North County Times from Oceanside, California • 17

oorts Ipfr. Bears 41 Falcons 31 Bills 41 Patriots 7 Broncos 1 2 Browns 0 Vikings 42 Bengals 7 Oilers 27, CHARGERS 0 Buccaneers 27 Lions 23 Dolphins 19 Seahawks17 Rams 18 jets 10 Packers 17 Sleeiers 3 49ers 16 Saints 10 Blade-Citizen Monday, September 28, 1992 haraer End zone becoming only a memory, 27-0 By Jay Paris Staff Writer HOUSTON Those watching San Diegos offense stumble through its opening four losses are reminded of that well known description of Oakland There is no there, there. The Chargers again failed to score a touchdown Sunday and the Oilers cruised past them. 27-0, before 57.491 at the Astrodome. For the second straight week and 10th consecutive quarter, San Diego didnt reach the end zone.

In four games, the Chargers have managed only 29 points They haven't scored at all in six quarters. We cant get over the hump," San Diego quarterback Stan Humphries said. Weve moved the ball for four games up and down the field And for some reason. we cant make the big play that needs to be made at the time to switch the momentum our way." Maybe it's time to switch the name of Americas Finest Citys professional football team. How about San Dieg? With this squad, there is no O.

How about Sad Diego9 How about forgetting this season and focusing on 1993? Thats it. the Chargeless are angling to compile the NFLs worst record Then, lure San Diego State's Mar shall Faulk out early with the No 1 pick If so. he'd probably decline their invitation Why should he take a step down? San Diego misfired all afternoon against the Oilers (3-1), the AFC's Central Division champions. It was the Chargers 16th defeat their past 20 contests. Houston squashed the Chargers running attack, allowing but 52 vards.

It denied Humphries to generate much of a passing game. He was 22 of 38 for 210 ards and three inter ceptions Now San Diego casts a wary eye toward Sundaj's game against visiting Seattle. Before the season, this one seemed like a lock But there are no guarantees Which brings us to Chargers wide receiver Shawn Jefferson He pulled a Joe Namath last week and boasted San Diego would leave the Lone Star State with its first triumph Instead, it left battered and bruised. Like an urban cowboy whose been thrown off the bucking bronco machine at Gilley's. I think one of the biggest reasons for our intensity was because Shawn Jefferson guaranteed a win for them Houston safetv Bubba McDowell -did lot of placers took that per-onallv You can make mi a ran tees like that This i-the NFL And San Diego might be the league worst team Maybe the Chargers should junk this roster and begin anew Just ask former San Diego defensive lineman Lee Williams For Houston he had a tackle two a l-t-half a sack and a pass deflection I think they need to go back to the drawing board he said "And try to look forward and not bac The sight on the horizon cant be anv uglier Not only were the Chargers beaten their brand of football was dull San Diego fans viewing Sundav mornings telecast See hargers.

Page 5 Associated Press Photos Houston's Lorenzo White is surrounded by San Diegos Gill Byrd, left, Henry Rolling and Burt Grossman, right. Rams applying pressure rather than feeling it Now its the real big test Aztecs limping into conference games ANAHEIM Maybe they aren't quite ready to be called the Orange County Sack Company. Not yet, anyway But for once, the heat on the field at Anaheim Stadium was matched by the heat on the opposing quarterback. And after four games of the 1992 season, that's the single, biggest difference in this 2 2 football team. The Rams now have a pass rush.

Yeah, no kidding. And no. Im not talking about some hazy mirage caused by the 100-plus degree temperatures, or anything. These guys really do have one. Not a great one.

Not a Fearsome Foursome, by any means. Or a Steel Curtain. Nothing anyone can hang a legitimate nickname on at this point. But there is a definite push up front now, a pressure that begins By Bo Garrison Staff Writer SAN DIEGO The annual UCLA disaster behind them the San Diego State ztee- can now get on with the important portion of their football -ehedule Tile Aztecs travel to lbu querque Saturdav to begin a stretch of seven straight games against Western thletic Confer ence opponents Where does SDSl' stand after going 1 1 1 it- first three games9 "1 rather take the first four games as a hole but people haven't been let ting me do that said head coach A 1 1 1 1 nh three of our first four games on the road I left if we come out of those with our head- above water in the conference race, the first tour games would have been a with the young wide bodies in the middle and often climaxes with a jarring jolt from the hungry veterans on the outside. Kevin Greenes sack and safety was the turnaround play in Sunday's 18-10 victory over the Jets.

See Bisheff, Page C-4 Padres Gary Sheffield slides in to score despite the effort of Braves Damon Berryhill to block the plate. Sheffield knows feeling Padres star empathizes with Santiagos nightmare PADRES UPDATE Atlanta 2, Padres 1 TUESDAYS GAME: Padres at Houston 5 35 PITCHING MATCHUP: Doug Brocail (0-0) vs Pete Hamisch (8-10) TV: None, RADIO: KFMB 760 RECORD: 80-75 (Third place) success The Aztecs are 1 0 in conference with their win at Brigham Young Another road win this week and the situation looks even rosier But I.uginbill is unea-v with anv suggestion and there have been manv that sav- SDSl is a lock to win the conference and the Holi-dav Bowl berth that goes along with it I'm verv uncomfortable with that. said Luginbill That is extremelv premature We re 1-0 in conference We have a chance to go 2d) in conference We need to go into Albuquerque and plav our tvpe of football The Aztecs did anything but against the Rruins in last Saturdays 35 7 loss We don't have any teams on our schedule that we can beat playing the way we did against UCLA, Luginbill said Our immediate challenge is New Mexico They played lights out against Air Force in Colorado Springs (33 32 loss) After the debacle at the Rose Bowl against the Bruins, in which the Aztecs never got untracked offensively, it looks like the Aztecs By John Sehlegel Staff Writer SAN DIEGO As Gary Sheffield has hammered his wav-through this dream season of his, he's watched Benito Santiago and hes been able to empathize with the Padres catcher possibly more than anyone in the world. Santiago's been going through a similar nightmare to the one Sheffield escaped when he left Milwaukee, albeit one nowhere near as disastrous as Sheffield's Like Sheffield did in Milwaukee, Santiago has felt unappreciated in San Diego. Hes felt the wrath of the fans' boos for the last two years now, but he won't have to hear them anymore.

Santiago unceremoniously played what figures to be his last home game for the Padres in become a free agent at season's end and is certain to sign with another team. Sheffield, meanwhile, soaked in a pair of standing ovations in the eighth inning before and after collecting his second hit of a 2 for 4 performance that helped keep his Triple Crown hopes alive. Despite the obvious disparity there, Sheffield can relate to San tiagos situation He lived it in Milwaukee the previous three-plus years, and it was even worse for him than it has been for Santiago. When you think about it, he has it a little better than I had it." Sheffield said. He gets a lot of boos, but I told him he should be thankful for the cheers he gets See Padres, Page C-2 Associated Press Photo their 2-1 loss in 10 innings to the Atlanta Braves Sunday afternoon before 16,884 fans at Jack Murphy Stadium.

Santiago, making his first start eight days, struck out tw ice before leaving the game in the sixth inning with a stiff back. And he heard the boos again on his second strikeout, boos that probably ring in his head by now. it was not exactly a fond farewell for the six year Padre, who will View from the top Manager Jim Leyland rides off the after the Pirates beat the Mets to field on the shoulders of Barry clinch their third-straight NL East Bonds (left) and Lloyd McClendon title. See NL roundup, Page C-3. See Aztecs, Page 2 I.