In what was unexpectedly one of the most exciting games of the season, The New Orleans Breakers (5-2) got a victory over the Michigan Panthers (1-6) in the USFL’s first-ever shootout overtime game, which ended with a final score of 31-27.
The Panthers started Josh Love at quarterback after acquiring the former Pittsburgh Mauler and releasing their former 1st round pick, Shea Patterson, earlier in the week. Despite being under heavy pressure throughout the matchup and the team taking the loss, Love played a great game and helped lead Michigan to one of their best performances of the season.
Quarterback Kyle Sloter got the start for New Orleans, but some early struggles led to backup Zach Smith seeing some playing time as well. While they got off to a slow start in the first quarter, the Breakers’ offense got rolling in the second, with Smith scoring the team’s first points on a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Sal Canella. Sloter would take back over late in the second quarter and remained the starter for the rest of the game.
Josh Love and the Panthers put some decent drives together throughout, but couldn’t get into the endzone until the 4th quarter. However, Panthers kicker Cole Murphy kept the game tight, converting 4/5 total field goals on the day, with the longest being from 60 yards out. Murphy’s lone miss came on a 54-yard attempt with 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter, giving New Orleans a final opportunity to win or tie the game.
On the last drive of regulation, Kyle Sloter and the Breakers’ offense drove 48 yards down the field, with wide receiver Jonathan Adams making a clutch catch while only 1 second remained on the clock. The play put Breakers kicker, Taylor Bertolet, in the perfect position to nail a 26-yard field goal which tied the game and took things to overtime.
After winning the coin toss in overtime, New Orleans chose to give the Panthers the first attempt to score. However, a bad snap over the head of Josh Love would throw that opportunity away. For the Breakers’ first shootout attempt, quarterback Kyle Sloter found running back Anthony Jones through the air on a 2-yard score to take the lead 29-27. Michigan responded with an incomplete pass, setting New Orleans up for a win by converting either one of their final two attempts. To put the game away on New Orleans’ second attempt, Sloter scrambled into the endzone, sealing the win with a final score of 31-27.
Box Score
New Orleans Breakers
PASSING
COM
PCT
YDS
AVG
TD
INT
QBR
Sloter
15/24
62.5
182
7.6
2
0
113.5
Smith
5/8
62.5
46
5.8
1
0
117.7
TOTALS
20/32
62.5
228
7.1
3
0
–
RUSHING
ATT
YDS
AVG
TD
LNG
Ellis
7
42
6.0
0
19
A Jones
11
34
3.1
0
12
Smith
2
18
9.0
0
11
Sloter
2
3
1.5
0
3
J Adams
1
-8
-8.0
0
-8
TOTALS
23
89
3.9
0
19
RECEIVING
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LNG
TGT
Dixon
3
44
14.7
0
23
4
Cannella
4
40
10.0
1
17
5
Poindexter
3
37
12.3
0
18
7
A Jones
2
33
16.5
1
33
3
Ellis
3
26
8.7
0
13
3
Taylor
2
20
10.0
0
13
2
J Adams
2
18
9.0
1
13
5
Chavis
1
10
10.0
0
10
1
J Johnson
0
0
–
0
0
1
TOTALS
20
228
11.4
3
33
31
DEFENSIVE
TCK
SOL
SCK
TFL
INT
PD
TD
Eisworth II
7
4
0
0
0
1
0
Elder
7
3
0
0
0
0
0
Fernandez
7
2
0.5
1
0
0
0
Diggs
6
5
0
0
0
0
0
Alexander
6
4
0
0
0
0
0
Bellamy
6
3
0
0
0
0
0
Saint-Amour
6
2
0
1
0
0
0
Frey
6
2
0
1
0
0
0
Brown
4
2
0
0
0
3
0
Chavis
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
Crosswell
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
Miller
3
2
0
1
0
0
0
Soto
3
1
0.5
0
0
0
0
M Patterson
3
1
0
0
0
1
0
Clarke
3
1
0
0
0
1
0
Brooks
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
Tongamoa
1
1
0
0
0
2
0
Cannella
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
T Johnson
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Taylor
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Ellis
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
TOTALS
79
38
1
4
0
8
0
FUMBLES
FUM
LST
FF
REC
Taylor
2
1
0
0
Sloter
1
0
0
0
Sloter
1
0
0
0
J Adams
1
1
0
0
TOTALS
5
2
0
0
KICK RETURN
RET
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
Dixon
1
34
34.0
34
0
Taylor
4
100
25.0
30
0
TOTALS
5
134
26.8
34
0
PUNT RETURN
RET
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
Dixon
1
8
8.0
8
0
TOTALS
1
8
8.0
8
0
KICKING
FG
PCT
LNG
XP
PTS
Bertolet
2/2
100
39
3/3
9
TOTALS
2/2
100
39
3/3
9
PUNTING
NO
AVG
20
TB
LNG
BLK
White
4
41.5
2
0
48
0
TOTALS
4
41.5
2
0
48
0
Michigan Panthers
PASSING
COM
PCT
YDS
AVG
TD
INT
QBR
Love
18/37
48.6
179
4.8
0
0
62.8
J Walker
1/1
100.0
6
6.0
0
0
91.7
TOTALS
19/38
50.0
185
4.9
0
0
–
RUSHING
ATT
YDS
AVG
TD
LNG
Corbin
13
108
8.3
0
29
Scarlett
6
43
7.2
1
36
Scott III
11
25
2.3
1
10
Love
4
16
4.0
0
11
TOTALS
34
192
5.6
2
36
RECEIVING
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LNG
TGT
Lenoir Jr.
3
47
15.7
0
19
7
Ross
2
38
19.0
0
32
4
Pettway
3
35
11.7
0
20
6
J Walker
4
32
8.0
0
11
9
Baugh
3
15
5.0
0
8
5
O’Malley
1
10
10.0
0
10
1
Davis
1
6
6.0
0
6
1
Scott III
1
3
3.0
0
3
1
Hyman
0
0
–
0
0
2
Scarlett
1
-1
-1.0
0
-1
1
TOTALS
19
185
9.7
0
32
37
DEFENSIVE
TCK
SOL
SCK
TFL
INT
PD
TD
Ginda
13
6
0
0
0
0
0
Houston
7
5
0
1
0
0
0
Hughes
6
5
0
0
0
0
0
Williams Jr.
5
4
0
0
0
1
0
Rahman
5
4
0
0
0
0
0
Ki Williams
4
2
0
0
0
0
0
Bailey
3
2
1
0
0
0
0
Adeoye
2
2
0
1
0
0
0
T Williams
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
Martin
2
1
0
0
0
1
0
Carter
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
Scarlett
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
Burrell
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
Vainikolo
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
Palmore
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
Ross
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
McMillan
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Hyman
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
C Walker
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Ballard
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Murphy
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
TOTALS
59
36
1
2
0
3
0
FUMBLES
FUM
LST
FF
REC
Love
1
0
0
0
Ki Williams
0
0
0
1
Bailey
0
0
0
1
Williams Jr.
0
0
1
0
Hyman
0
0
1
0
TOTALS
1
0
2
2
KICK RETURN
RET
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
Corbin
5
108
21.6
32
0
TOTALS
5
108
21.6
32
0
PUNT RETURN
RET
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
Hyman
2
29
14.5
17
0
TOTALS
2
29
14.5
17
0
KICKING
FG
PCT
LNG
XP
PTS
Murphy
4/5
80
60
1/1
13
TOTALS
4/5
80
60
1/1
13
PUNTING
NO
AVG
20
TB
LNG
BLK
Kramer
3
43.3
1
1
49
0
TOTALS
3
43.3
1
1
49
0
Next Opponents
The New Orleans Breakers will face the Birmingham Stallions on Saturday, June 4th, at 12:00 pm PT on Fox.
The Michigan Panthers are set to take on the Philadelphia Stars on Sunday, June 5th, at 9:00 am PT on Fox.
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