The impact of the Chicago Rush not having a regular kicker for Sunday’s opening Arena Football League game wasn’t lost on Colorado Crush quarterback John Dutton.
“Their kicker goes out (because of an injury), but that wasn’t real good for us,” Dutton said. “They had to go for it on fourth downs. There wasn’t the decision to make on field goals, and field goals aren’t easy to make in this league.”
Dutton said the Crush also wasn’t thinking field goal on its last possession even though fullback John Peaua was called on for a running play from the Chicago 18-yard line. Peaua gained 3 yards and took the clock down to 10 seconds, and the Crush to third down. Dutton’s quick pass to Andy McCullough gained 4 yards and a first down before the winning touchdown pass was thrown to Damian Harrell.
“We wanted to score and not leave it up to a field goal,” Dutton said. “But the big thing was running the clock down and not giving them a possession.”
Peaua’s running play was just one of two by the Crush in the game. Dutton ran for a touchdown on a 1-yard keeper with 10:42 left in the fourth quarter, giving the Crush a 56-42 lead.
Even without a kicker, the Rush led five times Sunday – 8-0 early, 14-7 later in the first quarter, 20-14 early in the second quarter, 28-21 midway through the second quarter and 36-35 early in the third quarter.
Success on display
A pregame ceremony featured the display of the ArenaBowl championship trophy. Crush captains Dutton, Harrell and Willis Marshall unveiled a championship banner that will hang from the Pepsi Center rafters, next to banners that represent the accomplishments of the Nuggets and Avalanche.
