NFL Recap (Philadelphia-San Diego)
Posted: Sun October 18, 1998 at 9:27 p.m. EDT
SAN DIEGO 13, PHILADELPHIA 10
SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Interim June Jones was hired by Bobby Beathard
to help in the development of rookie quarterback Ryan Leaf, but it was the
NFL's top-rated defense that gave Jones a victory in his San Diego Chargers'
head-coaching debut.
Defensive tackle Norman Hand's 13-yard
interception return set up John Carney's tie-breaking
26-yard field goal with 7:18 remaining as the Chargers overcame another
sluggish offensive performance to record a 13-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
"I was just really happy for our guys because they fought so hard all
year and they've worked so hard," said Junes. "To lose another close game
would have been devastating. For them to win and to hang in together and
nobody complain and just keep fighting like they did, these guys are
special guys."
Defensive tackle John
Parrella deflected Rodney Peete's pass at the
line of scrimmage and Hand returned it to the Eagles 17. The Chargers were
unable to pick up a first down and settled for Carney's second field goal
of the game.
"John Parrella got a hand on the ball and reflexes led me to reach out
and it fell into my hands," said Hand. "June Jones is a great coach and we
wanted to win this game for him. Everybody has confidence in Coach Jones."
"June Jones is a laid back guy and lets the coaches be really
involved," added Leaf, who completed only 9-of-19 for 83 yards. "He's a fun
guy to be around, not saying Kevin Gilbride was't. There's a lot more
energy and heart out there. The team did a great job focusing and winning
this game."
Rodney Peete drove the Eagles inside San Diego territory in the final
two minutes, converting two key first downs. Peete completed passes of 18
and 20 yards to Duce
Staley to give the Eagles a first down at the Chargers' 30.
But former Eagle defensive back Charles Dimry stripped
receiver Russell
Copeland at the 30 after a five-yard gain and Junior Seau recovered the
fumble. The Chargers were able to run out the clock, snapping a four-game
losing streak and giving Jones a win in his first game since taking over
for the fired Kevin Gilbride. San Diego (3-4) had lost four straight after
winning the first two games of the season under Gilbride.
"I think everybody knew what was at stake and they turned it up and
they got the turnovers," said Jones. "We played great defense but we
haven't been taking away balls as much as we did today. The bottom line is
taking the ball away and not giving it away. If you do those two things,
you're going to have a chance to win."
"It showed the character of our team," added Seau, who had 11 tackles
and a fumble recovery. "There were a lot of distractions, last week's tough
loss against the Raiders and then to come back Monday and lose Coach
Gilbride. We took a few steps back, but we are coming forward again and can
think about more wins to come for this organization."
Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas tied Clyde Simmons' club record
with 4.5 sacks.
"Individual performance doesn't mean anything at this point," said
Douglas. "To be honest, it just doesn't feel good because we didn't win. If
I got 20 sacks and we lost I wouldn't feel any different."
Philadelphia (1-6), which is 0-12-1 in its last 13 road contests,
pulled into a 10-10 tie on Charlie Garner's 12-yard
TD run around left end with 11:32 remaining. Just one play earlier, the
Eagles had an apparent game-tying TD pass to Freddie Solomon called
back because of an illegal motion penalty.
Philadelphia had another scoring chance turned away late in the third
quarter when Dimry intercepted Peete in the end zone. The Eagles, who
defeated the Washington
Redskins last week for their first win of the season, committed four
turnovers, three inside San Diego territory.
"I don't think we are snakebit," said Eagles coach Ray Rhodes. "It's a
matter of execution. We just did not execute worth a crap today. The good
things that did happen today were wasted."
"We've been in four games where we've been really close in the fourth
quarter and we found a way to lose," added Peete. "We haven't play well on
the road in a long time. We have to be more focused in the fourth quarter
and make things happen instead of having things happening against us."
After the teams traded field goals in the first half, Natrone Means' 14-yard TD
run gave the Chargers a 10-3 lead with 6:16 left in the third quarter.
Means, once again San Diego's main offensive weapon, broke several tackles
and bulled his way into the end zone for the Chargers' first touchdown in
seven quarters and just their sixth all season.
"I feel great," said Means. "It just is a matter of preparing
yourself. You are going to get beat up in this league, but you are still
going to have to take care of your body so that you can keeep going."
Means, the AFC's second-leading rusher, gained 112 yards on 21
carries, his third straight 100-yard game. Leaf started after getting
benched in the second half last week but was sacked six times as the
Chargers had just 28 net passing yards.
"Natrone Means has the most heart and soul of this football team by
the way he runs," said Leaf. "You have to let everybody know about how well
the defense played. How they got turnovers in the biggest time of the
year."
Peete completed 22-of-39 for 232 yards but threw two interceptions.
Staley rushed for 41 yards on 14 carries for the Eagles, who gained only 51
yards on the ground.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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