Rosario's 3 TD catches lead Chargers past Titans; Seau's No. 55 retired

CBSSports.com wire reports
Sep. 16, 2012

SAN DIEGO -- Dante Rosario looks right at home in Qualcomm Stadium's end zones.

Four years ago, Rosario caught a game-winning touchdown pass as time expired to lift Carolina over the San Diego Chargers.

On Sunday, the tight end made the most of Antonio Gates' absence by catching three TD passes for the first time in his NFL career to help the Chargers beat the Tennessee Titans for the ninth straight time, 38-10.

"He likes catching touchdowns here," said Philip Rivers, who threw scoring passes of 11 and 4 yards to Rosario on the first two possessions by the Chargers (2-0) and then hit the wide-open tight end on a 15-yarder in the third quarter.

"I thought he was phenomenal. He went out and did what was asked of him," said Gates, who was a game-time scratch due to a rib injury sustained in the season-opening win at Oakland on Monday night.

"He just tore it up today. Things happen in mysterious ways, man. It might have been meant for Dante to have this game. I'm very happy for him."

Half of Rosario's eight career TD catches have been at Qualcomm Stadium.

"This ranks higher because I'm a Charger," Rosario said when asked to compare Sunday's game with the one in 2008 when his scoring catch beat San Diego.

"I always prepare like it's going to be a big week but Gates was kind of a last-second decision, so it wasn't a sure thing that I was going to take the number of reps that I did today."

The Titans (0-2) didn't double-cover Rosario like teams often do to Gates.

"When you have a quarterback like Rivers who is very good, he makes guys look good," Titans coach Mike Munchak said. "He puts the ball where it's supposed to be. Believe me, there was not a letdown when we knew Gates wasn't playing. We knew they still had some great weapons and we saw that again today."

Rosario praised Rivers.

"All of those passes were in places where the defender couldn't get it," he said.

Another backup, running back Jackie Battle, had two 1-yard touchdown runs in the fourth quarter. With Ryan Mathews still not back from a broken collarbone, Battle saw extensive duty.

San Diego's defense had a big day, too, by harassing Jake Locker and stuffing Chris Johnson.

Before the game, the Chargers (2-0) retired Junior Seau's No. 55. Seau, the hard-hitting, first-pumping leader of the Chargers for 13 seasons, committed suicide May 2.

San Diego's winning streak against the Titans (0-2) dates to 1993, when the franchise was still the Houston Oilers.

Rivers was 24 of 32 for 284 yards. Malcom Floyd had six catches for 109 yards and Rosario four catches for 48 yards.

It was a rough day all around for the Titans, who were held to 212 yards of total offense.

"We didn't look like an NFL team," said Chris Johnson, who had only 17 yards on eight carries. He was coming off a career-low 4 yards on 11 carries in a 34-13 loss to New England.

"I really don't know what's going on," Johnson said. "I don't know how we're going to fix it or whatever. Can't get the running game going, can't get no yards no matter what we do. I don't know at this point."

Locker was 15 of 30 for 174 yards.

"No one wants to start 0-2," Locker said. "It's not the way you envisioned it going. ... I wasn't able to move the ball consistently. Whatever's not working for us, we have to figure it out and work hard to overcome it."

San Diego moved 71 yards on its first possession and appeared to score on a 7-yard pass from Rivers to Floyd. Floyd was so sure it was a score that he started to slam the ball over the crossbar before noticing the official called it incomplete. Coach Norv Turner challenged, but the call was upheld. After Curtis Brinkley was thrown for a 4-yard loss, Rivers found Rosario for an 11-yard TD.

The Titans were awful early. On their third play from scrimmage, Locker was hit by Shawn Phillips and threw a wobbly pass that was intercepted by Eric Weddle, giving the Chargers the ball on the Titans 31.

Six plays later, Rosario caught his second TD pass from Rivers for a 14-0 lead.

On the Titans' next possession, Locker stumbled as he was being chased by Donald Butler on third-and-9 from the Titans 12 and had to throw the ball away underhanded to avoid a sack.

Tennessee didn't get its first first down until its third drive. The Titans finally scored on their fourth possession, settling for Rob Bironas' 23-yard field goal after a promising drive stalled to make it 17-3. Locker scrambled for 20 yards on third-and-9 and the Titans got 15 more yards when Vaughn Martin was whistled for a late hit.

San Diego's Nate Kaeding, who tied his career best with five field goals in an opening win against Oakland, kicked a 26-yard field goal on the Chargers' third drive.

Rosario's third TD catch came late in the third quarter.

Tennessee's only touchdown came on a 15-yard pass from Locker to Kendall Wright late in the third quarter to make it 24-10. The score came three plays after a 71-yard kickoff return by Lavelle Hawkins.

Notes: Rosario hurt his right calf in the second quarter and went to the locker room but later returned. ... Rivers is 6-0 in his career against the Titans, with a 100.6 passer rating. ... Titans WR Kenny Britt returned from a one-game NFL suspension for a DUI arrest and had one catch for 5 yards.

View the original article here

Chargers chaplain confirms family to donate Seau's brain for research

SAN DIEGO -- The family of former NFL star Junior Seau will donate his brain for research into repetitive head injuries.

San Diego Chargers chaplain Shawn Mitchell said the family made the decision Thursday.

Seau, a standout college player at Southern California and in the NFL for the Chargers, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots, was found dead Wednesday at his Oceanside home.

An autopsy concluded he shot himself in the chest.

Some have speculated that brain injuries from football may have played a role in his death, but there has been no medical confirmation of such damage.

His family and hundreds of people held an impromptu memorial for Seau on Thursday night outside his home.

View the original article here

Medical examiner confirms Seau's death was a suicide

Fans have turned the outside of Junior Seau's California home into a memorial shrine. (Getty Images)

SAN DIEGO -- Those who knew and loved Junior Seau say they didn't see this coming.

"This is not anything I thought he would ever do," former San Diego Chargers safety Miles McPherson said.

Like many of Seau's friends, McPherson was still trying to comprehend the death of the former star NFL linebacker the day after his body was found inside his home in suburban Oceanside with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. The San Diego County medical examiner ruled the death a suicide on Thursday.

"Junior is a warrior. He played 20 years in the NFL as a linebacker. You have to be a warrior. Warriors conquer problems they face and they run at them," McPherson said Thursday.

McPherson, now the pastor at the Rock Church in San Diego, said that's why Seau's death is so puzzling.

Seau's ex-wife, Gina, told The Associated Press that while Seau sustained concussions during his playing career, she had no idea if they somehow contributed to his death.

McPherson also said he didn't know if concussions would have contributed to the death of Seau, who was known for his ferocious tackles followed by celebratory fist pumps.

"There is no football player -- maybe a punter -- that has not had multiple concussions, I would guess," McPherson said.

Longtime Chargers chaplain Shawn Mitchell said he wasn't aware of any major issues that would lead Seau to take his life, including any difficulties making the transition from the playing field to retirement. Seau played his first 13 seasons with the Chargers before moving on to the Miami Dolphins and then the New England Patriots.

He helped lead San Diego to its only Super Bowl, after the 1994 season; was voted to a Chargers-record 12 straight Pro Bowls; and was a six-time All-Pro selection.

Mitchell said many players struggle once they leave the game.

"Junior was quite the opposite," said Mitchell, the pastor at New Venture Christian Fellowship in Oceanside. "Junior was one of the few guys with face recognition and first-name recognition across the nation. I'm almost amazed when people say he was torn up and missing the limelight. Golly, for a guy not in the league, the guy was doing contracts and he had a series on TV. He was such an icon and he had three cities, San Diego, New England and Miami, which loved the guy. I haven't seen in Junior what I see in hundreds of players, and that is a sense of great loss."

For a time, Seau hosted a reality show called "Sports Jobs with Junior Seau." He also continued to run his restaurant in Mission Valley, which has been open since the mid-1990s.

"Again, I'm not trying to paint a picture of everything being rosy. Junior, just like us, had feet of clay. There was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary and I don't think he missed totally being out of game," Mitchell said.

In October 2010, Seau survived a 100-foot plunge down a seaside cliff in his SUV, hours after he was arrested for investigation of domestic violence at the Oceanside home he shared with his girlfriend. The woman had told authorities that Seau assaulted her during an argument.

There was no evidence of drugs or alcohol involved in the crash and Seau told authorities he fell asleep while driving. He sustained minor injuries.

McPherson said the only issue he was aware of was "the normal struggling with retirement issues, but nothing I thought would ever come to this."

McPherson painted a picture of what it could be like for a player of Seau's caliber once his playing career ended.

"When you grow up an athlete and you live in a world that praises you all the time as you go from high school to college, college to the pros, the decibel volume, the number of people, the frequency of praise that comes your way, increases," said McPherson, who was with the Chargers from 1982-85. "By the time you get to play 20 years in the NFL, in 12 consecutive Pro Bowls, and all that comes with that, you're living in fantasyland.

"All that one day stops. But your body, mind and heart are conditioned to such a high level of excitement, adrenaline rush, challenge, and then you're like taken off the drug, cold turkey. A lot of guys, women as well, celebrities, who live in a bubble, have a hard time living with normal life. Unless they can emotionally and spiritually handle the letdown and transition to something that will satisfy them, even though it will never bring the adrenaline rush their career did, they're somewhat at a loss."

McPherson knew the 43-year-old Seau was busy in his post-playing days. "I also know he was a very charismatic guy and the limelight that shone on him was very bright. Even though he was busy, it could never match what he had."

Seau was described as upbeat and invincible.

A few weeks ago, a smiling Seau was videotaped playing a ukuelele and singing while attending the spring game at Southern California, where he starred before being drafted by the Chargers in 1990.

Mitchell said that friends of Seau's who were at his charity golf tournament a month ago said his "spirits were great."

During emotional remarks to reporters on Wednesday, Seau's mother, Luisa, said her son gave no indication of a problem when she spoke to him by phone earlier this week.

"He's joking to me, he called me a 'homegirl,"' she said.

Seau purchased his Oceanside home for $3.2 million in August 2005, near the peak of the housing boom in San Diego. Sharon Ferguson, assistant division chief in the San Diego County assessor's office, said there were no liens against his property.

If Seau was having trouble with something, he didn't let anyone know. Police said no suicide note was found.

Mitchell and McPherson wish Seau had reached out to somebody.

"I'm sorry to say, Superman is dead. All of us can appear to be super, but all of us need to reach out and find support when we're hurting," Mitchell said. "This super person, this wonderful human being, this extraordinary athlete and man, if someone so invincible like Junior could end his life this way, it should be a message to all of us all going through hurt and travails, that we all need each other. If somebody's hurting, please talk to somebody. Get help."

Further autopsy details, including results of toxicology tests, will be released in a final investigative report, which may take up to 90 days to complete.

The medical examiner's office said it was awaiting a decision by the family on whether to turn over Seau's brain to unidentified outside researchers for study.

Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy has analyzed the brains of dozens of former athletes, including that of former Chicago player Dave Duerson, who shot himself in the chest last year.

While saying it was saddened by Seau's death, center officials would not say if they have reached out to the Seau family or would be interested in studying his brain.

Duerson's family has filed a wrongful death suit against the NFL, claiming the league didn't do enough to prevent or treat concussions that severely damaged Duerson's brain before he died in in February 2011.

Former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling, who had joined in a concussion-related lawsuit against the league - one of dozens filed in the last year - shot himself last month at age 62. His wife has said he suffered from depression and dementia after taking years of hits.

Seau is not known to have been a plaintiff in the concussion litigation.

View the original article here