VooDoo vs. Rattlers - Game Preview
July 10, 2013 - Arena Football League (AFL)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release
NEW ORLEANS (July 10, 2013) - With playoff hopes on the line, the New Orleans VooDoo travel to Phoenix to take on the league's top team, the Arizona Rattlers.
The VooDoo (5-10) have won two straight and currently hold the number four seed in the American Conference playoff picture ahead of Orlando. The Rattlers have the league's best record at 13-2 and have clinched a playoff berth in the National Conference. The teams last met May 26, 2012 as the Rattlers defeated the VooDoo 69-45 in the New Orleans Arena.
VooDoo quarterback Chris Dixon got the start last weekend against the Utah Blaze and led the team to victory with a dual threat in passing and running the ball. Dixon was 16-25 for 285 yards and five touchdowns. He also carried the ball seven times for 30 yards and a season high three touchdowns. Dixon leads the team with 109 yards rushing and has been successful in his short tenure with the VooDoo thus far. Courtney Smith led the way in Utah with five catches for 83 yards. He has 74 receptions for 785 yards and 17 touchdowns this season. The VooDoo were without leading receiver Donovan Morgan, but L.J. Castile, Quorey Payne, and newly activated Larry Beavers all stepped up last Saturday night.
Rattlers quarterback Nick Davila has led a very explosive aerial attack and tied a season high with nine touchdown passes in last week's victory over Orlando. His 411 passing yards was also a season high. Davila is second in the league with 4,176 yards and 95 touchdowns. Receiver Rod Windsor leads the Rattlers with 91 catches for 1,246 yards receiving and 33 touchdowns. He and fellow receivers Maurice Purify and Tysson Poots all had 100 yards or more against the Predators with each grabbing three touchdowns. Fullback Odie Armstrong is also ranked ninth in the league with 150 rushing yards. This offense has scored more than 80 points on three different occasions this season and will be a big test for a surging VooDoo team.
Arizona also has its share of playmakers on defense. Defensive back Virgil Gray is tied for third in the AFL with nine interceptions. DB Arkeith Brown is tied for fifth with eight picks, and DB Marquis Floyd is right behind with seven. VooDoo DB Cameron McGlenn leads the team with six interceptions. New Orleans does have an edge in the sacks department as Michael Janac and Marlon Favorite have 6.5 and 6.0 sacks respectively, which combines for more than Arizona's total of 12. The VooDoo have put the quarterback on the ground 27 times (4th AFL).
In the kick return game, the VooDoo's Quorey Payne is fourth in the league with 1,081 yards and has three touchdowns. Payne's total is more than the combined totals of Arizona returners Trandon Harvey and Gray who combine for 948 yards. Gray has the lone touchdown. This could be a crucial edge for a VooDoo team that will need every edge it can find against the talented Rattlers.
New Orleans will be fighting hard for the American conference's final playoff spot in what has turned into a two team race between them and the Predators. The Rattlers are closing in on the West Division title and remain two games ahead of their nearest rivals. The teams kickoff this Saturday at 8:00 p.m. central time in the US Airways Arena.
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