Memphis Showboats Dominate New Orleans Brass in 44-24 Victory

The Memphis Showboats continued their dominant start to the 1985 season, improving to 3-0 with a commanding 44-24 victory over the New Orleans Brass at a neutral park on Friday night. Quarterback Walter Lewis led the charge, displaying his dual-threat ability by throwing for 165 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding another score on the ground. The Showboats’ ground game was unstoppable, racking up 274 rushing yards, with Tim Spencer and Harry Sydney each finding the end zone.

Memphis wasted no time asserting control, jumping out to a 13-0 lead within the first ten minutes, thanks to a 9-yard touchdown pass from Lewis to Buster Rhymes and a 53-yard interception return for a touchdown by Rod Brown. Despite a valiant effort by the Brass, who cut the lead to 13-7 after a Rusty Hilger 4-yard touchdown run, Memphis responded with two more second-quarter touchdowns to take a 34-10 halftime lead. The Showboats’ defense was equally impressive, forcing a critical turnover and limiting the Brass to just 73 rushing yards.

In the second half, New Orleans showed some fight, with Hilger connecting on two touchdown passes, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit. Memphis controlled the clock and the game, adding a fourth-quarter touchdown and a field goal to seal the victory. The win keeps Memphis undefeated, while New Orleans falls to 0-3, still searching for their first victory as an expansion team in the league.