Injury to Testaverde’s Toe is Playing With Chargers’ Heads

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced early in the week that Vinny Testaverde would not start at quarterback against the Chargers today.

Sure.

“First of all, I don’t think the guy is going to be out,” defensive coordinator Ron Lynn said. “Turf toe hasn’t kept very many guys out. As a result, they are either feeding us a line of bull about the injury or they don’t think much of us.”

Testaverde injured his big toe Oct. 7 against the Cowboys, missed a week of practice, but did not miss a start Oct. 14 against Green Bay. He reinjured his toe last week against the Cowboys, left the game and reportedly has not practiced this week.

“I’ve had turf toe before,” Charger linebacker Gary Plummer said. “You shoot it up and play. I’m sure if they were playing the Chicago Bears he’d shoot it up and play.”

The (4-3) Bucs will play the Bears in Tampa next Sunday.

“If they were playing a team in their own division, like Chicago, he’d be playing,” cornerback Gill Byrd said. “You can’t tell me you’re not going to play the third-ranked passer in the conference if it’s an important game to them.”

In trying to gain the attention of his troops after a distressing 24-9 defeat to the Raiders last week, Coach Dan Henning has told his team he doesn’t think the Bucs are taking the Chargers seriously.

“I agree,” defensive backs coach Jim Mora said. “If this was an important game to them, then they’d get Testaverde ready to play. When you get to a point where you haven’t had a lot of success, you grab onto anything, but I think this is a valid rallying point.

“If somebody is taking you lightly, and you’re the underdog and you don’t think you’re gonna get their best shot, then sometimes you have a tendency to pour it on. If they’re saying they don’t need Vinny, that’s fine. That’s great with us.”

While members of the Charger coaching staff have challenged the veracity of their counterparts, there are some who believe Testaverde is seriously hurt.

“I’ve heard this thing about if he doesn’t play they’re not giving it their best shot, and I don’t buy it,” defensive lineman Burt Grossman said. “They have a quarterback, who is worth a couple of million, and he’s hurt.

“They held out Gary Anderson last week against Dallas and that wasn’t to insult the Cowboys. They had lost to the Cowboys two weeks earlier, and do you think they were holding out their biggest weapon because they didn’t think much of the Cowboys?”

The Bucs said Chris Chandler, who was acquired from Indianapolis for a first-round draft pick earlier this season, will replace Testaverde. Chandler has completed eight of 16 passes for 113 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.

“Vinny’s toe must be pretty bad,” quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver said. “I’ve had turf toe, and it’s pretty painful, but you can play on it. His may be a lot worse than I’ve ever had.

“But they have a competent backup in Chris Chandler. The drop-off won’t be that much. I’m sure Vinny will be on call if needed, and hopefully he will be needed.”

Chandler started the first three games for the Colts last season, but injured a knee and was out for the rest of the year. Chandler started against the Chargers in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium on Oct. 23, 1988 and was nine for 17 for 123 yards with three interceptions before being relieved by Gary Hogeboom in the Colts’ 16-0 victory.

“I think they fear our pass rush and the blitzes our defense throws at offenses,” guard Broderick Thompson said. “I don’t think they they want to further injure Testaverde.”

No matter who’s at quarterback, there’s Anderson to stop. The Chargers traded Anderson to the Bucs for a pair of draft choices during the off-season, and he now leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 740. He also tops the Bucs in scoring with five touchdowns.

“Obviously, they (the Chargers) made a mistake not paying him the extra $150,000 to $200,000,” Grossman said. “Just look at his stats, they pretty much tell it all.”

Anderson is coming off a calf injury that limited his play in last week’s 17-13 loss to Dallas. However, he has practiced this week without problem and will be playing for the first time in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium since Dec. 18, 1988, when he rushed for a Charger-record 217 yards.

“Gary’s playing better than I’ve ever seen him,” defensive lineman Lee Williams said. “If any one player can dominate a game, Gary can.”

The Chargers, however, are in need of a victory. And it’s no wonder a team might take them lightly.

They have lost their first three games at home for the first time since 1975, and are four games behind the division-leading Raiders with a date in the Kingdome next week.

“The Bucs are in for a game,” linebacker Billy Ray Smith said with a smile. “I hate to disappoint them.”

Charger Notes

The Chargers took linebacker Billy Ray Smith and tackle Joel Patten off injured reserve Saturday and added them to their 47-man roster. They placed linebacker Jeff Mills, who was acquired with the third-round pick the Chargers got from Tampa for Gary Anderson, on injured reserve with a hamstring pull. They also released punt returner Scott Schwedes.