The Tampa Bay Bandits improved to 8-1 on the season with a 28-20 victory over the Los Angeles Express at Tampa Stadium. The Bandits controlled the game early, opening the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown run by Jerome Ledbetter. Los Angeles quickly answered with a 72-yard punt return touchdown by Duane Gunn, but Tampa Bay responded with a pair of second-quarter touchdown passes from John Reaves to Eric Truvillion and Greg Boone, giving the Bandits a commanding 21-7 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Reaves connected with Truvillion again for a 15-yard touchdown, extending Tampa Bay’s lead to 28-7. The Express, led by quarterback Steve Young, struggled to generate offense as they were sacked 12 times and committed four turnovers. Despite the pressure, Young found Gunn for two fourth-quarter touchdowns, one from 18 yards and another from 7 yards, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.
Defensively, Tampa Bay’s Don Thorp led the charge with three sacks and a forced fumble, earning MVP honors for his disruptive play. Despite five turnovers from the Bandits, their defense held firm, with key interceptions by Marcus Quinn and Alvin Bailey helping to secure the victory. The Express dropped to 4-5 on the season, while Tampa Bay strengthened its hold atop the standings.
