Rookie Cuts Right to Chase --of Elway : Chargers: Defensive end Mims to get his first start against Denver Broncos.

Charger defensive end Chris Mims might be a rookie, but no one had to tell him about the legend of John Elway. Maybe he couldn’t recite Elway’s most remarkable statistic--31 game-saving fourth-quarter drives in 10 years--but he’s definitely aware of what the Denver Bronco quarterback can do.

“Denver’s Elway . . . Elway’s Denver,” Mims said Wednesday. “If we can’t stop him, he’ll pick us apart. He’s a quarterback that can do it all. I’ve been watching him since I was young.”

Mims was a spectator when the Chargers lost at Denver, 21-13, last month, but he won’t be watching Sunday. He’ll be running--after Elway.

An injury to Leslie O’Neal has thrust Mims into the starting lineup. Of all quarterbacks to get your first NFL start against, Mims had to pick a legend.

“I’d rather see that and find out what (Mims is) about,” defensive line coach George O’Leary said.

The Chargers were curious about Mims, their No. 1 draft choice from Tennessee. But they have brought him along gradually, playing him behind O’Neal and using him as a tackle on passing downs.

Last week against Indianapolis, Mims participated in a season-high 25 plays. But this week, unless O’Neal makes a miraculous recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery, Mims can count on playing almost every down. Coach Bobby Ross said the team will sign former Bengal defensive end Jim Skow as insurance, but the Chargers didn’t draft Mims to watch Skow.

“Chris is ready to play,” Ross said. “He’s had enough work. Lord knows, it’s time for him to play. He’s a good player. It’s going to be interesting to see how he does.”

Charger cornerback Gill Byrd is confident Mims will do well.

“If he prepares this week like he should, he’ll come in and do just fine,” Byrd said. “He’s quick off the ball and he’s real tenacious and he’s got the drive to be the best. He’s going to step right in and I know he’s going to show everybody it was a great choice.”

Mims tried to downplay the significance of his first career start.

“I don’t feel like I have to prove anything to anyone,” said Mims, who has six tackles and two sacks in limited play. “If I go out there trying to prove something, then I’ll fall on my face.”

But George Thornton said more experienced players than Mims have fallen on their faces against Elway, who is the NFL’s winningest quarterback over the past eight years (.644 winning percentage, including postseason).

“Playing against Elway, rookie or no rookie, is a tough task,” Thornton said. “The guy is a great athlete. He’s among the top quarterbacks in the NFL.”

Although he’s never faced Elway, Mims said he understands how to contain him.

“Basically, we just want to put him in a hole,” Mims said. “Just sit him in the pocket and let us all rush at him.”

But Mims knows it’s not that easy. He also knows it won’t be easy to replace O’Neal, a two-time Pro Bowler.

“Leslie’s been causing a lot of trouble for quarterbacks. He’s been having a great year,” Mims said. “I have learned a lot from Leslie. But he’s just a different style pass rusher. He has his strengths, quickness and size, but I can’t copy what he’s doing.”

But O’Leary said he hopes Mims has been watching O’Neal closely.

“I think you learn by doing, but before you can do, you see what you’re doing,” O’Leary said.

If Mims doesn’t know what he’s doing, he could be in for a frustrating afternoon.

“He’s on his own I think,” defensive end Burt Grossman said. “I can’t tackle his guy, let alone tell somebody how to do it. I think he’ll do all right. He’s had some experience in there.”

But Grossman was hardly sympathetic about Mims having to play against Elway in his first pro start.

“It’s no big deal,” Grossman said. “You get all that money, you can play one week, I guess.”

O’Leary, who criticized Mims during training camp for poor work habits, said Mims will be ready to play.

“I have seen more of a commitment in the last three or four weeks,” O’Leary said. “It’s his time.”

Ross said the club would rather have activated rookie Arthur Paul from the developmental squad instead of going outside of the organization for Skow.

“Arthur Paul isn’t ready yet,” Ross said. “He’s not at the strength he needs to be.”

The Chargers also had considered activating rookie running back Peter Tuipulotu to replace the injured Rod Bernstine. But Ross said O’Neal’s injury left the team with only five defensive linemen.

Charger Notes

Junior Seau practiced lightly, but said he won’t know until Sunday whether his strained groin is healed enough to play. “I have a high threshold of pain,” Seau said. “But I won’t force it and hurt the team or risk not playing the rest of season.” . . . Coach Bobby Ross said he expected linebacker Henry Rolling (thumb) to be ready on Sunday, and running back Marion Butts said he felt better than he has in a month.