QB Davila, Rattlers rally late for victory

Nick Davila went from having one of the poorer games of his Arena Football League career to helping the Rattlers rally from a 15-point deficit and beat the Soul 64-57 Saturday at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Davila, the Arena Football League’s most efficient passer who came in throwing only four interceptions in 10 games, was intercepted three times by the Soul. Two were returned for touchdowns. Davila’s third interception led to receiver Anthony “Tiger” Jones’ fourth touchdown catch that gave the Soul (5-5) a 57-42 lead with 7:42 left.

The Rattlers (10-1), who have won seven in a row, closed on a 22-0 run, as the defense, missing safey Virgil Gray (knee injury) in the second half, came up big.

After Davila threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Rod Windsor, who also caught the 2-point conversion after Rayshaun Kizer had the ball bounce off his hands in the end zone. That cut the score to 57-50 with 3:56 left.

Kicker Garrett Lindholm then recovered his onside kick that was touched by a Soul player.

Davila completed three consecutive passes before Odie Armstrong scored his third rushing touchdown and the game was tied 57-all with 49 seconds left.

The Soul drove down to break the tie, but Dan Raudabaugh tried to complete a pass off the live end-zone net. It bounced into the hands of defensive back Mar- quis Floyd with 36 seconds left.

Davila hooked up with Windsor for 32 yards to the Soul 3. The Rattlers forced the Soul to call timeouts, working the clock down, before Davila sneaked in from 1 yard out with 12 seconds left.

The Soul had a shot at sending the game into overtime. But with two seconds left at the Rattlers’ 20, Raudabaugh completed a pass. The ball was pitched to Jones, who was tackled at the 5 as time ran out.

Windsor led the Rattlers with eight catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Tysson Poots, playing his first game since April 6, had eight catches and two touchdowns.

Davila finished with 362 passing yards and five touchdowns, completing 28 of 42. Arizona Philadelphia 14 13

7 22 First quarter ARI - Rod Windsor 26-yd pass from Nick Davila (Garret Lindholm kick), 6:58 ARI - Odie Armstrong 2-yd run (Lindholm kick), 4:58 PHI - Tiger Jones 7-yd pass from Dan Raudabaugh (Carlos Martinez kick), 1:44

Second quarter ARI - Tyson Poots 9-yd pass from Davila (Lindholm kick), 10:57 PHI - Jones 45-yd pass from Raudabaugh (Martinez kick), 9:45 PHI - Joe Goosby 17-yd interception return (Martinez kick failed), 8:17 ARI - Poots 11-yd pass from Davila (Lindholm kick blocked), 5:25 PHI - Bryan Robinson blocked PAT return, 5:25 PHI - Ryan McDaniel 18-yd pass from Raudabaugh (Martinez kick), 0:40

Third quarter PHI - Rayshaun Kizer 45-yd interception return (Martinez kick), 12:34 ARI - Armstrong 2-yd run (Armstrong 2-pt conversion), 10:07 ARI - Kerry Reed 14-yd pass from Davila (Lindholm kick), 6:02 PHI - Jones 30-yd pass from Raudabaugh (Martinez kick), 4:53

Fourth quarter PHI - McDaniel 15-yd pass from Raudabaugh (Martinez kick), 13:08 PHI - Jones 32-yd pass from Raudabaugh (Martinez kick), 8:40 ARI - Windsor 4-yd pass from Davila (Windsor 2-pt conversion), 3:56 ARI - Armstrong 1-yd run (Lindholm kick), 0:49 ARI - Davila 1-yd run (Lindholm kick), 0:12 15 14 22 — 14 — 64 57