The USFL finishes its Inaugural Regular Season with a bummer in a 20-3 thrashing of the 6-4 New Orleans Breakers at the hands of the 3-7 Houston Gamblers. That said many games were exciting with a 4 point victory by the Stallions in a 21-18 win over the Bandits. The Maulers fell to the Michigan Panthers. The Generals handled the Stars in another close game.
The Power Rankings
Birmingham Stallions (9-1)
New Jersey Generals (9-1)
Philadelphia Stars (6-4)
New Orleans Breakers (6-4)
Houston Gamblers (3-7)
Tampa Bay Bandits (4-6)
Michigan Panthers (2-8)
Pittsburgh Maulers (1-9)
PLAYOFFS
2pm on FOX
3 Philadelphia Stars
2 New Jersey Generals
Luis Perez and DeAndre Johnson along with Kevontae Turpin looking for blood after their week 1 choke giving them their only blemish of an incredible season. They fell to the Stallions on Opneing Night of 5he USFL back on April 16, 2022. However, I find it difficult to believe that the Generals can knock off the Stars 2 weeks in a row. On paper the Generals are going to be the favorite and I can see why, but very seldom does the same team beat the same opponent in multiple times in a single season. The Generals need to be on UPSET ALERT. I'm thinking: Stars -0.5
7pm CT
4 New Orleans Breakers
1 Birmingham Stallions
This has been close in both times these teams have met. The Stallions took game 1 in the series 22-13 back in week 3. A game in which favored the Breakers in the passing game, but favored the Stallions in the ground game rushing for over 120 yards compared to the Breakers 95 yards. J'Mar had trouble getting into a rhythm on offense only completing 15 out of 38 passes for 189 yards to Kyle Sloter's 26 of 47 with 222 yards.
Game 2 of the series came in week 8 with the Stallions scoring a touchdown early and making the PAT to take a 7-0 lead in the first. The Stallions would hold the league for much of the first half before the Breakers scored a 30yd field goal with 4:45 left in the half. The next score wouldn't come until 2:14 left in the 3rd when Jones would take it in from the 3 to give the Breakers a 9-7 lead. The game would remain in a stalemate until 1:48 left when Brandon Aubrey sneaks one through the uprights for the field goal to give the Stallions a 10-9 lead. The Breakers would then take the final drive 20 yards before Kyle Sloter threw a interception that was taken by Josh Shaw who kneeled on the return at the Breakers 32 with 0:06 remaining. The flowing play would be a kneel by Smith.
The Breakers will enter Canton wanting to take full advantage of the 3rd game. If Kyle Sloter can get healthy this week this could be a dangerous game, but you can expect Bo Scarbrough will be in full form, which we haven't seen since the Stallions clinched a playoff spot.
I'm thinking: Stallions -1.5
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