Giants 'D' Crushes Ryan Leaf

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

September 27, 1998 / 10:05 PM EDT / CBS Sportsline

One week after a disastrous performance in the Kansas City rain, Ryan Leaf flopped again under the San Diego sun.

The New York Giants beat the San Diego Chargers 34-16 on Sunday as the rookie threw four interceptions in less than three quarters. He was benched following the final one, which was returned 20 yards by Percy Ellsworth for a touchdown.

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The Giants (2-2), coming off a 31-7 loss to Dallas on Monday night, had to travel cross-country on a short week. They played like the opportunistic Giants of 1997 in snapping a two-game losing streak and winning on the West Coast for the first time since beating San Francisco in the NFC championship game on Jan. 20, 1991.

Leaf, the second pick in the draft, was booed at home for the first time as the Chargers (2-2) lost their second straight. What was left of the crowd even booed when a Make-A-Wish Foundation public service announcement that included Leaf was shown on the JumboTron late in the game.

He was intercepted three times in the Chargers' first five possessions, setting up two New York touchdowns. Leaf has committed 11 of the Chargers' 12 turnovers in four games and has thrown just one TD pass.

Ellsworth, starting for Tito Wooten (pulled hamstring), finished with two interceptions. Leaf never saw him on the second one as Ellsworth swooped in, made the pickoff and scored for a 28-9 lead with 7:38 left in the third quarter.

Craig Whelihan came on, igniting the crowd and the team. Whelihan threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Jones on his fourth play, cutting the Giants' lead to 28-16. It was San Diego's first TD pass since the opener. The Chargers have just four touchdowns in as many games.

Leaf was coming off the most futile day ever by a Chargers quarterback, 1-for-15 for 4 yards and five turnovers at Kansas City. His problems shifteoff the field as he yelled obscenities at a reporter on Monday, then sparred with the media the rest of the week.

Against the Giants, Leaf was 15-for-34 for 193 yards. New York's Danny Kanell was 17-for-33 for 208 yards and one touchdown, with one interception. The Giants, who had just one TD rushing in three games, got one each by Gary Brown and Charles Way.

Brown, the Chargers' leading rusher last year, scored on a 4-yard run in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. Then, while looking toward the Chargers bench, Brown ran out to about the 12-yard line and spiked the ball.

Brown rushed for 945 yards with San Diego last year, but the Chargers brought back Natrone Means and let Brown go.

Carlton Gray intercepted Leaf six plays into the next San Diego drive and returned it 36 yards to set up Kanell's 25-yard touchdown pass to Chris Calloway.

Ellsworth's first interception came on a tipped ball, and Leaf threw his arms down in disgust as he walked off the field. The Giants then went up 21-0 when Way made a nice second effort to score on a 1-yard run.

Phillippi Sparks had the other interception when rookie receiver Mikhael Ricks fell down.

John Carney capped consecutive Chargers drives with field goals of 41, 46 and 34 yards. New York's Brad Daluiso kicked field goals of 32 and 19 yards.