Arizona Rattlers: New Orleans VooDoo Expose Flaws in Rattlers' Game

The Rattlers met a tougher Voodoo team than they expected on Friday night, and a lack of discipline almost cost them the game.

New VooDoo QB D. Bryant made his AFL debut against the best in the west and in 60 minutes has turned the season around for the VooDoo. He kept stride with Arizona’s Nick Davila and was 25-for-34 with 285 passing yards and 6 touchdowns. He also broke multiple tackles for 24 rushing yards and his own touchdown.

Bryant’s receiver B.J. Berry also had a great night with 12 receptions, 124 receiving yards, and 3 touchdowns. On the special teams side, he totaled 185 yards and a touchdown.

With Bryant and Berry lighting up the scoreboard and the statistic sheets, the Rattlers were close to being overwhelmed if not for injuries to key Voodoo players.

In he first half, each team matched the other step for step. D. Bryant would score after two plays. Then Nick Davila would score in two plays. B.J. Berry would return a kick to the end zone. Then Trandon Harvey would answer with his own kick return for a touchdown. It was a fast-paced, typical back-and-forth AFL game until the second half.

In the third quarter, a new VooDoo team took the field. New Orleans Head Coach Derek Stingley said before they took the field that he was inspiring his team to start earning respect from the rest of the league.

Stingley’s speech worked, because the Voodoo players were hitting harder and running faster than the Rattlers could handle on both sides of the ball.

The Rattlers defense took the brunt of the re-energized New Orleans team and was quickly frustrated as the VooDoo came close to taking the lead. Frustration and a new sense of urgency led to a lack of Discipline that cost multiple penalty yards.

If not for an injury to a Voodoo offensive lineman the Rattlers may not have survived the game. With the starting lineman out of the trenches, the Rattlers defense was able to collapse the pocket and force D. Bryant either to the ground or to throw into the stands. With the new lack of production from the VooDoo Offense, Nick Davila and his receivers were able to seal the victory.

The New Orleans VooDoo exposed a vital chink in the Rattlers’ armor. Frustrating the Rattlers defense will lead to penalty yards that can keep a drive going.