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Talons Rally Back to Defeat Rush, 61-54

June 15, 2013 - Arena Football League (AFL) News Release


The Chicago Rush led for nearly the entire second half, before the San Antonio Talons rallied late to steal a 61-54 victory at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford.

"For 57 minutes, we played great," coach Bob McMillen said. "Fifty-seven minutes, we played great. For three, we played like absolute garbage."

Rohan Davey's return to the Talons' lineup was a successful one as he completed 24-of-42 for 344 yards and six touchdowns.

Most important, he came up with two big pass plays in the final five minutes, first hitting Jomo Wilson on a 31-yarder with 4:13 remaining. Defensive back Vic Hall got his hand on the ball, but he tipped it upwards, allowing Wilson to run under the deflected ball. The Rush took three minutes off the clock with a seven-play drive, but on fourth and two, backup quarterback Luke Drone was unable to convert an intended option play, and the Talons took over with 38 seconds remaining, trailing 54-49.

"I want my guys to want the ball in the end," McMillen said. "I want guys that want to make the plays in the end. I thought Luke Drone was that guy. I still think Luke Drone is that guy."

That's when Davey unleashed another high-arcing pass downfield to Wilson for the 44-yard go-ahead score. Wilson finished with seven receptions for 156 yards and four touchdowns.

From there, the two teams traded picks, as Rush quarterback Carson Coffman threw an interception that Talons defensive back Carlton Brown hung onto, after weathering a punishing hit. The Rush were kept alive, when Hall snagged a deflected pass with eight seconds remaining to give Chicago one last chance, but Coffman's final pass was intercepted by Fred Shaw, who ran it back into the end zone to seal the final score.

The San Antonio Talons jumped out early, scoring on each of their first three possessions, to take a 21-7 lead after one quarter of play. Hall broke San Antonio's momentum in the second quarter, as Davey, under significant pressure, tried to lob a pass deep down the field. Chicago's veteran defensive back timed it perfectly, and like a center fielder pursuing a fly ball, camped under the lob and came up with the interception. The Rush capitalized, driving down the length of the field, ultimately scoring on J.J. Payne's plummet into the end zone, the first of three for the Chicago fullback.

The Talons, already leading 28-27, sought to expand their lead before halftime, as the Rush left 34 seconds on the clock, but Chicago's backfield came up with another big stop. Davey appeared to have wideout Brent Holmes on a lob, but Rush defensive back Jorrick Calvin stretched his arm outward at the last minute to deflect it away.

The Rush carried that momentum into the third quarter, although it didn't seem that way at first. Three penalties and a sack gave Chicago a third and goal from its own territory, a fairly unusual situation, but Coffman responded with a lofted pass to wide receiver D.J. Woods who ran it down the left sideline, inches away from the end zone. Payne finished the play with his third rushing touchdown of the night, a season high.

Chicago thrived on the defensive end as well, turning Brent Holmes aside on a goal-line pitch and then relying on two pass breakups from defensive back Josh Pleasant to force fourth and goal. On that play, Davey fired wide to give the ball back the Rush. Chicago ultimately finished the fourth quarter with a 40-28 lead as Woods used his explosive speed to run a screen 22 yards into the end zone.

In the fourth quarter, San Antonio refused to quit, as every time the Rush took a two-possession lead, the Talons clawed right back. Holding a 47-35 lead, Chicago got emphatic pass breakups on first and second down, from Vic Hall and Kelvin Morris, respectively, but on third and long, Rohan Davey found Jomo Wilson for a leaping snare in the back of the end zone.

Leading by five exiting the one-minute break, the Rush caught a huge break when facing a third-and-long, they got the Talons' line to jump. The resulting illegal defense penalty gave Chicago a first down, but ultimately, the Rush were unable to pick up the final first down they needed.

With his three rushing touchdowns, J.J. Payne was the Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game. Vic Hall, with two interceptions, was the Riddell Defensive Player of the Game. Jorrick Calvin, with a 48-yard kickoff return to put Chicago up 54-42 midway through the fourth, was the J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Game. He also earned AFL Highlight of the Game honors for that play, in which the kick bounced low off the rebound net over Reggie Gray's head, but Calvin turned a potential turnover into a touchdown, scooping up the loose ball and spinning right for an eventual touchdown. Finally, Chicago wide receiver Jared Jenkins turned in the Cutters Catch of the Game with his 30-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter.

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