Adjustments allow Chargers to get to Green

Monday, Dec 18, 2006
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

No pass rushing tandem in the NFL has more sacks than Shawne Merriman (12.5) and Shaun Phillips (11.5), and the Chiefs took notice of that Sunday night. 

Unfortunately for Kansas City, the extra attention they paid on the outside pass rush provided opportunities for the Bolts inside linebackers to get after quarterback Trent Green, and the Chargers ended up with their second-highest sack total of the season.

“They were taking care of the edge and we made some in roads up the middle of the pocket,” Schottenheimer said.  “We got really good pressure on them.  I was really pleased with our play in the secondary and in the coverage as well.  When you look at the tape, a lot of that had to do with the fact that we were creating considerable pressure both on the edge as well as inside.”

Of the Chargers’ six sacks Sunday night, half came from their starting inside linebackers.  Randall Godfrey notched two, while Donnie Edwards also dropped Green.  Phillips also joined the party, although Merriman was held without a sack for the first time in since the Chargers’ Week 7 loss at Kansas City.  Much of that was due to the fact that the Chiefs kept extra bodies in on pass protection in hopes of securing the edge against the Bolts’ top rushers. 

“They had a pretty good scheme in keeping the outside pass rushers from getting to the quarterback,” Merriman said.  “Like I’ve said all along, double team me and someone else is going to make a play.  We saw some of that last night.  I was proud of the way our guys got after them.”

Even when they weren’t getting to Green, the pass rush forced him to make quick decisions and get the ball out of his hand.  Edwards delivered his 27th career interception, and the Chargers allowed Green to complete just 23 of 41 passes. 

“I told Wade (Phillips) that I thought it was the best plan that we had had in any game this year,” Schottenheimer said.  “We added a few wrinkles that put pressure on the quarterback and created some errant throws and gave us a chance to make some plays in a timely fashion.”

L.T. is O.K.

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson said he was feeling fine Monday after leaving Sunday’s game with some soreness in his jaw.  Tomlinson said that x-rays came back negative and that he was simply experiencing some pain in his jaw. 

“I’ve had a little problem with it,” Tomlinson said.  “Yesterday after taking a shot there, it kind of came back.  It’s no big deal.  I’ve dealt with it before.  I’m going to continue to play.  I wouldn’t make a big deal out of it.”

Tomlinson has said several times this season that he’s extremely pleased with where he’s at physically, and that’s evident by some of the long runs he’s ripped off in recent weeks.

“It was apparent in that 85-yard run that he’s still fresh,” Schottenheimer said.  “He slowed down there just a bit to give Vincent (Jackson) an opportunity to get up there on (Greg Wesley) and off he went.  He’s fresh and he’s obviously playing at a very, very high level.”

Michael Turner’s impressive return Sunday gives the Chargers an opportunity to reduce Tomlinson’s load as they head toward the playoffs, but Schottenheimer did not commit to doing so Monday. 

“I think what we have to do is see where we are,” Schottenheimer said.  “There’s a terrific sense of comfort in my mind when he needs a blow that you can roll number 33 out there.  Probably the most violent hit of the night was his hit on (Lenny Walls) on the final play.  You talk about power. Our purpose right now is Seattle obviously and to try to give ourselves an opportunity to get homefield advantage.” 

A fine line

With the passing game struggling Sunday, the Chiefs knew that the Chargers would run the ball, but they still struggled to slow the Bolts’ ground game.  The Chargers rushed for 265 yards, the fifth-highest rushing game in team history. 

“When you create space for our runners, they can chew up some yardage,” Schottenheimer said, giving a nod to his offensive line.  “We’ve blocked extremely well for the run throughout the year and particularly the last couple of weeks.  That group is continuing to improve.  I think they have an opportunity as a unit to be certainly dramatically better than any we’ve had since I’ve been here.”

Bouncing back

Rivers admitted on Monday that had he been on the links or tennis court Sunday night, he probably would have broken a couple rackets or thrown his clubs in a lake. 

“That’s the great thing about playing a team game,” Rivers said.  “Other guys picked me up.  I’m not playing golf or tennis.  You can’t play like I did this week and expect to win.  It’s good every now and then to see some things you did that weren’t very good and keep moving forward without any consequence.  We won.  We’re 12-2.  I didn’t have a great game, but we won.”

Schottenheimer dismissed the performance as growing pains that are inevitable for a first-year starting quarterback. 

“Anytime you work at developing a young quarterback, you will see this happen,” Schottenheimer said.  “I don’t care who it is.  Whether it’s Bernie Kosar or Ben Roethlisberger or Peyton Manning, they all go through it.  The week before he had his best performance of the year.  I’m not too concerned about it.  He’s such a competitive individual that he wants to be perfect all the time.  This is not a game of perfect.”

Schottenheimer was also quick to point out that the team is riding an eight-game winning streak in which his quarterback has found ways to help his team win.

“Philip approaches this thing just like I and the rest of the coaching staff approach it,” Schottenheimer said.  “We don’t care how we do it, we just want to win one game.  That’s all we want to do.  It really doesn’t matter how we get it done.

“How many of those did we lose?  He did not play at the level in this past ballgame than he did the week before.”

Injuries

The Chargers reported no new injuries Monday.  There were no updates on Godfrey (hamstring) or wide receiver Eric Parker (neck).  They’ll both be reevaluated later in the week.