CHARGERS NOTES: No impact for Moss

By JAY PARIS - Staff Writer | Sunday, October 12, 2008 11:25 PM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- Matt Cassel kept trying and Matt Cassel, for the most part, kept getting denied. There would be no home run passes to Randy Moss, and that's among the reasons the Chargers prevailed Sunday night 30-10.

"Throw it deep and let Moss run under it, and we never gave him that chance," Chargers S Clinton Hart said. "You eliminate Moss and put a little pressure on Cassel, you beat them."

The Chargers did by mixing up their coverages on Moss and getting stellar play from CBs Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie.

"The corners did an excellent job containing Moss," Hart said. "We knew (Wes) Welker would get his catches because he is playing backyard football ---- run to the tree and turn around.

"But Welker wasn't going to beat us. Moss was going to beat us. Cassel needed a big play and he kept throwing to him, but Jammer was on him."

Moss finished with three catches for 26 yards, with a long of 15.

"(Jammer) did a helluva job; he did a great job," Cromartie said. "He stepped up and made the plays that were coming to him."

Jammer had an interception, a game-high five passes defensed and three tackles.

Combine that with his alma mater, Texas, winning on Saturday and it was a perfect weekend for the Chargers' veteran corner.

"I couldn't let Texas show us up," Jammer said.

And neither could Moss.

Insider job

The inside story on why the Chargers broke their three-game skid against the Patriots? Don't overlook the play of the inside linebackers.

All three of them.

The position had a new look with Tim Dobbins supplanting Matt Wilhelm as a starter and Stephen Cooper playing better in his second contest back from his four-game suspension.

"I can do things that Matt can't, and Matt can do things I can't," Dobbins said. "We all work well together."

Cooper brings an attitude as well as muscle, and he proved it with 10 tackles and a sack. Cooper would often come out on passing downs, giving way to Wilhelm.

"Honestly it's physical style,'' Cooper said of what the inside backers try to do. "We try to play downhill and hit people in the face and make sure we tackle those guys.

"That is what Tim brings, and while Matt isn't on base (defense) he's playing a lot ---- he's a great coverage guy and still make plays. It doesn't matter who is in. And we give offenses a lot of different looks, and that's good to have."

Closed subject?

The last time these teams played, Chargers C Nick Hardwick and Patriots DE Richard Seymour got in a war of words.

Hardwick didn't want to address the story during the week or after the game.

When initially asked if he spoke with Hardwick during the game Syemour responded, "Who's that?'' When reminded Hardwick had called him a dirty player last year, Seymour got chatty.

"I don't respond to foolishness," Seymour said. "The game has no place for that."

Milestone alert

Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson became the 17th player in NFL history to reach 11,000 rushing yards. He eclipsed that mark on a 3-yard rush late in the first quarter. Tomlinson finished with 74 yards on 20 carries, increasing his career total to 11,055.

O.J. Simpson's total of 11,236 is the next on Tomlinson's march up the all-time list.

Hoodie man impressed

Patriots coach Bill Belichick was impressed with how the Chargers manhandled his team.

"They were able to keep us out of the end zone, until the end,'' he said.

"They played a solid game in all three phases. They just did a better job than we did. Give them credit."

Harrison's welcome

Rodney Harrison first made his NFL mark on the Chargers' special teams, a former fifth-round pick of then-GM Bobby Beathard. Harrison finally proved to ex-coach Bobby Ross that he could play in the base defense and has gone on to a stellar 15-year career ---- two Pro Bowls and two Super Bowl rings.

But despite spending the first nine years of his career with the Chargers, Harrison was soundly booed whenever his name was called during his first game at Qualcomm Stadium as an opponent. He finished with four tackles.

Injury report

-- FS Eric Weddle will undergo an MRI Monday on an injured right shoulder.

-- RB Darren Sproles sprained an ankle and will be evaluated Monday.

-- DE Luis Castillo sustained an arm injury, but finished the game.

-- WR Craig Davis suffered a groin injury and didn't play.

Key stat

4

Number of times the Patriots were inside the Chargers 30. They scored but one TD.

Turning point

The Patriots decided to go for the touchdown with a fourth-and-one at the Chargers 1, down by two touchdowns. But QB Matt Cassel ---- thanks to solid coverage ---- couldn't find an open receiver and was stuffed near the line of scrimmage.

Quotable

"Hopefully this can be the start of something big,"

---- QB Philip Rivers on dominating the Patriots

Next game

Chargers at Buffalo Bills, Sunday at 10 a.m.

Who's hot

Jackson and Floyd

Sounds like a law firm, but Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd combine for eight receptions for 209 yards and two TDs.

Who's not

Matt Cassel

We've seen Tom Brady. We know Tom Brady. Matt Cassel is no Tom Brady.