1987: Saints Beat Bucs, Qualify for Playoffs for First Time

Prior to the 1987 NFL season, the New Orleans Saints had symbolized pro football futility. Since the franchise first took the field in 1967, the club had not only never qualified for the postseason in its first 20 seasons, but had never finished with a winning record (the Saints had gone 8-8 in 1979 and 1983).

However, the arrival of Jim Mora (pictured at right) as head coach in 1986 marked a significant change in the team’s direction. After a successful stint coaching the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars to two USFL championships, he was hired by the Saints (after a flirtation with the Eagles, who went with the brash Buddy Ryan instead). They had gone 7-9 in ’86, which was an improvement, and one they built upon. Coming into the December 6, 1987 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Saints were 8-3 and close to locking up a playoff spot.

The team’s strength was its defense, in particular the linebacker corps of Vaughan Johnson, Rickey Jackson, Pat Swilling, and Sam Mills (who had played for Mora with the Stars). They were at their best stopping the run and ended up leading the league in takeaways (30 interceptions, 18 recovered fumbles). The offense was conservative and run-oriented, featuring RB Rueben Mayes and QB Bobby Hebert, another former USFL star.

Tampa Bay, under the guidance of Head Coach Ray Perkins, was a dismal 4-7 and had lost four straight games coming into the contest at the Louisiana Superdome (two of the wins came while replacement players were in use during the month-long strike by the players’ union; the New Orleans replacement team also went 2-1). The season was a lost cause, but there was some anticipation as rookie QB Vinny Testaverde, the overall first draft choice and Heisman Trophy winner out of the University of Miami, was making his first start for the Buccaneers.

The game started out well for the Saints, playing before a home crowd of 66,471. On the third play from scrimmage, Testaverde fumbled and DE Bruce Clark recovered at the Tampa Bay 19 yard line. Four plays later, Hebert threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to TE John Tice.

No sooner did the Bucs get the ball back, following a 40-yard kickoff return by DB Bobby Futrell, and Testaverde again fumbled the ball away. Swilling recovered for the Saints at the Tampa Bay 38, and the resulting possession again ended in a Hebert to Tice TD pass, this time from six yards out. Barely six minutes into the game, New Orleans had a 14-0 lead.

Two possessions later, the Buccaneers went 48 yards in seven plays to get on the board. Testaverde completed passes to RB James Wilder and WR Bruce Hill along the way that converted third downs (a 17-yard pass interference call on the Saints also helped) and capped the drive himself by running the final yard for a touchdown. The first quarter ended with the Saints leading by 14-7.

New Orleans responded with a 10-play possession that covered 77 yards and was highlighted by a Hebert pass to WR Mark Pattison that covered 36 yards to the Tampa Bay 29. Mayes swept around end for a seven-yard touchdown and the lead was extended to 21-7.

The Bucs were forced to punt and the star kick returner for the Saints, RB Mel Gray (another USFL refugee), fielded the kick at his 16 and ran it back 80 yards to the Tampa Bay four yard line. In short order, RB Dalton Hilliard ran three yards for a TD that put New Orleans up by 21 points.

The Buccaneers managed to put together a long, 14-play drive that resulted in a 37-yard field goal by Donald Igwebuike and the score at halftime was 28-10.

New Orleans started off the third quarter by driving for a 40-yard field goal by the dependable Morten Andersen, and essentially had the game in hand. The Bucs fought back and Testaverde threw touchdown passes of 37 yards to WR Mark Carrier in the third quarter and 12 yards to Hill in the final period. Igwebuike also kicked a 43-yard field goal and RB Bobby Howard ran for a two-yard touchdown.

But the Saints added points on a two-yard run by Mayes and Andersen field goals of 24 and 32 yards. New Orleans won by a final score of 44-34 and clinched a postseason berth for the first time.

Going to the air often in attempting to catch up, Tampa Bay actually outgained the Saints (449 yards to 365) and had more first downs (27 to 19). However, they turned the ball over four times (to once by New Orleans) and the two early fumbles that led to touchdowns put the Bucs in a hole they were unable to dig out of.

Vinny Testaverde made up for the early miscues by setting a new rookie passing yardage record with 369 while completing 22 of 47 passes with two touchdowns and two interceptions apiece. Mark Carrier set a franchise record with 212 receiving yards on 8 catches, including one TD. The Buccaneers gained 97 yards on the ground, with RB Jeff Smith leading the way at 31 yards on 8 carries and James Wilder following close behind at 30 yards on six attempts.


In winning, Bobby Hebert (pictured at left) completed 16 of 24 passes for 255 yards with two touchdowns and none intercepted. WR Eric Martin gained 101 yards on just two catches thanks to a 67-yard reception, and WR Lonzell Hill caught three passes to lead the club (he gained 27 yards). Dalton Hilliard and Rueben Mayes ground out 117 rushing yards between them, with Hilliard gaining 62 yards on 16 carries, including one TD, and Mayes contributing 55 yards on 21 attempts with two scores.

“You bet we’re a playoff team,” said an exultant Coach Mora afterward. “Our guys are happy, but their attitude is they’re not done yet. They want more.”

The Saints kept winning, ending up with nine straight victories to close out the season with a 12-3 tally. Coming in second in the NFC West to the 49ers, they claimed a wild card spot and hosted Minnesota in the first round of the postseason. Their first playoff game proved to be a great disappointment as the Vikings rolled over them, 44-10. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay kept losing and finished at 4-11, tied with Detroit at the bottom of the NFC Central division.

Bobby Hebert, who had been experiencing difficulty in transferring his USFL success to the NFL, showed marked improvement as he threw for 2119 yards with 15 touchdowns against 9 interceptions. His 12.9 yards per completion ranked fourth in the NFC.

Rueben Mayes was selected for the Pro Bowl for the second time as he ranked second in the NFC (fifth in the league) with 917 yards on 243 carries (3.8 avg.) and five touchdowns. Injuries would steadily erode his production thereafter, and he didn’t start a game after 1990.


Mel Gray’s 80-yard punt return was no anomaly as he led the NFL with a 14.7-yard average on 24 returns. He would go on to be a highly-productive kick returner for the next decade, although his greatest notoriety would come as a member of the Detroit Lions.

In the first of 21 up-and-down seasons, Vinny Testaverde (pictured at right) completed 43 % of his passes for 1081 yards and five TDs along with six interceptions. Fellow rookie Mark Carrier caught 26 passes and accounted for half of his 423 receiving yards in the game against the Saints. He would go on to a productive 12-year career.

1991: Saints Lose for First Time as Bears Score on Final Drive

The Chicago Bears were 5-2 as they traveled to New Orleans to take on the undefeated (7-0) Saints on October 27, 1991 at the Louisiana Superdome. The Bears were in their tenth season under the direction of fiery Head Coach Mike Ditka and were used to contending – since Ditka’s third season in 1984, they had only once had a losing season (or for that matter, failed to win at least 10 games), and that had been two years before, in 1989 when they were 6-10. They had bounced back to 11-5 in ’90 and had every expectation of dominating the NFC Central.

New Orleans, long an NFL bottom feeder, had begun to win in 1987 under the direction of Head Coach Jim Mora. The Saints had twice been in the playoffs, although with a mediocre 8-8 record in 1990. QB Bobby Hebert had returned after sitting out the ’90 season due to a contract dispute, and whether he or Steve Walsh, the previous year’s starter, was behind center, the team kept winning thanks to an outstanding defense – they had not allowed an opposing team to score in double digits since the second week of the season.

Neither team was able to muster much offense in the first few possessions until, late in the first quarter, Hebert threw a pass down the middle to WR Floyd Turner for a 65-yard touchdown. The Bears managed two field goals by Kevin Butler in the second quarter, of 34 and 48 yards, but had difficulty sustaining any sort of drive. New Orleans took a 10-6 advantage at halftime when Morten Andersen boomed a 60-yard field goal on the final play of the period.

Chicago QB Jim Harbaugh (pictured above) managed to complete just two of his 10 passes in the first half. The Saints had been far better at throwing the ball, but had gained just 16 yards on 10 rushing attempts.

The Bears got a break in the third quarter when New Orleans CB Vince Buck was called for pass interference, resulting in a 37-yard gain to the Saints nine yard line. Two plays later, RB Brad Muster ran six yards for a touchdown and Chicago was in the lead at 13-10.

Two possessions later, the Saints put together a 56-yard drive in six plays highlighted by a 34-yard pass completion from Hebert to Turner. An eight-yard touchdown pass to Turner put New Orleans back in front, 17-13.

Early in the fourth quarter, Butler missed a field goal attempt from 51 yards out. The Bears came no closer to scoring as the game progressed and they continued to struggle on offense against the fierce pass rush. With just under two minutes to go, they took over on their own 48 after a poor 12-yard punt by Tommy Barnhardt of the Saints. Even with the good field position, it seemed as though the New Orleans defense was in control – Harbaugh had failed to complete a pass in the second half and was now a combined two of 19.

However, the passing game suddenly came alive as Harbaugh immediately completed a throw to WR Wendell Davis for 27 yards to the New Orleans 25. RB Neal Anderson ran up the middle for seven yards, and then caught a pass from Harbaugh for six more. Finally, Harbaugh threw to WR Tom Waddle for a 12-yard touchdown and, with the successful extra point, a three-point lead.

The Saints were unable to come back in the final seconds – a fourth-and-16 pass from their own 21 fell incomplete and the Bears, stymied on offense for so much of the game, won by a score of 20-17.


New Orleans easily outgained Chicago, 313 yards to 178, including a net 262 passing yards compared to 36 for the Bears. Jim Harbaugh ended up with 5 completions in 22 attempts for 61 yards with the game-winning TD and two interceptions. Brad Muster led the running game with 57 yards on 10 carries, while Neal Anderson was right behind at 53 yards on 12 attempts. Three receivers accounted for all of the Bears’ pass receiving – Anderson and Tom Waddle (pictured at left) each caught two passes for 17 yards apiece, and Wendell Davis was the yardage leader on his lone 27-yard reception.

For the Saints, Bobby Hebert was successful on 27 of 39 passes for 291 yards with two touchdowns against one interception. Floyd Turner had a big day, catching 9 of those passes for 179 yards and both TDs. However, the running game never caught fire, as the team ran for a total of 51 yards on 23 carries – RB Gill Fenerty was the leader with 25 yards on 8 attempts.

The win over New Orleans was the second of an eventual five straight for the Bears on the way to an 11-5 record and second place finish in the NFC Central - it was good enough to secure a wild card spot in the postseason, although they lost to Dallas in the first round. The Saints, after the strong start, faltered in the second half of the season. They won their next two games but then dropped four straight and finished at 11-5, still good enough to win the NFC West although they fell to arch-rival Atlanta in the Wild Card playoff.

1989: Packers Come From Behind to Defeat Saints

The Green Bay Packers had not been over .500 in the six consecutive seasons prior to 1989, and that had been in the strike-shortened 1982 campaign. In their first year under Head Coach Lindy Infante in ’88, they had gone 4-12. The club had signed 20 free agents in the offseason, more than any other team in the NFL. Of the holdovers, WR Sterling Sharpe had led the Packers in pass receiving as a rookie and LB Tim Harris had 13.5 sacks and led the team in tackles.

The Packers lost their opening game in ’89 to Tampa Bay and on September 17 hosted the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field. After years of underachieving, New Orleans had gone to the postseason for the first time in 1987 under Head Coach Jim Mora and followed up with a 10-6 record in ’88. They missed the playoffs, but it was still a respectable showing for a club that had not posted a winning record in its first 20 seasons.

The Saints took control from the start, scoring on their first three possessions. After receiving the opening kickoff, they drove 77 yards in eight plays with QB Bobby Hebert throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass to WR Lonzell Hill. The Packers went three-and-out and the Saints took eight plays to score again, in a 56-yard possession that was highlighted by a 15-yard pass from Hebert to WR Floyd Turner and 21-yard carry by RB Dalton Hilliard. Hilliard capped the drive with a three-yard TD run. Packers QB Don Majkowski (pictured above) tossed an interception to end the next possession shortly before the conclusion of the first quarter, which finished with New Orleans ahead by 14-0.

Two plays into the second quarter, the Saints extended their lead to 21-0 when Hebert tossed a one-yard touchdown pass to TE Hoby Brenner. After an exchange of punts, Green Bay finally got on the board. Majkowski threw passes of 11 yards to WR Perry Kemp and 20 yards to TE Ed West and RB Brent Fullwood ran in for a TD from a yard out. But New Orleans managed one more drive prior to the end of the half that culminated in a 38-yard Morten Andersen field goal and the Saints took a 24-7 lead into halftime.

The Packers began to climb out of the hole with their first possession in the third quarter. Majkowski completed all seven of his passes in a 14-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Fullwood scoring his second touchdown of the game on a four-yard run. After New Orleans went three-and-out in its possession and punted, Majkowski completed five more passes in a six-play drive with West hauling in a three-yard touchdown catch. Green Bay was now only down by three points, 24-21.

The Saints weren’t done yet, however, as Hebert led them on a six-play possession of their own that included passes of 13 and 28 yards to WR Eric Martin and concluded early in the fourth quarter with a 24-yard scoring throw to Hill. The Packers responded with yet another scoring possession, going 78 yards in five plays as West caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Majkowski. It was again a three-point game at 31-28.


New Orleans came back with a long, 12-play possession that ran more than eight minutes off the clock and resulted in a 32-yard Andersen field goal. Green Bay struck quickly when they got the ball back with Majkowski passing to WR Jeff Query
(pictured at right) for a 35-yard gain to the Saints’ 45 yard line. But three plays later they faced a fourth-and-17 situation with under two minutes remaining to play. Majkowski again went to Query along the sideline, and the resulting 23-yard gain kept the drive alive. It ended with Majkowski throwing a three-yard touchdown pass to Sharpe, and with the successful extra point, Green Bay took the lead at 35-34 with 1:31 left on the clock.

The one-point margin held up when Hebert immediately went to the air and his long pass was intercepted by CB Van Jakes; Green Bay was able to run out the clock.


The Packers accumulated 490 total yards in their comeback victory to 367 for New Orleans. Don Majkowski completed 25 of 32 passes for 354 yards with three TDs and an interception. There were plenty of pass receiving stars as Sterling Sharpe (pictured at left) caught 8 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown, Ed West contributed 6 receptions for 87 yards and two scores, and Jeff Query made four catches for 84 yards, including the big plays in the final drive. Brent Fullwood also had a notable game rushing, gaining 125 yards on 18 carries with two TDs.

In defeat, Bobby Hebert tossed 32 passes, completed 23 of them for 282 yards and, like his Green Bay counterpart, with three touchdowns and one picked off. Lonzell Hill had 6 pass receptions for 90 yards and two TDs. However, the Saints didn’t gain as much on the ground, as Dalton Hilliard led the club with 43 yards on 13 attempts with a score.

It was the first sign of rejuvenation for the Packers, who ended up going 10-6 and finishing second (due to tiebreakers) in the NFC Central. They just missed the postseason. Meanwhile, New Orleans fell to a disappointing 9-7 and third place in the NFC West.

Don Majkowski had easily the best season of his career. He led the league in pass attempts (599), completions (353), and yards (4318) while firing 27 touchdown passes (third in the NFL) against 20 interceptions. The third-year quarterback out of Virginia was named to the Pro Bowl and received second-team All-NFL recognition from the Associated Press.

Sterling Sharpe led the NFL with 90 pass receptions and ranked second with 1423 yards and 12 touchdowns. He received All-Pro and Pro Bowl recognition, but unlike Majkowski there were better years ahead.

The Packers would regress to being a losing club again in 1990 and ’91, Infante’s last year as head coach. It would take the arrival of Infante’s successor, Mike Holmgren, and a young quarterback named Brett Favre in 1992 before Green Bay would begin to win again with consistency.

1985: Stars Defeat Invaders in Final USFL Title Game

The championship game of the United States Football League on July 14, 1985 was billed as the circuit’s last as a spring entity, but ultimately it was the USFL’s final contest altogether. There were 49,263 fans on hand at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ for the matchup between the Baltimore Stars and Oakland Invaders.

The Stars, reigning USFL champions who had moved from Philadelphia to Baltimore in preparation for the switch to fall, used the familiar formula under Head Coach Jim Mora to return to the title game for the third time. QB Chuck Fusina competently guided the offense. RB Kelvin Bryant rushed for 1207 yards and caught 40 passes for 407 more. WR Scott Fitzkee had his most productive season, catching 73 passes for 882 yards. The opportunistic defense, featuring LB Sam Mills, DE William Fuller, and S Mike Lush, was still one of the best.

However, the Stars weren’t as dominant in the regular season as they had been the previous two years in Philadelphia (31-5 overall), starting slowly and ending up in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 10-7-1 record. The fact that the team continued to train in Philadelphia while playing 40 miles from Baltimore at the University of Maryland’s Byrd Stadium likely contributed to the club’s on-field difficulties. They had to win two postseason games on the road, against the New Jersey Generals and Birmingham Stallions, to make it back to the championship game.

Oakland benefited from a merger with the Michigan Panthers following the ’84 season which greatly improved the team’s nucleus. Head Coach Charlie Sumner inherited QB Bobby Hebert, who relegated Fred Besana to the bench as he ranked second in passing yards with 3811 and third with 30 TD passes, and WR Anthony Carter, who caught 70 passes for 1323 yards and 14 touchdowns. The other wide receiver, Gordon Banks, prospered by pulling in 62 catches for 1115 yards and another five scores.

The Invaders accumulated the USFL’s best record, 13-4-1, in winning the Western Conference. They narrowly defeated the Tampa Bay Bandits in the first round of the playoffs and then won against the Memphis Showboats to gain a spot in the title contest.

The game began in a heavy rain, to the benefit of the more conservative Stars. Baltimore scored first on a 16-yard pass play from Fusina to Fitzkee. However, Oakland was able to take advantage of the slippery throwing conditions as safety David Greenwood picked off an errant pass by Fusina and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. The score stood even at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Kelvin Bryant scored twice in the second quarter, on runs of 7 and 17 yards, with a one-yard TD by Oakland RB John Williams in between. The Stars held a 21-14 advantage at halftime and the Invaders offense had been able to put together only one scoring drive. Well defended by Stars CB Garcia Lane, Anthony Carter contributed just one catch for four yards.

The situation changed in the third quarter. First, Novo Bojovic connected on a 19-yard field goal for the Panthers. Then Carter began to get loose on crossing patterns, and Hebert connected with him for a seven-yard TD pass that staked Oakland to a 24-21 lead.

In the fourth quarter the Stars put together a drive that resulted in Bryant’s third touchdown of the game (pictured at top) on a 7-yard run. With time running down, the Invaders took over on their four yard line and methodically moved downfield. Williams made key runs and Hebert completed a 28-yard pass to Carter on yet another crossing pattern, and with 2:50 remaining on the clock Oakland faced a third-and-two situation at the Baltimore five.

Williams carried and was stopped for no gain by Sam Mills, but even more significantly, FB Tom Newton was flagged for unnecessary roughness. Instead of facing a fourth-and-two situation, it was now third-and-17. Hebert threw two incomplete passes and the Stars clinched the 28-24 win.

Kelvin Bryant was the game’s MVP, rushing 23 times for 103 yards and three TDs as well as leading the club with five catches for another 56 yards. Struggling with a slippery football, neither quarterback had a particularly strong showing. Chuck Fusina completed 15 of 26 passes for 155 yards with the one costly interception. Bobby Hebert was successful on just 14 of 30 throws for 187 yards with a TD and an interception. John Williams led the Invaders with 96 rushing yards on 13 carries while Anthony Carter was the top receiver with 5 catches for 74 yards and a TD.

Overall, Oakland won the statistical battle, outrushing the Stars 155 yards to 150 and gaining 177 net passing yards to 124. But they committed eight penalties to Baltimore’s four, including the costly flag on Newton.

An angry Coach Sumner said afterward, “It had been a rough game. They’d been calling offsetting penalties all night. How could they call it on just one guy?” But Newton admitted, “I was just too aggressive.”

The closely-fought championship game provided a fitting conclusion to the USFL’s existence, although no one knew it at the time. The league’s planned move to the fall for 1986 ended up not happening. While the league won an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, instead of being awarded a large settlement, it received just three dollars in damages. With overall debt topping $160 million, the USFL folded a year after Kelvin Bryant scored the last touchdown in its three-year history.

1983: Bobby Hebert Tosses 5 TD Passes as Panthers Beat Blitz

After a slow start in the United States Football League’s first season, the Michigan Panthers caught fire. They were 1-4 by the fifth week, but proceeded to win six straight games and 9 of 11 prior to their June 26, 1983 showdown against the Chicago Blitz at Soldier Field.

The Panthers offense had prospered behind the play of two rookies, QB Bobby Hebert and WR Anthony Carter, and this game would be no different. Meanwhile the Blitz, coached by George Allen and heavy preseason favorites to dominate the USFL, were 11-5 and just a game ahead of Michigan in the Central Division. They had obtained veteran QB Bobby Scott from the New Jersey Generals after Greg Landry, the club’s original starter, went down with a broken ankle; after Landry’s replacement, Tim Koegel, also suffered an injury, Scott moved into the starting lineup the previous week in a 29-14 win over Birmingham.

On a 99-degree day before 25,041 fans, the Panthers took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a pass from Hebert to RB Ken Lacy that covered 39 yards. It was 14-0 in the second quarter after Hebert threw his second TD pass of the day, for 35 yards to Carter. The Blitz got on the board with a 34-yard field goal by Frank Corral, but Hebert threw a 42-yard TD pass to WR Derek Holloway and Michigan took a 21-3 lead into halftime.

Hebert hit Holloway for another touchdown, of 15 yards, in the third quarter. While the extra point failed, the lead of 27-3 seemed secure. Still, Chicago rallied for 16 straight points in the fourth quarter. RB Kevin Long ran for a four-yard TD, although the attempted two-point conversion afterward failed. But Corral kicked a 40-yard field goal and Scott threw a nine-yard scoring pass to WR Trumaine Johnson to pull within reach of the Panthers at 27-19. However, Hebert’s fifth touchdown pass of the day, covering 32 yards to Carter, sealed the 34-19 win for Michigan.

Bobby Hebert completed 13 of 20 passes for 265 yards and an interception. His five touchdown passes set a USFL record that was tied six times over the next two seasons but never exceeded. Anthony Carter had his best game as a pro to date, catching 8 passes for 143 yards including the two TDs. Ken Lacy led the club in rushing with 77 yards on 21 carries in addition to his lone pass reception, the 39-yard TD.

Bobby Scott did not do badly for the Blitz, completing 22 of 39 passes for 345 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Trumaine Johnson, the eventual league-leader in pass receiving, had 8 receptions for 138 yards and the one TD. However, the normally proficient running game was held to 98 yards, with Kevin Long accumulating 33 yards on 10 carries and Tim Spencer adding 29 yards, also on 10 attempts.


The Panthers sacked Scott six times (suffering just one of their own), with LB John Corker accounting for two on his way to a USFL-leading 28. Corker also had an interception.

The win put the Panthers in a three-way tie atop the Central Division with the Blitz and Tampa Bay Bandits. Ultimately, after the final week action, Michigan and Chicago ended up with 12-6 records; the Panthers won the division title on tiebreakers while the Blitz made it to the postseason as the wild card entry. Tampa Bay placed third with an 11-7 mark. Chicago lost to the Philadelphia Stars in the first round of the postseason. Michigan ultimately won the league championship, defeating the Stars, 24-22.

Bobby Hebert led the league in overall passing rank as well as touchdowns (27) and yards per attempt (7.9). His 3568 yards through the air ranked third. Anthony Carter placed well behind Trumaine Johnson in pass receptions, but had an outstanding first year with 60 catches for 1181 yards and 9 touchdowns. John Corker not only was an All-League selection, but the Defensive Player of the Year.

1984: Panthers Defeat Gamblers as Hebert Outduels Kelly

The Houston Gamblers, new to the United States Football League in its second season, quickly established themselves as an offensive force. With rookie QB Jim Kelly leading the “run-and-shoot” attack, the Gamblers broke out to a 3-1 record. On March 26, 1984 at home in the Astrodome they took on the reigning USFL champions, the Michigan Panthers, in a battle for supremacy in the Central Division.

The Panthers were off to a solid 4-0 start as they sought to defend their league title. Head Coach Jim Stanley’s team was ably directed by QB Bobby Hebert, who in combination with WR Anthony Carter provided a devastating aerial attack. The defense included the 1983 league leader in sacks, LB John Corker, as well as DE Larry Bethea, NT David Tipton, LB Kyle Borland, and SS David Greenwood.

The upstart Gamblers scored first, with Kelly connecting with WR Scott McGhee on a nine-yard touchdown pass. Michigan responded with a one-yard run by RB John Williams for a touchdown later in the quarter. Early in the second quarter, Houston scored again on another nine-yard pass play, this from Kelly to WR Richard Johnson. The Panthers narrowed the score on a 22-yard field goal by Novo Bojovic and then took the lead just before the half thanks to an 11-yard pass from Hebert to Carter.

Michigan pulled away with three third quarter touchdowns, two on Hebert touchdown passes of 72 yards to WR Derek Holloway and 19 yards to RB Linnie Patrick, who also scored on an 11-yard run. In the meantime, Houston scored a touchdown on a 63-yard pass play from Kelly to slotback Clarence Verdin. However, the Panthers led by 38-21 after three quarters, a margin that proved too much for the Gamblers to overcome.


The final score was 52-34 as Michigan scored twice more in the final period, with Hebert hitting Carter on a touchdown pass play that covered 55 yards and Patrick running for a TD from 14 yards out. Houston’s backup QB Todd Dillon combined with WR Greg Moser for a 65-yard touchdown and RB Todd Fowler ran four yards for the final score of the game.

Bobby Hebert set a then-USFL record with 444 passing yards as he went to the air 37 times and completed 26 of his throws. Four produced touchdowns, as against none intercepted. By comparison, Jim Kelly (pictured below) completed 18 of 23 passes for 298 yards with three TDs and two interceptions. Between Kelly and Dillon, the Gamblers still piled up plenty of passing yards with 423.

Michigan had two hundred-yard pass receivers, as Derek Holloway pulled in 6 catches for 133 yards with a score and Anthony Carter grabbed 5 for 111 with two TDs. WR Ricky Sanders led Houston with 7 receptions for 76 yards, while Greg Moser had the most receiving yards with 83 on three catches, including the 65-yard touchdown.

The Panthers also outran the Gamblers, 116 yards to 43. Top rusher was Linnie Patrick, with eight carries for 48 yards; Jim Kelly actually led Houston with 27 yards on four runs.

The Panthers stayed undefeated through the first six games, but Anthony Carter broke his arm and the passing game was not as effective. Carter’s loss was a major turning point as the club then lost four straight contests and nine of the last 13. Hebert suffered a knee injury that limited his mobility, in addition to no longer having his best target available. While he still threw for 3758 yards and 24 touchdowns, he also tossed 22 interceptions and ended up the tenth-ranked passer in the league. The loss of David Greenwood in the secondary later in the season put a hole in the defense as well.

Jim Kelly threw more interceptions than Hebert, with a league-leading 26, but he also threw 44 touchdown passes as well as topping the USFL with 5219 yards, 370 completions, and an average of 8.89 yards-per-pass. Richard Johnson and Ricky Sanders both topped 100 passes, with 115 and 101, respectively.

The Panthers, with a 10-8 record, ended up in second place and earned a wild card spot behind Houston, the division champions at 13-5. Both teams lost in the first round of the postseason, as Michigan was defeated 27-21 by the Los Angeles Express in a marathon game that lasted into a third overtime period. Houston was upset by Arizona, 17-16.