Michigan Panthers upset New Jersey Generals, 25-22: Game thread recap
2023 USFL Week 7: Michigan Panthers (2-4) vs. New Jersey Generals (2-4)
When: 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton, Ohio.
TV: FS1.
Line: Generals by 6½.
WEEK 6: Panthers fall, 27-13, to Birmingham Stallions for fourth straight loss
WEEK 5: Panthers struggle on offense in 23-7 loss to Pittsburgh Maulers
WEEK 4: Panthers lose, 29-10, to Memphis Showboats in second game at Ford Field
WEEK 3: Panthers' USFL debut at Ford Field spoiled in 28-13 loss to New Jersey Generals
WEEK 2: Panthers match 2022 win total in Week 2 of 2023 season with 24-10 win over Philly
WEEK 1: Panthers QB makes USFL history in 2023 season-opening win over Houston
Game notes: The last time these two teams met, back on April 30 in Detroit, the Generals handed the Panthers their first loss of the season, 28-13, as they outgained the Panthers, 377-265, despite running 22 fewer plays. Michigan hasn’t won since. That game established the Panthers’ biggest flaw: The lack of a passing game, as Josh Love (15-for-31) and Carson Strong (4-for-9) combined to pass for just 163 yards, a touchdown and an interception. On the season, the duo has completed 61.3% of its passes, for 1,102 yards and eight touchdowns, but that has also come with seven interceptions. Will newly signed QB Brian Lewerke, formerly of Michigan State, get a shot at the job?
New Jersey QB De’Andre Johnson, meanwhile, needed just 15 attempts — and 10 completions — to rack up 180 yards passing and two touchdowns. He also rushed nine times for 98 yards, though the bulk of that was a 71-yard run to the left side midway through the first quarter. He followed that with a 9-yard scramble for a TD to account for all 80 yards of the Generals’ TD drive by himself. Johnson’s 8 yards a carry (32 rushes, 255 yards) are tops in the USFL (though if you subtract the 71-yarder against the Panthers, he drops to a mere 5.9 yards per rush, which would place him sixth in the league).
At least the Panthers' defense has been OK, with a pair of two-time Defensive Player of the Week winners in linebacker Frank Ginda (Weeks 2, 6) and defensive end Breeland Speaks (Weeks 1, 5)
After today’s game, the Panthers remain on the road, as they’ll head to Birmingham, Alabama, to face the New Orleans Breakers (and ex-Michigan State kicker Matt Coghlin) at 4 p.m. June 4. Michigan wraps up its second season with a return to Canton to take on the Pittsburgh Maulers on June 10 and then a return to Detroit to “host” its fellow Ford Field squad, the Philadelphia Stars. The Generals, meanwhile, will get a visit from the Memphis Showboats at 1 p.m. June 4.
THE ROSTERS: Welcome back, Michigan Panthers! Meet the 14 Michigan players
RAINER SABIN: Michigan Panthers are back home, but don't expect the area to notice much
Live updates
Can't see the updates? Refresh the page or check them out on Twitter.
Contact Ryan Ford at rford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @theford.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Panthers beat New Jersey Generals, 25-22: Game thread recap
