Crush Stay In Good Playoff Position With 62-55 Win In Phoenix
June 17, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Colorado Crush News Release
The Colorado Crush (5-10) was able to stave off a vehement 20-point Arizona Rattlers (8-7) rally in the final minute to get a much needed 62-55 win at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix on Monday night.
The playoff scenario going into the final two weeks of the 2008 regular season for the Crush was simple: win twice and you're in. On Monday night the Crush got one step closer to the playoffs, yet it turned out not to be as simple as it started.
The Crush forced four early turnovers and quickly gained a dominant 35-7 lead early in second quarter. By the time Crush LB Jason Harmon picked up the QB Matt Sauk fumble and returned it for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter the Crush found themselves up 28 with nearly three quarters to play.
"We have had trouble getting bounces to go our way this season, but tonight we got a couple balls on turnovers that we were able to convert into points," head coach Mike Dailey said.
The teams however did settle in and each squad found the endzone three times in the middle quarters. The Rattlers were even able to pull within 14 on a WR Trandon Harvey nine-yard touchdown catch from Sauk with just over 11 minutes to play in the fourth. Sauk finished the night 29-of-45 for 364 yards and eight touchdowns.
Yet, it was Sauk's second and final interception of the night that ended up being the difference for Arizona. Crush DB Rashad Floyd jumped on Sauk's pass for his eighth interception of the season and returned it 38 yards for what turned out to be the game winning score.
The play put Colorado back up by 27, 62-35 with just over 5 minutes left in the game.
"We were in a do or die position tonight and we were able to get the job done," Crush defensive back Rashad Floyd said. "We had our backs against the wall coming in and were to get up early and take advantage."
Floyd passed AFL great Barry Wagner for second place all-time in total tackles with his nine stops against Arizona on Monday. Floyd now has 744 career tackles in seven seasons in the AFL.
After Floyd's interception, the next time the Colorado offense would touch the ball was with 18 seconds left in the game. Arizona, after getting a score back on a Sauk seven-yard touchdown pass to WR Siaha Burley, would convert two on-side kicks and get two more scores in a mere 30 seconds.
Arizona K Eric Houle however, could not get a third as WR Willie Quinnie recovered and the Crush were able to run out the clock to secure their all-important fifth win of the season. Now with a Colorado win next week against Kansas City, the Crush can secure their fifth consecutive playoff berth.
Oddly enough with the help of the Rattlers, the Crush can even host a playoff game if Arizona can beat the Utah Blaze next week in Phoenix.
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- Crush Stay In Good Playoff Position With 62-55 Win In Phoenix - Colorado Crush
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