Phoenix Is a Hot Topic for Henning
SAN DIEGO — For the first two weeks the Chargers played like trapped lab rats. They escaped the maze Sunday with a 21-6 victory over Kansas City.
Their reward: Now they get to be guinea pigs.
Next Sunday they will be the first 1989 home opponent for the Cardinals in Phoenix where the temperature reached 105 degrees over the weekend. Kickoff at Sun Devil Stadium is 1 p.m. And Charger Coach Dan Henning is, well, hot about it.
“I didn’t think last year, I don’t think this year, I don’t think any year that you ought to be playing 1 o’clock games in Phoenix, Tampa or Miami in September,” Henning said Monday.
Henning was an assistant with the Redskins last year when Washington was the first team to play an afternoon game in Phoenix. The date was Sept. 25 and Phoenix scored three of the game’s last four touchdowns to beat the Redskins, 30-21.
The dry, desert heat, Henning says, is deceptive and dangerous. “When you’re in Tampa and it’s 95 degrees, there’s no question about how hot you are because you’re wringing wet. In Phoenix it can sneak up on you and catch up to you because for some reason (perspiration) evaporates.
“All of a sudden you see some tiredness in people and they don’t look like they’ve been sweating that much. Health-wise, with all the hitting that goes on in football, the dehydration-heat factor is, to me, a great deal more dangerous than the cold later on in the year when you play football in the Northeast or the Midwest.”
Henning has instructed Charger trainer Keoki Kamau to emphasize to the players the importance of taking plenty of liquids before the game. Kamau also worked for the Redskins last year.
The Redskins tried unsuccessfully in 1988 to have their home-and-home dates with division rival Phoenix flip-flopped. The league said no. Three weeks after its defeat in Phoenix, Washington beat the visiting Cardinals, 33-17.
Phoenix (2-1) plays seven of its last 11 games at home this year.
The absence of Gary Anderson, the Chargers’ unsigned free agent running back, has forced Henning to combine the skills of several backs in an attempt to replace Anderson.
“Gary has a proven record. He can be in on first, second or third down and be productive on all three,” Henning said. “I’d certainly like to have him. The more the merrier. The more good ones the merrier.”
Henning, who gave his players Monday and today off, was displeased with two calls made by referee Ben Dreith’s crew in the Chiefs’ game.
The first one occurred on the third scrimmage play of the game when several players reached Kansas City quarterback Steve DeBerg at the same time. DeBerg fumbled, defensive end Lee Williams scooped it up and headed for the end zone.
Nobody would have caught Williams. But the whistle stopped him. The call: DeBerg was in the grasp before the fumble.
“Looking at the film, I don’t think it’s even close,” Henning said. “I’m real disappointed because that could have been a major factor in the ballgame and those guys (the Charger defense that hasn’t forced a fumble in three games) were looking forward to making a big play.”
Henning said he will contact the league and find out what the officials’ ruling was on the play. But, he said, “it looks like (on film) that the ball comes out immediately on contact.”
The second play in question occurred several minutes later on first and 10 for Kansas City from the Chiefs’ one. Williams stopped fullback Christian Okoye for no gain. Henning thought it should have been a safety.
“I don’t think they ever got the ball out of the end zone,” Henning said.
Charger Notes
The only troubling Charger injury that developed from the Kansas City victory was a sprained foot suffered by tight end Arthur Cox. It’s similar, but more severe, to the injury suffered by defensive end Burt Grossman last week. Grossman played against Kansas City and got his first NFL sack. . . . If right tackle Brett Miller is able to play against Phoenix Sunday, he probably will start. Miller underwent minor surgery Friday to remove bone spurs and a surgical screw from his knee.
