Tomlinson ready for big start to second half

Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson admits that earlier in his career his eyes would get a little wide when preparing for a team, but that’s not so much the case anymore for the two-time defending NFL rushing champion.

“It used to, but I’m at the point now where if a team is ranked 30th against the run, I don’t know if we’re going to have a good day running the football or not,” Tomlinson said. “We may have a great day throwing the ball and not run the ball many times. I don’t get excited about that because I know anything can happen during the game.”

That’s the scenario that faces the Chargers this week. The Bolts host Kansas City at Qualcomm Stadium Sunday, and no team in the NFL has given up more yards per game on the ground than the Chiefs. Herm Edwards’ club has given up an average of 182.4 rushing yards per game this season. The Chargers enter Week 10 ranked 24th in the NFL in rushing.

“We’ve definitely got to get the run going and we’ve got to continue to make sure we run the football,” Tomlinson said. “Right now I’m only averaging 17 carries per game. That’s a point of emphasis that we do have to run the ball more.”

Edwards has faced Tomlinson eight times in the regular season and is all too familiar with LT’s capabilities. Tomlinson has rushed for at least 100 yards in each of his last three games against Kansas City, including a 177-yard, two-touchdown performance last December at Arrowhead Stadium.

“It scares me every time he touches the ball,” Edwards said. “He has high expectations for himself and I think everyone in the league when you play against him, you have that little funny feeling in your throat. You don’t want to swallow too fast because when he touches the ball he can always make something happen.”

Tomlinson, who has been bothered by a nagging toe injury throughout the first half of the season, has seen his carries drop a bit this season due to the face that the team has frequently been behind. His own health and that of his offensive line has also come into play, as well as the fact that the Chargers currently rank seventh in the NFL in passing.

“A lot of things you can’t control when it comes to this game,” Tomlinson said. “Injuries are one and the way a game plays out is another one.”

But the Chargers feel there is reason to be optimistic about the running game as they kick off the second half of their season Sunday. LT is coming off his best individual performance of the season. Two weeks ago in London, LT rushed for 105 yards on 19 carries and added 65 yards on five receptions, including a touchdown catch. With extra time to rest over the last few days, Tomlinson is physically feeling much better.

“Obviously having the bye has helped a lot,” LT said. “Getting a chance to practice a full week for the first time since I can remember is something that is a good step.”

It wasn’t just the numbers in London that left the Chargers feeling good about the direction of their run game. Tomlinson looked like himself, sidestepping defenders and making sharp cuts to burst into the open field.

“I thought he made some big‑time runs,” Head Coach Norv Turner said. “He gave us some juice throughout the game and gave us some big plays. We’ve made a lot of plays in the passing game this season and I believe we’re going to continue to make more and more in the run game throughout this second half.”

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