Chicago Rush game notes
March 20, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release
The Quick Facts
TV: Comcast Sports Net ... Randy Rhinehart, Greg Frey (tape delayed until Sunday at Noon)
Radio: WCKG, 105.9 FM...Tom Dore, James "Big Cat" Williams
Overall Series Record: Tied 1-1
Series Streaks: Columbus won the last meeting
Last Meeting: February 19, 2005, Columbus 52, Rush 39
Coaches (regular season, postseason records):
Mike Hohensee (97-86, 11-9 - 14th season)
Doug Kay (23-33, 0-0 - 5th season)
Officials: Pat Garvey (Referee), Paul King (Umpire), Wayne Mackie (Head Linesman), Dana McKenzie (Line Judge), James DeBell (Back Judge)
2007 Chicago Rush Schedule
March 4 @ Kansas City* L, 54-41 13,600
March 9 San Jose W, 48-45 16,201
March 18 New York W, 61-40 16,128
March 24 @ Columbus 6 p.m. CSN
April 1 Los Angeles 12:30 p.m. ESPN 2
April 7 @ Nashville* 7 p.m.
April 15 Bye
April 21 @ Grand Rapids* 6 p.m. CSN
April 30 Philadelphia 7 p.m. ESPN 2
May 7 Colorado* 7 p.m. ESPN 2
May 11 @ Dallas 6:30 p.m.
May 19 Nashville* 7 p.m. CSN
May 26 @ Arizona 9 p.m. CSN
June 2 @ Los Angeles 9:30 p.m.
June 9 Grand Rapids* 7 p.m. CSN
June 18 @ Colorado* 9 p.m. ESPN 2
June 23 Kansas City 7 p.m. CSN
* Central Division game
American Conference - Central Division
W-L-T PF PA Division
RUSH 2-1-0 150 139 0-1
Colorado 2-1-0 142 138 1-1
Kansas City 1-2-0 148 151 1-1
Grand Rapids 1-2-0 153 190 1-0
Nashville 1-2-0 155 176 0-0
THE ROAD TO COLUMBUS: The Rush heads east this week, traveling to Columbus for a Saturday night matchup with the Destroyers at Nationwide Arena. Chicago enters the game riding a two-game winning streak, including last Sunday's 61-40 win over New York, while the Destroyers are 1-1 and coming off a bye. It is only the third meeting between the Rush and Destroyers, with the team's splitting the previous two games. Chicago won the first game in the series in 2003, when the Destroyers still called Buffalo home. In 2005, the Columbus Destroyers only won two games all season, but one of them was a Week 4 win against the Rush.
DEFENSE KEYS COMEBACK WIN: Trailing New York 33-27 with nine minutes remaining in the third quarter Sunday, Chicago's defense keyed a 34-0 run as the Rush came from behind to defeat the Dragons 61-40. Lineman E.J. Burt sacked New York QB Rohan Davey twice, forcing fumbles both times. The first was picked up by linebacker DeJuan Alfonzo and returned for a touchdown, while the second was recovered by DB James Sadler. The 34-point run also included an interception by Alfonzo and a key stop on fourth-and-one.
On offense, Bobby Sippio caught five touchdown passes and Jonathan Ordway returned a kickoff 55-yards for a touchdown.
APRIL FOOL'S WITH THE AVENGERS: The Rush returns home to Allstate Arena next week for an April 1 date with the Los Angeles Avengers. It is the first of two meetings between the teams this season, as the Rush will play at Staples Center on June 2.
BYE-BYE: This week's game at Columbus marks the second-consecutive week the Rush will play a team coming off a bye. Last week the Rush defeated New York 61-40 after the Dragons enjoyed their bye week during Week 2 of the season. This week, Columbus had its week off prior to hosting Chicago. After splitting its first two games on the road at Nashville (W, 58-56) and New Orleans (L, 52-45), this week's game will be the Destroyers' home opener.
PRACTICE PARTNERS: For the past two seasons, the Rush and Destroyers have spent time during training camp practicing against one another. In both years, Chicago has traveled to Columbus for one day of practice against the Destroyers, followed by a live scrimmage the second day.
In this year's scrimmage, Chicago QB Russ Michna's "Hail Mary" pass off the net fell incomplete in the end zone and the Destroyers held on to defeat the Rush 26-21.
Rush starters Bobby Sippio and Bob McMillen did not play in the scrimmage, and quarterback Matt D'Orazio played only one series, completing two of four passes for 12 yards.
Other starters, including DeJuan Alfonzo, Jeremy Unertl, Dennison Robinson and John Moyer only played one quarter.
SHORT HISTORY: There is not much history between the Rush and Destroyers, as this only is the third meeting in seven years. The teams have split the previous pair of games - both road games for the Rush.
Here is a recap of the two games in the series:
March 1, 2003: Rush QB Billy Dicken completed 21-of-32 passes for 246 yards and six touchdowns as the Rush outscored the then Buffalo Destroyers 27-6 in the second half to pull away for a 40-13 win.
February 19, 2005: The Rush fumbled on its opening possession of the game and never truly regained its footing, falling 52-39 to the previously winless Destroyers. Columbus QB Matt D'Orazio made his first career start, completing 26-of-33 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns as the Destroyers never trailed in the game. Rush offensive specialist Henry Douglas (groin) and quarterback Raymond Philyaw (MCL in right knee) both were injured in the game.
Here is a look at the Rush-Destroyers Series Results:
2003: Rush 40, Destroyers 13 (March 1 @ Buffalo)
2005: Destroyers 52, Rush 39 (February 19 @ Columbus)
THE LAST TIME ... This week's Rush-Destroyers game is setting up to be much like the last time the Rush played in Columbus in 2005. That year, the Rush lost its opener on the road (at Dallas) and followed it up with a two-game winning streak before heading to Columbus 2-1. Chicago hopes the result this week is different from 2005, when the Rush fell 52-39.
COLUMBUS CONNECTIONS: Three Rush starters - QB Matt D'Orazio, lineman Curtis Eason and defensive back Jeremy Unertl played for Columbus prior to coming to Chicago. D'Orazio and Eason both played for the Destroyers in 2005, before signing with the Rush as free agents before the 2006 season. Unertl was acquired in a trade for Henry Douglas after Week 2 of the 2006 regular season. All three were important parts of Chicago's march to the ArenaBowl XX title last season.
OHIO HOMECOMINGS: Three Rush players grew up in Ohio and are looking forward to returning this week to play in Columbus. Lineman E.J. Burt grew up in Akron and played one season at Akron University before transferring to West Liberty State; QB Matt D'Orazio was born and raised in Columbus and played his college football at Youngstown State and Otterbein; and lineman Nick Myers is from Springfield.
CHICAGO CONNECTIONS: Destroyers defensive back BJ Barre attended training camp with the Rush in 2005.
QUITE A HOME STREAK: With its win Sunday over New York, the Rush has won five games in a row at Allstate Arena. The franchise record for consecutive home wins is eight, set during the final two home games of the 2001 season and the first six home games in 2002.
SELLOUT STREAK: A sellout crowd of 16,128 at Allstate Arena witnessed the Rush win over New York on Sunday. Dating back to last season, it was the team's fourth-consecutive sellout. Overall, the Rush is 6-1 when Allstate Arena is sold out.
TWICE AS NICE?: Chicago's goal for the 2007 season is simple: become the first AFL team in more than a decade to repeat as champions. In fact, only two teams in the 20-year history of the Arena Football League - the Detroit Drive (1988-90) and the Tampa Bay Storm (1995-96) - have been able to accomplish the feat of repeating. Interestingly, both Detroit and Tampa Bay were coached by Tim Marcum.
PLAYOFF CONSISTENCY: Chicago has never missed the playoffs, qualifying for the postseason in each of its six seasons. Orlando and San Jose are the only two AFL teams which also have made the playoffs in each of the last six seasons.
ALFONZO NAMED DEFENSIVE POW: Rush linebacker DeJuan Alfonzo was named this week's AFL ADT Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Sunday's 61-40 win over New York. Alfonzo recorded 3.5 tackles, recovered a fumble for a touchdown and intercepted a Rohan Davey pass in the game.
Alfonzo, who always seems to be around the ball, is one of the team's defensive leaders. After three games, he leads the Rush with 22.0 tackles, while also intercepting two passes and recovering two fumbles. He is on-pace to break the team's single season tackle record of 98, set by Cedric Walker in 2002.
BURT BRINGING THE PRESSURE: In the second half of Sunday's game against New York, Rush lineman E.J. Burt showed Rush fans just why he was acquired. After getting close to NY QB Rohan Davey most of the first half, Burt finally broke through in the second half, sacking Davey twice and forcing fumbles on both plays. The first fumble was recovered for a touchdown by Rush linebacker DeJuan Alfonzo, while the second was recovered by DB James Sadler and led to a Rush TD two plays later. Just three games into his fifth season, Burt already has recorded 30 career sacks - moving him into 12th place in AFL history. He also has forced 18 fumbles in his career.
HIGH FIVE: Rush receiver Bobby Sippio caught five touchdowns in Sunday's win over New York. It was Sippio's second five-TD performance of the season and the fourth time in his Rush regular season career that he scored five or more TDs. Sippio also added a five-TD performance vs. San Jose in last season's American Conference Final.
Since the start of the 2006 season only Colorado's Damian Harrell (6) has more five-TD games than Sippio.
Sippio currently leads the AFL in scoring with 13 touchdowns and 78 points.
SIPPIO LOVES PLAYING AT HOME: Rush wide receiver Bobby Sippio can't explain it, but he loves playing at Allstate Arena. In his four home games as a member of the Rush, Sippio has caught 31 passes for 562 yards and 20 touchdowns, and set Rush single-game records for receiving yards (217) and touchdown receptions (6).
Sippio also played one game at Allstate Arena in 2004 as a member of the Dallas Desperados - catching five passes for 119 yards and two TDs.
Last week against New York, Sippio caught nine passes for 135 yards and five touchdowns.
McCULLOUGH SIGNED: When an ankle injury suffered Week 1 in Kansas City landed Buchie Ibeh on Injured Reserve, the Rush needed to add a receiver. Prior to the team's game against San Jose in Week 2, the Rush signed free agent Andy McCullough to fill the opening.
A member of the league's All-Rookie team in 2002 with Dallas, McCullough spent the past two seasons playing for John Elway's Colorado Crush, catching 163 passes for 1,833 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was released by Colorado for salary cap reasons at the end of camp.
McCullough might best be remembered by Rush fans as the Crush player who caught the game-winning touchdown in overtime of the "Confetti Bowl" - the 2005 American Conference Championship game between Chicago and Colorado.
In his first five seasons, McCullough played in 74 games, catching 381 passes for 4,336 yards and 82 touchdowns.
In two games in a Rush uniform, McCullough has caught 12 passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns.
MERRITT GETS FIRST TD: Rookie wide receiver Ahmad Merritt found his way into the end zone for the first time last week against New York, scoring on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Matt D'Orazio with 53 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
For the season, Merritt has caught 13 passes for 140 yards and one touchdown.
A Chicago native, Merritt was a high school All-American at St. Rita, before playing his college football at the University of Wisconsin.
Signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in May 2000, Merritt spent the 2000 season and the first 14 games of the 2001 season on the Bears practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster in December 2001 and played for the Bears through the 2003 season. He is known for scoring the Bears last offensive touchdown in old Soldier Field - a 47-yard TD run in the playoffs against Philadelphia in January 2002.
MOYER TO MACK: With linebacker D.J. Bleisath nursing an ankle injury sustained in Week 1 at Kansas City, the Rush turned to veteran lineman John Moyer to play the MACK linebacker position. Moyer has played great, recording 3.0 tackles and providing constant pressure on quarterbacks Mark Grieb and Rohan Davey in his two games at linebacker.
MOYER HEALTHY ENTERING SEASON: After an injury plagued season hurt his production in 2006, veteran lineman John Moyer enters his ninth season healthy and in the best shape of his career. Moyer has 35.5 career sacks - including 30.5 as a member of the Rush - and currently in ninth place on the AFL's all-time list for career sacks. His first sack of the season will move him past Andre Bowden and into eighth place. Moyer also is the team's all-time leader with 6.0 playoff sacks.
Here are Chicago's season and career sack leaders:
Player Season Player Career
John Moyer 10.0 (2004) John Moyer 30.5
John Moyer 9.0 (2003) James Baron 10.0
Khreem Smith 8.0 (2006) Khreem Smith 8.0
John Moyer 6.0 (2005) Anthony Hutch 6.5
Anthony Hutch 5.5 (2001) Riley Kleinhesselink 5.0
John Moyer 4.0 (2002) Jamie McGourty 5.5
James Baron 4.0 (2003) D.J. Bleisath 5.0
Tony Henderson 4.0 (2001) Bob McMillen 4.5
D.J. Bleisath 4.0 (2006) Tony Henderson 4.0
NEW LOOK OFFENSIVE LINE: The Rush offensive line has a very different look to it at the start of the 2007 season. Center Frank Moore, who had started 72 of 73 games since joining the Rush in 2003, had off-season surgery on his knee and opened the season on Injured Reserve, forcing veteran John Sikora to move to center. Sikora is flanked by two rookies - Jason Thomas at guard and Robert Boss at tight end. Moore is eligible to come off IR after this week's game in Columbus.
ORDWAY MAKING TD RETURNS A HABIT: The Rush decision to make DB Jonathan Ordway the team's main kick returner is looking better and better. In two games as the team's returner, Ordway has returned 10 kicks for 227 yards and two touchdowns - one each against San Jose and New York.
Ordway, who spent the first four years of his AFL career with the Tampa Bay Storm, had signed in the off-season with the Grand Rapids Rampage, but was released at the end of training camp.
Prior to coming to Chicago, Ordway played in 45 games, recording 226.5 tackles, seven interceptions and 69 passes broken up. He was the Storm's leading tackler in 2006 and finished tied for fourth in the league with 19 passes broken up.
D'ORAZIO FINDING A GROOVE: QB Matt D'Orazio continues to find his groove as the season goes on. After struggling in the team's opener in Kansas City - throwing two interceptions, losing a fumble and taking an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety - D'Orazio has bounced back the past two weeks, completing 34 of 63 passes for 359 yards and 11 touchdowns.
D'Orazio enjoyed a career year in 2006, completing 305 of 443 passes for 3,546 yards and 63 touchdowns, while throwing just five interceptions. He also rushed for 162 yards and 10 touchdowns during the regular season.
He played his best football of the season down the stretch, when he led the team to four-consecutive playoff wins culminating in a 69-61 victory over Orlando in ArenaBowl XX last June. D'Orazio passed for six touchdowns and rushed for two more in the title game, earning Offensive Player of the Game honors for his efforts.
Earlier this season, the Rush rewarded D'Orazio with a two-year contract extension through the 2009 season.
CHASING 1,500: Rush FB Bob McMillen, who announced he is retiring at the end of the 2007 season, became the AFL's all-time leading rusher March 17, 2006 when he rushed for four yards in the team's game at Nashville. He finished the 2006 season with 1,417 career yards, needing just 83 yards to reach the 1,500 mark. So far this year, McMillen has carried the ball five times for seven yards, bringing him to 1,424 for his career.
McMillen, however, is no longer the AFL's all-time leading rusher, having been passed last week by Arizona's Bo Kelly, who already has racked up 81 rushing yards in the season's first three weeks.
Last year, as part of the league's celebration of its 20th season, McMillen was named one of the AFL's 20 Greatest Players of all-time. Now in his 13th season, he ranks second on the AFL's all-time rushing list, second all-time in rushing attempts and fourth in rushing touchdowns. He is one of only two players (Darrin Kenny) who has won ArenaBowl championships with three different teams (1997 with Arizona, 2002 with San Jose and 2006 with Chicago).
The AFL's All-Time Rushing Yards list
Player Seasons Team Yards
Bo Kelly 1996-present Arizona 1,430
Bob McMillen 1995-present Chicago 1,424
Les Barley 1992-2001 - 1,382
Andre Bowden 1991-2004 - 1,241
The AFL's All-Time Rushing Attempts list
Player Seasons Team Attempts
Bo Kelly 1996-present Arizona 484
Bob McMillen 1995-present Chicago 456
Andre Bowden 1991-2004 - 438
Les Barley 1992-2001 - 425
The AFL's All-Time Rushing Touchdowns list
Player Seasons Team Rushing TDs
Barry Wagner 1992-2006 - 126
Andre Bowden 1991-2004 - 93
Bo Kelly 1996-present Arizona 82
Bob McMillen 1995-present Chicago 80
Les Barley 1992-2001 - 71
LAST LINE OF DEFENSE: After coming together at the end of the 2006 season, the Rush secondary of Jeremy Unertl and Dennison Robinson have picked right up where they left off last season. In three games, the pair has combined for 39.0 tackles, three interceptions and seven passes broken up.
Last season Unertl and Robinson were the team's two top tacklers, combining for 145.5 tackles to go along with 13 interceptions and 21 PBUs.
WORKING ON HIS SECOND 100: Chicago Rush head coach Mike Hohensee is the third-winningest coach in AFL history with 108 career victories. He is one of four coaches in AFL history with 100 or more wins, joining Tampa Bay coach Tim Marcum, Utah coach Danny White and Colorado coach Mike Dailey in the 100-win club.
The only head coach in Rush history, Hohensee has guided Chicago to a 61-47 overall record and playoff appearances in each of the team's six seasons. In addition to winning ArenaBowl XX under Hohensee, the Rush has won two Central Division titles (2002, 2004) and advanced to the AFL semifinals four times (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006), including each of the past three seasons.
One of only four men to be involved in the Arena Football League in each of the league's 21 seasons, Hohensee:
8 has a regular season record of 97-86 (including a
53-42 mark with the Rush).
8 has a career 11-9 mark in the postseason.
8 has led the Rush to six-consecutive playoff berths and two Central Division titles (2002 and 2004).
8 is 5-1 all-time vs. the Destroyers (5-0 vs. Buffalo & 0-1 vs. Columbus)
All-Time Winningest AFL Coaches
Including Postseason
Coach Team Wins This Week
Tim Marcum Tampa Bay 180 vs. New York
Danny White Utah 150 vs. Grand Rapids
Mike Hohensee Rush 108 @ Columbus
Mike Dailey Colorado 101 @ Philadelphia
Darren Arbet San Jose 94 @ Georgia
TUROVERS THE KEY: One of the biggest keys to Chicago's current two game winning streak is the team's ability to win the turnover battle. After turning it over four times in the opener in Kansas City, the Rush only has turned the ball over twice in its last two games. Overall, the Rush has forced nine turnovers, while only giving the ball away six times. Its +3 turnover margin is tied with New Orleans and Los Angeles for fourth in the AFL.
2007 RUSH BY THE NUMBERS: Here is a breakdown of the 2007 Rush
Site: Home 2-0 Road 0-1
Time: Day 1-1 Night 1-0
Opponents: vs. American Conf. 1-1
vs. Central 0-1
vs. West 1-0
vs. National Conf. 1-0
vs. East 1-0
vs. South 0-0
TALE OF THE TAPE - Regular Season Numbers
Chicago Category Columbus
3 Games 2
50.0 (12) Scoring Offense 51.5 (9)
46.3 (6) Scoring Defense 54.0 (11)
215.7 (18) Total Offense 260.0 (16)
304.3 (13) Total Defense 307 (15)
9-11 81.8% Red Zone Offense 6-8, 75%
14-17 82.4% Red Zone Defense 8-10, 80%
195.7 (19) Pass Offense 250.0 (15)
264.7 (7) Pass Defense 287.5 (16)
20.0 (8) Rushing Offense 10.0 (14)
39.7 (19) Rushing Defense 19.5 (11)
150 (12) Scoring 103 (9)
22 (11) Scoring (Kicking) 19 (14)
17-335-2 Kickoff Returns 10-238-0
19.7 (5) Kick Return Average 23.8 (1)
1-23-0 Missed Field Goal Returns 1-17-0
23.0 (2) Missed FG Return Avg. 17.0 (7)
+3 (4t) Turnover Margin - 2 (12t)
2-5, 40% Field Goals 3-4, 75%
16-20, 80% PAT Kicking 10-13, 76.9%
3-22 (5t) Sacks By 3-20 (5t)
3-16 (11t) Sacks Against 2-19 (10t)
9-19, 47.4% Third Down Conversion 6-12, 50%
3-4, 75% Fourth Down Conversion 2-3, 67%
20-109 (7) Penalties (#-Yards) 14-61 (1)
28-156 (3) Opp. Penalties (#-Yards) 19-117 (15)
INDIVIDUAL LEAGUE LEADERS: The following Rush players rank among the 2007 AFL league leaders:
DeJuan Alfonzo: interceptions (T-3rd - 2), tackles (T-5th - 22.0), fumble recoveries (T-1st - 2)
Dennison Robinson: tackles (T-68h - 21.5), passes defensed (T-9th - 4)
Bobby Sippio: scoring (1st - 78 points), third-down receiving (T-1st - 6 receptions for 80 yards and 5 TDs), first downs (T-6th - 19)
Dan Frantz: touchbacks on kickoffs (T-4th - 9), special teams tackles (T-6th - 4.0), scoring (T-8th - 22 points)
Jonathan Ordway: kickoff return average (3rd - 22.7), kickoff return TDs (1st - 2)
Jeremy Unertl: interceptions (T-3rd - 2)
EJ Burt: sacks (T-4th - 2), tackles for loss (T-6th - 2.0), forced fumbles (1st - 2)
John Moyer: tackles for loss (T-4th - 2.5)
Curtis Eason: tackles for loss (T-4th - 2.5)
INJURY REPORT: The following players appeared on this week's injury report to the AFL:
Injured Reserve - Frank Moore (knee), Demetrios Walker (hamstring), Kevin Beard (Knee), Russell Shaw (ankle), Buchie Ibeh (right ankle)
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