Save the USFL Tapes! The United States Football League video library is at risk. How can you help? Learn more about our campaign to save USFL video, then check out the USFL Video Library Preservation GoFundMe campaign. Please contact me with any questions.
Join the Save the USFL Video Archive Facebook group for updates.

« Previous Game Portland Next Game »
« Previous Game Denver Next Game »

Portland 17 at Denver 29


1985 Week 3 - Sunday, March 10, 1985
Portland Breakers(1-1) at Denver Gold(1-1)(-6.5)
Attendance: 17,870

DENVER(AP) -- Vince Evans threw for a touchdown and ran for another in the fourth quarter to lead the Denver Gold to a 29-17 victory over the Portland Breakers.

Evans scored with less than two minutes to go on a 1-yard quarterback sneak to provide the Gold with the cushion needed to bring the team's record to 2-1.

The game was played before a sparse crowd of 17,790, which was well below the expectations of the Gold ownership and even below 19,000 -- the number of season tickets reportedly sold.

Evans, acquired specifically to run the pass-happy Davis offense, hit Kelley Johnson with a 27-yard scoring strike early in the fourth quarter to give the Gold a 23-10 lead. But the Breakers kept their hand in the game by blocking Brian Speelman's extra point attempt, then scoring on the next series to close the gap to 23-17.

Tight end Dan Ross made a sensational catch of Doug Woodward's pass for a 37-yard touchdown. But any chance of coming back was snuffed when Denver linebacker Stan Blinka made a diving interception off a Woodward pass and Evans moved the Gold to the clinching score.

	1	2	3	4	F
POR	7	0	3	7   -   17
DEN	0      10       7      12   -   29

Scoring

POR:Jordan 2 run(Mazzetti kick) - POR 7, DEN 0

DEN:Nease recovered fumble in end zone(Speelman kick) - POR 7, DEN 7

DEN:Speelman 25 FG - DEN 10, POR 7

POR:Mazzetti 33 FG - DEN 10, POR 10

DEN:B.Johnson 14 run(Speelman kick) - DEN 17, POR 10

DEN:K.Johnson 23 pass from Evans(kick blocked) - DEN 23, POR 10

POR:Ross 37 pass from Woodward(Mazzetti kick) - DEN 23, POR 17

DEN:Evans 1 run(run failed) - DEN 29, POR 17

Box Score

                             POR            DEN
First Downs  		      25	     20                 
Rushes-Yards              35-160         22-177
Passing (A-C-Y-I)    44-20-244-3    30-16-228-0
Sacked-Yards Lost            0-0            0-0   
Total Plays-Yards         79-404         52-405
Fumbles-Lost                 1-1            4-2
Penalties-Yards             5-46           6-81
Turnovers                      4              2
Time of Possession         36:21          23:39

Attendance = 17,790 

PORTLAND				     DENVER
Passing     Att Cmp Yds In Td  Rate          Passing     Att Cmp Yds In Td  Rate
Woodward     44  20 244  3  1  42.23         Evans        30  16 228  0  1  89.31

Rushing     Att Yds  Ave TD                  Rushing     Att Yds  Ave TD
Jordan       20 100  5.0  1		     B.Johnson    12 114  9.5  1
Jackson       7  24  3.4  0                  Evans         3  24  8.0  1
Woodward      2  17  8.5  0                  Gerhart       4  23  5.8  0
Ricks         4  12  3.0  0                  White         3  16  5.3  0
V.Williams    1   5  5.0  0
Lockett       1   2  2.0  0

Receiving   Rec Yds  Ave TD                  Receiving   Rec Yds  Ave TD
Ross          7 106 15.1  1                  K.Johnson     5  86 17.2  1
Lockett       7  83 11.9  0                  L.Harris      5  72 14.4  0
Hall          3  29  9.7  0                  Lewis         3  56 18.7  0
Franz         2  22 11.0  0                  White         3  14  4.7  0                

Kick Returns   No Yds  Ave TD                Kick Returns   No Yds  Ave TD
Ricks           2  68 34.0  0                Blinka          1  25 25.0  0
Jackson         1  25 25.0  0                Turner          1  21 21.0  0                

Punt Returns   No Yds  Ave TD                Punt Returns   No Yds  Ave TD
Hall            2  40 20.0  0		     Martin          1  13 13.0  0                

Kicking          Fg  Lg   Xp  Pts            Kicking          Fg  Lg   Xp  Pts
Mazzetti        1-2  33  2-2   5             Speelman        1-2  25  2-2   5
                miss: 48                                     miss: 38

Punting        No Yds  Ave                   Punting        No Yds  Ave
Gossett         2  76 38.0                   Speelman        2  99 49.5

Sacks          Sk Yds                        Sacks          Sk Yds
None					     None                    

Interceptions  No Yds  Ave TD                Interceptions  No Yds  Ave TD
None					     M.Miller        1  20 20.0  0
					     N.Miller        1   3  3.0  0
					     Hemphill        1   0  0.0  0

Archived news report

Supplemental information courtesy of Chris Blackburn


Back to 1985 season results

« Previous Game Portland Next Game »
« Previous Game Denver Next Game »