It is difficult to take away anything positive from the Chicago Rush loss to the Milwaukee Mustangs in their regular season finale on Saturday night 54-41 at Allstate Arena.

 

In a game where they scored their fewest points of the season, turned the ball over five times, were successful on only half of their third and fourth down conversions, and had their starting quarterback sacked four times in less than a half, there is still one positive that can be taken away from this game.

 

The Chicago Rush will be healthy going into the 2011 Arena Football League Playoffs.

 

“We came out pretty clean,” said Rush head coach Bob McMillen.

 

Although nobody on the team or coaching staff would admit it, part of the plan was to come out of this game against the Mustangs with a healthy football team in order to be ready for their first round playoff game against the Dallas Vigilantes this upcoming Friday night.

 

The game against the Mustangs did not come without a couple of scares though. Starting quarterback JJ Raterink was sacked four times in just a little over one quarter, prompting coach McMillen to pull him and replace him with back-up Dominic Randolph earlier than was planned.

 

“I didn’t like it,” McMillen said. “I hope that our offensive line takes note of that. They shouldn’t like it either. There’s no way that our quarterback should get hit around like he did. We’re too good up front. We played a guy over TJ Watkins (CJ Cobb) tonight to get (TJ) some rest. I think that he played well at times and I think that Vince (Vance) struggled at times. We will have to be better,”

 

 

Even Randolph found himself running for his life at times. At one point in the fourth quarter, Randolph went down after being sandwiched between two Mustang defensive linemen. Raterink had to return to complete the series. Luckily, Randolph was okay and was able to return.

“I would like to forget about it because it looked pretty bad, I’m sure,” Randolph said about the hit. “I just tried to step up and get rid of the ball and I just got hit in an awkward position. I’m fine now, so hopefully it’s not too bad.”

 

The Rush will enter the 2011 playoffs in a much better position than they did last season. The 2010 playoffs saw a less experienced Raterink take over for starting quarterback Russ Michna, who was lost to a rib injury. The receiving corp was put together with two newer receivers and linebacker DeJuan Alfonso. The team lost their first round playoff game to Milwaukee.

 

This season, with the exception of Michna, who is out for the playoffs again this season, this time with an ankle injury, the Rush are in a position to be the healthiest they have been since the start of the season.

 

“I am happy with what we’ve got,” said Rush head coach Bob McMillen. “We’ve got Vic Hall coming back and JJ (Raterink) coming back next week, so we will just be getting better for next week.”

 

Hall, who broke the single season interception record this season in just 13 games, will return after missing the last four games with a turf toe injury.

 

Raterink, who replaced Michna after his season ending injury, is 3-1 in his four starts for Chicago.

 

Also returning will be veteran wide receiver JJ McKelvey, who has been out with a foot injury.

 

Coach McMillen and his coaching staff will have some decisions to make for their active roster on Friday night as his star players are once again healthy. That is definitely a good thing for the team and for the fans of the Chicago Rush.

 

Having a complete and healthy roster is just one component that will be needed to defeat a Dallas team that they have beaten twice this season.

 

“We have had turnovers and penalties at costly times (in each loss this season),” McMillen said. “We will have to be better next week or it is going to be a short playoffs and a lot of guys will be going home with sad faces.”

 

Another positive coming out of Saturday’s game continues to be the individual play of Rush wide receiver Reggie Gray.

 

Gray compiled nine catches for 123 yards and five touchdowns. His nine receptions put him at a total of 130 for the season, which breaks the previous Rush single season record of 125 set by Bobby Sippio in 2007.

 

His total of 1,969 receiving yards breaks the previous Rush single season record of 1,737 which was also set by Sippio in 2007.

 

With four kickoff returns for touchdowns this season and his 49 receiving touchdowns, Gray’s 53 touchdowns on the season ties Sippio’s Rush single season mark of 53 touchdowns also set in 2007.

 

Gray has started all 18 games for the Rush this season and been the key component of the offense. That is pretty impressive considering his small frame (5’9”) and size (175 lbs) have been able to endure the longer AFL season.

 

“For him to do what he has done this year is unbelievable,” said Rush head coach Bob McMillen. “He should be considered Offensive Player of the Year for the numbers that he has put up.”

 

The records mean a lot to Gray, who felt that he had a lot to prove coming into this 2011 season.

 

“On an individual basis, it means a lot,” Gray said with a soft tone, knowing he had accomplished something special. “I was told that I couldn’t play this game. I was told that all I could be was a role player in this league. To come out and break the Rush record, it is a great honor. Obviously, to break Bobby Sippio’s record, and everyone knows how great he is, it’s a great honor. On an individual level, I am blessed to come out and prove everybody wrong and break the record.”

 

Congratulations Reggie on a record setting 2011 season.

Jeff has been writing for ArenaFan.com since 2004. Originally from New York, Jeff has been living in the Chicago area for the past ten years and is an avid football fanatic. He holds a BA in communications from Hofstra University in New York and a sports management certificate from Loyola University in Chicago.