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New Jersey 21 at Memphis 18

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - The Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie show is now in full gear and the premier act in the United States Football League. A 164-yard performance by Walker led the New Jersey Generals to a 21-18 victory over the Memphis Showboats Friday night.

Walker carried the ball 27 times, scored one touchdown and left the Showboats linemen shaking their heads in frustration as the former Georgia All-American broke tackles and turned apparent no-gain runs into first downs.

Walker now has 1,006 yards for the season and 10 TDs.

After taking a 3-0 halftime lead, the Showboats allowed the Generals to go ahead 7-3 on Flutie's 37-yard aerial to Walter Broughton. Then Memphis retaliated with a drive that ended with Tim Spencer's 6-yard run to put the Showboats ahead 10-7.

New Jersey reclaimed the lead on Flutie's 1-yard run. Memphis appeared to be driving for another score.

After converting a fourth-and-one on the Showboats' 39, Lewis sent Spencer over tackle for three yards, then scrambled for 10 yards and another first down on the Generals 45. But then the roof fell in. Lewis was sacked for 15 yards. Then the Generals' blitz caught the Showboats' signal caller 10 yards behind scrimmage and in the ensuing pileup the ball popped loose and was scooped up by Bobby Leopold, who rumbled all the way to the 11.

Three plays later Walker drove in to score. "Lewis' fumble was the turning point of the game," said Generals' coach Walt Michaels.

Flutie passed for 107 yards, one touchdown pass and scored on a 1-yard run. "It took a while to stick the ball in the end zone," Flutie said. "In the second half, we didn't make a lotof mistakes. Now we are a very good football team. When you become consistent, you play very good football." But without the sacks and a couple of missed field goals by the Showboats' Alan Duncan, the outcome may have been different.

Memphis quarterback Walter Lewis was 10-19 for 159 yards for the night. He also ran for 40 yards on six carries. And Mike Kelley, who relieved the scrambling Lewis in the final period, was 4-5 for 58 yards in the air.

Kelley came on to replace Lewis,and he promptly put together a 70yard scoring drive that ended with Anthony Parker putting the nose of the football barely past the goalline. But time ran out on the Showboats who fell to a 4-5 record while the Generals moved to a 6-3 mark.

April 19, 1985
New Jersey Generals - 21
Memphis Showboats - 18
at Liberty Bowl
44,339

New Jersey    0   0   14   7  --   21
Memphis       0   3    7   8  --   18

2nd Qtr ---- MEM - FG Duncan 20
3rd Qtr ---- NJ - Broughton 37 pass from Flutie (Ruzek kick)
             MEM - Spencer 6 run (Duncan kick)
             NJ - Flutie 1 run (Ruzek kick)
4th Qtr ---- NJ - Walker 1 run (Ruzek kick)
             MEM - Parker 1 run (Kelley run)

TEAM STATS            NEW JERSEY       MEMPHIS
First Downs               17               19
Rushes-Yards          40-201           31-117
Passing Yards            107              183
Return Yards              89               62
Passes                  7-12-0          14-24-0
Sacks By                3-34             0-00
Punts                   3-27             1-35
Fumbles-Lost             1-0              1-1
Penalties-Yards        10-58             4-20
Time of Possession     26:40            33:20

INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING = New Jersey: Walker 27-164, Carthon 10-29, Flutie 3-8.  Memphis:
       Spencer 15-49, Lewis 6-40, Sydney 4-12, Parker 4-12, Porter 2-4.
PASSING = New Jersey: Flutie 7-12-0-107.  Memphis: Lewis 10-19-0-159,
       Kelley 4-5-0-58.
RECEIVING = New Jersey: Broughton 2-55, Spek 1-22, Walker 2-16, Collins 2-14.
       Memphis: Moser 3-100, Crawford 3-44, Raugh 3-33, Shirk 3-21, Porter
       1-10, Spencer 1-9.
MISSED FIELD GOALS = New Jersey 1, Memphis 2.

Supplemental information courtesy of Chris Blackburn

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