Rush prevails over SaberCats, 54-48, in OT
February 26, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release
Overtime is becoming a habit for the Chicago Rush.
And it's a habit that agrees with the team. For the second consecutive home game, Chicago pulled out a victory in the extra session. This time its victim was the San Jose SaberCats, as the Rush used an interception by DS Jeremy Unertl to set up a game-winning 27-yard TD pass from QB Matt D'Orazio to Cornelius White and a 54-48 win.
The win was the third in a row for Chicago (3-2) after starting the season 0-2.
The raucous crowd of 12,950 didn't have much to cheer about in the early part of the game, but the Rush came back with a strong fourth quarter to push the game into overtime.
Trialing 40-34 early in the fourth quarter, the Rush defense asserted itself with a three-and-out, forcing San Jose to try a long field goal. Brian Schmitz's kick went off the net and C. J. Johnson was there to retrieve it. After turning upfield, he found some daylight as he brought the play to the far sidelines. As he crossed midfield, he took advantage of a spectacular block by Bob McMillen to return the ball 56 yards for the score. Dan Frantz's PAT gave the Rush a 41-40 lead - its first of the game.
San Jose managed to regain the advantage when Mark Grieb hit WR James Roe with a 19-yard scoring pass. A quick-hitting two-point run by FB Brian Johnson gave the SaberCats a 48-41 advantage with 3:30 to play.
The Rush had more than enough time to negotiate the ball downfield and score the tying touchdown. Still, it took a 12-yard pass from D'Orazio (29-39, 351 yards, 7 TDs and 0 interceptions) to newcomer Butchie Ibeh with 11 seconds left to get them within one point at 48-47. Frantz, who spent the past two seasons with San Jose, made the most of his opportunity to get back at his old team, tying the game at 48-48 with the extra point.
Ibeh had eight catches for 102 yards and three TDs in his AFL debut after being activated from Chicago's practice squad for the game.
San Jose had the ball for one more play in regulation, but the Rush defense was not about to allow the SaberCats to get into field goal position. Rookie Khreem Smith broke through the line and sacked Grieb inside the goalline for what appeared to be a game-winning safety. However, officials ruled that Grieb had not reached the goalline - at the one-inch line -- and the game moved on to overtime.
On San Jose's first possession in OT, Unertl came through with an interception - his second of the game - to set up Johnson and D'Orazio for their final heroics.
"Every game has been a learning process for us," head coach Mike Hohensee said. "Hopefully, we'll win enough games to get to (the playoffs) because we're going to play our best football at the end of the season."
Chicago appeared to have more than a victory to celebrate midway through the third quarter as McMillen gained two yards to become the league's all-time leading rusher with 1,384 yards, surpassing Les Barley who ran for 1,382 yards between 1995 and 2001.
However, two plays after the record-setting run, McMillen was trapped for an eight-yard loss and the record was returned to Barley.
It seemed like the Rush might have been a bit distracted early in the game as the team had trouble getting some plays off before the play clock expired and was forced to use some timeouts.
The game turned in San Jose's favor on the opening kickoff. Schmitz sent the opening kick off one of the guide poles supporting the back net and the ball bounced awkwardly away from Carlos Wright, who never had a chance to catch it. SaberCat special teamer Phil Glover recovered the ball at the Chicago 4, giving his team ideal position to start the game.
Veteran offensive specialist Calvin Schexnayder pounded it in from a yard out to give San Jose the early lead.
Chicago was able to move downfield on the first drive, going 31 yards on six plays, but when D'Orazio was held for no gain on a 4th-and-1 play from the San Jose 6, the SaberCats gained possession.
San Jose seized control when QB Grieb hit Roe with a 24-yard TD pass, giving them a 13-0 lead.
The Rush got back into the game as it rode the hot right arm of D'Orazio, who completed his first 12 passes. One of them was a 4-yard TD pass to Johnson late in the first quarter to get the Rush on the board.
The teams went back-and-forth in the second quarter, with the Rush drawing within five points at 26-21 late in the second quarter when Ibeh caught the second of his two first-half TDs. This one was a 30-yarder in which he outfought the defensive back to catch the TD pass.
If the Rush defense could have held, it would have gotten the ball back in the final minute of the first half with a chance to take the lead. However, San Jose culminated a four-play, 29-yard drive when Grieb hit Kevin McKenzie with a 7-yard TD pass at the 11 second-mark.
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