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SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Blaze (6-4) dropped a divisional matchup to the Arizona Rattlers (7-3), 86-70, in front of a crowd of 10,149 on Tim Dahle Field at EnergySolutions Arena. Despite another impressive offensive performance, turnovers proved to be too much for the Blaze to overcome.
QB Tommy Grady finished the night throwing for 428 yards - the second-highest single-game total in the AFL this season - and nine touchdowns, but tossed four interceptions and lost a fumble. WR Aaron Lesue hauled in nine passes for 160 yards and six touchdowns, while WR Tysson Poots snared 12 balls for 201 yards and two scores.
Utah took the opening possession and drove inside opponent territory before Rattlers DL Marcus Pittman knocked the ball free from Grady's grasp. DL Cliff Dukes recovered for Arizona, who converted the turnover into points off a seven-yard touchdown pass from QB Nick Davila to WR Kerry Reed.
On the next Blaze drive, Grady was intercepted by DB Arkeith Brown, who returned the ball 32 yards into Utah territory. Four plays later, Davila found WR Trandon Harvey to take a 14-0 lead.
Despite the slow start, Utah battled back to bring the game within a score after WR Alvance Robinson returned a kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown to make it 41-34. However, the Rattlers were able to get the final word before the half, booting a 25-yard field goal to maintain a two-score lead at the midway point.
Arizona received the opening kickoff of the third quarter and drove 48 yards in two plays off of two catches by WR Maurice Purify, including a two-yard touchdown. The Blaze responded with a 15-yard touchdown toss from Grady to Lesue, but the Rattlers would score two unanswered touchdowns to maintain a 24-point advantage. The teams traded scores from that point with Utah getting the final touchdown off a nine-yard pass to Lesue to make it 86-70.
