Chargers’ Ross Joins in Playoff Speculation : Football: After trying to ignore all the talk, the coach begins to give his thoughts on his team’s drive.

The Chargers’ playoff drive must be getting serious, because even their coach is starting to talk about it.

“We are legitimately in the hunt, but we’re still on the outside looking in,” Charger Coach Bobby Ross said Monday. “I don’t even know if we can control our own destiny. I don’t think we can. If we were to win the rest of our games, we might still not make it. So we’ve got to really be concentrating on winning and that starts with Phoenix.”

If the Chargers (7-5) and Oilers (7-5) finish in a tie, Houston would make the playoffs because the Oilers have beaten the Chargers.

In the past few weeks, Ross had been leaving playoff scenarios alone. But after the Chargers beat the Raiders, 27-3, Sunday to get their seventh victory in their past eight games, Ross found playoff talk hard to avoid.

“We’ve talked about it,” he said. “It hasn’t been something we’ve ignored. These are men. They understand and they read, and they understand what’s going on. But the playoffs don’t get here until you win. So you focus on winning.”

Ross already has started building up the Chargers’ next opponent, the Phoenix Cardinals (3-9). One Cardinal victory was against the San Francisco 49ers. Another victory came at the expense of the Washington Redskins.

But maybe more importantly, Phoenix beat the Chargers, 35-14, in an exhibition game.

“My main concern is they beat the stuffings out of us over there, and I mean they beat the stuffings out of us,” Ross said. “It was an embarrassment to us all. I think Phoenix is a very good football team. I realize where they are won-loss wise. But they’ve had a tremendous amount of injuries.”

Quarterback Timm Rosenbach has been one of the Cardinals’ injured, but he returned Sunday to throw four interceptions in a 41-3 loss to Washington.

Ross still respects Rosenbach’s skills, even if he doesn’t know his name.

“I was very impressed with Tomavich their quarterback at the time that we see saw them,” Ross said. “He had a great night against us.”

After being corrected, Ross said: “What is it? Rosenbach? I’m sorry. It was a long name. Rosavich? Right? Is that right. Is that what it is? I’m sorry. I’ll know his number after I see the video. That’s all that really matters. I apologize for my English language.”

Phoenix’s offense is ranked 20th in the NFL. It’s defense is rated 24th overall and 27th against the pass. The Chargers’ offense is rated seventh and their defense is third in the NFL.

The team has Monday and today off. Ross said the flu bug has been making its way around the team in the last three weeks. Junior Seau and Marion Butts had it Sunday.

“We really just wanted to keep them away from each other,” Ross said.

He also said he wanted to give his team a rest.

“We’ve had a long season and we’ve worked hard,” Ross said. “You kind of want to do that to keep them strong and keep the momentum going up.”

Ross called guard David Richards’ performance against the Raiders “the best he’s played since we’ve been here.”

Ross also praised receiver Shawn Jefferson and tight ends Duane Young and Derrick Walker for their play on offense. On defense, Ross touted backup tackle Shawn Lee and safety Stanley Richard for their play. He also singled out the special teams play of rookie Marquez Pope.

Defensive end Burt Grossman, who did not play Sunday, had a bone scan done on his injured ankle Monday. Trainer Keoki Kamau said the test was negative. Ross said Grossman is questionable for Sunday’s game.

With Grossman out, the Chargers only have five healthy defensive lineman.

Linebacker Henry Rolling (ankle) sat out the Raider game, but Ross expects him to play Sunday.

Ross does not expect running back Rod Bernstine back this season. Bernstine has missed almost two months with a separated shoulder.