For the fifth time in six home games in the Delta Center, Utah Blaze players patiently signed autographs for hundreds of fans after a heart-breaking loss.
"This," said Blaze receiver Siaha Burley Friday night, "is getting old."
He was talking about the losing — not signing autographs — after his team lost 64-52 to his former team, the Arizona Rattlers. Utah fell to 3-8 on the year, while the Western Division-leading Rattlers improved to 6-5.
Despite Utah's woes at home, fans keep coming out. An announced crowd of 14,651 people showed up for yet another Arena Football League game that came down to the wire.
The Blaze trailed by just six points — at 58-52 — with one minute left in the game, and they were just 10 yards from knotting the scored and even going ahead with a successful extra point.
But on 4th-and-seven at the 10, Utah attempted a double pass — with quarterback Jason Gesser throwing a screen to receiver Orshawante Bryant, who was then to pass again to the tight end for a score. Instead, Bryant couldn't find an open receiver, and his pass fell incomplete.
Arizona took over the ball and scored a touchdown with 28 seconds remaining to win by a dozen.
"We knew this game was going to be tough," said Arizona coach Gene Nudo. "We knew it would be a blood-and-guts game — that's how both teams played tonight."
Veteran quarterback Sherdrick Bonner and receiver Randy Gatewood killed the Blaze all night. Bonner, who was a longtime QB for Blaze coach Danny White in Arizona, won his 100th career game. He threw for 345 yards and eight touchdowns — seven to Gatewood, which tied an AFL record.
Utah's rookie quarterback, meanwhile, lost again. Jason Gesser is now 0-4 as a starter in place of the injured Joe Germaine.
"It's plain and simple," said Gesser. "I didn't come through in the clutch for my team."
Gesser finished with four touchdown passes, but he had a costly interception and only threw for 160 yards.
After the game, White didn't discount the notion of trying to sign a new quarterback to help Utah's prospects while Germaine recovers from a broken middle finger in his throwing hand. The Blaze couldn't trade for a quarterback — since the trade deadline has passed. But they could sign a free agent, and veteran AFL star Andy Kelly is among those available after being released this week.
Utah acutally led at the end of each of the first three quarters but were outscored 26-7 in the fourth quarter as Bonner took over.
"When things are going good they are going good, but right now they are not going good for us in any phase," said White.
The Blaze got off to a fast start to the game when Siaha Burley took the opening kickoff out of the end zone 27 yards to the Arizona 23. Tom Pace then took a short pass from Gesser, broke two tackles and scored from 23 yards out on the first play from scrimmage. Steve Videtich's kick gave the Blaze a 7-0 lead.
The Rattlers quickly responded with a 33-yard TD pass from Bonner to Gatewood to knot the game at 7-7.
That's when the Blaze scored two straight touchdowns — one on a one-yard Pace run and then on a 13-yard interception return by former Rattler Justin Taplin. Suddenly the Blaze had a 21-7 advantage with 7:42 remaining in the opening quarter.
But the Blaze couldn't handle their prosperity. Bonner hit Gatewood for his second TD. Then the Rattlers blocked a Blaze field goal attempt into the end zone wall for a safely with 1:18 remaining in the opening quarter. Then Bonner found Gatewood for yet another score early in the second quarter, followed by Arizona's Wilson Thomas' recovery of the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. Suddenly, the Rattlers had rattled off 22 straight points to give them a 29-21 lead with 13:29 remaining in the first half.
Utah, however, responded with two staight touchdowns — on a Pace catch and an 8-yard run by ex-Ute Kautai Olevao — to give the Blaze a 34-29 lead at the half.
The Blaze led 45-38 entering the fourth quarter but couldn't hold on for the victory.
The Blaze will be back in action a week from today with another home game against a Western Division rival. The Los Angeles Avengers will attempt to avenge a last-second Blaze win in their previous meeting this season.
BLAZE BRIEFS: Former Ute Doug Kaufusi was activated from the practice squad for the first time this week and he played on the offensive and defensive lines . . . Burley's third quarter TD catch was the 150th of his AFL career . . . Erin Damond began the season with the Blaze but was cut after the second game. He quickly found home, however, with the Rattlers where he has become a starter . . . Another ex-Ute, Clarence Lawson, had a big game for the Rattlers. He was named the defensive player of the game with a forced fumble, a fumble recover and an interceptions along with four tackles.
E-mail: lojo@desnews.com