De’Andre Johnson’s duel-threat skills lift Generals past Stars

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By Eric D. Williams
FOX Sports activities Author

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Needing a spark, New Jersey Generals head coach Mike Riley changed Luis Perez with dual-threat quarterback De’Andre Johnson within the second half.

And the Texas Southern product made Riley look sensible, serving to New Jersey overcome an early, 10-point deficit for a 24-16 win over the Philadelphia Stars within the USFL nightcap on Sunday at Protecting Stadium.

Generals get the comeback victory over the Philadelphia Stars

The New Jersey Generals earned a 24-16 victory over the Philadelphia Stars behind a speeding assault led by Trey Williams and De’Andre Johnson.

“The issues he did, the alternatives he made and what he delivered to that sport, specifically, made a giant distinction within the sport,” Riley mentioned.

Johnson completed simply 6-for-8 passing for 130 yards. However his skill to run Riley’s zone-read offense ignited the working sport. Johnson rushed 11 instances for 94 yards and a landing, and the Generals completed with 270 yards on the bottom.

Within the second half alone, the Generals ran it 32 instances and handed it simply 4 instances, bodily imposing their will upfront.

Trey Williams completed with 111 speeding yards on 19 carries, whereas Darius Victor totaled 51 speeding yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns,

“It’s fairly simple when your offensive line is getting a push,” Victor mentioned. “I used to be simply hiding behind them and getting as little as attainable.”

With the win, New Jersey improved to 2-1 on the season, whereas the Stars dropped to 1-2.

The Stars obtained on the scoreboard first when tight finish Bug Howard made a diving catch over the center on a cross from Bryan Scott. New Jersey security Dravon Askey-Henry jumped over the receiver to keep away from a late hit, however in doing so failed to the touch him in any respect. So, Howard obtained up and ran the remainder of the way in which for 41-yard rating and 7-0 lead for Philadelphia.

“With the way in which the principles are as we speak, we don’t need no penalties or for anyone to get kicked out of the sport,” New Jersey linebacker D’Juan Hines mentioned. “It was sensible, however we nonetheless have gotten to the touch him down. That’s on us.”

Bug Howard shines for Stars

The Philadelphia Stars had been led by Bug Howard, who had a standout efficiency with 4 receptions and 78 yards receiving towards the Generals.

Philadelphia may have led by extra, however kicker Matt Mengal missed discipline aim makes an attempt from 55 and 30 yards. New Jersey kicker Nick Rose additionally missed twice — from 52 and 43 yards.

Stars backup quarterback Case Cookus got here in for an injured Scott, who limped off the sphere with an injured knee with 4:03 left within the second quarter.

On his first play, Cookus related with Jordan Suell on a 47-yard cross to the New Jersey 4-yard line. The Stars needed to accept a 22-yard discipline aim from Mengal, although, going up 10-0 with 2:57 left within the first half.

Rose made a 54-yard discipline aim on the finish of the primary half, chopping Philadelphia’s benefit to 10-3.

The Generals got here out within the second half centered on working the soccer. On a drive directed by Johnson, New Jersey ran it seven straight instances, capped by a 4-yard landing run by Victor.

That tied the rating at 10-all.

Cookus obtained the Stars the lead again, shopping for a while and discovering Diondre Overton over the center for a 6-yard rating. The landing put the Stars forward solely 16-10 due to a Mengal missed further level.

The Generals answered once more, this time with Victor bulling by the road for a 1-yard rating, his second landing of the night. Rose’s further level gave New Jersey the lead for good, 17-16 with 11:17 left to play.

Johnson accomplished the scoring for the night time with a 4-yard run with simply over six minutes left within the sport.

Kickers nonetheless haven’t discovered their groove

There’s a motive Michigan Panthers head coach Jeff Fisher went for 2 each time in his group’s huge win over the Pittsburgh Maulers on Sunday — kickers are struggling to make kicks by the early a part of the USFL Season.

By way of three video games, kickers have made 53.4 % of their discipline objectives and 81.8 % of their further factors.

Kickers had been 2-for-9 on discipline objectives within the two Sunday video games.

By comparability, NFL kickers made 85.1 % of their discipline objectives and 93.4 % of their further factors final season, in response to Professional Soccer Reference.

“The entire group — snapper, holder and kicker — I don’t know if there’s anybody within the league that has been with one other man of their group,” mentioned Riley, who has coached in school, the NFL and within the CFL. “And that a part of it, them being synchronized, is so vital to their success — the boldness the kicker has in each the holder and the snapper.

“They simply haven’t labored that lengthy collectively, and I believe by time it should get higher.”

Cookus performs strong instead of Scott

Philadelphia head coach Bart Andrus mentioned he was happy with the way in which his backup quarterback Cookus performed in reduction of an injured Scott.

The 6-4, 205-pound quarterback out of Northern Arizona completed 13-for-20 for 146 yards, with a landing and no interceptions.

“He performed properly,” Andrus mentioned. “I anticipated that. He’s a superb soccer participant. He had a pair throws the place he most likely would have most popular to have these again, however I assumed he did a superb job coming off the bench.”

Damage replace

New Jersey offensive sort out Calvin Ashley suffered a knee damage and fellow offensive lineman Terry Poole suffered a shoulder damage. Poole returned to the sport. Ashley didn’t.

Riley mentioned his group was so skinny on the defensive position that offensive lineman Mike Brown performed defensive snaps.

Stars quarterback Scott suffered a knee damage, and whereas he stayed in uniform, he didn’t return to the sport.

“I put it on him,” Andrus mentioned. “The X-ray was adverse on the knee. He examined after halftime, and he wasn’t snug with the way it felt. He’s an actual group man, and he didn’t need to be a detriment to any attainable factor within the second half. And so he selected to remain out as a result of he wasn’t one hundred pc.”

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, protecting the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Observe him on Twitter @eric_d_williams.