Rush 84, Blaze 48
The Utah Blaze came into Saturday night's game in Rosemont, Ill., on a three-game winning streak and playing as well as any team in the Arena Football League in recent weeks. The Chicago Rush were coming off their worst loss of the season and had dropped four of their last five games.
The game, as one might have expected, turned out to be a blowout.
But it was the Rush — not the Blaze — doing the dominating.
Chicago scored early and often, while the Blaze struggled mightily in a game that was all but over midway through the second quarter.
Final score: Rush 84, Blaze 48.
And it wasn't really that "close." Chicago, now in its sixth year in the AFL, set a record for points scored against the defenseless Blaze.
Utah would have clinched a playoff berth with a victory. Now it will have to win its regular season finale Friday at home against the Kansas City Brigade to ensure it gets in.
The Blaze, at 6-9, are currently tied with the Rush. Utah and Chicago would have the final two playoff spots in the American Conference, although they are only one-half game ahead of the 5-9 Grand Rapids Rampage, which plays today against Austin. Both Grand Rapids and Chicago now have tiebreaker advantages over the Blaze based on their head-to-head victories against Utah. Interestingly, Chicago and Grand Rapids face each other next week in their regular season finales.
The Blaze had won all three games since signing veteran quarterback Andy Kelly. But Chicago made things difficult for the Utah QB right from the start. He had just one interception with 21 touchdowns for the Blaze entering the game, but he had two interceptions in the first half alone on Saturday. Kelly also fumbled a snap from center, which was picked up and returned for a first-half touchdown.
Kelly finished with 185 yards passing, but with two interceptions and two fumbles and just one touchdown before giving way to Joe Germaine.
The Utah defense, meanwhile, didn't stop Chicago a single time in the first half. Chicago rolled to a 35-0 lead midway through the second quarter and never looked back. Utah finally got on the scoreboard with 3:18 to play in the second quarter when Kelly found Siaha Burley for a score. After Rush QB Matt D'Orazio threw his fifth touchdown of the first half with 1:37 to play to give Chicago a 42-7 lead, the Blaze scored again, this time on a Justin Skaggs run with 18 seconds left. The ensuing extra point attempt, however, was blocked and returned by the Rush for a two-point conversion.
It was that kind of night for the Blaze.
Chicago then increased the lead to 47-13 at the half with a field goal on the final play of the second quarter.
"It's the first time in awhile we've been clicking on all cylinders," said Chicago coach Mike Hohesee in a television interview.
The third quarter started out just as poorly for the Blaze. Kelly was hit and fumbled in the end zone on the Blaze's first play from scrimmage. Utah recovered in the end zone, but it was a safety, giving the Rush a 49-13 lead. That was Kelly's last play for the night. Germaine entered the game for his first action in nearly two months after breaking the middle finger in his right hand on March 10 in a win over the Nashville Kats.
A D'Orazio screen pass to Bobby Sippio went 45 yards for a score on Chicago's first play from scrimmage in the second half, and Chicago led 56-13.
The Utah quarterbacks were under severe pressure all game long.
"Our front came to play today," said Hohesee.
D'Orazio completed 20 of 24 passes for 308 yards and seven TDs before being taken out of the game early in the fourth quarter with his team firmly in command. Sippio, meanwhile, was wide open all night long against the Blaze defenders. He caught 10 passes for 217 yards and six scores.
Germaine had some success late in the game. He finished with four TD passes as the Blaze scored 28 points in the fourth quarter, but it was far too little too late.
"We took a beating pretty much throughout the game," said Germaine.
Burley, as usual, led the Blaze receivers with 11 catches for 138 yards and three scores.