CHARGER REVIEW : NOTEBOOK : Truth in Chargerland Proving to Be an Elusive Commodity

In all honesty, Coach Bobby Ross has found it difficult to tell the truth so far.

Last week in New England, Ross said one thing but consistently meant quite another in discussing lineup changes. In a meeting this week with reporters, he promised to come clean in future dealings.

The next day Ross told reporters Henry Rolling would start at outside linebacker against the 49ers. Linebacker coach Dale Lindsey also was consulted, and he said Rolling was the team’s starting outside linebacker.

Reporters pointed out Steve Hendrickson still was working with the defense as the starting linebacker, while Rolling stood No. 2 on the depth chart.

Ross said to read his lips: “Henry Rolling will start against the 49ers.”

When the starting defensive unit was introduced before Friday night’s game, Hendrickson came running onto the field. A short time later Hendrickson took his place on the field as the Chargers’ starting outside linebacker.

After the game Ross said that Lindsey wanted to start Hendrickson, and so he bowed to Lindsey’s wishes.

“I talked to Dale Lindsey and he felt like we wanted to start Steve Hendrickson,” Ross said. “He felt like Steve has been working there more and that was Dale’s decision. I told him to go ahead. Henry did start in the nickel packages.”

It didn’t appear as if Rolling started in the nickel packages in the first quarter, but like the coaches say, “we’ll have to look at the films.”

The Chargers swiped defensive end Greg Joelson from the 49ers in Plan B free agency but released him earlier this week.

The 49ers promptly claimed him.

Charger defensive tackle George Thornton left the game with a sprained ankle and defensive end Burt Grossman was helped off the field with a hyperextended knee.

Mike Zandofsky, who started in place of Courtney Hall (bruised fibula) at center, was forced out with an injured leg.

Wide receiver Shawn Jefferson aggravated a sore hamstring, and cornerback Donald Frank incurred a shoulder injury.

The Chargers honored past Olympians during halftime, including Dave (shoe commercial) Johnson.

If instant-replay rulings still were available, the Chargers might have gained the ball in the third quarter after defensive back Sean Vanhorse knocked the ball free from 49ers wide receiver Mark Seay.

However the field officials ruled Seay never caught the ball before fumbling. Television replays showed something different.

What game was the coach watching?

“I was very pleased with our kicking game up until that (18-yard punt) by John Kidd,” said Ross. “We had a good kicking game up until that final punt with the exception of our kickoff return. We better get some work on that.”

How about working on that field-goal attack?

Kicker John Carney was wide right from 38 yards, and then Sam Anno delivered a high snap on Carney’s attempt from 47 yards. His kick fell short.

The 49ers spent last weekend in London and only had a couple of practices after the long return flight to San Francisco. However, they won.

“We’re not ready for the regular-season games by any means,” Coach George Seifert said. “We went into the game tonight saying we were gonna run certain plays. It could have been 50-0, their favor, and we would have run the same plays.”

Charger cornerback Gill Byrd has enjoyed only one winning season in his 10 years with the Chargers, and Friday night’s results looked very familiar.

But, Byrd said, fret not.

“I’m optimistic about things,” Byrd said. “We played well in the first three quarters and just made some mistakes in the last quarter which caused us to lose.

“Everytime we lose I have a bad feeling. But we have to look at the big picture. It doesn’t count. . . . To look at what the San Diego Chargers have the potential of doing, look at the first couple of quarters. After that the coaches were mixing in personnel and evaluating people. You look at the first units, and we showed we can compete.”

The Chargers must reduce their roster to 60 players Tuesday, and it’s not a good sign for a healthy player who fails to make it into the previous exhibition game.

According to the Chargers’ statistics, players who did not play Friday night, included: quarterback Jeff Graham, running back Bob Christian, punter Richard Jones, wide receivers Keith McDonald, Johnnie Barnes, Derrick Faison and Darrell Colbert, linebacker Chris Collins, tackles Darryl Jenkins and Mark Nua and center James Parrish.