The San Diego Strike Force will look to turn a page on the young 2022 season as they head into Tucson with a record of 0-3. This will be the second game of a four-game road trip, and the second of three straight games in the state of Arizona. Tucson currently holds a record of 1-1 on the season. Historically, these two teams have faced each other two times in 2019. Tucson won both of those games, scoring over 60 points.

Keys to the Game:

Brick by Brick

Although three games is not a large sample size, the Strike Force do have some things they can build off of. The offense has shown that they can make plays downfield in the passing game. They gained some momentum as a unit in the second half of last week's game against the Wranglers and showed they can move the ball down the field when they get into a rhythm. They also have a group of receivers who can rip off big catch-and-runs at any moment. Marques Rodgers has led the receiving core and is a top-ten receiver in the league statistically. Running back Davonte Sapp-Lynch has also stayed consistently productive, averaging 5.5 yards per carry (4th in the IFL) and 52.5 rushing yards per game (best in the IFL). He's rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns on 19 total attempts, which statistically makes him a top-running back in the league. San Diego has the pieces to win, they're just trying to figure out how those prices best fit together, which can be a tough task for a brand new team. Tucson has allowed 39 and 56 points in their first two games, so this should be a good opportunity for the Strike Force offense to really get the ball rolling.

Be Disruptive 

San Diego's defense has been at their best when they've been able to get in the backfield and blow plays up. Defensive lineman DeShon Cooper has been a catalyst for disruption so far this season, tallying up 5 total tackles-for-loss (tied for second in the league). Linebackers Malik Lawal and Ricky Wyatt have also done a nice job of getting into the backfield and applying pressure, especially against the run game. San Diego will once again have to face a dangerous quarterback this week, as they'll be going up against Sugar Skulls gun-slinger Daquan Neal. Neal currently leads the league in total passing yards, passing touchdowns, and average passing yards per game. He is also second in the league in quarterback efficiency rating and third in completion percentage. He has thrown no interceptions this season. In short, Neal is tough to stop. However, he is one dimensional, which is something the Strike Force can take advantage of. Tucson does not have a particularly strong run game, which means they rely heavily on Neal's offensive production to score points. San Diego has the defensive backs to counter that, and Tucson's pass heavy style of play should allow the defensive line to mainly focus on getting after Neal. 

Take Advantage of Penalties and Time of Possession  

The Strike Force are among the league's leaders in yards gained by penalty this season, as well as time of possession. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to capitalize as often as they would like. Out of their 17 trips to the red zone this season, only nine of those have resulted in points. Tucson has committed more penalties than any other team in the league, which means San Diego will likely have more opportunities to close out some long drives with points. 

The Strike Force will battle the Sugar Skulls at 6:05 PM Pacific Time on Saturday, April 9th. The game will be streamed on the IFL's YouTube channel.