The perch is a little rickety, but the Colorado Crush got the view it wanted of a treacherous weekend schedule in the Arena Football League.
Lifted by a 31-yard field goal by Clay Rush that topped the Nashville Kats 52-49 on Friday night at the Pepsi Center, the Crush has the upper hand in the playoff picture while its opponents battle this weekend.
The win puts the Crush atop the Central Division standings at 10-5 and gives it a solid shot at the American Conference’s top seed. Colorado can clinch a playoff berth with a loss by Las Vegas on Saturday. Colorado would clinch the division title if Chicago loses Saturday as well.
Even if the rest of the teams keep pace this weekend, the Crush can clinch the division title – and a home game in the first week of the playoffs – by winning next Saturday at New York.
But the Crush got to its commanding position on a field goal that wasn’t exactly a perfect shot.
Rush’s kick hit the upright and slid into the net.
“I’ve been in the league seven years, and it wasn’t my first game-winning kick,” Rush said. “It was just another kick.”
Even Crush coach Mike Dailey was caught up in the excitement, taking deep breaths as he recounted a game filled with big plays.
But the biggest play for the Crush leading up to the field goal was a one-handed catch by receiver Damian Harrell that brought the Crush from desperation, trailing the Kats 35-28 with 5:52 left in the game. Harrell’s catch was good for a first down and quarterback John Dutton kept the Crush’s offense going, culminating in a 1-yard touchdown run by Willis Marshall.
Dutton set a career high with 31 completions that produced 349 yards and five touchdowns. Kats quarterback Leon Murray completed 23-of-30 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns.
Kats coach Pat Sperduto pulled out all the stops in an attempt to keep Nashville’s late-season run alive. The Crush victory handed the Kats their first loss in their past seven games and took them out of playoff contention with a 6-8-1 record.
The Kats scored on a halfback pass from Jarrick Hillery for a touchdown and a two-point conversion run by T.T. Oliver that tied the score at 49 with 16 seconds remaining.
Dutton moved the Crush into field-goal range with a 9-yard pass to Harrell and a 16-yard strike to Willis Marshall.
The Crush got a big defensive play from Sal Patu, who blocked Tony Dodson’s extra-point attempt, leaving the Crush ahead 42-41 early in the fourth quarter.
“I guess we all willed the field goal in there,” Dailey said. “That was a good ballgame.
“We still have a game left and that will determine a lot. We took a big step in what was a great ballgame.”
Irv Moss can be reached at 303-820-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
