Knight Hawks lose as offense stalls in 2nd half
The Knight Hawks’ offense stalled in the second half of a 48-39 loss to the Tucson Sugar Skulls on Sunday at The Dollar Loan Center.
Vegas (1-1) was limited to 66 yards of offense in the second half after accumulating 147 yards and averaging 7.7 yards per play in the first half of the Indoor Football League game.
Knight Hawks coach Mike Davis said he liked the offensive improvements from the first game, but added that his team is making too many mental mistakes.
“We had guys running wide open or running the wrong routes. We couldn’t get all eight guys clicking at the same time,” Davis said.
Trailing 35-33 late in the third quarter, Vegas elected to keep its offense on the field on fourth-and-3 from the Sugar Skulls’ 18-yard line. But quarterback Jaylon Henderson’s pass was out of reach for an open Kasey Allison.
On the ensuing Tucson drive, quarterback Daquan Neal found Carrington Thomas for a 24-yard touchdown pass that extended the Sugar Skulls’ lead to 41-33.
Vegas responded when Henderson hit running back Elad Covaliu for a 4-yard TD pass, but Nate Criswell missed the extra point, one of three he failed to convert. He also missed a 21-yard field-goal attempt at the end of the first half.
Neal put the game out of reach for Tucson (1-0) with less than two minutes left when he found Arthur Jackson for a 5-yard TD pass to cap a drive of 6:38.
Both teams traded touchdowns on the first four possessions. Henderson connected with wide receiver KD Cannon in the first quarter for two touchdowns. Two more TD passes from Henderson gave Vegas a 26-20 halftime lead.
Henderson finished 18 of 32 for six touchdowns and 189 yards, but was limited to 73 yards in the second half.
Neal was 8-for-8 with three of his four TD passes in the second half.
Davis said he stressed to his players that there are lessons to learn in early-season games of the team’s first season.
“We’re getting better,” he said. “If we continue with that attitude day by day, come playoff time we’ll be ready to roll.”
After two home games to start the season, the Knight Hawks play April 4 at the Bay Area Panthers.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on Twitter.
