PRO FOOTBALL : Chargers Finish With a 24-13 Win--Saunders May Also Be Finished
As the sun set slowly on the AFC West Sunday, San Diego Chargers Coach Al Saunders continued to twist, even more slowly, in the wind.
Still no official word from Charger owner Alex Spanos on whether 4 victories in the last 6 games saved Saunders’ job. Still no official word on whether published reports last week that Spanos has already made up his mind to fire Saunders are true or false.
And still no response from Saunders on where he figures to be working next year.
He will savor, for now, his team’s 24-13 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. It means the Chargers (6-10) didn’t finish last in their division for the third time in 5 years. And it meant they will draft eighth in the first round of next spring’s NFL draft.
Asked afterward if he expects to return to the Chargers in 1989, Saunders gave a non-answer. “Any other questions on the game?” was his reply.
Spanos addressed the question even more indirectly. He stayed home.
Which made him the most prominent among the 15,556 no-shows at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. It was the first home game he missed all season.
Hardly anybody noticed. Also conspicuous by its absence was any evidence that the people who pay money to buy tickets to watch the Chargers really care whether Saunders returns. Not one of the 26,339 who did show up on this rainy day bothered to unfurl a banner imploring Spanos to stay the execution.
Maybe they sense the handwriting is on the wall.
Some could have at least scribbled condolences to the Kansas City defense which got trampled by the patchwork but underrated Charger line that answers to the nickname “Dirtbags.”
Running behind the Dirtbags, Gary Anderson rushed for 217 yards in 34 carries to establish a career high, an NFL season high and a Charger record.
“The big difference the last couple of weeks has definitely been the offensive line,” Anderson said.
In the last two games, Anderson has rushed for 387 yards. Sunday he jumped from seventh to third in AFC rushing behind Eric Dickerson of the Indianapolis Colts and rookie John Stephens of the New England Patriots.
Dirtbags? The name came from the fertile mind of offensive coordinator Jerry Rhome, who saw what happened in Washington 6 years ago when the offensive line first was called the “Hogs.”
“It gives them an identity,” Rhome said.
Said left guard Broderick Thompson: “A Dirtbag is a guy who is at the bottom of the barrel. Dirtbags look out for other Dirtbags. If a guy has a different colored jersey we’ll grab, cut ‘em, anything to keep ‘em away from our runner. I’m proud as heck to be a Dirtbag.”
Added left tackle Ken Dallifor: “Dirtbags are kind of like boneyard boys. I’ve got blood and dirt all over me and I love it. That’s being a Dirtbag.”
After Paul Palmer gave the Chiefs a 7-0 lead on a 26-yard touchdown run not 2 minutes into the game, Anderson and the Dirtbags needed just 8 plays to march 65 yards to Anderson’s 9-yard touchdown run.
The Chiefs recaptured the lead on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Steve DeBerg to Jonathan Hayes. But a 45-yard field goal by Steve DeLine and a 5-yard quarterback draw for a score by Mark Malone put the Chargers on top, 17-13, at halftime.
When Jamie Holland raced 94 yards for a touchdown up the right sideline on the second half kickoff behind blocks by Tim Spencer and Anthony Miller, the Chargers’ lead grew to 11, and the Chiefs couldn’t catch up.