PHOENIX — Danny White's return to coach against the team he led for 13 years wasn't as emotional as one might have anticipated.
"The only emotion I feel right now is disappointment," said the Utah Blaze coach after his team lost 45-38 Saturday night to the Arizona Rattlers in front of 11,206 fans in "the Snake Pit," as they call US Airways Center during Rattlers games.
It was Utah's third consecutive loss. After an impressive road win in San Jose in the franchise's opener, the 1-3 Blaze are looking every bit like the Arena Football League expansion team that they are.
Arizona, meanwhile, earned its first-ever win under coach Gene Nudo, as the Rattlers improved to 1-3.
"All I heard all week was how (the Rattlers) were struggling down here," White said. "I think our guys started to believe it and we came down here and got our butts kicked. They pretty much beat us in every phase of the game."
One week after giving up 12 touchdowns and 84 points in a loss to the New York Dragons, the Blaze defense played reasonably well. Unlike the previous week, however, Utah's offense wasn't clicking on all cylinders.
"It hurts to lose this game," said Blaze quarterback Joe Germaine, one of the nine former Rattlers on the Blaze roster. "They wanted this game as much as we did since they really needed a win . . . Today we took a step backward."
One week after throwing 10 touchdown passes, Germaine managed just two TDs Saturday night — and one of those was a meaningless score on the last play of the game.
"I need to play a lot better than I did tonight for us to have a chance to win," said Germaine, who finished with 273 yards passing on 21-of-37 with an interception. He was sacked twice and hurried on numerous other occasions.
"They scored 80 points last week and they've looked good," said Nudo of the Blaze. "We know their receivers and we know that Joe is a great quarterback. Our guys did a good job of trying to control their offense."
Sherdrick Bonner, an Arena Football League legend now in his 14th year with the Rattlers, threw for 315 yards and five touchdowns. His favorite receiver was Damien Groce, who caught 11 passes for 194 yards and four scores.
Even with Bonner's big numbers, the Blaze defense was vastly improved over the previous week. Utah actually held the Rattlers scoreless in the third quarter — their first shutout quarter since the season-opening win over San Jose. Utah trailed 28-21 at the half, but tied the score, 28-28, on a one-yard run by rookie Craig Kobel and Steve Videtich's extra point with 3:20 to play in the third.
Utah's defense held Arizona to a field goal early in the fourth quarter, giving the Blaze a chance to take the lead. The Blaze appeared to be poised to do just that, but a 31-yard pass from Germaine to Tom Pace was nullified by a holding penalty and two plays later Utah turned the ball over on downs.
Bonner then hit Groce for a 19-yard score with 6:37 to play to give the Rattlers a 38-28 lead.
"The defense did a great job. They got some stops for us," said Germaine. "Offensively we didn't get the job done and score. We've got to find a way to put it together."
Utah pulled to within a touchdown once again when Videtich hit a 35-yard field goal with 1:19 to play, but his ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Rattlers. Arizona promptly scored with 51 seconds remaining to go up 45-31 and the Blaze were headed for a third straight loss.
"We just didn't match their effort," said White.
It didn't take the Blaze long to do something they didn't do a single time a week ago in their 84-81 loss to the Dragons — namely get a defensive stop. Arizona took the opening kickoff, but Bonner was picked off by Utah's Tom Pace on his second pass attempt. The Blaze converted the turnover into a six-yard touchdown run by Kevin Clemens for a 7-0 lead with 11:48 to play in the opening quarter.
The Rattlers tied the game on a scoring run of their own three minutes later, but the Blaze ended the scoring in the first quarter with a Germaine keeper from 1-yard out to give Utah a 14-7 lead.
The Rattlers knotted the score early in the second quarter on a short Bonner TD pass and then took a 21-14 lead on another Bonner strike following a Germaine interception off the back net in the end zone. Utah knotted the score on a 36-yard bomb from Germaine to Siaha Burley, but the Rattlers scored last in the half on a 16-yard pass from Bonner to Randy Gatewood to give them a 28-21 lead at intermission.
Burley finished the game with seven catches for 140 yards and two scores. He now has 12 TDs in four games for Utah.
Utah will try to end their losing streak next Saturday night on the road against the Los Angeles Avengers.
BLAZE BRIEFS: Hunkie Cooper, Utah's offensive coordinator, has his number hanging from the rafters at US Airways Center — the building formerly known as America West Arena — for his record-setting 13-year career as a player for the Rattlers. His No. 14 is the only number to be retired in the franchise's 15-year history . . . Defensive specialist Kelvin Hunter sat out for the second straight game after being injured early Utah's loss to Dallas. He was joined on the inactive list by former Ute lineman Garrett Smith, FB/LB Chris Robinson and lineman Bernard Holsey . . . Ex-Ute Clarence Lawson was a starting defensive specialist for the Rattlers. Lawson is in his fourth year in Arizona and his eighth season in the AFL. Arizona lineman Zach Rupp played high school football at Pleasant Grove before going to Dixie State and New Mexico.
E-mail: lojo@desnews.com