USFL Week 3: Michigan Panthers beat Pittsburgh Maulers, 24-0, for first win
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USFL: Michigan Panthers (0-2) vs. Pittsburgh Maulers (0-2)
When: 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama.
TV: USA Network.
Line: Panthers by 2½.
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Game notes: It’s a question we’re more used to asking in September instead of May: Will Week 3 finally bring the first win for Michigan’s pro football team? That team this month, of course, is the Michigan Panthers, in that familiar plum and champagne uniform kit. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, the Panthers are 0-2, with losses to Houston and New Jersey (which are also based in Birmingham).
The Panthers have been competitive in both games, however, if not entirely enjoyable to watch, losing each by sone score. Former Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson has been a roller coaster — gee, where have we heard that before? — but led the Panthers on final-drive rallies thwarted only by their final passes falling incomplete (or at least being ruled incomplete, per Week 1). He’ll get chance No. 3 today, since the Panthers’ other QB, former NFL first-rounder Paxton Lynch, was somehow even worse.
The Panthers face the Pittsburgh Maulers, who entered the season with a healthy dose of players entering the season. On offense, Pittsburgh had former MSU tight end Matt Seybert and former MSU running back (by way of Tennessee) Madre London, plus former U-M defensive end Carlo Kemp, former MSU cornerback Shakur Brown and former WMU defensive end Eric Assoua on defense.
But Seybert and Assoua have been ruled out on the injury list, leaving just London, Brown and Kemp – that’s two Spartans and a Wolverine, so – if you’re not totally sold on rooting for the Panthers solely because they have “Michigan” in their name – consider the Maulers a stand-in (via majority rule) for MSU against Patterson.
After their Sunday matinee against Pittsburgh, the Panthers stick with the Keystone State theme next week, as they “host” the Philadelphia Stars at 10 p.m. Friday (FS1). The Maulers, meanwhile, will take on the New Jersey Generals at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
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Contact Ryan Ford at rford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @theford.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Game thread: Michigan Panthers beat Pittsburgh Maulers for first win
