CHARGER REVIEW : NOTEBOOK : It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a Mistake
He was thrown out of his first NFL game for fighting, drew a 15-yard penalty for spearing in his second, and now, hyperactive linebacker Junior Seau has struck again.
The Chargers’ first-round draft pick had instructions “to stand there and look for the fake field goal,” said Larry Pasquale, the special teams coordinator.
That’s like telling a new puppy to “stay.”
When Oiler kicker Tony Zendejas moved forward to attempt a 40-yard field goal in the first quarter, Seau left his post and jumped into the air to block it.
Zendejas’ kick never had a chance, but an official took exception to Seau’s jumping jacks. The Chargers were penalized for “leverage,” a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct call.
Two plays later, the Oilers scored a touchdown.
“It may be called once a year. It’s rare,” Pasquale said. “It was more or less an act of eagerness. Junior’s not supposed to do that. He’s supposed to stand there and look for the fake, which he has done successfully for as long as he’s been there.
“I don’t know why he did that,” he said. “He felt he had to do something, but what he did wasn’t his job.”
Seau must have been off reading the rule book, because efforts to find him in the locker room were unsuccessful.
Given the chance to watch the videotape later, Coach Dan Henning wasn’t so sure that Seau had broken the rules. While not pleased with his linebacker’s jumping routine, Henning said he never used a teammate for leverage to attempt to block the kick.
“And there’s no penalty for just jumping,” Henning said. “That penalty was just devastating.”
Defensive lineman Burt Grossman stayed down on the ground twice in the game writhing in pain, and the natural conclusion was he was bucking for extra time on TV.
“Nah, it wasn’t a nationally televised game,” Grossman said.
Grossman said he injured his neck and will have it X-rayed today.
Houston’s defense allowed one touchdown, and afterward, defensive end William Fuller praised the Chargers’ go-nowhere offense.
“If I had their offense, I wouldn’t really change anything,” he said.
Fuller will be appearing nightly at the Comedy Works.
Fantasy football update: The NFL notified the Chargers that they don’t want a running back wearing No. 82.
The law-abiding Chargers said no problem and announced that running back Rod Bernstine is now a tight end, although he will continue to play as a running back.
It shouldn’t take a degree in coaching to understand that Bernstine should have his hands on the ball.
It has only taken four weeks, though, for the Chargers to come around. And then they still can’t get it right.
Bernstine ran seven times for 42 yards Sunday and caught two passes for 15, and anyone who watched his performance will appreciate the second effort.
A reporter pressed Henning for his reasons in not giving Bernstine even more playing time. Said Henning, “Next question.”
No problem: How come Ronnie Harmon never touched the ball Sunday?
Growing up with Billy Joe Tolliver:
Yea--With 2:31 remaining in the third quarter, Tolliver stood solid in the pocket and then delivered a well-aimed pass over two defenders to Quinn Early for 27 yards.
Boo--Next play, and there isn’t anyone near Early but the fans in the stands some 25 yards away. So where does Tolliver throw the ball? In the stands.
Yea--On the following play, Tolliver fakes a handoff and begins running right like Carl Lewis--on crutches--and gains 14 yards.
One play a hero, and the next a bum, and so goes the education of Billy Joe.
It’s not your day when you don’t even make it to the national anthem before getting injured.
Charger wide receiver Nate Lewis, the AFC’s No. 2 kickoff returner with a 25-yard average, pulled a quadriceps muscle in pregame warmups and was unable to suit up.
Before Sunday’s game, safety Martin Bayless said the key to success was knocking Houston quarterback Warren Moon from the game.
It didn’t happen, but not because Bayless didn’t give it a try. On the Oilers’ first possession, Bayless came in untouched from Moon’s blind side and decked him for an 11-yard loss.
Unfortunately for the Chargers, Moon got up.
Sacked three times--twice by Bayless--he went on to complete 27 of 46 passes for 355 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception.
The 355 yards passing were the most against a Charger defense since the second game of the 1987 season, when St. Louis gained 457.
You know what they say, that Ron Lynn is one crafty defensive coordinator. Unable to stop Warren Moon, the Chargers went to their 12-man prevent defense in the fourth quarter.
One problem, though. Twelve men still weren’t enough.
Moon went 11 yards to Curtis Duncan for a first down.
The Chargers drew a penalty for their innovative defense, but being the sports they are, the Oilers declined to accept it.