Little Man Comes Up BIG for the Rush

Jeff Sims
Sunday July 11, 2010

With the ball on the six yard line and the Arizona Rattlers threatening to score and win the game with just two seconds left, he ultimately knows that the ball is going to be thrown his way.

“I didn’t wake up one day and become 5 feet 6 inches tall,” stated Chicago Rush defensive back Josh Ferguson. “I have been this height all my life. It is nothing new to me. I am used to getting picked on and I have always looked at it as a challenge. I knew it was coming to me. It wasn’t a mystery.”

Feeling that they have the hot hand in the AFL’s leading receiver, 6 foot 4 inches tall Rod Windsor, Arizona Rattlers offensive coordinator, Danny White, felt that he had the right play called.

“I thought we called the right play. Rod wanted the ball,” said White. “I wanted to give him some room to work in the middle and isolate him against the (shorter) Ferguson in the middle. I didn’t want the defender to have the wall to help him (make a play). “

Rattlers quarterback Nick Davila dropped back and looked for Windsor in the middle of the end zone. He zipped one in that had every Rush fan in the Allstate Arena wondering how their team could possibly lose this game after having a 13 point lead with only 47 seconds left to play.

“I was just thinking that he can’t catch it and to be in a position to make a play on the ball,” Ferguson said. “So I just stuck my hand in between his and swatted it out.”

The ball went in towards Windsor’s chest and the little man’s hand preserved a 55 – 50 win that improves the Rush’s record to 10-4 and clinches a ninth consecutive playoff berth. But this game should not have gotten this close.

With 47 seconds left, a 13 point lead, and possession of the ball, the Rush had the chance to slow down and put a game away that was never really close until the final moments. Instead Rush quarterback Russ Michna decided to put a final exclamation point on the game and went deep to wide receiver Marco Thomas.

“They came up and pressed us and forced us to go by them,” said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. “We did and the kid just hurt his knee. Otherwise we would be talking about a whole other story.”

As if the Rush didn’t have enough injuries at the wide receiver position, Thomas caught the ball and was headed toward the end zone, but he fumbled the ball after he tripped on the carpet, suffering a serious knee injury just before crossing the goal line.

The ball was recovered by the Rattlers and one play later, Davila found Windsor for 28 yards and a touchdown. After a successful two-point conversion, the Rattlers recovered an onside kick and were once again on the move.

With five seconds remaining and the ball on the six yard line, you would have thought the Rattlers would have only had one chance to make a final play.

On first down, Davila had a pass batted away by Rush DB Nygel Rogers. How that play only took three seconds is beyond me. The game should have been over at that point.

“I think we have to train our clock guy a little bit better,” joked Hohensee after the game. “Holy cow!”

The additional two seconds gave Arizona one last chance, but the little man was up to the task.

The ball was thrown low which gave Ferguson the chance to make the play.

“Maybe the ball could have been thrown a little higher for Rod to go up and get it,” stated White.

“I think our quarterback just missed a lot of throws,” said Windsor. “He was kind of off tonight (Davila threw three interceptions in the game). We just stopped ourselves and we didn’t make the big plays. That is what it came down to.”

Ferguson, who is ranked third in the league in tackles (97) and tied for second in the league in interceptions (8), is a possible candidate for defensive player of the year honors.

“He is a kid who just doesn’t quit,” said Hohensee. “You can probably sit in the stands and hear people yelling about him on the plays that he doesn’t make. And then all of a sudden there is nothing coming from those same people when he ends up making great plays. This team loves Josh Ferguson and what he is all about.”

Game Notes

This victory was the fourth consecutive victory over Arizona for the Rush. The Rattlers had won the previous five meetings before the current Rush streak.

The victory clinches a ninth consecutive playoff berth for the Rush. They have made the playoffs in each season since their inception in 2001.

Defensive Back Nygel Rogers did not start this game for the Rush after he missed three meetings and a practice during the week. Former Chicago Slaughter (of the Indoor Football League) DB Brandon Fields started in his place.

Offensive Lineman Shawn McMackin (have to give some props to the fellow Hofstra alum) started at fullback for the departed Robert Boss (coaching opportunity at his alma matter Nothern Michigan). McMackin had never played the fullback position previously.

After a 42 point first half, the Rush set a season low by scoring only 13 points in the second half.

Rod Windsor’s touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter put him at 166 receptions on the season. That ties the AFL single season mark set by former Rattler’s receiver Siaha Burley. Still having a couple of games to play, Windsor is destined to set a new, much higher benchmark in this category.

Rush linebacker DeJuan Alfonso, in an effort to improve attendance at the Allstate Arena (they have only averaged over 8,000 fans per game this season), made a guarantee after the game that he would convince the team on Monday to allow all children in free for their home game next weekend against Dallas.