Avengers Lethargic in Loss to Force

No Avenger players were among the thousands of runners who made their way past Staples Center during the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday.

But the Avengers played the Georgia Force with all the energy of a team that barely survived a 26.2-mile morning run.

The result was a listless 46-35 loss before an announced crowd of 12,728, the Avengers’ second consecutive loss after starting the season with three wins.

The Avengers (3-2), who were averaging 61.2 points, were held to their lowest point total of the season. Their season-low 232 yards were 69 below their average.

“It just seemed like nobody was into it,” said Avenger quarterback Tony Graziani, who completed only 19 of 37 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns, with two fourth-quarter interceptions. “I don’t know why, or what the deal was with what was going on. It seemed like everybody was flat.”

Just as he was last week in a loss at Chicago, Graziani was flat on his back several times because of breakdowns in protection.

The Avengers were handicapped Sunday when fullback Mathias Vavao suffered a dislocated rib and tight end Tony Plantin’s back stiffened, both during pregame warmups. Neither played.

“We had two guys go down in pregame stretch -- that’s the first time that’s ever happened to me,” Avenger Coach Ed Hodgkiss said. “I think maybe we were thinking about that too much rather than the game itself.”

The Avengers missed Vavao’s blocking and ball-carrying. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound fullback has scored five short rushing touchdowns, and the Avengers could have used him in several situations near the goal line.

“I was taking some snaps during pregame and I turned and felt a whole movement in my side,” Vavao said. “I thought maybe it was some scar tissue but then they took X-rays showing the rib and the pain started to set in.”

The Avengers trailed, 21-14, at halftime, but pulled even on the first series of the second half on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Graziani to offensive specialist Chris Jackson.

The Force (3-2) promptly answered with a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Donnie Davis to Markeith Cooper for a 28-21 lead. Davis finished 26 of 37 for 272 yards and five touchdowns, without an interception.

The next three Avenger possessions ended with an interception, an incomplete pass and another interception. Meanwhile, the Force scored two touchdowns and added a 49-yard field goal by Steve McLaughlin for a 43-21 lead with 6:05 left.

The Avengers pulled to 43-27 on Graziani’s four-yard touchdown pass to Greg Hopkins with 53 seconds left, but the Force recovered the ensuing onside kick and got another field goal by McLaughlin.

Hopkins said the Avengers need an attitude adjustment.

“We played with no enthusiasm and a poor attitude today,” Hopkins said. “A lot of us seem to think our talent is going to carry us through games like this because on paper we’re a better team. You can’t do that in this league, and we found that out the last two weeks.”

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OTHER GAMES

Tampa Bay 62, Detroit 60 -- Freddie Solomon scored four touchdowns and the Storm withstood a 29-point fourth quarter by the Fury to win before 15,434 at Tampa, Fla.

Colorado 38, Indiana 35 -- John Dutton threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Davidson with 49 seconds left before 11,096 at Indianapolis.

Dallas 65, Arizona 64 -- The Desperados scored touchdowns on their first eight possessions en route an overtime victory before 12,972 at Phoenix.

Orlando 72, New York 56 -- Quarterback Connell Maynor, subbing for the injured Jay Gruden, tied a franchise record with eight touchdown passes as Predators rolled to victory before 11,216 at Uniondale, N.Y.

San Jose 72, Las Vegas 37 -- Mark Greib passed for four touchdowns and the SaberCats took advantage of four turnovers to rout the Gladiators before 12,521 at Las Vegas.