ArenaBowl XXVII: Arizona Rattlers scouting report

Arena Football Opens

The Arizona Rattlers take the field for the start of the ArenaBowl XVIII, in this 2004 file photo, in Phoenix. The Rattlers play the Cleveland Gladiators in Arizona's ninth ArenaBowl on Saturday at Quicken Loans Arena. Arizona has won the last two championships.

(AP)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scouting the Arizona Rattlers, who play the Cleveland Gladiators in the Arena Football League ArenaBowl XXVII at 8 p.m. Saturday in Quicken Loans Arena (ESPN).

ARIZONA RATTLERS

Record: 17-3.

Coach: Kevin Guy, 87-30 in six seasons at Arizona; 88-33 career record. He is the first coach to lead a team to four consecutive ArenaBowls. Birmingham, Ala., native and Livingston University grad. Former AFL wide receiver and defensive back.

Rattlers ArenaBowl history: Ninth appearance, and fourth in a row. The Rattlers won in 2013 and 2012, and lost in 2011. They are 4-4 in ArenaBowls.

Scouting the offense: Arizona led the AFL in scoring (63.9 points per game) in the regular season and had three first-team All-Arena selections: QB Nick Davila, receiver Rod Windsor and guard/tight end Michael Huey. Defenses can't key on one receiver in the veteran group of Windsor (124 catches, 44 TDs), Tysson Poots (85/26), Maurice Purify (84/30) and Kerry Reed (61/26). Windsor has seven TDs in two playoff games. Purify has yet to play in the playoffs, but Reed, who also plays Jack linebacker, has stepped in and caught two TD passes in the conference final. Windsor was the ArenaBowl MVP in 2013 and Purify won the award in 2012. The offensive line allowed seven sacks in the regular season, tied for fewest in the league.

Impact offensive player: Davila (6-3, 22), the "Latin Laser,'' will become the first QB to start four straight ArenaBowls. He has a 2-1 record and has 919 yards passing in the championships. The Cincinnati grad's career QB rating of 123.67 ranks second-best in AFL history, and he has surpassed the AFL benchmark of 100 TD passes five seasons in a row. He led the league in passing yards (4,478) and TD passes (127) by wide margins and threw just 11 interceptions in 544 attempts.

Scouting the defense: The offense makes up for a mediocre defense that allowed 50.3 points and ranked sixth, but they do two things well: quarterback pressure and mixing up coverages. Their 25 sacks ranked eighth. Defensive end Cliff Dukes (eight sacks) was second-team All-Arena. Arizona collected 31 interceptions, which ranked third. Defensive linemen Anttaj Hawthorne and Leon Mackey tend to come up big in short-yardage situations. WR/LB Kerry Reed has played well in the playoffs despite an increased role on offense in recent weeks.

Impact defensive player: Marquis Floyd was named AFL Defensive Back of the Year this week. He led the AFL with 13 interceptions. The seven-year veteran is a two-time All-Arena selection and had 86 tackles and nine pass break-ups. He had 10 tackles and a key interception in the conference final.

Scouting special teams: Craig Ratanamorn is a 7-of-7 on field goal tries this season, and he is 16-of-17 on extra points in the playoffs. Arizona ranked last in the league in kick return yard average and had two TDs on returns in the regular season.

Key addition: Retired WR Chris Jackson was signed before the conference championship and caught three passes, but did not score. He has won two ArenaBowl Offensive Player of the Game awards, with Arizona in a loss in 2011, and Philadelphia in a 2010 win.

Intangibles: ArenaBowl experience is on Arizona's side. The coaching staff, quarterback, top receivers and key personnel on defense remain almost intact from last year, and seven players are playing in their fourth straight ArenaBowl. Arizona players have a combined 45 ArenaBowl appearances and 31 rings, according to areanfan.com. The Rattlers have won the last two ArenaBowls away from home, at neutral sites. They also have scored at least 70 points in two of the last three ArenaBowls. After stumbling late in the 2014 regular season with losses in three of its last four games, Arizona was ready for the playoffs. It was hitting on all cylinders in a 72-56 dismantling of rival San Jose last week, scoring on 11 straight possessions. This is a team that knows how to win big games.

Did you know? The Rattlers are owned by Arizona businessman Ron Shurts, a self-described rabid fan and season ticket holder since the team's inception in 1992. He bought the Rattlers in 2011. ... Arizona has played at downtown Phoenix's US Airways Center (formerly America West Arena) since 1992 and reportedly will move to the Gila River Arena in Glendale, home of the Phoenix Coyotes, next season. ... Arizona's coach for its first 13 seasons was former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White.

Last meeting: Cleveland and Arizona last played in 2011. Arizona won, 63-42.

For complete Arizona Rattlers stats, click here.

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