Avengers Back Into Playoffs

The Avengers qualified for the Arena Football League playoffs on Sunday, but there was no celebrating at Staples Center.

Jason Wells, who signed a contract with the Orlando Predators during the team’s pre-game breakfast, kicked a 30-yard field goal as time expired to give the Predators a 52-50 victory over the Avengers in a regular-season finale in front of a crowd of 11,508.

The loss dropped the Avengers’ record to 9-7 -- and almost kept them out of the postseason for the first time in three seasons.

It took a New Orleans victory over Austin for the Avengers to claim the final spot in the eight-team playoffs. The Avengers play top-seeded Arizona (11-5) next Sunday at Phoenix.

“The bottom line is that we’re in,” said Avenger quarterback Tony Graziani, who passed for five touchdowns against Orlando and finished the season with 99. “It doesn’t matter if you’re 9-7 or 16-0.”

The Avengers defeated Arizona, 51-32, in the season opener on the road, and lost to the Rattlers, 43-38, at Staples Center on May 1.

Last year, the Rattlers defeated the Avengers, 70-63, in a first-round playoff game at Staples Center.

“We know everything about them, and they know everything about us,” said Avenger defensive specialist Damen Wheeler, who returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown on Sunday.

Orlando (10-6), which has won four games in row and seven of its last eight, is the sixth-seeded team. The Predators play third-seeded Chicago (11-5) on the road next Sunday.

Seventh-seeded Tampa Bay (9-7) plays at second-seeded San Jose (11-5) on Saturday, and fifth-seeded Colorado (11-5) plays at fourth-seeded New Orleans (11-5) on Sunday in the other first-round games.

Orlando rallied in the final minute to defeat the Avengers.

The Predators led, 49-44, with 39 seconds left after quarterback Joe Hamilton culminated a nine-play drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Cory Fleming.

The Avengers went ahead, 50-49, on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Graziani to offensive specialist Chris Jackson with 26 seconds left, but Graziani’s pass to Jackson on a two-point conversion attempt fell incomplete.

Anthony Bright returned the ensuing kickoff to the Predators’ 11, and then caught a 19-yard pass from Hamilton to give Orlando a first down at the Avenger 20 with 14 seconds to go. After an incomplete pass, Hamilton connected with Fleming for five yards, bringing on Wells for the game-winning kick.

Wells, a four-year AFL veteran released by Dallas on April 23, said Orlando contacted him Thursday night to see whether he could replace the injured Jay Taylor.

“It’s kind of tough when you’ve never worked with the guy that is going to hold for you,” said Wells, who had kicked a 21-yard field goal in the first quarter, but missed two extra-point attempts. “On that last one, I was thinking, ‘Just like practice. Right down the middle.’ ”

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Sherdrick Bonner threw three second-half touchdown passes, and the visiting Arizona Rattlers (11-5) overcame a 20-point deficit, beating the San Jose SaberCats (11-5), 50-43, and claiming the top seeding in the playoffs. ... Shane Stafford threw for seven touchdowns to help the Tampa Bay Storm (9-7) clinch a playoff spot with a 59-51 victory over the host Dallas Desperados (6-10). ... John Fitzgerald threw three touchdown passes, and the New Orleans defense shut out Austin over the final 32 minutes to defeat the visiting Wranglers (8-8), 38-21, and clinch the Southern Division title for the VooDoo (11-5).