Twelve possessions. Twelve touchdowns. That’s the level of efficiency the Arizona Rattlers’ offense reached Saturday night in an 83-47 win over the L.A. Kiss at US Airways Center. Quarterback Nick Davila completed 21-of-28 passes for 373 yards and eight touchdowns in a little more than three quarters of action. It was evident early on that […]
The two-time defending AFL champions Arizona Rattlers are off to the best start in league history after winning their first 13 games. They are outscoring their opponents by an average of 65.7 to 47.1. The Rattlers boast the league’s top scoring offense, which is led by quarterback Nick Davila who has thrown 96 touchdown passes […]
The Arizona Rattlers have topped the AFL Coaches’ Poll for the 25 consecutive weeks now, dating back to last season. The two-time defending AFL champion Rattlers (12-0), received 13 out of 14 first place votes in the poll with the Cleveland Gladiators (10-1) taking the other. The Rattlers’ next game is against the San Antonio […]
In 2014, the Arizona Rattlers aren’t just looking to claim the Arena Bowl League’s first three-peat since 1988-90. No, Kevin Guy’s squad hopes to also reach perfection in the process. The Rattlers took another step toward that goal Friday night with a 70-59 road victory over the Portland Thunder. With the win, Arizona became just […]
Earlier this week, the New York Giants released safety Will Hill, a player facing a third drug-related suspension. Some would have you believe that he wasn’t out of football very long. NFL.com, CBSSports.com and SI.com all reported Friday that Hill has signed a contract with the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League. Hill did […]
Arizona Rattlers quarterback Nick Davila and defensive end Cliff Dukes both took home AFL awards for their performances in the team’s Week 12 51-42 win over the San Jose SaberCats. Davila, who is affectionately referred to as the, “Latin Laser,” won the Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Week playing just one day after his […]
Playing with a heavy heart following the passing of his father, Nick Davila came off the bench to lead the Arizona Rattlers to a 51-42 win over the San Jose Sabercats before a season-high crowd of 12,094 at US Airways Center Saturday night. Davila’s backup, Jason Murrietta, started the game, but was pulled early in […]
Following their 70-25 win over the LA KISS Sunday, the Arizona Rattlers are once again atop the Arena Football League Coaches’ Poll. The Rattlers (10-0) are in the top spot for the 23rd consecutive week, dating back to last season. However, their lead is a scant one. Nine of 14 league coaches voted the Rattlers […]
Arizona Rattlers defensive back Marquis Floyd has been named the Riddell Defensive Player of the Week, the AFL announced Tuesday. In Sunday’s 75-25 win over the LA Kiss, Floyd accounted for 4.5 tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown) and a pass breakup. The two interceptions tied […]
Well, that was easy — or so it seemed. The Arizona defense picked off three passes in the first half, including a 15-yarder returned for a touchdown by Marquis Floyd as the Rattlers pushed their record to 10-0 with a 70-25 rout of the L.A. Kiss at Honda Center Sunday night. L.A. (2-8) actually scored […]
What do two championships in a row followed by nine straight wins to start a season get you? Second place in the Arena Football League’s vPower Rankings, apparently. That’s where the Arizona Rattlers find themselves after their 70-38 rout Sunday of the Spokane Shock (5-4), which improved the two-time defending champs’ record to 9-0, a […]
The Arizona Rattlers’ offense has been virtually unstoppable all season long. Now, their defense is starting to look like the same opportunistic, turnover-forcing unit that helped them to a second straight Arena Bowl title last season. Arizona (9-0) forced six turnovers and scored two defensive touchdowns in a 70-38 cakewalk over the Spokane Shock (5-4) […]
When Arizona Rattlers quarterback Nick Davila connected with Rod Windsor on a 49-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter of a 61-32 win over the Portland Thunder Sunday, he joined an exclusive club. The touchdown pass was Davila’s 500th in the Arena Football League, making him just the ninth player to reach that plateau. Davila […]
The Arizona Rattlers, one of only two undefeated teams in Arena Football League, remained No. 1 in the latest AFL Coaches Poll announced Thursday. The Rattlers’ latest win, a 70-61 decision, in Jacksonville (2-5), moved their record to 7-0 and helped keep them atop the poll. They received 13 first-place votes, while the Cleveland Gladiators […]
If any defense in the Arena Football League has the blueprint to stop the Arizona Rattlers’ offense, they’ve yet to employ it. The Rattlers’ offense was once again unstoppable in a 70-61 win over the Jacksonville Sharks at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Coliseum Saturday night. Arizona scored touchdowns on 10 of 11 possessions Saturday, thanks to […]
The Arizona Rattlers (6-0) preserved their top ranking in the latest Arena Football League Coaches’ Poll Wednesday, receiving all 13 first-place votes. The Rattlers tied their franchise record for consecutive wins to start the season, six, with a 69-59 victory over the San Antonio Talons (1-6) Saturday. After the team started as the No. 1 […]
It wasn’t supposed to be this close. The San Antonio Talons limped into US Airways Center for their game against the two-time defending Arena Bowl champion Arizona Rattlers with a 1-5 record. The Rattlers, meanwhile, were 5-0 and had proven to be the most potent offense in the league behind quarterback Nick Davila. However, it […]
There wasn’t a lot of defense on display Saturday night at US Airways Center, but the Arizona Rattlers got a stop when they needed one the most. After Nick Davila hit Rod Windsor on a 16-yard touchdown pass to give the Rattlers a 67-63 lead with under nine minutes to play, Arizona attempted an onside […]
Quarterback Nick Davila threw seven touchdown passes — three each to Maurice Purify and Rod Windsor — but it was the defense that keyed the Arizona Rattlers’ 63-38 win over the Jacksonville Sharks in front of a crowd of 8,586 fans at US Airways Center. Jacksonville quarterback R.J. Archer came into the game leading the […]
PHOENIX — The Arizona Rattlers are loaded with receivers. And while Maurice Purify, Tysson Poots and Rod Windsor grab a lot of the attention — and with good reason — it’s Kerry Reed who seemingly always makes the plays that help the Rattlers win. That was the case again Sunday as Reed, the only member […]
It’s not uncommon for a league to schedule a season-opening game between the the two teams who met for the championship the previous year. It is uncommon for that matchup to live up to all the hype. Saturday night’s game between the ArenaBowl champion Arizona Rattlers and the Philadelphia Soul was that rare exception. Arizona’s […]
PHOENIX — The offseason brought change to the roster and division, along with a tweak to the schedule. What hasn’t changed — and never will — is the Arizona Rattlers’ No. 1 goal each and every season: An ArenaBowl championship. They’ve won two straight ArenaBowls and take aim at a third beginning this week. “The […]
The ArenaBowl’s format is going back to the way it used to be. The Arena Football League announced Wednesday that the 2014 ArenaBowl will be hosted by the team with the highest remaining playoff seed. This marks a change from the last two championship games, which were held at neutral sites. “We listened to our […]
Winning a championship is difficult. Defending it may be even harder. The Arizona Rattlers were able to do just that in 2013, and are heading into 2014 as the two-time defending Arena Football League champions. “I’m excited about this year,” he told Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM as part of Newsmakers Week […]
PHOENIX — The Arizona Rattlers will defend their Arena Football League Championship with an Arena Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Soul on March 15, 2014 at the US Airways Center. The back-to-back champs will host their first three games at home with Spokane and Jacksonville visiting the Snake Pit. The Rattlers became the first team […]
PHOENIX — With back-to-back-to-back third quarter defensive stops, the Rattlers make it back-to-back-to-back appearances in the AFL title game. “If I was in the NFL, I’d be rich right now,” head coach Kevin Guy said with a laugh. His Rattlers (17-3) are once again ArenaBowl-bound after defeating the Spokane Shock 65-57 in the National Conference […]
Arizona Rattlers defensive back Virgil Gray picked off a Russ Michna pass in the closing seconds of the team’s playoff win over the San Jose Sabercats August 5. Instead of drawing attention to himself or taunting his opponent, Gray simply went to the first row of the stands, kneeled and prayed, handed the ball to […]
PHOENIX — Step one is complete. Behind Nick Davila’s passing, Rod Windsor’s receiving and a defense that forced three turnovers, the defending ArenaBowl champion Arizona Rattlers opened the playoffs with a 59-49 victory against their arch rivals, the San Jose SaberCats, in front of an announced crowd of 7,932 at US Airways Center Sunday. “It […]
For the second time in three seasons, the Arizona Rattlers have finished the regular season with the best record in the Arena Football League. Arizona wrapped a 15-3 campaign with a thorough 84-45 dismantling of the Iowa Barnstormers at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines Saturday night. On the first play of the game, Arizona […]
It was Throwback Night at Ak-Chin Field at US Airways Center. The Arizona Rattlers wore retro uniforms, the same ones in which the 1997 team toppled Kurt Warner and the Iowa Barnstormers for their second Arena Bowl championship. Their opponent, the Chicago Rush, bought into the theme of the evening, handing out a good, old-fashioned […]
