Playoffs in sight

CEDAR RAPIDS - The starting quarterback was injured one week, the starting running back the next.

Still, the Cedar Rapids Titans could clinch their first berth in the Indoor Football League playoffs with a victory Saturday night at 7:05 in the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. Coach Mark Stoute has made sure the team knows exactly what that would mean.

“There'll never be another first Titans playoff team,” he said Friday. “A lot of records get broken the year after you set them. But to be the first Titans team in the playoffs, that'll always be in the record books.

“They all understand the gravity of the situation.”

The Titans clinch a spot if they beat last-place Green Bay tonight. They could clinch if Chicago, with an identical 8-5 record, loses to Green Bay next Saturday.

The Titans, who will have a bye that last day of the regular season, own the tiebreaker with Chicago by winning the regular-season series.

They'll have to get to the postseason without most of the firepower they relied on all season. Running back Laron Council, who leads the IFL with 612 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, was placed on injured reserve last week.

A week earlier, quarterback Charles McCullum tore his ACL after passing for 1,350 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Titans reserves have stepped up. Running back Anthony Silvers reached the end zone five times last Friday in a 67-55 victory. Colton Hansen, former Dubuque University and Olin quarterback, has taken over for McCullum and threw four touchdown passes in last week's victory.

“We've got guys who have been able to seize the opportunity and keep things going for us,” Stoute said.

“It's tough to see a guy go down like that,” Hansen said. “But it's been a rush. I'm excited about how things are going. Making the playoffs would mean a lot, to us as a team and to the community.

“We made it our goal from the beginning of the season.”