Chicago Rush head coach Mike Hohensee delivered on his promise to shake things up this week, and his team responded with a much-needed victory over the Nashville Kats.

The Rush team that showed up Sunday afternoon bore little resemblance to the squad that suffered an embarrassing second half collapse in losing to the Orlando Predators a week ago. Despite playing with second- and third-string backups at key positions, the Rush put together three and a half dominant quarters and survived a late Nashville surge to come away with a 45-38 win at Allstate Arena. The victory moved the Rush back to the .500 mark at 3-3. Division rival Nashville dropped to 1-5 on the season.

Most of the 15,881 fans in attendance were surprised to see Rush QB Raymond Philyaw in street clothes, sidelined with a sprained MCL. Todd Hammel, a 14 year veteran of the AFL, threw five TD passes to four different receivers in his first start for the Rush. Hammel also had two passes intercepted, but the miscues proved not too costly thanks to the efforts of the Rush defense.

With injuries sidelining first string OS Henry Douglas and backup Jeremy McDaniel, the Rush activated C.J. Johnson from the practice squad. Playing his first AFL game, Johnson hauled in seven catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Rush receivers Etu Molden, Russell Shaw, and DeJuan Alfonzo also connected with Hammel (20-of-31, 223 yards) for scores.

The running game made a welcomed reappearance in the Rush offense. FB/LB Bob McMillan picked up 25 yards and a touchdown on five carries, becoming the fourth player in AFL history to top the 1,200 yard career rushing mark.

But the story of the game was written on the defensive side for the Rush. The Rush did not surrender a first down in the first quarter, holding Kats QB Tony Zimmerman to a single completion on seven attempts. While Zimmerman ended the game at 25 of 48 for 227 yards, with four touchdowns and two interceptions, much of that production came late in the fourth quarter, after the game was out of reach for the Kats.

Nashville managed only 18 points through the first three quarters of play, and two of those were tallied when Rush QB Hammel was called for intentional grounding in the end zone on the opening drive of the game, giving the Kats a safety. Though they did not sack Zimmerman, the Rush defense pressured his throws throughout the game. Zimmerman overthrew receivers, misread coverage, and made poor decisions, earning him the visible ire of Kats head coach Pat Sperduto.

Molden and Alfonzo each picked off Zimmerman, as productive on the defensive side of the ball as they were on offense. And Rush DS Todd Howard, fresh off the injured reserve list, knocked away three passes and made four unassisted tackles, earning him Defensive Player of the Game honors.

The Rush also contained the Kats on the ground. Dan Alexander, the AFL’s top RB in yards and touchdowns, was limited to six yards on four attempts. Former Rush RB Levelle Brown tallied the only rushing touchdown for the Kats.

The Rush will hit the road next Sunday for an 11 a.m. contest against another Central Division rival, the Grand Rapids Rampage.