Young players step up

Names like Charlie Whitehurst, Malcom Floyd and Cletis Gordon. They may not be household names in the NFL or in San Diego but each flashed some brilliance along the way to show why the Chargers thought highly of them.

Derreck Robinson caused a fumble in the first quarter and who should pick it up but Donnie Edwards. The linebacker, playing in his first game of the preseason after being sidelined with a back injury, scooped it and came close to scoring.

Edwards ended the day with the fumble recovery, a quarterback hurry, and one tackle before he was lifted.

Charlie Whitehurst hit Malcom Floyd on a fade route with Floyd going and up and over former Charger Sammy Davis to snare the ball at its highest point for the touchdown shortly after the fumble recovery.

“Whitehurst threw the ball in a perfect spot, and I beat my man to a certain area,” said FLoyd. It was a fade route and I used my height to my advantage against my old teammate (Sammy Davis). He had good coverage on the play but I was able to shield him from the ball. I remember playing against Sammy in practice when we were teammates. I still have a lot of respect for him. He's going to be a big help to them if he gets a chance."

"(Floyd) has a big body and he used that to his advantage on that play. He shielded the defender from the ball," said Whitehurst.

Floyd also made a diving catch on a comeback route near the sideline, stretching out to snare the pass. He also knocked a pass away from a defender who was poised to make an interception.

Whitehurst ended the day 5-for-9 for 52 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Floyd led the team with four receptions for 44 yards with the touchdown.

Cletis Gordon, the leading candidate to earn a roster spot as a returner, showed his upside at cornerback as well on Friday. He stepped in front of a Shaun Hill pass and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.

"I just read the quarterback. He threw the ball and I broke on it. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to make the play."

Gordon ended the day with two passes defensed along with the interception and the cornerback made five tackles, four solo, and notched two special teams tackles.

"It was good to see how the young players managed the bright lights,” head coach Marty Schottenheimer said. “I thought we needed to see our young players play and we'll keep giving them plenty of work."

Lightning Quicks:

The Chargers will have to cut a bunch of players on Saturday but Schottenheimer feels he has been given enough information to make the right decisions.

“Twenty-two of them,” Schottenheimer said. “That is a pretty deep cut. Some have a chance to be with us on the developmental squad.”