Arizona Rattlers cement dynasty status with 3rd ArenaBowl win in a row

Dynasty.

It fits the Rattlers, who can make the argument that these four years have been the most dominant run by any team in Arena Football League history.

They won their third consecutive ArenaBowl on Saturday night in relentless fashion, intercepting passes, scoring quickly and with ease and muffling the noise inside Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland during a 72-32 rout of the Gladiators.

A last-play touchdown by the Jacksonville Sharks in Arizona in 2011 keeps the Rattlers from coming home with their fourth straight Foster Trophy.

But this team can go down as the most resilient and determined in coach Kevin Guy's six seasons leading the Rattlers.

They've played 84 games in four years, a stretch that would test any team's will. But they never broke.

The 40-point win was the largest margin in championship history.

Nick Davila once again was brilliant in the big game.

Kerry Reed showed how the Ironman game once was dominated by the two-way player.

Cliff Dukes had only one practice in two weeks but fueled a defensive front that put constant pressure on quarterback Shane Austin, who never had a chance to pull out another heart-stopping finish.

The Gladiators won six games on the final play, but the Rattlers had ripped out their heart before halftime with a an ArenaBowl-record 30 second-quarter points.

When the Rattlers (18-3) came back out for the second half, they didn't let up.

Guy leaped in the air with Davila and bounced off of each other, celebrating another one of his eight scoring passes that gave the Rattlers a 38-point lead early in the second half. The lead got as big as 46.

So much built-up emotion was let out, as the Rattlers let the 18,000 or so fans who filled the arena know there is no cracking this dynasty.

The Rattlers' matched the greatest run of titles with their third consecutive and fifth overall.

Three straight titles matches the Detroit Drive's three in a row from 1988-90. Back then, there were fewer teams.

Guy becomes the first coach since Tim Marcum (1987-89) to win three ArenaBowls in a row.

Davila, the main man during this streak, rarely missed Rod Windsor, Reed, Tysson Poots and Chris Jackson, who all came through with their best games.

They were physical and relentless, poised and nearly perfect, much the same way they were in New Orleans two years ago when they jumped all over the Philadelphia Soul early en route to the first of their three straight championships.

That game was played in a mostly empty arena.

This game was played before a nearly sold-out arena, where fans were chanting "Yes, Yes, Yes!" a half hour before kickoff.

They intercepted their second-team All-Arena quarterback four times in the first three quarters.

Dukes, clearly upset over teammate Anntaj Hawthorne being chop blocked, got all over Austin in the end zone, where Marcus Pittman and Tyre Glasper cleaned up for a sack and safety.

Jeremy Kellem had two interceptions.

Reed had two picks, including one he brought back for a touchdown early in the game, following the high-stepping Guy into the end zone.

It was picture perfect.

Guy's emotions rubbed off on the Rattlers.

And the rout was on, a dynasty cemented.