Neal joins LT in the end zone

Sunday, Dec 10, 2006
By Tom Shanahan, Chargers.com

The Pro Bowl back for the Chargers averaged 6.7 yards a carry and scored a touchdown worthy of highlight shows as well as chatter around the office water cooler.

LaDainian Tomlinson? Yeah, he scored three touchdowns to break the NFL single-season record with 29 touchdowns in a season.

But there was another touchdown that stood out in the Chargers’ 48-20 win Sunday over the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium that clinched the AFC West title. On a trick play that was a version of a fumblerooski, Chargers blocking back Lorenzo Neal took the ball from quarterback Philip Rivers and scored on a 4-yard run for a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

“That was a great call by Cam (Cameron, offensive coordinator),” Tomlinson said. “It was the perfect situation. I was happy he was able to get in the end zone after all the hard work he does. He deserved. It was like, ‘Throw him a bone.’ We had been practicing that play since training camp, and we we’re saying, ‘Are we ever going to call it?’ ”

With the Broncos and all of the NFL aware that Tomlinson entered Sunday’s game two touchdowns shy of Seattle running back Shaun Alexander’s NFL record of 28 touchdowns, any defensive player on the field, as well as the coaches on the sideline and fans watching expected Tomlinson to get the ball.

But Cameron threw the Broncos a curve ball on the play call to Neal, the Chargers’ 14th-year veteran. Rivers lined up behind center about half as deep as a normal shotgun formation. Neal was positioned to his right side, closer to the line of scrimmage than usual. After the snap, the offensive linemen stood up to block the defensive players’ view of the backfield as Rivers carried out his fake.

With Neal holding his hands behind his back, Rivers placed the ball in Neal’s hands and then pivoted to his right as if he was running an option pitch to Tomlinson. As the defense followed Rivers and Tomlinson, Neal pulled the ball between his legs in front of him. He hesitated two counts before he ran left behind left guard Kris Dielman. Neal ran over Denver linebacker D.J. Williams at the goal line to score.

It was Neal’s first touchdown since the 2003 season, his first year with the Chargers, when he scored on Sept. 28 at Oakland. But Neal preferred to talk about Tomlinson’s touchdowns.

“I’d have rather had LT get in,” Neal said. “I want him to put the record so far out there it will be years before anyone breaks it. I don’t need it. I know who I am.”

Who is he? He’s been voted to the Pro Bowl twice, including last season, as one of the league’s best blocking backs and a strong short-yardage runner at converting first downs.

Against Denver, his 4-yard touchdown came on a second-and-one. He also gained 6 yards on a third-and-one in the second quarter and he ran for 10 yards on a third-and one in the third quarter. That’s three carries for 20 yards, a touchdown, two first-down conversions and a 6.7 per carry average.

Although the Chargers have confidence giving the ball to Neal in short-yardage situations, the offensive linemen admitted they didn’t think the trick play would work despite practicing it so many times.

“To be honest with you, I hate that play,” Dielman said. “I told Hal (Hunter, assistant offensive line coach) during the week, ‘That’s not going to work.’ But it worked. I got egg on my face I guess.”

The play was being described as a fumblerooskie, a play more commonly seen in high school or college football when the quarterback takes the snap, lays the ball on the ground and a guard scoops up the ball and runs around end.

But center Nick Hardwick called the play a “Bumarooski.” It’s a play former NFL head coach Bum Phillips, the father of Chargers defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, used to run in his coaching days. Unlike a fumblerooskie, the ball never touched the ground in the exchange between Rivers and Neal.

“I think Wade has something to do with that play,” Hardwick said. “All of the linemen were skeptical. We didn’t think it would work, but it did. It was pretty hilarious. There was a lot of ribbing going on.”

But if Neal had his way, Tomlinson would have got the ball for what would have been the first of four touchdowns on the day instead of three. Referring to Tomlinson’s third touchdown to break the record late in the game, a reporter jokingly asked Neal if he should have gotten the handoff since everyone knew Tomlinson would get the ball.

“If they gave me the ball, I promise I would have fallen on the 1-yard line,” Neal said. “I would have faked a hamstring. No way (I wanted to score).”

But he scored anyway, joining LT in the end zone as a blocker and a rusher.