Chargers Finally Nail Down West Title : AFC: San Diego knocks Esiason out of the game while dominating New York Jets, 21-6.
Their 6-0 start was not forgotten by the San Diego Chargers. They simply forgot how they got off to such a quick beginning.
On Sunday, they rediscovered the formula: A stingy defense, big plays from quarterback Stan Humphries and powerful runs by Natrone Means. That was more than enough to subdue the slumping New York Jets, 21-6, and clinch San Diego’s second AFC West crown in three years.
“I’m proud of my starts and wins and the two division titles in three years,” Humphries said after throwing for three touchdowns. “No one expected us to be anywhere this year and we proved what we can do.
“We made the big plays we made earlier in the season. It’s been something we’ve been fighting four, five weeks to find.”
After their quick start, the Chargers went 3-5. They lost their last two games with the division title within reach. But in the Jets, they found a team even more inept in December.
New York (6-9) has lost four consecutive games and has scored 26 points in 13 quarters--or since the Jets led Miami, 24-6, after three periods in a battle for first place in the AFC East.
“It feels good to get the monkey off our backs, and it feels as if a lot of weight has been lifted off our shoulders,” Charger Pro Bowl linebacker Junior Seau said. “We’ve had a couple of opportunities to get to this point in the past couple of weeks, and it’s been frustrating, because we haven’t taken advantage of them.
“But it feels satisfying to get it done today.”
The game turned when Seau knocked out Jet quarterback Boomer Esiason with a shot to the head in the second quarter. Esiason had just released the ball and was off-balance when hit. He stayed on the ground for several moments, then walked slowly to the bench. Soon after, he headed just as slowly to the locker room with a concussion and did not return.
“Boomer was scrambling around and I had to come up and contain it,” Seau said. “He was leaning and we collided and he had to come out of the game. That was a big thing for us, because Boomer is the leader of their offense. We got it going after that.”
No penalty was called on the play and the Jets got a field goal on the next snap for a 6-0 lead.
But perhaps inspired by Seau’s hit, the Chargers came alive offensively for touchdown drives of 64 and 65 yards.
Humphries completed 19 of 26 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. Tony Martin had three catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns.
“This put us up there as champions,” Martin said. “It felt really good to get that under our belts.”
The loss officially eliminated the Jets from playoff contention.
“With the enthusiasm we had coming into the year,” said wide receiver Rob Moore, the team’s only Pro Bowl player, “we had great things envisioned. It’s very frustrating.”
San Diego was plagued by poor protection for Humphries, who was sacked three times in the first half. But the defense kept things close with constant pressure, getting five sacks and rarely allowing the Jets any room to run.
“I think this was one of our best defensive games of the year,” Seau said. “It came at the right time.”