Chargers Escape With Upper Hand Miami’s Misfire Lifts San Diego

Pete Stoyanovich was set to do to the San Diego Chargers what Rolf Benirschke did to the Miami Dolphins 13 years ago.

In the end, though, another crazy playoff game went right for the Chargers.

Stoyanovich missed a 48-yard field goal with 1 second left Sunday and San Diego emerged with a 22-21 victory over the Dolphins that sent the Chargers into the AFC championship game.

“I couldn’t wait for this crowd to have a heart attack when we made that field goal,” Dolphins tackle Ron Heller said.

But the record crowd of 63,381 at Jack Murphy Stadium went nuts when the kick fluttered badly to the right.

“I didn’t watch the kick, I watched the fans’ reaction,” said linebacker Junior Seau, whose season will continue when the Chargers play at Pittsburgh next Sunday for a trip to the Super Bowl.

San Diego defeated the Steelers 37-34 in the final regular-season game, although Pittsburgh had already clinched the home field and rested some injured starters.

Stan Humphries, deprived of an apparent touchdown pass late in fourth quarter on an official’s call, threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Mark Seay with 35 seconds left to tie it and John Carney kicked the winning point.

“To go out there and not go as far as two years ago would mean we haven’t grown as a football team,” said Humphries, referring to an embarrassing 31-0 playoff loss at Miami two seasons ago in which he threw four interceptions. “No one expected us to be here.”

Sunday’s game was filled with controversial calls, including an unusual, illegal forward pass penalty on Miami tight end Keith Jackson.

It was 13 years ago that the Chargers and Dolphins played one of the most thrilling playoff games in history.

That day, Jan. 2, 1982, Benirschke made a 27-yard field goal 13:52 into overtime that gave San Diego a 41-38 victory in Miami. Kellen Winslow starred for the Chargers at the Orange Bowl, a game in which Miami rallied from a 24-0 deficit helped by a lateral to Tony Nathan for a touchdown just before halftime.

The Chargers advanced to the AFC title game for the first time since Dan Fouts got them there following the 1980 and ‘81 seasons. They have never been to the Super Bowl.

Miami’s Dan Marino moved the Dolphins to the San Diego 30 in the final seconds and Stoyanovich - 8 of 10 between 40 and 49 yards this season - came on with a chance to win it.

But a high snap seemed to throw off his timing, and Stoyanovich missed badly to the right.

Stoyanovich didn’t meet with reporters.

Dolphins coach Don Shula, confined to a cart since surgery on a ruptured Achilles’ tendon on Dec. 9, got up and stood on the sideline in concern in the closing moments.

After Stoyanovich missed, Shula sat back down with a chagrined look on his face.

“That’s about as tough a loss as I’ve ever been around,” Shula said. “To see a team play as well as we played in the first half … and then have it come apart the way it did in the second half is a bitter disappointment.”

The Dolphins, bolstered by three goal-line stands, led 21-6 at halftime. But they had the ball for only 7 minutes, 22 seconds in the second half and did not score.

The Dolphins rushed for only 26 yards and had 282 total yards, both season lows. San Diego had a seasonhigh 466 yards.

“We didn’t make any plays in the second half,” Marino said. “We didn’t seem like we were running the ball so well so we decided to throw.

“Anytime you work the whole season and it ends like this, it’s hard when you don’t achieve your goal. It’s tough.”

The Chargers cut the deficit to 21-8 with 6:54 left in the third quarter when Rueben Davis tackled Bernie Parmalee for a safety. That came one play after the ball was spotted on the Miami 1 when San Diego’s Natrone Means was stopped on fourth down.

Means ran for a 24-yard touchdown - even though replays showed he stepped out of bounds on the Miami 2 - with 4:03 left in the third period.

With 8:43 left in the game, Jackson caught a pass from Marino for a 20-yard gain. As he was being wrapped up, he tossed the ball forward, apparently attempting a lateral to Irving Fryar.

San Diego’s Darren Carrington recovered at the Miami 39, but the play was ruled an illegal forward pass. The Dolphins retained possession and were penalized 5 yards and loss of down.

The Chargers began their winning drive on their own 39 with 3:16 left. Humphries had passes of 10 and 15 yards to Tony Martin, and Means ran for 1 yard to the 8 on third-and-1.

One play later, Humphries faked the handoff to Ronnie Harmon and rolled right, finding Seay all alone in the right flat for a tie at 21.

The crowd was hushed as Carney kicked the extra point.

The Dolphins began their final drive on their own 38 after the Chargers elected to kick the ball short, and on second down receiver Scott Miller drew a 32-yard pass interference play against safety Eric Castle. After two incomplete passes, Stoyanovich missed the field goal.

Chargers 22, Dolphins 21

Miami 7 14 0 0 - 21

San Diego 0 6 9 7 - 22

First quarter

Mia-K.Jackson 8 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick), 12:36.

Second quarter

SD-FG Carney 20, 4:24.

Mia-K.Jackson 9 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick), 7:39.

SD-FG Carney 21, 12:13.

Mia-M.Williams 16 pass from Marino (Stoyanovich kick), 14:33.

Third quarter

SD-Safety, R.Davis tackled Parmalee in end zone, 8:06.

SD-Means 24 run (Carney kick), 12:18.

Fourth quarter

SD-Seay 8 pass from Humphries (Carney kick), 14:25.

A-63,381.

Mia SD First downs 17 28 Rushes-yards 8-26 40-202 Passing 256 264 Punt Returns 1-14 2-14 Kickoff Returns 5-112 5-88 Interceptions Ret. 2-14 0-0 Comp-Att-Int 24-38-0 28-43-2 Sacked-Yards Lost 1-6 2-12 Punts 5-45 2-44 Fumbles-Lost 1-0 2-1 Penalties-Yards 7-47 5-67 Time of Possession 20:40 39:20

RUSHINGMiami, Parmalee 7-16, Craver 1-10. San Diego, Means 24-139, Bieniemy 4-33, Culver 6-14, Harmon 3-12, Jefferson 1-3, Humphries 2-1.

PASSINGMiami, Marino 24-38-0-262. San Diego, Humphries 28-43-2-276.

RECEIVINGMiami, K.Jackson 8-109, Fryar 5-70, McDuffie 5-46, Craver 2-8, Parmalee 2-8, M.Williams 1-16, Saxon 1-5. San Diego, Harmon 7-57, Seay 6-61, Martin 5-62, Jefferson 3-44, Means 3-16, Culver 2-23, Pupunu 2-13.

MISSED FIELD GOALSMiami, Stoyanovich 48.

MEMO: This is a sidebar which appeared with story: AFC playoffs Sunday: San Diego 22, Miami 21 Next Sunday: San Diego at Pittsburgh for AFC title, 9:30 a.m., NBC