PHOENIX-The San Jose Sabercats picked off Arizona's Don Fawcett three times and accumulated six sacks to defeat the Rattlers 30-10 in the AFL season opener for both teams.
San Jose started with the ball and moved downfield swiftly, but the drive was thwarted by Arizona LB Quincey Quasar's interception returned to the Arizona 21. Two plays later, Fawcett uncorked a bomb that was caught by WR Otto Pugh for a 55-yard touchdown to put the Rattlers up 7-0 with 11:11 to go in the first quarter. After the teams traded punts, San Jose moved the ball effectively, going 63 yards on 12 plays, with QB Timmy Carey hitting WR Turk Costigan for a 22-yard touchdown with 2:43 remaining in the first to tie the game at 7-7.
Arizona K Pancho Barrow missed a 50-yard field goal near the end of the first quarter, but forced the Sabercats to punt. However, on the ensuing drive, Fawcett was picked off by San Jose CB Wallace Burden, who returned it all the way to the Rattlers 3. Two plays later, HB Alan Sale punched it in to give San Jose a 14-7 lead with 11:13 remaining in the half. The teams then traded punts through much of the second quarter. Arizona would make a 10-play, 70-yard drive that ended with Barrow making a 33-yard field goal with 50 seconds to go to close the gap to 14-10. But on the ensuing kickoff, Costigan fielded a short kick and returned it all the way to the Rattlers 27-yard line. Five plays later, Sabercats K Ethan Wycoff would kick a 33-yard field goal with 5 seconds left to put San Jose up 17-10 at the half.
The second half began with the teams again trading punts. Fawcett would again be victimized by the Sabercats pass defense, as LB Rod Gaines would pick him off and return it to the Arizona 44. The interception set up another Wycoff field goal, this one from 43 yards, to put San Jose up 20-10 with 6:45 remaining in the third. Arizona would get the ball and drive down the field, but Barrow missed a chance to get the Rattlers within a touchdown when his 46-yard attempt sailed wide. Later in the third, Barrow had another chance to close the gap, but missed a 47-yard field goal.
The fourth quarter saw San Jose rely on their running game, and their pass defense to put it away. An 11-play, 67-yard drive saw Wycoff make his third field goal, a 25-yarder to put the Sabercats up 23-10 with 2:57 to go in the game. CB Russ Bird picked off a desperation pass from Fawcett, and San Jose drove 41 yards on 7 plays, ending with a Vince Saxon 13-yard run with 19 seconds left to put the exclamation point on San Jose's 30-10 victory.
Offensively, San Jose gained 257 yards of total offense. The Sabercats gained 131 yards rushing, with Sale leading the way (16 carries, 56 yards, TD). Saxon gained 40 yards on 7 carries with his TD. Carey went 16-for-31 passing with 153 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked 5 times, losing 27 yards. TE Festus Blanks led the Sabercats receivers with 6 catches for 60 yards. Costigan caught 4 passes for 47 yards and a TD.
Arizona gained 312 yards of total offense. Rushing wise, the Rattlers managed 74 yards on 18 carries, Melvin Jones led the team with 39 yards on 9 carries. Fawcett went 18-for-36 for 291 yards, 1 TD and 3 INT. He was sacked 6 times, losing 53 yards. Pugh led Arizona receivers with 5 catches for 96 yards and a TD.
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