TUCSON — Arizona Rattlers lost its first game this past Saturday against the Tucson Sugar Skulls in the biggest upset of the season, with the team not working as a unit as it had the previous four games.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Snakes are a dominant team, there’s no question. They’re the reigning IFL Champions, went 4-0 to start the season before Saturday and both sides of the ball were tough to keep down. However, the past two games showed some of the Rattlers’ vulnerabilities.
Arizona Rattlers’ defensive man Aiava Lealaimatafao tackles Tucson Sugar Skulls’ quarterback Jorge Reyna on May 3, 2025 – Credits – Darryl Webb/Arizona Rattlers
Defensive struggles
The Rattlers’ defense couldn’t keep the Sugar Skulls off the board after the first quarter. Penalties hit the team hard, with two key ones that helped Tucson catch up in the last half of the game. With the defense struggling in kickoff returns last week, the team needs to rally together to find a solution. The defense on a team wins games as much as the offense does.
Explosive offense no more
Arizona had its lowest-scoring game this season so far, only putting up 35 points and getting shutout in the fourth quarter. The offense is the driving point of the team, with quarterback Dalton Sneed looking to always get the ball moving up in the air. The offensive line needs to give Sneed time to set himself, especially in late quarters.
Arizona Rattlers’ quarterback Dalton Sneed throws for a play against the Tucson Sugar Skulls on May 3, 2025 – Credits – Darryl Webb/Arizona Rattlers
What needs to be done?
There’s no need to hit the panic button just yet. Great teams lose, it’s a part of sports. However, great teams also find what’s not working and find solutions quickly. Players from both sides of the ball just need to figure out the trend and work through it. Arizona is a great team and hopefully, this loss gets them back on track and continue to play great football.
Arizona heads back home to get another winning streak going as it hosts the Bay Area Panthers on Saturday, May 10 at 6:05 p.m.
We’ve got another exciting home game this Saturday, May 10th in the Desert Diamond Arena???? Kick off is 6:05PM!
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— Arizona Rattlers (@ArizonaRattlers) May 7, 2025
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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde
Rattlers stumble late as Sugar Skulls seal shocking comeback win in Tucson
