Rush falls to Colorado 49-42
March 10, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release
Colorado cruised into the Allstate Arena Friday night as the highest scoring team in the league and with a 5-1 record. The Rush, however, was determined not to let that pedigree intimidate them. Mike Hohensee's team came out firing and hit the Crush in the mouth with a couple of first-quarter shots and looked like they might be prepared to upset John Elway's team.
However, Colorado was not of a mind to cooperate. The Crush (6-1) shook off a slow start and came back to beat the Rush 49-42 behind the accurate right arm of quarterback John Dutton and the spectacular receiving ability of Damian Harrell.
The loss was the second in a row at home for the Rush (3-4), which played significantly better against Colorado than it did a week earlier against Dallas.
It started when the Rush defense made its presence felt on the very first possession of the game. The high-scoring Crush was moving down the field behind Dutton's accurate passing, but rookie lineman Khreem Smith was having none of it. On a third-and-8 play from the Chicago 24, Smith came around from the back side, wrapped up Dutton and forced a fumble that teammate Curtis Eason recovered.
The forced fumble was Smith's fourth of the season - tying him for the league lead - and it also gave him 4.5 sacks for the year - tying him for the lead in that category as well.
The Rush took advantage of the big play, jumping out in front when QB Matt D'Orazio hit C.J. Johnson with a 10-yard scoring pass.
The Rush held Colorado on downs on its next possession and then extended the lead to 13-0 on D'Orazio's 30-yard scoring toss to Russell Shaw.
The Rush held Colorado scoreless in the first quarter, marking the first time the Crush had been held scoreless in any quarter this year.
After the team's exchanged scores in the second quarter - including two Dutton TD passes to Damian Harrell, the Rush had a 20-14 lead and the ball with less than six minutes remaining in the half. On first-and-goal from the Colorado 3-yard line, Rush FB Charlie Cook took a handoff from D'Orazio and dove toward the goal line. However, Cook fumbled on the play, opening the door for Colorado.
Colorado capitalized moving down the field and scoring on a Dutton 4-yard pass to Ahmad Hawkins to give the Crush its first lead of the night 21-20.
The teams again exchanged scores in the last three minutes of the half, giving Colorado a 28-27 lead at the break.
The second half was not as explosive as the first, as Colorado scored the only touchdown of the third quarter when Dutton hit Willis Marshall with a 20-yard scoring pass.
The Rush cut the Colorado lead to one in the fourth quarter when D'Orazio hit backup tight end John Sikora with a beautifully executed screen pass that went for eight yards and a touchdown, cutting Colorado's lead to 35-34.
Dutton countered by hitting Harrell with his third TD reception of the game to put Colorado up 42-34.
On the ensuing possession, with just 5:30 remaining in the game, Colorado held the Rush on a fourth-and-one from the Crush 4-yard line.
Colorado took the momentum from the stop and turned it into a TD and a 49-34 lead.
The Rush did score in the final minute when D'Orazio threw his sixth TD pass of the game - a five-yarder to Robinson - but it was a case of too little and too late since there were only 18 seconds left.
Colorado sealed the deal when Harrell - who else - recovered Dan Frantz's onsides kick.
Chicago will try to even its record at 4-4 next week when it travels to Nashville Friday, March 17, to take on the Kats.
Notes: Rush FB Bob McMillen rushed for six yards in the game, giving him 1,382 career yards and tying him with Les Barley for the AFL's career record.
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