There were two teams left in the Arena Football League still undefeated when the Arizona Rattlers visited the Orlando Predators and the Amway Center on Saturday. Only one would escape. No one though saw this kind of performance coming.
This kind of statement.
Predators 77, Rattlers 59.
The Predators played smart all game with a mistake-free game: no turnovers and just one stop given up. The Predators wanted to make a statement they are the best team in Arena Football this year. So far, anyways. But no one saw this kind of a performance coming.
Not even their coach.
Coach Rob Keefe was fired up by his team’s dominating performance tonight even after the final horn sounded. He showed his intensity and passion in his press conference. It seemed like he wanted to keep playing, proud of the performance his team put on in all phases.
The battle of the unbeatens was close in the beginning with the Rattlers taking advantage on an early turnover on downs deep in the Predators territory. The Predators though kept answering until their opportunity came.
When the Predators needed a stop, their defense was ready to make a play and stop the Rattlers’ momentum.
The Rattlers were knocking on the door step to score a touchdown late in the first quarter, when defensive back Paul Stephens intercepted a pass in the end zone, giving the Predators that lost possession back and control of the scoreboard. Later on in the game, Varmah Sonie made another game-changing play with back-to-back pass break ups as the Rattlers were trying to score before halftime.
It gave the Predators one more chance to score. One they would not miss, taking a two-possession lead to the locker room. The Rattlers would not be a consistent threat through the second half facing this deficit.
What remains impressive is the fact the Predators defense has not allowed a team to score more than 60 points in a game all season, which in the high scoring Arena Football League is extremely rare.
This defensive effort was as much as statement of their championship pedigree as their extremely efficient offense.
“It’s Arena Football, but it’s very much like basketball,” Keefe said. “Who can do the most with the possessions that they are given. And if we’re doing great with our possessions with 11 total touchdowns and they’re not scoring on their possessions, ultimately we’re going to win the football game.”
Quarterback Randy Hippeard had an outstanding game. He threw for nine touchdowns and was accurate all night on 22-for-30 passing attempts. Hippeard spread the ball around with a very balanced passing attack as four different players had a touchdown, with two receivers (Brandon Thompkins and Gregg Carr) scoring three touchdowns each.
As much as the Rattlers were unable to score at key moments, they were also unable to stop the Predators at all.
“Those guys are unbelievable out there and making plays,” Hippeard said. “If it’s not one guy, it’s the other. If it’s not Gregg [Carr], it’s [Larry] Brackins. If it’s not [Brackins] it’s BT [Brandon Thompkins]. If it’s not BT, it’s Kendall [Thompkins]. So it’s just one of those things, where no matter who it is, you expect your man to come up and make a play for you.”
The crowd was rocking all night in “The Jungle” with more than 10,000 fans cheering and supporting their undefeated team. Coach Keefe thought the energy of the fans helped motivate this team as the game went on.
It was a complete team effort by the Predators tonight.
“The crowd was rocking, the players were playing hard, the coaches executed. I’m proud of it.”
Keefe is hoping this statement win over a previously unbeaten team gets the city to fully support the Predators moving forward this season and propels them to make good on these first six games. This was a statement win, but not the end for the Predators.
A championship is in sight and expectations remain high. But the team has to remember there is still a lot of season to be played.
“Absolutely it’s a statement game for us,” Keefe said. “Does this quench your thirst or does this build a bon fire? I hope this brings a bon fire in the entire damn city and I want everybody to be out here because were putting on the best football you could possibly have in Arena Football.”
After this statement win tonight, as the only undefeated Arena Football League team left, the Predators hope that this momentum continues the rest of the season. They will look to continue their six-game winning streak at home next week on Friday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. against in-state rival the Tampa Bay Storm.
