Rattlers Face Midseason Game with High Stakes

By Jay Gonzales | Rattlers Media

When it comes to midseason games, it's hard to imagine there have many – if any − in Arizona Rattlers history with more at stake than what the team is facing Sunday in New Jersey.

For starters, it's the championship game of the first American Dream IFL Cup, professional football's first-ever midseason tournament being played in East Rutherford, N.J.

It's against a conference rival that already has a victory over the Rattlers, meaning a loss would give the Vegas Knight Hawks the edge in a tiebreaker at the end of the season. If the two teams were to tie and meet in the playoffs, the game would be in Vegas.

Then there's the little matter of a confrontation between the head coaches in the Rattlers 56-42 loss to the Knight Hawks in Vegas on May 3 that has led to much anticipation of the rematch throughout the league.

"I think our players have a lot of pride," Head Coach Kevin Guy said of the team's mindset in playing for a trophy. "This is the first time the league's ever done this. You don't know where it's going to go in the future. We're making history. I know my players are ready to play."

The teams will go at it Sunday at 4:30 p.m. MST at American Dream Arena looking to take home a first-ever title in the event. The game will be broadcast on Yahoo! Sports.

Both teams are coming off impressive victories in their first-round games on Monday. The Rattlers took care of New Mexico, 61-15, and in the process earned IFL Player of the Week honors for the entire defensive unit. In addition to allowing only two touchdowns for the second straight game, the Rattlers' defense piled up five interceptions, two fumble recoveries, 10 tackles for loss and three sacks.

Vegas manhandled Orlando, 73-33, in their first-round game. The Knight Hawks are ranked second in the latest IFL coaches' poll. The Rattlers are fourth.

Facing the top scoring team in the league in the Knight Hawks, Guy knows the defense will have its hands full in trying to give the offense a chance to outscore them.

"It's one of those games where two stops might win the game," Guy said. "We want to be the more physical team."

Guy anticipates veteran quarterback Drew Powell making his third start of the season. Powell has been the starter since the loss to Vegas, and the Rattlers have responded with a pair of wins, scoring more than 60 points both times.

Powell, a three-time IFL MVP, has thrown for 314 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 127 yards and five TDs in his two starts. His 43-yard TD pass to Arland Bruce IV against New Mexico is the longest pass completion of the season.

Facing a higher-quality opponent in Sunday's game will give Guy a better barometer on his two quarterbacks after Max Meylor started the first six games.

"I'm not really going to know if all these decisions were the right decisions until this weekend," Guy said. "But anybody who knows me knows I'm gonna do whatever I've got to do to get any kind of advantage to try to win a championship."