But with the chance Saturday afternoon to do something that coach Danny White said would have been "really, really remarkable" in front of a franchise-low, but enthusiastic, crowd of 10,073 at EnergySolutions Arena, the Blaze reverted back to their pre-May days and early season streak of bad luck.

The Colorado Crush, a team that Utah had dominated in three previous meetings, rose up and fought past the Blaze 49-44 to end the home team's roller-coaster third season in front of a national television audience. The Crush move on to face either Chicago or San Jose in the divisional round, while the Blaze end their season at 6-11.

"It hurts," said receiver J.J. McKelvey, "because we really thought we could make it to the ArenaBowl. We really did."

The way the Blaze lost was even more painful.

They lost their chance to take a commanding lead into halftime with some suspect play-calling, a dropped pass and a controversial call at the end of the second quarter, then really blew it in the third quarter when more opportunities to distance themselves from the Crush arose.

"The third quarter has been our nemesis all year, and it was again tonight," said White, who wouldn't speculate after the game regarding which Blaze personnel would be back next year, including himself.

The coach/general manager's contract expires after the season.

Two plays in the second half killed the Blaze's hopes of getting their first playoff win in three tries, an interception and a Colorado net recovery.

After the Crush missed a field goal to end a strange possession in which Damon Mason's would-be interception was overturned by instant replay - the first reversal in league history - the Blaze, leading 31-28, were in perfect position to seize control.

However, on first-and-goal from the Colorado 5, quarterback Joe Germaine was sacked because he held on to the ball too long.

"That sack is on me," he said. "Our line held them out for a long time."

On the next play, a pressured Germaine was intercepted by Colorado's Jason Harmon.

"You have got to give credit to their defense. They played a whale of a game tonight," White said. "Any time our offense scores just 44 points, that's just not good enough."

With around three minutes remaining and Colorado leading 42-37, the back-breaker came. Colorado's kickoff bounced hard off the net and past J'Sharlon Jones - the only deep receiver because Utah was expecting an onside kick - and into the arms of Crush defensive lineman John Syptak.

The Crush scored three plays later to take a 49-37 lead and leave Utah with just one minute remaining for a comeback.

The Blaze scored quickly, but Steve Videtich's dribbling onside kick was easily covered by the Crush and the visitors were able to run out the clock.

White said he called for the dribbler, rather than the high-bouncing kick that Videtich excels at, because the Crush had some linemen up front.

However, it was an onside kick earlier in the game that the Blaze's Huey Whittaker seemingly recovered that had the coach steamed.

Officials took away the recovery by saying the Blaze hit a Colorado player before the ball had traveled 10 yards.

"Which is pretty amazing because the guy who threw the flag was at the back of the end zone," White said. "He had no way of knowing whether the ball went 10 yards or not. We didn't get the calls and we didn't make the plays."

And now, they don't get to continue something really, really remarkable.

"We will never see this kind of opportunity again," White said.

drew@sltrib.com

Storylines

* IN SHORT: A bad break and several costly mistakes keep the Blaze from winning their first ever home playoff game.

* KEY MOMENT: The Crush's John Syptak recovers a kickoff that bounces off the net and past Blaze returner J'Sharlon Jones, and Colorado scores three plays later to take an insurmountable 49-37 lead.

* KEY STAT: The Blaze were on the losing end of the first reversed call via instant replay in AFL history.