ORLANDO-The Chicago Rush capitalized on a 24-point second quarter to breeze past the Orlando Predators 41-20 in the opening week of AFL Season 2.
On Chicago's initial possession, the Rush drove 73 yards on 12 plays, ending the drive with a 25-yard field goal by Dete Justen to take a 3-0 lead with 10:32 to go in the first quarter. Orlando answered with a 6-play, 28-yard drive that ended with Abel White kicking a 53-yard field goal to tie the game at 3 with 6:57 to go in the first. Chicago would punt, then White would miss a 54-yard field goal attempt late in the first quarter.
Following the miss, Chicago drove 33 yards on 8 plays, and Justen kicked a 40-yard field goal to give the Rush a 6-3 lead with 14:48 remaining in the second quarter. It was at this point that the floodgates opened and the rout was on. D.J. Giles fumbled on Orlando's next possession, and Shaun Donruss recovered for the Rush at the Predators' 35-yard line. On the next play, Hershel Kimbrell threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Zach Allen to go up 13-3 with 14:19 left in the half. After the Predators went three-and-out, Allen returned Billy Formon's punt 56 yards to the Orlando 20-yard line. Two plays later, Kimbrell hit Kale Colby for an 8-yard touchdown pass making it 20-3 with 11:41 left in the second. The teams would trade punts, and then Woodrow Richardson was picked off by Harlan Fears who returned it 7 yards to the Orlando 18-yard line. Two plays later, Kimbrell took the ball in himself for a 7-yard touchdown run, and the Rush had a commanding 27-3 lead with 3:54 remaining in the half. The Predators would finally answer with an 11-play, 54-yard drive. White connected on a 37 yards field goal with 30 seconds remaining to make it 27-6 at the half.
On the Predators' first possession of the second half, they drove 84 yards on 13 plays, and Richardson ended it with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Leonard Irving making the score 27-13 with 9:48 remaining in the third quarter. Not much of note happened in the remaining of the third quarter, as the teams traded punts and field position.
The Rush, however, took the ball at the start of the fourth quarter and drove 64 yards on 10 plays. Keith Headrick drove the dagger into Orlando's heart with a 3-yard touchdown run to make it 34-13 with 9:43 to go in the fourth. The Predators turned the ball over on downs the next time they had the ball. The teams traded punts, then Kimbrell got a little greedy, and Ralston Clarke picked him off and took the ball 14 yards to the Rush 48-yard line. Seven plays later, Richardson threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Irving to make it 34-20 with 2:15 remaining in the game. Orlando tried an onside kick and failed, and Chicago used a 36-yard run by Finley Gentry to set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Lonnie Clements to make the score 41-20 with 1:48 left in the game.
Chicago (1-0) gained 331 yards of total offense. The Rush gained 117 rushing yards on 28 carries. Clements led the team with 60 yards on 13 carries and a TD. Kimbrell was 17-of-28 passing for 254 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked five times, losing 40 yards. Kendall Falcinelli was the leading receiver with 7 catches for 99 yards. The Rush visit the Iowa Barnstormers next week.
Orlando (0-1) gained 388 yards of total offense. The Predators ran for 64 yards on 21 carries. Giles led the team with 44 yards on 8 carries. Richardson was 32-of-51 passing for 333 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked once for a 9-yard loss. Irving led the receivers with 10 catches for 96 yards and 2 TD. The Predators will host the Georgia Force next week.
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