The Generals salute the Gamblers in a walk-off score.

Week Seven Power Rankings have some movement but not much. Stallions are still king of the hill. The Maulers were a disappointment. Panthers are looking at another guy behind center for the stretch of the season. Has the Stars win locked down a playoff spot? We have another edition of the USFL Power Rankings enjoy.

#1.

BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (6-0) (SAME) The Stallions start the second half of the the return of the USFL in grand fashion with a blow-out win over the Panthers to remain perfect for the season. The Stallions showcase another weapon they have at their disposal. BO KNOWS ???

Not the great Bo Jackson Raiders running back blasting off his six shooters every time he hit pay dirt. The Stallions have another Bo. A local yokel Bo, former University of Alabama running back.

Bo Scarborough… the name just sounds like a bruising running back. Scarborough was picked up a few weeks back by the Stallions. Last weekend, Scarborough rushed for 105 yards on the ground that included a 28 yard touchdown to put the game on ice for the Stallions.

#2.

NEW JERSEY GENERALS (5-1) (SAME) The Generals have now won 5 games in a row and are still the second hottest team in the league. Most of the season the Generals have been using duel pianos at the quarterback position. Generals head coach Mike Riley made a decision to go with D’Andre Johnson as the main guy behind center. Johnson would not last the game versus the Gamblers. This is why Riley is genius-like, because no worries the Generals have Luis Perez who has experience and plenty of reps this season.

Luis Perez eventually would lead the Generals back into the game. Then Perez would engineer a winning drive at the end of regulation to keep the Generals winning streak alive and well coming into week 7. Perez and Johnson are probably the best 1 & 2 combo behind center in the entire USFL. Remember the Generals drafted a guy named Ben Holmes who never even sniffed the field and eventually was released.

#3.

NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (4-2) (SAME) The Breakers recipe for winning games depends on if Kyle Sloter does not turn over the ball and when the Breakers score a touchdown on the defense. Both things happened with the win over the Maulers last week.

Corner-back Ike Brown had the longest pick six of the year, a 97 yard return touchdown of the Maulers. The Breakers have assembled a top notch defense. I like former Iowa State defensive lineman Kamillo Tongamoa. Tongamoa is a monster that clogs the middle of the line for the Breakers.

Tongamoa put pressure on opposing teams’ offensive lines as caves in the middle of the quarterback enforcers. Tongamoa has two sacks with nine tackles so far for the Breakers.

#4.

PHILADELPHIA STARS (3-3) (UP 1 SPOT) The Stars won the middle of the road bowl by winning the shootout versus the Tampa Bay Bandits last weekend. Running back Matt Colburn II had the hat trick in rushing touchdowns for the Stars.

Colburn II now had 4 total rushing touchdowns this season in a Stars uniform. Case Cookus is now 2-1 as the starting quarterback filling in for the injured Bryan Scott. Both quarterbacks Scott and Cookus have thrown 5 passing touchdowns behind center for the Stars. Stars have a high powered offense and could be a scary team in round one of the playoffs. Stars are second in the North chasing the Generals who they will not catch. Behind the Stars, in the North Standings in the USFL, is a pair of 1-5 teams. Great chances to lock up the second seed in the North.

#5.

TAMPA BAY BANDITS (3-3) (DOWN 1 SPOT) The Bandits lost to the Stars last week in a shootout. In a game that has these two teams now at 500. Bandits feast off teams with losing records and the Stars had a 2-3 record coming in. Now the Bandits are in the bottom 4 of the league instead of the top 4. Bandits playoff hopes may be shredded as they have a match up with the Generals this weekend.

Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu led a rally late versus the Stars, but the Bandits fell short in a close one. Bandits can’t overcome all the turnovers so they keep shooting themselves in the foot each weekend.

#6.

HOUSTON GAMBLERS (1-5) (UP 1 SPOT) This is even though the Gamblers lost last week to another walk off home run style heart breaking loss this time to the Generals in the last seconds of the game.

Even though they lost to the Maulers a week prior, I still moved them up a spot because the record should be way better. The Gamblers have played way better than the Maulers the entire year. You wonder if head coach of the Gamblers, Kevin Sumlin, is jinxed. If someone actually has the hex on him or the Gamblers in general. The best way to describe the Houston Gambler season is the movie Hamburger Hill. It’s about a United States platoon trying to take a hill from the enemy.

Above and before they try to take the hill, things are loose. Team is focused. Then the platoon find their way to the top of the hill like the Gamblers about to win the game late in the 4th quarter only to be shell-shocked.

I’m sure the Gamblers will find a way to beat someone before the season ends. Just don’t gamble any money on it.

#7.

PITTSBURGH MAULERS (1-5) (DOWN 1 SPOT) I had the Maulers out of the basement and up two spots in the power rankings with their first win over the Gamblers two weeks ago.

Last weekend the Maulers did the swing their hammer like the mighty Thor. The Maulers were back to their old ways. Dormant offense most of the game with a spurt late. Same defense that shows up like the offense in spurts of the game. I was raving about the new Mauler quarterback Vad Lee who did well when thrown into the action after just signing him off the streets.

Lee would throw a pick six and with the live feed you can hear the quarterback complaining about his wide receiver to head coach Kirby Wilson. The receiver has been there all year and Lee just has arrived on the scene the last two weeks. As quarterback, you’re the leader so take the blame on the poorly thrown ball. It’s your job to take responsibility as a leader of the team. Later Lee would throw a touchdown pass to that same Receiver he was sore about, but by accident as the ball was intended for another target and Baily Gaither would make a nice catch on ball sailing away. Gaither is the same guy who caught the winning touchdown versus the Gamblers.

#8.

MICHIGAN PANTHERS (1-5) (SAME) Shea Patterson, this season, has completed 59.6% of his passes behind center for the Panthers while passing for 973 yards with a QB rating of 112.4. Patterson has rushed for a pair of touchdowns with 171 yards using his legs. Patterson has thrown 4 touchdown passes. Decent numbers some will say as a quarterback in a Spring league. Patterson was the number one pick overall in the USFL draft which has led to one victory. The turnovers are the problem for Patterson who has 5 interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

The former Michigan Wolverine was cut by the Panthers this week. Many things have doomed the Panthers & the quarterback play overall has to be tops of the list. Another man’s junk is another man’s treasure as the Panthers will most likely turn to Josh Love who the Maulers tossed aside like an old shoe. Panthers show Josh some love by plucking him off the curb on garbage night.