Damian Harrell, the Colorado Crush’s two-time Arena Football League offensive player of the year, lent new meaning to his sudden role as a situational player.
He scored Colorado’s second touchdown and last touchdown and watched from the sideline while his teammates took care of the rest in a 44-40 victory Saturday night over the Kansas City Brigade at the Pepsi Center. The Crush evened its record at 1-1 and presented coach Mike Dailey with a jersey signifying his 100th career win.
“I don’t know how I made it through the game,” Harrell said of two injured quadriceps that have bothered him since training camp. He caught only one nonscoring pass.
“We had to use him a little more sparingly,” Dailey said. “He did a great job. He’s such an important player to be in a situational role.”
The Crush cleaned up the mistakes from an opening-week loss by eliminating turnovers as quarterback John Dutton promised. Colorado lost two interceptions and a fumble a week ago.
With Dutton completing 25-of-38 passes for 262 yards and four touchdowns, the Crush scored on its first eight possessions, content to run out the clock on the ninth and final drive.
Kansas City, meanwhile, was stopped twice on downs and missed two PATs on a block and a wide kick.
“It’s easy to talk about all the things you want to do,” Dutton said. “The tough part is doing it. … We had a little too many field goals (three) for my liking but we kept plugging away.”
Colorado couldn’t really stop Kansas City wide receiver Charles Frederick, who led all receivers with 11 catches for 119 yards, but otherwise turned in some solid defense led by Rashad Floyd’s 14 tackles and a pass breakup.
Kansas City was about to take its first lead of the game when the Crush struck on back-to-back plays. After the Brigade tied it 20-20 on a 4-yard reception by Jarel Myers from Raymond Philyaw with 10:12 remaining in the third quarter, Dustin Barno batted down Clay Rush’s extra-point attempt. Tony Floyd nearly returned it for a score.
When the Crush took over on its own 3, Dutton went deep to Brad Pyatt, completing a 43-yard pass to the K.C. 4. Three plays later, fullback Robert Thomas scored from the 1 for Colorado’s first rushing TD of the season.
After sputtering for only 14 points in the first half, the Brigade came right back on a 7-yard pass to tight end Cyron Brown.
Rush’s PAT was good to tie it at 27-all.
Colorado answered with the next 10 points, interrupted by Frederick’s 11-yard reception with 2:39 left. Harrell came through for Colorado with a 10-yard catch with 56 seconds left. Myers then accounted for the final score of the game.
After securing Dailey’s milestone victory, the players presented him with a signed jersey. “They kept it a good secret,” Dailey said. He learned Crush co-owner John Elway was behind the idea but didn’t have time to see if Elway’s signature was on the jersey.
The Hall of Fame former Bronco quarterback received the largest ovation of the night when his wave to the crowd was shown on the scoreboard video.
Colorado wraps up its three-game homestand, the longest of the season, Friday against Arizona.
