1984: Express Defeat Panthers in 3rd Overtime Period

The United States Football League first round playoff matchup on June 30, 1984 at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles featured two teams that completed the regular season with 10-8 records. The host Express, champions of the Pacific Division, were up against the Michigan Panthers, the defending league champions who had finished second in the Central Division and qualified for the postseason as a wild card entry.

The Panthers, under Head Coach Jim Stanley, had looked bound to win the title again as they broke out to a 6-0 start. However, the loss of key players to injury - in particular WR Anthony Carter, SS David Greenwood, and G Thom Dornbrook - caused the club to sputter. Michigan proceeded to lose four consecutive games, and seven of eight, before winning three of the last four contests to make it into the playoffs. QB Bobby Hebert, who had played so well as a rookie in ’83 in leading the team to the title, was still effective but was forced to play through injuries and clearly missed the presence of Carter as his primary receiver after the sixth game.

Los Angeles had started slowly at 2-5 under Head Coach John Hadl and had difficulty putting points on the board. However, the insertion of rookie Steve Young (pictured above) as the starting quarterback began to pay off in the second half of the season, and the team went 8-3 the rest of the way to win the league’s weakest division.

The Express had experienced difficulty in drawing fans, and even though it was a playoff game there were just 7964 in attendance at the huge Coliseum. LA scored first, keeping the ball on the ground for seven of ten plays in an opening drive that concluded with a five-yard touchdown run by RB Kevin Nelson, the club’s leading rusher during the season.

That was it until midway through the second quarter when the Express extended the lead to 10-0 thanks to a 32-yard field goal by Tony Zendejas. Michigan got on the board late in the period on a three-yard TD run by RB Cleo Miller and then scored quickly again after intercepting a Young pass that was followed by a 22-yard touchdown throw from Hebert to RB Ken Lacy. The Panthers took a 14-10 lead into halftime.

Zendejas narrowed the margin to 14-13 late in the third quarter with a 34-yard field goal. However, Hebert threw a two-yard touchdown pass to TE Mike Cobb in the fourth quarter to stake the Panthers to an eight-point lead.

With 8:57 left in regulation, LA took possession at its 20 yard line. On first down, Young looked set to pass but took off on a seven-yard run. He didn’t slide at the end of the play, attempting to pick up more yardage, and was hit hard by Michigan LB Kyle Borland. Appearing dazed by the hit, the rookie quarterback ignored a request by Coach Hadl to leave the game and trotted back to the huddle – an act that seemed to inspire the offense.

RB Mel Gray carried for six yards and a first down on the next play, and a screen pass to WR JoJo Townsell picked up nine more. The drive stalled on the Panthers 47, but on a fourth-and-one play Young ran for four yards before taking yet another hard hit, this time from FS Ron Osborne. He followed up with a 22-yard pass to TE Darren Long and then, on a third down play at the Michigan 12, took off on another run that ended just short of the goal line. From there, Nelson scored with just 52 seconds remaining. The Express went for the two-point conversion and Young ran it in to tie the contest at 21-21.

The game went into overtime, and for two periods neither team could break the deadlock. Michigan’s normally reliable placekicker, Novo Bojovic, who had been successful on 22 of 29 field goal attempts during the season, missed twice during OT – the first a near-miss from 37 yards out while the second, from 36 yards, was badly shanked. Hebert had been knocked out of the game after being blind-sided while sacked by DT Eddie Weaver and was replaced by backup Whit Taylor.

The Express offense couldn’t move during the first 30 minutes of overtime, but finally in the third OT period Young hit Townsell on two slant passes that totaled 47 yards and Gray ended the contest with a 24-yard burst for a touchdown. It was a painful end to the marathon game for Gray, who was hit hard as he reached the goal line and suffered a broken arm that had him lying on the field in pain rather than celebrating.

At 93 minutes and 33 seconds (the winning score came at 3:33 into the third overtime period), it had been the longest pro football game ever played, breaking the 82:40 mark of the 1971 NFL Divisional playoff between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. As John Hadl summed up afterward, “I’ve never been through anything like that in my life.”


Steve Young completed 23 of 44 passes for 295 yards with two interceptions, ran for 44 yards on 7 carries, and received praise for his gritty performance, particularly in the game-tying drive in the fourth quarter. Mel Gray (pictured at right), who would go on to an outstanding NFL career as a kick returner, rushed for 124 yards on 31 carries including the game-winning TD. JoJo Townsell led the LA receivers with five catches for 96 yards; TE David Hersey also caught five passes, for 68 yards.

In defeat, Bobby Hebert completed 13 of 27 pass attempts for 201 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. RB John Williams gained 113 yards on 23 carries while Ken Lacy added 60 yards on five rushes. Lacy was co-leader in pass receiving with four catches for 57 yards and WR Derek Holloway had four receptions for a team-leading 67 yards.

Both teams topped 200 rushing yards, with Michigan outgaining the Express 236 to 217. The Express had the net passing yardage advantage at 285 to 245 and also led in time of possession, 51:59 to 41:34. The Panthers suffered four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble) to LA’s three (two interceptions, one fumble). But the kicking game proved crucial, as Tony Zendejas was successful in both of his field goal attempts for the Express while Novo Bojovic missed all three of his attempted three-pointers for Michigan, including the two failures in overtime (Bojovic is pictured at bottom after one of the missed attempts).

The Express lost the Western Conference title game to the Arizona Wranglers the following week, 35-23. The marathon game proved to be the finale for the Michigan Panthers, although it wasn’t known at the time – the franchise was merged with the Oakland Invaders in 1985 and abandoned the Michigan home base and identity altogether.

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.

1983: John Walton Throws for 423 Yards as Breakers Fall to Panthers

35-year-old QB John Walton had made the rounds of minor and major pro football leagues prior to becoming a member of the Boston Breakers of the United States Football League in 1983. He had won a Continental Football League championship as a rookie with the Indianapolis Capitols in 1969 and spent a year with the Columbus Barons of the Midwest Football League in ’73. In between, he was on the taxi squad of the NFL’s Rams.

Walton moved on to the World Football League - after backing up in Chicago in 1974, he got a chance to start and performed well with the San Antonio Wings in 1975. From there, it was back to the NFL and a backup role with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976-79. At that point he retired as a player and returned to his alma mater, Elizabeth City State, where he was the head coach for three seasons before taking a shot at the USFL (his coaching record was 20-10-1).

Everywhere Walton went he had impressed with his strong throwing arm, and age had not diminished his passing ability. He also provided leadership; as Head Coach Dick Coury put it, “Talk about character, John’s the catalyst of that on the field.”

The Breakers had a 5-3 record as they hosted the Michigan Panthers (4-4) on May 1, 1983 at Nickerson Field. The Panthers had won three straight after a slow start, and scored the first touchdown when TE Don Echols recovered a fumble in the end zone. Boston scored 10 points in the second quarter as Walton passed to WR Nolan Franz for a 44-yard touchdown and Tim Mazzetti booted a 38-yard field goal. However, Michigan led 14-10 at the half thanks to a five-yard TD pass from QB Bobby Hebert to TE Mike Cobb.

The Panthers extended their lead to 21-10 in the fourth quarter as Hebert threw another TD pass, this one covering 47 yards to WR Anthony Carter. However, Walton drove the Breakers back into the lead with two touchdown throws to RB Anthony Steels that covered one and 13 yards, respectively. Boston had a 24-21 lead, but the storybook performance by Walton failed to have a happy ending; a shanked punt by Dario Casarino gave the Panthers good field position at the Breakers 43 yard line, and with under two minutes left to play, RB John Williams plowed over for a touchdown and the lead for the Panthers.

Walton and Boston still nearly pulled the game out. Taking possession at their own 22 yard line, the Breakers drove to the Michigan three. However, Boston was unable to stop the clock at that point and time ran out. The Panthers won, 28-24.

The veteran quarterback put on an impressive passing display in defeat, completing 37 of 48 passes for 423 yards with three TDs and no interceptions; the yardage figure was the highest of the ’83 USFL season. He also spread the ball around well, and several receivers had noteworthy performances: WR Frank Lockett and RB Richard Crump caught the most passes, with 8 apiece for 85 and 66 yards respectively, while Nolan Franz gained the most yards, 103, on six catches with the one TD. FB Tony Davis caught 6 passes for 65 yards, while veteran WR Charlie Smith (who had been a teammate of Walton’s with the NFL’s Eagles) had 4 catches for 75 yards. Anthony Steels, who caught the last two touchdown throws, had 5 receptions for 29 yards.

Michigan outgained the Breakers on the ground, 121 yards to 65, as RB Ken Lacy led the way with 55 yards on 16 carries and John Williams added 41 yards on 13 attempts, including the winning TD. Tony Davis, by contrast, led the Breakers with 26 yards on seven attempts.

Bobby Hebert completed 17 of 26 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns; like Walton, he had none picked off. Elite rookie Anthony Carter gained 77 yards on three catches with a TD while Mike Cobb led the club with 5 catches (for 53 yards).

There was plenty of sloppy play along the way, as the teams combined for 27 penalties (14 by Michigan, 13 by the Breakers for more yards).

Boston ended up with an 11-7 record, finishing in second place in the Atlantic Division. The Panthers surged to a 12-6 finish, and thanks to tiebreakers won the Central Division title over the Chicago Blitz. They also won the first USFL championship, defeating the Philadelphia Stars.

John Walton ranked first in the league in pass attempts (589), second in completions (330) and yards (3772), and tied for third in touchdown passes (20). However, it was the unheralded rookie, Bobby Hebert, ranking first among USFL passers in leading the Panthers to the title; he also topped the league in yards per attempt (7.9) and touchdown passes (27).

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.