DENVER-The Chicago Rush scored 20 straight points to tie it up, but Earl Ginger made the deciding kick in the final minute to give the Colorado Crush a 26-23 victory in a Week 2 AFL game.
Colorado began the game with possession and drove down the field, going 86 yards on 13 plays. Howton Thom put the exclamation point on the drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Turk Dill. Ginger missed the extra point, and the Crush had a 6-0 lead with 8:16 left in the first quarter. Chicago would fumble on its first possession, but Niko Simon would intercept a Thom pass in the end zone to thwart a Crush touchdown threat. From there, the Rush would be forced to punt, and the Crush rolled down the field again, going 63 yards on 5 plays. Thom would throw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Antony Croft and Colorado was up 13-0 with 43 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Chicago finally managed to get into scoring range with a 15-play, 49-yard drive. Dete Justen would kick a 53-yard field goal with 10:26 to go in the second quarter to close the gap to 13-3. Colorado responded with an 8-play, 33-yard drive that saw Ginger make a 48-yard field goal with 7:17 remaining in the half to go up 16-3. Chicago moved the ball again, but Justen missed a 42-yard attempt at the 3:38 mark of the second quarter. Colorado would pin Chicago deep on a coffin corner punt late in the half, and the first half ended with the Crush up 13.
On the second play of the third quarter, Crush CB Deron Putnam intercepted an Arman Drummond pass. Colorado couldn't move the ball and was forced to punt. The Rush seemed to be moving the ball quite well, but Colorado LB Stan Dinn picked off a Drummond pass and raced 70 yards for a touchdown, and the Crush took a seemingly commanding 23-3 lead with 9:54 to go in the third quarter. But the Rush would not say die, as they took the ensuing drive for 79 yards on 11 plays, with Drummond hitting Lonnie Clements for a 24-yard touchdown pass. Justen missed the extra point, and Chicago was down 23-9 with 5:45 to go in the third.
Colorado punted on its next possession, and the Rush were in business again, driving 80 yards on 10 plays. Ward Despain plunged it over the goal line from the 1, and the Rush inched closer, 23-16 with 13:28 left in the fourth quarter. The Crush punted again, and Chicago was on its own 22-yard line with 10:26 to go. Drummond hit Despain for a gain of 18. Three plays later, facing a 3rd-and-13, Drummond found Orrin Davenport for a 16-yard gain and a first down at the Crush 47. Three plays later, the Crush appeared to stop Chicago, but were called for a defensive holding penalty, giving the Rush a first down. The running of Clements and Despain gave them another first down. Kale Colby caught a quick out pass at the Crush 19 for a first down with 4:33 left. Facing a 4th-and-8 at the Colorado 17, Drummond found Marty Margerum for a 9-yard gain and a first down with 2:30 remaining. Finally, on a fourth-and-goal from the 2, Drummond ended the 20-play, 78-yard drive with a touchdown toss to Margerum. Justen's extra point tied the game at 23 with 1:19 remaining, and it looked as if we were staring overtime right in the face. But Colorado's Regis Duck banished such notions on the ensuing kickoff, returning it 50 yards to the Chicago 34-yard line. After three plays netted six yards, Ginger would connect on a 45-yard field goal with 40 seconds left to give the Crush the victory.
Colorado (1-1) managed 282 yards of total offense. The Crush had 54 yards rushing on 20 carries, with Valentine Millstone leading with 28 yards on 13 carries. Thom was 19-for-31 passing for 228 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT and was not sacked. Croft and Duck each had 4 receptions, with Croft gaining 50 yards and 1 TD, and Duck gaining 35 receiving yards. Next week, the Crush head to Dallas to face the Desperados.
Chicago (0-2) gained 417 yards of total offense. Chicago gained 58 yards rushing on 24 carries, with Despain gaining 30 yards on 10 carries with a TD. He also caught 6 passes for 87 yards. Drummond was 36-of-48 passing for 386 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked four times, losing 27 yards. Margerum was the leading receiver for the Rush, with 8 catches for 84 yards and a TD. The Rush are home next week against the Arizona Rattlers.
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