Chargers Showing Nothing Special On Special Teams

Joe Madden would probably take exception to this theory, but the performance of the Chargers’ special teams in their 14-12 victory over the Raiders Nov. 12 was the exception. They played well.

As for the first nine weeks and this past Sunday?

Well, it was nothing close to special.

Madden is the Chargers’ special teams coach. Monday afternoon, just 24 hours after the Chargers had fumbled, bumbled and stumbled through a 20-17 loss to the Steelers and their worst special teams’ performance since Week 1, Madden was standing in the Chargers’ locker room answering questions that sounded quite familiar.

Was Sunday’s loss your worst nightmare? Is the lousy play of the special teams unit snowballing? What do you tell the troops after a performance like that? Are you feeling the heat?

What’s a guy to say?

“I’m accountable,” he said. “We weren’t very good at all. It was extremely disappointing, because we had come so far.”

In case you didn’t have the pleasure, a quick recount of Sunday’s not-ready-for-prime-time plays:

* First Steeler punt, first quarter. Harry Newsome boots it 32 yards from his own 38. The ball bounces off the helmet of Charger safety Lester Lyles. Steeler defensive back Carnell Lake recovers.

* Second Steeler punt, first quarter. From his own 20, Newsome punts 28 yards to a charging Dana Brinson, who fumbles. Lake recovers.

* Third, fourth and fifth Steeler punts, second quarter. Wide receiver Wayne Walker comes in to handle the job. And on the first two he hangs on, returning the first one for three yards and making a fair catch on the second. The third? Fumble. He recovered, though.

* In the second quarter, with the Steelers facing a fourth and 26 from their own 40, Charger inside linebacker Cedric Figaro came bolting in and leveled Newsome. Roughing the kicker, first and 10 Steelers at the Charger 45. A few plays later, Gary Anderson kicked a 28-yard field goal.

* Wide receiver Anthony Allen came in after that and survived the rest of the way without a bobble. He returned two punts for a total of three yards.

* Third quarter. Steeler cornerback Rod Woodson goes 84 yards for a touchdown on a kickoff return. Charger Coach Dan Henning had this to say about that play. “Bad coverage. People need to maintain what they’re doing regardless of the position of the kick. A couple of guys didn’t keep their lanes.”

If guys continue to have trouble keeping their lanes, Madden may have trouble keeping his job. Even Indianapolis Coach Ron Meyer took note of the Chargers’ aromatic special teams play on Sunday.

“It really appeared that the dominant team didn’t win,” Meyer said. “Special teams breakdowns were disastrous.”

It looked a lot like what happened in the regular season opener against the Raiders, when everybody was confused. In that game, the Chargers were whistled for having 12 men on the field on a Raider punt. Defensive end Burt Grossman was the guilty party. He thought the Raiders were trying a field goal. He’s on the field goal team. He’s not on the punt-return unit.

Admittedly, things had gotten better before Sunday. But not much better. It seems for every good play, there’s a mistake just around the corner for the special teams.

Unfortunately for the Chargers, things figure to get worse before they get better. Injuries to running back Marion Butts (right knee) and Andy Parker (concussion) may cause Madden and his group further difficulties, considering Butts and Parker have been two of his most reliable players.

“I don’t think we are as deep as some clubs,” Madden said. “But, then again, with the 45-man roster, nobody has a great deal of luxury as far as personnel.”

Because the Chargers are banged up at the running back position, Henning said he is leery about using Darrin Nelson on punt returns because Nelson is one of only two healthy Charger running backs, the other being Brinson. Punt returns have been a roller coaster all season for the Chargers.

“We don’t have a punt returner,” Madden said. “If you can go get me a punt returner, then we can do something.”

Tough day, Joe?

“No more than any Monday.”

Charger Notes

Running back Marion Butts is doubtful for Sunday’s game at Indianapolis with a right knee injury. Other Charger injuries include running back Tim Spencer (strained knee), defensive end Lee Williams (strained knee), kicker Chris Bahr (broken rib) and nose tackle Joe Phillips (sprained ankle), who are all probable . . . Although the defense has held nine consecutive opponents to 20 points or fewer, cornerback Gill Byrd says something has to be done to prevent late fourth-quarter drives. Sunday the Steelers went 91 yards in the fourth quarter for the winning touchdown. “When we have teams on the ropes, we don’t come through,” Byrd said. “We have to shut the door on opponents.”