Chargers Take Carr for a Ride
SAN DIEGO — Houston Texan rookie quarterback David Carr didn’t have a chance.
The San Diego Chargers sacked Carr nine times Sunday to beat the expansion team 24-3 before 56,098 at Qualcomm Stadium.
“We attacked them all day,” said Charger defensive end Marcellus Wiley, who got two of the sacks.
The Chargers are 2-0 under new Coach Marty Schottenheimer. The Texans fell to 1-1.
“It was uphill the whole time,” said Carr. “I’ve never played in a game like that. I’m just going to get in an ice bucket with a snorkel and come back next week.”
Carr, a Fresno State standout, was sacked six times last week but rallied to complete 10 of 22 passes, including two touchdowns, as the Texans beat the Dallas Cowboys, 19-10, the first opening-day win by an expansion team in three decades.
But the Charger defense was tougher.
Carr completed only six of 25 passes for 87 yards, was intercepted twice and fumbled in the end zone for a Charger touchdown. Seven of the nine sacks came in the second half.
Linebacker Junior Seau set up the Chargers’ second touchdown by intercepting a Carr pass at the Houston 31-yard line and bulldozing his way to the six-yard line. Three plays later, wide receiver Curtis Conway scored on a three-yard reverse.
Schottenheimer praised his defense, criticized his special teams for punt coverage and let people make up their own minds about the offense.
“We didn’t play real artistically in some phases of our game,” Schottenheimer said. “ ... We feel very confident we can play better than we did.”
Charger quarterback Drew Brees completed 15 of 28 passes for 163 yards and one touchdown, a 35-yard toss to Conway for the Chargers’ first score. Conway caught five passes for 113 yards.
“Just to be 2-0 at this point feels good,” said Conway, “but I’m not getting over my head because last year we opened at 3-0 and ended 5-11.”
Charger running back LaDainian Tomlinson gained 84 yards in 27 carries. The Texans’ James Allen had 51 yards in 13 carries.
Along with a 36-yard field goal by Steve Christie, the Chargers also scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter when defensive end Raylee Johnson recovered a Carr fumble in the end zone. Carr had been sacked by rookie linebacker Ben Leber, who had three.
“It’s fun to play on this team,” said Leber. “When we’re clicking we feel we can dominate.”
The Texans’ only score was a 45-yard field goal by Kris Brown. The Chargers led, 17-3, at halftime.
The Chargers played without strong safety Rodney Harrison (groin). Cornerback Quentin Jammer, the recently-signed first-round draft choice, did not suit up.
Meanwhile, Charger fans waiting for the arrival of Marty-ball--Schottenheimer’s preference for running plays and short passes and aversion to more adventuresome attempts--got it in the second half. The Chargers’ Darren Bennett punted 10 times, second-most in team history.
The half’s only score was Johnson’s fumble recovery. Schottenheimer said he was responding to the Texans’ tough-tackling defense.
“We got a little conservative,” he said. “My personality is when you get into a fistfight like that, then get into a fistfight. Let’s not skirt the issue.”
