Win Over Steelers Strange, but Special to Chargers’ Malone
Mark Malone grew up in San Diego and owns a custom home he helped build in the hills north of Pittsburgh.
Last year he was the quarterback in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ late-season victory over the Chargers at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. Sunday he passed and ran the Chargers to a 20-14 win against the Steelers on the same field.
“It felt very, very strange,” Malone said.
When the game was over Malone stood inside the Chargers’ locker room answering questions from Pittsburgh writers about how happy he was to beat a team that plays in a city where the fans reviled him last season.
“It’s a little bit special to me,” Malone said. “But the fact that our football team won was obviously more important.”
The next thing Malone knew he was standing outside the Steeler locker room accepting congratulations from his former teammates and an invitation to lunch with Steeler president Dan Rooney after the holidays.
He completed 17 of 24 passes for 148 yards. He passed for a touchdown and run for another. The Steelers (4-11) sacked him just once and intercepted none of his passes.
And now a San Diego writer wanted to know what he considered his future to be with the Chargers.
Moments earlier Charger Coach Al Saunders, quick to point out his team has won 3 of its last 5 games, dodged the same question, saying only: “Let’s get through the season first.” The Chargers (5-10) finish at home next week against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Malone’s answer was direct. “Obviously there will be a new guy in the quarterback picture here in the not-to-far future,” he said. “I’m not a spring chicken anymore. But I’m solid and I’ve got tons of experience and can still move a little bit.”
Malone turned 30 3 weeks ago.
Apparently Charger running Gary Anderson, 27, can still move a little bit, too. Anderson juked, banged, dipped and glided for 170 yards in 26 carries to leave himself 98 yards shy of 1,000 yards and all alone in fourth place on the all-time Charger single-game rushing list.
“It was a blast,” said rookie David Richards, the Chargers’ right tackle. “Lying on the ground watching Gary Anderson run by is a lot of fun.”
Anderson had gains of 18, 36, 24 and 11 yards. He also caught 5 passes for 20 yards. Now he must figure out what to present his offensive linemen as the customary gift if he exceeds 1,000 against the Chiefs, who ranked last in NFL run defense after 14 weeks.
“Maybe I’ll take them to McDonald’s,” Anderson said. Then he giggled.
The Chargers listed Anderson as “questionable” on their pre-game injury report with a bad ankle. The report turned out to be more questionable than Anderson’s status. And Anderson giggled again when questioned on the subject.
His 36-yard, second period burst might have been an 86-yard touchdown if Steeler linebacker Darin Jordan hadn’t surprised most of the 33,816 people in attendance by running Anderson down from behind.
Three plays later Malone teamed with wide receiver Jamie Holland for 45 yards and a first down at the Pittsburgh 8. Two plays after that Malone dumped a pass over the middle to rookie Darren Flutie that turned into a touchdown when Flutie beat Steeler safety Cornell Gowdy to the end zone.
Flutie was Malone’s third progression-read receiver on the play. But he stood cool against the rush until Flutie came free. “Mark was like that all afternoon--calm and in control,” said Chargers’ left tackle Ken Dalliafor, himself cut by the Steelers 5 years ago.
The Chargers’ lead grew to 14-0 later in the period on a 1-yard sneak by Malone. On the first play of the fourth quarter that margin became 17-0 on Steve DeLine’s 24-yard field goal. During that same span Pittsburgh’s first 7 possessions had produced, in order, 4 punts, 2 interceptions and a lost fumble.
“It was the best defense we’ve played all year,” said Charger cornerback Gill Byrd, who had both interceptions to run his team-leading total for the season to six.