Crush send defending champs home
May 29, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
DENVER, Colo. (May 29, 2005) - There will be a new champion in the Arena Football League this year.
John Dutton tossed six scoring passes and the Colorado Crush defeated the defending Arena Football League champion San Jose SaberCats 56-48 in a divisional round playoff game on Sunday.
Dutton's 38-yard scoring strike to Damian Harrell early in the fourth quarter broke a 42-42 tie and the Crush held on to advance to the National Conference championship game next week when they will host the Chicago Rush.
Dutton, who led the SaberCats to the ArenaBowl XVI championship, completed 19-of-29 attempts for 315 yards with no interceptions.
San Jose got within 49-48 following a Mark Grieb to James Roe 14-yard scoring pass, but kicker Derek Schorejs missed the PAT leaving the SaberCats a point behind.
Harrell hauled in his second scoring pass of the quarter, a 17-yarder, with 6:08 left for the final margin of victory.
San Jose drove to the Colorado 8-yard line with under a minute left in the game, but Grieb's fourth down pass to James Roe didn't connect and Colorado ran out the clock.
Kevin McKenzie, another former SaberCat, got the Crush off to a fast start by taking the opening kickoff 56-yards for a score. After a stop on downs, Dutton found Andy McCullough on a 37-yard scoring pass putting Colorado up 14-0 with just five minutes elapsed in the opening quarter.
The SaberCats chipped away at the deficit and finally tied the game at 35-35 on the opening second half possession when Grieb connected with Roe from 4-yards out.
Sam Hernandez and Joe Jacobs sacked Dutton on fourth down on Colorado's ensuing possession and the SaberCats grabbed their first lead of the game, 42-35, on a 1-yard Barry Wagner run.
Grieb set team playoff records by completing 34 passes in 55 attempts for 392 yards. His completion total is the second-highest in AFL postseason history, his attempts are the third-highest and his yardage ranks as the fourth-highest.
Wagner led San Jose with 10 receptions, while Roe and Rodney Wright grabbed nine each.
San Jose amassed 396 yards of offense but turned the ball over on downs twice and had an interception.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 29, 2005
- Preds one game away from ArenaBowl - Orlando Predators
- Rush put a stop to Avenger season, 52-45 - Los Angeles Avengers
- Crush Gains Redemption, Moves on to Semifinals - Colorado Crush
- Avengers Rushed out of Playoffs, 52-45 - OSC Original by Tim Peterson
- Four teams to battle for ArenaBowl XIX title - AFL I
- Crush send defending champs home - San Jose SaberCats
- Dragons big rally falls short - New York Dragons
- Stunning comeback moves Rush into semifinals - Chicago Rush
- Storm Fall to Force in Divisional Round - Tampa Bay Storm
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