Arizona Rattlers (4-12 in 2007, missed playoffs)
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Once upon a time, the Arizona Rattlers were one of the proudest franchises in the Arena Football League. However, 2007 wasn’t kind to Arizona as they finished just 4-12 SU on the campaign, missing the playoffs for only the third time in team history.

2007 Highlight: In Week 8, the Rattlers traveled to Utah to face the Blaze. In what proved to be one of the best games of his illustrious career, QB Sherdrick Bonner tossed 9 TD passes in just 19 attempts, leading Arizona to an 83-69 victory. The 83 points was the most points scored in franchise history.

2007 Lowlight: The final game of the season for Arizona was a complete disaster. With Bonner sitting on the sidelines for what would be his last game as a Rattler, the rival San Jose Sabercats provided one of the most lopsided games in team history. Arizona was outscored by 39-points over the final three quarters, with the final tally being 66-26 in favor of the eventual champions.

Key acquisition: WR Siaha Burley (166 catches, 2129 yards, 49 TDs for Utah in 2007). Burley is widely known as one of the best receivers in the AFL. He returns to Arizona from his two years with the Blaze, and looks to add a 4th straight 40+ TD season for the Rattlers in 2008.

Key loss: QB Sherdrick Bonner (4033 yards, 63.3% completions, 83/13 TD/INT ratio in 2007). Bonner has been the face of the Rattlers for well over a decade. His final game with the team was in Week 14 last season. Replacing a legend is a tough task for anyone, but with some combination of Jeff Smoker and Lang Campbell stepping into the mix, the situation is even stickier.

2008 Preview: Arizona absolutely has to be an improved team from a year ago. There’s no way that a team with Siaha Burley and Kevin Nickerson as their receivers is going to only win four games. Former Sabercats defensive coordinator, Kevin Guy, has replaced Head Coach Gene Nudo.

2008 will be a success if… the Rattlers make the playoffs. In the American Conference, only two teams fail to make the second season. There’s some added pressure to this task though, as if the Rattlers do not make the playoffs, the team has guaranteed that they will fully refund all of their season ticket holders.

Though the Rattlers are improved from a season ago, they don’t have Las Vegas in their division any longer to kick around. The schedule is harder this year, and despite being an improved team, a winning season is still nowhere in sight. The saving grace for the organization is that the American Conference is weak, so the Rattlers should find their way to the playoffs, but will likely be forced into a quick exit.

Prediction: 6-10, 4th place Western Division

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