Chargers
suffering without former stars
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Rodney Harrison is playing
for one of the NFL's best teams, a hard-hitting
safety so respected by his teammates that
they asked their coach to make him a captain
after the season started.
Linebacker Junior Seau's team has a shot
at the playoffs, too.
Obviously,
they're not with the San Diego Chargers
anymore. Harrison is with the New England
Patriots, Seau with the Miami Dolphins.
The
Chargers, who dumped their longtime defensive
leaders in the offseason, are a wreck. Their
defensive-minded coach, Marty Schottenheimer,
is feeling as blue as the Chargers' home
jerseys.
"I'm
as miserable as I've ever been," Schottenheimer
said. "This is frustrating."
This
defense could be the ugliest in Schottenheimer's
17 full seasons as an NFL coach.
The
Chargers made Harrison and Seau the scapegoats
after ranking 30th of 32 teams in total
defense by allowing an average of 377.1
yards last season, Schottenheimer's first
in San Diego. They got younger, particularly
in the secondary.
With
five games left in this wretched season,
the Chargers (2-9) are in the same place
-- 30th in total defense at 377.2 yards
per game. The NFL average is 319.5 yards.
Before coming to San Diego, Schottenheimer's
previous 15 teams, with Cleveland, Kansas
City and Washington, allowed an average
of 301 yards and never ranked lower than
19th in total defense.
What's
more, the Chargers have allowed an NFL-worst
314 points, or 28.5 a game.
Do
the Chargers miss Seau and Harrison?
''You'll
have to ask Marty that question,'' said
Donnie Edwards, who moved into Seau's spot
at weakside linebacker.
Schottenheimer
is sticking with the company line.
"We
as an organization made a decision that
it was time to move forward. And I'm not
going to look back and second-guess it.
We're in the process of developing some
young players. Their development, which
I'm reasonably confident can be achieved,
will put us in a position in the future
to be better than we were a year ago."
So,
was that a 'yes' or a 'no,' coach?
Schottenheimer
laughed and dodged the question again.
While
admitting that Seau and Harrison were team
leaders, Schottenheimer said other players
needed opportunities to emerge.
"We
tried to create an opportunity for leadership,
at the same time," Schottenheimer said.
"These younger players, I never dreamed
that it would be as difficult as it has
been."
Said
general manager A.J. Smith: "I don't
know if they'd make a difference in our
situation."
Smith
took defensive backs with his first three
picks in the April draft, and four overall
in his seven picks. Then, confident their
young players were on the rise, the Chargers
cut their most experienced defensive back,
free safety Ryan McNeil, midway through
training camp.
With
a weak pass rush and porous secondary, the
Chargers have allowed an NFL-high 26 touchdown
passes.
On
Sunday, Cincinnati left no doubt that it's
been replaced as the NFL's doormat by San
Diego. Jon Kitna threw four TD passes in
the first half as the Bengals moved easily
against the Chargers' defense in a 34-27
victory.
The Bengals gained 454 yards and 33 first
downs, both season highs. It was the third
time in as many weeks the Chargers gave
up at least 448 yards, and the fifth time
they gave up more than 400. The NFL average
for total offense is 319.5.
"We
should be beyond the kind of numbers that
we're getting put up against us," Schottenheimer
said.
The
Chargers don't have many answers, other
than they're terrible both converting third
downs and stopping opponents on third down.
Marcellus
Wiley, San Diego's $40 million defensive
end, has just two sacks.
Seau
and Harrison each have two sacks.
Cornerback
Quentin Jammer, San Diego's first-round
draft pick in 2002, has just two interceptions
in two seasons. This year's top pick, Sammy
Davis, the cornerback with the Hollywood
name, sometimes plays more like he really
is Mr. Bojangles, although he does have
two pickoffs.
Harrison
leads the Patriots in tackles and has two
interceptions.
Schottenheimer
said he's surprised that some players, both
on offense and defense, are failing to grasp
their assignments.
"It's
not brain surgery, I promise you that,"
he said. "It should not be this difficult."
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