While Shaun Phillips was tearing around making plays that got his name called Saturday night, Shawne Merriman was, well, the other guy.
Not really. While the Chargers' outside linebackers are competitive with each other, both loathe that comparative conversation.
“I never said he was the 'Other Guy,' ” said Merriman, referring to the nickname that stuck for Phillips last year after Tennessee offensive coordinator Norm Chow could not recall his name – as in, “Merriman and the other guy.”
Said Phillips: “He's making plays. Him doing his job allows me to do my job.”
When Phillips just missed a sack and practically maimed Marc Bulger coming from the left on the Rams' first series Saturday, Merriman was slowed from the right by two backs. On the play on which Phillips forced a fumble, Merriman was there to pick up the ball because he had dropped back in coverage, a place where he played more than usual Saturday in St. Louis.
“For me, the preseason is about doing the things I need to get better at,” said Merriman, who led the league with 17 sacks last season. “It's not about doing the things I do well. It's about working on things I need to work on.”
Merriman is working on something else, too.
“Watching film, I really felt like I need to be around the ball more,” Merriman said. “On that play, S.P. did a great job stripping the ball, and I was around the ball. . . . Sacking the quarterback is only part of my game.”
Merriman played just the first two defensive series – “Not by my choice, trust me,” he said – because coach Norv Turner wanted to rest Merriman and defensive tackle Jamal Williams.
Holding on
Creating turnovers is a point of emphasis for the Chargers defense this camp, and the defensive backs are grabbing interceptions with regularity in practices.
SignOnSanDiego.com > San Diego Chargers -- Shaun & Shawne team up nicely
Shawne and Shaun
Shawne and Shaun
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