Command Drop Game to Rush 30-58

June 4, 2011 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Kansas City Command News Release


The division-leading Chicago Rush improved their record to 9 and 3, putting an end to Kansas City's two-game win streak and avenging their Week 7 loss to the COMMAND. The course of the game was largely determined by the Rush's defense, including last week's co-defensive player of the week winner, Vic Hall. Hall, who shared the honor with the COMMAND's Bryan Robinson, had 3 interceptions including one he ran back for a touchdown, and broke up several key passes.

Despite the gap on the scoreboard, Kansas City actually had more offensive yardage than Chicago, but couldn't seem to convert the yards into points. Head Coach Danton Barto was abashed, saying "We were out of sync all night. Today we stunk in the red zone; there's no other way to say it. We left 17 points on the field."

Indeed, the defensive coverage by Chicago was exacerbated by mistakes made by the home team. The COMMAND only converted 3 out of 10 times on third down, and 2 of 4 on fourth, while the Rush only saw fourth down twice in the entire game. Chicago's Russ Michna completed 20 of 28 passes for 24 yards, while the COMMAND's JJ Raterink matched Michna's yardage with 244, but went 20 for 39 on pass attempts.

Game Breakdown

In the first half of the game, Kansas City only had a single touchdown, provided by former Central Missouri wide receiver Tod Devoe, who stiff-armed through two Rush defenders to make it into the end zone in the second quarter. Defensive lineman Bobby Payne put up the team's other two points in the half by sacking Russ Michna in the end zone.

Coach Barto was candid about the first half, saying "I told the guys at halftime that only scoring one touchdown in the first half was embarrassing". Barto's locker room speech seemed to rally the team in the third quarter as the COMMAND put 14 points on the board while holding the Rush to 7. Raterink's passes found both "Bubby" Gill and Bret Smith in the end zone.

But with the COMMAND's last two victories coming in the remaining minutes of the game, the Rush had no interest in allowing the gap on the scoreboards to become any closer than 7 points. In the final quarter the Chicago team switched gears and put up an astounding 28 points while holding KC to 7. Vic Hall picked off JJ Raterink and ran the pass back 40 yards for 6 of those 28 points, and another two came from a safety from Martin Parker's sack of the COMMAND QB. Despite an on-side kick by Brian Umstead being recovered by KC's Rashad Barksdale, the Rush's momentum could not be derailed. Bret Smith's 15 yard touchdown reception was the only time the COMMAND would see the end zone in the fourth quarter.

"There were plays to be made, and we didn't make them", Coach Barto said. "It was a disappointing loss, but we've got to rebound. We're facing Milwaukee next, and they're a physical team so we've got to move past this and be ready for them."



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