On Pro Football
Hector Longo
All eyes will focus on Qualcomm Stadium Sunday night to see how far the giant has fallen.
No, not your Tom Brady-less New England Patriots. Oh, no, the giant in question is San Diego Charger running back LaDainian Tomlinson.
Eight years into his Hall of Fame career, Tomlinson might be Eddie George-ing, that is hitting a wall abruptly at age 29.
In Norv Turner's wide-open offense, Tomlinson is averaging 3.7 yards a carry through five games, well below his career mark of 4.5.
Like the former Titan George, Tomlinson's career looks to be going downhill fast. Just two years ago, he averaged a brilliant 5.2 yards a carry and last year it was a healthy 4.7.
There will be no better stage for LT to quiet the naysayers than when the 3-1 Pats take on the 2-3 Chargers.
"They've got one of the best fronts in football when you look across the board: (Vince) Wilfork, (Richard) Seymour, (Ty) Warren, (Mike) Vrabel, (Adalius) Thomas," said Tomlinson, who averages 66.2 yards on the ground and 16.9 yards receiving per game, well below his sparkling career total yards per game average of 124.5. "You look at those guys and they're as good as anybody in the league."
New England's last image of Tomlinson is from last January's AFC title game. LT, bundled up in a spiffy Chargers puff parka, watched his club's Super Bowl aspirations wither away.
He started and gained five yards on two carries before a leg injury sent him to the bench for the frigid duration. And we all remember Turner charging to his star's defense, stating that Tomlinson "just couldn't go" because of "what he felt."
His star further dimmed because Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers played that day with a sprained right knee.
Although he has scored four TDs this fall, Tomlinson hasn't approached his previous standards. Old by running back standards, he's showing more and more evidence of breaking down.
"LT had a good game against Carolina in Week 1. They are a good run defense and LT had an outstanding game (21 carries, 97 yards)," said Turner. "He had some physical runs, had some slashing runs and looked awfully good. Unfortunately in the fourth quarter of that game he hurt his toe. He hyperextended it, turf toe, whatever you want to call it, it's swollen and it's sore."
Durability is a big part of the package, especially if your eye is on Canton ... although realistically with his 133 career TDs he's likely a surefire Hall of Famer.
"As a runner, you need pretty much everything that you have as far as your legs are concerned: Feet, toes, knees, hamstrings, all that kind of stuff," said Tomlinson, a five-time Pro-Bowler. "Obviously when you hurt one part of it, as a runner, it hurts you. But it's football and as long as I've been playing there's no way that I can expect to not ever be hurt. But I've got to play through it and that's just part of being a football player."
Tomlinson should be angry, or at least hungry, as he preps for the Patriots, against whom he is 2-4 in his career with three straight losses.
He enters off a horrendous 12-carry, 35-yard performance in a 17-10 loss to the Dolphins last week.
"It's a combination of everything, obviously starting with me," said Tomlinson, who was much quicker at sharing the blame than he was hitting the holes against Miami linebackers. "When there's room to run, obviously there's room to run. You can run through holes when things are lined up for you, and sometimes when they're not. The opportunities have to be there also."
Already feeling the heat from last year's playoff exit and the 2-3 start, Turner couldn't be too comfortable after hearing that.
The coach only half-heartedly agreed, noting: "We need to get him those 25 carries (a game)."
As Tomlinson goes, so go the Charger hopes. Quarterback Philip Rivers is no Brady. He's a complement, not a cornerstone. And Tomlinson's backup, Darren Sproles, has quickly proven that he won't be the fulltime answer.
It appears the Chargers' championship window is closing. Only LT can do something about it.
He's got the perfect opportunity to start Sunday night.
Hector Longo is an Eagle-Tribune sportswriter. E-mail him at hlongo@eagletribune.com.
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