Monday, May 19, 2003 | 9:15 a.m.
Todd Hammel still sported the glow from a sterling relief performance as he walked toward the Gladiators' locker room when he met coach Frank Haege at the door.
The coach offered the 11-year AFL veteran a pat on the back and some half-joking high praise: "Thanks for making me look good."
For the fourth time this season, Haege called on Hammel to replace starting quarterback Jay McDonagh. The old vet proved to be a game changer, tossing four second-half touchdowns to spark Las Vegas to a 55-38 comeback victory Sunday against Buffalo at the Thomas & Mack Center.
"I think that was the point that turned the tide for us," Gladiators wideout Mike Horacek said. "Todd came in and made a couple of great plays and allowed me and (Sean) Riley to get open to score a couple touchdowns."
The win closes the regular season for the Gladiators (8-8), who enter the 12-team AFL playoffs as the No. 11 seed and travel to No. 6 Arizona for a first-round contest this weekend. After losing four of their previous five games, Las Vegas entered Sunday's game sorely in need of some positives to take into the postseason. Hammel came to the rescue and provided that momentum.
"It felt good," Hammel said. "It's what I came here to do. Haege asked me if I was ready to go and I said yeah. I came in and thought I'd have some fun and see if we can get a win out of it."
Haege allowed the Las Vegas quarterback carousel to continue spinning, declining to name a starter for next week.
"(Jay's) got a thumb injury and that's why he was throwing some balls in the dirt," Haege said. "We knew it might be a problem in the game. I know I'd give him the first half and kind of re-evaluate after that. We'll have to see how the week of practice goes, see how his thumb goes, and just go from there."
Though the volatile quarterback situation has worn on Hammel at times, he continued to publicly handle it with grace.
"I hope (to start at Arizona)," Hammel said. "It depends on what happens with Jay. If not, I'll be ready to come off if they call on me."
The Gladiators, and specifically McDonagh, looked sluggish throughout the first half. McDonagh battled the right thumb injury suffered last week at Detroit, but was ineffective in going 8-for-21 with two interceptions into the third quarter.
McDonagh tossed an awful interception on fourth down midway through the third period, which Buffalo quickly converted for a touchdown pass and a 31-20 lead. With the game quickly slipping away, Haege made the move to Hammel.
Hammel provided immediate results, tossing a 26-yard scoring pass to Riley that gave Las Vegas its first offensive touchdown in 58 minutes of football, dating to a third-quarter score last week at Detroit. Hammel finished 11-of-14 for 138 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions.
"We started to click," Hammel said. "That's what we needed to go into next week against Arizona, to get the momentum going. I think we got that going."
After the teams again traded touchdowns, the Gladiators defense then helped put away the game. On consecutive Buffalo drives, Jeroid Johnson and T.J. Hill picked off Bob Bees passes, and the Gladiators converted both turnovers into touchdowns to take a 48-38 lead.
Buffalo (6-10) committed four turnovers, and Las Vegas scored touchdowns as a result of all four.
"Todd threw some great deep balls and then the defense made some turnovers," Haege said. "That's what this game's all about."
Las Vegas and Arizona met in the second week of the regular season, with the Rattlers overcoming the absence of starting quarterback Sherdrick Bonner to grab a 46-42 victory. Jay McDonagh's desperation pass was knocked down in the end zone on the game's final play, capping a drive where the Gladiators allowed the clock to run too far down in the waning seconds.
"I mismanaged the clock at the end of that game, so I'm excited to get down there and have another shot at them," Haege said.
Las Vegas defensive back Damon Mason believes Las Vegas can atone for that loss and continue even farther.
"I think this team is destined for greatness," Mason said.
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