This Is Not a Passing Phase

A review of Week 7 in the NFL, and to set the record straight, it only seems as if opponents have caught more passes thrown by Charger quarterbacks than the team’s own wide receivers.

The mistake is understandable. The city that thrilled to the exploits of Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts now has witnessed 58 interceptions in the last 27 games.

In that time Charger quarterbacks have thrown 18 touchdown passes.

A DREAM MATCHUP

Three teams have already posted at least 40 points against San Francisco. Only five other teams have been hit by as many points this year, and in each case it happened only once--to Cleveland, Washington, Dallas, New York Giants and Atlanta.

The 49ers are on pace to surrender a team-record 477 points.

The Chargers have scored more than one offensive touchdown in only nine of their last 38 games.

The excitement . . . the intrigue. . . . What if they played against each other?

ROOKIE-ITIS

When it comes time once again for the NFL draft, and all the commotion surrounding the selection of a quarterback, relax.

Chicago, Cincinnati and Cleveland all started rookie quarterbacks Sunday and each team scored three points.

Despite getting the ball on the average at the Bears’ 40-yard line for his final five possessions, Cade McNown could not get the ball in position for the Bears to even try a field goal. McNown was benched, and Jim Miller set up Chicago’s lone score in a 6-3 defeat.

Cincinnati quarterback Akili Smith went 24 minutes in the first half without leading his team to a first down, the Bengals running three plays and punting on eight of their first 11 possessions. Smith went to the bench with a bruised shin in the third quarter.

Cleveland’s Tim Couch threw two interceptions.

Donovan McNabb only got the chance to warm up in Philadelphia, and as a result the Eagles were able to explode for two field goals under Doug Pederson.

NOT WALKING ON WATER NOW

* “I’m just fed up with the situation,” said Coach Bill Parcells, 1-6 in a season in which his Jets team was picked by many to make it to the Super Bowl.

* “Billy, you should fire every one of us,” said Coach Mike Ditka when New Orleans General Manager Bill Kuharich arrived in the locker room after a 31-3 loss to the Giants.

* “We’re entering into a place where we haven’t been before,” said Coach Steve Mariucci, his 49ers under .500 in October for the first time since 1991.

CONTRARY TO SPECULATION

Before the Browns and Rams met, Cleveland wide receiver Kevin Johnson had predicted his winless team would defeat the NFL’s only undefeated team.

Despite rumors to the contrary, Kevin Johnson has not been picking the “Upset of the Week” in the Los Angeles Times for the last seven weeks.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Someone needs to advise Ram Coach Dick Vermeil that the BCS formula for selecting teams to play in the big bowl does not impact St. Louis. Vermeil’s lads have made like Nebraska--so long as it’s not playing Texas--and run up the score, posting 154 more points than the opposition. . . . The Chargers like to brag about their defense, pointing out they were the only team not to allow a run of 15 yards or longer this season. Then De’mond Parker went 26 yards. The Chargers would explain later they couldn’t stop him because they had never heard of him.

The Broncos scored in the opening minute of the fourth quarter and trailed New England 24-19. Mike Shanahan, a.k.a. the Mastermind, took the automatic extra point rather than trying the two-point play to bring Denver within a field goal of the Patriots. A short time later the Broncos got that field goal, but lost, 24-23. . . . Dallas defensive lineman Greg Ellis has two more touchdowns than Seattle running back Ricky Watters this season. Ellis has two touchdowns.

Trailing by six points, Raider running back Zack Crockett went uncovered in the end zone in the final seconds and dropped a pass from Rich Gannon that would have beaten the Jets. Before Al Davis could make it downstairs and send Crockett packing to some really bad team, like San Francisco, Gannon came back on the next play to find James Jett for the game-winner. . . . The Lions lost starting running back Ron Rivers with a broken ankle. Are they supposed to be worried? They lost Barry Sanders before the season began and after six games, they are one victory from matching the number they had a year ago with Sanders carrying the ball in 16 games.

WILL IT LAST?

* What has experience taught you in watching Jeff George perform? The Vikings are back on track and George is being hailed as their savior, but no one has yelled, “Boo!” at him yet.

* What has experience taught you in watching the Bengals perform? They will lose. “We didn’t play very well,” said Coach Bruce Coslet, and was that Memorex?

* What has experience taught you in watching the Cowboys perform? They can score against Washington, but no one else. The Cowboys have averaged almost 40 points a game against the Redskins, and not quite 20 points a game against the rest of their opponents.

EARLY MVP RUNNER-UP

It’s too early to liken Gannon to Jim Plunkett’s resurrection with the Raiders, but of all the certified stiffs to line up and give it another try this season, Gannon is right there behind St. Louis’ hands-down winner in Kurt Warner.

Gannon suffered a broken bone in his left wrist on his final play against the Jets, and although Coach Jon Gruden is worried--he always looks worried--Gannon says he will be ready to play against the Dolphins.

The Raiders have had all seven games on their torturous schedule decided by a touchdown or less, and Gannon’s patient artful escape from the Jets’ pass rush on the decisive play--a five-yard touchdown pass to Jett for a 24-23 victory--sets up a playoff run for Oakland in the second half of the season.

The Raiders will take on Damon Huard, Erik Kramer, Brian Griese, Elvis Grbac, Jon Kitna, Steve McNair and Trent Dilfer or Eric Zeier down the stretch.

Not even the Raiders can blow it now.