Huge second half helps Rush slay Dragons, 61-40
March 18, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release
Second-city? Try telling that to New York Dragons quarterback Rohan Davey.
After leading New York to a six-point lead early in the third quarter, Davey felt the onslaught of the Rush defense throughout the second half. Under intense pressure from defensive ends E.J. Burt and Joe Peters, the New York quarterback fumbled twice in the second half and also threw an interception as the Rush (2-1) pulled away for a 61-40 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 16,128 Sunday at Allstate Arena.
While the defense was unleashing mayhem on Davey, Rush quarterback Matt D'Orazio hooked up with wide receiver Bobby Sippio for five touchdowns. After a slow start, Sippio was able to get open with ease and D'Orazio obliged by putting the ball in good places for the receiver.
New York (0-2) played well in the first half, trading punches with the defending Arena Football League champions, but the Dragons were overwhelmed during a run bridging the third and fourth quarters in which the Rush forced three turnovers and outscored New York 34-0.
The Rush took a 34-33 lead on a D'Orazio 25-yard TD pass to Sippio with 6:43 remaining to start the onslaught. D'Orazio continued the roll with a 9-yard scoring pass to Ahmad Merritt, the former Bear's first touchdown in a Rush uniform.
On the next series, Burt came barreling around the corner and punished Davey from the blind side, knocking the ball loose. Linebacker DeJuan Alfonzo alertly picked up the ball at the 2-yard line and dove into the endzone, sending the sellout crowd into a frenzy.
The Rush was not satisfied with a 47-33 lead and Peters chased Davey and grabbed him around the ankles. The beleaguered quarterback put the ball up for grabs and Alfonzo picked it off to give the Rush another scoring opportunity. D'Orazio took advantage by hitting Sippio for a score, a play that was repeated less than four minutes later.
It was the kind of explosive power that Rush fans were hoping to see. The Rush struggled in the season-opening loss at Kansas City, but picked up the pace in the Week Two 48-45 win over San Jose. But against the Dragons, the Rush was at its best in the second half and Mike Hohensee's team buried the Dragons with aggressiveness and athleticism.
The first half featured quite a bit of back-and-forth scoring with neither team taking charge.
The Dragons scored on their opening possession, driving the length of the field behind Davey. The Dragons got on the board when big fullback Ja'Mar Toombs pounded the ball into the endzone from three yards out. The Rush answered in similar fashion and culminated with D'Orazio's 4-yard scoring run.
After Davey threw a 4-yard scoring pass to Mike Horacek, the Rush offense stalled and the Dragons took advantage on the ensuing possession when Carter Warley boomed a 48-yard field goal that would have been good from 58 yards.
But the Rush was not about to let the Dragons gain any confidence as Chicago returner Jonathan Ordway took the kickoff 55 yards for a score. Ordway made one quick move to make a Dragon tackler miss and then blazed through an opening and easily won the footrace to the endzone.
Davey brought New York back with a 25-yard TD pass to Kevin Swayne, but D'Orazio got limbered up with two touchdown passes to Sippio. The second of those gave the Rush a 27-23 lead with 1:20 to go in the first half.
New York took the lead back on Davey's second TD pass of the day to Horacek and held on to a 30-27 advantage at halftime when Dan Frantz's last-second 27-yard field goal attempt doinked off the upright.
RUSH NOTES: Ordway had a total of 98 kickoff return yards for the Rush on five returns, including his 55-yard touchdown in the second quarter. ... D'Orazio completed 19-of-34 passes for 271 yards with 6 TDs and 1 interception. ... Dennison Robinson returned a Davey interception 22 yards in the second quarter to set up the D'Orazio-Sippio touchdown that gave Chicago its first lead of the game. ... Sippio caught 9 passes for 135 yards and 5 scores. ... Merritt caught 4 passes for 60 yards and a score.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 18, 2007
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- Kats Defeat Blaze, Get First Win of Season - Nashville Kats
- Kats end Blaze win streak in Music City, 69-55 - Utah Blaze
- Huge second half helps Rush slay Dragons, 61-40 - Chicago Rush
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