Humphries Returns to Get Chargers Over the Hump

Stan Humphries returned just in time to get the San Diego Chargers back on course.

“It was great to see him back,” Junior Seau said Sunday after Humphries passed for three touchdowns in a 35-25 Charger victory over the Seattle Seahawks. “He means so much to our offense.”

Added Leslie O’Neal: “This was a good win. Everybody is happy again.”

Humphries, the man behind the Chargers’ drive to the Super Bowl last season, sat out last week’s third consecutive San Diego loss because of a bruised rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder.

In his absence, backup Gale Gilbert was intercepted three times and lost a fumble in a 23-9 loss to Dallas in San Diego.

“My shoulder feels pretty good,” Humphries said. “I took a couple of shots, but none on the shoulder.”

The defending AFC champion Chargers (4-4) said all week this was a must-win game for them in order to keep their playoffs hopes alive, and they played an inspired, emotional game, particularly on defense.

San Diego’s defense, led by O’Neal, sacked Rick Mirer seven times and intercepted him three times. O’Neal had 3 1/2 sacks for 22 yards in losses, giving him 99 career sacks.

O’Neal had only 2 1/2 sacks in San Diego’s first seven games and Coach Bobby Ross talked to him during the week about how he could be more productive.

“Sometimes things go your way, sometimes they don’t,” O’Neal said. “Sometimes sacks come in bunches and sometimes they don’t. Today was one of those good days.”

Strong safety Shaun Gayle fell on a Mirer fumble in the end zone in the second quarter for a touchdown, and Natrone Means scored on a seven-yard run for San Diego’s other touchdown.

Humphries had touchdown passes of 12 and 23 yards to Ronnie Harmon and two yards to Mark Seay as San Diego scored its most points of the season.

“It feels good to win again,” Humphries said. “It feels like it’s been a long, long time.”

The Seahawks (2-5) gave up their most points of the season on a day when Mirer’s passing and Chris Warren’s running couldn’t keep them in the game with the Chargers, who beat Seattle for the fourth consecutive time.

Seattle lost its third game in a row.

Mirer was 17 for 26 for 216 yards and one touchdown, while Warren rushed 18 times for 112 yards, the first 100-yard rushing game against San Diego since Oct. 10, 1993, a stretch of 37 games. Mirer threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Brian Blades and Warren scored on a six-yard run in the fourth quarter.

When Seahawk backup John Friesz entered the game with five minutes left, the remainder of the Kingdome crowd of 45,821 cheered because of Mirer’s departure.

Mirer declined to be interviewed after the game.

Friesz, a former Charger, was four for five for 56 yards.