Rush Can’t Handle One Off the Iron
Jeff Sims
Saturday May 8, 2010
Anyone that has spoken with me since the season started about the Chicago Rush has been told the same thing; “this team is not that good yet.”
While The Rush were 4-0 going into Friday night’s game against the Milwaukee Iron, there were some things that have been quite noticeable during the first four weeks of the season.
- Quarterback Russ Michna fumbled multiple snaps during the week one victory over the turnover happy Iowa Barnstormers in week one (Iowa has 23 turnovers through their first four games).
- The Rush wide receivers have dropped too many passes through the first four weeks.
- The offensive line is making Michna be more mobile than he would like to be.
- Defensively, they are giving up over 300 yards per game. That is a lot of yards for a team giving up only about 45 points per game. If a team is going to bend and give up that many yards, something is going to break eventually.
- In the last three games, the defensive line had only two sacks. They have been getting no pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
All of these things and the intricacies of Arena Football cost the Rush from going 5 – 0 for the first time in team history as they were defeated by the Iron 71 -48 on Friday night. Instead, the loss was the worst defeat for the Rush in six seasons.
After being tied at 27 at halftime, the Rush crumbled and lost control of the game in the third quarter.
Multiple passes were dropped once again. Michna had to be mobile, causing him to throw two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns by Iron LB Marcus Everett. Four kickoffs from Milwaukee kicker Robert Forstrom hit the iron, two of which were fumbled by Rush kick returner Chris Martin leading to two Milwaukee touchdowns. There were two additional turnovers by the Rush in the second half. The Iron scored 34 points in the third quarter alone.
“You can’t turn the ball over six times against anybody, let alone one of the best offenses in Arena Football,” said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. “I don’t think that they are that good and I don’t think that we are that bad. We had some unfortunate things happen and I think that we played the ball well off the iron fairly well as much as (their kicker) was around it.”
As much of a fan as I am of the Rush and its organization, I hate to admit it but, I was right.
Iron QB Chris Greisen carved up the Rush defense completing 20 of 36 passes for 339 yards and five touchdowns. He is head and shoulders the best quarterback in the league at this point and with his stats so far, he should be referred to as the Dos Equis most interesting man in the world.
He has not been sacked this season……unless it was his groceries.
He throws completions (according to DakTronics)…….to himself.
He has thrown 37 touchdowns………and not been intercepted.
He is ….the best quarterback in the AFL!!!
“We tried to play some disguises and Greisen is playing as well as anybody in the league right now and it showed tonight,” said Hohensee. “He was the difference for them tonight.”
On the other end of most of Greisen perfection is Iron wide receiver Nate Forse. After Friday’s game, the former Green Bay Blizzard receiver has 54 receptions for 768 yards and 14 touchdowns. Are you kidding me!!
On Friday night alone, Forse beat the Rush secondary consistently compiling 10 receptions for 171 yards and three scores.
What I found more impressive is that he is also their long snapper for the field goal unit.
Also impressive was Iron wide receiver Alvance Robinson, who was a last minute substitution for Damian Harrell. Robinson caught four passes for 81 yards and one touchdown.
The Iron also possess the second best rusher in the league. Tyre Young rolled over the Rush with 5 carries for 14 yards and two touchdowns. They are a very solid arena football team.
“I don’t like the result just as much as anyone else,” said Hohensee. “But I think our guys maintained their composure and battled hard. We will make our adjustments.”
You always know that a team coached by Mike Hohensee will make the necessary adjustments and be there right at the time when it counts the most. As a fan, I have complete faith.
But for now as I predicted, it is the Milwaukee Iron that still are the team to beat in the AFL.
