On the surface, there couldn’t be a more difficult assignment for the Colorado Crush than Saturday night’s game against the Nashville Kats at the Pepsi Center.
The Kats beat Colorado 58-36 earlier in the season in Nashville, Tenn., and they have taken the top spot away from the Crush in the Arena Football League’s American Conference. The Crush is limping along with a two-game losing streak, including an embarrassing 65-21 home loss to Columbus last week. The 21 points were the fewest Colorado has scored in its four-year franchise history.
Perhaps the Crush could benefit from an easier opponent right now.
“Who’s easier?” Crush coach Mike Dailey said when asked about the timing of playing the Kats. “Columbus just beat us handily. Los Angeles beat us. I know Nashville is an excellent team. I know they beat us. I know they’re playing at a very high level, and I know it’s going to be a challenge.”
Nashville is riding a two-game winning streak coming into the Pepsi Center, with victories over Chicago and San Jose. The Kats haven’t missed a beat despite the injury to quarterback Clint Stoerner, winning both games with backup Leon Murray at the helm.
The Crush and Kats both are 6-3 for the season, but Nashville has the edge in playoff tiebreakers because of the head-to-head victory.
The most alarming part of the slide by the Crush is a rash of turnovers. They committed a franchise record seven against Columbus, leading to 38 points.
“We started off the first day of practice this week with a ball security station,” Dailey said. “That’s traditionally a training camp type of drill. There are usually other things that take priority over that during the regular season. We practiced harder looking for an answer.”
Offensive coordinator Brian Partlow spent the weekend and part of the week looking at the offensive game plan.
“Any time you have a performance like that, the first things you look at are yourself, the game plan and the play calling,” Partlow said. “I think our players looked at themselves.”
Partlow noted quarterback John Dutton made some poor throws early in the game and finished with three interceptions.
“The defense and how it sets up dictates where we throw the ball,” Partlow said. “We’re not resting on what we did last year. Every time we go to Damian Harrell, I believe he’s going to make a play the same way I believe when we call a play for Andy McCullough, Willis Marshall or Ahmad Hawkins that they’re going to make a play.”
Crush
Who: Nashville Kats (6-3) vs. Colorado Crush (6-3)
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Pepsi Center
TV/Radio: FSN/KHOW 630 AM
Irv Moss can be reached on 303 820-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
