Chargers Still Waiting for the Offense to Fire
Fortunately for everybody, the subject was not premeditated murder. Jerry Rhome, the Charger offensive coordinator, was talking instead about his offense--an offense that has managed just one touchdown in two games.
“I don’t know when the bullet’s going to go off,” Rhome said. “But hopefully it will go off very soon.”
Sunday afternoon, the winless Chargers play the undefeated Seattle Seahawks at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium in their home opener. If they win, it will be the shot heard ‘round the NFL. Look up “underdog” in the dictionary, and it will refer you to “white lightning.”
White lightning was supposed to be the Charger offense of the late ‘80s. It was supposed to be an exciting complement of punishing running backs setting up opponents for a long passing game that would put the gun to the heads of defensive coordinators.
The Charger coaching staff hasn’t given up on white lightning yet. Patience, they plead. Patience. But “when” has never been more of a four-letter word.
“I don’t know if you can put a time limit on this,” Rhome says.
In the meantime, it’s impossible to ignore the lack of production: The Chargers have only scored eight offensive touchdowns in the past 10 regular season games. No Charger running back has scored a rushing touchdown in 24 quarters. The Charger offense has converted just five of 26 third-down opportunities (19% and worst in the NFL); none of those five was longer than third-and-four. And the team has lost eight consecutive games, the longest such streak in the league.
“There’s nobody here that’s liking this,” Rhome says.
And it’s not just the fault of the offense. The Chargers are also last in the league in point differential at minus-42. Their defense has recovered one fumble and intercepted no passes in two games. Last year, the defense led the AFC in sacks. This year, no defensive lineman or linebacker has registered one. Only winless Atlanta (60) has allowed more points than the Chargers (58).
“We can’t surprise people on defense as much anymore as we did last year,” Charger Coach Al Saunders says. “We’ve run the gamut of things.”
What that means is the Charger defense, like the offense, is short on talent. That won’t keep Ron Lynn, the inventive defensive coordinator, from coming up with Rube Goldberg solutions. But there are just so many ways you can wrap GI Joe, place him under the Christmas tree and expect people to think it’s Rambo.
Seattle, on the other hand, could be the real thing. The Seahawks already have beaten defending AFC champion Denver at Mile High Stadium. And they lead the conference in takeaway/turnover ratio with plus-7--a sure sign that a Chuck Knox team is hitting on all cylinders.
The Seahawks have started fast before--never worse than 2-1 since Knox took over in 1983. But during that period, they have never advanced past the conference championship game.
“That’s a reflection of the lack of maturity on this team the last couple of years,” says Seahawk wide receiver Steve Largent. “I don’t think it will be a reflection of this team this year.”
Largent needs 51 receiving yards to pass all-time NFL leader Charlie Joiner (12,146), now a Charger assistant. Largent already holds the NFL record for career receptions with 756 and the league record for consecutive games with a pass reception at 154.
If he breaks Joiner’s record Sunday, nobody will be less surprised than Seattle quarterback Dave Krieg. Krieg has completed 64.7% of his passes lifetime against the Chargers with 19 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. The Seahawks have won their past seven games against the Chargers.
But don’t expect Seattle to utilize Krieg’s arm and Largent’s legs unless it has to. The Seahawks rank third in the NFL in rushing behind an offensive line that has been together as a unit since 1986. Seattle running backs Curt Warner and John L. Williams are tied for fifth in AFC rushing with 144 yards apiece.
“As long as they can continue to run the ball, they will run the ball,” Saunders says.
The Chargers, meanwhile, have yet to prove they can stop the run. Marcus Allen rushed for 88 yards in the Raiders’ season-opening victory against the Chargers. And 34-year-old Tony Dorsett cashed in for 113 at Denver last week.
The Chargers’ rushing game ranks surprisingly high at 13th in the NFL. But only three teams--Seattle, Detroit and Indianapolis--have passed for less yards. Starting quarterback Babe Laufenberg completed just 2 of 8 in Denver last Sunday before giving way to Mark Malone.
Laufenberg gets another chance against Seattle. But like just about everybody else connected with the Charger organization, he is aware of three things: Saunders’ job status is under close scrutiny; Steve Ortmayer, the team’s director of football operations, is under pressure from owner Alex Spanos to show improvement, and Spanos didn’t become a successful businessman by being overly patient.
The Chargers are a franchise that has reported declining season ticket sales four consecutive years. Their fans are one game away from showing up at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium with bags on their heads.
“I think everybody knows we gotta hit the throttle,” Laufenberg says. “I hope everybody on this offense is geared up to move the ball. Myself included.”
If they aren’t, it might be time to hit the bottle.