Stars Stun Generals in 37-27 Upset Behind Fusina’s 428-Yard Outburst
The Philadelphia Stars delivered the shock of Week 4 with a commanding 37-27 victory over the New Jersey Generals at Giants Stadium, riding Chuck Fusina’s career-best 428 passing yards and three touchdowns to snap New Jersey’s three-game win streak. Philadelphia exploded for 24 first-half points, including two touchdown connections between Fusina and receiver Dwayne Dixon (111 yards, 3 TDs), while building an insurmountable 34-6 fourth-quarter lead. The Stars’ aerial attack shredded New Jersey’s secondary all afternoon, with Ken Dunek adding 133 receiving yards and Kelvin Bryant contributing 97 yards through the air to complement his 71 rushing yards and a touchdown.
New Jersey’s high-powered offense struggled mightily until garbage time, with Doug Flutie throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble before padding his stats with three late touchdowns. The Generals’ normally dominant ground game was held in check, as Herschel Walker managed just 66 yards on six carries despite a 30-yard burst. Philadelphia’s defense made critical stops throughout, including Sam Mills’ 27-yard interception return and three sacks, while limiting New Jersey to just 5-of-18 on third down conversions. The Stars’ offensive line gave Fusina impeccable protection, allowing just one sack despite 42 pass attempts against New Jersey’s aggressive blitz packages.
The upset victory moves Philadelphia to 3-1 and into first place in the Atlantic Division, while the Generals fall to 3-2 after their most disappointing performance of the season. The Stars’ ability to capitalize on turnovers (scoring 17 points off three takeaways) and dominate time of possession (32:04) proved decisive, though the late defensive lapse that allowed 21 fourth-quarter New Jersey points will concern coach Jim Mora. For the Generals, the loss raises questions about their pass defense after allowing four completions of 25+ yards, while Flutie’s inconsistent performance (22-of-43, 347 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) marked a rare off day for the star quarterback. Both teams face critical Week 5 matchups, with Philadelphia looking to prove their contender status while New Jersey seeks to regain their early-season form.
