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Crush Gains Redemption, Moves on to Semifinals

May 29, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Colorado Crush News Release


DENVER -- The scoreboard above the fray of the Crush's 56-48 playoff win over the San Jose SaberCats reflected a high-wattage offensive affair that is typical of the Arena Football League.

But don't let the 15 touchdowns scored in the game fool you -- it was defense that won this game for the Crush. A defense that gave up 89 points to the SaberCats just five weeks and two days earlier -- the most ever allowed by a home team in AFL annals -- permitted barely half as many points Sunday and stopped the SaberCats twice inside the Crush 10-yard-line in the final period.

A defense that had allowed more yards in the regular season than any other in AFL history -- that at one point in April went nearly two and a half full games without posting a stop of an opposing drive -- came up with two heroic sequences in the final period to slam the door shut on the defending ArenaBowl champions.

"We kind of felt like we had to redeem ourselves today, because we know when we play like we played today, we can't be stopped," defensive specialist Delvin Hughley said. "It was a personal thing for us."

The first final-period stop saw Hughley stretch out to his limits in order to break up a fourth-down, end-zone pass for James Roe. The second and final halt saw Hughley and fellow defensive specialist Rashad Floyd swat away back-to-back passes before Mark Grieb's fourth-and-goal attempt for Rashied Davis fell incomplete with 42 seconds remaining.

It was in that final minute -- with the Pepsi Center crowd of 13,315 on its feet and roaring -- that Hughley, Floyd and wide receiver/defensive back Willis Marshall came together with one purpose.

"During that series, myself, Rashad and Delvin basically said, 'Whatever we do, we're going to leave it all on the field,'" Marshall said. "We saw that with Rashad diving around, knocking balls out. We played press man (coverage). You can't get any tighter than that. It's about who wants it more, and I think our DBs -- and our defensive line putting pressure -- showed that we wanted it more."

That last stop was the continuation of a period in which the Crush's defense turned the game's momentum. San Jose had gone on a 21-0 run in the second and third periods to take a 42-35 lead, and by the end of the third quarter, the game was again tied, but the SaberCats were at the Crush 12-yard-line.

A third-and-10 pass from Grieb to Barry Wagner gave the SaberCats fourth-and-5 at the 7-yard-line -- and Colorado's defense a chance to give the Crush offense control of the game once again. Grieb went back to pass and looked for James Roe in the back of the end zone. The only problem for the 'Cats was that Colorado's defense knew exactly where Grieb was looking, as well.

"Everybody on the team knew that they were going to go to him," Hughley said. "I knew that they were going to go to him. That's their money man ... He just tried to beat me to the corner."

Hughley shadowed Roe, and then when the pass went skyward, he reached as far as he could to get his hand on the football. He got just enough on it to swat it awae. One play later John Dutton found Damian Harrell for a 38-yard touchdown, and the Crush led for good.

"In situations like that, you've just got to step up to the challenge," Hughley said. "That's what it takes to make that play. I was determined to make it."

A determination that signaled the fact that the Crush's once-maligned defense now possessed enough desire to make the plays that turned the biggest home game in franchise history -- to this point, anyway -- in Colorado's favor.

"If you look at that in any sport, defense wins championships. I know it's kind of old and cliched, but it's the truth. Defense wins championships. If our D-line and our DBs keep playing the way we're playing, our offense will take care of itself."

It did. Colorado's offense only had two hiccups -- a fumble with 41 seconds left in the first half that proved harmless when Hughley intercepted a pass on the final play before intermission, and a turnover on downs midway through the third quarter.

San Jose's offense, meanwhile, saw four drives end short of the end zone, beginning with its first, when the SaberCats were called for holding and never recovered, eventually attempting a 57-yard field goal out of a fourth-and-18 situation.

"Getting that first stop showed them that we're here to play, and that we're a completely different team," Dutton said. "So I think that's just huge. That was momentum that we needed offensively just to keep on going."

All the way to next week's American Conference Championship game against the Chicago Rush.

GAME TRACK Colorado won the coin toss and elected to receive.

FIRST QUARTER

Colorado wasted no time starting the scoring, as Kevin McKenzie fielded the opening kickoff off the right rebound net, followed his blockers to the 10-yard-line, found a seam up the left side of the field and sprinted for a 56-yard touchdown return that gave the Crush a 7-0 lead -- the Crush's first against San Jose since it held a 7-6 advantage early in a 55-35 loss at San Jose on March 14, 2004.

The Crush defense then did two things it couldn't do a month earlier against San Jose -- force an incompletion and complete a defensive stop. Colorado actually coaxed three straight misfires, setting up a Derek Schorejs field-goal attempt that missed wide left. Colorado then scored one play later when John Dutton found Andy McCullough for a 37-yard touchdown pass past Clevan Thomas.

San Jose responded on its next drive, as Mark Grieb completed three straight passes to lead the SaberCats to their first score -- a 21-yard pass to Rashied Davis. Schorejs' extra point narrowed Colorado's lead to 14-7 with 7:35 left in the quarter.

An adroit, stop-and-start kickoff return by Willis Marshall gave the Crush the ball at its 9 to start its next possession. Dutton connected with a wide-open Damian Harrell for a 30-yard gain to open the drive. Three plays later, the Crush was back in the end zone when Dutton found McCullough for a 4-yard touchdown connection, putting the Crush in front 21-7.

San Jose avoided disaster on the first play of its next drive when Rodney Wright lost a fumble, but the ball hit the sideline, making the play dead. One snap later, Grieb found James Roe for a 37-yard touchdown to narrow the Crush lead to 21-14 with 2:28 left in the period. The completion was Grieb's fifth in a row.

Colorado took over possession, got a first down via a San Jose offsides penalty and advanced to its 24-yard-line as the period ended.

SECOND QUARTER

An acrobatic play opened the period, as Andy McCullough somehow managed to fight through San Jose's Barry Wagner -- who was faceguarding --- to tip up and then grab a pass that gained 23 yards and gave the Crush first-and-goal at the SaberCats 3. Three plays later, McKenzie used a spin move to break through a tackle attempt and into the end zone with a 1-yard run, making the score 28-14 with 12:24 left in the quarter.

San Jose found the end zone on its next drive, and then had the Crush in third-and-10 before Dutton found Ahmad Hawkins on a crossing route. Hawkins took the pass and sprinted for the end zone with a 32-yard touchdown reception, and Clay Rush's fifth extra point of the day put Colorado in front 35-21 with 2:50 left before halftime.

Five plays later, the 'Cats were back in the end zone with their fourth touchdown of the half -- a 6-yarder from Grieb to Rodney Wright that narrowed the Crush lead to seven points, at 35-28, with 0:50 left in the half.

As expected, the SaberCats attempted an on-side kickoff, but Delvin Hughley recovered for Colorado at the San Jose 11. But disaster struck on the next play when McCullough lunged for the end zone with what would have been a touchdown, but the officials ruled that Tremain Mack had stripped the ball from McCullough before he reached the end zone or ruled out of bounds. Mack recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchback, giving the SaberCats possession at their 5-yard-line.

But San Jose could not capitalize. The 'Cats drove as far as the Crush 12, but Hughley ended the drive as time ran out in the half by intercepting a Grieb pass at the goal line, leaving the Crush in front 35-28.

THIRD QUARTER

The touchdown San Jose could not get late in the first half was scored early in the second, as Grieb capped a four-play drive by finding James Roe for a 4-yard score. Schorejs' extra point knotted the game at 35-apiece 3:01 into the half.

But Colorado could not match the 'Cats. With third-and-goal from the San Jose 10, Dutton found McKenzie, but his momentum carried him to the sideline and out of bounds shy of the goal line. One play later, Dutton was sacked back at the 9-yard-line. The momentum from the stop propelled the SaberCats to their first lead of the day five plays later, when Wagner leapt over the goal line with a 1-yard scoring run. Schorejs' extra point made the score 42-35 with 3:50 left in the period.

A 25-yard kickoff return by Willis Marshall and a SaberCats face-mask infraction gave the Crush the ball at the San Jose 19, and two plays later Marshall was in the end zone with a 9-yard scoring reception that knotted the game again at 42-all.

FOURTH QUARTER

With the crowd roaring, the Crush recorded its first defensive stop of the second half. Blanket coverage in the end zone forced the 'Cats to settle for a 5-yard pass to Wagner on third-and-10, and Hughley made a lunging stop in the end zone on fourth-and-5, swatting away what appeared to be a sure touchdown and returning possession to the Crush with 14:18 remaining.

One play later, the Crush reclaimed the lead when Dutton found Harrell up the left sideline for a 38-yard score. The touchdown kept Harrell's league-record streak of consecutive games with a touchdown alive and made the score 49-42. But San Jose replied with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Grieb to Roe -- although the 'Cats remained behind by one point when Schorejs' extra point missed wide left.

Colorado replied with its final touchdown of the day, and the defense responded with a fourth-down stop at the brink of the end zone with 42 seconds left. The Crush subsequently ran out the clock to preserve a win in the franchise's first-ever home playoff game.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 29, 2005


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