CHARGER REVIEW : NOTEBOOK / T.J. SIMERS : Bernstine Beats Butts to the Punch

Running back Marion Butts was caught with his helmet down.

Butts had just scored his third touchdown of the game and had gone to the sideline to take a breather as the Chargers kicked off. Tampa Bay’s Danny Pebbles, however, fumbled the kickoff and the Chargers recovered.

“The coach said, ‘regular,’ and he (Rod Bernstine) took off,” said Butts. “I said, ‘hold it,’ but he said, ‘oh, no,’ and gave me a stiff arm. He beat me to the field. I would have had him, but I had to put on my helmet and he had his on.”

The Chargers took possession of the ball at the Bucs’ seven-yard line and handed the ball to Bernstine five carries in a row.

He appeared to have scored his second touchdown of the day on his third carry, but the Chargers were penalized for illegal motion.

“It was a race onto the field,” said Butts, “and he beat me to it. I was just unsuccessful as you might say.”

The last time Butts scored three touchdowns in a game was at Worth County High School in Sylvester, Ga.

At Florida State, where he was used primarily as a blocking back, he was lucky to carry the ball three times a game. “I was lucky to get one sometimes,” he said.

Cornerback Gill Byrd tied and then went past former cornerback Dick Harris to become the Chargers’ all-time interception leader with 30.

“I never thought I’d be here a year let alone eight years,” said Byrd, “and then let alone get this record. I’m just excited about it.”

Byrd has yet to earn Pro Bowl recognition, but in his last 40 games, he has 19 interceptions.

“He’s a marvelous player,” defensive coordinator Ron Lynn said. “The guy just keeps making plays week after week. He plays hurt, he plays with all kinds of other things going on, and yet he’s a professional in every sense of the word and is able to get himself ready to play.”

Placekicker John Carney has eight successful field goals in a row, but for the first time in three weeks failed to chip a ball off the upright.

“I must be getting better,” he said.

Welcome to another episode of “As the Pendulum Swings.”

The Steelers embarrass the Chargers and then the Chargers humiliate the Jets. The Raiders thump the Chargers and then the Chargers destroy the Bucs.

“We’re like that program, ‘Unsolved Mysterys,’ ” linebacker Gary Plummer said. “I wish I knew what it took to get us going like we did against the Jets and Tampa Bay. If I knew, I’d be coach of the year.”

As the pendulum swings, oh, no . . .

“I believe in my heart we can win two in a row,” guard David Richards said.

In their quest to win two in a row for the first time this season, the Chargers travel to Seattle, where they haven’t won since 1980.

Defensive end Burt Grossman was asked if he thought Coach Dan Henning might have fabricated the story that had Tampa Bay Coach Ray Perkins guaranteeing a victory for the Bucs.

“You never know,” he said. “We never heard the tape.”

Defensive lineman Lee Williams, who led the AFC in sacks with 14 a year ago, has had one-half sack in the team’s previous four games. But in the third quarter, Williams broke free and slammed Chandler to the ground for a 12-yard loss.

Williams, who has been moved from end to tackle, now has 4 1/2 sacks.

“It took a hell of a lot off my mind,” Williams said. “I had never been through a drought like that. It was almost as important as my first one; it’s been that long.”

Grossman leads the Chargers with eight sacks, followed by Leslie O’Neal’s 6 1/2.

Linebacker Billy Ray Smith and tackle Joel Patten returned to the active roster and made cameo appearances against the Bucs.

“I feel like I’m starting over and I played like it,” said Patten, who has been sidelined with a knee injury. “It was good to get into a game and get some playing time, but for me, practice time is more important than game time. I was just trying to chip the rust off.”

Smith, who is coming off strained stomach muscles, said, “I only played on PATs and field goals, but it felt good to get back on the field. I feel I’m ready to play defense and get back in the lineup, but we have some defensive guys playing well, who are already in there.”

Memorial services for former Charger General Manager John Sanders have been moved. They will be at the College Avenue Baptist Church, 4744 College Avenue today at 11 a.m. Sanders, who was instrumental in the rise of the Chargers from 1975-1987, died Friday.