Charger Defense Superior Again

John Elway’s passing was legendary. His touchdown run was exquisite and, a second later, his receivers were twirling like ballet dancers and catching everything in sight.

This was on the television outside of the visitors’ locker room at Mile High Stadium after the Chargers’ 21-13 loss to Denver. As some Chargers walked to their bus, a local newscast tortured them with replays.

But here was the kicker: All totaled, there were barely enough Denver offensive highlights to produce a decent package.

For the second consecutive week, the Charger defense punched in with an effort that could have meant a victory. For the second time, it turned into pure frustration.

The Chargers gained 355 total yards. Denver? A relatively puny 226.

The Chargers collected 27 first downs, Denver only 12. The Chargers held the Broncos to 64 yards rushing, but it was the San Diego offense that could only muster one touchdown.

Same old story. How do you explain it?

“We’re not going to count on our offense to win games,” linebacker Junior Seau said. “We have a good enough defense to go out and perform and get a couple of field goals.

“In crunch time, we have to perform.”

Seau glared as if someone had stolen his wallet. Coach Bobby Ross looked like someone had just killed his dog.

Welcome to Week Two with the Chargers.

“We don’t spend much time with the offense,” defensive lineman Burt Grossman said. “We don’t even factor them into the game plan. We just do what we do and don’t worry about them.”

Pointing fingers is a touchy subject, and Charger defenders were not ready to tackle their offensive counterparts Sunday. Instead, they chose to put their heads down and grind forward.

“Defense is a game not so much about how much yardage you give up, but about how many points,” cornerback Gill Byrd said. “That’s the key to defense.

“Denver gave up 300 yards, but it didn’t matter. They won. Our defense didn’t.”

The biggest problems the Charger defense faced came on Denver’s opening drives in the first and second halves.

The Broncos moved 80 yards for a touchdown to open the game as Elway completed five passes.

With the Chargers ahead, 10-7, Denver took its first possession of the second half 64 yards for a touchdown. Elway completed four of five passes during that drive.

“They added a few new wrinkles, but that’s to be expected,” linebacker Gary Plummer said. “They ran some wide receivers in the backfield, they ran some three wide-receiver (sets) . . . they just changed it up on us a lot.”

You wouldn’t know that from talking with Charger defensive coordinator Bill Arnsparger.

Did Denver do anything differently on Sunday?

“No,” Arnsparger said. “They did what they have a history of doing.”

Did the Chargers make any adjustments?

“No, that’s a word for (the media),” Arnsparger said.

But Plummer and Byrd both attributed the Broncos’ third-quarter touchdown drive in part to “new wrinkles.”

“(Denver) did a good job at halftime with their formations and we were able to see what they were trying to do and adjust,” Byrd said.

The Bronco touchdown that extinguished the Chargers for good, though, was their third one, which came after a Stan Humphries interception at the Charger 34. It only took one play for Elway to find Shannon Sharpe in the end zone to boost Denver’s lead to 21-13.

“The situation is, it’s 14-10 and we’re in the ballgame,” Plummer said. “To let one play put them up by 11 (actually, eight). . . . It’s tough to come back. We can’t put our offense in those situations.

“Elway was checking off at the line of scrimmage, and we had a blitz on. I probably should have checked it off. I didn’t get that done, and I should have.”

A check here, a new wrinkle there. What it comes down to is this: Because of a sluggish offense with no prospect for immediate improvement, the Charger defense is left with no margin for error on Sundays.

“I think it gets everybody excited,” Byrd said. “We realize we have to enhance our level of competition.

CHARGER STATISTICS: C18