Pittsburgh Maulers Fall Flat Again, Lose to New Jersey Generals 21-13

After the first four weeks of the USFL’s 10-week season, the Pittsburgh Maulers remain the only team without a win.

The Maulers (0-4) challenged the New Jersey Generals (3-1) Saturday afternoon, losing the game 21-13.

New Jersey scored the first points of the game in only two plays following a Maulers punt.

De’Andre Johnson found Alonzo Moore open at the Pittsburgh 34 yard line but no defender could corral the ball carrier. 

Moore went all the way to the end zone for a 62-yard touchdown, capped off by a Nick Rose extra point, to make it 7-0 Generals. Johnson along with Luis Perez split time at quarterback in Birmingham. 

The Maulers offense responded to New Jersey scoring drives twice in the first half.

Pittsburgh cracked the scoreboard for the first time with a 47-yard Ramiz Ahmed field goal. This would spark two consecutive touchdown drives split between both sides.

The Generals completed a 15 play, 75-yard drive with a Kavontae Turpin seven-yard rushing TD and displayed a balanced attack of both runs and passes. New Jersey pushed the lead to 14-3.

After originally being ruled short of the goal line, Garrett Groshek crossed into the end zone with 24 second left in the first half from a yard out.

Both teams chewed up clock in the third quarter. A strong return by New Jersey’s Cam Echols-Luper set up shop for the Generals at the Pittsburgh 34.

Darius Victor took advantage of the good return with a three yard run to put New Jersey ahead 21-10.

That would be enough of a cushion for the Generals to hold on.

Missed field goals were prevalent the remainder of the game. The Maulers started the streak, missing a 55 yarder, following the New Jersey touchdown. 

The Generals missed one from 46 yards on the next drive.

Kyle Lauletta was under center for the Maulers and helped lead the team to a made field goal on a 39-yard Ahmed attempt. The score was 21-13 with 9:46 left in the game.

Pittsburgh would not score again and turned the ball over on downs on its final attempt to score while running the two minute drill.

Lauletta finished the day 15-for-32 with 169 yards passing with no touchdowns or interceptions. 

Groshek sprinted for 37 yards on 14 carries, but Madre London finished with a more productive day on the ground. 

London ran for 43 yards on five carries, an 8.6 average per run. 

Tre Walker was a constant threat on the receiving end in the loss, catching nine passes for 110 yards in his most productive day wearing a purple, orange, and white jersey.

New Jersey is in first place in the North Division while the Maulers are back to the drawing board and continuing to pick up where the original team left off.

They look to snap the skid next Sunday against the Houston Gamblers (1-2) at 4 p.m. on FOX.