Rush Offense Putting It Together
Jeff Sims
Saturday March 29, 2008
Even more surprising is that this 63.3 point average is nine points higher than the team record of 54.3 points per game set last season.
At times what has appeared to be a work in progress has turned into a formidable offensive unit. Not too bad considering that only two offensive starters from last season have returned; offensive linemen Robert Boss and John Sikora.
Leading the way is new Chicago Rush QB Sherdrick Bonner, who last week put together his best game this season as he completed 23 of 31 passes for 248 yards against the Colorado Crush.
He followed up that performance on Friday night against his former team, the Arizona Rattlers, with another solid outing. Bonner completed 17 of 32 passes for 216 yards and five touchdowns. He did have one interception that was returned for a touchdown by Rattlers DB Keyou Craver. The Rush would go on to a convincing 59 – 35 victory.
Bonner, who played 14 years with Arizona, claims that it is taking him some time to learn head coach Mike Hohensee’s offense.
“I’m starting to see things a little bit earlier and a little bit clearer,” says Bonner. “ The more it comes to me and the faster it gets to me, it takes a lot less time (for the offensive line) to block and I can put the ball up quicker. I’m just going to keep learning and try to get better.”
It also doesn’t hurt to have one of the best AFL receivers of all time on your team as well. Damian Harrell has given Bonner a top target to go to week in and week out. Last week, Harrell broke the all-time AFL touchdown record scoring his 304th touchdown.
“Harrell has made great plays against us for years,” said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. “It is now great to have him making great plays <i>for</i> us.”
But Harrell isn’t the only offensive weapon at Bonner’s disposal. New additions at wide receiver this season, Donovan Morgan and Travis LaTendresse, have also added other options for Bonner in the team’s offense.
After the last night’s game, Harrell leads the team with 35 receptions, but LaTendresse and Morgan are not that far behind. LaTendresse has 28 receptions and Morgan has 30, which only goes to show that the offense has been mixed up well.
“All that credit has to go to coach Ho and his game plan,” said Bonner. “He is one of the best that I have worked with. He puts us in position to have guys make plays. It is phenomenal the way that his mind works during the game. It is awesome.”
On the ground, the Rush have last season’s rushing leader from Nashville. Dan Alexander already has five touchdowns this season. He also has 22 carries for a total of 74 yards.
With the newness of the offense, even with the stars the Rush have assembled, they all attribute the scoring average to one thing; their defense.
“Points are deceptive,” said Bonner. “Our defense puts us in position to score. We are trying to possess the ball and make plays when they come to us. I don’t know if I’m surprised this early in the season (with the scoring average), but maybe a little bit.”
It is the appreciation for their teammates that make the Rush feel as if they are completely coming together as a team.
“There is a sense of pride out there when the defense makes a stop,” states Hohensee. “All of a sudden you see the guys that are on our bench jump up and down and they can’t wait to jump over the wall and tell them what a great job they did. I mean that’s a great team. That’s the kind of stuff that we’re starting to see. There’s a bond there and a respect for the units. Maybe you didn’t have that before when it was a two-way game, but now you’ve got units rooting for each other like conventional football.”
The Rush defense players push themselves and each other and look to hold themselves to their own standards.
“We have pretty much had the same defense for the last three years,” said Rush DE John Moyer. “Our goal is to keep them under 40 (points). As long as we are meeting that goal, we’re supposed to win.”
In the game against Arizona, the Rush defense stopped the Rattlers three times on downs and intercepted QB Jeff Smoker three times.
“Our defense gets us those extra possessions and that’s going to help us,” said Hohensee. “We’ve got guys (on offense) that make big plays. Even if we do something wrong, we throw it up there and we just might go get it.”
In their four wins, the Rush have won by an average of 27.75 points with wins of 23 over San Jose, 29 over Grand Rapids, 35 over Colorado, and now 24 over Arizona.
With the efficiency of the Rush offense complimenting the aggressiveness and playmaking of their defense, the Chicago Rush have proven themselves to be the cream of the crop in the American Conference this season.
Game Notes
Here is just what the Rush do not need; injuries. After already losing FB Matt Kinsinger to a season ending knee injury, the team saw a few injuries on Friday night. DB James Sadler left the game with a sprained foot. WR Donovan Morgan left the game late in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a shoulder injury and DE Joe Peters sustained an injury but remained in the game. The extent of these injuries will not be known until each player is evaluated later in the week.
OL Robert Boss recorded a touchdown on Friday night. This gives him two for his career, both have come against Arizona.
With Arizona having guaranteed their fans a playoff team this season, the Rush wanted to win this game; bad. “Coach let us know that he thinks that it’s a slap in the face and a disgrace to the league and he did not want to be a part of any of their victories,” said Moyer. “So he made it clear to us that we would win this game.”
After playing four of their first five games at home, the Rush will now have to make up for that by playing four of their next five on the road. They start of the road swing with a trip to Orlando next Sunday.
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.
