[0] AVENGERS LIMP TO ANOTHER LOSS SAN JOSE 75, AVENGERS 72.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

Of the Avengers' 10 losses in their inaugural season, Saturday night's was without question the most painful, on multiple levels.

Four players, including quarterback Todd Marinovich, left the game with injuries, and the Avengers had their playoff hopes officially dashed by a 75-72 loss to the San Jose SaberCats in front of 13,034 at Staples Center.

The Avengers' attempts to control San Jose's pass rush and shut down the SaberCats' trio of quick receivers were also painful to watch, but of more immediate concern were the conditions of the injured players, the most serious of whom, lineman Victor Hall, was taken off the field on a stretcher in the third quarter with a neck injury.

Hall, playing defense, made a tackle near the sideline and struck his head on the padded hockey dasher board. Team owner Casey Wasserman said Hall had movement in all extremities and was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for precautionary tests.

The Avengers also lost defensive back Tray Crayton (foot) and receiver Damian Groce (knee) but suffered their most serious loss in the first quarter when Marinovich bruised his left rib cage when he was hit after letting go of a pass.

Marinovich, who said he initially injured his ribs in last week's loss to Milwaukee, came back to throw a touchdown on the next play but was replaced in the next series by Scott Semptimphelter and did not return.

``I'm obviously really sore,'' Marinovich said. ``It wasn't a real serious hit, it was more of a re-injury from last week.''

In between all the injuries, there actually was some football being played, and the SaberCats won their 10th consecutive game with an impressive offensive effort against the Avengers' overmatched defensive backs.

Quarterback Mark Grieb passed for six touchdowns and spread the ball among his three quick receivers, and every time the Avengers got close, Grieb and the SaberCats would push the advantage back to a comfortable margin.

The Avengers (3-10) could have kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a victory over San Jose (11-2), but even though 12 of the league's 17 teams make the playoffs, the Avengers cannot make the postseason with just next Friday's road game against Buffalo remaining.