Outlaws expect to make leap with first-game anxiety gone

It wasn’t the debut anyone associated with the team wanted, but there’s no doubt that Monday was a learning experience for the Las Vegas Outlaws’ franchise.

On the field, the Outlaws showed they can play in the Arena Football League, moving the ball consistently in a 59-41 loss to the San Jose SaberCats, one of the AFL’s most storied franchises.

It took awhile for the team to find a rhythm as it trailed 28-0 in the second quarter. But the Outlaws’ play in the second half was far superior to their effort in the first 30 minutes. After trailing 35-13 at halftime, they outscored the SaberCats 28-24 in the second half.

“The thing is, that was our first time in the arena together,” Outlaws coach Aaron Garcia said. “Some of the younger guys had never seen the walls, the nets and the crowd. Now that they’ve been through it once, I think it’ll help everyone get more comfortable.

“If you saw the way we played in the second half compared to the first half, you saw a big improvement. The guys know we have a good football team. We just have to start faster than we did Monday.”

Things figure to go smoother tonight when the Outlaws meet the Arizona Rattlers, the three-time defending ArenaBowl champions, at 7:30 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“I tell our guys we’re not competing against Arizona, we’re competing against ourselves,” Garcia said. “It’s all about improving every day, every game. We want to stick with this group that we have and build their confidence.”

The Rattlers, led by quarterback Nick Davila, who threw for 246 yards and four touchdowns, opened defense of their title with a 60-43 win over Spokane.

By comparison, Outlaws quarterback J.J. Raterink’s numbers against San Jose were 241 yards on 21 of 42 passing, four touchdowns and an interception. He also fumbled three times and was sacked once.

“We can’t have that many negative plays from our quarterback,” Garcia said. “In this sport, timing is so important. We’ve got to get the ball out quickly and on time to the right people when they’re open.”

There were minor glitches on opening night with the scoreboard, and workers were scrambling to get the field ready to make the 7:30 p.m. kickoff. But in the stands, the 6,564 fans who showed up at the Thomas & Mack Center to welcome back the sport in its third attempt to make it in Las Vegas were enthusiastic and appeared to be having a good time.

Not everyone came away 100 percent happy, however. Some fans who had vouchers for free seats couldn’t redeem them and get in because the Outlaws had run out of tickets. Others had obstructed view seats in the balcony that didn’t allow them a clear look at the field.

How many will return tonight? Garcia hopes the fans will remember the Outlaws’ second-half performance and give the team another chance.

“I thought our crowd was great,” he said. “They were into it once we gave them something to cheer about.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.