Arena Football League

There has been a collapse of power in the NC West. With the Arizona Rattlers six game lead over the pack the battle will now be for the open playoff spot that will go to the number two team from the west.

With the rest of the NC West currently having identical records of 5-7 the race is wide open going into the last six weeks of the regular season.

At the beginning of the 2011 season the NC West appeared to be the powerhouse of the AFL with a tight race between the Utah Blaze, the San Jose Sabercats, and the Arizona Rattlers.

Now looking toward the end of the season only the Rattlers have a winning record. The Blaze lost their last three games and the Sabercats are suffering from a five game losing streak.  Only the Spokane Shock won a game in the last three weeks.

This is when an opponent is most dangerous. All of the other NC West teams have losing records and will put up a final flurry to fight their way into the postseason.  Just looking at these team’s websites you will find their rosters are swirling as they add and subtract players for the last stretch.

The Rattlers still have the Sabercats and the Shock on their schedule and will need to be cautious in protecting their home play-off field advantage. The Shock are one of the two teams that have dealt the Rattlers a defeat and a single loss could rearranged the Rattlers post season hopes.

The Arizona Rattlers easily defeated the Cleveland Gladiators in a victory that put the Rattlers at 9-2 on the season and four games out of reach from both the Utah Blaze and the San Jose Sabercats.

Out of the contest emerged an unlikely leader in Jason Geathers.

He has been a dependable wide receiver for the team throughout the season but has not been able to escape the shadows cast by Rod Windsor’s 1,186 yards and Trandon Harvey’s 1,038. Up until Saturday Geathers only had 470 yards and 10 touchdowns to his name.

Against the AC East’s best from Cleveland, Geathers tallied 111 yards, beating Harvey by 20 yards and Windsor by 23 yards. Geathers led the night for the Rattlers in touchdowns as well by pulling down four.

This year Geathers is on track for his second football championship. According to his bio on azrattlers.com his first championship was earned as a receiver/tailback on the 2001 University of Miami Hurricanes NCAA Championship team.

After a few seasons touring the NFL and CFL, Geathers has made his name in both the AFL and AFL2. Geathers is in his fifth year as an arena veteran. Geathers is a two-edged sword and though he has mainly been seen on offense and special teams this season; he can also threaten opponents on defense as well.

With the Rattlers posturing for the postseason and possibly a championship, Geathers is the man that can trip up the best defenses that can cover Windsor and Harvey.

They'll likely forget the third receiver on the field; that's when Geathers can shine.

The Tampa Bay Strom visited Spokane last August to play the Shock, but that game had just a touch more on the line. The Arena Bowl XXIII combatants are a bit humbled during the 2011 season.

The Storm brought a 3-6 record to the Veterans’ Memorial Arena looking for just a small amount of revenge, as the 4-5 Shock couldn’t afford a home loss if they are going to make a second-half surge into the playoffs.

On paper the Shock were a lock to win this game…at least until they lost both of their roster QBs last week. Bill Stull made his first start last week but was injured early in the game. Kyle Rowley started the first eight games of the season, but was benched in an effort to spur the offense. He came in and played very well, but left in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury. Both players were placed on injured reserve this week, leaving the Shock without a QB.

Casey Hansen spent time in Spokane during the 2009 season, so he was a logical inquiry for Spokane. But he has been out of football for a year. I spoke to Hansen after the game and asked about the circumstance that brought him back to Spokane. 

“I was actually hanging out with some friends,” Hansen said, when the Shock called him earlier in the week. "I recognized the area code but not the number, so I let the call go to voicemail. Tthe call came in late so I slept on it overnight and just started second-guessing myself. Not a lot of people get a second chance so I had to hop on that and see what I can do for them.”

Earlier this week he said it “feels good” to be back in Spokane. “I will be a little rusty, but it’s normal. I haven’t played in awhile. We have a great team, great receivers and a great offensive line. I know they’re going to stay behind me and pick me up.”

The rust wasn’t evident in the first half. There were a few issues with center exchanges, but that was due in part to an aggressive defensive line that didn’t exactly respect snap counts. Tim McGill was trying to jump the snap all night; sometimes he was flagged for several offside penalties, but he also got away with several early jumps.

The Storm offense took the field after Terrance Sanders had the opening kickoff stripped from his hands after being corralled at the Shock 5-yard line. The Shock defense stopped the Dallas Vigilantes five times last week, but the special teams unit made it difficult for the Shock defense to start the game. After penalty calls on the first two plays from scrimmage, Amarii Jackson scored on a six-yard reception from Brian Zbyniewski. 

Feeding into the theme of feast or famine, the Shock special teams unit made quick penance for the error. Ruschard Dodd-Masters took the ensuing kick back 55 yards for a TD. The PAT was blocked, which was a recurring theme for the Shock…part of the famine of the night.

Rowan’s kickoff hit the cross bar and bounced just out of the end zone. The Storm covered the ball inside the one, continuing the feast or famine from the Shock special teams. Following a quick first-down pass to former Shock receiver Huey Whittaker, the Storm offense fizzled.  Whittaker dropped what would have been a first down conversion on fourth and five.

The Shock used a long completion to Greg Orton and two Storm penalties to set up a two-yard TD pass to Raul Vijil, marking the first AFL TD pass from Hansen (he had 13 AF2 TD passes for the Shock).

The Storm’s next offensive possession stalled, settling for a 17-yard FG to cut the lead to three. On the Shock’s ensuing possession, Orton made a solid move to get underneath a perfect arched ball from Hansen. The missed PAT failed, but the Shock were looking comfortable with Hansen under center and had a 19-10 lead.

That was about the last time the Shock looked like the defending Arena Football Champions. The Storm used a quick-strike offense and two Shock turnovers (a fumble and a failed fourth and one conversion attempt) to score the next 21 points, leading to a 31-19 lead.

Spokane looked to get one last scoring opportunity at the end of the half. The final possession was marred by penalties that moved the ball up and down the field, and Spokane eventually settled for a 45-yard FG from Taylor Rowan. The Storm went into half with a 31-22 lead and would receive the second half kick.

The third quarter was, quite simply, as sloppy a quarter of football that I’ve witnessed in an arena football game. The Storm ran some different zone looks at Hansen, and he struggled in the Red Zone. The time change looked as though it might be taking its toll on the Storm (the second half started after midnight eastern time), as their offense was quite sluggish.

The first two possessions led to the ball being turned over on down. The Storm’s second opportunity featured two sacks and an eventual “field goal attempt” that Kyle Chilton kicked out of bounds to protect from a return attempt.

After the Shock turned the ball over on downs, the Storm had another fourth-down attempt from deep in their own territory, the led to another “field goal attempt” that was kicked out of bounds.  This marked the end of a scoreless third quarter.

The fourth quarter started off just as oddly. The Shock possession ended with a fumble being generated without the ball being actually being snapped.

In spite of the two line judges missing the offside penalty, the Shock got the ball back in a hurry when Sanders chased down an overthrown pass in the end zone. The Shock drove the field and cut the lead (the Rownan extra point attempt was blocked again).

This was as close as the Shock would get. Huey Whittaker put on a receiving clinic versus his old team, and the Storm LB Cliff Dukes made plays all over the field in the winning effort.

The mood on the Shock bench following the 51-42 loss was somber as expected. Coach Rob Keefe blamed the loss on “poor execution” and stated that “every game is a must-win.”

They have eight days until they play a road game versus the Kansas City Command. I asked Raul Vijil, who caught his 150th TD as a member of the Spokane Shock tonight, about how much time he and the coaches would be spending with Hansen leading up to next Saturday's game. "We're gonna get some rest tonight and wake up early tomorrow morning. That's how the coaches are," Vijil said. "They'll stay up all night if they need to."  

Spokane dominated the Command in Spokane on April 1, 61-34. They are in dire need of a win to maintain their playoff hopes. The matchup against the Command should give them a chance to notch a win and get their new QB meshing with the offense.

The Storm face the 5-4 Georgia Force next Saturday. Another win will allow the Storm to start thinking about making a late run at a playoff spot. Four teams from each conference qualify for the payoffs; the Storm are 1.5 games out after the victory.

If you were to tell me beforehand that Bernard Morris would throw two awful interceptions and lose two more fumbles on botched snaps, I'd tell you the Power would likely lose the game.
The Power defense had other things in mind.

Pittsburgh (5-4) harassed quarterback Mark Grieb the entire game, never letting him set up much of a rhythm.  They ended both halves of football by stopping the San Jose SaberCats (5-4) just shy of the goal line. 

Mike "The Joystick" Washington had another breakout performance with 120 yards and a season-high four touchdowns.  Jason "Whatyoutalkinbout" Willis added 88 yards and three scores, none bigger than his wide-open catch with 14 seconds, which proved to be the game-winning play.

After the game Willis was quick to mention how the offense wanted to do their part after seeing the defense shut down San Jose.  "When you see the defense play hard like that, you want to reward them for their hard work," Willis said.

With Cleveland losing to Orlando, it was vital that the Power find a way to get the W. You have to credit Bernard Morris for continuing to fight hard in spite of his glaring mistakes. Morris did end up throwing 263 yards and eight touchdowns.

The defense did struggle to contain Chad Cook, who set a new single-season mark for rushing touchdowns for the SaberCats record books.  He ended up with three scores and probably left a few Power defenders black and blue from his hard, physical running style.

Head coach Siegfried once again pointed out his team's never-say-die attitude following the game. Both Siegfried and Willis credited defensive coordinator Maurice Blanding for being an inspiration to the team with his speeches.

By virtue of the win, and the Cleveland loss, Pittsburgh now sits half a game back in the Eastern division as they head into the bye.

Pittsburgh returns to action on May 28 on the road against the Dallas Vigilantes.

Postgame Awards (as voted on by the media)

Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game – Mark Grieb, San Jose

Riddell Defensive Player of the Game – Eddie Moten, San Jose

JLS Ironman - Chad Cook, San Jose

NiFTy Playmaker of the Game – Mike Washington, Pittsburgh

Cutter Catch of the Game – Mike Washington’s tipped TD catch, Pittsburgh

Spalding Highlight of the Game – Jason Willis’s game-winning touchdown catch, Pittsburgh

Savoy Player of the Game – Mike Washington, Pittsburgh

Week 10 in the Arena Football League, and the Arizona Rattlers boast a 7-1 record and a 5-0 home record. Their at-home magic will be put to the test again as the Chicago Rush travel to the desert home that is getting hotter by the day along with the Rattlers.

After the tough divisional stretch the last three weeks, the Arizona Rattlers maintain control of their division by a two-game lead. And they are knocking at the door of being mathematically qualified for the postseason.  Next on the list is the Chicago Rush.  

An angry and emotional Chicago Rush will travel to Arizona and look to reestablish their dominance over the NC Central, following their second-half meltdown in Tulsa that resulted in defeat. 

Chicago doesn’t necessarily top any of the league’s top statistics, but they are still a dangerous team that could throw a wrench in Arizona’s gears. They did so last year when they defeated the Rattlers with superior defensive plays.

Even with the second-best defense in the league, the Rattlers' offense will need to be careful to protect the ball. The Rush field DB Vic Hall, who has tallied eight interceptions over the course of the season.

He may prove to be the thorn in the side of Arizona’s Nick Davila, who has thrown eight interceptions so far. However, Vic Hall may be so busy figuring out what Arizona receivers Trandon Harvey and Rod Windsor are going to do next that he might not get a chance at the ball.

Saturday will be a great opportunity for coach Kevin Guy to showcase RB Oddie Armstrong, who has 11 touchdowns and 146 rushing yards. Armstrong could be the key player in keeping Vic Hall not only honest, but also keeping the ball out of his hands and keeping their home record perfect.

Ever since returning to the AFL, the San Jose Sabercats have been lurking in the undergrowth waiting to rekindle a heated rivalry against long time enemies the Arizona Rattlers. Finally, after eight weeks of hearing about each other they had their chance to decide the leadership of the NC West.

Within five minutes of the opening kickoff both teams scored a touchdown, but a failed point after attempt left the Rattlers with a single-point lead. But the yellow flag dominated the first quarter against the Rattlers as the Sabercats forced their way up the field.

Finally, the Rattlers were able to stall the Cats drive. The Rattlers offense could not capitalize on the stop as Rod Windsor dropped a pass in the end zone and Nick Davila fumbled on the 10-yard line resulting in a Sabercats touchdown.

The second quarter of play saw the bad intentions by the Arizona Rattlers. The Rattlers defense pummeled the Sabercats and made them pay in time for their single touchdown for the quarter. 

During the quarter, the Rattlers realized they owned the Cats offensive line and had contact on quarterback Mark Grieb until halftime when the scoreboard read 28-21.

The Rattlers defense came out of the locker room swinging. The Sabercats started with possession of the ball, but the Rattlers busted the offensive line and sacked Mark Grieb. The sack was followed on the next play by an interception by Vince Hill.

Following the interception, the Rattlers offense could only score a field goal because of multiple penalties against Arizona.

In the eight minutes that it took for points to get on the board, tempers were beginning to boil over and the game began took on a street-fight vibe. Discipline would be the main factor in whoever left the arena with the victory.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Sabercats trailed the Rattlers by four points as frustration and bad blood began to reach a critical level.  In the fourth quarter, the Rattlers continued to dictate the pace of the game.

After the Sabercats scored a touchdown in three plays, the Rattlers scored in one. Mark Grieb would let loose on a big play and score after four plays and Nick Davila followed with a three-play drive.

With a minute and a half on the clock, the Rattlers defense struck again as Marquis Floyd pulled down an interception in the end zone.  After another penalized drive, the Rattlers were held to a field goal attempt again.

But kicker Fabrizio Scaccia missed the attempt and it was recovered by team mate Kevin McCullough in the end zone to put the game two touchdowns out of the Sabercats reach.

After the Sabercats got possession with 20 seconds on the clock Kevin McCullough intercepted the ball and for the second time in a few minutes he was in the end zone and put the Sabercats two games back in the division.

The Arizona Rattlers were looking to push the Spokane Shock out of their rearview mirror in the West Division of the Arena Football League.  The Shock had other ideas in the Spokane Veteran Memorial Coliseum, also known as “Deaf Valley.” 

A win over the 6-0 Rattlers would put the 2-4 Shock back into the playoff race and keep them from guaranteeing their worst record in franchise history. 

These two teams are not overly fond of each other, and it showed early and often.  Arizona is home to two former Spokane Shock stars, QB Nick Davilla and LB Kevin McCullough, adding to the division rivalry.  Play was consistently stopped by penalties, even though much of the extra-curricular contact was overlooked.

Spokane entered the contest with a track record of winning big or losing close, and the end of this game looked like both could happen. 

The rattlers were driving with a little over two minutes remaining, trailing 63-49.  Following a 15-yard gain on 3rd-and-12, Davilla had his team inside the Shock 5-yard line.  Ruschard Dodd-Masters made two solid plays on 2nd- and 3rd-and-goal and the Shock crowd got really loud for the first time of the night on fourth down.  It worked, as Davilla threw the ball through the end zone. 

However, a questionable defensive holding penalty gave the Rattlers a new set of downs and Odie Armstrong pushed his way into the end zone on first down.

Down by seven, the Rattlers tried a tricky onside kick to the short-manned side of the field.  It worked perfectly…for the Shock.  Raul Vijil scooped up the ball and walked into the end zone, extending their lead back to 14.

An inexperience Arena Football fan might think that was the final nail in the Rattlers’ coffin.  The Rattlers drove the field on the ensuing possession, scoring with 49 seconds remaining.  They uncovered the onside kick, setting up a chance to pull even or take the lead with a two-point conversion. 

Arizona quickly reached the Shock 14-yard line and opted for two running plays to burn some clock.  This left them with 3rd-and-4 from the Shock eight.  Davilla’s third-down pass fell incomplete in the end zone.  On fourth down, Davilla was hit while trying to throw and the ball.  The ball hit the turf and trickled up to the line of scrimmage and the Shock thought the game was over.

However, despite the ball being knocked down in the backfield, the officials called pass interference on this Shock, giving the Rattlers a fresh set of downs.  After the game, I asked Shock head coach Rob Keefe about the call. 

“I’m not going to argue with the refs," he said.  "They see what they see.  I wish it wasn’t a call.”

Arizona scored a TD with 12 seconds remaining and attempted a two-point conversion to take the lead.  The Shock applied pressure on Davilla on the two-point try, hitting him as he released the ball. 

The ball fell to the turf, leading to another onside kick. 

The Rattlers recovered the ball at their own 17-yard line with 8.5 seconds remaining.  Davilla’s first-down pass downfield went through the hands of Jason Geathers.  With four seconds remaining, the Rattlers opted for a field-goal attempt to win the game. 

The snap from McCullough was a little high and Shock DL Khreem Smith bulled his way through the line to block the kick.

The win was the Shock’s fourth in four games vs. the Rattlers.

When I asked Coach Keefe about holding off the Rattlers at the end of the game, he replied, “We’ll take it.  We knew they were going to go for two.  We knew it was going to come down to another onside kick.  Great onside kick…the guy’s a great kicker. 

"It ended the way it did, but I’m glad.  Because to be honest it was about four different endings in one game that our guys are going to learn from.  Great way to go back to the chart board and figure out what we did wrong and what we did right.”

Shock QB Kyle Rowley was the Offensive Player of the Game, going 21-for-31 for 219 yards, eight TDs, one INT and he rushed for one score.  Greg Orton and Raul Vijil had big games for the Shock, the latter being named game MVP with four TDs.

The Rattlers were led by Davilla’s 29-for-43 effort for 318 yards.  Rod Windsor, the Nifty Playmaker of the Game, had 167 yards on 16 receptions.  Windsor almost didn’t make the game, as he is property of the Cleveland Browns.  With the NFL Lockout temporarily lifted, Windsor missed several days of practice, and if not for the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals granting a stay of an earlier ruling, Windsor would not have been in uniform on Saturday night.

The game started with almost as much excitement as it had at the end.  The Shock won the coin toss and elected to defer.  Taylor Rowan’s kick was returned by Virgil Fray to the Rattler 5-yard line. 

On second down, Davilla mishandled the snap.  The ball popped up and over the center and John Williams recovered the loose ball.  Spokane used three running plays and a defensive penalty to take a 7-0 lead on a one-yard QB sneak by Rowley.

Davilla brought the Rattlers back, sustaining a drive to the Shock two.  However, he fumbled another snap, but Spokane couldn’t quite hold onto the ball.  Davilla recovered and threw an 8-yard TD pass to Geathers two plays later. 

Spokane squandered an opportunity on the next possession.  Terrance Sanders took the kickoff and cut to the right.  He broke two tackles before being brought down at the Shock 17-yard line.  Rowley hit Vigil for a 19-yard gain and then tried to hit Orton in the corner of the end zone. 

He was hit while throwing and didn’t get enough into the pass, allowing Arizona’s Gray to leap and intercept the pass.

The first quarter ended in a 7-7 tie.  The Rattlers were ball hogs, though, holding a time of possession advantage of 11:02 to 3:58.  When they added a TD 2:18 into the second quarter, the Rattlers had extended the spread to almost 10 minutes.

The two sides exchanged TD drives, with Arizona scoring with 55 seconds remaining.

Following an unsuccessful onside kick, Rowley hit Vijil for a short TD pass, leaving the score tied after Rowan’s PAT.

The Shock couldn’t recover a well-executed onside kick from Rowan.  It was a high-bouncing kick down the middle, touching at least four Shock players before dribbling into the hands of a Rattler that was sprawled out on the carpet.  The Rattlers scored a quick TD and then kicked the ball deep to the Shock.

Sanders returned the ensuing kickoff back to the Rattler 5-yard line, but a block in the back call pulled the Shock back to their own two. 

That suited Rowley just fine, though.  He drove the Shock down the field, throwing a perfect arc to the back of the end zone, and Vijil ran under the ball, making a great catch with 5.4 seconds left on the clock.  After two TDs total in the first quarter, each team scored two in the final minute of the half for a 28-28 tie.

Sanders wanted to make it a bit easier to score to start the second half.  He again cut to the right after the kick, but this time used his speed to race past the Rattler defense.  He met two tacklers on the opposing 5-yard line and was brought down at the two.  Following two more penalties (delay of game on the offense and defensive pass interference), Davilla found a streaking Orton coming from out of the backfield for a quick-strike TD.

After the Rattlers worked down the field and scored, the Shock again succumbed in the time of possession battle.  Rowley took over at his 15 following another solid return by Sanders.  Kauleinamoku turned on a deep out, and Rowley’s perfectly timed pass dropped right in his hands as he came out of his turn at the goal line.  Rowan stayed perfect on the night and the Shock led, 42-35.

The teams exchanged quick TD drives.  Rowley kicked off to Arizona, who took over at their own 2-yard line after they were unable to advance the ball out of the end zone.

Spokane forced a fumble on Arizona’s first play, recovered by Antwan Marsh.  This left Spokane with the ball and a 49-42 lead after three quarters of play.

Rowley hit Vijil on the first play of the fourth quarter, extending the lead to 14 points following Rowan’s eighth PAT on the night.  With a final score of 70-69, Rowan picked the right night to not miss a PAT.

The two sides exchanged TD drives leading up the exciting finish.

Coach Keefe commented on the overall game, saying, “That’s arena football at its greatest.” 

I asked him how this win might impact their attitude and confidence over the rest of the season. 

“It’s such an emotional high…let’s use this,” Keefe replied.

“There are probably about seven teams right now (on the upcoming schedule), I think the best team is Dallas at 5-2 right now, but everybody else is that .500 or below mark, and then we finish up.  Arizona, Utah, San Jose, Jacksonville all in a row.  We’re going to be 10-4 before you know it and then all of this negative criticism goes away.”  

In the rapid, unpredictable tempo of the Arena Football League, an undefeated team can only maintain their status for so long.

With bad blood still running from the 2010 season, the Arizona Rattlers traveled to Spokane, Washington to battle with the division-rival Shock. It was the third week in a row the Rattlers had to battle a back-and-forth game.

In 2010 the Rattlers could not prevail against the Shock in their two regular-season meetings or in their playoff encounter. This led to a rivalry that was played out in a slugfest on the field tonight.

The Rattlers traveled to Spokane with Rod Windsor, who must have been cleared to play by the Cleveland Browns while the lockout troubles still have to be determined. He didn’t miss a step while hauling catches and touchdowns, bringing the needed points to maintain pace with the blitzkrieg led by Shock quarterback Kyle Rowley.

With Rowley passing at his pleasure, the only thing the Rattlers defense could do was get multiple pass interference calls in the end zone, as they were easily beaten in the race by the Spokane receiving corps.

With 1:30 left in the third quarter, an-ill fated Oddie Armstrong fumble recovered by the Shock defense at the Rattlers 5-yard line left the Shock to control the pace of the game going into the fourth quarter.

The Shock began the fourth quarter with a seven-point lead and possession of the ball. It only took a few seconds for the Shock to grab a 14-point lead.

After a long fourth quarter for the Rattlers plagued with flags and mistakes, it came down to just over 2:30 on the clock and the Shock with a lead of seven points. The Rattlers attempted an onside kick, but lost it to Raul Vijil, who took the ball well before it could make it 10 yards and he marched into the end zone to lead the Rattlers by 14 points with two minutes left in the game.

Arizona has overcome some big deficits this season, and when they reached the one-minute warning down by two touchdowns, it was still in the Rattlers' reach to execute a come-from-behind victory.

They began their attempt with Rod Windsor pulling down a touchdown with 52 seconds on the clock. The Rattlers followed by recovering their first onside kick of the season. Nick Davila and his receivers were able to drive the ball to the Shock 10-yard line.

In a 4th-and-4 situation, the Rattlers were about to lose the game on downs but were revived by a flag against Spokane.  A short touchdown run by Oddie Armstrong brought the Rattlers within one point.

Head coach Kevin Guy wanted the win and called for a two-point conversion, but Nick Davila could not connect with Trandon Harvey, leaving 11.9 seconds on the clock.

With 8.5 seconds left, the Rattlers recovered a second onside kick. After a failed reception, the Rattlers called for their field-goal team with 4.5 seconds left. Fabrizio Scaccia, on loan from the 49ers, who had been hot all night, had his kick blocked because of a high snap.

The game and the Rattlers' perfect season ended after they brought the game to within one point. The Rattlers now have four straight losses against the Shock in the last two seasons.

With the Shock traveling to Phoenix on July 2, there will definitely be fireworks that weekend, as the chip on the Rattlers’ shoulder just got heavier.

Right as the AFL's Arizona Rattlers are running on all gears, the NFL has been forced to unlock the doors and let the players return to work. This may damper the Rattlers' hopes to maintain a perfect record as their receiver and kicker may be called back to their NFL franchises.

Wide receiver Rod Windsor and kicker Fabrizio Scaccia are on loan to the AFL as their respective teams allowed them to return to the arena during the dispute between the NFL Players Association and the franchise owners.

According to Fox Sports, on Monday Federal District Judge Susan Nelson ordered the NFL to unlock the gates and let the players return to work on Tuesday. Although the owners will likely sue for a stay on the order, this may still affect the Rattlers if Rod Windsor is called back to the Cleveland Browns and Fabrizio Scaccia is called back to the San Francisco 49ers.

The Rattlers may not be the best passing team in the AFL, but with the combination of Trandon Harvey and Rod Windsor, they are rarely lower than fifth in passing.

Head Coach Kevin Guy was questioned by Arizona Republic reporter Richard Obert on the possibility of Windsor’s departure he remained confident in his team.

"We're glad we've got him, but we also want guys that we can maintain. We were winning games before Rod got here. All Rod does is enhance our system. A system is a system, and we just plug guys in. We've got six receivers here in whom we've got confidence. They can make plays. But we're happy to have him."

The loss of Rod Windsor and his unique ability to break tackles in the cramped 50 yards in the Arena would be missed sorely even with a great system.

Adding to the wound would be the loss of Fabrizio Scaccia. When the Rattlers began their season with Joe Schroeder as their kicker, they had a consistency problem with point after attempts and had to compensate with multiple two-point conversion attempts. Since Fabrizio has returned, he has only missed one out of 17 PAT’s; Schroeder was 19-of-27.

Coach Guy is right to be confident in his team, but Windsor and Fabrizio have stepped up in areas that can’t be filled easily.

Phoenix Arizona, the Utah Blaze led by Tommy Grady stymied the Arizona Rattlers defense all night. But one key defensive play locked down the Blaze drive in overtime.

This was the first of three straight games that the Rattlers will face a Divisional opponent.>

The division has already been preparing for the blistering passing game of Quarterback Nick Davila and his wingmen Rod Windsor and Trandon Harvey. The divisional opponents will now have to get to the drawing board to scheme for a new threat Head Coach Kevin Guy unleashed tonight.

In a classic Arena style football game the there was no clear leader in the game and every few minutes someone marched into the End Zone. Both high-powered offenses left defenders in their wake as they scored a combined total of 128 points and brought the game into overtime.

Head Coach Kevin Guy didn’t just leave the game solely in the hands of his gunslinger Nick Davila.

Tonight the full fury of the Rattlers ground assault was revealed as fullback Oddie Armstrong crashed through Blaze defenders for three touchdowns. The run plays were performed to perfection as Armstrong had clear lanes around the corners of the pocket.

The Rattlers were unable to keep their eight-point lead in regulation as the Blaze played to the clock and forced the game into overtime.

Linebacker Kevin McCullough made a miracle interception in the Red Zone and ended the Blaze possession. The interception was followed by a 38-yard pass to a wide open Rod Windsor for the winning touchdown and 6-0 record.