Wilson Wants to Be Right Complement to Miller

Such a quiet, understated fellow, this Walter Wilson.

“This ain’t no easy game to play,” the rookie Charger receiver said. “You have to have confidence. If you don’t have confidence, you’re in the wrong sport. If you don’t have confidence, people walk all over you. You’ve got to believe in yourself and believe in your abilities.”

Look out Cleveland, Walter Wilson is on his way. He’s coming at you, your Browns and your “Dawgs” Sunday afternoon.

And keep in mind, the word is confident. Not cocky.

“Some people look at it as cockiness,” Wilson said. “I look at it as confidence. We all don’t look at things the same way.”

The way Charger Coach Dan Henning looks at it, he picked the right guy to start along side Anthony Miller at wide receiver. Quinn Early, a six-game starter last season, didn’t do much in the season-opening loss to the Cowboys. So Early was demoted and Wilson was promoted.

It is Wilson’s assuredness that has given Henning the confidence to put him in this role. Wilson is a voluble 23-year-old who doesn’t mind telling you that he is good and plans to get better.

“We wouldn’t put him in there if he didn’t have that,” Henning said. “He’s very determined.”

And ambitious. Wilson wants to be on top, and if it takes intruding upon Miller’s platform, so be it.

Sure, Miller runs better routes than Wilson does, and Wilson concedes as much. But he’s making plans to catch up quickly.

“I’m going to get to that in about a week or two,” he said, smiling. “Anthony exemplifies what a wide receiver is. He makes things happen. He makes big plays. I just want to do some of those things.”

Wilson, who caught three passes for 23 yards in his first start Sunday against Cincinnati, is different than Miller.

Henning compares Wilson to Charlie Joiner, Miller to Lance Alworth.

“Anthony is explosive and dynamic,” Henning said. “Walter kind of glides and floats and finds cracks.”

Joiner, who played 18 years and now coaches the Charger receivers, hesitates to draw the parallel. Told of Henning’s comparison, Joiner said: “I haven’t noticed. I try not to look back that far.”

Joiner says he sees potential in Wilson but is cautious, saying: “He’s quick. He’s smart, but he’s still got a lot to learn.”

Which doesn’t mean Wilson’s teammates are going to be patient.

“Hey man, the guy was a third-rounder,” quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver said. “Let’s don’t paint some rosy picture here. The guy is expected to perform.”

And for the sake of the Charger offense, which hasn’t scored in the second half in either of the first two games, he had better. In those games, Miller caught more than twice as many passes (13) as the other receivers combined (six). The defensive backs swarm around him like bees on spilled soda pop.

“Hopefully, (Wilson) can turn into a guy that we can depend on,” Tolliver said. “The thing I like about him best is that he thinks he’s a stud. He’s got a lot of confidence, and I think you need that to play in this league. You can’t be real shy and real meek or you get stepped on. Hopefully, he’s the guy that we’re looking for to take the pressure off Anthony.”