North County Times from Oceanside, California • 20

C-4 Blade-Citizen Monday, December 14, 1992 Game ball and prayers for Lynn Chargers Review Bengals 10 Chargers 27 SCORE BY QUARTERS Cincinnati 7 3 0 0 10 San Diego 3 7 14 3 27 INDIVIDUAL SCORING FIRST QUARTER SD FG Carney 21. 9 11 Drive 77 yards, 14 plays CIN Query 83 pass from Klmgler (Breech kick), 9 32 Drive 83 yards, 1 play SECOND QUARTER Cin FG Breech 48, 13 19 Drive 50 yards, 11 plays SD Miller 11 pass from Humphries (Carney kick), 14 45 Dnve 75 yards, 7 plays Third Quarter THIRD QUARTER SD Humphries 1 run (Carney kick), 10 41 Dnve 66 yards, 13 plays SD Bemstine 7 run (Carney kick), 13 45 Dnve 18 yards, 5 plays FOURTH QUARTER SD FG Carney 48, 1 14 Dnve minus 6 yards, 4 plays A 50,579 No-shows 1,151 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS TEAM STATISTICS By John Schlegel Staff Writer SAN DIEGO Traditionally, the game ball is awarded to the person on the winning team who had the most influence on the outcome of the football game. On Sunday, the Chargers broke that tradition yet, in a way, carried it on to its fullest degree. On Sunday, the Chargers gave the game ball to Ron Lynn, their former defensive coordinator who now holds the same title for the Bengals. Lynn didn't have that great a game, really.

His defense and the rest of the Bengals were on the short end of a 27-10 score at Jack Murphy Stadium. But when Chargers coach Bobby Ross and a handful of Chargers veterans walked to the Cincinnati locker room after the game to award Lynn the game ball, it became obvious just how influential Lynn was and is to this Chargers team. It has little to do with football, actually, although his stamp remains on the AFCs third-rated defense. It has to do with life. You see.

Lynn's infant son, Alec born on the very day Lynn was fired by the Chargers has been diagnosed with leukemia. Young Alec Lynn has had a difficult life so far. and Ron and Cynthia Lynn and their two other sons, Ryon and John, have been involved heart and soul in his illness. On Sunday and many times before, the Chargers were there for the Lynns. And now hes got a game ball to show for it although Sundays gesture goes much deeper.

T've always felt like I kind of have some control over my emotions, but that was a very, very special moment, Lynn said. It wasn't emotional only for Lynn. Chargers linebacker Gary Plummer who worked under Lynn's instruction at Cal. then with the Oakland Invaders of the USFL and then with the Chargers couldnt hold much back himself. "None of us could.

said Plummer, whose brother also has leukemia. "It was a very emotional situation. We just want to do everything we can to help his family through this. "It was one of the toughest things that Ive had to do in a football uniform. I'd rather face two 300-pound guards than have to have to go up and, uh It still hard to talk about because Ive been with the guy for 11 years and I love him just like family.

And to see him suffer, it hurts." RUSHING Cincinnati Green 16-73, Klmgler 1-(minus 1), Fenner 1 -(minus 5) San Diego Butts 6-47, Biememy 12-41, Bemstine 11-33, Harmon 5-30, Humphnes 4-10, Gagliano 1-0 PASSING Cincinnati Klmgler 13-25-2-195 San Diego Humphnes 19-28-2-209 RECEIVING Cincinnati Rembert 4-50, Tomason 2-14, Pickens 2-12, Query 1-83, Stegall 1-13, McGee 1-9, Green 1-8, Holman 1-6 San Diego Harmon 8-80, Miller 4-46, Jefferson 3-38, Walker 2-18, Brennan 1-12, Lewis 1-8, Butts 1-7 TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS Cincinnati McDonald 10-0-0, Williams 7-0-0, Krumne 6-1-0. Shaw 6-0-0, Bussey 5-1-0, A Williams 5-0-0, Wheeler 4-1-0, Fnar 4-0-0, Fulcher 3-1-0, Stubbs 2-0-1, Thomas 1-1-0, Dixon 1-0-0, Rogers 0-2-0 San Diego Frank 6-0-0, Vanhorse 4-1-0, Camngton 4-0-0, Seau 3-1-0, Grossman 3-0-1'-. Mims 3-0-0, Rolling 2-0-0, Winter 2-0-1, Hall 2-0-0, Neal 1-1-1 Byrd 1-0-0, Fields 1-0-0, Plummer 1-0-0 INTERCEPTIONS Cincinnati Williams, Fulcher San Diego Camngton, Plummer MISSED FIELD GOALS None Cincinnati safety Darryl Williams intercepts a Stan Humphries pass intended for Chargers Anthony Miller. NEXT WEEK OPPONENT: A. Raiders (6-7) SITE: A.

Coliseum KICKOFF: 1 Sunday JAY PARIS BOLT BAROMETER scale 1-4 bad, but I hope he'll be strong enough at least to do a lot of good stuff." Lynn said that almost from the very day Alec was diagnosed, the Chargers from owner Alex Spanos through the entire organization have been there with well-wishes and emotional support. Now, more than ever. Ron Lynn needs the Chargers and they're delivering. His family is going through a situation that makes foot ball look like the silly game that it is. He and his family are going through real pain, real suffering.

And his friends the Chargers' locker room are there to help. "Friendship transcends being on the other team," Byrd said. There's a verse in the Bible that talks about bearing one another's burdens. If I'm a friend of yours and you hurt, I should hurt; if you rejoice then I should rejoice. "He's hurting right now, and Im hurting right now." It does so much for some that the game took a back seat once the dust had settled on the field.

Gill Byrd who saw the Chargers win their ninth game in a season for the first time in his 10 years in San Diego couldn't really savor the victory, "This game, the one we won today, doesn't mean as much when you look at the big picture," Byrd said. That's why I haven't felt these nine wins right now. It's more what's going on with his family. That concern was there even before Alec Lynn was stricken with leukemia. Ron Lynn had developed strong relationships make that friendships with many of those who still occupy the Chargers locker room.

A year ago, he was their compatriot, sharing the frustration of a season gone horribly sour. And at the end of the 4-12 campaign. Lynn was sent packing among the almost complete purge of Dan Hennings staff. "It's been a hell of a year," Iynn said. The baby was born the day we got fired and not long after he was born he contracted chicken pox.

Then, a month after we got to Cincinnati, three days after training camp started, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Just like he handled his firing from the Chargers. Lynn is trying to handle this crisis with as much strength as he can. You know, maybe this gives you a little more perspective, Lynn said. But right now 1 feel like Ive got enough perspective for a lifetime." As do his wife and sons.

That's what their life is about right now. Its certainly not over, and we're anxious that somewhere along the line something positive's going to come of this, Lynn said. The little guy will probably end up being president. Im not sure if thats good or Bemstine rides to rescue just in time CHARGERS notebook IMPACT PLAYER On Bemstine's first run, a wide hole opened to the left side. But Bemstine lost his footing.

I tried to make a quick cut and I felt like I hadjello legs, he said. Butts could undergo tests today on his sore right knee. "I was trying to fight for extra yards and it twisted and as 1 fell, one of those cats fell on my knee," he said. And that's all it takes. Butts hurt his knee on the first series, returned for one play, then called it a day.

"It started hurting again and (trainer) Keoki (Kamau) checked it out I wanted to play some more but he told me not to." His numbers werent mind-boggling 11 carries for 33 yards and a touchdown but Bemstine gave San Diegos struggling running game a boost. Fantasy football league players nationwide cursing his return after they and everybody else thought he was done following a shoulder injury in October. With Marion Butts' achy-breaky knee, Bemstine could be the key if the Chargers make the playoffs. His return was near the top of Ross Christmas wide receiver Jeff Query (ankle), defensive end Lamar Rogers (knee). Although Gill Byrd saw the Chargers win for the ninth time in a season for the first tune since he's been in San Diego, the 10-year voter an wasn't pleased with how the Chargers got win No.

9. After a lackluster first half, the Chargers were strong in the second half to pull away just like a week earlier in Phoenix. "Weve learned how to win, but I don't like the way weve been winning." Byrd said. "The first half started off slow, and for us to do that we're just asking for problems." The Bengals' first play from scrimmage was a whopper an 83 yard TD pass from Query to David Klingler. We designed that one on Wednesday and felt it would be a good first play, and it was." said Bengals coach David Shula.

"It worked to perfection. Reggie Rembert did a great job, there was great pass protection and Dave and Jeff executed it well." Reggie Rembert? How did he fit into the play? "He is the guy that drew the coverage." Shula said. He had to understand what to do, and he did a fine job." So it was Rembert who got the congratulatory hug from Shula. Sometimes it's the unsung guys that set things up and dont get any credit," Shula said. I just wanted to make sure he knew that we saw what he did.

By Jay Paris Staff Writer SAN DIEGO The Chargers contingent of running backs played a big part in Sundays 27-10 victory over the Bengals. Marion Butts, Rod Bemstine, Eric Bieniemy and Ronnie Harmon combined for 151 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries. Quarterback Stan Humphries even got into the act, collecting 10 yards and one touchdown on four attempts. Ron Lynn, the former Chargers defensive coordinator now' heading up Cincinnati's defense, was impressed. "We had hits on them at the line of scrimmage or in the backfield yet they were still able to carry tacklers and surge forward for the extra 2 or 3 yards, he said.

"You get that on two or three plays and all of a sudden instead of looking at third-and-four, you are looking at third-and-one. General manager Bobby Beathard got some heat in training camp for declining to trade one of his running backs. "We have four exceptionally good ones here, Bemstine said. In the preseason, everyone was mentioning trying to get rid of one or two of us. But if you've got one back back there carrying the load, you have to have a lot of good backs because eventually someone is going to get hurt, nicked up, and not able to play the whole game.

Bemstine was back after missing seven games from surgery on a separated shoulder. His efforts 11 mshes, 33 yards and one touchdown were needed when Butts was sidelined with his persistent knee injury. BERNSTINE Sundays play of the day was wide receiver Shawn Jeffersons catch of a Stan Humphries pass for 18 yards on the Chargers go-ahead drive. Jefferson leaped and reached for the ball, but was drilled in the back by safety Barney Bussey. But Jefferson kept his concentration and hauled it in one-handed, a la Harmon.

"I went up for it and 1 knew someone was coming, Jefferson said. "I tried to run with it before I caught it and it went off my hand. I just thank God I was able to keep my eyes on the ball. Injury update San Diego: Butts (knee), defensive end Chris Mims (knee); Cincinnati: Staff writer John Schlegel contributed to this report. Sunday was Bernstine's first game since injuring his shoulder eight weeks ago.

With running back Marion Butts reinjuring his knee Sunday, Bems-tines return was crucial. The bruising back carried a group of Bengals into the end zone on his scoring run. If I'm going to go out on the field and play, I'm not going to go out there tippy-toeing around, Bemstine said. I have to go and do the job that is expected of me. Another turnover Carrington's team-high fifth interception was converted into the days final score, a 48 yard field goal by Carney.

About 14 minutes later, the Chargers trotted off the field, pre senting their fans with the sweetest gift possible. Forget the years supply of pizza and other goodies, San Diego won again at home. That's a prize its appreciative boosters could all 1:34 left in the half enough time for Humphries to atone for his mis-cue and pull San Diego even. Humphries completed 4 of-5 passes to take the Chargers to the Bengals 11. With 20 seconds to go, he found a wide-open Miller for a 10-10 tie and a big boost heading into the locker room.

That 2-minute drive right before the end of the half was just something special, coach Bobby Ross said. Ross special teams set up the Chargers go-ahead score. Punter Lee Johnson was pressured into a 16-yard punt, giving San Diego possession on its 34. About 11 minutes later, Ross contemplated his biggest decision. Whether to go for the touchdown on a fourth-and 1 at the Bengal Or play it safe and kick the field goal? It was at the part of the game where you can break it open," Humphries said.

"I think it very positive how we went for it. Now Chargers From Page C-1 shellshocked as Byrd and safety Darren Carrington filling in for injured starter Stanley Richard were burned. "Once I saw it wasn't a run I tried to get back, Byrd said. But I was so out of position I couldnt get back and that's my fault. Next up on the nobody-fault but-mine lineup was Stan Humphries.

The Chargers marched 76 yards to the Cincinnati 4 when the drive stalled on David Fulchers end-zone interception. I thought Anthony Miller had beat his corner and nobody was back there," Humphries said. "But I didnt see the safety back there and he picked it off. The Bengals then picked up three points on Jim Breech's 48-yard field for a 10 3 lead. San Diego got the ball back with that we've got to eight or nine wins, it's not going to be a holding back situation.

Humphries faked a handoff to Rod Bemstine and rolled around the right side, looking for tight end Derrick Walker. But Walker was covered and Humphries chugged in for a 17-10 advantage. No one was chanting Carl Lewis after Humphries' run, which could have been clocked with an egg timer. He barely beat Tom Rayam. a 6-foot-6, 297 pound tackle.

Hes close to how much I weigh," Humphries said. Plummers interception and 2 yard return gave the ball back to San Diego on the Bengal 18. Again, the Chargers were faced with a fourth and 1 dilemma at the Cincinnati 9. Humphries picked up the first on a 2 yard rush. Then Bemstine followed center Courtney Hall in for his first touchdown since Oct.

18 from 7 yards out. Rod Bemstine returned from injury after Marion Butts knee acted up. I i i I ft.