Week 9 Game Preview: CHICAGO ENFORCERS (3-5) @ NY/NJ HITMEN (3-5)

CHICAGO ENFORCERS (3-5) @ NY/NJ HITMEN (3-5)
Saturday, March 31, 2001 – 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Giants Stadium
TV: NBC Primary Game

NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY HITMEN TEAM NOTES
OUTLOOK
The Hitmen play host to the Enforcers at Giants Stadium after losing to the first-place Orlando Rage, 17-12, last week at the Citrus Bowl. Both teams are tied for second place in the Eastern Division and in the hunt for the final playoff spot. This game marks the second time New York/Jersey and Chicago have met, with the Hitmen winning the first meeting in rain-soaked Chicago, 13-0.

GAMEPLAN
With QB Wally Richardson questionable with a sprained knee, Coach Tillman has not named his starting QB for this week. He wants QBs Charles Puleri, who was benched in week three, and Corte McGuffey, who has not seen action since week one, to battle it out in practice this week. Depending on Richardson’s progress, he may take some snaps in practice later in the week. The Hitmen have been struggling the past few weeks running the ball, but hit a low when QB Wally Richardson led the team in rushing against the Rage with just 15 yards. Look for the Hitmen offense to open up its playbook even more this week with the playoffs on the line. Whoever starts at QB for New York/Jersey may look to go deep down field to wideouts Zola Davis and Kirby Dar-Dar against Chicago’s eighth-ranked pass defense. The Hitmen want to halt the Enforcers running game (John Avery is doubtful) and force Chicago into a passing game, against which New York is ranked number one in the XFL.

NEWS AND NOTES
Wally Richardson has thrown touchdown passes in four of the five games he started and has a streak of four consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass…LB Ron Merkerson’s 43-yard fumble recovery TD represented the Hitmen’s first-ever defensive points…. The three interceptions against Orlando are a new team record…. The Hitmen have intercepted passes in seven of the eight games they have played….. S Brad Trout was again the leader of a Hitmen defense that held the high-scoring Orlando Rage offense to 17 points. Known as a big hitter, the free safety recorded a game-high eight tackles (all solo).

OFF THE FIELD
Hitmen DE Dwayne Sabb owns a Subway franchise, which is located in a bus station in Brockton, MA.

CHICAGO ENFORCERS TEAM NOTES
OUTLOOK
Winners of two straight and three out of four, the Enforcers look to take sole possession of second place in the Eastern Division, after shutting out the Birmingham Bolts, 13-0, at Soldier Field.

GAMEPLAN
The Enforcers will be eyeing the hamstring of this week’s XFL’s Offensive Player of the Week winner RB John Avery after he pulled the muscle in the final minute of the Enforcers’ win over the Bolts. If Avery is able to play, look for Chicago to give the Hitmen a heavy dose of the star RB, who carried the ball 20 times for an XFL-record 180 yards last week. If Avery is out, LeShon Johnson, who is tied for first in the league with six rushing touchdowns, will get the start. Johnson would be spelled by RB Charles Wiley. Look for QB Kevin McDougal to spread the ball around more to his wideouts Junior Lord, Luke Leverson and Aaron Bailey, who combined for 129 yards against Birmingham. On defense, Chicago will be led by XFL Defensive Player of the Week winner DB Corey Ivy, who had two picks last week. The defense must take advantage of the Hitmen’s lackluster running game and pressure the QB.

NEWS AND NOTES
Since quarterback Kevin McDougal was inserted into the starting lineup, the Enforcers are 3-1…. McDougal connected with six different receivers against the Bolts….Linebacker Jamie Baisley has been the Enforcers’ most consistent defensive player this season. On the year, the Glencoe, Ill. native and Loyola Academy graduate is tied for fifth in tackles in the XFL (45)….. Cornerback Ray Austin is second in the XFL in tackles with 50. He led the Enforcers with a team-best 10 tackles versus Birmingham.

OFF THE FIELD
The battle for NCAA Tournament pool bragging rights will be resolved this weekend between Enforcers cheerleader Mylinda and new Texas Tech head basketball coach Bobby Knight. Mylinda and coach Knight have both chosen 35 teams correctly, as tracked by the Chicago Sun Times. However, Knight’s final four picks have all been eliminated while Mylinda has one final four team remaining, Duke. If Duke wins one game, Mylinda wins the contest, if Duke loses, they will have tied.

[Enforcers at Hitmen | Rage at Bolts | Xtreme at Maniax | Demons at Outlaws]

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