Week 10 in the 1985 USFL replay league kicked off with a commanding performance by the Michigan Panthers, who overwhelmed the Boston Breakers 37-20. The Panthers’ efficient offense set the tone early, while their defense held the Breakers in check. Oklahoma also impressed with a solid 34-14 victory over Pittsburgh, dominating on both sides of the ball. Las Vegas came out on top in a low-scoring battle against New Orleans, edging out a 21-14 win as both defenses showed grit.
Sunday’s action saw the Birmingham Stallions continue their strong season with a 28-16 victory over Washington, controlling the pace from start to finish. Arizona took down San Antonio 22-3, leaning on a suffocating defense that shut down the Gunslingers’ offense. In the highest-scoring game of the week, the Philadelphia Stars fell just short against Jim Kelly and the Houston Gamblers in a 43-34 shootout, with Kelly once again putting on a clinic through the air.
In other notable matchups, the New Jersey Generals squeezed out a 21-18 win over Memphis in a tightly contested game, while Chicago fended off Los Angeles for a 27-20 victory. Jacksonville cruised to a 26-7 win over Denver, capitalizing on a complete team effort. Finally, Tampa Bay fell short in a 28-25 thriller against Oakland, as the Invaders held on in the closing moments to secure a hard-fought win.
USFL Stat Leaders After Week 10 (1985)
Games
Saturday
Michigan Panthers 37, Boston Breakers 20
Oklahoma Outlaws 34, Pittsburgh Maulers 14
Las Vegas Ace 21, New Orleans Brass 14
Sunday
Birmingham Stallions 28, Washington Federals 16
Arizona Wranglers 22, San Antonio Gunslingers 3
Philadelphia Stars 34, Houston Gamblers 43
New Jersey Generals 21, Memphis Showboats 18
Los Angeles Express 20, Chicago Blitz 27
Jacksonville Bulls 26, Denver Blitz 7
Tampa Bay 25 Bandits, Oakland Invaders 28
Standings
Players of the Week
Offense: Sam Harrell, RB, Houston Gamblers. Harrell took most of the workload for the prolific Houston offense this week, running the ball 12 times for 84 yards (a 7.0 ypc average) and 4 touchdowns. He was instrumental in the Gamblers win over the Stars.
Defense: David Martin, CB, Arizona Wranglers. Martin was a one man wrecking crew against the Gunslingers. In addition to 4 tackles, he also forced a fumble and intercepted two passes to help the Wranglers defeat San Antonio.
Special Teams: Zenon Andrushyshyn, K/P, Tampa Bay Bandits. The Tampa kicker did it all. He made all of his kicks (1 field goal and 2 extra points) while punting the ball 5 times for 201 yards (a 40.2 average). In spite of this, the Invaders edged his team 28-25 in a close game.