The Houston Gamblers fell short against the Birmingham Stallions in week nine of the USFL. Luckily for them, they are not out of the playoff race, but the loss makes it much more difficult. Houston ended up losing the game 38-15, falling to a 5-4 record. With the Stallions’ win, Birmingham has officially clinched the 2023 USFL playoffs. The Gamblers still have a chance, but it will take a hard fight. Here is a look at the Houston Gamblers studs and duds in week nine of the USFL.
Houston Gamblers Studs
Former BYU DB Dayan Lake (5) – Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Dayan Lake
Houston Gamblers safety Dayan Lake had a strong week nine game despite the loss. According to the USFL, Lake had three combined tackles, two of which were solo and one tackle for loss. That does not sound great, but that is because he did much more than just tackling. He had two pass deflections and one interception.
In the third quarter of the game, the score was 17-12, with Birmingham in the lead. It was still a close game, and Lake forced an interception. Houston ended up kicking a field goal to make the score tighter. With how well Lake played, it is a shame the team could not get more points on the board. The Gamblers may not have won the game, but Lake was a reason that the team kept it close.
Isaiah Zuber
Wide receiver Isaiah Zuber was a name that was announced numerous times throughout the game. The receiver was only targeted four times but received it each time. Zuber ended the game with 48 receiving yards, according to the USFL. The Gamblers’ receiver averaged 12 yards per attempt, his longest for 18 yards. He ended up having no receiving touchdowns, but he did what he could to give the team the best chance to score.
Zuber also did the kick returns for the Gamblers against the Stallions. He had five kick returns for 96 yards. He averaged 19.2 yards per attempt, his long for 29 yards. The only thing missing for Zuber was a scoring play that could have helped Houston get the win that they needed. Hopefully, next week Zuber can play just as well, or even better, and put more points on the board.
Houston Gamblers Duds
Houston Gamblers CB Bydarrius Knighten (5) – Marvin Gentry/USA TODAY Sports
Hunter Niswander
Gamblers’ punter, Hunter Niswander did not have a great game for the Gamblers. He ended up recording two fumbles, according to the USFL. This is, of course, something that needs to be avoided. Luckily the ball was only turned over one time. Aside from those mistakes, he punted three times, averaging 53 yards per punt. His longest one in the game went for 57 yards. These are mistakes that punters need to be aware of, and it just was not Niswander’s day. The Gamblers are not out of the playoff race and hopefully can avoid these mistakes in the future.
Josh Pederson
Houston Gamblers’ tight end Josh Pederson, did not have a bad game; it just was not his best game. Pederson ended the game with five receptions for 36 yards, according to the USFL. He averaged 7.2 yards per reception; his longest was for 15. This is not terrible, but it is not great. This team is fighting for playoffs and needs every player to step up. Hopefully, in week ten, Pederson can get back to how the team knows he can be.
The Gamblers are currently third in the South division of the USFL. They sit at 5-4, and the team ahead of them is the New Orleans Breakers. The Birmingham Stallions have already clinched playoffs with this week’s win. While the Gamblers are in third, the Memphis Showboats are right behind them with the same record. This means anything can happen in week ten. The Houston Gamblers’ final game will be against the Breakers on Sunday, June 18th. The USFL 2023 playoffs will be determined in just a week.
