CHICAGO – Antonio Cromartie made a great hit on Rashied Davis to jar the ball loose and force an incompletion in the second quarter of last night's 24-3 Chargers loss to the Chicago Bears.
The rookie cornerback then stood over Davis for a moment and yelled.
Out came the yellow flag for taunting, and Cromartie was in line for a good talking-to of his own.
“I had a discussion with him,” coach Marty Schottenheimer said. “He understands everyone gets one, and he's not to exceed that limit.”
Cromartie's histrionics in practice have been entertaining, but he knows he must redirect his emotions during games.
“I can celebrate with my teammates,” said Cromartie, the Chargers' first-round draft pick, “not over the opponent.”
Cromartie was also flagged for holding and hands to the facemask.
But he was smiling after the game, as he said he feels “very comfortable” and is learning the defense rapidly. Cromartie played a majority of the game and had a hand in breaking up at least two passes.
More work
Marcus McNeill entered the game at left tackle to work with the first team in the first quarter while Leander Jordan moved down the line to right tackle in place of Shane Olivea.
McNeill was flagged twice, for illegal formation and hands to the face. He was also at least partially responsible for quarterback Charlie Whitehurst getting drilled twice. However, Schottenheimer praised McNeill afterward.
“I really made big strides at being more patient,” McNeill said. “Playing against a better caliber of player . . . I took this chance to better myself.”
Making his move
Cletis Gordon began the night with a 52-yard kickoff return and handled return duties on all but one punt and one kickoff.
The Chargers are looking for a replacement for Darren Sproles, who broke his leg in the exhibition opener and is on injured reserve. An undrafted free agent out of Jackson State, Gordon averaged 28.8 yards on four kickoff returns.
QB rotation
Whitehurst, a rookie, followed Philip Rivers at quarterback, finishing the second quarter and playing the duration.
He had the Chargers on the verge of their only touchdown when he was intercepted in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. Whitehurst was 11-for-19 for 97 yards.
Edwards movement
The New Orleans Saints have offered the Chargers a fourth-round pick for linebacker Donnie Edwards. While that is too low a pick for the Chargers to part with the veteran, it is the first significant interest shown in Edwards.
Word out of New Orleans is the Saints are not willing to offer a first-day pick.
It's unclear whether other teams have inquired about Edwards, but the difficulty in moving him is that he is 33 and in the final year of a contract that will pay him $3.55 million this season. Additionally, General Manager A.J. Smith is so far sticking to his demand for a second-rounder, at this point too rich for potential suitors.
Kevin Acee: (619) 293-1857; kevin.acee@uniontrib.com
