New Jersey Generals Defeat Michigan Panthers to Clinch North Division Flag

From the desk: FIVE STAR PIGSKIN

WEEK NINE

New Jersey Generals  25

Michigan Panthers      23

FINAL

Week One    Week Two    Week Three    Week Four    Week Five    Week Six    Week Seven    Week Eight

Luis Perez Leads Generals on Another Game-Winning Drive

Week nine resulted in another come-from-behind victory for New Jersey.

The Generals needed a team effort to overcome a gamely Panthers team.  They got points from special teams and forced three turnovers on defense.  However, the right foot of kicker Austin Jones proved defective.  In the first quarter, he missed an opening attempt from 36-yards out.  But with three minutes left in the quarter, he nailed a 36-yarder for a 3-0 Generals lead.  With a chance to extend New Jersey's lead just before the half, Jones missed again from 38-yards.  The Generals then scored a go-ahead touchdown with 2:33 left in the game, but Jones missed the extra point leaving the Panthers down by only two with ample time left on the clock.

It's hard to say what exactly Coach Riley was thinking in the first quarter by switching back and forth between Perez and De'Andre Johnson.  But he ultimately settled with Perez.  

Michigan led 20-19 after three quarters, then added a field goal with six and a half minutes left to play.  The Generals then went on a six-play 54-yard drive.  Darius Victor and Trey Williams rushed for 23 yards.  On second and five, Luis Perez connected with Darrius Shepherd on a 17-yard touchdown to seize a 25-23 lead.

On the Panthers' final possession, Generals safety Paris Ford intercepted Eric Barriere to preserve the victory.  It was the General's third interception of the game.

Perez finished 10/16 for 92 yards and a touchdown.  De'Andre Johnson was 5/8 for 60 yards with an interception.

KaVontae Turpin gave the Generals a 10-0 lead when he returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown.

The Generals topped 100 yards rushing again, this time gaining 108 yards.  Trey Williams led with eleven carries for 62 yards, and Cam Echols-Luper ran 24 yards for a touchdown.

Darrius Shepherd caught six passes for 99 yards and a score.

With their eighth straight victory, the Generals clinched the North Division title.

• USFL

New Jersey Generals Clinch Playoff Berth With Victory Over Tampa Bay Bandits

From the desk: FIVE STAR PIGSKIN

WEEK SEVEN

Generals   20

Bandits     13

FINAL

Week One    Week Two    Week Three    Week Four    Week Five    Week Six

Generals Grind Out Sixth Straight Victory; Clinch Playoff Berth

New Jersey clinched a playoff berth with Saturday's victory over the Tampa Bay Bandits.  This makes six consecutive wins for the first place Generals.  

Coach Riley gave Luis Perez the ball the entire game.  Perez finished 19/25 for 174 yards.  With just over five minutes left in the first quarter, he and Ka'Vontae Turpin connected for six points.  

Alonzo Moore led the Generals with four receptions for 69 yards, and Darius Victor rushed 14 times for 72 yards and a second-quarter touchdown.  

The Generals' offense ranks third in total points.

Defensively, the Generals are second in fewest points allowed and first in fewest yards per game.  They have now held their opponent under twenty points for the fifth time in seven games.  Tampa Bay was limited to 78 yards rushing, and quarterback Jordan Ta'Amu was picked off three times and sacked three times.

Three division games remain on New Jersey's schedule against Pittsburgh, Michigan, and Philadelphia.

New Jersey Generals Defeat Houston Gamblers With Last Second Touchdown

From the desk: FIVE STAR PIGSKIN 

WEEK SIX

Houston Gamblers       24

New Jersey Generals   25

FINAL

Week One    Week Two    Week Three    Week Four    Week Five

The New Jersey Generals win a wild back and forth affair replete with a last-second comeback.  

Houston scored within one and a half minutes after the opening kickoff.  Cornerback DeJuan Neal got tripped up, leaving Gambler wide receiver Teo Redding wide open for an easy six.  Four minutes into the contest, the Generals answered.  De'Andre Johnson connected with KaVontae Turpin for a 19-yard score and a tie game.

Coach Riley changed things up in the second quarter.  With Luis Perez back under center, the Generals took the lead on a 32-yard touchdown grab by KaVontae Turpin, his second of the game.  However, the Gamblers tied the game just before the half.

The Generals then fumbled on their next possession, and Houston took full advantage.  Gamblers' wide receiver Mark Thompson caught his second touchdown within a minute to give Houston a 19-14 lead into the half.

New Jersey had a field goal attempt blocked in the third quarter.  Afterwhich, the Generals running game began to seize control.   They closed out the third quarter with a ten-play 47-yard drive, in which they converted a fourth down and culminated in a Trey Williams touchdown.

Houston followed with a missed field goal attempt.  In the fourth, the Gamblers recovered a Luis Perez fumble and returned it 41 yards the other way for a touchdown and a 25-20 Houston lead.

With 5:50 left in the game, Luis Perez marched the Generals from their own twenty downfield to the Houston one-yard line.  With 0:02 showing on the clock, Perez executed a quarterback sneak for the one-point victory.

Make that five wins in a row for New Jersey.  

De'Andre Johnson was 4/4 for 52 yards and a touchdown.  Luis Perez finished an efficient 18/24 for 159 yards with one touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown.  KaVontae Turpin finished with five catches for 105 yards and two touchdown receptions.

Trey Williams led the USFL's top ground game with 16 attempts for 76 yards and a touchdown.  Darius Victor rushed 16 times for 57 yards, and KaVontae Turpin had a long run of 25 yards.

• USFL

De'Andre Johnson Leads New Jersey Generals to Victory Over New Orleans Breakers

From the desk: FIVE STAR PIGSKIN

WEEK FIVE

New Orleans Breakers  17

New Jersey Generals    24

FINAL

Week One    Week Two    Week Three    Week Four

New Jersey Generals Lead USFL in Rushing

Luis Perez did not play through no fault of his own.  Coach Riley changed tactics against the New Orleans Breakers, veering away from his dual quarterback system. 

For the second consecutive week, De'Andre Johnson started behind center.  This time he played the whole game.  In a well-deserved opportunity, Johnson finished 14/21 for 213 yards and threw his first interception (a week after throwing his first touchdown).  He connected with KaVontae Turpin on five passes for 106 yards.  De'Andre also ran ten times for 39 yards with a long of 14 yards and two touchdowns.

If you recall, Luis Perez was brought in to replace Ben Holmes, who two weeks before the season opener was felled by injury.  De'Andre Johnson in week one was a mere 3/8 for 59 yards but ran twelve times for 95 yards and a touchdown.  He has since emerged into a legitimate dual-threat playmaker.

New Jersey continues dominating on the ground.  Darius Victor rushed 17 times for 95 yards and a third-quarter touchdown.  He ranks fourth in the USFL in rushing yards.  Trey Williams rushed 13 times for 44 yards and broke one off for 28 yards.  All told, the Generals rushed for 188 yards.  They lead the league in rushing with 901 total yards through five games.

The Generals' defense allowed two touchdowns through the air but again held their opponent under twenty points for the fourth consecutive week.

N.J. Generals Hold Off Michigan Panthers for First USFL Victory

From the desk: FIVE STAR PIGSKIN

"New Jersey Generals"

Earn First Victory Since 1985 Season

WEEK TWO

Michigan Panthers       6

New Jersey Generals 10

FINAL

Generals Defense Secures the Win

Panther quarterback Shea Patterson and the Michigan offense did everything within their power to lose, and it worked.  Had the Panthers converted an extra point and a field goal, perhaps this game goes into overtime ... or not.  

The Generals missed a field goal attempt as well and should have come away with several interceptions ... but they didn't.  

Said another way, this was not an impressive game by any measure by either team.

But the Generals defensive front created just enough pressure at just the right times and flushed Patterson out of the pocket one last time to end the game and preserve a 10-6 victory, New Jersey's first of the season.  Defensive linemen Kolin Hill had one sack, and Tyshun Render and Deyon Sizer joined together for another.   

Offensively, Luis Perez was 13/19 for just 97 yards with an interception.  The Generals' first play from scrimmage was the same play they attempted to open week one and again failed miserably.  However, I give credit for the aggressiveness.  Regardless, Luis Perez continually threw into heavy traffic and overthrew an easy would-be touchdown to his tight end, after which the Generals settled for three.

Darius Victor put forth an effective effort featuring intense north/south action, rushing eleven times for 40 yards and the game's only touchdown.  The Generals rushed for 113 yards overall.

In week two, Coach Riley's dual quarterback attack was less of an item.  De'Andre Johnson was 5/6 for 48 yards from the pocket and rushed ten times for 27 yards.

Otherwise, Jersey was somewhat lucky to commit two turnovers and still win.

• Week One: vs. Stallions
• USFL