Arenabowl rematch is next on tap
Hot Soul ‘good test’ on road
The Rattlers today travel to face a red-hot Philadelphia Soul team that won its first home game two weeks ago against Orlando, but last week showed it is ready to make another ArenaBowl run with a victory on the road against the better Florida team, Tampa Bay.
Kickoff is 1 p.m. Arizona time.
“It’s going to be a tough game for us,” coach Kevin Guy said. “It’s going to be a good test for us.”
The Rattlers (9-1), who have won six in a row, welcome back receiver Tysson Poots, who hasn’t played since April 6. Poots showed what he can do in two games, catching 11 passes, six for touchdowns. Injuries have set him back since early in training camp.
But Poots will ease back in with Trandon Harvey out with an injury. Poots will likely enter the game during red-zone situations at first. The Rattlers will start receivers Rod Windsor, Kerry Reed and Jared Perry.
Perry caught four touchdown passes in last week’s 70-26 rout of the Iowa Barnstormers.
The next two games for the Rattlers are on the road.
The Soul (5-4) were beaten badly by the Rattlers in last season’s ArenaBowl and in the season opener this year in Phoenix.
But Guy expects the Soul to be a much better team this time around, especially quarterback Dan Raudabaugh, who struggled in his two games against the Rattlers.
Raudabaugh is coming off his best performance, completing 20 of 23 passes for 297 yards in a 73-55 victory over the Storm.
Philadelphia also has one of the league’s more difficult receivers to cover. Anthony “Tiger” Jones torched the Rattlers’ secondary with nine catches for 169 yards and three touchdowns in the season opener.
“I feel like we’re going to have to play our best game,” said safety Virgil Gray, who, with Arkeith Brown and Marquis Floyd, is tied for the most interceptions on the team with five. “Teams get better as the season goes on. “
Raudabaugh usually goes with a three-step drop to avoid the pass rush.
“We want to get after them early and put up points against them,” Gray said.
The Rattlers counter with Arena Football League’s most efficient passer.
Nick Davila completed 19 of 23 passes for 241 yards and eight touchdowns last week in less than three quarters of work. Davila has completed 191 of 280 (68.2 percent) for 2,642 yards and 66 touchdowns with only four interceptions.
Last week, he spread the field, utilizing all of his receivers.
The Soul have a fierce pass rush, led by Bryan Robinson, who has 7 of the Soul’s 19 sacks.
“They’re playing well right now. Wehaveto make sure we come out and be ready to play,” Davila said. “It’s an early game so we have to be mentally ready to go.” When: 1 p.m. Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia.
TV: Cox7. Scouting report: The Soul have won their past two with QB Dan Raudabaugh at his most efficient this season (41 of 50 for 548 yards, 13 TDs, no interceptions in the two games combined). WR Anthony “Tiger” Jones is among the league’s best at making plays after catches. In the season-opening loss to the Rattlers, Jones had nine catches for 169 yards and 3 TDs. Last week, against Tampa Bay, Jones had eight catches for 122 yards and two scores.