Avengers are sent out of the playoffs in a Rush

The tone was set early.

Sonny Cumbie had a pass intercepted on the third play of the game and returned for a touchdown, and the Avengers never recovered in a 52-20 loss to the host Chicago Rush in an Arena Football League American Conference semifinal playoff game Monday night.

The 24-yard interception return by defensive back Jeremy Unertl started the Rush, the defending ArenaBowl champion, on the way to the conference finals at San Jose on Saturday.

Cumbie completed 26 of 50 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns, but he was pressured throughout the game. Chicago (13-4) had two sacks, both by linebacker John Moyer, whose nine sacks in the playoffs are second best in AFL history behind former Rush lineman James Baron’s 9 1/2 .

The Avengers (10-8), who failed to score in the second half, couldn’t contain Matt D’Orazio. The Rush quarterback was 14 for 20 for 201 yards and three touchdowns before being replaced by Russ Michna early in the fourth quarter.

D’Orazio also caught a one-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter from receiver Bobby Sippio, who lined up at quarterback for several plays.

“I feel better than I look,” D’Orazio said. “I was just having some muscle spasms, but I’ll be fine.”

The Avengers tied the score, 7-7, on a nine-yard pass from Cumbie to Rob Turner with 5 minutes 18 seconds to play in the first quarter and cut the deficit to 17-14 when they combined on a 35-yard scoring pass with 11:34 to play in the second quarter.

But Chicago scored two touchdowns before Cumbie connected with Josh Jeffries on a two-yard scoring pass with eight seconds before the half to cut the deficit to 31-20.

Turner finished with seven catches for 101 yards.