. The Wranglers win 16-10.

AG and the Outlaws really helped bail me out after I choked away the division lead last week (no disrespect Action-Jackson). My next 3 games are against eliminated teams so hopefully I can win out and clinch the division.

Very strange season for the Gamblers with Macho Man missing a bunch of games and I won games I didn't think I would win while I lost games I thought I should win.

Who knows had it ends because I don't have a real feel for my team

I haven't taken a look at league stats in awhile so let's check out the leaderboard through 13 games.

Passing Stats

Most Yards Myron Dustin, SJ 5,287
Highest Comp. % Myron Dustin, SJ 68.1
Yards Per Att. Michael Erickson, Wash 8.79
Most Sacked Myron Dustin, SJ 71
Most TD Myron Dustin, SJ 32
Most INT Myron Dustin, SJ 27
QBR George Warner, SA 102.99
Longest Completion Thomas Santos, Mem 100

Rushing Stats

Most Yards Gary May, Birm 1,027
Yards Per Carry Christopher Goins, Pit 5.7 (min. 100 carries)
Longest Run Arthur Ortega, Pit 95
Most TD James Valdez SJ, 11

Receiving Stats

Most Catches Lynn McLaurin, SJ 193
Most Yards Lynn McLaurin, SJ 2,189
Targets Lynn McLaurin, SJ 244
Drops Lynn McLaurin, SJ 21
Catch % Glenn Graham, SA 89.1% (minimum 3 catches per game)
Yards Per Catch Jason Wharton, Phi 18.0 (minimum 3 catches per game)
Longest Catch Walter Wiggins, Mem 100
Receiving TDs Domenic Winstead, Okl 11

Kick Returns

Multiple TDs Herman Gonzalez, GA 3; 2 each by Marco Anderson, Chi; Kevin Hillman, Den; Jason Wharton, Phi
Average Return Kevin Hillman, Den 42.0 (minimum 10 returns)

Punt Returns

TDs (all TDs entire league) William Flock, Wash 3: James Sadler, Cha 1
Average Return William Flock, Wash 18.6

Kicking

Most FGs John Dean, Phi 36
Perfect Kickers (FG/XP) Oscar Hall, Shr (13/13 FG; 11/11 XP)
Perfect on FGs Only Michael Marmon, Hon (25/25), Daniel Beaupre, Okl (20/20)
Longest FG John Dean, Phi 59
Most FGs 50+ Raymond Evenson, SC 11

Punting

Highest Gross Avg John Peeler, NJ 47.8
Highest Net Avg Virgil Leon, Jax 45.6
Most Inside 20 Scott Still, Shr 52
Best I 20 ratio Mario James, Wash (32 of 56 I20)

Defense

Most Tackles Jason Medlin, SJ 116
Most Sacks Gabriel Barry, Jax 21
Most Hurries Gene Brown, NO 24
Missed Tackles Jason Medlin, SJ 28
Knockdowns Christopher Parker, Okl 33
Lowest Catch % Daniel Castle, NO 26.0% (minimum thrown at 3 x a game)
Honorable Mention Catch % Lawrence Lothian, Bir 16.7% (6/36, just missed qualifying)
Most INTs 4 way tie with 7 each: Jason Medlin, SJ; Peter Sanders, SA; Michael Noonan, TB; Patrick Liebowitz, SA
Int TD 13 players tied with 1 each, not gonna list them all

Miscellaneous

Most Fumbles Randy Schmidt, Mem 7
Most Fumble Recoveries Brett Estrada, Det 6
Forced Fumbles John Jones, Fla; Justin Sanchez, Cle 5 each
Most Sacks Allowed Osvaldo Bradley, SJ 19
Most Penalties Logan Dye, Oak 10
Most Total Yards Lynn McLaurin, SJ 2,550
Most TDs 4 way tie with 12 each: Jason Wharton, Phi; James Valdez, SJ; Lynn McLaurin, SJ; David Babin, SJ

Rumor out of New Jersey is that Sam Axe has been taking first team reps in practice for the Generals this week. Kevin Via is not listed on the injury report so perhaps he's getting benched?

New Jersey had high hopes for Kevin Via when they signed him to a 6 year, $385 million contract but it just hasn't worked out. Via is under contract for 2011 while backup Sam Axe is set to hit free agency after the season unless they agree to a contract extension before the end of the league year.

Axe started in 2007 and 2008 with results similar to Via, and when Axe had an awful beginning to 2009, he was replaced by Via. Head Coach James Fortes has got to be frustrated with the musical chairs at QB, but what can he do when neither guy takes the job and runs with it?

Near as I can tell, I think New Jersey just wants to see Axe these last 3 games and find out if they want to give him a contract extension or let him walk.

You know the drill by now, it's too close to work time so I'm not doing game recaps yet. I picked the wrong defense to switch QBs as the Breakers are tough against the pass. They are soft against the run, and while Vic Mackey didn't break any records like Frederick Martin did against this defense, Mackey did get 141 yards closer to immortality as he's now just 70 yards from breaking Scott Randall's all time record.

Speaking of records, Lynn McLaurin broke two of former teammate Jacob Newman's records. Newman is now #2 in most receptions in a game with 23 in a 2006 game. 2006 was also the year Newman caught 213 passes, which is now #2 as well.

Lynn McLaurin caught 25 today to push his total on the year to 218 and counting. Congratulations to Lynn McLaurin on making history today.

When Week 14 kicked off we had 6 games between playoff contenders, with two of the losing teams being eliminated.

I have to start with San Jose's 75-33 win over Washington. The SaberCats really had the passing game working and it wasn't all Lynn McLaurin. San Jose had a 47-0 halftime lead they pushed to 67-0 late in the 3rd before Washington won the final 19:31 of the game 33-8. I'll just dive right into the stats as Myron Dustin completed 57/75, 649 yards, 6 TDs, 0 INTs and 5 sacks taken. You've probably heard Lynn McLaurin set a couple records today and his record 25 catches netted 257 yards and a TD. McLaurin was the leader of the pack but Scott Isaacs (5-106-2) and Lee Ramos (7-102-2) also topped 100 yards. Seven San Jose ball carriers combined for 155 yards and 3 TDs. Michael Erickson threw for 4 TDs after the game was decided and William Flock caught 5 for 143 and a TD.

San Antonio got out to a 20-0 lead en route to a 20-10 win over Honolulu. George Warner threw for 296 yards and 2 TDs and Milton Castle was the leading receiver, catching 4 for 108 yards and a TD. It wasn't all great for the Gunslingers as they allowed 5 sacks and missed 2 FGs while allowing the Hawaiians over 300 total yards. With the loss, Honolulu dropped out of first place.

Michigan beat Oklahoma 15-7 in a possible playoff preview. Michigan won the box score, out gaining the Outlaws 410-231 and they won the turnover battle 2-0 yet it was just a 6-0 game after 3 quarters of play. Willie Reddish did most of the offensive damage, completing 33/51, 387 yards and a TD. That TD pass came early in the 4th to give the Panthers a 12-0 lead as the 2 point try failed. Raymond Settles then led Oklahoma on a TD drive, getting the Outlaws within 5 points with plenty of time left. Michigan didn't score many points today but punter Danny Hardt put 3 of 4 punts inside the 20 to make things difficult for Oklahoma. After the Outlaws got within 12-7, Michigan added a FG and Oklahoma punted, then the Panthers ran out the remaining clock for the win.

New Orleans beat Orlando 21-9 as MFN declares the VooDoo the #1 seed. Sometimes I think the league office is run like Kruger Industrial Smoothing (Seinfeld reference) as their point spreads **** because the power rankings **** and they've always had standings glitches. Anyway, each team scored 3 times with the difference being the VooDoo put the ball in the end zone 3 times while Orlando had to settle for 3 FGs. James Wright threw 2 TD passes and Gerald Waldon had a combined 152 yards and a rushing TD.

Jacksonville whipped Philadelphia 36-9 despite losing the turnover battle 4-3. The Bulls racked up 541 offensive yards to just 189 for Philadelphia. Jacksonville's defense forced 3 turnovers of their own and held Jason Wharton to just 1 catch for 4 yards. William Barron had himself a day, other than his 3 INTs as he completed 24/38, 433 yards and 4 TDs. William McLendon caught 2 scores among his 8 for 162 while Donald Wade also topped 100 (3-105-1). The Bulls running game chipped in 123 yards as Jacksonville clinches the Southeast and eliminates Orlando in the process.

Birmingham eliminated Shreveport from playoff contention with a 26-14 win. Russell Gall threw 3 TD passes, 2 to Arnold Griego (4-118-2) as the Stallions gained 392 total yards. Terry Leblanc had a good day for Shreveport, completing 27/32, 201 yards and 2 TDs but the running game gained 5 yards on 24 carries. Frederick Martin, who recently broke the all time single game rushing record, carried 19 times for minus 1 yard and getting tackled in the end zone for a safety.

Those were the six games in Week 14 where both teams were playoff contenders or in the playoffs at kickoff. There were also 6 games where one team was in or still in contention.

Houston beat Southern California 44-22 in another game where their offense looked like San Jose minus the sacks. Dale Baber completed 31/44, 506 yards, 6 TDs and 4 INTs, getting sacked once. Six different receivers caught a Baber TD pass today and the yardage flowed through the Macho Man. Randy Savage ran 11 times for 51 yards while catching 6 for 157 yards and a score. Southern California scored 6 times themselves but 5 of those were FGs, which makes it hard to keep up with an offense that scored 6 TDs, even with forcing 6 turnovers (the Gamblers lost 2 fumbles in addition to Baber's 4 INTs).

Cleveland had a 12-3 lead on Georgia midway through the 3rd qtr before the Force scored the final 10 points of the game for a 13-12 win that keeps them alive for the playoffs. Cleveland settled for 4 FGs in building that 12-3 lead, then George Wicker's TD run late in the 3rd got Georgia within 2 points, then Antonio Washington made a 42 yard FG inside the 2 minute warning to give the Force the win.

Boston took a 10-0 lead on New Jersey as halftime approached but Calvin Rose got the Generals right back in the game with a record tying 110 yard kickoff return TD. Howie Schwab missed FGs on New Jersey's first 2 possessions which seemed to shatter Sam Axe's confidence as he was awful in replacing Kevin Via today. Vic Mackey saved the day for the offense, running for 141 yards and Raylan Givins justified his way into the go ahead TD early in the 4th as New Jersey escapes with a 17-10 victory to set up basically a play in game with New York. The Generals have a QB decision to make now and in the offseason.

Pittsburgh mauled Charlotte 35-6 as they get closer to punching their playoff ticket. Thomas Hampton threw 3 TD passes and the running game had 255 yards and 2 TDs. Kenneth Allen ran for 87 yards and a TD, Christopher Goins ran for 84 and a score while Arthur Ortega chipped in 71 yards on the ground.Hampton's 3 TD passes went to 3 different receivers as the Maulers scored the last 35 points after an early 6-0 deficit.

Oakland has won the West and will host a playoff game but the Invaders are not playing their best football as they lost their second consecutive game, falling to Denver 17-10. Oakland took a 10-0 2nd qtr lead before Kevin Hillman returned the kickoff 99 yards to get the Gold on the board. Hillman added a TD run in the 3rd that put Denver up for good at 14-10. Oakland's offense went without a first down the final 28+ minutes of the game.

Those of you around my age or older probably remember an old TV show called Battle of the Network Stars. They had TV stars from the 3 networks (Fox didn't exist until the 80's) doing physical challenges sort of like track and field. Well here in the USFL, we sometimes have our own battle of the Stars whenever New York and Baltimore play each other. When the USFL and WFL merged in MFN in 1974, the league office allowed both teams to use the Stars nickname. It can be confusing, which is why New York is often seen in type as New York (NY) Stars.

Anyway we had our Battle of the Stars in Week 14 with New York coming out on top 17-12. Baltimore had a clean offensive game, allowing no sacks and not turning the ball over. Baltimore also never crossed the goal line, settling for 4 FGs. Sean Cleveland ran for 110 yards in a losing effort. New York's offense was inconsistent but Jamie Orman connected on 2 long TD passes to lead his Stars to victory. His first TD covered 74 yards to Perry Nelson and his 2nd went for 73 yards to Dylan Fryer.

That leaves us with 4 games between teams playing for draft position and roster spots for 2011.

Memphis took their frustrations out on Detroit, flattening the Wheels 27-0. Randy Schmidt ran for 151 yards and Dustin Michael had 79 and a TD to lead the Showboats offense. Schmidt had an uncredited TD as he fumbled near the goal line, then picked it up and ran for a TD that is not shown as a rushing TD nor a fumble recovery TD in the box score. Whatever I guess, as long as the points show on the scoreboard. All that rushing allowed Memphis to hold the ball nearly 43 minutes and the Showboats defense held Detroit to 58 total yards.

Tampa Bay beat Florida 17-9 behind 99 yards rushing and 2 TDs by Carl Gillard. Florida QB Nichoals Meis was under pressure most of the game as he was sacked 9 times and ran for 37 yards on 2 scrambles to lead the Blazers in rushing. Meis played well when he had time to throw, completing 22/34 for 238 yards, but the sacks and lack of running game kept Florida out of the end zone. Matthew Rich had 5 of the Bandits' 9 sacks.

Arizona got out to a 20-0 2nd qtr lead on Portland before the Storm score the last 23 points of the game to steal a 23-20 win. Arizona's defense forced 3 turnovers, had 5 sacks, and allowed Richard Akins just 13/31 completions. Those 13 completions covered 246 yards and 2 TDs though, as the Storm came back. The Wranglers did help Portland's cause with 2 long missed FG tries in the 4th qtr and an INT on their final drive looking to win or force OT. Marvin Leggett caught 4 for 131 yards for the Storm.

Chicago beat Los Angeles 17-9 in a battle of bad QB play. Marco Anderson ran for 97 yards and a TD to lead the Chicago offense while QB Eric Hansen did manage a TD pass to Jack Ramos to give the Blitz the lead for good late in the 3rd qtr. Los Angeles QB Donald Davis completed 13/24 for 87 yards and 2 INTs with 2 sacks taken. Eric Hansen was 16/29, 142 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs and 3 sacks taken for Chicago.