Avengers Humbled by Storm

The Avengers told themselves all last week how the playoffs are different from the regular season. But Tampa Bay drove home the point along with several others Saturday.

The Storm, which crawled into the Arena Football League postseason as the 12th and last-seeded team, knocked out the fifth-seeded Avengers with a convincing 66-41 first-round victory before 9,203 at Staples Center.

Tampa Bay (7-8), which lost, 38-24, to the Avengers during the regular season, advanced to next week’s quarterfinal game against top-seeded San Jose, becoming the lowest-seeded team ever to advance in the Arena playoffs.

Quarterback Shane Stafford completed 22 of 28 passes for 298 yards, and threw seven touchdowns and one interception. When his receivers--led by Calvin Schexnayder, who had seven catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns--weren’t wide open, they were breaking tackles. In total yardage, Tampa Bay outgained the Avengers, 329-239.

The Storm defense gave up 245 passing yards and six touchdown passes to Avenger quarterback Tony Graziani. But Graziani was intercepted three times--twice in the end zone--sacked twice, and hounded by the Storm pass rush.

The victory also kept alive a remarkable streak. Tampa Bay is 34-0 when scoring 60 or more points.

A season of giant strides, including the franchise’s first winning season in its three years, ended in an afternoon of missteps for the Avengers (8-7). Along with the interceptions and sacks suffered by the offense, the Avengers never were able to pressure the Storm defensively. Stafford was sacked twice and lost a fumble, but mostly he was well protected by his offensive line and had plenty of time to throw.

Avenger Coach Ed Hodgkiss was disappointed with the loss but did not want his team to go into the off-season feeling like a failure.

“This program has turned a corner,” he said. “We are now a winning franchise and we have playoff experience now.”

Offensive specialist Chris Jackson, who caught eight passes for 96 yards and three touchdowns, said the Avengers learned a painful lesson.

“This is a game of momentum, unlike the NFL, which is a game of position,” Jackson said. “One play can turn the entire game around. And for us, it was an uphill battle.”

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In another playoff game, Andy Kelly threw seven touchdown passes as the Dallas Desperados defeated the visiting Indiana Firebirds, 47-46.