Charger Defense Survives Key Mistakes

Darren Carrington turned in some sparkling plays in a 14-13 victory Sunday over the Cleveland Browns, but the Chargers’ defense also made some mistakes--including a couple they got away with.

Carrington intercepted a pass intended for tight end Mark Bavaro in the first quarter and snapped Mike Tomczak’s streak of 131 consecutive passes without an interception.

The referee put an unintentional block on Tomczak as he tried to run down Carrington after the interception, and it appeared as if Carrington would go all the way. However, Eric Metcalf came sprinting from behind to haul down a trudging Carrington after a 69-yard return.

“I stopped. Didn’t you see me stop on the sideline?” Carrington said. “I got something to drink, that’s how he got me.”

In addition to grabbing his third interception of the season and combining with Gill Byrd to force Metcalf’s four-quarter fumble, Carrington pinned the Browns at their own one-yard line by downing a punt.

“(Special teams coach Chuck Priefer) said I was going to be a big part of this game,” Carrington said, “and I was glad I could help out.”

The Charger defense, however, overcame some lapses.

They had only 10 defenders on the field as the Browns tried to push the ball in the end zone to go ahead 17-7. Fortunately for the Chargers, the Browns did not notice, and Tomczak hurried his pass to a pair of wide open receivers, who had run into each other, and the ball fell incomplete.

“We should have had another linebacker in there,” Coach Bobby Ross said.

Said defensive end Burt Grossman: “We also had the wrong personnel in when Gill Byrd stripped the ball from Eric Metcalf and forced the fumble. We dodged a bullet there, too. For what we were running, we should have been in big trouble there, too.”