Friday, April 29, 2005 | 9:58 a.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m., Allstate Arena TV: KVBC Ch. 3; Radio: ESPN 920-AM
The last time the Gladiators saw Etu Molden, he and his Chicago Rush teammates were running off the field after stealing a miracle last-second win last season in Las Vegas.
A year later, the Gladiators hope to keep the Rush from stealing their playoff hopes when the teams meet Sunday in Chicago in a key game in the American Conference race for the postseason.
Las Vegas, Chicago and Los Angeles all own 7-5 records, all having four games left to play while fighting for two wild-card playoff spots. The Gladiators go on the road to face both the Rush and the Avengers in the next three weeks.
Last season's loss to the Rush -- in which Molden caught a long pass off the net with no time left to give Chicago a 57-55 win -- marked the low point of the Gladiators' season. This game carries equal importance because the winner will have essentially a two-game edge over the loser in the playoff chase with the head-to-head tiebreaker.
"It's probably the biggest game this year for us," Gladiators coach Ron James said. "We're looking forward to the challenge."
The challenge is a Rush team that has convincingly beaten division leaders San Jose and Colorado (twice) this year. With quarterback Raymond Philyaw back to full strength after missing the early part of the season because of injury, Chicago has won five of its past seven games. Molden is an ironman of the year candidate, with 80 catches for 875 yards and 22 touchdowns as well as three interceptions on defense.
Seeing an opponent that has fought through a major injury, as well as up-and-down play, reminds James of his own squad.
"It's almost like looking at a mirror image," James said. "When you look at the team that they have, the games they have won, the games they've been inconsistent in, it's a very similar situation to what we've had."
The difference is that the Rush have proven their ability to beat the better teams in the league. The combined record of the teams that Las Vegas has lost to is 29-21 (.580), while the teams it has defeated are a combined 29-55-1 (.341). A win against the Rush -- on the road and in the playoff race heat -- would go a long way toward establishing Las Vegas as a contender.
This week is also vital for Las Vegas because it faces a much more difficult schedule down the stretch. In addition to Chicago and Los Angeles, the Gladiators also face Eastern Division leader Dallas (7-4-1). Both the Rush and Avengers have at least two of the league's worst teams remaining on their schedule.
"You look at the playoff scenarios as they are right now, and we definitely have a tougher road than the others involved," James said.
Through 12 games, Las Vegas is right in the middle of the road -- 568 points scored and 568 points allowed. With a veteran group designed to win this year and a coach in James who was hired to improve upon consecutive 8-8 seasons, the opportunity to go three games over .500 for the first time in the Las Vegas history of the franchise is one they feel cannot be missed.
"You have to focus on one game at a time," James said. "Being that there are only four games left, it sharpens your focus."
While cornerback Dameon Porter will not yet return from a broken arm, both offensive specialist Marcus Nash (hamstring) and fullback/linebacker Frank Carter (high ankle sprain) are at about 90 percent.
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