Last week the Birmingham Stallions and the New Jersey Generals cliched their USFL playoff appearances. This week the Philadelphia Stars and New Orleans Breakers have a chance to do the same. As we head into week 8, it seems that the playoff picture is becoming more clear.
Although the Houston Gamblers were eliminated in week 7, they could play a part in being a spoiler. Same goes for the Panthers who have a slim, if not impossible chance of making it to Canton.
There’s also a change of scenery this week, with the USFL hosting their first games out of historic Legion Field. Between preparations for the upcoming World Games and this weekends Garth Brooks concert the league will be utilizing Legion this and the final week of the season.
The Memorial Weekend games did not disappoint, and it seems that the games get better each week. Let’s dive into all the action coming up and how to watch or attend each matchup.
Pittsburgh Maulers (1-6) at New Jersey Generals (6-1)
Friday – 8PM EST – USA – Stream – Tickets
Kicking thins off is the HOT New Jersey Generals taking on the struggling Pittsburgh Maulers. The Maulers seemed to be moving in a positive direction since the addition of Vad Lee, but last week may have changed that. Coach Wilson was heard on the sidelines arguing with Lee, where he subsequently decided to pull him out of the game late in the fourth quarter. They ultimately lost the game, and once again find themselves looking for a way to secure a second win.
On the other side of the field, the Generals seem unstoppable. Luis Perez got the start last week and was able to keep the streak going. This week it seems that we may see the return of DeAndre Johnson as well. Outside of a miracle, it looks as if New Jersey should have no problem against the Maulers this week.
New Orleans Breakers (5-2) at Birmingham Stallions (7-0)
Saturday – 3PM EST – FOX – Stream – Tickets
The first game up on Saturday has the potential to be the game of the weekend. The New Orleans Breakers come into this game with a chance of clinching their playoff appearance, but first they need to take out the undefeated Birmingham Stallions. IF they can pull out a win of Birmingham, then they need to rely on Houston to pull out the upset over Tampa Bay.
Although the odds may be slim that they will clinch it this week, they’ll at least attempt to secure the win. It may seem that the Breakers are a lock for the second spot in the South, but the Bandits are not too far off.
Birmingham is coming into this game a little beaten up, but J’Mar Smith is back in the game so that could be the deciding factor. With the games being held at Legion this weekend, it’s hard to say what the attendance will look like, so we may get out first glimpse in how Coach Holtz and company perform without home field advantage.
Michigan Panthers (1-6) at Philadelphia Stars (4-3)
Sunday – 12PM EST – FOX – Stream – Tickets
Moving to Sunday, the first game up is the Philadelphia Stars taking on the Michigan Panthers. Philadelphia has a shot to stamp their tickets to Canton, and all they need to do is take out the 1-6 Panthers.
It may seem like an easy feat, but the last time the pair played it was a close game. The big change between the two matchups is now Michigan has added a proper kicker and made some adjustments on offense. Although they haven’t been able to squeak out another win, they did push the Breakers into the leagues first overtime last weekend.
Philadelphia seems to be making the right adjustments. Everything that was plaguing them early in the season seems to be clicking now. Last week Darnell Holland showed that the team has a proper running game, and we expect to see them lean on that again this week as well.
Houston Gamblers (1-6) at Tampa Bay Bandits (3-4)
Sunday – 4PM EST – Peacock – Stream – Tickets
Capping things off this week is the Gamblers and the Bandits. If the Breakers win, Tampa Bay has a chance to block them with a win over Houston.
The Gamblers continued their trend of being a team of two halves last weekend. As things go, they lead at halftime, only to blog the lead and take another loss. There were some contributing factors though. Clayton Thorson came out of the game with an elbow injury, which will see Kenji Bahar get his first start for the team this week. Will it be enough to change their luck? We’ll have to wait and see.
Tampa Bay took a hard loss last week, and they’ll be looking to rebound. Tampa Bay also seems to have some consistency issues, and they’ll need to rely on their receiving core if they want to pull this one out.
Which USFL matchup are you looking forward to the most this weekend? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below or join the conversation on Discord.
