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March 22, 2008 - 2:41AM
Rattlers’ defense, offense put on a show
Comments | RecommendMike Tulumello, Tribune
Even in the Arena Football League, defense can win games. The Rattlers demonstrated this in spades Friday nights with an amazing 62-33 shutdown of the visiting New York Dragons.
The Rattlers (2-2) stopped the Dragons (2-2) on their first five offensive possessions — something that almost never happens in the AFL — and scored on their first seven.
This took all the pressure off a Rattlers offense that had struggled badly the previous two games.
They consistently put heat on New York quarterback Rohan Davey, who spent much of the game trying to escape the Rattlers’ rush or even on his back.
They even scored a defensive touchdown on Isaiah Trufant’s fumble recovery and run after the Dragons had narrowed the lead to 48-25 early in the fourth quarter.
“Our defense executed our game plan on just about every play,” said Kevin Guy, the Rattlers’ jubilant coach.
“We played really, really well.”
On offense, the Rattlers almost eliminated the turnovers that had killed them the past two weeks.
Also, quarterback Jeff Smoker completed 22 of 31 passes for 240 yards and five touchdowns with one interception.
Receiver Trandon Harvey had eight catches for 110 yards and three touchdowns.
Even graybeard lineman Wendall Gaines got in the act, catching a touchdown pass on a fourth-and-goal situation at the 1-yard line.
“We put the play in this week,” Gaines said.
“I was begging for it all week.”
The Dragons didn’t even put together a first down until early in the second quarter.
Their only first-half scores came on a kickoff return for a touchdown and a field goal (considered a “stop” in AFL terms).
They didn’t score an offensive touchdown until midway through the third quarter, when Kevin Swayne made a spectacular one-handed grab of a fourth-down desperation pass by Davey.
EXTRA POINTS: The last time the Rattlers had five straight stops was June 9, 2001, when they had six straight vs. Oklahoma.
Announced attendance was 11,689.
Arizona last allowed no offensive touchdowns in the first half on May 20, 2000, vs. Albany.
The Rattlers head out for two straight road games: at Chicago March 28, then — after an off week – visit Tampa Bay on April 13.
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