Raider Line Is Big Challenge for Chargers : Pro football: Running game to be tested against the likes of Howie Long, Greg Townsend.
The road to victory for the Chargers this weekend goes through the Raiders’ vaunted defensive line.
So the task ahead for the Chargers’ offensive line includes opening holes for the running game and protecting a rookie quarterback against the likes of Howie Long and Greg Townsend.
Long, an 11-year veteran, and Townsend, a veteran of nine seasons, are perennial Pro Bowl linemen who thrive on a physical game. Joining them in the pass rush are Scott Davis, a fourth-year man, and second-year player Anthony Smith. The Raiders’ defense has been the foundation of their 3-2 start; on offense, the Raiders have only outscored the 0-5 Chargers by two points.
The relatively green Charger offensive line has Broderick Thompson (seventh season) and David Richards (fourth season) on the right, third-year man Courtney Hall at center and Eric Moten (rookie) and Harry Swayne on the left.
The Chargers’ powerful running game generally goes through the more experienced right. Moten, a second-round pick, has started every game this season but has a sprained neck and may not start Sunday. Swayne is in his fifth NFL season but was switched from defensive line to offensive line three years ago.
“I think the offensive line is the toughest place for a young player to break in,” Long said Wednesday. “Defense is the key with us--we’ve got real solid players with experience and some young guys who’ve come on. I think this game . . . is up my alley--a physical game.”
Swayne, still learning the subtleties of the offensive line, said, “I’ve made a couple glaring mistakes but it’s getting better every week. I just need to cut down the mistakes--losing my focus for one or two plays a game, and things will work out great.”
Richards, who has started all 53 games he’s played in the NFL, said the Raiders are always a special challenge.
“They (have) a great defensive line. I’ve played Howie about a dozen times--he’s a knowledgeable guy who’s seen it all,” Richards said. “I gave up two sacks to him my rookie year. I’d say (learning offensive line) is tougher than defensive line. If you make a mistake it’s magnified--it’s either a penalty, a sack or a loss. Those are things you just can’t have happen.
“The toughest thing to learn on the offensive line is patience, not to overreact. (Defensive linemen) will make a move early to set you up for something later. You have to study ‘em and know what they’re good at.”
Hall, touted by Charger coaches as a potential Pro Bowl selection, said the Raiders “know who they’re gonna pick on. On the line it’s not how well you play, it’s how well the line plays. Because the (Raider linemen) are so old--make that wise, experienced--they know how to work well together and they’ll set you up. You know, it’s not always the most physically talented player out there. If you don’t have the mental abilities, you won’t make it. (The Raiders) play mind games really well.”
On the other hand, the Chargers’ running game, led by the right side of the line, has been the team’s lone bright spot. “Averaging five yards (per carry) is unheard of in the NFL,” Long said.
Swayne said, “Nothing else is going too good for us. The one thing where we can let it all out is our running game.”
Dropped passes were on the agenda Wednesday as the Chargers broke out a machine--similar to a pitching machine--to give the receivers some extra work. “It doesn’t really simulate how it goes in a game but you get a lot of repetitions,” Coach Dan Henning said. “We’re not catching the ball, we need to do something to keep us sharp.”
The day’s comic relief came when the machine began shooting passes 10 feet over Anthony Miller’s head, prompting observers to say the machine was now re-creating game conditions.
Miller, however, didn’t care to talk about the subject. Referring to the team’s five-game losing streak, he said, “This is the team. You can’t blame it on dropped passes.”
Quarterback John Friesz defended Miller, a Pro Bowl selection the past two years, saying, “It’s not like him to drop passes. He’s still the best receiver here and one of the best in the league.”
The Raiders went through hard times a few years ago before Mike Shanahan was replaced as head Coach by Art Shell, and Long was asked to compare that to the Chargers’ current situation.
Long said when the coaching staff is under siege by fans and media, “It’s a major distraction. You do what you have to do to keep your job because in a sinking ship you can become like one of those things that’s sucked down when the water’s swirling around and you pull the plug.”
Henning said No. 1 draft choice Stanley Richard, who made his first interception last week, is “where we expect him to be” in his development as the Chargers’ starting free safety. “He’s not as good as his ability yet. . . . He’ll be a pretty good player,” Henning said.
Henning said it’s Richard’s responsibility to give defensive signals and noted, “I still see him out there checking with (Gary) Plummer or (Gill) Byrd--that’s a trait of intelligence but it’s also a sign of inexperience.”
Henning said Richard has “an athletic arrogance--not social arrogance that’s a sign of confidence on the field.”
Charger Notes
Injury update: Wide receiver Anthony Miller said his sore thigh feels better. He was able to go through a mid-week practice for the first time in several weeks. . . . Linebacker Gary Plummer probably will play Sunday with a pin in his broken right thumb, which was injured in last week’s game. “I won’t be able to grab like I usually do but I’ll do what I can. It beats sitting on the bench,” he said. . . . Raider guard Max Montoya has a groin injury and is listed as doubtful. The Raiders said Reggie McElroy will start.