Tired Avengers Prevail Easily

Playing their third game in 15 days, the Avengers looked ragged Friday night against the Buffalo Destroyers.

It hardly mattered against a Buffalo team that was inept on offense.

The Avengers cruised to a 65-14 victory before 11,410 at Staples Center, establishing franchise records for fewest points allowed and largest winning margin.

“They’re struggling a little bit offensively,” Avenger Coach Ed Hodgkiss said of the Destroyers, who fell 21 points below their scoring average, which is second worst in the league.

Avenger quarterback Tony Graziani completed only 13 of 29 passes for 160 yards and six touchdowns as the Avengers (9-3) rebounded from last Sunday’s overtime loss to Arizona.

Offensive specialist Chris Jackson caught six passes for 63 yards and five touchdowns. The Avengers had limited Indiana to a franchise-record 20 points on March 16. The previous Avenger record for margin of victory was 30 points, set in a 62-32 victory over Carolina last season.

Buffalo quarterback Kevin Mason, making his first start since June 14, 2000, completed only one of nine passes for three yards with two interceptions. He suffered a neck strain early in the second quarter when he ran headfirst into the sideline wall trying to stop Avenger defensive specialist Cornelius Coe from returning an interception.

Chris Sanders replaced Mason and completed only 12 of 33 passes for 127 yards.

The Destroyers (4-8) were on the verge of being shut out in the first half when Sanders completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jason Collins-Baker with 16 seconds left in the second quarter to make the score 35-6.

The Avengers play three of their final four regular-season games on the road, including next Sunday’s game at Dallas and the season finale against defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose.

“We realize that the last quarter of the season is definitely going to be the toughest,” Hodgkiss said. “But we put ourselves in good position for the playoffs, so we’re looking forward to this challenge in the final four games.”

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Tyronne Jones caught nine passes for 91 yards and two touchdowns as the Georgia Force routed the Carolina Cobras, 59-19, before 6,138 at Charlotte, N.C.

Leon Murray completed 22 of 32 passes for 221 yards and six touchdowns for the Force (7-5), which ended a three-game losing streak. Bernard Holmes had 413 all-purpose yards to set a team record for the Cobras (0-12). Holmes had 216 yards in kickoff returns and returned two missed field goals for 72 yards.

Associated Press contributed to this report.