Williams’ Passes and Brown’s Runs Spark Outlaws, 41-21

TEMPE, Ariz. —  Doug Williams threw three touchdown passes and Reggie Brown scored three times on short runs as the Arizona Outlaws beat the Jacksonville Bulls, 41-21, in a rain-plagued United States Football League game Monday night.

Ahead 13-7 at halftime, Arizona turned a fumble recovery and a controversial reception into 14 quick points to seal its second win in three games.

Jacksonville fell to 1-2 before a crowd of only 13,025 at 70,021-seat Sun Devil Stadium. There were 7,514 no-shows.

Williams fired a 4-yard strike to tight end Ron Wheeler and a two-point conversion pass to Brown for a 21-7 lead with 10:49 left in the third period.

Outlaws defensive tackle Kit Lathrop recovered a fumble at the Jacksonville 27-yard line 37 seconds later, and Brown made it 27-7 on a 1-yard run with 6:56 remaining.

A 12-yard touchdown pass from Buck Belue to wide receiver Aubrey Matthews narrowed the Bulls’ deficit to 27-14 with 24 seconds left in the third period.

But Brown’s 16-yard run 3:05 into the final quarter and 1-yard burst 3:46 later--set up by linebacker Ed Smith’s interception--made it 41-14.

Matthews’ third touchdown of the night--a 9-yard toss from Bulls’ backup quarterback Robbie Mahfouz--closed out the scoring with 5:29 to go in the game.