Maybe it’s just something about Arena Football League doormats that cause the Rush to stumble.
Last week it was the 3-9 Utah Blaze upsetting the Rush. Saturday it was the 3-9 Kansas City Brigade taking the Central Division champions to the final 11 seconds before quarterback Russ Michna circled left end for a go-ahead score in front of a sellout crowd of more than 16,000 in Allstate Arena.
The Rush completed a two-point conversion and added a safety when defensive lineman James Baron forced a fumble on Kansas City’s final snap for a 52-47 win. Wideout Travis LaTendresse pinned the Brigade on its 4-yard line on kickoff coverage.
“We showed the hearts of champions,” Baron said.
That heart surfaced on a series of game-turning plays in the final quarter. The Rush managed to reverse the flow of the contest with Dennison Robinson’s diving interception inside the Chicago 10. The interception was Robinson’s 12th, tying the franchise record.
The Rush then scored on a 30-yard strike from Michna to LaTendresse after LaTendresse was flattened at the outset of the play.
“This team has had character all year,” coach Mike Hohensee said. “I didn’t ever see panic on our sideline. … Sometimes it’s just a matter of getting back up.”
The win, in a game marred by a combined 20 penalties through the first three quarters, gave the Rush (10-3) a 6-0 sweep in games against Central Division opponents.
“We talked about this being Round 1 of the playoffs,” Hohensee said.
Between penalties and dropped and poorly thrown passes, the Rush did not have to look far for the sources of their early problems. But wide receiver Donovan Morgan accounted for more than half the Rush’s passing yards with his 153 on 14 catches, two for TDs, and the Rush was able to deliver the key plays when needed.
“You want to play football on the edge,” said Baron, among the AFL leaders in forced fumbles. “Sometimes it’s just effort.”
Kansas City scored on all three first-quarter possessions to lead 20-14 as its 1,000-pound three-man offensive line kept one of the AFL’s best pass rushes off quarterback D Bryant.
The Rush was able to match the scoring pace into the second quarter before the Brigade scored on a Bryant rollout.
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jmullin@tribune.com
