RAMS : Chargers Hoping to Star in Next Film, Too
The San Diego Chargers won’t bring a good record into Anaheim Stadium Sunday, but they’ve sent ahead some fairly impressive game films.
“They pretty much physically controlled the game against the Chiefs and the Raiders, a couple of pretty good teams,” Ram Coach John Robinson said. “They’ve had some things go against them. Good luck hasn’t started to happen to that group, but they have a chance to become a very solid team.”
The Chargers fell to 0-5 Sept. 29 with a 14-13 loss to Kansas City, then soundedly defeated the Raiders last week, 21-13.
San Diego Coach Dan Henning simplified the defensive scheme a bit and the Chargers have started playing solid defense to go along with an already powerful, grind-it-out running game. After allowing an average of more than 380 yards and 25 points in the first four games, San Diego has allowed an average of only 229 yards and 13.5 points in the past two.
“We’re playing sounder on defense now,” Henning said. “Earlier, there were some defensive calls that weren’t executed very well. People ended up in the wrong place or didn’t cover somebody in man coverage.
“We did some hard evaluation and now we’re not putting the pressure on the younger people to have to make so many adjustments. We found out where the glitches were and tried to put people in situations they could handle. We put the load more on the veterans and we’re not giving up the big, blown plays.”
Quarterback John Friesz, who played in only one game in his rookie season last year, is another factor in the Chargers’ improved play. Friesz has completed 81 of 172 passes for 926 yards with five touchdowns and five interceptions.
“I think he’s been steady,” Henning said. “He hasn’t made any tremendous push to win games for us, but he hasn’t made any real critical errors to put us into a bind, either.
“At this point, he’s kind of at the crossroads. He needs to push ahead and make a few more plays to win games and maintain what he has on the other side of the ledger. But, after just six games, he’s probably a little further along then I expected.”
Pounding It Out: San Diego’s running game is straight out of Robinson’s book on how to win football games. The Chargers, averaging 153 rushing yards, have been shoving the ball down opponents’ throats lately.
And they have some pretty big backs--6-foot-1, 248-pound Marion Butts and 6-3, 238-pound Rod Bernstine--doing the shoving.
Is Robinson impressed with the NFL’s heaviest running back combination?
“With their weight? No. With their ability? Yes,” he said. “They’re both good backs and they’re strong and hard to tackle. But they both have the tendency to make you miss.
“Barry Sanders is about as big as Butts’ right leg, but he’s hard to tackle, too. They’re all those guys that run right at you, but Butts doesn’t let you hit him between the eyes. Those guys can make you miss in a narrow space. And Bernstine’s even more elusive.”
Bye Bye Fatigue: Defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher hopes the bye week will mean an end to the Rams’ fourth-quarter blues. The Ram defense has sagged most noticeably in the final quarter.
“Part of it is the newness of the system,” Fisher said. “We get people nicked and suddenly we’ve got an end playing tackle and a tackle playing end and we don’t execute.
“But we’ve been worn down and missing tackles, too. You look at the preseason game against San Diego and our people are still flying around. Look at Green Bay and compare that, well, we’re just not as fresh. We hope the bye week will bring back that freshness.”
A Real Believer: He has had almost two full weeks to think about it, but Jim Everett says he isn’t letting his five-game, 132-pass touchdown drought get his confidence down.
“I believe in this offense that we’re doing,” Everett said. ‘There’s been some changes in the defense a little, a deeper zone, trying to eliminate the big play. So that takes away some of your strikes on that.
“But I totally believe in our offense and what we’re doing and the people that we have.”
This is by far the longest Everett has gone without throwing a touchdown pass--for example, in 1988 and 1989, Everett never went more than one game without throwing for a score. Everett, who threw more touchdown passes (83) than any other quarterback the past three seasons, is the only full-time starter in the league who hasn’t thrown one this season.
This also is a longer streak than any of his $2 million-a-year contemporaries have experienced.
Joe Montana, for instance, has never gone more than three weeks in a row without a touchdown pass since he became a starter, and has never gone a full season in which he had more than five games without passing for a touchdown.
Dan Marino has gone as many as two-in-a-row only once. John Elway had had only one four-game drought. Since he became a starter, Randall Cunningham went 0 for 2 once. Warren Moon has also never gone more than two in a row. Bernie Kosar’s worst is four straight in 1989.
Everett’s last touchdown pass was a one-yard toss to Robert Delpino in the fourth quarter of the final game last season.
“I go home and wonder sometimes, but I don’t let it affect me that much,” Everett said. “At some point in time, we will have three or four during one game and this will all be bygone.”
Waiting Game: The torn flexor tendon in Marcus Dupree’s left foot is healed, and the running back is ready to play. Because of injuries, however, the Rams can’t afford to open up a spot on the roster. It’s beginning to look as if he might end up remaining on injured reserve all season.
“Yeah, it wears on me a little, but who knows what lies in the future,” he said. “Last year at this time, I was just trying to find a team who would give me a chance. So I can’t really complain.”
Dupree, who says he’s strong and ready to go, is 27. If Cleveland Gary and Delpino remain healthy and productive, his chances of coming back this year are slim. Dupree says the Rams have not informed him of their plans. Robinson, a fan of Dupree’s since the day Dupree tried out at Ram Park, would still like to see Dupree get a chance this season, but can’t make the roster move now.