'85 Chronology-Heavy Freight

Event Date: April 29th, 1985

Event Description: Weekend Roundup

Source: PFW-UPI

The Philadelphia Stars stepped in front of a freight train known as the Houston Gamblers Sunday and the damage incurred was predictable.

Jim Kelly tossed three touchdown passes to lead the Gamblers to their ninth victory in ten contests, a 27-7 decision over the Stars. Kelly passed for 445 yards on 27-of-36 efficiency,with one interceptions and no sacks.

“Gerald McNeil made a couple of great plays, Ricky Sanders made a couple of great plays,” Stars coach Jim Mora said afterward. 

“We were not fast enough to beat them. We had alot of receivers running free in our secondary, their offense was simply too much for us today.”

“Right now the cohesiveness on this team has picked up,” said Kelly, “We're playing the kind of ball we need to win another championship. The team has come together. We're playing as a family.”

Philadelphia took a 7-0 lead on Kelvin Bryant's 62-yard touchdown run. The drive covered 65 yards on two plays, but it would be their only score of the day.

Kelly capped a ten-play 71-yard drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Gerald McNeil to tie the game at 7-7 with just 3:43 remaining in the opening stanza.

Kelly then completed a four-yard pass to Darryl Clark to push Houston out to a 14-7 lead.

Houston took a 21-7 lead into the final quarter on Clarence Verdin’s 25-yard reception near the end of the third quarter.

A pair of Toni Fritsch field goals rounded out the scoring in the final frame.

In the other Sunday game, the Los Angeles Express improved to (5-5) behind a 24-10 victory over San Antonio. Backup quarterback Frank Seurer tossed a pair of touchdowns in the win.

Elsewhere over the weekend, Memphis topped Orlando 20-17, the sagging Birmingham Stallions played to an 18-18 tie in Pittsburgh and New Orleans defeated Arizona 33-25.

At Orlando, Mike Kelley tossed a pair of touchdowns and the defense registered six sacks for the Showboats. Memphis, 4-6, also received two field goals from Alan Duncan -- one for 22 yards and the other for 21 -- and Greg Moser hauled in seven receptions for a career-high 153 yards with one touchdown.

At Pittsburgh, ex-Steeler Cliff Stoudt returned to Three Rivers stadium, scoring via a 19-yard run as the Stallioons and Maulers played to an 18-18 tie before a crowd of over 35,000. Glenn Carano fied a 77-yard touchdown to Greg Anderson and Efren Herrera kicked a 34-yard field goal to lead the Maulers.

At Arizona, Matt Robinson threw a pair of touchdowns and Bufiord Jordan rushed for 133 yards as New Orleans improved to (6-4) with a 33-25 win over the hapless Outlaws who have now fallen to (2-8).

Story-(UPI Modified)