| 10.27.03 - Even before a series of devastating fires swept through San Diego County over the weekend - bringing unprecedented destruction to the area, leaving scores of families homeless and causing millions of dollars worth of damages - there were enough sub plots surrounding Monday night's contest between the Chargers and Miami Dolphins for two or three NFL games.
For one, it was the Chargers' first appearance on the national stage provided by ABC's Monday Night Football since 1996, not to mention their first home game on MNF over the same span, making it one of the most-anticipated games in recent memory.
A second sub plot revolved around the return of linebacker Junior Seau to San Diego, who was supposed to be making his first and probably only appearance at Qualcomm Stadium before he retires after being traded to Miami during the offseason following 13 years with the Chargers in his hometown.
The game also featured a much-anticipated duel between two of the league's premier running backs, the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson and Miami's Ricky Williams, who like Seau, just happens to be a native of San Diego.
But just like so many other plans that literally and figuratively went up in smoke in San Diego over the weekend, the showdown at Qualcomm Stadium became secondary to the horrific fires and the intense devastation they wreaked upon America's Finest City.
In the interests of public safety, officials from the Chargers, NFL and City of San Diego, decided to move the game out of Southern California, opting to relocate it to Tempe's Sun Devil Stadium, the site of a 16-13 overtime victory by the Arizona Cardinals over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
The move marked the first time in Monday Night Football regular-season history that both teams were playing away from their designated home stadium, even though the Chargers were technically the hosts.
Throw in the fact that the Chargers and the NFL chose to make admission to the game free, with fans being asked to bring donations for the San Diego Relief Fund, as well as the debut of a never-before-worn uniform consisting of blue pants and blue jerseys, and the stage was set for one of the more memorable and unique games in San Diego history.
Unfortunately, the Chargers couldn't deliver, dropping a 26-10 decision to the Dolphins in front of a crowd in excess of 60,000 rowdy fans. (The exact attendance figure was unavailable. All 73,014 tickets to the game were distributed, but a few fans chose not to attend.)
The game didn't evolve into the duel between Tomlinson and Williams that many expected. Instead, Miami quarterback Brian Griese, who was subbing for injured starter Jay Fiedler, took control of the game by completing 13 of his first 14 passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns before halftime. Griese finished the night 20 of 29 for 192 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Conversely, Chargers quarterback Drew Brees had a difficult night, throwing three interceptions in the first half. The Dolphins turned the turnovers into 17 points on their way to a 24-3 lead at the break. Brees' final numbers: 19 of 30 for 190 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. Brees also lost a fumble late in the game that resulted in a safety and was sacked six times.
With the Bolts falling behind by such a large margin early in the game, Tomlinson was effectively taken out of the game plan, taking away San Diego's most potent offensive weapon. The third-year running back rushed for 62 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries and caught a team-high 11 passes for 80 yards, but was unable to show the nation his true abilities after the Chargers fell behind so early in the game.
Williams had just 21 yards on eight carries in the first half, adding 17 more yards on three catches. He finished the game with 69 yards on 23 carries and five catches for 26 yards.
The Seau sub plot was never really a factor in the game either, with the linebacker being credited with just four tackles on the final stat sheet.
Miami opened the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Griese to wide receiver Chris Chambers. It was Griese's first pass as a Dolphin, having joined Miami during the offseason after spending the first five seasons of his career in Denver. The Dolphins' opening possession started at the Chargers 6-yard line after cornerback Patrick Surtain intercepted Brees' first pass of the game at San Diego's 38 and returned it 32 yards.
The Dolphins got excellent field position on their next possession when a Brees' pass was intercepted by linebacker Zach Thomas, who returned it to San Diego's 24-yard line. The pass was intended for Tomlinson, but the ball bounced off his helmet into the air, with Thomas hauling it in.
Thanks to a sack by defensive tackle Dequincy Scott, the Dolphins were held to a 44-yard Olindo Mare field goal, giving them a 10-0 lead with 8:34 remaining in the first period.
The Dolphins first 10 points came cheap, with Miami covering just 4 total yards in six plays. The opening drive covered 6 yards in two plays, and the second drive went for minus-2 yards on four plays due to Scott's 9-yard sack of Griese.
San Diego answered with a 51-yard Steve Christie field goal, making the margin 10-3 with 3:17 left in the opening period. The Bolts traveled 44 yards in nine plays for the score.
After two easy scores, the Dolphins had to work a little for their third, driving 65 yards in 10 plays before Griese gave Miami a 17-3 lead early in the second quarter with a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver James McKnight.
The Chargers countered with a long drive of their own, marching 61 yards in 10 plays, but came away empty-handed when Brees was intercepted for a third time on a pass that was thrown behind David Boston in the end zone. Surtain hauled in the errant toss for his second interception, nullifying the San Diego scoring threat.
Griese and tight end Randy McMichael converted the turnover into seven more Miami points with a 7-yard touchdown on their next possession, giving Miami a 24-3 lead with 1:55 left before halftime. Griese's third touchdown pass capped a six-play, 80-yard drive.
The Chargers had an opportunity to put more points on the board early in the third quarter when they advanced as far as Miami's 9-yard line. Facing fourth and 1, Tomlinson took a pitch around the left side, but was stopped for 5-yard loss, turning the ball back over to Miami on downs.
The Chargers missed another chance to score points early in the fourth quarter when they couldn't convert a fourth and goal from the Miami 5-yard line.
Two plays later, linebacker Donnie Edwards stripped the ball from Williams, and San Diego cornerback Quentin Jammer recovered, giving the Chargers first down just outside Miami's 1-yard line.
Three plays later, Tomlinson made the score 24-10 with a 1-yard touchdown run with 12:27 left in regulation.
After a defensive stand and a Dolphins punt, the Chargers took back over at their 20 with 9:33 remaining. But three plays later, Brees fumbled while being sacked near the goal line with Damion McIntosh recovering in the end zone, resulting in a safety and a 26-10 Miami lead.
The loss dropped the Chargers to 1-6 on the season heading into next Sunday's game at Chicago's newly-renovated Soldier Field. | |
