Glendale, AZ — The Arizona Rattlers travel to California on Sunday, June 22nd, for a grudge match with the Bay Area Panthers in San Jose. Kickoff is set for 5:05 PM, as these two competitors look to assert their dominance in the Western Conference. 

Arizona, 7-4, enters the contest tied for 2nd in the conference, but is on a three game slide, including a triple overtime loss at home to in-state rivals Tucson. The Panthers, however, are on a hot streak, winning their last four games. They sit atop the West with an 8-2 record and look to avenge their last loss, which came at the hands of the Rattlers.

Costly Mistakes
Turnovers and penalties have played a huge role in the cold streak the Rattlers find themselves in. They lead the league in penalty yards and were plagued by turnover miscues in their most recent loss to the Sugar Skulls. Three lost fumbles and two interceptions were just too much to overcome despite a valiant effort to pull out a triple-overtime win. 

When they play a clean game, the offense remains one of the hardest to stop in the entire league. They bring in a balanced game plan that ranks top four in both passing and rushing totals. The defense, with standouts such as Davontae Merriweather & Isaiah Coe, has been quietly improving and is prone to getting critical stops when it matters. That will be key this week as the Panthers have not been held under forty points since week one. 

Close Battle
If there is one thing you can count on, it's that it will always be a battle playing against the Ratters. 8 of their 11 games have been decided by one score or less. The last time these two teams met, on May 10th, was no exception, when the Rattlers beat the Panthers 53-47 in Glendale. This team is no stranger to nailbiting endings, and don't be surprised if this game comes down to the final ticks on the clock. 

Quarterback Dalton Sneed accounted for seven total touchdowns against his former team, five through the air and two on the ground. The Offense will need to bring its A game once again in order to take down a Panthers Defense that is one of the best in the league and boasts arguably the best pass defense. While the Rattlers will be looking to clean up their mistakes, the Panthers will do what they do best and try to cause as much havoc as possible. 

Bounce Back

The Rattlers boast one of the most talented rosters in the league, but will need all three phases to be locked in to take down the current kings of the West. The Panthers are riding high on a winning streak, but are surely salivating at the opportunity to get another crack at the team that handed them their only loss since March. It's a tale of two top teams on opposite streaks, yet both are looking to bounce back in their own way. A win for the Rattlers would help right the ship, while a win for the Panthers would cement them as the top team in the west. 

Where to Watch
Fans can catch all the action live on the IFL Network and follow the Rattlers on social media for behind-the-scenes content and live updates throughout the game.