1984 USFL Championship Game

[JoeKnows]

Arizona vs. Philadelphia (at Tampa Stadium)

I'll start posting the game at NOON CT tomorrow. I have plans tomorrow night, I have both files, no sense in waiting, eh?

[Freak]

Eat it, bitch.

[JoeKnows]

"This is Keith Jackson, along with Lynn Swann, and welcome to the 1984 USFL Championship Game, here in sunny Tampa, Floriday. The game features the Atlantic Division champion Philadelphia Stars and the 4th seed from the Pacific Division, the Arizona Wranglers. Can you give us an update on these two teams, Swannie?"

"Well Keith, the Arizona Wranglers are the surprise entry into this year's Championship Game, and you can look back to their offseason as to why. Chuck Clanton was an excellent first round draft choice, and ownership opened their pocketbooks for the former Buffalo Bills running back Joe Cribbs. Both have been a huge part of their success. Coach Doug Shively has kept the ball on the ground for the most part, and while they have a few holes on their defense, their running game keeps the other offense off the field as well. They could be dangerous if they get ahead."

"Thanks, Swannie, now how about the favorites, the Philadelphia Stars?"

"The Stars are the prohibitive favorites in this game, having only lost three games all season. One of the losses came to the Birmingham Stallions when the Stars were resting their starters, though, and the Stars took care of business against Birmingham last week. They have an excellent passing game with former San Diego Charger Dan Fouts, while their running game has had a bit of a down year this year, but look for the Stars to go to their prime back, Kelvin Bryant, quite a bit today, as there's no tomorrow. As for their defense, it only gave up two points more than the leaders, Michigan and Birmingham, and can be deadly against both the run and the pass on any given day. Their own first round draft pick, Less Browne, is giving Clanton a run for his money for best young secondary player. Coach Jim Mora has his team focused and ready, and we're going to see a good game."

"The last time these two teams met was in week 6, with Arizona struggling at the time, but yet, the Wranglers nearly defeated the Stars at home, falling 20-17 in overtime. The Wranglers intercepted Dan Fouts 4 times, and didn't turn it over themselves, but their passing game couldn't take advantage, and the Stars put on a late drive in the 4th quarter to tie the game, and won it without giving up the ball in overtime. We are about set to kick the ball away, and we'll be back after these commercial messages."

[JoeKnows]

[Freak]

Nice touch.

But prepare to die.

[JoeKnows]

The Stars would go three and out on their first possession, and the Wranglers would respond by going right down the field, getting Joe Cribbs out and about early, and taking advantage of Philadelphia penalties to get inside the red zone, but a third down pass wouldn't connect, and Rich Karlis would use his bare foot to put the ball between the uprights to get the Wranglers off to a 3-0 lead.

[JoeKnows]

Philadelphia wouldn't panic, though, and would get down the field themselves, as Bryant got 10 on the first play, and 42 on second and 10 two plays later. They would be stuffed on 3rd and inches in the Arizona red zone, though, and David Trout would make the field goal that tied the game from 32 yards away. The Wranglers would run the quarter out, with Cribbs getting the bulk of the carries, but Wamon Buggs hauled in a 21 yard pass as well to keep the drive moving. The Wranglers would end the quarter facing 3rd and 9 on the Philadelphia 29.

[Freak]

Yay for not being shutout.

[JoeKnows]

Karlis would make a 46 yarder after the 3rd down pass failed, and the Stars would come right back out firing, with Fouts finding Bryant for 10, and Bryant going 30 more, as the Stars began carving up the Wranglers defense. A personal foul call would bail the Stars out of a potential 3rd and 14 situation, and Fouts would flip one out to Bryant for the final three yards, and the Stars would lead 10-6.

[Freak]

Booooooooooooooooooooooooo.

[JoeKnows]

Cribbs would only gain 6 yards on 3 plays, and the Wranglers would punt. Philadelphia would get rolling once again, with Fouts hitting Carthon for 17, but then he'd take a sack, setting up a 3rd and 16 after an incomplete pass. Fouts would find Spek for 14, and the Stars would elect to go for it on 4th and 2 from the Arizona 39. It was a wise move, as Fouts found Fitzkee for 12 and a first down. Carthon would gain 14 to put the Stars in the red zone, but the offense would sputter from there, and Trout would miss a 33 yard field goal, keeping the score at 10-6.

[JoeKnows]

Commercial!

[Freak]

Man, its more nerve wracking when you're reading instead of posting...

[JoeKnows]

The Wranglers went 3 and out again, and the Stars would go to work on their own 40. It was Chuck Clanton who went to work, picking off a Fouts pass and taking it 71 yards to the house, and all of a sudden, Arizona was up 13-10. The Stars would get a first down on their next series, but a sack and then a long completion and a fumble would give Arizona the ball back just past midfield. Two ten yard completions would get the Wranglers into field goal range, and they'd convert, with Karlis hitting a 45 yarder, and with just a second on the clock in the half, the Wranglers led 16-10.

[Freak]

D-Fense! D-Fense!

<RayLewis>

Deefence vins champeeonsheeps.

</RayLewis>

[JoeKnows]

Usually, just a second left in the half means the score's gonna stay the same, especially on a kickoff. Not this time. Let's hand it over to Keith Jackson....

"Karlis puts it into the air, it's not a squib, and Crawford will field it at the 5. Up to the 15, 20, gets some room, passes another defender, and there's no one in front of him! Just the kicker to beat, and Crawford accelerates right past him! 30, 20, 10, 5, touchdown, as Crawford spins the ball over his head going across the goal line, and the Stars have tied it up!" The extra point was good as well, and the Stars improbably lead at halftime 17-16.

[JoeKnows]

Defense might win championships, but special teams matter, too, bitch.

[Freak]

Awww....

[JoeKnows]

The second half didn't start out any better for Arizona. A sack and an interception by Jeff Brown were all they'd do with the ball early, and an 11 yard completion by Philadelphia would set up a 24 yard field goal, which was good to put the Stars up 20-16. The Wranglers would put together two first downs, as Joe Cribbs took a breather, but they'd punt after three straight incompletions.

[Freak]

I don't think I like this trend....

[JoeKnows]

The Stars would go three and out, and the Wranglers would get decent field position at their 37. On the first play of the drive, Reeves would throw incomplete, and then stay down for quite a while, as the team trainers took a good look at him. He'd finally walk off under his own power. Alan Risher would take over for the time being. A couple of penalties on the Stars and a big run by Buford McGee would do most of the moving on the drive, although Cribbs got touch after ineffective touch. Down near the Philadelphia 30, Jeff Brown would make his presence felt again, sacking Risher to make the field goal a bit more difficult. Karlis would make the kick, though, from 52 yards out, and the Wranglers would trail by a single point with 4 minutes to go in the third quarter. Philadelphia would get a single first down on the next drive, and they'd punt. Arizona would end the 3rd quarter with a Joe Cribbs first down run to the Arizona 49. That's where we'll be when we come back.

[JoeKnows]

[JoeKnows]

"Well, Lynn, here we are, 15 minutes to play, the score within a point, and the trailing team on the midfield stripe. Anything can happen in the last quarter here, and I'm sure it will be a good one. Let's go down to Tim Brant with an update on Arizona quarterback Ron Reeves."

"Reeves was taken to the locker room after the big hit in the 3rd quarter, and apparently isn't responding well to mental clarity tests. He's out for the rest of today's game with what appears to be a concussion, although he's being taken to a local hospital for more tests. Back to you, Keith."

[Freak]

Loving all the commercials and pictures. Great background work.

[JoeKnows]

Risher and Cribbs wouldn't connect on a handoff on the first play of the 4th quarter, and Jon Brooks would recover for the Stars. A 10 yard pass to Fitzkee and a 27 yard run by Kelvin Bryant would set up a big chance for the Stars, but a 1 yard completion would be followed by incomplete passes, and Trout would connect from 29 yards to make it a 23-19 game. The Wranglers would get a first down and almost another, punting from their own 46.