Rattlers try to rebound in title rematch
Arizona coming off upset defeat to rival in Tucson
The Rattlers are trying to forget about their last loss at home, a 37-34 overtime setback to the Massachusetts Pirates in the United Bowl last Sept. 12.
They’re also trying to get rid of the feeling of losing their first game this season -- a 74-63 loss in Tucson last week to the Sugar Skulls, the franchise that Rattlers coach Kevin Guy co-owns with his wife Cathy.
“Right now, I think the focus needs to be on us,” Guy said. “We didn’t play well last week. That’s going to happen in a 16game schedule. You’re going to have a couple of games where you’re fighting mental staleness.”
The Rattlers have no time to feel sorry for themselves with their first home game since April 15 on Saturday at 6:05 p.m., against the 5-2 Pirates at Footprint Center.
“I’ve got to do a good job with the schedule, stay with fresh bodies, fresh minds. But we’re focused on us. The championship game, some of the guys were with us last year and some of them weren’t. I’m sure it’s important for some of the guys who played the game. But we need to focus on ourselves right now. Nobody is winning a championship this week. We need to improve week to week.”
Before Tucson, the Rattlers’ defense looked rock solid. But the Sugar Skulls scored more points in the first half (42) than any of the six previous foes scored in a full game against the 6-1 Rattlers.
Quarterback Daquan Neal was so good in that game (five TD passes, two rushing TDs) that he got a tryout invitation this weekend from the NFL Indianapolis Colts.
Neal was the best quarterback the Rattlers had seen this year.
Now they face Ale Bennifield, the Pirates’ QB that beat the Rattlers in the United Bowl. Bennifeld is second in the Indoor Football League this season in passing with 167 passing yards a game. He has thrown 17 TD passes and run for five scores for the Pirates, who beat the Rattlers in their only two meetings.
“We’re still great,” said safety Dillion Winfrey, who had an interception in last year’s championship game, about the loss in Tucson. “Overlooked some guys maybe a tad. I kind of seen it already happening in warmups. Just a sign of football.”
“I don’t think it was an effort standpoint. Just too many missed tackles. You can never win a game with missed tackles. You’ve got to know your assignments.”
The Rattlers are second in the league behind the Sugar Skulls in offense with Drew Powell leading the attack.
He was back on track against Tucson, but the Rattlers were in comeback mode all game with kicker Ernesto Lacayo missing three straight extra points, and their four consecutive failed on-side kicks resulted in Tucson getting short yardage to score more points.
The defense started in the red zone much of the game.
Against the Pirates, the Rattlers were manhandled physically in both meetings last season. And Powell fumbled the ball in overtime which led to the Pirates’ kicking the winning field goal.
“We’ll see how this game goes and see how we respond,” Winfrey said. “What kind of championship run you’re going to make is how your respond in adversity.”
Winfrey has turned the page on last year and that stinging loss to the Pirates.
“I’m into this year,” Winfrey said. “We are 6-1. We just have to figure out how we can win a championship this year.”