Rush snakebitten in Arizona, 61-42
Published on April 16, 2006 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release
Phoenix - Playing in Phoenix always has been a miserable experience for the Rush and Saturday night was no different, as Chicago fell to the Arizona Rattlers 61-42 in front of 11,790 fans at the U.S. Airways Center.
The Rush has never beaten Arizona, falling five-consecutive times to the Rattlers, including four games in Phoenix.
Even the additions of OS Bobby Sippio and DS Marvin Taylor, combined with the insertion of Michael Bishop as the team's new starting quarterback couldn't help the Rush (4-8), which lost its third game in a row and sixth in its last seven.
"We ran into a buzz saw tonight," said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. "Michael Bishop was under pressure all game and the Rattlers offense was clicking from the start. We had a lot of new guys in the lineup, and while we did some things really well, I think we are going to need some time to click together."
Bishop started strong, completing his first seven passes for a pair of touchdowns, but finished only 23 of 41 for 333 yards with six touchdowns and one interception.
Sippio finished with seven receptions for 139 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough.
With the game tied at 14-14 at the start of the second quarter the game began to slip away from the Rush. Chicago's offense suddenly hit the skids, scoring only two touchdowns in its next six possessions.
Meanwhile, the Rattlers (7-5) showed why they had come into the game as winners of six of their last eight, as QB Sherdrick Bonner connected on 19 of 25 passes for 195 yards and seven touchdowns, guiding an efficient attack that scored touchdowns on its first nine possessions of the game.
During the critical stretch in the second quarter, kicker Keith Gispert missed field goal attempts of 35 and 19 yards - the second of which came with just one second remaining in the first half. The missed 19-yarder was returned 50 yards for a touchdown by Rattlers DB Erin Damond, giving Arizona a 34-14 halftime lead.
The Rush seemed to steady itself and regain a little momentum in the third quarter, scoring on its first two possessions of the third quarter and putting itself in position to get back into the game.
After Bishop hit Woody Dantzler with a nine-yard pass to bring the Rush back within 13 points, 41-28, the Rush successfully executed an on-side kick attempt that was recovered by Jeremy Unertl at the Rush 6-yard line.
However, the Rush misfired on four-consecutive plays, turning the ball over on downs.
Arizona took over on the Rush 6-yard line and scored two plays later on a Joey Dozier two-yard run, putting the Rattlers up 48-28.
Chicago again turned the ball over on downs on its next possession and Arizona followed up with a Randy Gatewood nine-yard TD reception to take a commanding 54-28 lead.
The Rush returns home for the first time in nearly a month next Sunday, April 23, to host the Las Vegas Gladiators at Allstate Arena. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
Notes: Unertl intercepted his eighth pass of the season late in the fourth quarter...Dantzler, in just his second career game, caught eight passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 16, 2006
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- Brigade Comeback Falls Six Points Short against Defending Champs - Kansas City Brigade
- Rampage downed by Desperados 55-25 - Grand Rapids Rampage
- Rattlers Soar Over Rush, 61-42 - Arizona Rattlers
- Rush snakebitten in Arizona, 61-42 - Chicago Rush
- Kelly provides spark as Blaze win, 63-61 - Utah Blaze
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