![Week 1 - 1985: NJ Generals vs Birmingham Stallions [Flutie's 1st Pro Game]](https://vidvio.s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/storage/DB7txPsy/thumb-4.jpg)
1984 Week 1 - Monday, February 27, 1984
Attendance: 22,428
TV: ESPN
The Michigan Panthers looked rusty, but in the end they did the things that champions have to do and Coach Jim Stanley liked it.
The defeat -- in the season-opener for both teams -- was hard for the Blitz to swallow. In fact, the Blitz led the Panthers four times, but each time Michigan quarterback Bobby Hebert managed to rally his troops. Hebert looked rusty after missing most of camp in a contract dispute, but his numbers were bright and shiny as he completed 20 of 34 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns without any interceptions. Hebert's favorite target was Anthony Carter, who caught seven passes for 107 yards and one TD.
The Blitz opened the scoring 3:11 into the game with a 41-yard field goal by Kevin Seibel. The Panthers answered three plays later with Hebert and Derek Holloway hooking up on a 49-yard TD pass play. But Chicago went ahead 10-7 on its next possession as quarterback Vince Evans plunged over from 1 yard out.
Hebert flipped a 16-yard strike to Carter five seconds into the second quarter but the Blitz regained the lead on a 2-yard run by Larry Canada. Bojovic licked a 39-yard field goal as time ran out in the first half to send the Panthers off with a 17-16 lead.
The third quarter was scoreless, but Chicago took an 18-17 lead when Jim Stone blocked David Greenwood's punt out of the end zone at 6:42 of the fourth quarter. The Panthers started their winning drive from their own 33 with 2:32 remaining and were on the Chicago 2-yard line with only five seconds left when the ball was snapped for Bojovic's climactic field goal.
Evans, playing his first USFL game after spending seven years with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League, completed 16 of 32 for 134 yards with one interception.
Source: http://www.oursportscentral.com/usfl/index.php
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