Chargers Close to Taking a Big Step : Pro football: By beating the Raiders, San Diego can earn its first playoff berth since 1982.

They began the season with four defeats, business as usual for the San Diego Chargers, a team that has remained away from the playoffs longer than any other in the American Football Conference.

It looked as though new Coach Bobby Ross was in over his head. A repeat of last season’s 4-12 finish appeared likely.

But then something happened, “something unreal,” Charger cornerback Gill Byrd said. “We began to win.”

The Chargers (9-5) have won six in a row and are one victory or one Denver defeat away from advancing to the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

They can win the AFC West division by winning their final two games, against the Raiders today at the Coliseum and next Sunday at Seattle.

“It would make it really sweet to beat the Raiders to get into the playoffs,” Byrd said. “I don’t want to have to go into Seattle and have to win to get a possible wild-card spot the last week of the season. I don’t want that scenario. Let’s get it done in the Coliseum.”

The Raiders (6-8) have already lost to the Chargers this season, 27-3, are basically out of the playoff picture and probably distracted by the feud between running back Marcus Allen and owner Al Davis.

“I haven’t been in the league very long,” Ross said, “but I know this: The Raiders thrive on that kind of stuff, and that’s what I’ve told our players. I look for all of this to pull them together, and that concerns me.”

The Chargers, of course, know all about pulling themselves together at the end of the season when all has seemed lost. The last time they won nine games in a season was in 1981.

“I’ve been where the Raiders are now for the past nine years, so I know the motivation,” Byrd said. “You play to win because it gives you a lot of pleasure. You play hard to knock a team out of the playoffs because misery loves company. You play hard because jobs are on the line.

“I know this, if we don’t come out ready to play the Raiders from the very beginning of the game, they will bury us.”

Despite the Chargers’ 24-point victory earlier this season, they do not expect the Raiders to be so obliging today.

“I know Greg Townsend and Howie Long are not going to be thinking about what they are going to buy their kids for Christmas,” said Broderick Thompson, Charger tackle. “They just have too much pride to roll over and die.”

Meanwhile, the Raiders are wondering what went wrong.

“It has been a bad year all around, to say the least,” Long said. “There have been a lot of problems.

“In terms of winning and losing, it’s about given me an ulcer. I can’t take much more of it. It ruins your life. Every little word your wife says (ticks) you off. The gardener could have just mowed the lawn and it doesn’t matter, you’re going to (rip) him on the way out the door. It just makes you miserable.”

The Raiders will start Jay Schroeder at quarterback in their final home game of the season, and Coach Art Shell said next season is already under way.

“We’ve been struggling, but there is hope for the future and we have to finish on a positive note,” Shell said. “I had a good talk with the team . . . I expect them to play well.”

The Chargers not only expect to play well, but to win, which is a significant change.

Before this season, the Chargers had lost 48 of their previous 70 games. The NFL looks kindly upon such downtrodden teams, so along with the Indianapolis Colts, the Chargers were awarded the easiest schedule this season.

The Chargers have nine victories, two over the Colts, but have not beaten a team with a winning record. They have lost to Kansas City (9-5) twice, Pittsburgh (10-4), Houston (8-6) and Denver (7-7).

“People have said we’ve been beating some dogs,” Charger running back Rod Bernstine said. “But you still have to beat those dogs to make it.”

An easy schedule remained a tough task for a rebuilding team forced to open the season with Bob Gagliano as starting quarterback. John Friesz suffered a season-ending knee injury during the first exhibition.

Beathard had to give up a third-round draft pick to Washington to get Stan Humphries after turning down the chance to grab Humphries with a sixth-round pick on the day of the draft.

“It’s ironic that an unfortunate injury to Friesz turned out to be such a blessing in disguise,” Long said.

Friesz was 4-13 as a starter in the NFL; Humphries is 9-4 with the Chargers, and has passed for more than 200 yards 10 times.

“He’s the guy who has turned this thing around,” Grossman said. “He’s been the main man.”

Humphries threw one touchdown pass--and eight interceptions--in his first four appearances for the Chargers. But since then, he has thrown 13 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.

“What I want us to do is go out and play a very loose game against the Raiders,” Ross said. “Let’s come out there and get it cranked up early. I think that’s very important.

“I think there might be a tendency when you get in our position to be conservative, but I want Stan throwing, because that’s what we’ve been doing all year.”

The Chargers’ rise has also coincided with Bill Arnsparger’s return to the NFL. After an eight-year sabbatical in the college ranks, Arnsparger accepted Ross’ invitation to become defensive coordinator.

“A lot of things have gone right for us,” Beathard said. “But still, it’s scary. We’re not there yet.

“This is not just another game for us. This is a playoff game, and I just know the Raiders are going to play their best against us. I’ve been with veteran teams, who are used to winning, at the end of the season when they have been out of it. I know how strong of a motivation it can be to spoil somebody else’s season.”