Rush earns first victory
February 12, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release
The Rush got its first victory of the season the old-fashioned way -- they earned it.
Chicago (1-2) was forced to go into overtime to come up with a memorable 56-55 win over the previously unbeaten Nashville Kats (2-1).
After Nashville scored on its first possession of OT, the Rush was down to a fourth-and-15 play in order to maintain possession. QB Matt D'Orazio, under pressure throughout much of the second half, found C.J. Johnson in the endzone and the Rush was within a point.
Mike Hohensee was not going to try to extend the overtime session. Even though new kicker Dan Frantz had been perfect on each of extra-point attempts, Hohensee wanted to go for two and the win.
D'Orazio (21-29 for 210 yards and 4 TDs) faded back and surveyed the endzone. He found Cornelius White working the back line with a full step on Rober' Freeman. The throw was perfect and White brought it in without any trouble, giving the Rush the win.
It was the third-consecutive Rush game this season that was decided on the game's final play.
Chicago appeared to have control of the game in regulation. The Rush led 48-34 in the fourth quarter after D'Orazio hit John Moyer with a swing pass and the 265-pound eight-year veteran ran it in from 30 yards out.
Nashville was unable to cut into that lead until 1:22 remained when QB Clint Stoerner hit WR T.T. Toliver with a 10-yard TD pass, cutting the lead to seven.
Then after the Rush was unable to run out the clock in the final minute of the game, Nashville got the ball back trailing 48-41 with 14 seconds remaining. After an incomplete pass stopped the clock with 8 seconds left, the game came down to one final play - and it was a beauty.
Stoerner hit veteran Cory Fleming with a 12-yard crossing pass. As Fleming made his way towards the Nashville bench area, he flipped the ball to former Rush star Cornelius Bonner running toward the opposite sidelines. Bonner caught the ball cleanly, evaded one tackler and cruised into the endzone to force a tie and overtime.
The 47-yard hook-and-trailer was extremely well-executed and stunned the crowd at Allstate Arena, but it did not shock the Rush who found a way to take care of business in the extra session.
The win over Nashville raised Chicago's all-time record to 3-0 against the Kats. All three wins have come when the Rush have brought two-game losing streaks into the encounter.
The Rush used a late first-half surge to take control of the game. Leading 14-13 with less than three minutes before the break, D'Orazio hit WR Russell Shaw with an eight-yard scoring pass, culminating a nine-play, 41-yard drive.
That touchdown gave the Chicago defense more fuel and it forced a Nashville three-and-out. Kats kicker Tony Dodson lined up to try an incomprehensible 64-yard FG attempt - AFL rules don't allow punting - and the kick was woefully short. Johnson caught the kick at his goalline, made three quick moves before darting upfield. The Kats appeared to have Johnson hemmed in, but he refused to go down and was able to break free. He ended up scoring on a 50-yard return to give Chicago a 28-13 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Rush special teams took matters into their own hands again. Freeman took the kick off the net and turned up field, and he was met by a crunching hit from Khreem Smith. The ball bounded loose and Jeremy Unertl - playing his first game after being acquired in a trade from Columbus - recovered the loose ball.
On the next play, Johnson took a handoff from D'Orazio and shot-putted a TD pass to Shaw. That gave Chicago a 35-13 lead and three TDs in a span of 2:30.
While Nashville scored on the last possession of the first half to cut the lead to 35-20, the Rush controlled the first 30 minutes and played its best football of the young season.
Chicago goes on the road next week to face Los Angeles February 18. The Avengers were beaten 66-41 at Grand Rapids last week.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 12, 2006
- Rattlers Lose Third-straight, 58-50 - Arizona Rattlers
- SaberCats drop Rattlers 58-50 for first win of season - San Jose SaberCats
- Avengers Turn it over to Rampage, 66-41 - OSC Original by Tim Peterson
- Second half rally lifts Colorado past Las Vegas 65-55 - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Rush earns first victory - Chicago Rush
- Rampage beat Avengers 66-41 - Grand Rapids Rampage
- Rush tops Kats in OT - Nashville Kats
- Brigade lose home opener in front of capacity crowd - Kansas City Brigade
- Dramatic win moves Wranglers to 3-0 - Austin Wranglers
- Blaze fall to Dragons despite scoring 81 points - Utah Blaze
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