The Colorado Crush (10-5) will attempt to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and stay on track for a second straight league championship with a win over the Arizona Rattlers (8-7) on Sunday at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Colorado has already clinched the Arena Football League’s Central division title two weeks ago with a 75-54 defeat over the Southern Division leader Orlando Predators (10-5) and hope to rebound after a 61-56 loss in San Jose last week.

Fallbrook resident and Crush quarterback John Dutton completed 29 of 39 passes for 341 yards and 8 touchdowns against Orlando, 5 of them to offensive specialist Damien Harrell. Their performances earned them Players of the Week awards. The Dutton-led Crush offense scored on all 10 possessions and put 75 points on the scoreboard against a defense that had allowed only 13 points the previous week. Not an easy feat considering Orlando’s strong winning tradition and boisterous fans. The Predators have not had a losing season since its inception in 1991 and have won 2 Arena Bowl titles (1998, 2000) and have appeared in 6 overall.

Dutton has led Colorado to the playoffs for the third straight year and has guided the team to a 31-16 regular season record over that span. Two years ago Colorado tied for the division title with an 11-5 record and advanced to the semi-final round before losing to the Rattlers 45-41. Last year Dutton led the Crush to the Arena Bowl championship in the club’s three-year history. The title was Dutton’s second in four years as he led the San Jose Sabercats to a championship in 2002 and was named Arena Bowl MVP before he joined the Colorado Crush four years ago.

Colorado can become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Tampa Bay Storm won consecutive titles in 1995 and 1996 and Dutton can become only the second Arena Football quarterback to win three Arena Bowls in the league’s 20-year history. Orlando Head Coach Jay Gruden is the current leader with 4 Arena Bowl titles as Tampa Bay’s signal caller (1991-1996).