Avengers Hurting All Over

The Avengers’ drive for their first Arena League playoff berth took a detour Saturday with a 40-27 loss to the Nashville Kats before 8,752 in their final home game at Staples Center.

But the biggest losses were not reflected on the scoreboard.

Receiver Chris Jackson could be out the rest of the season after he suffered a possible broken left ankle. Reserve quarterback Tony Graziani, who replaced an ineffective Todd Marinovich with one play left in the first half, injured the medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

Further medical evaluations of Jackson, who caught four passes for 44 yards and a touchdown, and Graziani, who completed 12 of 20 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns, are expected today.

“As of right now I don’t expect either one for next week’s game against Carolina,” Avenger Coach Robert Lyles said.

Trailing, 7-0, after one quarter, the Kats (9-4) scored 31 unanswered points in the second quarter and went on to their second win over the Avengers (5-7) this season.

Marinovich (six of 21 for 75 yards), who was bothered by a sore left elbow, melted under a fierce rush and was intercepted four times in the first half. Two were returned for touchdowns by Nashville defensive backs Cliff Green (15 yards) and Cory Fleming (38 yards).

Before getting hurt, Graziani threw touchdown passes to Darren Hughes and Travis Hannah. After Graziani left the game with less than two minutes to play, Shannon Culver, a receiver, became the team’s emergency quarterback.

Culver threw the Avengers’ final touchdown pass to Hannah, who caught 10 passes for 127 yards.

To secure a playoff berth the Avengers, who began the game as the 11th-seeded team, will probably have to win at least one of their final road games against Carolina and Oklahoma.