#1. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (9-2) VS #1. PITTSBURGH MAULERS (5-6)

The 2023 championship features both teams that came in as division champions and now will meet in Canton Ohio for the final game of the year. The Stallions are trying to repeat as champions, as they took down the Philadelphia Stars last year in the inaugural year of the USFL reboot. The Maulers won their first post-season game ever in their first appearance last week, and this goes back to the 1980’s history when Pittsburgh never came close to the post-season. It took overtime last week, but Maulers got it done versus the Panthers. In the South, the Stallions broke the Breakers in a blow out win to advance to the championship game. Maulers have won three straight while the Stallions have won five straight.

HEAD TO HEAD THIS SEASON: Stallions won 24-20 against Maulers this season in their only meeting.

It was Deon Cain’s 91 yard touchdown return that would be the game winner over the Maulers in week 4 action.

ALL-TIME HEAD TO HEAD RECORDS BETWEEN STALLIONS/MAULERS INCLUDING 1980’S

Stallions 3-0 Maulers

THE QUARTERBACKS THAT WERE NOT QB 1 TO START THE SEASON

Both quarterbacks starting this championship game were not even the opening day starters for their perspective team. For the Stallions it was J’Mar Smith who started the season as QB1, a guy who led Birmingham all the way to the championship last year. Smith out-played Alex McGough who was QB1 to start the 2022 season. Smith got the job and ran with it. However, Smith would suffer a season-ending injury in week 1 which unleashed Super McGough as he has the Stallions back in the same position as last year. The Maulers, are the Chicago Bears when it comes to quarterbacks. Bad quarterbacks with a great defense is the Mauler way of life. James Morgan started the season for the Maulers, and it did not take much for Troy Williams to show he much better than that guy.

LAST WEEK QB STATS

Alex McGough versus the Breakers: 310 passing yards, 84 rushing yards and total 5 touchdowns. Stallions destroyed Breakers 47-22

Troy Williams versus the Panthers: 23-40, 203 yards, 1 touchdown pass, 36 rushing yards. Maulers beat Panthers in OT 31-27.

Both Williams and McGough are duel threat quarterbacks. Alex McGough is the best quarterback in the USFL. Williams is a solid option as he takes what defenses are giving him and does not make mistakes with the football. Williams needs a running game and relies on the short passing game in hopes his receivers can break tackles. McGough is a master at improv. McGough can make things happen with his feet or his arm. Broken plays are when McGough thrives and turns into Patrick Mahomes.

QUARTERBACK EDGE: Stallions

The Stallions have the better offense while the Maulers have the better defense. Stallions can put up the most points in the league while the Maulers give up the least amount of points in the USFL. This game comes down to the Stallions defense versus the Maulers offense that will decide the outcome. The Stallions did get one of their main staples back last week in linebacker Scooby Wright.

Scooby is not only a fan favorite in Birmingham, but he is the heart and soul of this Stallions defense. Last week, Scooby made his presence felt in the win over the Breakers. Wright had three solo tackles of which four of those was for a loss of yards. Wright also had one pass defended.

The Maulers weapon to win the match up between their own offense versus the Stallions defense comes down to wide receiver Isiah Hennie. Last weekend, Hennie led all Maulers receivers with 6 catches for 83 yards. Hennie was targeted 10 times as he is Troy Williams’ guy. Hennie had one of those catches for 41 yards as he is the playmaker for the Maulers. If the Maulers want to win this match up and the game, Hennie needs to have a big night at the office.

MAULERS OFFENSE VERSUS STALLIONS DEFENSE: EDGE BIRMINGHAM

DEFENSE WINS GAMES

Defense can always prevail over great offenses. The Maulers would need their defense to play lights out versus the Stallions, and it starts with the Boogie Man, Boogie Roberts, on that Pittsburgh defensive line. The Maulers defense in the first meeting versus the Stallions kept them in the game as they had the lead and lost that game on a kick off return. The Maulers gave up 27 points to a Panther quarterback making his second start in the USFL last week. It worries me with Super Alex McGough and that Birmingham loaded offense that can pass and has running attack with some nice options in the back field and a quarterback that can take off. The Maulers defense will have to have their best game of the season to steal this game away from heavy favorite Stallions team.

I like both coaches for the Maulers and Stallions. I think both coaches are players’ coaches. Skip Holtz, despite injuries his team has had this season, has done a marvelous job putting the right pieces in place to keep this Stallion machine running on all cylinders. Ray Horton is a god compared to last year’s Maulers coach, Kirby Jackson, who should have never been hired in the first place. The players for both teams would run through a brick wall for their coaches. Experience-wise you have to give Skippy the edge from doing this last year with the Stallions. Skip Holtz’s experience from college as head coach and having coaching in his blood line gives the Stallions the upper hand in this big game.

EDGE: Stallions

FINAL THOUGHTS

As a fan, I want the Maulers to be like Sledge Hammer blowing up the Stallions. In this championship it would be the David beating Goliath story. I don’t think this game will be a blow out. I think this game will be close through three quarters. The Stallions prevail in the 4th quarter. The Stallions have too many wild horses on their roster for this Mauler team to handle going full throttle for 4 straight quarters.

PREDICTION: Stallions repeat !!!