The New Jersey Generals and Birmingham Stallions tied for one of the best regular-season file a 12 months in the past at 9-1, and in USFL Week 2 they confirmed why they will doubtless be among the many finest groups this season — particularly, stifling protection.
The Generals held the Pittsburgh Maulers to only 3 factors on Sunday, however that wasn’t one of the best effort of the week, as a day earlier the Stallions held the Memphis Showboats to solely 2.
The USFL’s different recreation to this point noticed the New Orleans Breakers and Houston Gamblers get in a back-and-forth offensive showdown, whereas the week wraps up Sunday night time with the Michigan Panthers taking up the Philadelphia Stars in Canton, Ohio.
We’ve bought takeaways from all of the Week 2 video games under; first a have a look at the scores.
Saturday
New Orleans Breakers 38, Houston Gamblers 31
Birmingham Stallions 42, Memphis Showboats 2
Sunday
New Jersey Generals 20, Pittsburgh Maulers 3
Michigan Panthers at Philadelphia Stars (in Canton) | 7 p.m. ET
Sunday’s video games
Generals bounce again, stuff Pittsburgh
The New Jersey Generals could have gone 9-1 final 12 months however they have been on the lookout for their first win since final 12 months’s regular-season finale after dropping within the playoffs and dropping the 2023 opener to Birmingham.
New Jersey bought the victory Sunday, and it did it with protection. As rain poured down in Canton, the Generals recovered two fumbles and had an interception, whereas additionally recording 5 sacks and holding the Pittsburgh Maulers to only three factors. The Generals held Pittsburgh to only 166 complete yards.
Darius Victor, final season’s USFL speeding chief, had 71 yards and a landing to spark the Generals offense. Backup quarterback Dakota Prukop had the sport’s solely passing landing.
Saturday’s video games
Stallions placed on a present towards Memphis
The Birmingham Stallions are the defending USFL champions and if there’s any doubt about whether or not they’ll be within the combine to repeat, they’ve received their first two video games by a mixed rating of 69-12.
It was all Stallions on Saturday night time towards a Memphis Showboats squad that had appeared aggressive in Week 1, dropping to a Philadelphia Stars staff that reached final 12 months’s championship recreation by simply 4 factors.
Stallions quarterback Alex McGough went 21 of 28 for 301 yards and 4 touchdowns, together with a 47-yard rating to tight finish Jace Sternberger.
Birmingham working again ZaQuandre White carried 8 instances for 72 yards and two touchdowns, together with a 35-yard rating.
The Showboats’ solely factors got here from a third-quarter security.
Breakers win shootout over Gamblers
The weekend bought off to a scorching begin because the New Orleans Breakers and Houston Gamblers bought right into a back-and-forth battle, with New Orleans holding on for a 38-21 victory to go to 2-0 after making the playoffs final season.
The greatest star of the sport was New Orleans working again Wes Hills, who rushed for 110 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries.
Breakers quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw for 251 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Gamblers quarterback Benji Bahar threw three TDs in a 266-yard effort, but additionally was picked off thrice by the Breakers protection. Bethel-Thompson didn’t throw a decide.
