Big second half helps Rush top SaberCats, 70-47
March 3, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release
Opening night for the Rush was not just about starting the season on a positive note. There was some unfinished business to attend to and Mike Hohensee's team was not about to let an opportunity against the defending Arena Football League champion San Jose SaberCats slip through its grasp.
San Jose had eliminated the Rush in last year's AFL semifinals, so getting off to a good start in the opener would help get that bad taste out of their mouths. After battling on nearly even terms in the first half, the Rush took the SaberCats apart in the second and came away with a 70-47 victory in front of 15,409 Monday night at Allstate Arena.
Veteran quarterback Sherdrick Bonner made his first start with the Rush after 14 years with the Arizona Rattlers and showed that he still had the ability to make big plays at the age of 39. Bonner threw 6 TD passes and outdueled San Jose's outstanding signal caller Mark Grieb.
The new-look Rush offense showed plenty of explosiveness with receivers Travis LaTendresse and Donovan Morgan combining with Damian Harrell to dominate San Jose's defensive backs. LaTendresse, Morgan and Harrell each caught 2 TD passes.
The defense made big play after big play in the second half, starting with Dennison Robinson's interception on San Jose's first possession of the third quarter. Bonner took advantage of the pick when he connected with Harrell on a gorgeous 33-yard touchdown hookup.
The score extended Chicago's lead to 35-27 and the defense did not let San Jose back in the game. Jeremy Unertl and Robinson forced a fumble from San Jose wideout James Roe after a short reception and Jonathan Ordway recovered at the San Jose 23. On the next play, LaTendresse caught a 23-yard TD pass from Bonner and the lead was 15.
San Jose responded with a 4-play, 35-yard drive culminated by running back Frank Carter's 1-yard TD run.
DeJuan Alfonzo followed up an empty Rush possession by baiting Grieb into an ill-advised attempt to throw across the field. Alfonzo intercepted the ball at the Rush 5-yard line and returned it 40 yards to the San Jose 5. Dan Alexander pounded the ball in and extended the Rush lead to 49-34.
Overall, the Rush forced five turnovers with the trio of Robinson, Alfonzo and Unertl caused most of the havoc.
"The three of us have been playing together a long time," Robinson said. "We know San Jose well and we know they are a smart, veteran team. But we also know that receivers in this league are a little looser with the ball early in the season. We made a conscious effort to go for the turnover and try to strip the ball. It worked out pretty well.
"We made the strips and got the turnovers, but it was our defensive line that gave us the opportunity by putting a lot of pressure on them from the start."
The Rush started the game as if they were going to blow the SaberCats out of the Allstate Arena. On the first play from scrimmage, Bonner dropped back and received outstanding protection from the line and launched a 29-yard rainbow to Damian Harrell. The receiver had two steps on the defense and gathered the pass in easily and trotted into the endzone for an easy touchdown.
On the next series, the Rush defense got a break and took advantage of it. Grieb attempted to take the snap from center and drop back into the pocket, but he lost the ball in the middle of his backpedal. DeJuan Alfonzo, picking up from where he left off in 2007, picked up the ball on the hop and rolled 20 yards into the endzone for a 14-0 Rush lead.
The SaberCats followed with an 8-play, 45-yard drive and they got on the board when Grieb hit James Roe with a 6-yard TD pass to cut the deficit to 14-7.
That touchdown allowed San Jose to settle down and the SaberCats got a break of their own when Bonner couldn't handle the snap from center Beau Elliott and fumbled it away. The SaberCats quickly tied the game when Grieb hit Cleannord Saintil with a 16-yard TD pass.
Early in the second quarter, San Jose took its first lead of the game on Grieb's 6-yard pass to Rodney Wright. The SaberCats held a 21-14 advantage and that was the signal for Bonner to get going again. The 39-year-old quarterback still throws one of the most catchable balls in the game and he hit explosive rookie Donovan Morgan with a 28-yard TD pass to tie the game.
The SaberCats added two late field goals from kicker A.J. Haglund, but the Rush went into the locker room with a 28-27 lead when Bonner connected with Travis LaTendresse on an 8-yard TD pass in the final minute.
RUSH NOTES: FB Matt Kinsinger suffered a serious left knee injury in the second quarter and did not return. ... Bonner became the third quarterback in AFL history to go over the 41,000-yard mark on a first-quarter TD pass to Harrell. ... Harrell went over the 12,000-yard receiving mark on a 3rd quarter TD pass from Bonner. ... Bonner completed 14-of-24 passes for 261 yards in his first start for the Rush. He threw 6 TDs and was intercepted once. ... Harrell and Morgan each had 5 receptions, while LaTendresse had 4 catches. ... Robinson led the Rush 12 tackles, while Unertl had 7.5 stops. ... Alfonzo had 2 touchdowns on fumble recoveries. He returned a first quarter Grieb fumble 20 yards for a score and then fell on Alexander's fumble in the endzone for a 4th-quarter score. ... The Rush hosts the Philadelphia Soul on Sunday. After a road game at Grand Rapids on March 14, Chicago returns to the Allstate Arena for two more March home games against Colorado and Arizona.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 3, 2008
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