By comparison, it's much tougher to make the playoffs in the AFL's National Conference this season. Six of the nine teams will make the playoffs, and there are seven clubs in that conference currently with 6-5 records or better.

So while a team with a winning record may well miss the playoffs from the National Conference, a team with just five wins will likely go to the postseason from the American.

But if the Blaze are a team that squeaks in, White won't feel bad about it for a moment.

"I don't feel bad for anybody (else). I feel bad for us and the way we've lost some games," said White. "Record-wise we probably can't justify being in the playoffs, but effort-wise and personnel-wise I think we do. So I'm not going to apologize to anybody if we make the playoffs."

MISC: Blaze receiver/linebacker Tom Pace and defensive lineman E.J. Burt have been out with injuries but are practicing at near full strength. That doesn't mean they will necessarily be active for the Chicago game, however, as White likes the way his players have been playing the past three weeks with two wins and a narrow loss to the division-leading SaberCats, and he's hesitant to make changes. ... Utah's receiving trio of Huey Whittaker, Boone and J.J. McKelvey are all among the AFL's Top 10 in receiving yardage. Whittaker has 108 catches for 1,309 yards and is second in the league. Boone is sixth with 104 catches for 1,126 yards, while McKelvey is eighth with 91 receptions for 1,096 yards. ... Germaine leads the league with 3,762 yards passing and is third in the AFL in passer rating.

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E-mail: lojo@desnews.com