Bobby Lewis
OKBlitz.com Mobile Journalist
TULSA, Oklahoma – Nothing was going right for the Tulsa Talons in Alabama a week ago. The team was shutout in the first quarter and looked destined to slide to 8-6 on the season. But, thanks to a furious second half push , Tulsa pulled away for a 61-48 win.
“The game didn’t start very well for us in Alabama,” admitted head coach Mitch Allner. “The thing I liked was there was never any panic. There was never any time when our guys were hanging their heads.”
The win clinched a playoff berth for the Talons (9-5), who are just one game behind Jacksonville and Tampa Bay for the top record in the American Conference.
This week, the team will raise the stakes against the snakes. Against the Arizona Rattlers in Week 3, the Talons were snake-bitten with no time remaining. In just 19 seconds, Arizona went 46 yards in three plays and won the game on a Nick Davila touchdown pass to Rod Winsor. The Rattlers edged the Talons, 77-76.
The loss still stings.
“Arizona’s a good football team,” said Allner. “They’re a team that’s already qualified for the playoffs in their conference and they’re still fighting for their seeding right now.”
The Rattlers come calling again this weekend, this time at the BOK Center. Both teams enter round two with 9-5 records.
“We know going in that the best teams going into the playoffs are the teams that perform the best in the playoffs,” said Talons defensive back Chris Royal. “We expect one of our biggest challenges (this week). It’s going to be a pretty good test.”
In their first meeting of the year, both quarterbacks lit up the opposing defense. Tulsa quarterback Justin Allgood completed 29-of-40 passes, finishing with 150 yards through the air. That included 10 touchdowns and one interception. Davila countered with 413 yards and eight touchdowns.
“We have three completely different guys in the secondary from when we played them earlier this year,” Allner pointed out. “The main thing is getting after their quarterback and protecting Justin.”
And Allner admits, payback would be sweet.
“It’s a game we’re really looking forward to.”
The game is the final home contest of the regular season for Tulsa. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
