That thinking would have been wrong.
A tight battle throughout, Chicago (6-2) emerged with a last-second 55-52 win over Grand Rapids (2-5), secured by two great defensive plays and a spectacular effort by wide receiver Donovan Morgan.
Trailing 52-48 with five minutes left in the game, the Rush began a drive deep in its own territory. Quarterback Russ Michna hit Morgan with a short pass over the middle, but the receiver lost the ball and it was recovered by Grand Rapids defensive back William Haith with 4:23 remaining.
Grand Rapids quarterback James McPherson has a chance to put the game out of reach but his pass in the end zone to Anthony Hines rebounded off the lower crossbar and bounced all the way to the Rush 2-yard line. The ball appeared as though it would hit the ground incomplete, but defensive back Dennison Robinson sprinted and extended himself, catching the ball for a Rush interception.
That opportunity was all Michna needed. He drove the Rush downfield and hit Damian Harrell with an 11-yard TD pass to give the Rush a 55-52 lead with 1:32 to play.
Grand Rapids still had a chance to regain the lead, but the Rush defense and a raucous sellout crowd of 16,112 refused to let that happen. On fourth-and-five from the Rush 20-yard line, Grand Rapids decided to go for the win and not a game-tying field goal. McPherson launched a pass into the endzone toward Hines, but Robinson knocked the ball away to give Chicago possession. The Rush took over and was able to run out the clock to secure the win.
Despite his fourth quarter fumble, Morgan had a spectacular game with 10 receptions for 149 yards and 4 touchdowns.
"Once we got the ball back after the interception, I was hoping they would continue to come my way," Morgan said. "I fumbled the last one but I wanted another chance and Coach Ho believed in me. They came back to me (with a 21-yard pass) and I was able to help out on the last drive.
"I had no idea I was going to have this kind of game today. But once I started to get involved I knew they weren't going to stop me. They were bracketing Damian (Harrell) and I took advantage of the coverage."
The Rush improved to 6-2 with the win and is 2 ½ games ahead of Colorado in the Central Division of the American Conference.
The first half did not go as planned for the Rush.
The Rampage matched the Rush score-for-score in the early going and was determined not to be pushed around. Michna got the Rush on the board with a 26-yard TD pass to Morgan on the first play from scrimmage, but Grand Rapids tied it when McPherson pushed it into the endzone form a yard out to culminate a 6-play, 45-yard drive.
The Rush came back with its own long drive and regained the lead when versatile DeJuan Alfonzo swept outside and ran into the endzone from a yard out for a 1-yard TD run.
Grand Rapids answered back as McPherson hit wideout Jermaine Lewis with a 16-yard TD pass.
The Rush continued the back-and-forth nature of the game when bruising Dan Alexander pounded into the endzone from 3 yards out. Grand Rapid followed with a Gowins 21-yard field goal and the Rampage took advantage of a Michna interception to take 24-20 lead.
That score woke up the Rush just before halftime as Michna led a 6-play, 47 yard drive. He hit Morgan with a 6-yard scoring pass with just 5 seconds left in the half to give Chicago a slim 27-24 advantage at the break.
RUSH NOTES: Michna played in place of starter Sherdrick Bonner who sat out with a knee injury. Michna completed 28-of-33 passes for 300 yards with 5 TDs and 1 interception. ... Despite being double-covered throughout the game, Harrell caught 9 passes for 66 yards. ... Crowd-pleasing tight end Robert Boss caught 2 passes for 27 and pancaked tacklers after both receptions. ... McPherson was on top of his game for the Rampage. He threw for 272 yards and had 6 touchdowns. ... The Rush travels to Colorado to take on the Crush on Friday night.
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