Florence's focus fast as his feet

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Chargers cornerback Drayton Florence was near the front of the line when the football gods were handing out athletic ability. At 6 feet, 205 pounds, he has excellent size and speed, and an aggressive temperament that's ideally suited for press coverage.

But while his physical gifts are a blessing in one sense, they were a curse for him last year as a rookie reserve because he tended to rely on them too heavily. He was so confident in his athleticism that he overlooked the importance of being mentally prepared. He might take a false step here, or look at the wrong landmark there and – boom! – the receiver was off and running free.

This season, teammates contend they have seen a more mature and focused Florence. He had an interception in each of the past two games and now is in line for his first pro start Sunday when the Chargers (3-3) meet the Carolina Panthers (1-4) in Charlotte, N.C. Coach Marty Schottenheimer has yet to announce his starter at right cornerback, opposite Quentin Jammer, but Florence has been taking the majority of the reps in practice and could get the nod over incumbent Sammy Davis and backup Jamar Fletcher.

"No one has said anything to me, but I'm just excited that I'm getting an opportunity now to at least be considered as a starter," Florence said. "I've just got to take it and grab it and keep it and not let it go."

If he plays as well this weekend as he did against Jacksonville and Atlanta, it could be hard to keep him out of the lineup. Florence picked off Byron Leftwich while playing a deep zone, then rolled off the slot receiver to intercept Michael Vick along the sideline last weekend.

If he took anything other than the football away from those games, it was the importance of being mentally prepared.

"The physical is all there," said Florence, the first of the Chargers' two second-round picks last year, out of Tuskegee. "It's just taking it from the study room to the field and applying it; that's where I've made the most improvement. I think that's where Marty said he's seen the biggest improvement, too, focusing on the little things."

Schottenheimer isn't alone in that assessment. Teammates who marveled at his athleticism now are applauding his concentration.

"It looks like he's more focused," free safety Jerry Wilson said. "I think he figures it's for real now. He has an opportunity to really step up and break the starting lineup, and it seems like it's something he's really hungry for. It didn't hurt that he had a couple of good games back-to-back, with a couple of picks; and now it seems as if he's trying to build on it. He's looking good out there.

"I feel comfortable seeing him to the right of me because I'm talking to him out there and he's responding. He's playing the technique I'm expecting him to play. He's making receivers go where I want them to go. So, he's putting himself in good position, and that's all I can ask for."

Florence's attention to detail didn't start this week when he was told he had a shot at starting. It started after last season, when following an impressive training camp he struggled to get off the bench because of repeated mental mistakes. During his postseason exit meeting with Schottenheimer he was told he had the physical tools to excel but needed to improve in the details that come with playing the position.

So, Florence studied and learned. When the rookies went through a three-day minicamp before summer workouts, Florence was the only veteran to attend as a spectator. He took a spot along the sideline and studied the defense in general and the secondary in particular.

It is only now, 22 games into his young career, that he said his feet are outracing his mind.

"The game is a lot slower for me," Florence said. "(Last weekend) it felt like college, really. I've been able to take what I'm learning and apply it on the field. If they come out in a certain set, you basically know they're going to run this or run that. (Last week) the receiver ran the out and I sat underneath it because I knew what to expect."

He has done nothing during the week to diminish the coaching staff's expectations this weekend and said he is feeling no added pressure about having an opportunity to start.

"I know they're watching me a lot closer than they were the weeks before, but actually it's motivation," Florence said. "If somebody told you that you had a chance to start, how would you take it? I'm just working like I've been working, and if things happen to work out to where I'm starting, I'm starting. If they don't, then I just play the role I've been playing."
Nuts 'n' Bolts
Schottenheimer said he's uncertain whether defensive end Adrian Dingle will play Sunday. Dingle, who ranked second on the team with six sacks last season, hasn't played the past two weeks because of pain and weakness in one of his knees.

"It's still not at a point where I'm confident that he can give us 30, 35 plays," Schottenheimer said. "And in the absence of being able to do that, it's hard to have him be active because you end up really in effect going in with five guys . . . I'm a little bit concerned because it hasn't gotten better at this point."

If Dingle is out, Schottenheimer said Jacques Cesaire would start. Eric Downing also could see action after rookie end Dave Ball was placed on IR this week with a broken toe.

Wideout Tim Dwight (toe) was the only player not to practice, but he's listed as probable on the injury report.