With just three wins in 11 attempts, not much has been going right for the Arena Football League expansion Utah Blaze.
Yet, amazingly, the Blaze are just one game behind the Chicago Rush for the final playoff spot from the American Conference. That means, with five regular season games remaining beginning tonight in the Delta Center against the Los Angeles Avengers, the Blaze still have plenty of opportunity to get to the postseason.
"If we are getting any breaks at all, said Blaze coach Danny White, "we're getting them with the right teams losing and the right teams winning. We're sure not getting them on the field."
Twelve of the 18 AFL teams will make the playoffs, six from each conference. The Blaze are fortunate to be playing in the American Conference, which is clearly inferior to the National Conference this season. If the playoffs were to start today, each of the six teams making the postseason from the National Conference would have a winning record — and a 6-5 team would be on the outside looking in.
But in the American Conference, only three teams have winning records. That means three losing teams — including 4-7 Chicago — are on pace to make the playoffs.
"It's hard to believe, but we still have a good chance of going to the playoffs," said White.
Following tonight's game against a team the Blaze edged in Los Angeles for one of their three wins, Utah will head on the road for three straight to play Colorado (8-3), Las Vegas (5-6) and Chicago (4-9). It will then finish the regular season with a home game against the other expansion team — and the only team in the league with a worse record than the Blaze right now — the Kansas City Brigade (2-9).
"I couldn't be happier with the attitude of the guys," said White. "They are working like they are 8-3 instead of 3-8. That will pay dividends sooner or later — we just hope that it's sooner."
Record-setting AFL quarterback Andy Kelly is expected to make his Blaze debut tonight. He was signed this week in order to help the Blaze end their current four-game losing streak since starting QB Joe Germaine went out with a broken middle finger on his right (throwing) hand. Kelly and AFL rookie Jason Gesser, who started the past four games, have been splitting time in practice.
"I guess we're not out of (the playoff hunt)," said Kelly. "We're going to see if we can make something happen and hopefully I can be part of it."
Kelly, 37, has passed for 38,468 yards during his 13-year AFL career, completing 62.3 percent of his attempts. He has 741 touchdown passes with just 151 interceptions. But Kelly had a league-high 13 interceptions through the first seven games for Kansas City this season, however, before being benched and then cut a week ago.
The Avengers, meanwhile, are in the same boat as the Blaze and will be trying to avenge their Feb. 25 loss in the Staples Center. Los Angeles led most of that game, but Utah scored on the final play — when Germaine hit Orshawante Bryant in the middle of the end zone to complete a rally and give Utah the victory.
"From this point on, each game we play is the biggest game of the year," said White.
Blaze on the air
Los Angeles Avengers (3-8) at Utah Blaze (3-8)
Tonight, 7 p.m.
Delta Center
Radio: 1280 AM
TV: Ch. 14
E-mail: lojo@desnews.com