Impressive job by Mehlhaff to get over the two missed field goals — and a third that was nullified by a penalty — and become the hero.
But, Sacramento will kick themselves after this one. The running into the kicker penalty hurt, sure, but, what about the two-point conversion decision?
Dennis Green decided to go for two after the final Mountain Lion touchdown, and while the the reasoning made some sense at the time, the safe play, kicking the PAT, would have this game going to overtime.
Now, with the loss, Sacramento's playoff chances have decreased exponentionally.
4th Quarter, 0:25, Sacramento 26-24: Taylor Mehlhaff just missed another field goal. But, a running into the kicker penalty will give him another shot. Uneblievable turn of events, and it may end up being a shot at redemption for a guy who is struggling to say the very least.
4th Quarter, 1:58, Sacramento 26-24: I said something about bucking the trend of the close game woes for the Colonials earlier, and now, they have the opportunity to do so.
The defense, quietly becoming the reason they could win this game after a rough start, held again, and Hartford takes over in Sacramento territory.
McCown, blood everywhere after getting busted open on the last series, is standing on the sideline, and for now, it's Perriloux.
4th Quarter, 3:08, Sacramento 26-24: It hasn't been a fun night for Josh McCown. He was just sacked again, one play after being driven into the ground following throwing the ball away. The good news? Taylor Mehlhaff temporarily fixed his yips by nailing a 32-yard field goal.
If Hartford can't get the ball back, though, they'll be in line for another single-digit loss, something that's become a disturbing trend for them this season.
4th Quarter, 4:33, Sacramento 26-21: McCown and the Colonials are driving. Big time. McCown just found Syndric Steptoe, who, aided by awful tackling, made it all the way down to the Sacramento 9.
4th Quarter, 7:23, Sacramento 26-21: Scratch that, McCown takes the field for the Colonials as they take over at their own 13.
4th Quarter, 7:29, Sacramento 26-21: On the first play following the interception, Cory Ross scores a 1-yard touchdown and the lead suddenly is back in the hands of Sacramento. The Mountain Lions went for two, and were denied, so they lead it by five.
4th Quarter, 7:40, Hartford 21-20: Josh McCown just made a big mistake and it's one that's gonna likely cost his team the lead.
Andrew Sendejo picked up the deflection of a forced pass into coverage by McCown and Sendejo returned it all the way back to the Hartford 1.
McCown appears to be in a real bad way on the sideline as well. I'd say we'll see Ryan Perriloux out there when the Colonials take the field.
4th Quarter, 9:00, Hartford 21-20: The interception rears its ugly head for Daunte Culpepper. The former Viking went downfield looking for a receiver but was picked off by Hartford's Ryan Palmer.
The Colonials will take over inside their own 10, but they've got a chance to build their lead or at the very least eat up some clock.
4th Quarter, 11:39, Hartford 21-20: Oh, so that's why Chris Palmer and the Colonials keep going back to Ryan Perriloux. Sixty-nine yards later, the Colonials have the lead.
The former LSU quarterback just alluded the rush and threw up a perfect downfield pass that ended up going for a momentum-swinging 69-yard touchdown.
It was a sensational play for a guy who has looked, at times this seasons, far from anything remotely resembling sensational.
Either way, the Colonials somehow have a 21-20 lead in the fourth quarter. Also, Taylor Mehlhaff kicked the kickoff out of bounds. Not a good day at the office for him.
4th Quarter, 13:00, Sacramento 20-14: Go figure. After an ugly first quarter and a half or so, the Hartford defense has arrived. Lucky for them, it's not too late.
Daunte Culpepper opened the night in impressive fashion, but he's been held quiet since.
Really, when you think about, the Hartford defense has been pretty good, actually, especiall considering the fact that one of the touchdowns they gave up was on a punt return.
Sure, it was poor tacking, but still, it was technically on special teams.
They still need to get something going offensively, and probably preferably something that doesn't involved the words "field goal," as they've shown that is far from a sure thing at this point.
3rd Quarter, 1:00, Sacramento 20-14: You think Chris Palmer and the Hartford coaching staff still has confidence in Taylor Mehlhaff? Not a chance as evidenced by the curious decision to go for it on 4th-and-8 from the Sacramento 19.
You can't really blame them, but regardless, it didn't work out. At all.
Luke McCown couldn't find anyone open and ended up having to throw it away to avoid a sack or forcing it into coverage. So that's a third trip into the red zone that has produced nothing for Hartford. Yikes.
3rd Quarter, 3:00, Sacramento 20-14: The Colonials are driving again, and for their sake, and Taylor Mehlhaff, you hope for a touchdown as to avoid another Mehlhaff gaffe.
3rd Quarter, 7:02, Sacramento 20-14: Taylor Mehlhaff may be out of a job very soon. He just ended a drive that ended up being almost seven minutes long, by shanking another short field goal to the right. Simple math says if he makes both of those, this game is tied.
3rd Quarter, 10:00, Sacramento 20-14: It's easy to watch a UFL game and wonder "What if?" about the potential chances a certain player might have to make an impact in the NFL.
Hartford's Lorenzo Booker continues to at least beg that very question. The Colonials have hitched their wagon to him and it seems like every rush he makes goes for at least 8-10 yards.
Expect Hartford to take advantage of that, too, in terms of their passing attack with playaction at some point.
3rd Quarter, 14:50, Sacramento 20-14: Gerard Lawson's impressive opening kick return gives Hartford the ball near midfield to start the second half.
Halftime, Sacramento 20-14: All in all, it was an exciting 30 minutes of football in the first half, highlighted by some unexpected occurrences.
The Colonial rushing attack, highlighted by Lorenzo Booker, is keeping Hartford in this game. The Colonial defense has looked porous at best, but the offense is doing a good job of keeping them in the game.
Sacramento, meanwhile, a team that's started notoriously slow all year long, came out and made a statement early, but they're letting the Colonials hang around. The Mountain Lions are having success through the air, especially down the field, where they've been able to exploit poor tackling in the secondary by Hartford. Expect them to take advantage of Daunte Culpepper's strong arm — one Dennis Green says is still the strongest in all of football — to move the ball down the field in the second half and try to put this game away.
2nd Quarter, 0:04, Sacramento 20-14.: The newly found Hartford rushing attack should have resulted in at least three points for the Colonials, but kicker Taylor Mehlhaff's struggles continue.
He missed a chip shot that would have brought the Colonials within a field goal, an error that had head coach Chris Palmer telling his kicker simply, "You've gotta make that."
True.
2nd Quarter, 1:10, Sacramento 17-14.: An eight-minute drive that results in a field goal gives Sacramento a six-point lead, but a big kick return may give the Colonials a chance for points before the half.
Gerard Lawson took the ensuing kick all the way to midfield with about a minute to play in the first half.
2nd Quarter, 8:00, Sacramento 17-14.: All of a sudden, the Colonials are a running team.
Lorenzo Booker's earlier touchdown was the first rushing score of the year for Hartford and Tory Harrison's 2-yard score now is the second.
Harrison, who was cut during training camp by Hartford, was recently picked up by the Colonials and he's making his impact immediately.
Hartford now only trails by a field goal.
2nd Quarter, 11:00, Sacramento 17-7.: The Colonials after punting it away again, force a Sacramento punt and Hartford gets it back at their own 10.
2nd Quarter, 14:00 Sacramento 17-7.: Another big Daunte Culpepper downfield completion helps set up another three points for Sacramento. The field goal gives them a 10-point lead.
1st Quarter, 0:06 Sacramento 14-7.: Just like that, the Colonials are right back in this game.
Lorenzo Booker picked up 55 yards on three carries, the last of which was a 2-yard touchdown run that gets Hartford within a score.
1st Quarter, 3:00, Sacramento 14-0.: The Colonials are putting on a clinic in how not to tackle.
After the two teams traded punts, another Hartford punt resulted in a 60-yard touchdown return for the 5-foot-5 Aaron Woods.
The Mountain Lions are cruising early, up a couple of touchdowns.
1st Quarter, 9:00, Sacramento 7-0.: It was a tough day for Notre Dame who lost to Tulsa, but former Irish linebacker Maurice Crum just did his school proud.
Crum sacked Hartford quarterback Josh McCown on a third down play that ended any hopes of the Colonials answering the Sacramento touchdown on their opening drive.
The Colonials punt, and Sacramento takes over looking to follow up their impressive first drive with more.
1st Quarter, 11:00, Sacramento 7-0.: For the first time all year, Sacramento has a first-quarter touchdown, this one to son of Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington.
Daunte Culpepper found John David Washington on a screen pass and Washington found the end zone for a 9-yard score giving the Mountain Lions the early lead.
1st Quarter, 12:00, 0-0.: Not a pretty start for the Colonials. A 30-yard shuffle pass to Cory Ross has the Mountain Lions inside the Hartford 10.
1st Quarter, 14:50.: Daunte Culpepper, the defending offensive player of the week and the Mountain Lion offense take the field first after receiving the opening kick.
10 p.m.: Kick-off is just an hour away as the Hartford Colonials face a pivotal UFL matchup.
They'll get a second crack at the only team they've beaten this season, the Sacramento Mountain Lions.
Head coach Dennis Green, quarterback Daunte Culpepper and the rest of the Mountain Lions will try to exact some revenge and keep their postseason hopes rolling as they host the 1-5 Colonials.
Stay with NESN.com all night for updates.
8 a.m.: A lot has changed for the Hartford Colonials since the first they met up with the Sacramento Mountain Lions. And really, none of it has been good.
The Colonials impressively and convincingly throttled the Mountain Lions in the UFL's season opener on Sept. 18, but since then, it's been a struggle. Hartford got their first taste of winning that week at Rentschler Field, but it's been their only taste of victory all season.
That's not to say they haven't been in games, though. Aside from a 13-point loss in Week 4 to Florida, the Colonials' three other losses have come by a combined nine points.
There will be plenty at stake on Saturday night in Sacramento, with the 2-3 Mountain Lions looking to avenge their Week 1 loss and stay in the hunt, while Hartford looks to turn things around and buck the trend of losing the close one.
