Richard Obert

azcentral sports

Rattlers have allowed only 3 sacks in 12 games, and none in past 10.

Davila's durability is owed in large part to protection from the line.

The Rattlers lost starting center Jeff Maddux in mid-May with a knee injury. They've started two rookies on the offensive line, not to mention rookie fullback Alex Singleton. And they're given up a league-stingiest three sacks in 12 games.

Quarterback Nick Davila, dealing with family stuff in Southern California all season, hasn't been able to have his linemen over for dinner as much as seasons past.

If he were, the linemen would be enjoying weekly feasts.

Davila has not been sacked in 10 games, a reason why the Rattlers have scored 105 offensive touchdowns – the most in the Arena Football League.

It also is a reason why Davila has stayed off the injured reserve list since his Rattlers career began in 2010, won the MVP award in 2011 and is on pace for another this season, completing nearly 69 percent of his passes with 89 touchdowns.

"Nick has been doing a great job of hitting that read and getting the ball out," said assistant head coach Kani Kauahi, who works with the offensive linemen. "And the guys up front, for the most part, have been protecting well."

In the past 10 weeks, coach Kevin Guy and Kauahi can look at only one game when protection broke down. That was two weeks ago in a 51-42 win over the San Jose SaberCats. In that game, the coaches counted five protection breakdowns, which led to quarterbacks Jason Murrietta (who played the first half) and Davila getting hit 13 times.

The line bounced back last week in a 70-59 win at Portland, allowing only three hits on Davila, who fired eight touchdown passes.

"There were no protection breakdowns," Kauahi said. "So what is it, physical or mental? It's mental. You execute the teachings out there, and it gives the team a chance to be successful."

Michael Huey, 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, an All-Arena selection in his rookie season last year, has been the mainstay of the line. He moved over to center after Maddux injured his knee in Portland on May 11. Maddux, who is in his first season with the Rattlers after starting for Chicago last season, has been ahead in his rehab and feels he will be ready by the time the playoff start.

After the Maddux injury, the Rattlers brought in Sherman Carter to play center. Carter, 6-3, 310, has been a rock solid piece to the protection.

"I think Sherman is playing awesome," Guy said. "There are always little things you can get better at, but I think he's the future of the team."

The Rattlers were able to get Carter a day after he was released by the NFL Detroit Lions in May. Guy immediately plugged Carter in at center.

"I love football," Carter said. "To see a guy go down, a guy who is a great leader, it's hard. For me to step in and maintain the protection for the quarterback, it feels great. We've allowed the least amount of sacks. We love what we're doing. We just want to keep getting better every week."

Keith Williams, 6-5, 330, a rookie who played at Nebraska, has also played well, trading spots at times with veteran Cornelius Dixon, 6-6, 345.

"I think we all bought in to be great," Williams said. "We come in every day to put our work in to try to put a good product out on the field."