Chicago pounds Predators

Published on March 21, 2004 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Orlando Predators News Release


Train wreck. That's what the Orlando Predators ran into on Sunday afternoon as a fired up Chicago Rush team handed the Predators their worst loss in franchise history, 58-15, in front of 14,552 fans at All-State Arena.

"I guess if you are in the game long enough, things like this will happen, I just don't ever recall it happening to the Predators before," a frustrated Jay Gruden said. "It was just a total beating in every aspect."

How bad was it? Consider the following. Orlando turned the ball over six times, losing three interceptions and three fumbles. The team was sacked a record seven times. Chicago knocked down another five passes and had two other tackles-for-loss. Orlando had a 9:32 minute drive and did not score. The Predators scored on their first possession and did not score again until the 5:28 mark of the fourth quarter.

If that wasn't bad enough, add on the fact that Orlando's 15 points scores in the game was the fewest in franchise history and the 43-point loss margin was also a team record, eclipsing a 32-point loss to San Jose in 2002 (77-45).

It got even worse for the Predators when they lost starting quarterback Joe Hamilton for an undetermined period of time. With Orlando trailing 13-7, Hamilton twisted his left knee when he was hit from the side while being sacked by James Baron. Hamilton fumbled on the play and Frank Moore recovered in the end zone for a 27-7 Chicago lead.

Back-up quarterback Connel Maynor was out of sync from the beginning. On Orlando's next possession, Maynor tripped over the center and after getting to his feet was sacked Lindsey Fleshman and fumbled. Chicago recovered and two plays later Chad Salisbury hit Fleshman with a 3-yard touchdown pass to make it 34-7 at the half.

Maynor was sacked six times and fumbled two other times. He had trouble on the snaps several times, tripping on the center's foot, which led to three of the quarterback sacks. "That's going to happen when you don't give the back-up enough snaps in practice," Gruden added.

The Rush made sure Orlando had no chance of a second half comeback. After being pinned inside their own 1-yard line after the kickoff, Chicago's Raymond Philyaw hit Jerome McDaniel on a 49-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second half to make it 41-7.

Orlando turned the ball over on downs on its next possession and Chicago needed just one play to convert it into seven more points as Philyaw hit Baron on a 15-yard screen pass for their seventh touchdown on the day. From there, the rout was on.

For the contest, Orlando gave up a season low 212 yards of total offense. But turnovers told the story as Chicago had five scoring drives of 15 yards of less and three of six yards or less.

Hamilton and Maynor combined for just 104 net passing yards. Maynor was 13 of 24 for 113 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Hamilton was three of eight for 23 yards and one interception. The team lost 32 net passing yards on the quarterback sacks. Hamilton will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of his knee injury.

"This will definitely be a soul-searching week for our team," Gruden said. "We can still regroup and have a good season, but there is also a real danger of it getting away from us."

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 21, 2004


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