The New Jersey Generals (1-1) and Philadelphia Stars (1-1) meet in Week 3 to decide who is going above and below .500, respectively.
The Stars have the looks of a high-powered offense and faulty defense. Their only blemish came 23-17 in Week 1 at the hands of arguably the league’s top team, the Breakers. The Generals nabbed a 10-6 win over the Panthers in Week 2 to get in the win column.
Check out our free USFL picks and predictions for the New Jersey Generals and Philadelphia Stars on Sunday, May 1.
Generals vs Stars odds
| New Jersey Generals | Philadelphia Stars | |
|---|---|---|
| +1.5 (-110) | Spread | -1.5 (-110) |
| -105 | Moneyline | -115 |
| Over 40.5 (40.5) | Total | Under 40.5 (-110) |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel as of May 1, 2022.
The Stars are listed as -1 to -1.5 favorites depending on the book. The total has been set at 40.5. As always with USFL lines, be sure to shop around as lines fluctuate and can move quickly.
Generals vs Stars predictions
Predictions made on 4/28/2022 at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Generals vs Stars game info
• Location: Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
• Date: Sunday, May 1, 2022
• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• TV: Peacock
Generals at Stars betting preview
Weather
There’s a chance of scattered thunderstorms in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday night. The chance of rain is 40 percent, but it’s not expected to be cold (low 60s) or windy (5 mph).
Key injuries
Generals: No key injuries to report.
Stars: No key injuries to report.
Generals vs Stars picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Spread analysis
The Stars seem like a somewhat binary team: they have one of the league’s best passing attacks but aren’t very special anywhere else. Head coach Bart Andrus brought his pass-heavy scheme to the USFL after deploying it across various levels of professional football.
It’s been a success, as quarterback Bryan Scott leads the league in passing with 474 yards after two games — nearly 60 yards more than any other passer. The defensive stats don’t jump off the page as terrible, but I’m under the impression that some regression is due. They’ve allowed only 15 points per game but have allowed the third-most yardage per game (334.5).
Some of those numbers are artificially buoyed by a matchup with the Maulers’ terrible offense in Week 2. The Generals are middle-of-the-road in many facets of the game. They have the league’s third-best total defense (230 YPG), but those numbers were inflated by playing a woeful Michigan Panthers attack a week ago.
Led by a two-quarterback system of Luis Perez and former “Last Chance U” star De’Andre Johnson, New Jersey averaged 335.5 total yards per game — third-best in the league.
The statistics paint the picture that this is a close matchup, and it is.
The Stars have the trump card in this matchup though, as they have the best unit on the field: the passing attack. It’s rare to find a truly potent aerial assault in a professional spring football league, but Philadelphia has found its recipe. The Stars have kept on humming offensively despite various injuries at receiver.
Andrus has employed successful offenses in several different leagues and appears to be doing so yet again in the USFL. Favorites are 6-2 ATS after two weeks of action, and the Stars are a favorite I like in Week 3.
I’ll take Philadelphia to cover this small number.
Prediction: Stars -1 (-110 at DraftKings)
Over/Under analysis
As alluded to above, the Stars can sling the ball around the yard. Bryan Scott leads the league in passing yards (474) and passing touchdowns (4).
Maurice Alexander also stepped up at wideout after an injury to Week 1 leading receiver Chris Rowland. Alexander caught eight passes for 87 yards and two scores a week ago. Bug Howard is one of the top receiving threats at tight end in the league, plus Diondre Overton and Jordan Suell are two dangerous weapons as well.
Meanwhile, New Jersey should be able to run the ball against Philadelphia. The Stars allowed 171 yards and two scores on the ground to the Breakers in Week 1 and looked like arguably the softest front seven defensively in the league. This is a potential issue against the Generals’ top-ranked rushing attack in the league (168 YPG) after two weeks.
With dual-threat De’Andre Johnson at their disposal, the Generals can keep the Stars guessing and hurt them both on the ground and through the air. The Stars will be one of the top-scoring teams in the USFL and should contribute to the Over.
Prediction: Over 40.5 (-110 at FanDuel)
Best bet
The Stars have a lot of familiarity as a roster. Coach Bart Andrus opted to select many players that he’s had experience coaching in the recent past, which has provided continuity in a league where that is scarce.
Philadelphia has shown to possess the best passing attack in the league. They may have question marks elsewhere, but most teams in the USFL have struggled mightily to throw the ball with any consistency.
The Stars are a clear exception and I believe that’ll help them move to 2-1.
Pick: Stars -1 (-110 at DraftKings)
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