Sunday’s game between the Grand Rapids Rampage and the Chicago Rush was supposed to be a nationally televised coming-out party for Michael Bishop, the Rampage QB who invites comparisons to Michael Vick. After going 1-15 last year, this was the Rampage’s only scheduled appearance on NBC for the season. Bishop played well, but his strong arm and fleet feet were outshone by the poise and accuracy of Chicago’s veteran backup QB Todd Hammel as he led the Rush to a 48-45 victory.

Completing 21 of his 25 passes for 348 yards and six touchdowns and one interception, Hammel was the AFL’s most prolific passer in week 7 and finds himself with a QB rating of 125.5 on the season, also a league best. Making the most of his second start in place of the injured Raymond Philyaw, Hammel connected with WR/LB Etu Molden nine times for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns. OS Henry Douglas, apparently fully recovered from the groin injury that had sidelined him for two weeks, grabbed five Hammel passes, three of them for touchdowns.

Hammel’s performance very nearly went to waste, however, as the Rush failed to execute well for much of the first half and found themselves trailing the Rampage 24-13 after 30 minutes.

Both teams scored quickly on their opening possessions of the game. The Rampage struck first with an 18 yard TD pass from Bishop to WR/LB Anthony Hines. Chicago responded with a 29 yard TD reception by Douglas. Rush kicker Keith Gispert missed the extra point, giving the Rampage a 7-6 advantage.

The teams then traded interceptions. Rush rookie DS Todd Howard was the only player in the vicinity of an errant Bishop pass at the goal line. Howard’s interception and five tackles earned him Defensive Player of the Game honors for the second week in a row.

Seven plays later, a Hammel pass intended for WR/DB Charles Pauley in the end zone struck the net iron and bounced into the waiting arms of Rampage FB/LB Travis Reece. The Rampage then made their way down the field thanks largely to 26 yards in Rush penalties. Bishop found WR/DB Josh Bush in the end zone and the resulting PAT put the Rampage up 17-6.

After the ensuing kickoff, the Rush drove to the Rampage 1 yard line. With Hammel a much less mobile quarterback than a healthy Philyaw, the Rampage knew exactly what Chicago had in mind. FB/LB Bob McMillan was completely bottled up on third and fourth down, and the Rush came away with nothing but frustration.

Grand Rapids was forced to settle for a 31 yard field goal by Peter Martinez four plays later, and Chicago responded with a two play drive culminating in a 27 yard TD reception by Molden. The extra point made it 20-13 Grand Rapids.

The Rampage then ate up the 56 seconds remaining in the half with four consecutive running plays punctuated by a one yard dash into the end zone by Bishop. Containing Bishop had been one of the Rush’s primary objectives, and they held him to 28 yards of rushing and the single touchdown, well under his 54 yard-per-game average. Martinez’s extra point gave Grand Rapids a 24-13 halftime lead.

Chicago’s 13 points tied a team record for the fewest scored in a half. Disappointed with the team’s execution, Rush head coach Mike Hohensee had a few pointed suggestions in the locker room. "I let the guys know how I felt... and I’m real proud of the way they responded."

The response was apparent on the first play of the second half, as Hammel threw a 37 yard field-stretcher for Molden’s second touchdown catch of the day.

Bishop responded with a deep strike of his own, a 33 yard touchdown pass to Hines who made a tough catch in traffic. But that would be the Rampage’s only score of the third quarter.

Hammel connected with a wide-open Molden for a third touchdown, this time a 27 yard toss. And then the Rush defense stifled Bishop and company in the shadow of their own end zone, forcing a 63 yard field goal attempt from Martinez that fell short.

Less than a minute later, Chicago took their first lead of the game as Douglas grabbed his second touchdown pass of the game, a 28 yarder from Hammel. Gispert’s extra point put the Rush up 34-31.

The teams traded touchdowns to start the fourth quarter. Grand Rapids regained the lead on the first play of the quarter with Josh Bush’s second touchdown catch of the game. Three plays later, Chicago answered with another Douglas touchdown catch, his third of the game, and the Rush went back on top, 41-38.

Grand Rapids grabbed the lead right back just three plays later, as Bishop fired a 34 yard bullet to Hines.

Douglas took the ensuing kickoff 36 yards to the Rampage 19 yard line, and it again took the Rush just three plays to find the end zone as McMillan rambled in from the three yard line. Gispert’s extra point gave the Rush a 48-45 lead with 6:56 to play. And that is where the scoring blitzkrieg came to a screeching halt.

Bishop could not connect with his receivers on any of his three attempts on the ensuing series. Martinez’s field goal try hit the crossbar and bounced harmlessly over the end line, giving Chicago the ball and control of their own destiny with three-and-a-half minutes to play.

But nothing has been easy for the Rush this season. After a spectacular 40 yard catch by Pauley gave Chicago first and goal at the Grand Rapids two yard line, the Rush red zone offense faltered once again. They were stuffed on four consecutive running plays and turned the ball over on downs with 38 seconds remaining in the game.

Smelling an opportunity for a rare victory, the Rampage strutted and taunted the Rush over their goal line impotence. The Rampage’s Josh Bush made a point of getting in Henry Douglas’s face, resulting in a shove from Douglas, who garnered an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

The football gods were not amused by Bush’s antics, however. Bush dropped three passes on the subsequent drive, including two in the end zone. The home team timekeeper stopped the clock at :01 after the Rush swarmed Bishop for a loss, but Martinez’s 33 yard field goal attempt missed wide right, giving Chicago the victory.

Chicago’s record stands at 4-3, putting them a half-game behind Colorado in the AFL’s Central Division and solidly in the playoff hunt. At 1-5, Grand Rapids avoids the dubious distinction of worst record in the league only by virtue of having played one fewer game than the 1-6 Nashville Kats. The Rampage travels to San Jose to take on the defending AFL champion Sabercats on Friday, while the Rush returns to Allstate Arena to battle the New Orleans VooDoo on Sunday at 11:00 a.m..