ARIZONA RATTLERS

Arizona Rattlers ‘dialed in’ as playoffs begin Saturday

Aug 14, 2015, 10:29 AM

Arizona Rattlers head coach Kevin Guy talks with quarterback Nick Davila. The Rattlers open the 201...

Arizona Rattlers head coach Kevin Guy talks with quarterback Nick Davila. The Rattlers open the 2015 AFL playoffs Saturday night against Spokane. at US Airways Center. (Photo courtesy of Ronald Morrison Photography)

(Photo courtesy of Ronald Morrison Photography)

The Arizona Rattlers begin their postseason quest for a fourth straight ArenaBowl championship Saturday night when they host the Spokane Shock in a National Conference semifinal at US Airways Center.

Before you go comparing this year’s version of the Rattlers to the previous three, don’t. Head coach Kevin Guy says this year’s team is a lot different than the others.

“I don’t think any two teams are alike, we’re a lot younger this go-around,” Guy told Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Friday morning. “We’ve got some core pieces, core players together, but we’ve surrounded them with a lot younger players this year.

“But at the end of the day, we’re only one game different than last year. Last year, we were 15-3. This year, we’re 14-4. It’s all about playing your best ball going into the playoffs. You’re starting your second season now.”

Whether or not the Rattlers are playing their best ball is debatable. Arizona has lost two of their last four games, but ended the regular season with a convincing 67-39 win over the Portland Thunder last Saturday night in front of a season-high 12,687 fans at the “Snake Pit.”

Spokane (7-11), Arizona’s first-round opponent, knocked off the Rattlers 52-45 last month in Washington. While the ultimate goal is to win another league championship, Guy says the team is zeroed in on avenging that loss to the Shock.

“Spokane beat us the last time we played them. We’ve played three times this year — we won the first two, and they won the last one up at their place,” the head coach said. “Right now, we know we’re playing a team that can beat us, so we’ve got to be dialed into the little things.

“I liked our focus all week at practice. I liked our leadership that I saw going on during the week.”

That leadership starts with quarterback Nick Davila, the league’s reigning MVP who has had to play through a foot injury and some sore ribs this season. He’s still enjoyed a stellar campaign, completing 66 percent of his passes for 3,519 yards and 87 touchdowns while only being picked off 10 times. His QB rating of 118.8 is fifth-best in the league.

“He’s doing great. He got a little roughed up a couple of weeks ago. You know, he missed four games earlier in the season,” Guy said. “He’s healthy for the playoffs. I thought he had an outstanding game last week. He’s been really zoned in on all week.

“I like where his mindset is, as well.”

Guy said that it’s human nature, especially for the Arizona players who have gone through three straight championship seasons, to power down a bit after a playoff berth is earned and then to turn it back up once the postseason begins.

“I feel a little bit more excitement, a little more pep in the step out at practice this week, so I’m expecting to see these guys play really well,” Guy said.

The game will kick off at 6:00 p.m. at US Airways Center and can be seen on an online broadcast on ESPN3.

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