CHARGERS: Loss causes Merriman more pain than knee

By MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer | Sunday, September 7, 2008 8:06 PM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- Shawne Merriman made it through one game with two torn ligaments in his left knee. But the Chargers linebacker isn't ready to proclaim that he can do it 15 more times.

"For me to say I think I can go for a whole season, I don't think any player can say that," Merriman said. "Guys go down in unfortunate situations. You hope and pray you will make it for 16 games."

Merriman admitted the knee was sore after the contest, but was upbeat about the situation overall. He is ignoring the advice of doctors who suggested he immediately undergo surgery and is interested in seeing how the knee feels in the upcoming days.

If he was pained about anything, it was the outcome of a game the Chargers lost on the final play. Merriman had just two tackles and wasn't ready to assess his performance.

"I've got to watch the film," Merriman said. "The film will never lie to you.

Sometimes you think you played great and you didn't play so great. Then sometimes you think you played bad and didn't play so bad.

"I'll get a chance to watch the film and see what I did and correct some of the mistakes and start capitalizing on some of the good things I did."

Merriman's teammates were happy to see No. 56 on the field.

"As a teammate, what else can you ask for?" defensive end Luis Castillo said.

"I wouldn't ask a guy to go out there with two torn ligaments in his knee, and the fact that he is out there just shows his courage and his desire to be here with his teammates and help us win a championship."

Tomlinson nearly gets 100

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson began his run at a third consecutive NFL rushing title with 97 yards. He had 64 of those yards in the second half.

"We had some three-and-outs and we really weren't able to run the ball and get in a rhythm," Tomlinson said. "... We were out of rhythm a little bit until the third quarter, where we did get it going a little bit."

Tomlinson is certainly way ahead of last season's pace when he had just 68 yards after two games and eventually rebounded to win the rushing title with 1,474 yards.

Tomlinson also moved into 17th place on the all-time rushing leaders' list. He has 10,747 rushing yards, 14 ahead of Jacksonville's Fred Taylor.

Let's stop the run

Carolina totaled 142 rushing yards behind the one-two tandem of DeAngelo Williams (86 yards) and Jonathan Stewart (53 yards). But 112 of the Panthers' rushing yardage came in the first half. The Panthers had just 30 rushing yards in the second half.

"We just needed to make some adjustments," defensive tackle Jamal Williams said. "We worked on their schemes in training camp, but to go out there and play against them is different. We just had to make some adjustments, and we did. I guess we did a pretty good job in the second half."

Headset communication

Defense coordinators can relay information to players via headset, and it was inside linebacker Matt Wilhelm who received instructions from Chargers defensive honcho Ted Cottrell.

"It went fine," Wilhelm said. "Sometimes when they go hurry-up offense, it's hard for me to yell to everyone in both directions. We ended up going to hand signals for some of the dime (package), hurry-up stuff at the end of the game.

"It was easier for everyone to look over than for me to communicate to all 11 guys."

Davis inactive

Receiver Craig "Buster" Davis was designated as one of the team's inactive players. Fellow receiver Malcom Floyd, who also is on special teams' coverage units, was active over Davis, the team's first-round pick in 2007.

"Malcom Floyd has had an outstanding camp and Buster has missed a lot of time," said Chargers coach Norv Turner, alluding to knee and groin issues that have occasionally sidelined Davis.

Fox thanks San Diego State

Toward the end of his postgame press conference, Carolina coach John Fox singled out San Diego State for allowing the Panthers to use the school's football facilities on Friday and Saturday. Fox, a former Aztecs player and coach, also had an opinion on San Diego State's 21-13 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday.

"I like our replay system better," Fox said when asked about Brandon Sullivan's goal-line fumble in the fourth quarter, a play that would have allowed the Aztecs to add on to a 13-7 lead.

Emerging star?

Entering Sunday's game, Carolina's second-year tight end, Dante Rosario, had just six career catches. He had already doubled his career total prior to hauling in the game-winning catch on the final play, finishing with seven catches for 96 yards and the score.

"You can see what he can do," Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme said of Rosario. "He's very athletic. He really moves well. I think his game fits the pro game better than the college game. I really do. He's got it. And the game's not too big for him."

Staff writer Dan Hayes contributed to this report.

Key stat

388

Carolina accumulated a lot of offensive yards against a defense that wants to be viewed as one of the league's best.

Turning point

One final play decides the game ---- Jake Delhomme's 14-yard touchdown pass to Dante Rosario with no time remaining.

Quotable

"On the last drive when it counts the most, we get kind of a little too lax and start letting them dink and dunk and move the ball down the field. That's the time you've got to tighten up everything and make everything harder for them. We kind backed off."

---- SS Clinton Hart describing what went wrong as Carolina moved downfield for the winning touchdown.

Next game

Chargers at Denver, 1:15 p.m. Sunday

Who's hot

Jake Delhomme

Carolina quarterback buys time with a pump-fake and drills a big-time throw between three Chargers' defenders for the winning touchdown with no time remaining.

Who's not

Matt Wilhelm

Chargers linebacker has game-deciding pass graze his finger before being caught for a touchdown. If only he had longer fingernails.

Injury report

TE Antonio Gates bruised his hip in the second quarter, but later returned.

CB Antonio Cromartie suffered a hip contusion but played through it.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson wasn't listed on the team's postgame injury report, but Tomlinson said that he jammed a toe when somebody fell on the back of his legs. "I think people call it turf toe," Tomlinson said. "We won't know how bad it is until (Monday) or the next day.