Colorado Crush: Arena Football Betting Picks & Odds
Colorado Crush (8-8 in 2007, lost in second round to Chicago)
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Two years removed from their ArenaBowl season, John Elway’s team returns in 2008 with some new faces to replace some key departures. Head Coach Mike Dailey has plenty of questions to resolve about his team before the season begins, or it could be a long campaign for the Crush.
2007 Highlight: In spite of a largely average day by QB John Dutton, the Crush fought tooth and nail in a gritty first round playoff match in Kansas City. The defense only surrendered touchdowns on 50% of their possessions, and WR Damian Harrell scored his 3rd TD with 2:12 remaining to lock up the playoff victory for the Crush.
2007 Lowlight: The June 4th nationally televised game between the Crush and Blaze was supposed to be a showcase between two of the league’s best offenses. After scoring on their opening possession, the Crush didn’t score for almost three full quarters in an embarrassing 51-14 loss at the hands of the Blaze. The 14 points scored was the worst score in franchise history, and the 2nd lowest point total of any team in 2007.
Key acquisition: WR Ben Nelson (100 receptions, 1240 yards, 25 TDs for San Jose in 2007). Nelson’s job is going to be a big one for the Crush: Replace Damian Harrell. The task will be an incredibly tough one for the 3rd year receiver, as Harrell had over double the TD grabs the past two seasons than Nelson did.
Key loss: WR Damian Harrell (132 catches, 1575 yards, and 47 TDs in 2007). The all-time leading receiver in Crush history has departed for Chicago. Harrell wasn’t just Dutton’s favorite target, at times he was the entire offense. He had 4 or more TDs in a whopping 20 games over the past four seasons, and only had one game in his Crush career where he didn’t score a TD.
2008 Preview: Before winning their playoff game, the Crush had lost four straight outings to close the regular season. In their loss to San Jose in the playoffs, Dutton was noticeably upset for being benched by Coach Dailey, which could linger into 2008. The defense has struggled every year of the Crush’s existence, and this year should be no exception.
2008 will be a success if… the defense steps it up a notch. A largely veteran defense needs to hold teams down at all costs, as Dutton has been known to turn the ball over quite a bit in his career. Giving up 53.6 PPG just won’t cut it with an offense that only averaged 49.6 PPG, and needs to find a replacement for 47 of its TDs from a year ago.
Nelson’s a nice receiver to have, but he’s not a #1 go-to guy. If Dutton averages an INT a game like he has over the past three seasons, the Crush are in a lot of trouble this year.
Prediction: 4-12, 4th place Central Division
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