Finally, it's time for LaDainian Tomlinson to play some football.
“I'm pretty excited,” the Chargers running back said yesterday. “I'm anxious to really get out there and play for real.”
No doubt adding to the excitement is the Chargers' opponent in Monday's season opener. Tomlinson has enjoyed some of his finest performances against Oakland, especially at McAfee Coliseum, where his worst rushing game in the last four years was 140 yards (he averaged 161).
“I think several guys have great games in their careers against certain teams,” said Tomlinson, who also gained a career-high 243 yards against the Raiders in a 2003 game at Qualcomm Stadium. “I guess this is one of the teams that's been very helpful to me at times.
” . . . But every game is different. It's a different defense, so I don't know if you can expect the same thing. We don't even know what to expect from them, to be honest.”
This will be Tomlinson's first game of any kind since the Pro Bowl seven months ago, and his first game that counts since the last day of 2005. For the first time, he did not play in an exhibition game.
“Last year I had one carry and I didn't get tackled (he scored on a 55-yard run), so I really didn't play in the preseason last year, either,” he said, laughing. “You've just got to be focused at the beginning of the season. Some guys need preseason to get back into it. For me, I'm focused on football at all times.”
Tomlinson has just 14 exhibition carries in his career, but it hasn't seemed to slow him. He's gained more than 100 yards in the season opener three times in five tries.
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He called this year's Chargers “the most talented team that I've been on so far” and said there was “no doubt” they could win a playoff game for the first time since the 1994 season.
Tomlinson is not bringing his family to the Oakland game. Asked why, he laughed and said, “It's not a family atmosphere.”
The Sapp standard
In a conference call with San Diego reporters, Oakland defensive tackle Warren Sapp was asked why his name shows up on some lists of overrated players in the NFL.
“Just hate,” he said. “I'm no longer the 1999 Defensive Player of the Year, but I'm definitely not overrated by any stretch of the imagination. The only person I ever get compared to is myself because no other defensive tackle has put up 16½, 12½ sacks (in a season). It just doesn't happen. The only person I'm compared to is myself when I was 26 and 27 years old (he's 33).”
Injury report
Tight end Ryan Krause left during practice after injuring his hamstring and was listed as questionable on the official injury report. Tackle Leander Jordan (stinger, questionable) and tight end Aaron Shea (back, doubtful) missed all of practice.
The Raiders listed center Jake Grove and backup tight end John Madsen as doubtful, and defensive end Lance Johnstone as questionable.
Jay Posner: (619) 293-1834; jay.posner@uniontrib.com
