Walker Catches Up with Glory for a Day

SAN DIEGO —  The flock of reporters hadn’t converged on this section of the Charger locker room in five years. Tackle Broderick Thompson didn’t let the moment pass without shouting a reminder.

“Kellen Winslow’s back,” Thompson proclaimed.

Not exactly. But for one day, even Winslow, the team’s second all-time leading receiver, would of been proud of Charger tight end Derrick Walker.

Walker, normally used for blocking, caught four passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. In six previous games, Walker’s yardage on 15 catches added up to only 117. In his first two years, Walker caught 23 and 20 passes.

The biggest day of his three-year Charger career?

“My biggest day ever,” Walker said. “Even in college (at Michigan), I never had one like this.”

Walker didn’t know he would be the guy, but after watching films of the Denver defense during week, he knew someone would have a big day.

“We saw that they came (in) a lot,” Walker said. “The safeties gambled a lot. They wanted to shut down our running game. It didn’t happen that way. We had a lot of play action and we were ready for it.”

When he caught a 22-yard pass in the first quarter, Walker told quarterback Stan Humphries he would be open down the middle.

Other than a screen pass to Walker in the second quarter, Humphries did not return to Walker until the third quarter.

On first down at the Charger 39, Humphries read a safety blitz by Steve Atwater and found Walker alone in the middle of the field. By the time Bronco safety Dennis Smith caught the lumbering tight end, all he could do was push him out of bounds at the Denver two.

Walker saw the play coming.

“Somebody came up out of the corner of my eyes,” Walker said. “I knew it was going to be a pop pass. Stan recognized it.”

And Walker reached out and snagged it.

“Any ball that’s in the air, I think I have the ability to catch . . .” Walker said. “Stan threw a beautiful pass. I never doubted that I could catch the ball.

“I thought I could get it in the end zone. The fellas are going to give me a hard time when we’re watching the films . Dennis Smith had the angle on me. I think I ran about a 4.2 (40-yard dash) and he ran about a 4.1.”

On the next play, Humphries scored on a two-yard run to put the Chargers up, 14-7.

When the Chargers got the ball back, Humphries looked to the middle of the field and found Walker alone again. This time for a 27-yard touchdown pass that gave the Chargers a 21-7 fourth-quarter lead and Walker the second touchdown reception of his career.

“I know it was two deep (zone) and I know my job was to get into the middle of the field,” Walker said. “I thought (linebacker Michael Brooks) was going to take me man-to-man, but I kind of got on top of him. After that, I knew I was wide open and Stan put the ball right there.”

Humphries said Walker’s catching ability often is overlooked.

“He does a great job for us as far as blocking,” Humphries said. “When he gets in there, people kind of forget about him. He had a great game (Sunday).”

Anthony Miller, who also went over 100 yards with 129 yards on six receptions, concurred.

“We just wanted to move the ball around and Derrick made the plays,” Miller said. “Derrick had a big day. But we’re still going to get on him for getting caught from behind on that long run.”