AFL Arena Football League

AFL Matchups: Soul, Rattlers Battle in Philadelphia

Published on May 11, 2016 under Arena Football League (AFL) News Release


LAS VEGAS - For the second straight week, the Arena Football League has another "Showcase Game" when the Arizona Rattlers (5-1) travel to Wells Fargo Center to play the Philadelphia Soul (5-1) on Saturday, May 14 at 6:30 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network. Despite falling to Orlando last week, Arizona head coach Kevin Guy and his Rattlers have never lost to the Soul (6-0 all-time), including two ArenaBowl victories in 2012 and 2013. Rattlers QB Nick Davila leads the AFL's No. 1 scoring offense (68.5 PPG), while Soul head coach Clint Dolezel has 2015 AFL MVP Dan Raudabaugh guiding the No. 3 scoring offense (54.8 PPG). Elsewhere, QB Randy Hippeard and the unbeaten Orlando Predators (6-0) host the Tampa Bay Storm (0-5) in another chapter of the "War on I-4" on Friday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET on WatchESPN. The Portland Steel and QB Darron Thomas look to get on track when they head to Quicken Loans Arena to take on QB Arvell Nelson and the Cleveland Gladiators (2-4) on Monday, May 16 at 8 p.m. ET on Univision Deportes and WatchESPN. The Los Angeles KISS (3-3) and Jacksonville Sharks (2-4) have a bye week.

WEEK 7 MATCHUPS

TAMPA BAY STORM (0-5) AT ORLANDO PREDATORS (6-0)

Friday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET (WatchESPN)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: This is the 60th meeting between the two teams, 52nd in the regular season and 26th regular season game in Orlando... STORM: For his career, T.T. Toliver has 1,110 receptions for 14,540 yards and 282 TDs. Currently, Toliver ranks No. 5 all-time in AFL history with 282 TDs and needs 22 to surpass Eddie Brown (303) for third all-time. He is ranked No. 2 all-time with 1,110 receptions and needs 55 to surpass Damian Harrell to be the League's all-time leading receiver. He is ranked second all-time in League history with 14,540 yards... Emerging star WR Phillip Barnett hauled in a spectacular TD catch in last week's loss to Philadelphia, but he currently has 18 receptions for 194 yards and two TDs (ranked No. 2 on the Storm)... The Storm is led on defense by DBs Cortez Stubbs, Cameron McGlenn, and James Harrell... The three have combined for 67 tackles through five games...The trio has also recorded an interception each...Harrell leads the Storm in passes broken up (4) and passes defended (5)...Stubbs has recovered two fumbles on the season for 32 yards... PREDATORS: ... Under Armour Offensive Player of the Week QB Randy Hippeard is coming off a 9-TD performance in the victory over Arizona. He currently has connected on 126-of-191 passes (66.0%) for 1,700 yards, 39 TDs and just 3 INTs... DL Mike Lewis has made a career out of pressuring the quarterback. In fact, the four-time All-Arena performer has racked up 57 sacks in his career and is now just 4 sacks shy of setting the all-time record, previously held by 13-year AFL veteran Sam Hernandez... Through five games this season, Brandon Thompkins is on pace to challenge the single-season record for all-purpose yards, held by P.J. Berry (3,708). He has recorded 1,340 all-purpose yards this season and is currently on pace to finish with 3,573 yards. Thompkins would have to achieve the feat in 16 games, whereas Berry set his record in 18 contests... DB Varmah Sonie currently leads the Predators with 34.5 total tackles, 5 INTs and seven pass breakups.

ARIZONA RATTLERS (5-1) AT PHILADELPHIA SOUL (5-1)

Saturday, May 14 at 6:30 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)

Play-by-play: Dave Ryan; Color: Sherdrick Bonner; Sideline: Tina Cervasio

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: RATTLERS: QB Nick Davila continues to set the bar for signal-callers in the AFL as he has completed 130-of-181 passes (71.8%) for 1,498 yards, 39 TDs and just three INTs... Since 2014, the Rattlers are 11-0 when Arkeith Brown caught an INT... WR Rod Windsor has caught a TD pass in 39 consecutive games played... FB Mykel Benson this season, is tied for No. 2 in rushing TDs (9) and is No. 3 in rushing yards (84)... Windsor is No. 2 in the AFL for receiving yards and No. 1 for receiving TDs this season. He has a total of 764 yards and 21 TDs for the Rattlers... The Rattlers have 3 players in the Top 5 for total sacks this season. Dimetrio Tyson leading the way with 5 sacks... The Rattlers offense lead the AFL this season in average points per game with 68.5 and their defense is No. 2 in the AFL with 41.5 average points per game allowed... Arizona has played 110 games so far since 2011, more than any professional football team at any level... SOUL: QB Dan Raudabaugh completed 24-of-37 passes for 186 yards and four TDs earning Under Armour Offensive Player of the Game against Tampa Bay last week... WR Ryan McDaniel led the receiving core with 10 catches for 122 yards and one TD and All-Arena DB James Romain totaled 6.0 tackles, one pass break-up and one INT for a 47-yard TD in the win over the Storm... DL Jake Metz is a rising star on the Soul defensive line. So far this season, Metz has recorded 8.0 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one forced fumble. In the Week 6 game against the Tampa Bay Storm, he jumped to the other side of the ball and scored a 4-yard TD, his first this season... DB Dwayne Hollis leads the team in INTs after the first six weeks of the season. So far this season, Hollis had 5 INTs and adds 20.0 total tackles, four pass breakups, nine passes defended and returned two INTs for TDs.

PORTLAND STEEL (0-5) AT CLEVELAND GLADIATORS (2-4)

Monday, May 16 at 8 p.m. ET (Univision & WatchESPN)

Play-by-play: Jorge Perez-Navarro; Color: Ramses Sandoval; Sidelines: Xavier Sol

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: STEEL: WR Tom Gilson is leading the Steel receivers with 42 receptions for 393 yards and six TDs, while WR Jared Perry has hauled in 33 catches for 394 yards and six TDs... DL Brandon Sesay and Robert Hayes lead the team with 2.0 sacks each... WR Tyrone Goard was acquired on April 13, since that time he's played in three games for the Steel and racked up 19 catches for 165 yards and four touchdowns. Goard played for head coach Ron James in 2014 with the Pittsburgh Power... Terrence Mitchell has certainly made a name for himself. Listed as a defensive back, Mitchell has made three tackles. On offense he has caught three passes for 60 yards. On kickoff returns he leads the Steel with 26 returns for 411 yards and returned a 55-yard attempt for a TD against LA last week... Second-year kicker Ernesto Lacayo has converted 17-of-22 (77%) extra point attempts in the young 2016 season. The Hastings College product is now 71-of-81 (87.7%) on point after attempts in his AFL career. GLADIATORS: Last week, the Gladiators scored 20 unanswered points to register a 41-40 comeback win over the Jacksonville Sharks at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday... Cleveland was led by AFL Playmaker of the Week QB Arvell Nelson's 221 passing yards, three passing TDs and three more rushing scores. WR Collin Taylor extended his franchise-record stretch of 22 consecutive games with a TD catch, by hauling in six receptions for 101 yards and two TDs, including the Cutters Catch of the Week on the game-winner with 34 seconds remaining... WR Larry Beavers has excelled in the return game this season, currently ranking No. 2 in the AFL with 564 total return yards and one kick return for a TD... On the defensive side of the ball, DL Collin Keoshian's two sacks rank tied for No. 4 in the AFL and DB Joe Powell's four INTs are tied for No. 2 league-wide this season.

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Arena Football League Stories from May 11, 2016


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