A fantastic pass and catch on a fade saved those participating and those on hand from an overtime exhibition last night at Qualcomm Stadium.
Thank you, Norv Turner. Thank you, Billy Volek and Malcom Floyd.
“We'll be in a position where we have to go for two points in the season,” said Turner, mostly pleased but also a little perturbed.
K.C. ALFRED / Union-Tribune
The Chargers' Malcom Floyd lands on Seattle's Omare Lowe after outleaping him for the game-winning two-point conversion.
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His team came back to beat the Seattle Seahawks 18-17 last night on the strength of a resolute defense late and a 71-yard touchdown drive aided by a 51-yard pass-interference penalty and punctuated by Jacob Hester's 1-yard dive and the Volek-to-Floyd two-point conversion.
It was some early struggles on defense that had Turner a little irritable.
“We've been fairly basic,” Turner said of the Chargers' defensive scheme. “That doesn't mean you don't tackle.”
Again minus nose tackle Jamal Williams, the defensive line was a sieve early, the linebackers at times too aggressive or not aggressive enough, and everyone continued to struggle making tackles.
“That was not as good as we need to play,” linebacker Shaun Phillips said. “We need to work on our tackling and finish some plays.”
Maurice Morris ran for eight yards on the Seahawks' first play from scrimmage. Morris got a first down with a 4-yard run to the 32 on the next play. On Seattle's third play, Nate Burleson caught a pass from Charlie Frye at the 40, turned and bounced off free safety Eric Weddle and raced to the end zone to give the Seahawks the early lead.
K.C. ALFRED / Union-Tribune
Darren Sproles (43), who would score the Chargers' first touchdown, eludes the grasp of Seattle cornerback Marcus Trufant early in last night's game.
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“I had a good jump, a good read,” said Weddle, who tried to lower his shoulder and knock Burleson over. “I was one step too late. A hit like that, he's got to fall. . . . You learn from those.”
Most starters played into the third quarter, some until late – one of them perhaps a play too long.
Linebacker Jyles Tucker, who earlier in the day signed a reworked five-year contract, was rolled up on by Matt Wilhelm after Wilhelm was clipped by a Seahawks blocker. Tucker went to the sideline and sat on the training table with two bags of ice on his ankle and lower leg. But he walked from the field afterward with only a slight limp and said the injury was just a bruise.
Other than a botched snap between center Jeremy Newberry and quarterback Philip Rivers, the first-team offensive line was the best it has been all summer. With Darren Sproles in full jitterbug mode, the line gave him all sorts of room as he gained 102 yards on 13 carries before leaving early in the third quarter.
With Sproles reeling off runs of 24, 20 and 9 yards, the Chargers drove from their 29 to the Seahawks 1. A backward run by Hester was followed by a botched shotgun snap, which was recovered by the Seahawks at the 7.
“I take full responsibility for that,” said Rivers, who said he failed to say “gun” in the huddle and that Newberry thought Rivers was directly behind him.
Rivers completed 11 of his 21 passes for 143 yards. His buying Vincent Jackson time to get downfield for a wide-open 59-yard reception in the second quarter took the Chargers to the 9-yard line. Three plays later, Sproles ran through the right side of the line from the 1 to tie the game at 7-7.
Through three quarters, with mostly starters playing on both sides, the Seahawks outgained the Chargers 308-267. For the game, Seattle had a 392-298 edge.
It was a turnover – the Chargers' savior much of last season and throughout this preseason – that changed the game late.
With the Seahawks up 17-10 and approaching midfield with 7:40 to play, third-string running back Justin Forsett ran into his own center, who was stood up by Keith Grennan. Forsett fumbled, and Paul Oliver fell on the ball at the Seattle 40.
The teams traded punts, the Chargers took over at their 29 and embarked on the winning drive. The Seahawks got one last chance, thwarted when Brian Bonner intercepted a pass at their 44 with a minute-and-a-half left.
The deciding conversion catch by Floyd continued a fine August for the Chargers' No. 5 receiver, who has earned his way onto the team by becoming a special teams player.
And it saved everyone from a tortuous extra period.
“Before we went out there, Coach told us, 'When we score, we're gonna go for two. This is the play we're going to use,' ” Volek said. “I just put the ball up, and Malcom made a great play on it. He's done it time and time again in practice.”
Kevin Acee: (619) 293-1857; kevin.acee@uniontrib.com
