PHOENIX - For the second straight week, the six-time World Champion Arizona Rattlers will take on the Bay Area Panthers, this time on Saturday in San Jose.
The Rattlers defeated the Panthers 38-23 last weekend in Phoenix, and Arizona will be looking for its first winning streak since late April.
About last week
It wasn't Arizona's best showing on Sunday against the Panthers. The Rattlers scored just seven points in the first quarter and had only 14 by half. While their slow start isn't uncommon the past two years, their 14 first-half points were their lowest total of 2022.
Still, the Rattlers got the job done thanks to running back/wide receiver Jamal Miles' spectacular performance and quarterback and 2021 IFL MVP Drew Powell's performance. Miles finished with six catches and 74 receiving yards while catching one touchdown and running in another. He also had two 24-yard returns in the win.
Powell added 157 passing yards and four touchdowns (two passing and two rushing) to pull away from the Panthers.
Learning from the past
The Rattlers haven't played back-to-back games against the same team since 2018, when they took on the Cedar Rapids Titans two weeks in a row in Phoenix and Iowa.
As a result, it'll give Arizona a fresh start on correcting some of its mistakes from last weekend.Â
Bay Area entered last weekend's contest allowing the most sacks in the IFL. The Rattlers, who rank middle-of-the-pack in sacks by in 2022 but do set offenses back quite a ways when they do get home (fourth in yards lost on sacks), could attempt to capitalize on the Panthers' struggles protecting the quarterback in Saturday's rematch.Â
Bay Area gained a spot in the sacks allowed rankings last weekend, as they have now allowed the second-most in the league.
Additionally, last weekend's contest pitted the Panthers' rushing attack – fourth-best in the IFL – against Arizona's then-fourth-ranked run defense. Bay Area came out on top in that department, as they slipped just one spot in the IFL's rushing yards-per-game leaderboard.
Woods for DPOY?
It's safe to say Arizona Rattlers rookie defensive back Kyree Woods is doing things no other defender in the IFL is doing.
Through 10 games in 2022, Woods leads the league in forced turnovers. He's tied for first in interceptions and tied for second in forced fumbles. Woods also ranks second in pass breakups and has recorded a pick-six.
His high marks put him in a lonely but impressive tier in the IFL. In 2022, no player aside from Woods places in the top two of interceptions, forced fumbles, and pass breakups. Only one other player is in the top three: Massachusetts defensive back Aarion Maxey Benton.
Finally, Woods is the only player in the IFL to place in the top two or three of all three categories and record a pick-six in 2022.
Let the ballot counting begin.
