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1986 USFL Week 9 Wrap Up

Week 9 is in the books. Boston stayed undefeated. Pittsburgh got their first win of the year in a blowout of the Brass. Randall Cunningham and the Las Vegas Ace are starting to look like a contender.

The top of the divisions look pretty much the same after week 9’s results. Some teams have started to shuffle into the 3rd place playoff position in each division, including perennial powers Philadelphia, Tampa, and Oakland and newcomer Oklahoma.

We hope you continue to be entertained by the on field action at the USFL. We have 11 more weeks to go in the season and then we are on to the playoffs! See you next week!

1986 Week 9 USFL Stat Leaders

Games

Friday

Oakland Invaders 14, Arizona Wranglers 26

Saturday

Memphis Showboats 21, Birmingham Stallions 20

Oklahoma Outlaws 28, Denver Gold 55

Sunday

Washington Federals 28, Boston Breakers 41

New Jersey Generals 23, Philadelphia Stars 17

Tampa Bay Bandits 20, Jacksonville Bulls 30

New Orleans Brass 34, Pittsburgh Maulers 55 (Recap coming soon)

Chicago Blitz 38, San Antonio Gunslingers 28

Los Angeles Express 30, Las Vegas Ace 39

Monday

Houston Gamblers 38, Michigan Panthers 41

Standings

Players of the Week

Offense: Topper Clemmons, RB, Memphis Showboats. Clemmons helped the Showboats to a big win over Birmingham with 117 yards rushing and 1 touchdown and 38 yards receiving and 1 touchdown.

Defense: Devon Mitchell, S, Chicago Blitz. Mitchell ran rampant on the Gunslingers. He intercepted two passes, forced a fumble, and recorded 5 sacks in the game.

Special Teams: Nojo Bojovic, K, Michigan Panthers. Bojovic was perfect on the day, 2-2 on FG and 5-5 on PAT, for 11 points in the Panthers big 3 point home win against Houston.

Denver Gold 32, Chicago Blitz 52

USFL Playoffs Western Championship (1985)

Chicago Blitz Overwhelm Denver Gold in High-Scoring Western Championship Thriller
By Ryan “Data Dynamo” Anderson

The Chicago Blitz proved why they are the perennial powerhouse of the USFL, defeating the Denver Gold 52-35 in a wild Western Championship game at Soldier Field. Despite a strong start by Denver, Chicago’s offense, led by MVP quarterback Tim Spencer, exploded for 52 points, including a 28-point third quarter that turned the tide. The Blitz’s ability to capitalize on turnovers and dominate time of possession (37:08 to 22:52) ultimately sealed their victory and punched their ticket to the USFL Championship.

Denver came out firing, with quarterback Bob Gagliano connecting on two early touchdown passes to Marc Lewis (45 yards) and Leonard Harris (21 yards) to take a 14-0 lead. However, Chicago’s defense adjusted, forcing six turnovers, including a pivotal 40-yard interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Mike Minniefield in the third quarter. Gagliano finished with impressive numbers (28-of-48, 492 yards, 5 TDs), but his four interceptions and two sacks proved costly. The Blitz’s defense, which generated 20 blitzes and three forced fumbles, consistently disrupted Denver’s rhythm, holding the Gold to just 19 rushing yards on eight attempts.

Offensively, Chicago was nearly unstoppable. Quarterback Greg Landry orchestrated a masterful performance, completing 29-of-42 passes for 394 yards and five touchdowns, spreading the ball to nine different receivers. Tim Spencer, the game’s MVP, was a dual threat, rushing for 104 yards and a touchdown while adding nine receptions for 114 yards and another score. The Blitz’s efficiency in the red zone (4-for-7) and on third downs (9-of-13) underscored their dominance. Denver made a late push with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a 65-yard bomb from Gagliano to Harris, but it was too little, too late. Chicago’s balanced attack and relentless defense were simply too much for the Gold to overcome.

Team Stats

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