Rush defense forces five turnovers, keys blowout
March 21, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release
The Orlando Predators simply had no chance. With a week off to think about their only loss of the season, the Chicago Rush (5-1) came out with all guns blazing and in a very angry mood.
After punishing the Predators (2-4) with a very nasty and active defense, the offense performed its own brand of surgery. The result was an overwhelming 58-15 win before 14,552 fans at Allstate Arena. The 43-point margin of victory was the largest in Rush history.
The victory put some of the sting from their lone loss â a 53-47 defeat March 7 at Philadelphia â in the rear-view mirror.
"We had a great game and we worked our tails off all week," said lineman John Moyer. "We wanted to get that Philadelphia game out of the system.
"The key was the play of both the offensive and defensive lines. We were determined to play our best game and I think we did."
The Rush did not want to give the Predators any reason for optimism. The easiest way to get that message across was to pound the visitors at every opportunity. Chicago forced three turnovers in the first half and built 20-point lead at the break before cruising to the win in the second half.
LB Levelle Brown gave the Rush their first takeaway when he leaped high in the air to pick off Orlando QB Joe Hamilton's first-quarter pass. Brown picked the ball off at the Orlando 11 and returned it five yards to set up a one-yard TD run by Chicago WR Etu Molden.
On Orlando's next series, Rush nose guard Frank Moore put together a lineman's dream when he sacked Hamilton, stripped the ball and recovered in the endzone for another Rush touchdown. On the play, Moore showed great quickness to get to Hamilton and great awareness when he found the loose ball on the turf.
Hamilton sprained his knee on the play and backup Connell Maynor was forced to take his place. On his first snap, the jittery Maynor fumbled the ball twice before it was recovered by Bob McMillen for another Rush turnover.
While the Rush got into the endzone, it wasn't before Chicago QB Raymond Philyaw tweaked his right shoulder. Backup Chad Salisbury came in as a precautionary measure and hit Lindsay Fleshman with a three-yard TD pass to extend Chicago's lead to 27-7.
Philyaw came back to start the third quarter and was on his game. On the first play from scrimmage, he found a wide-open Jeremy McDaniel and hit him with a 49-yard TD pass in stride. The reception was the longest of McDaniel's career and it gave the Rush complete control of the game.
That score appeared to take the life out of the Predators. While game, Maynor just did not have enough weapons to challenge the Rush. After turning the ball over on downs, Philyaw came back to lead the rush to another score. He hit James Baron with a 13-yard swing pass for a score that was met with little resistance by the Orlando defense. Philyaw â who has yet to throw an interception or suffer a sack this season â completed 8-of-9 passes for 139 yards and three TDs.
The Rush defense had no sympathy for Maynor. Moyer recorded his second sack of the game prior to a Molden interception. McMillen capped the ensuing drive with a three-yard TD run â the 50th of his career.
McMillen added another score early in the fourth quarter before Orlando got on the board again. Maynor connected with Cory Fleming on a short TD pass with five minutes remaining that ended a Chicago run of 55 straight points.
But that did not take any of the impressiveness away from the win. With a 5-1 record, the Rush are sitting alone in first place in the Central Division of the AFL's American Conference and have served notice that they are one of the best teams in the league.
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