Monday, April 26, 2004 | 9:30 a.m.
What has gone wrong and what still ails them really did not matter Sunday afternoon at the Thomas & Mack Center.
For the first time in almost six weeks, the Gladiators enjoyed a day where the losing and disappointment of the 2004 season seemed as distant as their fading playoff hopes still do after a 60-34 victory over Detroit. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Las Vegas (4-7), which still needs to win its final five games to have a chance at a playoff berth.
For a couple of hours, though, that stark reality gave way to the natural relief of simply getting a win.
"We all needed this," Gladiators quarterback Clint Dolezel said. "We were walking on pins and needles around here, knowing we've got a good football team. We've just got to put a couple in a row together."
Gladiators coach Frank Haege is not even willing to look that far yet. Already struggling to keep the team believing in its playoff chances, Haege needed the Gladiators to see a positive reward for all its effort. A Detroit team struggling terribly provided some help, committing four turnovers and repeatedly failing in pressure situations.
"I'm not even looking at the big picture," Haege said. "I'm just trying to win a game, but there is definitely a relief getting over that losing streak. If we would have lost this, it's just so hard to get the guys up and to get yourself up sometimes in the morning when you have a losing streak like that."
The Gladiators won with the kind of defense that they did not play during the losing streak. They recorded two first-half interceptions that prompted Detroit to yank starting quarterback Andy Kelly from the game.
Gladiators defensive back Marvin Taylor picked off two passes, getting his first interception since Feb. 29 against New Orleans. Taylor and his secondary mates played a more aggressive style that turned the game in the Gladiators' favor.
That was easy, Taylor said, because Detroit is running the same sets and plays that it has in past years.
"You play in the league this many years and you start reading their tendencies, and they started doing the same things," Taylor said. "They never change up anything."
Haege called out his defensive backs during the week and asked for better than the weak showings that dropped Las Vegas to 18th in scoring defense heading into this week.
"We challenged the defensive backs especially all week to get a pick," Haege said. "Take a chance, slack off a guy. We've been covering guys all year, but we just haven't gotten any picks."
That solid defense made life much easier on the Las Vegas offense. Five of Dolezel's 13 completions went for touchdowns. Gladiators wideout Marcus Nash caught four scoring passes and totaled seven receptions to move his league-leading total to 104.
"Anytime you can get some turnovers like that and your defense plays well, you're going to have a great chance to win," Dolezel said.
An improved return game also made a difference for Las Vegas. Coco Blalock, the former Gladiator team MVP claimed off waivers this week from Columbus, returned the game's opening kickoff for a touchdown and averaged 35 yards per return to give Las Vegas excellent field position.
"Having Coco Blalock to get returns off the net, it's nice to be out past the 5- or 10-yard line and it makes it easier on our offense, that's for sure," Dolezel said.
Unaffected by the team's struggles this year, Blalock stepped in and provided exactly the spark that Haege hoped for when he put in the waiver claim.
"It felt good for the whole organization," Blalock said.
Good, but not great, Taylor said.
"It's a relief, but it's not totally lifting."
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