Bobble night too costly as Rush coughs one up

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Updated: July 31, 2011 12:17AM

There’s no covering up mistakes in Arena Football.

Friday night against the Kansas City Command at
Allstate Arena, errors proved costly for the Rush.

The Rush turned the ball over four times and committed seven penalties for 153 yards, handing the inferior Command a 58-51 victory.

“It’s something I’ve preached since Day 1,’’ Rush coach Bob McMillen said. ‘‘[It’s] about accountability and knowing what your role is on this football team, and doing your job. Guys aren’t doing that consistently.
Unfortunately, we’re going to have to make a change. It’s that easy.”

The most glaring of the Rush turnovers came on their final offensive play. Down seven with nine seconds left, and 4th-and-goal on the 3, quarterback Russ Michna botched the snap to end the game.

It was Michna’s third fumbled snap of the game.

But the Rush (4-2) didn’t need to put their quarterback in a game-saving situation. Returner Jason Simpson fumbled two consecutive kickoffs in the second quarter that led to a 17-0 Kansas City run, giving the Command (2-4) an eight-point lead at halftime.

“We’re just shooting ourselves in the foot,” Simpson said. “We’re going to have to get more consistent instead of high-low. We’re going to have to come together as a team and just work hard.”

On a 50-yard field in a league where scoring is prevalent, it’s difficult to
label any turnover as game-defining.

The Rush offense simply put its defense in no-win situations.

Despite the offensive ineptitude, the Rush did its best to keep the game within reach. The Rush forced four Command turnovers, including three consecutive turnovers in the third quarter with Kansas City up seven.

But the offense couldn’t get in rhythm all night. The Rush managed only 191 yards of total offense.