EARLY LEAD CRUSHED BY COLORADO
Mistakes costly as Rush get swept by defending champs

By: Gary Zahara
Photos: Richie Pawlak

When you are the defending champions, you find a way to win. When you are the Chicago Rush, you somehow find ways to lose.

The Rush are becoming their own worst enemy.

After getting handled with ease last week against Dallas, the Rush came out with the most intensive first quarter performance this season. But Chicago couldn't hold on to a 20-7 second quarter lead as Colorado Crush quarterback John Dutton and wide receiver Damian Harrell hooked up for three scores in a come from behind 49-42 win in front of 13,807 Friday night at the Allstate.

The loss was the second in a row for the Rush(3-4), who were playing shorthanded with the loss of defensive leader John Moyer and D.J. Bleisath, both out for at least six weeks, have all but lost any chance to catch Colorado for the division lead. The Crush(5-1) won for the first time in Chicago in three tries, sweeping the season series 2-0.

"I don't think people really understood the situation we were in tonight, but there was no way we should have been in this football game with the experience we had on the field," coach Mike Hohensee said. "I thought the line did a tremendous job. Unfortunately we lost the game."

Three plays in the second quarter sealed Chicago's fate.

With the Rush leading 20-7 with 9:20 left in the half, the defense looked to stop the Crush for the third time in four possessions. But Dennison Robinson let a sure interception on a errant Dutton pass go through his hands incomplete. Two plays later, Harrell caught his second touchdown pass from 14 yards to make it 20-14.

On the ensuing kickoff, Carlos Wright blew threw the wedge headed for pay dirt but got caught looking behind him and was taken down at the Crush two-yard line.

One play later, Charlie Cook coughed up the ball and Colorado's Anthony Dunn recovered on the three. Ahmad Hawkins put the Crush ahead four plays later with a four-yard TD reception giving Colorado a 21-20 lead with 2:07 left.

Robinson put the Rush back in front 27-21 with 19 seconds left, but Dutton and Andy McCullough put the Crush up for good with six ticks left in the half.

"You can't fumble the football inside the five or break off routes. That sequence was a result of being young," said Hohensee.

The defense held Colorado, the highest scoring team in the AFL at 58 points per game, to no points in the first quarter for the first time this season. The Crush responded by forcing a missed field goal and a turnover on downs while holding the Rush to zero points in the third.

Chicago got no closer than 35-34 with 14:10 left in the fourth on a 8 yard screen pass from Matt D'Orazio to John Sikora. D'Orazio finished with 293 yards on 26 of 42 passing and six touchdowns.

Rush fullback Bob McMillen tied Les Barley for the AFL rushing record with six yards on two carries.

"I could have a hundred yards left I don't care, I just want to start winning football games," McMillen said.

The defense was responsible for a quick 13-0 lead in the first. Khreem Smith sacked Dutton forcing a fumble that was recovered by Curtis Eason. Two plays later, D'Orazio hit C.J. Johnson from 10 yards out for a 7-0 lead. A fourth down stop on the next possession yielded a 30-yard Russell Shaw(3-49) touchdown reception.

Smith is tied for the league lead in forced fumbles with four and sacks with 4.5.

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