Chargers Simplify Game Plan : The Frill Is Gone in Effort to Deaden Rattle in Seattle

The Chargers easily could be 4-0 instead of 1-3. They may have the best offensive player in football in Gary Anderson. Dan Fouts is throwing as well as ever. The defense is much improved.

All of the above statements were uttered recently by Coach Chuck Knox of the Seattle Seahawks. Knox may actually believe every word of it, but the Chargers apparently don’t, if their plan to tinker with their offense is any indication.

After three straight losses in which Air Coryell has stalled, the game plan will be simplified tonight. The high-tech offense, which produced a 50-28 victory over Miami in the season opener and led Don Shula to call it the most sophisticated he had ever seen, will be without some of the customary frills.

There are 200 to 300 plays in the San Diego attack but the Chargers plan to use only the ones they execute best, according to assistant head coach Al Saunders.

With a broken-nosed quarterback, Dan Fouts, and an attack that has generated only two field goals in the second half of the past three games, the Chargers obviously must make a few adjustments.

The noise level in the Seattle Kingdome also must be taken into consideration. The Chargers have learned in past games that players going in motion have trouble hearing the quarterback’s signals, which throws off the timing of a play.

Thus, there likely will be less motion and shifting by Charger backs and ends than fans are accustomed to seeing.

Offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese, who calls the Charger plays, criticized his selection of plays in last week’s loss to the Raiders. Saunders, however, defended him.

“Ernie has proven he is the best offensive coordinator in the business,” Saunders said. “He has designed an offense with no equal. When things don’t go well, the people with good character, such as Ernie, question themselves.”

In addition to making modifications in their offensive approach, the Chargers have taken other steps to bolster their chances before the playoff picture gets desperate.

They held a team meeting to build their inner reserves last week and devoted a lot of time to describing their sense of optimism, both for tonight and the rest of the season.

“We can’t and we won’t panic,” Saunders said, cognizant of the current three-game losing streak. “We can’t lose confidence in the abilities we have. Every player just has to do his job a little bit better.”

Receiver Wes Chandler said that last week’s team meeting stressed the responsibility of each player.

“Every down counts,” he said. “This is a very good football team, but it’s about time we started playing more consistently.”

The Kingdome noise affects more than the offense. The defense has to adjust, too. Backs will have to rely on hand signals to coordinate some of their coverages.

“Our concentration will have to be higher than it has been all year,” safety Gill Byrd said. “A mistake doesn’t lead to a five- or six-yard gain--it’s seven points.”

A national television audience probably will be treated to two National Football League receiving records:

--San Diego’s Charlie Joiner needs 19 yards to break Don Maynard’s career record of 11,834 yards.

--Seattle’s Steve Largent needs one catch to break the consecutive games reception record (127) he shares with Harold Carmichael.

Largent needs 10 catches to pass Charley Taylor (649) for second place on the reception list. Joiner is the career leader with 724 catches.

The Chargers, whose playoff hopes would very nearly vanish with a loss tonight, have lost eight straight road games.

In addition, the Chargers have lost both of their previous Monday night meetings with Seattle. The Seahawks won, 44-23, in 1981 in Seattle. In 1984, the Seahawks scored a 24-0 victory at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

San Diego, which has a 10-8 record in Monday night games, was swept by Seattle last year by scores of 49-35 and 26-21.

While the Charger offense has been in a three-game slump, the defense, especially the pass rush, has exceeded expectations.

Defensive end Lee Williams leads the NFL with 5 1/2 sacks. Rookie Leslie O’Neal made 3 sacks, 14 tackles and a fumble recovery last week as the Chargers recorded eight sacks, their best single-game total in two years.

“The pressure our line is putting on the quarterback is really helping us in the secondary,” Byrd said. “We can play a lot tighter coverage now and not just sit back.

“I think we have shown that physically we have the talent to be a good defense this year. But mentally we have to stay in the game and not make the mistakes that have killed us at times, like a guy taking an inside position when he should (line up) outside. Those things can add up and cost you a game.”

The Seahawks will counter with an offense that combines a line almost entirely rebuilt since last season and some familiar names in quarterback David Krieg, running back Curt Warner and Largent.

Warner leads the American Football Conference in rushing with 373 yards in 80 attempts, a 4.7 average, and 4 touchdowns. He gained 106 yards in last week’s loss to the Washington Redskins.