Ryan Mathews said he was so nervous before his debut for the San Diego Chargers that he had to duck into the bathroom to throw up. The running back recovered quickly though. On his second NFL carry, Mathews was pushed back almost to the Chargers' goal line, then powered through Lance Briggs, the linebacker, and ran for 18 yards. Mathews had an impressive debut as the Chargers recorded a 25-10 exhibition victory over the Chicago Bears on Saturday night.
Mathews, the first-round draft pick who will replace the departed LaDainian Tomlinson, gained 50 yards on nine carries and caught two passes for 11 yards. "You trust what you see and I've seen him now for three months," Norv Turner, his coach, said: "He's got all the things you need to be an outstanding runner. It's exciting to have him." It was their first game since their 17-14 play-off loss to the New York Jets, which was Tomlinson's last game with San Diego. He was released in February and signed with the New York Jets. The Chargers were 13-3 last year.
* Associated Press