Sunday, September 28, 2008

Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson runs by Oakland’s Ricky Brown in the fourth quarter Sunday.
K.C. Alfred/Union-Tribune

OAKLAND – In the end, inevitably, it got back down to child’s play. LT vs. the Raiders. Rock? Paper? Scissors?

Scissors, it is.

In the Chargers’ vernacular, actually, the play that LaDainian Tomlinson used this time to continue his personal vexation of the Oakland Raiders was called “Slant Scissors.”

Twin tight ends Antonio Gates and Brandon Manumaleuna did the pinching, turning their blocked victims inward on the right side, and Tomlinson did the cutting with a precise turn outside for a 41-yard touchdown.

“Big hole,” said Tomlinson, who was untouched until he was well inside the 10-yard line and still cruised in. “If you can’t get through that hole, you don’t need to be playing football.”

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Saturday, September 27, 2008

OAKLAND – Less is more for the Chargers offense, so far.

Only four teams in the league are taking fewer offensive snaps per game than the Chargers. Yet only four teams are gaining more yards per game.

There is good and bad to be seen in that. No team – especially not one with Super Bowl aspirations – is happy with its offense not being on the field enough.

Big plays are exciting, but it’s a dangerous way to live and impossible to count on.

“Obviously, we are doing a lot of things good,” quarterback Philip Rivers said. “We need to continue to keep the running game going. We busted a couple, but we really have to bust some really long ones. That takes time and patience.”

Rivers swears the day is coming when the Chargers will run the ball 40 times a game, by necessity or logic.

That day has not yet arrived and does not appear to be at hand.

Not with this offense, not with a quarterback dealing like he is, not with a tailback’s toe not quite right and defenses still playing to stop him.

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