The Houston Gamblers had a big win over the New Jersey Generals. Week six of the USFL ended with a 16-10 win for Houston. Although the Houston run game struggled, the defense did not give the Generals a chance to breathe. After a strong turnout, Houston now sits with a 4-2 record. This win comes in an important weekend, as now three teams in the South Division have a 4-2 record. Here are the studs and duds for the Houston Gamblers in week six.
Gamblers QB Kenji Bahar (11) – Michael Reaves/USFL/Getty Images
Houston Gamblers Studs
Clint Sigg Jr.
Tight end Clint Siggs Jr. was not used often as a receiver throughout the game. Despite this, when he was, it was worth it. Throughout the game, Siggs had just four receptions for 34 yards, according to the USFL. It should be acknowledged that despite the fact that he had just four receptions, he was only targeted four times. Siggs averaged 8.5 yards per reception, his longest for 15 yards. The part that made the tight end special was his ability to strive for more yards than needed. Even when he had the first down, he kept pushing.
Jeremiah Johnson
Houston safety Jeremiah Johnson also had a strong game. Johnson had a total of six combined tackles, two of which were solo, according to the USFL. While this does not sound like much, he also had one interception and two pass deflections. The Generals struggled with their passing game, and the Gamblers could have had many more interceptions. Many potential picks were dropped, but Johnson was sure to secure the ball. If he did not, maybe the Generals could have scored on that drive. Johnson stood out this weekend and can use this momentum to help Houston as they move forward in the season.
Houston Gamblers – Vasha Hunt/USA TODAY Sports
Houston Gamblers Duds
Justin Hall
It definitely needs to acknowledge that statistically, it was not a bad game for wide receiver Justin Hall, but it was not great either. That is not the reason he is listed, though. Hall had a total of six receptions for 59 yards, according to the USFL. His longest reception was for 18 yards. Of the six receptions, he was targeted ten times. Some of those catches he should have made, and it was sloppy. The issue was also his positioning on his receptions.
On a third down, he had to make sure he passed the first down marker, and he did not do that when he needed to. Following the reception, he was tackled, and the Gamblers never got a first down. It was a minor mistake because they won. If Houston lost this game, Hall’s performance would be discussed more. Hopefully, the receiver can learn from this week’s mistakes and fix them next week.
Houston Gamblers WR Justin Hall (17) – Tim Nwachukwu/USFL/Getty Images
Mark Thompson
Running back Mark Thompson also could have had a better game. This is not on him completely, though. Despite New Jersey’s poor overall performance, the Generals do well defending the run game. With this, Thompson did not have his best game. The running back ended the matchup with 22 attempts for 82 yards, according to the USFL. He averaged just 3.7 yards, his longest being just eight yards. On a high note, he did score the touchdown that helped the Gamblers win it. Not all the blame can be put on him facing a stronger defense, but next week it should be expected for him to do better.
The Houston Gamblers are listed second in the South on the USFL website. They stand with a 4-2 record following this game. There are just four more regular season games left this season. With three teams tied with a 4-2 record, every game matters. Next week, Houston will face the 3-3 Memphis Showboats. Be sure to watch to see if the Gamblers can continue to win and if these players can improve on their week six performance.
