What an offseason it has been for San Diego Chargers rookie quarterback JARRETT LEE. Lee stayed cool and calm and led the Chargers to a 21-13 win over the Green Bay Packers in the preseason opener for both teams at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers put up 326 yards total offense with most of it coming from the right arm of Lee. He went 15 of 22 for 235 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception on the evening. His passing led the Chargers to two decisive scores in the second and fourth quarters. His favorite target was the up and coming VINCENT BROWN, who snared 4 of Lee’s passes for 81 yards and 1 score.
The bad news of this game was that the Chargers lost running back RYAN MATHEWS for possibly four to six weeks due to a clavicle injury he suffered early in the game.
Early in the first quarter, after a San Diego three and out, punter NICK SCIFRES boomed a 55 yard punt that was downed at the Packers 2 yard line by defensive back SHAREECE WRIGHT. Due to this terrible field position, even the AARON RODGERS-led Packers offense couldn’t mount much of a downfield charge. On first down and 10, rookie linebacker MELVIN INGRAM hustled from his left outside linebacker spot to break up a Rodgers pass intended for running back JAMES STARKS. Then later in this drive, former Packer safety ATARI BIGBY recovered a Starks fumble at the Packers 26 yard line.
With very good field position, the Chargers went to work. On the second play of the drive, quarterback PHILIP RIVERS fired a 23 yard touchdown pass to tight end ANTONIO GATES in the end zone. With the extra point, it was 7-0 Chargers. NATE KAEDING kicked off and the Packer returner fumbled the ball (due to hits administered by Wright and safety DARRELL STUCKEY) into the hands of rookie free agent free safety SEAN CATTOUSE. Cattouse’s recovery set the Chargers up again with excellent field position again, this time at the Green Bay 17 yard line.
Rookie running back MICHAEL HAYES gained 3 yards to begin the drive. But the drive died due to an interception by Green Bay’s TRAMON WILLIAMS who returned it 15 yards the other way. Williams really had to fight for the ball as he and receiver ROBERT MEACHEM wrestled for the ball for a few moments until Williams finally snatched the ball away from the receiver. Partially due to Williams’ theft, there were already 4 turnovers by both teams (2 for the Chargers and 2 for the Packers) by the 5:34 mark of the first quarter.
But the Packers didn’t take advantage of Williams’ gratuity, as their ensuing drive died because of a holding penalty on Ingram by left tackle HERB TAYLOR and then cornerback ANTOINE CASON’S interception. Referee SHANNON EASTIN called that penalty in what was a historic night for her as a female referee. She also broke up a minor near scuffle between a Charger receiver and Packer defensive back in the second half. She was focused and ambitious the entire night. Good luck to her.
Lee came in around the 3:40 mark of the first quarter. His first NFL pass on second down and eight, fell incomplete as it was intended for running back RONNIE BROWN. His first completed pass of the game was to wide receiver MICHAEL SPURLOCK for seven yards but it wasn’t enough for the first down.
With a little under eleven minutes left in the second quarter, rookie defensive back DE’ANDRE PRESLEY took a punt 5 yards to the Charger 20 yard line. On the ensuing drive, tight end DANTE ROSARIO had a very good 12 yard reception near the right sideline; as he used body control, a slight jump, and solid hands to secure the pass. A Spurlock 45 yard reception took the ball all the way to the Green Bay 20 where he was shoved out of bounds by safety ANTHONY LEVINE. Later, the promising drive died on the Packer 22. So on fourth down, a missed 35 yard field goal by NICK NOVAK did not help the Chargers’ scoring efforts or Novak’s case to beat out Kaeding for the placekicking job.
One offensive drive later, Lee fired a 27 yard touchdown pass to Vincent Brown to make the score 14-0. Brown worked hard for that score as he had to get in position to make the catch, and then had to break tackles and will his way into the end zone. After the kickoff, and much later in their drive, the Packers finally got on the board with a GRAHAM HARRELL 4 yard connection to receiver RANDALL COBB near the right corner of the end zone. It was now 14-7 San Diego.
Backup punter ROBERT MALONE had a 46 yard punt late in the third quarter. Meanwhile, to show how much San Diego loves their Chargers, they booed loudly a 4th quarter pass interference call on defensive back GREG GATSON on Packer receiver GREG BREWER. That penalty helped lead to a MARC TYLER 1 yard run near behind right guard TOMMIE DRAHEIM (El Capitan High School) for a 14-13 count. The 2-point conversion failed due to a Wright pass breakup on receiver JARRETT BOYKIN.
Presley came up big for San Diego with 5:42 left in the game, as he hit tight end DEMARCO CROSBY who proceeded to drop a sure pass, forcing a punt. Rookie receiver MIKE WILLIE caught a 4 yard pass which helped lead to a 1 yard CURTIS BRINKLEY scoring run to help make the score 21-13.
But the Chargers had to withstand a promising comeback attempt by another rookie quarterback, B.J. COLEMAN of the Packers. He led the Packers into Charger territory but his efforts were squelched due to a fumble by Tyler, that was forced by linebacker RICKY ELMORE (he also had a huge third-down-and-ten pressure on Coleman) and subsequently recovered by fellow linebacker BRONT BIRD.
The Chargers roll to 1-0 and will host the Dallas Cowboys on August 18.
By Matthew Robinson
