Houston 50 at Tampa Bay 28

TAMPA(AP) – The Houston Gamblers unleashed an offensive show as Jim Kelly passed for 261 yards and four touchdowns and Clarence Verdin and Gerald McNeil returned kicks for scores in a 50-28 victory over the Bandits. Verdin, who returned a kickoff 94 yards, and McNeil, who scored on a 79-yard punt return, also caught touchdown passes from Kelly, who has thrown for 835 yards and nine TDs in two games.

Kelly teamed with McNeil on a 58-yard bomb for a 38-21 lead 5:52 into the third quarter and fired a 20-yard strike to Verdin less than three minutes later. Kelly also tossed touchdown passes of 4 and 13 yards to Richard Johnson and Vince Courville, respectively.

The Houston defense, meanwhile, intercepted Tampa Bay quarterbacks John Reaves and Jimmy Jordan six times as the teams attempted a USFL record 103 passes.

"I didn't set any records," said Kelly, who passed for a professional record 574 yards against Los Angeles a week ago, "but as long as we win that's all that counts to me."

Sunday, March 3, 1985

Houston Gamblers 50 @ Tampa Bay Bandits 28

Stadium : Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FL.

Attendance: 42,291

                    Houston    Tampa Bay

First Downs            13          27
Rushes - Yards       11-41       23-87
Passing Yards         248         408
Return Yards          202          4
Passes              22-41-0     33-62-6
Sacks by              1-1         5-36
Punts                 5-45        2-45
Fumbles-Lost          4-3         0-0
Penalties-Yards      12-35        7-55
Time of Possession   24:14       35:46

                    1st 2nd 3rd 4th  Total

Houston             21  10  14   5  - 50
Tampa Bay            7   7   7   7  - 28

1st Quarter Scoring

Tampa Bay Bandits - Anderson 5 yard run ( Andrusyshyn Kick )

Houston Gamblers - Verdin 94 yard Kickoff Return ( Fritsch Kick )

Houston Gamblers - Johnson 4 yard pass from Kelly ( Fritsch Kick )

Houston Gamblers - McNeil 79 yard Punt Return ( Frirsch Kick )

2nd Quarter Scoring

Houston Gamblers - Courville 13 yard pass from Kelly ( Fritsch Kick )

Tampa Bay Bandits - Jackson 14 yard pass from Reaves ( Andrusyshyn Kick )

Houston Gamblers - 38 yard Field Goal by Fritsch

3rd Quarter Scoring

Tampa Bay Bandits - Truvillion 3 yard pass from Reaves ( Andrusyshyn Kick )

Houston Gamblers - McNeil 58 yard pass from Kelly ( Fritsch Kick )

Houston Gamblers - Verdin 20 yard pass from Kelly ( Fritsch Kick )

4th Quarter Scoring

Tampa Bay Bandits  - Carter 52 yard pass from Jordan ( Andrusyshyn Kick )

Houston Gamblers - Safety by Lewis on Jordan in the End Zone

Houston Gamblers - 36 yard Field Goal by Fritsch


INDIVIDUAL Statistics

Rushing

Houston Gamblers - Clark 4-16, Harrell 4-13, Kelly 2-9, Dillon 1-3.

Tampa Bay Bandits - Anderson 13-37, Boone 9-41, Blunk 1-9.

Passing

Houston Gamblers - Kelly 19-31-0-261, Dillon 3-10-0-23.

Tampa Bay Bandits - Reaves 18-31-2-225, Jordan 15-31-4-184.

Receiving

Houston Gamblers - Verdin 6-45, Johnson 4-49, Harrell 4-37, Courville 3-52, 
McNeil 2-78, Barousse 2-14, Clark 1-9.

Tampa Bay Bandits - Truvillion 7-82, Carter 4-81, Jackson 4-61, 
Brodsky 4-58, Harvey 4-56, Anderson 3-35, Price 3-21, Boone 3-11, Blunk 1-4.

Missed Field Goals

NONE

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