Chargers Lose, but That’s Not the Point

Forget the final score. The Chargers have already.

All they know is their starters beat the 49ers’ starters by 10 points in the first half Saturday night at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

If you remind them that quarterback Steve Young pulled a Babe Laufenberg--leading San Francisco’s reserves to 21 fourth-period points and a 34-27 victory--they will just shrug.

This is a team that will tell you half a win isn’t half bad.

“We’re excited about the direction we’re going,” Charger Coach Al Saunders said. “We’d like to make this big of a jump next week.”

Just the sight of tight end Kellen Winslow back in the starting lineup--even if it was at a position called H-back--was a welcome sight.

Then there was Lionel James’ 36-yard punt return. And field goals of 51 and 35 yards by Vince Abbott. And the return to uniform of defensive end Lee Williams, the Chargers’ leading sacker last year.

And there was the surprising strength and speed of linebacker/pass rusher Keith Browner, who was all over the field.

Not to mention the continued improvement of Laufenberg--now the clear favorite for the starter’s job at quarterback--and the coming-out party by the Chargers’ three, swift young wide receivers--Anthony Miller, Quinn Early and Jamie Holland.

“Babe certainly impressed us,” Saunders said. But, he added, the Chargers won’t make a decision on next week’s starter until Saturday night’s emotion subsides.

Laufenberg outdueled Joe Montana in the first half, completing 13 of 24 passes for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns. The 49ers did not sack him once.

San Francisco Coach Bill Walsh, rarely at a loss for an opinion, liked what he saw in Laufenberg. “I think he will be one of the better quarterbacks in the league this year,” Walsh said.

Miller caught 5 passes for 96 yards, Holland 3 for 118 and Early 2 for 41. Both of Early’s receptions resulted in touchdowns.

“I guess the people know now we’ve got some receivers who can do some things,” Holland said. “I was licking my chops.”

And don’t leave out running back Gary Anderson. Late last week, Saunders criticized Anderson for not being durable. There were reports the team was looking to trade for a sturdier speed tailback. Saunders said Anderson might not even play against San Francisco.

Anderson shook off a reported foot injury and rushed for 39 yards in 8 first-half carries. He also caught 5 Laufenberg passes for 45 yards.

Before Saturday night, the Chargers had averaged just 2.57 yards in 49 exhibition rushes. Part of the improvement in the running game was the insertion of Broderick Thompson at starting left guard in place of James FitzPatrick.

Mark Malone wasted no time in the second half picking up where Laufenberg left off. His first pass in the third period hit Holland on the dead run and resulted in a 69-yard touchdown that hiked the Chargers’ lead to 17 points.

Malone wound up 10 of 18 for 162 yards but couldn’t move the offense after 49er running back Harry Sydney scored what turned out to be the winning touchdown on a four-yard run with 2:04 to play.

The first half highlights were the ones that turned on a small but noisy crowd of 39,044.

The Chargers moved the ball smartly on their first possession, but an illegal block by Early cost them 10 yards and the momentum they had gained on a 15-yard third-down completion to Miller.

When the drive stalled at the 49er 34, Abbott converted a low line drive from 51 yards out to give the Chargers a 3-0 lead.

The Charger defense, minus holdout right outside linebacker Chip Banks and injured left outside linebacker Billy Ray Smith, then forced San Francisco to punt for the second consecutive possession.

James electrified the crowd with his 36-yard punt return, which would have been a touchdown had he been able to elude punter Barry Helton.

The electricity turned to lightning one play later when Laufenberg led Early on a streak pattern down the left sideline. Early made a diving catch in the end zone to beat cornerback Don Griffin, and the Chargers had a 35-yard touchdown.

It was the first touchdown in the first half for the Charger offense in three exhibition games. This was also the first exhibition game for Griffin, who spent most of the summer involved in a contract dispute.

But moments later, San Francisco showed why it led the NFL in total offense last year. Montana completed 3 of 3 passes for 65 yards, the last a 30-yard touchdown to Pro Bowl wide receiver Jerry Rice, who had turned Charger cornerback Gill Byrd every way but loose.

San Francisco tied it with 4:31 left in the half on a 23-yard field goal by Mike Cofer.

That’s when Laufenberg went to work with his rookie receivers. First, he lofted a 57-yard bomb to Miller that set up a 35-yard field goal by Abbott 2:18 before halftime. Victimized on the play was cornerback Eric Wright, the former Pro Bowler who has been limited to four games the past two years because of career-threatening groin injuries.

Things got worse for Wright before they got better. After forcing a 49er punt, the Chargers took over on the San Francisco 48 with 92 seconds left in the period.

Laufenberg completed a 10-yarder to Miller, a 14-yarder to Timmie Ware and a 6-yarder on a picture perfect fade pattern to Early in the deep left corner of the end zone.

The player Early burned for his second touchdown: Eric Wright. Early apparently had no problem with the cut he suffered on left hand during pregame warmups, requiring four stitches.

The Malone-Holland touchdown made it 27-10 before Cofer’s 37-yarder with 8:17 remaining in the third period cut the Charger lead to 14.

That margin shrunk to seven early in the final period when Young connected with former Raider Dokie Williams for a 12-yard touchdown pass over backup defensive back Lou Brock.

Terrence Flagler, a rookie with a future, burst 27 yards around left end for the tying touchdown midway through the final period.

The 49ers are 2-2 in exhibitions. The Chargers dropped to 1-2.