Chargers Go Flat, Lose 47-17 to Browns
After playing against Cleveland on Sunday, Charger safety Jeff Dale wondered how the Browns could score 40 points on anybody.
His point was well taken because the Browns had not scored 40 points in a game this season before Sunday. Of course, the Browns hadn’t played the Chargers.
When the Chargers came to town, Cleveland’s offense went to town. The Browns tied their top scoring output in 18 years by defeating the Chargers, 47-17, in the regular-season finale.
“Just from looking at them, I think we have faced better receivers than they have,” Dale said. “And we’ve definitely played against better running backs. I just don’t think they’re a 40-point team.”
The Browns had not been so productive since defeating the Philadelphia Eagles, 47-13, on Nov. 24, 1968.
However, the Charger defense certainly has seen its share of games comparable to Sunday. The Chargers allowed 49 points to Seattle in the second game of 1985 and 52 points to Pittsburgh in the 13th game of 1984.
Those days were supposed to be only a memory in 1986, but they have been re-created in the last two games. The Chargers were beaten a week ago by Seattle, 34-24.
“The last two were obviously games you wouldn’t want to finish the season on,” said Ron Lynn, the Chargers’ first-year defensive coordinator. “I’m not happy in any way, shape or form. I’m still not discouraged. We have a lot of time before our next game. I look forward, hopefully, to a training camp where we won’t spend all of our time and effort introducing a new system.”
At times, the system worked well this season. The Chargers set a team record with 62 sacks. They recorded their first shutout in seven years against Houston two weeks ago.
But overall, inconsistency is still the constant among the Charger defenders.
Against Cleveland, they made Bernie Kosar and Brian Brennan look like one of the greatest passing combinations in National Football League history. Kosar completed 21 of 28 passes for 258 yards and 2 touchdowns in 3 quarters. Brennan had 7 receptions for 176 yards and a touchdown.
Cleveland outgained the Chargers, 462 yards to 333.
“There was definitely a lack of intensity on our part,” Charger linebacker Billy Ray Smith said. “In certain situations, some people may have had lapses of intensity that may have cost us.”
It virtually has been the same old story all season for the Chargers. They finished with a 4-12 record, their worst since going 2-12 in 1975.
Cleveland (12-4) has had its winningest season. The Browns already had clinched the home-field advantage for the AFC playoffs when Seattle beat Denver on Saturday.
Essentially, the Browns had nothing at stake against San Diego.
“I didn’t think we’d have a letdown,” Coach Marty Schottenheimer said. “When you do well, you set a high standard. With that goes the responsibility of playing well every time. I think the quality of our team that we saw today gives us a great deal of excitement about what lies ahead of us.”
Early in Sunday’s game, the Chargers had an indication of what was ahead. They reached Cleveland’s five-yard line on their first possession, only to have Rolf Benirschke miss a 23-yard field goal attempt.
The Browns scored their next possession on a 46-yard option pass from Herman Fontenot to Webster Slaughter, a rookie from San Diego State. Slaughter was virtually uncovered.
Cleveland scored again on its next possession on a two-yard run by Kevin Mack, taking a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
The Chargers began a comeback on their next drive, scoring on a 19-yard pass from Dan Fouts to Wes Chandler. Ken Taylor recovered a Curtis Dickey fumble on Cleveland’s ensuing drive at the Brown 38, leading to a 40-yard Benirschke field goal with 1:01 left in the half.
That’s when the Charger downfall was soon to begin.
With six seconds remaining in the half, a scrambling Kosar threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Brennan over cornerback Kevin Wyatt. Jeff Walker blocked the extra point, keeping the score at 20-10.
“Kosar was scrambling loose and I lost my man,” Wyatt said. “There’s no excuse for it. Hey, I screwed up.”
Said Brennan: “Over the last two years, I’ve learned that when Bernie scrambles, you never give up on your route.”
On the second half’s first play from scrimmage, Gary Anderson made a critical mistake by mishandling Fouts’ pitchout and fumbling the ball away at Cleveland’s 19. The Browns then scored on a one-yard pass from Kosar to Harry Holt, increasing their lead to 27-10.
“I took my eye off the ball,” Anderson said of his fumble. “It hit me in the hands, and I dropped it. I was looking more for a certain block than for the ball.”
Shortly thereafter, the Chargers were looking to get out of Cleveland as soon as possible. The Browns had a touchdown and field goal their next two possessions, taking a 37-10 lead with 6:36 left in the third quarter.
Anderson provided excitement later in the quarter on a 65-yard touchdown-pass play from Fouts. He caught the ball at San Diego’s 36, faked two defenders within 10 yards and was never touched. Chandler made an outstanding block on Ray Ellis at Cleveland’s 15 to assure the touchdown.
But the Chargers would not be heard from again. Things got so out of hand that Cleveland played backup quarterback Mike Pagel for the first time all season in the fourth quarter.
The Browns controlled the ball for 35:52 overall and committed two turnovers to the Chargers’ four.
“We lost the game in the manner we would hope to win games in the future,” Coach Al Saunders said. “They created turnovers and controlled the ball.”
Though the Chargers will pick fifth in the upcoming NFL draft, Saunders said he would have preferred a victory instead of the higher draft choice.
In looking ahead, Saunders thinks the Chargers need a dominant runner as well as depth at all defensive positions.
“The areas we need help in were magnified today in the outcome of the game,” Saunders said. “This gives us a realistic outlook of where we’re at. We have a little farther to go than originally thought to be a championship-caliber team.”
Charger Notes
Charlie Joiner, who had his consecutive-game streak snapped at 194 against Seattle, returned to action Sunday, catching 3 passes for 25 yards. He reiterated afterward that he will not decide whether to retire until after the holidays.