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By JEFFSCHUDEL Special To The T-RBEREA — In San Diego, they call the Chargers’ defensive line “The Bruise Brothers.” Not much more needs to be said to describe what the Browns' offensive line is up against Monday night.It will be force against force when the Browns and Chargers kick off their 1981 regular season schedules at Cleveland Stadium Monday night. The Browns led the American Football Conference in pass protection last year, allowing the lowest percentage of sacks. Buffalo quarterback JoeFerguson was sacked only 20 times to 22 for Sipe, but Sipe threw more passes.Enter the San Diego defensive line, the foursome that led the AFC in quarterback sacks. The Chargers got to the passer 56 times, rushing him like starving hounds in a dogfood commercial.SAN DIEGO’S Big Four are Fred Dean at right end, Gary Johnson at right tackle, Louie Kelcher at left tackle and Leroy Jones at left end. Dean, Johnson and Kelcher all played on the AFC team in the Pro Bowl last year. That squad was coached by none other than Sam Rutigliano, the Browns’ head man.Rutigliano declined the opportunity to choose San Diego’s best pass rusher. The four hang around like a street gang and are just as dangerous.to testpass pocketvfe/T3000 tickets remain for Monday night encounter“Doug Dieken will be on Dean. That will be good because Dean is quick.” Rutigliano said. “Dieken is effective against quicker linemen.”Robert E. Jackson, Cleveland guard, will have his hands full with Johnson. Johnson was a first-round draft choice of the Chargers in 1975 when Tommy Prothro, Cleveland draft supervisor, was there. Johnson led the league in quarterback sacks last year with 17. A half sack is credited to a player when he uses a quarterback as a wishbone with another defender.Jackson will get some help from center Tom DeLeone, but that means Browns’ guard Joe DeLamielleure will have to go one-on-one with Kelcher. Both Joe D. and Kelcher are Pro-Bowlers.KELCHER WAS another product of the Prothro era. He was taken in the second round of 1975. He was credited with 20 tackles in the AFC championship game against Oakland last year. San Diego lost the game, but not because of Kelcher. He ledthe linemen with 89 tackles last season.Dean was another 1975 draft pick. He was taken in the second round after Kelcher. Whatever Prothro does in the future, he’ll be able to look back on 1975 with a smile.Jones is the only one of the four who isn’t homegrown. San Diego traded to get him from Los Angeles in 1976. The press guide says he is under rated. Jones had 11 sacks last year, second only to Johnson.*****QUICK RECOVERY - Football playersare known for being in superb condition, butthey aren’t the only ones. Coaches are in good shape, too.It was just two weeks ago that Browns’ receivers coach Rich Kotite underwent a delicate operation to remove a tumor from his pituitary gland. For those who shut off General Hospital before halftime and doodled during anatomy, the pituitary gland is this little rascal located behind the nose inside the head. Important things like vision are related to the pituitary gland.Kotite’s vision was blurred. He went in for a check-up and the tumor was discovered. Doctors went up through his right nostril to remove the tumor bit by bit, and when they were done discovered the tumor had once been the size of a walnut.Kotite has been at practice all week, though only as an observer. He is going to work into practice gradually. He says he has no after-effects from the operation and that he enjoyed better sight almost immediately.Rutigliano is happy for Kotite as a person, but he is also happy from a practical standpoint. While Kotite was laid up, Sam coached the receivers. The double duty was wearing him out. When Kotite returns to his full-time duties Rutigliano will welcome him back with arms spread wide.* * * * *RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY — There is a new press trailer at the Browns’ training facility at Baldwin-Wallace College. An ark would be more practical.For the second day, rain fell relentlessly asthe Browns tried to practice. Yesterday they were driven from the grass field they normally practice on to the artifical turf inside Finnie Stadium. Unlike Wednesday they were able to practice the full two-hour session. Wednesday a lightning bolt blew the whistle on practice.“I’d like to be able to practice on grass and throw the ball more.” Rutigliano said, “but I’m more concerned about San Diego than the weather.”Rutigliano says the rain has put the Browns slightly behind schedule, but not much. He says with the extra day to practice they should be on schedule by Sunday, when a light practice is planned.*****SELLOUT DOUBTFUL - It is unlikely that the Browns Chargers game will be televised locally. As of yesterday, 3000 tickets remained.That means all 3000 have to be sold by 9 tonight. Otherwise, the game will be blacked out in the Cleveland area.Rutigliano confirmed that Dino Hall, Lyle Alzado and Curtis Weathers can play Mon day. All were questionable with minor inju ries.This will be the Browns’ only Monday night game this season. They play once on Thurs day and once on Saturday. The other 13 are on Sundays.
Newspaper Details
Dover Times Reporter
Dover, Ohio, US
Fri, Sep 04, 1981
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Bag U.
NA, 17 Mar 2023
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