Kats End Season Without a Rush
May 22, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Nashville Kats News Release
The Kats last stop on the 2005 roller coaster finished in Nashville with a 45-21 loss to the Chicago Rush, who qualified for the playoffs thanks to the victory.
Nashville, who returned back to the Music City after a three-year hiatus, won their first game, lost seven in a row, went six straight where they were not beaten and then dropped the final two games of 2005.
The Kats took the first quarter lead on their second possession when Darryl Hammond's interception set-up quarterback Leon Murray, who connected with Offensive Player of the Game T.T. Tolliver for a 21-yard touchdown pass. The interception was Hammond's 31 st career interception.
The Rush knotted it up on the first play of the second quarter when Raymond Philyaw found Henry Douglas for a one-yard touchdown.
The score did not stay tied long as Murray connected again with Tolliver for a 45-yard touchdown pass, which is tied for the second longest TD pass of the season.
The Rush answered as Philyaw found wide receiver Etu Molden on a nine-yard touchdown pass and then took the lead as U.S. Army Ironman of the Game FB/LB Charlie Cook rumbled for a nine yard touchdown run.
The Kats had on opportunity to tie the score at 21 before the half, but Murray's pass to Tolliver fell just incomplete and the Rush went into half with a seven point lead.
Philyaw added to the Rush lead when he found C.J. Johnson for an 11-yard touchdown and a 28 - 14 third quarter lead.
The 14-point lead did not last long as Murray and Tolliver hooked up for the third time on the day, this time from 27-yards out. But those were the only points the Kats offense came up with in the second half, scoring a season low 21 on the game.
"Leon (Murray) came out a little cold and we struggled to get some big plays," Kats Head Coach Pat Sperduto said. "I want to win every time I step on the field and this one hurts. We were inconsistent and this is the first time in a while that I can say this. We just didn't make the plays."
Late in the third quarter, Philyaw threw his fourth touchdown pass of the day when he connected with Cook, who took the screen pass and barreled 14-yards for the touchdown. Philyaw would finish his impressive day completing 19 of 32 passes for 205 yards.
The Rush added to their lead late in the fourth quarter with a Keith Gispert 17-yard field goal and a 22-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Todd Hammel to DeJuan Alfonzo.
Murray finished the day 15-of-27 for 200 yards and three touchdowns but was knocked out of the game early in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. Tolliver led the Nashville receivers with 10 catches for 162 yards.
With the loss, the Kats finish their season with a 6-9-1 record while Chicago finishes with a 9-7 record and will travel to Los Angeles next Sunday to take on the Avengers in the first round of the AFL playoffs.
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