Rattlers could wind up No. 2 or out of IFL playoffs in final weekend of regular season

The Rattlers could wind up as high as the No. 2 seed and hosting next week or completely missing the Indoor Football League playoffs.

There are many scenarios playing out in this final weekend of the regular season.

First, the Rattlers (10-5) need to win at San Antonio (8-7) at 4:05 p.m. Saturday to be assured one of four Western Conference playoff spots.

They won't get to No. 1 because the defending IFL champion Bay Area Panthers (12-3) have clinched that.

But they can get to No. 2 and host a first-round game at Desert Diamond Arena if the Rattlers win, and if the San Diego Strike Force (10-5) loses to Bay Area and if the Vegas Knight Hawks (10-5) lose to the Tucson Sugar Skulls (2-13).

The Rattlers, currently in fourth place, could lose to San Antonio and still get into the playoffs, but only if the Northern Arizona Wranglers lose on Sunday to the Duke City Gladiators (2-13).

The Rattlers hold a one-game lead over NAZ and have beaten the Wranglers (9-6) in both of their regular-season meetings. But the IFL's first tie-breaker is conference record. The Rattlers are 6-5 in conference play, compared to NAZ at 8-6.

The Rattlers have won eight of their last 10 games, but the slow start (2-4) put the Rattlers in this predicament in what has been a season of parity in the Western Conference among the top five teams.

"The way we look at it, we've been in the playoffs for several weeks because we had to win a lot of games to get back into the playoff race," coach Kevin Guy said. "It's part of the game, and we're not going to make excuses. But I like the effort and the focus the players have."

The Rattlers have the hardest task of any of the top five teams in the final weekend, going up against the highest-scoring offense in the league (53.1 points a game) and facing the best-passing quarterback in the league.

Sam Castronova leads the league in passing yards (3,192), touchdown passes (72), completion percentage (68.7) and passing efficiency (188.5).

"Arguably, one of the best quarterbacks in the league," Rattlers safety Dillion Winfrey said. "He gets the ball out on time. He extends plays. Our D-line will have to have pocket discipline. And we'll have to do a great job in the back end, smothering them. We've got our work cut out for us."

The Rattlers' defense has been stronger in the second half of the season, with Winfrey healthy and the experience of linebacker/safety Davontae Merriweather and cornerback Jermaine Doubs showing up. Linebacker Connor Taylor will need to play his best game after the Rattlers lost Trae'varis Ferrell (Achilles) for the season two weeks ago.

Offensively, the Rattlers will need their best game yet from quarterback Dalton Sneed, who led Bay Area to the championship last season.

Sneed, who played high school football at Scottsdale Horizon, is at his best when a season is on the line.

He is fifth in the league in passing with 174.4 yards a game. He has thrown 39 TDs with eight interceptions. Wide receiver Jamal Miles, a strong veteran, is coming off a four-TDs game in a 44-37 win over Tucson.

Sneed will be facing the worst defense in the league, with the Gunslingers giving up 54.9 points a game. He'll have running back Shannon Brooks back to help generate points. Brooks missed the last game due to an injury.

But the Rattlers don't want to get into a shootout with Castronova.

"He's really good," Guy said. "They've got the No. 1 scoring offense in the league. He makes a lot of great throws, puts them in great spots. And they've got a lot of great athletes at receiver and running back."

Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert