The Associated Press

SAN DIEGO - Maybe it's the Flutie Flakes he keeps in his breakfast rotation.

Or that he's so relaxed in the huddle that he'll sing along to whatever song is playing on the stadium PA.

Whatever it is, 41-year-olds aren't supposed to juke and dive and scramble like this, are they?

Then again, people keep comparing Doug Flutie with a fun-loving kid, which is just what he looked like Sunday during a remarkable four-touchdown performance that pumped some life into the otherwise sad-sack San Diego Chargers.

Flutie said he felt good on Monday morning because he didn't take a lot of hits as the starter in the Chargers' stunning 42-28 win over Minnesota, their highest-scoring game since 1993. Flutie scrambled for two touchdowns - the last time he did that was during his eight-year exile in the CFL in the 1990s - and threw for two more, finishing with 248 yards passing.

How does he explain it?

"Just playing football," Flutie said. "I felt comfortable, my arm felt good, my legs felt good. We executed. I was getting the ball out of my hands into their hands and guys were making plays."

On Sunday, Flutie said he felt as good as he did when he was 30. He also said to keep it in perspective because Minnesota's defense isn't that good.

On Monday, he preferred to be ageless.

"I've always felt athletic," he said. "What drives me nuts is everyone talking about my age. I think you only talk about age if it's a factor. I don't think it's a factor in this situation."

It's been 19 years since Flutie threw that desperation touchdown pass at Boston College that helped him win the Heisman Trophy. He said people have been asking him for the last eight or nine years when he's going to retire.

"And I said, 'When I can't play the game the way I like to play it,' and that's being able to move around and make plays with my legs, as well," he said.

Flutie hadn't started since 2001, when the Chargers went 5-11 with him as the first-stringer.

"I was having a blast," Flutie said. "I guess part of it is when something's taken away from you for a while, you appreciate it more. It's the don't-know-what-you've-got-until-it's-gone type of attitude."

Coach Marty Schottenheimer, who was coy all last week about his quarterback situation, said Monday that Flutie will start Sunday when the Chargers (2-7) play at Denver (5-4).

"He had an outstanding performance overall," Schottenheimer said. "His ability to create is a significant part of our offensive performance."

So is Flutie's calmness in the huddle, which provided some badly needed confidence.

"He was singing in the huddle," rookie tackle Courtney Van Buren said. "Whatever was playing, he would sing in the huddle."

Flutie did recall he and receiver Tim Dwight singing along to a song during a timeout.

"I remember saying, 'Oh, sorry guys, OK, let's focus in here and lock back in.' I try not to be too intense 100 percent of the time."

Flutie file

Ht: 5-10 Wt: 180

Age: 41

College: Boston College

Sunday's stats

Completions: 21

Attempts: 29

Passing yards: 248

Passing TDs: 2

Rushing TDs: 2

Interceptions: 0

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