Chargers Lose an Exhibition in Futility
Remember, it was only an exhibition. Say it over and over.
That was what the Chargers were doing in various ways after an otherwise forgettable 20-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in their exhibition opener Sunday in front of 40,203 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.
Minimizing the significance was about the only attractive choice the Chargers had after losing to a team that was the worst in the National Football League last season.
The alternative was to dwell on two lost fumbles, including a Cowboy punt that hit Darren Flutie in the back; two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and a general lack of offensive efficiency.
Of course, there was the defense, which limited the Cowboys to 206 net yards. But the Chargers were not ready to attach a great deal of significance to that showing. After all, this is a Dallas team with a rookie coach (Jimmy Johnson) and a couple of rookie quarterbacks who are backed by Babe Laufenberg, cut by the Chargers in the spring.
“There were some plays made, but there weren’t any plays made when we had to make them on offense,” Charger Coach Dan Henning said. “And there were some errors on offense. That combination usually adds up to a loss.”
While the eyes of the national television audience might have been on the matchup between the Cowboys’ million-dollar rookie quarterbacks--Troy Aikman and Steve Walsh--the Chargers focused on a different kind of quarterback competition.
This one was among the Chargers’ own touted rookie--second-round choice Billy Joe Tolliver from Texas Tech--and veterans David Archer and Mark Malone.
Judging from the statistics, a winner has yet to emerge.
Tolliver, playing only the first quarter, completed three of five attempts for 11 yards.
Archer, who played in the second and fourth quarters, was 13 of 26 for 143 yards with one interception. He led the Chargers to their only points, a 46-yard field goal by Chris Bahr with 59 seconds left in the first half.
Malone, whose time was limited to the third quarter and first series of the fourth quarter, was four of 11 for 51 yards. He threw a fourth-quarter interception that cornerback Everson Walls returned 72 yards for a touchdown.
“The quarterbacks played very spotty,” Henning said. “There were some fine plays, but not as many as there were bad plays.”
Most of the Charger curiosity centered around Tolliver’s NFL debut.
His statistics fell somewhere between the performances of Aikman (eight of 11 for 67 yards and one touchdown) and Walsh (two for eight for 22 yards).
“I can’t say it was bad, and I can’t say it was good,” Tolliver said. “We didn’t give up any touchdowns, but we didn’t get any either.”
Generally, his baptism to the league was mild. He was sacked once, on the only play that called for him to throw deep. And he was left with a bruise across his forehead, a souvenir of his first NFL scramble downfield.
“You get the ball for two series, you should be able to do something,” Tolliver said. “I wanted to do so well. I tried not to press, but you get frustrated because you want to get the ball in the end zone.”
Archer had the kind of start that would deeply trouble any player fighting for his professional future. The first play of his first two series ended with turnovers.
His first pass was intercepted by linebacker Randy Shannon at the Charger 27-yard line. The pass was intended for rookie Dana Brinson, but the ball was behind him and Shannon made a diving catch.
“It was a terrible play and obviously not the start I wanted,” Archer said. “You can’t step in and throw an interception.”
The Charger defense was able to minimize the damage, forcing the Cowboys to try a 47-yard field goal by Roger Ruzek that fell short.
On the next play, the Chargers turned the ball over again. Archer completed a screen pass to Brinson, who reached the Charger 45, where he was hit and fumbled. Defensive back Tim Jackson recovered. Six plays later, Aikman completed a nine-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kelvin Martin for a 10-0 lead.
Archer, who joined the Chargers after being cut by Atlanta, Miami and Washington in the past two years, led the team to a first down at the Dallas 28 on their next series. Archer’s best opportunity came on the next play when wide receiver Flutie broke open over the middle beyond the coverage, but Archer led him by him by about a Flutie or two.
“He got off clean and and I just couldn’t get him the football,” Archer said. “Those are the plays you have to make if you are going to win in this league.”
After two more incomplete passes, the Chargers settled for Bahr’s field goal to cut the lead to 10-3.
The incomplete pass was part of a long afternoon for Flutie.
Earlier, he caught what would have been a first-down pass from Tolliver, only to fumble it backward, forcing a punt. Later, a bouncing punt by Shaun Burdick caught Flutie with his back to the play. The ball hit him in the lower back as he was making a block, and the Cowboys’ Tom Rafferty recovered at the Charger 49.
That led to Ruzek’s second field goal--a 41-yarder for a 13-3 lead with 5:55 left in the third quarter.
The Cowboys completed the scoring when Walls intercepted Malone’s pass and returned it for a touchdown with 11:47 left.
Charger Notes
Charger tight end Andy Parker, a free agent signed in March after five seasons with the Raiders, left the game in the first series with a bruised left knee. Parker, a graduate of San Dieguito High School, returned to the sideline in the second half on crutches and wearing a full-length leg brace.
ROOKIE DRAWS PRAISE: Dana Brinson helps Chargers find some bright spots. Don Patterson’s story, Page 13.
MORE CHARGERS: Three Charger rookies shine. Story, statistics, Page 13.