Post by Nevadanut on Apr 8, 2018 20:01:07 GMT -8
Arizona Rattlers at Sioux Falls Storm
What: The Rattlers are in Sioux Falls for the first time since their United Bowl win last season.
When: Saturday, April 16 at 4:05 p.m. pacific (6:05 p.m. central).
Where: Denny Sanford Premiere Center; Sioux Falls South Dakota.
Stream: Rattlers at Storm on the Indoor Football League Official YouTube Channel.
2018 Head to Head: Feb. 25 - Rattlers 39, Storm 33.
Note: This is the final meeting between the teams this season and a single win could help them secure a tiebreaker for either team.
HELPFUL LINKS
Indoor Football League Rules
Indoor Football League Schedule and Results - 2018 Season
Arizona Rattlers 2018 Schedule
Arizona Rattlers Vital Statistics
Sioux Falls Storm 2018 Schedule
Sioux Falls Storm - Vital Statistics
IFL Franchise Index
The Rattlers are 4-1 overall and 0-1 on the road. They are coming off a 54-19 home win over the Cedar Rapids Titans on March 31. They are averaging 44.0 points per game and are allowing 34.0 points per game.
The Storm are 4-1 overall and 1-0 at home. They are coming off a 45-37 road win over the Nebraska Danger on April 7. They are averaging 47.8 points per game and are allowing 34.4 points per game.
2018 REGULAR SEASON BREAKDOWN
Total Yards per Game - Rattlers 226.2; Storm 224.0
Pass Yards per Game - Rattlers 115.8; Storm 140.2
Rush Yards per Game - Rattlers 110.4; Storm 83.8
3rd Down Conversion - Rattlers 34%; Storm 50%
4th Down Conversion - Rattlers 55%; Storm 71%
Total Tackles - Rattlers 192; Storm 184
Total Sacks - Rattlers 9; Storm 5
Fumble Recoveries - Rattlers 4; Storm 4
Interceptions - Rattlers 5; Storm 4
Note: The Rattlers and the Storm have each played five games.
ARIZONA RATTLERS
Rattlers RB/WR Jamal Miles (Photo via azcentral.com)
ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - Verlon Reed Jr. (QB)
2 - Jamal Miles (RB/WR)
3 - Allen Chapman (DB)
4 - Nathan Lindsey (DB)
5 - Anthony Amos (WR)
8 - Davontae Merriweather (DB)
11 - Arkeith Brown (DB)
12 - Anthony Jones Jr. (WR)
13 - Jeff Ziemba (QB)
14 - Darrell Monroe (RB)
15 - Dillion Winfrey (WR)
16 - Jarrod Harrington (WR)
17 - Dezmon Epps (WR)
22 - Sawyer Petre (K)
24 - Keith Trumps (DB)
31 - Chris McAllister (DL)
45 - Ryan Langford (LB)
49 - Edward Mosley (DL)
50 - Chris Boles (OL)
56 - Steven Gurrola (OL)
64 - Vernon Sainvil (OL)
91 - Justin Martin (DL)
94 - Lamar Mady (OL)
95 - Joshua Gordon (DL)
N/A - Dylan Peebles (RB)
Short Term IR
28 - Shadrach Thornton (RB)
30 - Justin Shirk (LB)
N/A - Fahraad Johnson (OL)
Season Ending IR
N/A - Mark Munson (WR)
N/A - Terrence Surratt (DL)
RTR
6 - Sean Goldrich (QB)
N/A - Dante Cattaneo (OL)
N/A - Terrell Clinkscales (DL)
N/A - Leon Hill (OL)
Kevin Guy - Head Coach
Jeff Jarnigan - Defensive Line/Special Teams Coach
Kani Kauahi - Offensive Line Coach/Assistant Head Coach
Steve Axman - Offensive Coordinator
2018 REGULAR SEASON STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Yards - Jeff Ziemba 603
Passing TDs - Jeff Ziemba 15
Passing Ints - Jeff Ziemba 5
Rushing Yards - Shadrach Thornton 220
Rushing TDs - Shadrach Thornton 6
Receptions - Anthony Amos/Jamal Miles 15
Receiving Yards - Anthony Amos 251
Receiving TDs - Anthony Amos 9
Total Tackles - Arkeith Brown 24
Sacks - Justin Martin 2.5
Interceptions - Arkeith Brown/Allen Champan 2
KO Return Ave - Dillon Winfey 19.0
KO Return TDs - none
Roster information is subject to change and is presented here as a basic guide for following the game. Rosters and team information is gathered from the IFL's 2018 Media Guide and other sources, and will be updated as further roster information becomes available.
SIOUX FALLS STORM
Storm WR Mike Tatum (Photo via Sioux Falls Storm on facebook)
ROSTER
# - name (pos)
1 - Karim Jones Jr (RB/WR)
2 - Jabari Gorman (DB)
3 - Lyle McCombs (RB)
4 - J'Vontez Blackmon (DB)
6 - Dillion Turner (QB)
8 - Lorenzo Brown (QB)
11 - Melvin German (WR)
13 - Trey Wafford (DB)
16 - Miles Bergner (K)
19 - Chris Martin (DL)
20 - Judd Harold (WR)
23 - Mike Tatum (WR)
24 - Marlon Moore (DB)
34 - Jordan Landry (DB)
44 - Anthony Wallace (LB)
47 - Kwame Bell (DL)
55 - Chad Stoterau (DL)
56 - Andre Monroe (DL)
58 - Owen Williams (DL)
65 - Lawrence Martin IV (OL)
71 - Darrien Oliver (OL)
74 - Rashaud Mungro (OL)
75 - Forrestal Hickman (OL)
95 - Claude Davis (DL)
N/A - Lorenzo White Jr. (DB)
Short Term IR
11 - Jatavius Steward (WR)
12 - Marques Rodgers (RB)
Season Ending IR
44 - Jordan Stanton (LB)
56 - Phillip Williamson (DL)
N/A - Eldrick Bright
Transfer
18 - Jermaine Robinson (DB) [CFL]
22 - Ace Clark (LB) [AFL]
Kurtiss Riggs - Head Coach
Brian Hermanson - Defensive Coordinator
Jared Fredenburg - Linebackers Coach
Paul Keizer - Offensive Line Coach
Cory Johnsen - Defensive Line Coach
Blake Wilson - Wide Receivers/Special Teams Coach
Terrance Bryant - Quarterbacks Coach
Shannon Poppinga - Defensive Backs Coach
2018 REGULAR SEASON STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Yards - Lorenzo Brown 702
Passing TDs - Lorenzo Brown 14
Passing INTs - none
Rushing Yards - Lorenzo Brown 211
Rushing TDs - Lorenzo Brown/Lyle McCombs 5
Receptions - Judd Harrold/Mike Tatum 21
Receiving Yards - Mike Tatum 277
Receiving TDs - Judd Harrold 9
Total Tackles - Trey Wafford 30.5
Sacks - Owen Williams 2
Interceptions - Jabari Gorman 2
KO Return Ave - Daniel Lindsey 19.6
KO Return TDs - Daniel Lindsey 1
Roster information is subject to change and is presented here as a basic guide for following the game. Rosters and team information is gathered from the IFL's 2018 Media Guide, as well as other sources, and will be updated as further roster information becomes available.
ANALYSIS
Despite the Rattlers only joining the Indoor Football League, this series is turning into a rivalry among the top two teams in the league. The Storm welcomed the Rattlers to the IFL rather rudely in last season's opening week with a 40-29 win in Sioux Falls. They would not meet again until the 2017 United Bowl, where the Rattlers held off the Storm by a 50-41 margin. Arizona won the season opener this year with a 39-33 defeat of Sioux Falls. The Storm, coming off four straight wins, will look to even the season series and get a foothold on the top position in the standings. The Rattlers look to put themselves in the same position. This is the second of two meetings between the teams, unless they should meet in the playoffs or even, perhaps see themselves in a rematch in the 2018 United Bowl.
The Rattlers are intent on repeating as IFL champions this season. They started the season with that 39-33 win over the Storm, but suffered a hiccup in week 3 when they fell to the Iowa Barnstormers, 38-28. The Rattlers have since reeled off wins over the Green Bay Blizzard (37-31), the Nebraska Danger (62-49) and the Cedar Rapids Titans (54-19). Like the Storm, the Rattlers seem to be getting better every game. Kevin Guy, who came over with the team when they moved from the Arena Football League to the IFL, has a 16-5 regular season head coaching record with the team in its current league. Following this one, the Rattlers are home for games against the Blizzard and the Rapids, then head on the road to face those teams in reverse order in subsequent weeks.
Since taking over early in week 1 when Verlon Reed, Jr. went down to injury, Jeff Ziemba has been largely effective in leading the Rattlers to their 4-1 record. As mentioned above with the team, he has gotten better week by week. Ziemba is completing 56.5 percent of his passes for 120.6 yards per game. While that latter number may seem a bit low, the Rattlers have relied heavily on the running game, led the past three weeks by Shadrach Thornton. However, the rookie from North Carolina St. has been placed on Short Term Injured Reserve. That could put last season's leading rusher, Darrell Monroe, back into the spotlight. Monroe has not played in the past two games and his status with the team has not been clarified, but he is averaging 44.0 yards per game and has 4 touchdowns in his three games this season. The team could turn to the combination of running back Jamal Miles and wide receivers Anthony Amos. Miles averages 4.6 yards per carry, while having caught 15 passes for 120 yards and 4 touchdowns. Amos, another holdover from the AFL days, also has 15 receptions, accumulating 251 yards and 9 touchdowns. Justin Martin's 2.5 sacks lead the team. Ryan Langford and Joshua Gordon each have a pair of sacks. Chris McAllister leads the Rattlers defense with 6 tackles for loss. Arkeith Brown and Allen Chapman each have 2 interceptions, and Chapman comes in with 8 pass break ups. Sawyer Petre is 4 of 9 on his field goal attempts with a long of 41 yards. Three of those misses have come from beyond 30 yards.
The Storm are riding a four-game winning streak following their season-opening loss to the Rattlers. They want to return to the United Bowl and capture the championship which they held for six straight seasons. They are on track on that season-opening loss, and a win over the Rattlers in this game could put them in the drivers' seat in the playoff push. And no, it's not too early to stop examining the playoff picture. Technically, the Rattlers are atop the standings, but that could change should the Storm win. Kurtiss Riggs is in his 16th season as the Storm head coach (overall) and is 114-21 as an IFL head coach. After this one, the Storm host the Titans in week 9 and visit the Danger in week 10. The Storm play five of their last seven games at home.
Lorenzo Brown has solidified himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the IFL. He is a dual threat and is completing 64.8 percent of his passes with 14 passes for 140.8 yards per game and no interceptions. In fact, the Storm are the only IFL team which has yet to throw an interception this season. Brown is averaging 42.2 rushing yards per game. He he an experienced game breaker who can get it done in either scheme. Lyle McCombs takes some pressure off Brown in the running game. He is averaging nearly 4 yards per carry off of 178 yards rushing. He also averages 10.1 yards per receptions. Mike Tatum and Judd Harrold are a formidable receiving corps which has been hit by injuries. It was so bad that backup quarterback Dillon Turner was forced to line up as a receiver for much of the game. The team had released the athletic Brandynn Clark, who had 7 catches for 67 yards and 2 touchdowns. Trey Wafford's 3 pass break ups, fumble recovery and 2.5 tackles for loss go along with is team-leading 30.5 total tackles Chris Martin adds 2 fumble recoveries to his 23.5 total tackles on the seaosn. . Owen Williams anchors a defensive line which has garnered 5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. One of Jabari Gorman's interceptions came last week when he took a tipped pass and returned it into the end zone for a touchdown. . Miles Bergner, the former Colorado Crush kicker, is 6 of 11 on his field goal attempts. His long is of 45 yards and two of his misses have come from beyond 50 yards.
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OTHER IFL GAMES THIS WEEK
April 14 - Nebraska Danger at Iowa Barnstormers; 5:05 p.m. pacific (7:05 p.m. central)
April 15 - Cedar Rapids Titans at Green Bay Blizzard; 1:05 p.m. pacific (3:05 p.m. central)
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