CHARGERS FANS RESIGNED TO LOSING POPULAR PLAYERS, GAMES, PERHAPS TEAM.

Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO - When Doug Flutie, the master of the Hail Mary, scrambled away from the Kansas City defense as time expired and fired a pass to tight end Antonio Gates in the back of the end zone, the canon in one corner of the field erupted and so did the crowd at Qualcomm Stadium.

The touchdown made winners of everyone who took the Chargers and the points, bet the overs or appreciates a Pyrrhic victory, but it wasn't enough to make winners of the Chargers, who were beaten by the Chiefs, 28-24.

Covering the spread is one thing. Covering the multitude of sins the Chargers are accused of these days is another altogether.

San Diego lost for the 10th time in 12 games this season. It's trying to win with the 41-year-old Flutie at quarterback and a defense that is last in the league in points allowed, which is quickly turning coach Marty Schottenheimer into a lame duck.

The team doesn't look much better off the field. In the off season, it got rid of the club's two most popular players, Junior Seau and Rodney Harrison, and last week it filed suit in a Los Angeles court over its lease with the city, heightening speculation that the team wants to move to Los Angeles.

The question now isn't who wants them. It's why would they?

``They're making the decision for us,'' said Hope Root, who has had season tickets for 10 years. ``If they were winning, the city would be more compelled to keep them.

``It all makes more sense now. People are blaming it on the coaches and other things. But when they blow out (safety Ryan) McNeil, Harrison and Seau, that shows they're not committed to the city.''

As for those up north, Chargers defensive end Marcellus Wiley - who grew up in Compton - knows how the team would be received.

``When we win, they'll love us,'' Wiley said. ``When we lose, they'll say, 'Hey man, I'll be at the beach.' You never go to L.A. hoping for a house warming.

``I remember when the Lakers were pretty bad in the mid-90s after Magic retired. They were booing them. Now, you can't get a Laker (ticket). It's a fashion show. Don't worry about L.A.'s reception. Worry about trying to save face in San Diego.''

That's not easy right now. Since their 6-1 start a year ago, the Chargers have dropped 17 of their past 21 games - the worst record in the NFL over that span. They haven't had a winning record or a playoff berth since 1995.

Sunday against the Chiefs they showed why.

If receiver Reche Caldwell wasn't watching balls bounce off his hands or Kassim Osgood wasn't playing patty cake, kicker Steve Christie wasn't any better with his feet, missing two field goals.

Leon Johnson upstaged Chiefs return star Dante Hall, running back kickoffs for 60 and 53 yards, but the Chargers didn't get a first down or a point out of either one.

Flutie, who needed nearly 22 minutes to complete his first pass, brought the Chargers back from a 14-point halftime deficit to within 21-17 entering the fourth quarter. Then he dropped a shotgun snap that Kansas City turned into a score when Trent Green hit tight end Tony Gonzalez on third-and-goal from the 3-yard line.

``No question about it,'' Flutie said when asked if the fumble was the turning point. ``We had some momentum. We'd scored and cut the lead. We got the ball back in great shape. I had full confidence we could take that ball and shove it down their throat, and next thing I know, we're off the field.''

When Flutie later turned the ball over again, throwing an interception in the end zone, the crowd of 57,671 (or 13,000 below capacity) took its cue and filed out. At least those who weren't among the thousands of red-clad Chiefs fans.

The Chargers were booed off the field at halftime, but venom has given way mostly to resignation - of losing games, and perhaps a team.

``Everybody I'm here with is upset about the lawsuit,'' said Shiloh Hall, who attended with a group of 30 fans. ``How can you get behind a team that you know is looking to leave?''

With the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders due to arrive later this month along with their loyal legions, it might be awhile before the Chargers feel like they're at home.

One person who did was one of the last people out of the Chiefs' locker room. Kansas City offensive coordinator Al Saunders, who grew up in nearby Pacific Beach and coached the Chargers for 2 1/2 seasons in the late '80s after serving under Don Coryell, said he isn't up on the details of the Chargers' lease issues. He just hopes they don't leave.

``It's a great city,'' Saunders said. ``To not have a pro football team here would be really sad. We always had tremendous support - even in the strike season.''

When the subject turned to owner Alex Spanos, who fired Saunders, the old coach wasn't so wistful. It was a topic he preferred not to discuss.

``You want to have friends in this business,'' Saunders said.

A lesson the Chargers are learning all too well.

Billy Witz, [phone]

billy.witz(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Leon Johnson returns a kick 53 yards on this play, but San Diego got no points out of the possession in a 28-24 loss to Kansas City.

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press