2010 Chicago Rush season

2010 Chicago Rush season
Head coach Mike Hohensee
Home field Allstate Arena
Results
Record 10–6
Division place 2nd NC Midwest
Playoff finish Lost Conference Semifinals (Iron) 54–64

The 2010 Chicago Rush season was the tenth season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Mike Hohensee and played their home games at Allstate Arena. For the 10th consecutive season, the Rush qualified for the playoffs. In the conference semifinals, they lost to the Milwaukee Iron, 54–64.

Standings

Midwest Division
Team W L PCT PF PA DIV CON Home Away
y-Milwaukee Iron 11 5 .687 1043 903 5–1 8–3 7–1 4–4
x-Chicago Rush 10 6 .625 906 873 4–2 8–3 5–3 5–3
Cleveland Gladiators 7 9 .438 938 906 2–4 4–6 4–4 3–5
Iowa Barnstormers 7 9 .438 829 833 1–5 3–7 2–6 5–3

y - Clinched division
x - Clinched playoff berth

Regular season schedule

The Rush opened their season on the road against the Barnstormers on April 2. Their first home game of the season will take place on April 9 as they host the Gladiators. They concluded their regular season in Week 17 visiting the Shock on July 23, one week earlier than the rest of the league, as the Rush had their second of two bye weeks in Week 18.[1]

Week Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Report
Score Record
1 Friday April 2 8:05 pm at Iowa Barnstormers W 61–43 1–0 Wells Fargo Arena
2 Friday April 9 8:00 pm Cleveland Gladiators W 59–56 2–0 Allstate Arena
3 Friday April 16 10:30 pm at Arizona Rattlers W 70–56 3–0 US Airways Center
4 Friday April 23 8:00 pm Utah Blaze W 63–40 4–0 Allstate Arena
5 Bye
6 Friday May 7 8:30 pm at Milwaukee Iron L 48–71 4–1 Bradley Center
7 Saturday May 15 8:00 pm Iowa Barnstormers L 30–44 4–2 Allstate Arena
8 Friday May 21 8:30 pm at Dallas Vigilantes W 63–56 5–2 American Airlines Center
9 Saturday May 29 7:00 pm at Cleveland Gladiators W 52–49 6–2 Quicken Loans Arena
10 Friday June 4 8:00 pm Jacksonville Sharks L 56–64 6–3 Allstate Arena
11 Saturday June 12 9:05 pm at Utah Blaze W 70–50 7–3 Maverik Center
12 Saturday June 19 8:00 pm Milwaukee Iron W 63–56 8–3 Allstate Arena
13 Saturday June 26 8:00 pm Orlando Predators W 55–42 9–3 Allstate Arena
14 Friday July 2 7:30 pm at Tampa Bay Storm L 60–68 9–4 St. Pete Times Forum
15 Saturday July 10 8:00 pm Arizona Rattlers W 55–50 10–4 Allstate Arena
16 Saturday July 17 8:00 pm Dallas Vigilantes L 52–65 (OT) 10–5 Allstate Arena
17 Friday July 23 8:00 pm at Spokane Shock L 49–63 10–6 Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
18 Bye

All times are EDT

Playoff schedule

Round Day Date Kickoff Opponent Score Location Report
NC Semifinals Saturday August 7 8:00 pm at Milwaukee Iron L 54–64 Bradley Center

All times are EDT

Regular season

Week 1: at Iowa Barnstormers

1 2 34Total
Rush 17 17 72061
Barnstormers 0 22 02143

at Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa

  • Date: April 2
  • Game time: 8:05 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 12,184
  • Referee: Brad Van Vark
  • Recap

In the league's season opener, the Rush were the first to score when DeJuan Alfonzo intercepted a pass and took it 9 yards back for a touchdown. The Rush held a 17–0 lead after the 1st quarter. The 2nd quarter saw more of the two teams trading scores, but the Rush still led the game at halftime 34–22. The Rush were the only team to score in the 3rd quarter, a 14-yard touchdown pass from Russ Michna to Allen Turner. The Barnstormers were able to cut the Rush's lead to 10 points in the 4th quarter, but Chicago was able to close them out, winning the game by a final score of 61–43.

The Chicago defense forced six turnovers, including four on Iowa's first four possessions of the game. Quarterback Russ Michna threw for 261 yards and 6 touchdowns. Samie Parker led in the receiving department with 104 yards and 2 touchdowns. Josh Ferguson and Nygel Rogers each had two interceptions.

Week 2: vs. Cleveland Gladiators

1 2 34Total
Gladiators 14 14 141456
Rush 14 14 141759

at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois

  • Date: April 9
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 8,075
  • Referee: Tom McCabe
  • Recap

The entire game was closely contended, with the score tied at the end of each of the first three quarters, and neither team led by more than a touchdown all night. With 45 seconds left, and the game tied 56–56, quarterback Russ Michna led the Rush on a 7-play, 33-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard field goal by Chris Gould to take the lead with two seconds in the game. After a touchback following the ensuing kickoff, the Gladiators completed a pass, but failed to even get the ball past midfield, ending the game. Michna finished with 315 passing yards, completing 22 of 27 passes with 8 touchdowns.

Week 3: at Arizona Rattlers

1 2 34Total
Rush 14 28 141470
Rattlers 14 21 71456

at US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona

  • Date: April 16
  • Game time: 10:30 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 14,994
  • Referee: Steve Kovac
  • Recap

Week 4: vs. Utah Blaze

1 2 34Total
Blaze 7 7 131340
Rush 14 14 142163

at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois

  • Date: April 23
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 7,459
  • Referee: Tom McCabe
  • Recap

The Rush improved to 4–0 by defeating the winless Blaze at home. Utah took the ball first and scored a touchdown, but it was the only time they would lead in the game. On their first play from scrimmage, the Rush found the end zone on a 34-yard passing touchdown. When Utah got the ball again, the Rush's Clifton Smith blocked a field goal attempt, and then scored a touchdown on a 1-yard run on Chicago's ensuing drive. At halftime, the Rush led 28–14. They received the ball to begin the 3rd quarter and marched up the field for a touchdown, scored on a 3-yard running play. Chicago attempted an onside kick following this score, but it went out of bounds, putting the Blaze 10 yards away from the end zone. Utah only needed one play to score another touchdown and cut their deficit to 35–20, but the Rush did not allow the game to get any closer the rest of the night, winning 63–40.

Russ Michna threw for 330 yards, a season high, and 7 total touchdowns. For the second consecutive week, Nichiren Flowers was the leading receiver with 129 yards and 3 touchdowns. Chicago held Utah to 40 points, a season-best for the Rush, and the defense stopped three fourth-down attempts by the Blaze offense.

Week 6: at Milwaukee Iron

1 2 34Total
Rush 20 7 71448
Iron 7 20 341071

at Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

  • Date: May 7
  • Game time: 8:30 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 5,386
  • Recap

At halftime, the game was tied at 27–27, but the Rush allowed 34 points in the 3rd quarter alone, a deficit that proved to large to overcome, resulting in the first loss of the season for Chicago. After giving up a touchdown to Milwaukee on the opening drive of the 3rd quarter, the Rush turned the ball over on four consecutive possessions. Two of those giveaways were passes by Russ Michna that were intercepted and returned for touchdowns, while another was a fumble recovered by the Iron in the end zone. At the start of the 4th quarter, the Rush were in a 61–34 hole. Losing by a final score of 71–48, it was the most points the Rush had given up in a single game since 2004. The team's 6 turnovers tied a franchise record set in 2001. Michna's 354 passing yards surpassed the season-high he had totaled in the previous week, and had six touchdowns in the game, four in the air and two on the ground. Kenny Higgins had 157 yards and 2 touchdowns on 9 catches, leading all receivers.

Week 7: vs. Iowa Barnstormers

1 2 34Total
Barnstormers 7 17 14644
Rush 0 16 7730

at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois

  • Date: May 15
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 10,363
  • Referee: Tom McCabe
  • Recap

Week 8: at Dallas Vigilantes

1 2 34Total
Rush 21 20 71563
Vigilantes 14 21 71456

at American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

  • Date: May 21
  • Game time: 8:30 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 4,583
  • Referee: Mark Windham
  • Recap

Week 9: at Cleveland Gladiators

1 2 34Total
Rush 7 14 92252
Gladiators 14 14 71449

at Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: May 29
  • Game time: 7:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 8,688
  • Referee: Ron Torbet
  • Recap

Week 10: vs. Jacksonville Sharks

1 2 34Total
Sharks 20 12 201264
Rush 14 14 21756

at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois

  • Date: June 4
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 7,430
  • Referee: Tom McCabe
  • Recap

Week 11: at Utah Blaze

1 2 34Total
Rush 14 28 21770
Blaze 14 6 102050

at Maverik Center, West Valley City, Utah

  • Date: June 12
  • Game time: 9:05 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 4,892
  • Referee: Steve Strimling
  • Recap

Week 12: vs. Milwaukee Iron

1 2 34Total
Iron 14 21 14756
Rush 7 14 212163

at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois

  • Date: June 19
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 8,287
  • Referee: Tom McCabe
  • Recap

Week 13: vs. Orlando Predators

1 2 34Total
Predators 7 21 7742
Rush 16 10 171255

at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois

  • Date: June 26
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 8,120
  • Referee: Bob McElwee
  • Recap

Week 14: at Tampa Bay Storm

1 2 34Total
Rush 13 21 71960
Storm 14 21 141968

at St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, Florida

  • Date: July 2
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 15,704
  • Referee: Kevin Stine
  • Recap

Week 15: vs. Arizona Rattlers

1 2 34Total
Rattlers 7 21 71550
Rush 21 21 10355

at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois

  • Date: July 10
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 8,452
  • Referee: Tom McCabe
  • Recap

After a close win against Arizona, the Rush clinched a playoff berth.

Week 16: vs. Dallas Vigilantes

1 2 34OTTotal
Vigilantes 14 14 7171365
Rush 0 23 1415052

at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois

  • Date: July 17
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 7,594
  • Referee: Tom McCabe
  • Recap

Week 17: at Spokane Shock

1 2 34Total
Rush 14 21 14049
Shock 21 21 71463

at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Washington

  • Date: July 23
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 10,775
  • Referee: Shane Anderson
  • Recap

Playoffs

National Conference semifinals: at Milwaukee Iron

1 2 34Total
Rush 14 19 71454
Iron 20 24 71364

at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Washington

  • Date: August 7
  • Game time: 8:00 pm EDT
  • Game attendance: 5,023
  • Recap

References

  1. ↑ "AFL 2010 Regular Season Schedule" (PDF). Arena Football League. December 31, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 March 2010. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
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