Defense Leads Rush Into Playoffs

Jeff Sims
Thursday June 28, 2007

Defense in the Arena Football League is one thing that is very much underrated. In a game that is primarily dominated by offense, one or two stops in a game could very well mean the difference between a win and a loss.  

For the Chicago Rush, defense is what drives their team. There was nothing more apparent on Saturday night when the Rush defense held the Kansas City Brigade scoreless in the second half en route to their third Central Division title in seven years defeating the Brigade 48 -21.

The 21 points allowed by the Rush defense helped set a new team record for fewest points per game against average allowing 44.9 points per game for the season, which also ranks first in the AFL for the season.

With the win, the Rush receives a first round playoff bye and will host a conference semi-final game on Monday July 9th.

“A championship team has to be able to turn it up a notch and Chicago was able to turn it up in the second half,” said Brigade coach Kevin Porter. “It’s something that we can learn from.”

Having defeated the Rush back in week one, the Brigade came in to their biggest game in their short team history with a cockiness they couldn’t back up.

With the Rush leading 28 – 21, DB Dennison Robinson intercepted former Rush QB Raymond Philyaw with 13 seconds left in the first half to preserve the lead at halftime.

It would all fall apart for Kansas City from there.

Opening the second half, Jerel Myers returned the kickoff 55 yards to the Chicago 3-yard line. That’s as far as they would get!

The Rush defense would halt three consecutive rushing attempts and stop a fourth down passing attempt. The Chicago offense would then march 44 yards on six plays resulting in a four yard touchdown pass from QB Matt D’Orazio to wide receiver Bobby Sippio. 

“The defense has been the heart and soul of our team all year,” said D’Orazio. “And once again, they showed up in the game that meant the most and we (the offense) just rode their emotion.”

On the next Brigade possession, the Rush defense would force a three and out from deep in Kansas City territory. Brigade kicker Gary Kral attempted a pooch kick out of his own endzone that was returned by Robinson back to the Brigade four-yard line.

The Chicago offense was unable to put the ball in the endzone and was forced to settle for a Dan Frantz 20-yard field goal. 

“(Our offense) is still a work in progress and we will be working on it during the bye week,” said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. “We need this bye week to work on some things.”

The Rush defense was not done yet. On the ensuing Brigade possession, Rush LB DeJuan Alfonso returned an interception on a fourth down play 47 yards for a touchdown.

The score was Alfonso’s fifth defensive touchdown of the season, setting a new AFL record. 

“That’s how you want to go into the playoffs,” stated Hohensee. “That’s how you want to beat a team that beat you.”

While Dallas, Georgia, and San Jose ride into the playoffs boasting the most points per game scored, it is the Rush defense that is the most stingy allowing 42 points less for the season than San Jose and approximately 100 points fewer than both Dallas and Georgia.

“Offense puts points on the board, but defense wins championships,” says Sippio. “We’ve got a great defense, the best. They really excite me and make me want to produce for them.”

While the individual records are important, it is the team records that mean the most to this Rush team.
 
“(The individual defensive touchdown record) mean a lot,” says Alfonso. “I think the record for fewest points allowed is more important because (defense) is underrated in this league and we have done some special things as far as takeaways and holding teams under 45 points. I wish (the media) would start writing about that.”

Hey DeJuan, consider yourself more than noticed by this writer!!

With the Rush defense performing at its peak heading into the playoffs; they could be the reason why the team hoists another Foster trophy at the ArenaBowl.

Game Notes

The win set a new record for the franchise for most wins in a season (12).

The team also set a franchise record for points scored in a season (869).

Rush FB Bob McMillen rushed for 28 yards, which gives him 15,008 yards for his career. He became the second player in league history to reach 15,000 yards.

Brigade QB and former Rush QB Raymond Philyaw suffered an ankle injury late in the third quarter. His status for the playoffs has yet to be determined.