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USA Today

Dual-quarterback systems was one of the main takeaways from the USFL's opening weekend. The Michigan Panthers were among the teams that employed a two-quarterback system in their first game, a 17-12 loss to the Houston Gamblers. But unlike the other teams, the Panthers had a quarterback who vastly outplayed the other. 

Shea Patterson, the top pick in the USFL draft, outplayed teammate Paxton Lynch, a 12th-round pick in the USFL draft and the 26th-overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Lynch, who spent parts of four NFL seasons with the Broncos, Seahawks and Steelers, went just 2 of 5 for one yard with an interception against the Gamblers. Patterson, who had a brief run with the Chiefs after not being selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, went 17 of 25 for 192 yards with a touchdown while directing a pair of second-half scoring drives. 

With the Panthers down, 17-0, at halftime, Patterson nearly led his team to a last-second victory. Facing a fourth-and-26 on Houston's 31-yard-line, Patterson lofted an end zone pass to receiver La'Michael Pettway that for a moment appeared to be the game-winning score. The play was ruled incomplete, however, after Pettway failed to get both feet in bounds. (There was also a penalty against a Michigan lineman that would have wiped out a potential score.) 

While it wasn't perfect (he mishandled several snaps that resulted in big losses), Patterson's performance Sunday largely justified him being the top pick in the USFL Ddaft. Patterson and his teammates will look to rebound Saturday night against the New Jersey Generals, who led for most of their season-opener before allowing a last-second touchdown in a 28-24 loss to the Birmingham Stallions. 

The Generals also have a two-quarterback system in Luis Perez and De'Andre Johnson. Perez threw two first-half touchdowns against the Stallions, while Johnson ran for 98 of the Generals' 222 yards in a losing effort.