Gladiators face another high-powered offense

Adam Candee

Friday, April 1, 2005 | 9:39 a.m.

Noon, Pepsi Center Radio: ESPN 920-AM

Well, at least they delayed the dreaded must-win game for a while this year.

In a rapidly tightening American Conference playoff race, the Gladiators desperately need a win Sunday at Colorado to keep some cushion after dropping a key game Monday against San Jose.

A victory would put the Gladiators (5-4) in position to control their fate, especially with a home game against lowly Grand Rapids next week. A loss to the Crush (6-2), however, pushes Las Vegas back to .500 and gives away another key tiebreaker against a conference opponent.

"It's almost like we're starting the playoffs early," Gladiators head coach Ron James said. "We're definitely looking at this as a one-game playoff."

In both of the past two seasons, Las Vegas started poorly and created pressure to win games early in the season. While improved play on the road helped the Gladiators avoid that situation this year, Sunday's task of defeating the surging Crush in one of the league's most hostile arenas is daunting.

Colorado averages more than 15,000 fans per game at the Pepsi Center, where the Crush set the tone for a bizarre Gladiators campaign by scoring two touchdowns in the final 15 seconds to stun Las Vegas, 43-42, in last year's season opener.

The Gladiators, however, are 3-1 away from the Thomas & Mack Center this year after posting just five road wins in the past two seasons. While Las Vegas has won at doormats Nashville, Columbus and Arizona, James credits the overall improvement to having a more experienced team that does not rattle in tough settings.

"We've got a veteran team, so it's more a matter of having them focused," James said. "They've responded well."

They will need to bounce back quickly from last week's emotional 81-75 loss to San Jose, in which the Gladiators fell behind 28 points in the third quarter before tying the game and eventually failing in the final two minutes.

A deficit that large against a Colorado team that has won five consecutive games and features a quarterback-receiver tandem to rival the Gladiators' Clint Dolezel-to-Marcus Nash connection would be tough to overcome.

"We can't put ourselves in that big of a hole against a good team and expect to climb out of it," James said.

Colorado features quarterback John Dutton and offensive specialist Damian Harrell, who, at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, compares favorably to Nash. After facing San Jose's league-leading offense last week, the Gladiators must take on Dutton and Harrell's second-ranked unit.

Colorado averages 56 points per game. Dutton has thrown for 2,077 yards and 45 touchdown passes against just four interceptions, while Harrell has 56 receptions for 733 yards and 21 touchdowns. Harrell caught both late touchdowns to beat the Gladiators last year.

"He's a physical player, very athletic," James said of Harrell. "The only thing I would say in (comparison) to Marcus is that Harrell probably has a little better vertical."

The duo poses a huge challenge for a Las Vegas defense that is suddenly struggling, having given up 141 points in the past two weeks after allowing 146 in the previous four.

James warned upon Dolezel's return from injury that the Gladiators' league-best scoring defense could struggle to maintain its lofty early play, as the offense opened up and forced the defense onto the field more often. The defense could be under more pressure if linebacker Frank Carter, the league leader in sacks with nine, cannot play because of a high ankle sprain.

More appearances by the defense do mean that the offense is improving, though. Dolezel tied the Arena Football League single-game record of 11 touchdown passes last week while Nash broke his own team mark with 229 receiving yards against San Jose.

A little of that magic wouldn't hurt against Colorado.

"We need to win this game," James said.