Chargers Are Back at Square One After ’92 Surge to Glory : Raiders: San Diego is 2-4 again, but the AFC West title appears more distant this season because of personnel changes.

They had climbed out of a deep, dark hole; their future never seemed brighter. They were young and talented and optimistic. For the first time in a long time, they were getting respect from other teams and adulation from their fans.

It was the dawn of a new era in San Diego.

It lasted four months.

The San Diego Chargers began last season 0-4. They had a rookie coach, a perennial backup for a quarterback and a roster that was almost one-third new.

Alarm? Concern? In San Diego, it was more a case of resignation. After all, this team hadn’t had a winning record in five years and finished only one season above .500 in a decade.

But suddenly, it all clicked. The system of the rookie coach, Bobby Ross, kicked in, the backup quarterback, Stan Humphries, played like a starter, the running game flourished, the defense excelled and the Chargers won.

They won four in a row and 11 of 12 for their first AFC West title since 1981.

San Diego won its first playoff game as well, shutting out the Kansas City Chiefs, 17-0, before finally losing to the Dolphins in Miami, 31-0.

No matter.

Everybody predicted that the Chargers would pick right up this season. Instead, the team that rarely lost last season seemed to lose at every turn even before the start of this season. Injuries and defections took their toll before opening day.

Humphries suffered a bruised right shoulder against the San Francisco 49ers in San Diego’s exhibition finale and hasn’t been the same since.

The Chargers have lost three other starters as well--cornerback Gill Byrd and guard Eric Moten because of knee problems, and linebacker Jerrol Williams because of a shoulder injury.

In addition, half a dozen free agents, including four starters led by running back Rod Bernstine, went elsewhere in the off-season.

Defensive lineman Leslie O’Neal and running back Ronnie Harmon got late starts, holding out until August.

Add the fact that San Diego, blessed with an easier schedule last season as a fifth-place team, has few softies on its schedule this year and its struggles become more understandable.

The Chargers come into the Coliseum for today’s game against the Raiders at 2-4, last in the AFC West.

That’s the same record San Diego had at this time a year ago, but does this team have the same capabilities?

“By the end of last season we were probably a better football team than we are now,” Ross conceded.

“In some respects, it’s been very frustrating. There isn’t a whole lot you can do about certain things and you don’t want to talk about it a whole lot because, first of all, it’s perceived as excuse-making, and, secondly, everybody has to deal with those things.”

John Friesz is in for his second tour of duty as a starting quarterback after Humphries struggled badly because of his sore shoulder, completing only 45.3% of his passes and throwing six interceptions along with only two touchdown passes.

There have been some bright spots. Marion Butts, who struggled last season because of a knee injury, is averaging 3.8 yards per carry and has a team-leading 265 yards rushing. The Chargers are high on rookie running back Natrone Means. And they have achieved some stability in the offensive line, where they have started the same group for the last two games.

On defense, Junior Seau is still terrorizing opponents. And O’Neal has six sacks.

The Chargers will be facing a team they swept last season, but the Raiders are also a different club.

They are 4-2, a game behind the division-leading Chiefs. They are rested after a bye week and look formidable. The Raider defense ranks fifth in the NFL, quarterback Jeff Hostetler is nearly back to full strength and the receiving corps might be as good as any in the league. Kicker Jeff Jaeger has made 10 consecutive field goals, including the game-winner against the Denver Broncos in the closing seconds of the Raiders’ last game.

The only nagging question concerns the running game. Starting tailback Nick Bell has limped through a season of leg injuries and no one has stepped forward to take his place. Someone will need to step forward today; Bell was deactivated Saturday for the game.

But Coach Art Shell will get no sympathy from the Chargers. They have been there themselves this season, time after time after time.

Raider Notes

The Raiders put rookie receiver Charles Jordan (abdominal injury) on injured reserve Saturday, ending his season. The team also moved rookie running back Randy Jordan up from the practice squad to the 49-man roster.

RAIDERS / TODAY’S GAME

* Opponent: San Diego Chargers.

* Site: Coliseum.

* Time: 1 p.m.

* Records: Raiders 4-2, Chargers 2-4.

* TV: None.

* Radio: KFI (640), KWKW (1330), KMEN (1290).

* Rosters: C16.