Shock-Rush Playoff Preview
Jeffrey Giuliani
Wednesday July 31, 2013
After a whirlwind final weekend of the AFL season, the playoff matchups have been set. The Spokane Shock, who were still gunning for the #1 seed, settled for the #3 seed and a home playoff game against the Chicago Rush. Their only matchup of 2013 was in late March, during Week 2. Spokane went into Chicago on Easter Sunday and dominated the Rush 76-61. Quarterback Erik Meyer and the offense were nothing short of ruthless, carving up the Chicago defense and scoring on every possession. Rush signal caller Carson Coffman also had a good day, but a bar ball and effective time management leading into the first half lead the day for Spokane.
So what has changed since then? Spokane went through its dreadful three game losing streak, but rebounded to win nine of their last ten games. This came on the heels of a second half defensive surge. The Shock defense was getting gashed, particularly in the heart-breaking loss to the Orlando Predators. But then, it was as though someone flipped a switch. The once lackadaisical unit had become a force to be reckoned with. Since their turnaround, they have given up more than fifty points in only two games. Head Coach Andy Olson mentioned in the aftermath of the San Antonio blowout that the defense has been playing more “violent.” It shows on the scoreboard. In arena football, when your defense can play that well, it makes offense even easier.
Chicago had its fair share of issues since its Week 2 defeat at the hands of the Shock. Unable to pay rent on the Allstate Arena, the Rush were forced to move home games to a small arena in Rockford, Illinois. In addition, strict rules about adding and dropping players were levied against the Rush. Head Coach Bob McMillen has been mostly stuck with the same players for months. He deserves serious consideration for AFL Coach of the Year for masterfully handling the unfortunate hand he’s been dealt. As for on the field, Coffman has been effective under center, but has also been quite erratic at times. He’s been benched on more than one occasion for his backups, Luke Drone and Danny Southwick. Still, Tommy Grady’s former understudy gives the Rush a good chance to win any game they play. His favorite target, Reggie Gray, could cause a big matchup problem. The former Western Illinois Leatherneck added another fine season to his resume, including a four TD performance against the Shock.
The biggest key to this game will be who can come out of the locker room level-headed and ready to play. The Spokane Arena houses some of the AFL’s best fans. If the Shock can get a couple early turnovers or sacks, the crowd will become nearly unmanageable for the Rush. Chicago’s best chance to win will be to get up on the scoreboard early and try to take the crowd out of the game. The Rush are not built to play from behind, their offense is a notch below Spokane’s in terms of quality. If the Shock can obtain gets a possession lead early, with the crowd behind them, Chicago might not be able to pull out a win.
Another factor will be how well each team can get after the opposing quarterbacks. Meyer, although good at evading pressure, struggled against Pittsburgh in Week 19 while under duress. Coffman, a young quarterback, can also get rattled when his offensive line breaks down. Many AFL DBs attribute their big plays to their defensive lines pressuring quarterbacks into inane throws. Whichever defensive line plays better will have a significant impact on the game’s outcome.
The first AFL playoff game of 2013 figures to be a barnburner. Both teams are confident and talented. Chicago will be playing with a chip on its shoulder, considering the Rush are a higher seed and would be hosting this game if they had a home arena. An exciting contest figures to occur this Thursday in Spokane. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PST.
