Rush falls in Cleveland 65-44

Sunday June 8, 2008

Cleveland – It is a habit that the Rush needs to find a way to break.  For the third-consecutive week, the Rush fell behind early and was forced to spend the rest of the game playing catch-up.
 
This week, however, the Cleveland Gladiators refused to let the Rush back into the game, pulling ahead for a 65-44 win at Quicken Loans Arena Saturday night.
 
The loss dropped the Rush to 10-4 with just two games left in the regular season and prevented the team from clinching home-field advantage throughout the American Conference playoffs.
 
“We certainly did not play very well tonight,” said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee.  “I thought Cleveland played more physical than we did, and I can assure everyone that we will not let that happen again.  I know for sure that we will be ready to play next week in Georgia.”
 
Former Rush QB Raymond Philyaw completed 14 of 19 passes for 222 yards and five TDs, and the Gladiators rushed for 59 yards as team to improve to 8-6.
 
However, it was the Cleveland defense and special teams that helped turn the game midway through the second quarter.
 
Trailing 14-7, the Chicago offense stalled at the Gladiators’ 22-yard line, forcing the Rush to attempt a 37-yard field goal.  New kicker Paul Edinger, who was signed this week after Dan Frantz was released, missed his first career attempt wide right.  Cleveland kick returner Otis Amey grabbed the ball off the iron and returned it 50-yards for a TD and a 21-7 Cleveland lead.
 
Things got worse for the Rush on its next possession.  QB Russ Michna was hit as he threw the ball, and his pass was intercepted by DB Brandon Hefflin at the Cleveland 5-yard line.  Hefflin returned the interception 45-yards for a TD, giving Cleveland a 28-7 lead with 10:58 to go in the first half.
 
Chicago seemed to steady itself, trading a TD and a field goal with Cleveland in the final 11 minutes of the half to head to the locker room down 38-17.
 
The Rush then opened the third quarter by cutting the score to 38-24 when tight end Rober t Boss caught a seven-yard TD pass from Michna to cap a 45-yard drive.
 
But Cleveland kept right on coming, extending its lead to 45-24 when Amey – who was the big offensive story with six catches for 125 yards and three TDs to go with his field goal return – caught a 13-yard TD pass.
 
The Rush defense kept fighting, trying to force a turnover to get the ball back for the offense.  However, it wasn’t Chicago’s night as a Gladiator fumble bounced into the Rush end zone and was recovered by Cleveland for a TD early in the fourth quarter.
 
Then, midway through the final quarter, Jeremy Unertl seemed to have an interception in the end zone for a touchback, but Cleveland receiver Ron Johnson ripped the ball out of Unertl’s hands as the pair fell to the ground for the Gladiators’ final touchdown.
 
NOTES:  The 65 points that the Rush surrendered are the most since a 65-56 loss in Colorado on January 29, 2006 and the 21-point loss was Chicago’s worst in more than two years – since it dropped a 55-20 decision in Georgia on April 29, 2006 … Michna finished the game 28 of 43 for 310 yards and six touchdowns along with one interception … Edinger converted six of seven extra point attempts and one of two field goals in his first AFL game.