Road-weary players are ready for a home game

The Avengers began the season looking to return to the playoffs after missing the cut last year. With nine games remaining, that goal is still attainable -- but only if the Avengers can find a way to become more consistent.

Since winning two straight after losing their opener, the Avengers have lost three of their last four entering tonight’s game against Grand Rapids (2-5) at Staples Center.

“We’re so unpredictable,” safety Damen Wheeler said. “We can be terrible or really good. I think people do see us as the sleeper team in the league.”

A major source of the Avengers’ problems has been a schedule with five of their first seven games on the road -- when teams travel in the Arena Football League, it’s commercial planes, not chartered jets.

“I’m just so tired of being on the road,” Wheeler said. It was tough even before the season began. A monthlong training camp in San Jacinto included two preseason scrimmages on the road.

“I never traveled so much in my life,” Wheeler said. “It’s been really rough.”

The Avengers, who will play five of the final seven games at home, have hurt themselves with turnovers; they have 14 in five road games.

In last week’s 73-49 loss at San Jose, quarterback Sonny Cumbie had three passes intercepted after having only two intercepted in the first six games.

“We also haven’t caught any breaks,” Wheeler said. “Like when we kick the ball and it hits iron, it bounces into the crowd. But when it happens to other teams, the ball ends up back on the field. Stuff like that has hurt us.

“We know we’re not out of the picture. ... Most of the final games on the schedule are at home, but we know that we have to start winning.”

*

TONIGHT

vs. Grand Rapids

7:30, FSN Prime Ticket

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570, 1220.

Records -- Avengers 3-4, Rampage 2-5.

Record vs. Rampage (2006) -- 0-1.

Update -- Kevin Ingram leads the Avengers with 62 pass receptions, 915 all-purpose yards, 18 touchdowns and 108 points. Grand Rapids quarterback Chad Salisbury has passed for 800 yards and 17 touchdowns with three interceptions.

Tickets -- 1-888-AVENGERS

lonnie.white@latimes.com