The New Jersey Generals notched their first win of the season on Friday night, downing the Michigan Panthers 10-6. All 16 points were scored in the first half and both teams missed field goals as they struggled to get things going offensively.
Panthers quarterback Shea Patterson had a chance to engineer a game-winning drive with just over four minutes left and came close to a dramatic win. Once facing a fourth-and-20 from their own 10-yard line with one minute left, the Panthers rallied to move the ball all the way to the Generals’ 16-yard line with five seconds left. However, Patterson’s final throw fell incomplete.
Patterson, the No. 1 overall pick in the USFL draft, struggled for the majority of the night, completing 14 of 29 passes for 124 yards — 74 of which came during Michigan’s final drive. Patterson was generally hesitant to let the ball fly when he had receivers open downfield and struggled to connect with his wideouts. However, maybe head coach Jeff Fisher can find some things to build off of following what was an impressive last gasp.
The Generals, meanwhile, found success employing their two-quarterback system. Luis Perez was the leading passer, completing 13 of 19 passes for 97 yards and one interception. De’Andre Johnson entered this game as the USFL’s leading rusher, and he added 27 yards to his 98 from last week. It was the ground game that helped New Jersey find the win column, as a total of four rushers racked up 113 yards and the Generals’ lone touchdown.
While this matchup was the furthest thing from a shootout, both defenses should be excited with their performances. New Jersey’s unit hung tough despite the offense’s two turnovers and applied constant pressure on Patterson. On the other hand, Michigan’s defense was the only reason the Panthers scored Friday evening, as a second-quarter interception set up the offense with possession on the Generals’ 20-yard line.
The Panthers next hit the field at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 1, when they will play the home team to the Pittsburgh Maulers. As for the Generals, they play the Philadelphia Stars at 8 p.m. ET that same Sunday. Follow along with this live blog all weekend long as the USFL’s 2022 season rolls on, and be sure to check out the USFL standings and season schedule as well. We’ve got all the latest news on our USFL page here.
Friday
New Jersey Generals 10, Michigan Panthers 6
Saturday
Pittsburgh Maulers at Philadelphia Stars, 12 p.m. ET | Fox, fuboTV
Birmingham Stallions at Houston Gamblers, 7 p.m. ET | FS1, fuboTV
Sunday
New Orleans Breakers at Tampa Bay Bandits, 3 p.m. ET | NBC, fuboTV
How to watch Maulers vs. Stars
Date: Saturday, April 23 | Time: 12 pm ET
Location: Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
TV: Fox | Stream: fuboTV
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Stars -6, O/U 36
