CHARGERS: A higher bar: Tomlinson suffering from comparisons to standard set in his heyday
By MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer | ∞
Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson has been forced to stiff-arm criticism that his decreased production in the first half of the season means that he's slipping as a player. (Photo by Denis Poroy - Associated Press) SAN DIEGO ---- LaDainian Tomlinson knows it comes with the territory of being a superstar. Once a level of performance has been established, anything short of it breeds disappointment.
He's aware that when you have the reputation of being one of the best running backs ever to play football, compiling the rushing stats of a mere mortal just won't cut it.
So when the Chargers' highly dependable star has just 551 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns at the midway point of a season ---- the lowest first-half outputs of his eight-season NFL career ---- people are quick to suggest he's slowing down. Of course, that type of productivity would represent a fine first half for nearly any other NFL running back.
What's clear is that Tomlinson ---- probably because of his supernatural, record-breaking 2006 season ---- is held to a different standard of production.
"I guess you could say that," Tomlinson said Wednesday. "That's probably so, pretty much because the standard I've set is a high one. So having 1,200 yards, people may say for me that it's a down year.
"That's something that I really don't worry about, to be honest with you. Because a lot of things you can't control when it comes to this game. Injuries are one, and the way a game plays out is another."
Tomlinson's low-yardage season was 1,236 as a rookie in 2001. This season, he has played through a painful big toe injury, suffered during the season-opening loss to Carolina. Only now does he profess to be recovered.
Because of the injury, Tomlinson didn't have his typical burst or the ability to make some of his patented cuts. He averaged fewer than 3 yards per carry in four different games and looked nothing like the player who topped 100 yards in nine consecutive games just two seasons ago.
Oh yeah, two seasons ago. That's when Tomlinson rushed for a career-high 1,815 yards (which also led the NFL), scored an NFL-record 31 touchdowns, and ran off with the league's MVP award.
He followed that season for the ages by leading the NFL in rushing yards (1,474) again last season.
So blame it on the bar being set high or that nagging big toe injury, but the resulting perception is that he's experiencing a down year.
Even so, Tomlinson ranks 11th in the NFL in rushing yards, and only two other AFC running backs (Tennessee rookie Chris Johnson and New York's Thomas Jones) have outrushed him.
Meanwhile, Houston's Steve Slaton (538 yards, five touchdowns) has similar production and is viewed as a rookie sensation. Nor is anybody complaining about the play of Tampa Bay's Earnest Graham (560 yards, four scores) or Carolina's DeAngelo Williams (522 yards, three TDs).
Tomlinson enters Sunday's game against Kansas City with 11,201 career rushing yards and, because of Kansas City's poor run defense (the Chiefs are last in the NFL, allowing 182.4 yards per game), he's nearly assured of exiting it as the 15th-leading rusher in NFL history.
Tomlinson is 35 yards behind O.J. Simpson and 40 behind Corey Dillon, with 14th-place John Riggins (11,352) also in range. He's also just two touchdowns away from tying Marshall Faulk (136) for fifth place on the NFL' s all-time touchdowns list.
He blistered the Chiefs for 177 yards last December, so rest assured that Kansas City coach Herman Edwards doesn't believe Tomlinson is slipping.
"It scares me every time he touches the ball," Edwards said on a conference call. "He has high expectations for himself. 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 said Wednesday that he needs to carry the ball more ---- he's averaging just 17.8 carries per game, down four from his 2006 season average ---- for the Chargers' running game (ranked 24th in the NFL at 96.6 yards per game) to really take off.
"We definitely have to get the run going and we got to continue to make sure we run the football," Tomlinson said. "Right now, I'm only averaging 17 carries a game, so that's a point of emphasis that we do have to run the ball more."
Tomlinson ended the first half on a good note with a 105-yard game against New Orleans, and teammates believe it's only a matter of time before he racks up three or four big games in a row.
"It's L.T., man," left guard Kris Dielman said. "You always know something special is going to happen. If we keep running the ball and keep blocking it up, then L.T. is going to have some big games."
That's exactly what's expected when you're the NFL's premier running back.
Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.
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NorCal Charger wrote on Nov 6, 2008 1:44 PM:It does appear that LT has slowed down, it does happen to the best of them, but before you think he's done, consider, the O line has not blocked at all this year, play calling has been the same for the past 4-5 years, regardless of the coach...run, run, pass, punt, if we the fans know it's coming, the opposing teams have personnel who get paid to watch game films. So the scheme is not hard to figure out. Hopefully our O will give the D less time on the field via more creative plays, I know it's asking a lot since we had the D side change, but something has to give. But again, let's not write off perhaps the greatest RB of all time. Go Bolts!
James wrote on Nov 6, 2008 3:43 PM:Here we go again...Toilet Di?k making things up. Did I say we were and elite team?...did I ever say SuperBowl? The Chargers are a good team that's going to come around. Playoffs 3 out of the last four years one game away from the Super Bowl last year. The Chargers have lost all games by 24 points...The Faiders lost by 24 on Sunday. The Chargers beat the Raiders...The Raiders aren't even in the same discussion. Rankings? Aren't you guys down their with the Lions? YOUR TEAM IS THE LAUGINGSTOCK OF THE LEAGUE...ANALYSTS CAN'T EVEN START TO TALK ABOUT THE RAIDERS WITHOUT SHAKING THEIR HEADS AND LAUGHING.
THE FUNNY THING IS MOST OF RAIDER NATION AND THE US KNOWS THAT THERE IS NO HOPE IN SIGHT WITH AL AROUND.
THE ONLY DELUSIONAL ONE THAT BELIEVES IN YOUR "UP AND COMING TEAM" IS YOU. SO GO ON AN KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE RAIDERS AND THEIR PAST AND THEIR SUPERBOWLS...IT'S NICE TO HOLD ONTO THINGS WHEN YOU GOT NOT HOPE NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE LITTLE GUY!
YOUR IGNORANCE IS HILARIOUS SO I INVITE YOU TO KEEP POSTING FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT...IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO READ GOOD FICTION...YOU $%^&
rudy wrote on Nov 6, 2008 4:11 PM:I think everyone is missing the point of why LT> is having such a tough season but, since o'neal is gone there's nobody else with the capability or experience to block defenders and open up holes for him anymore, remember the day when he always had o'neal to follow through the hole well, he's not there anymore so don't count on LT to turn around his season this year, I love my bolts but truth be told when they let go of oneal, he took a big chunk of offense with him
LT will dazzle again wrote on Nov 6, 2008 5:01 PM:Neal is 37 years old & is currently a 2nd stringer with the Ravens. If you remember some years back Falk had a similar injury & he couldn`t run well but eventually the toe healed & he was back to normal. LT is far from done.
Jimbo wrote on Nov 8, 2008 6:47 AM:Let's hope that LT is now healthy and can turn this team's hopes around. LT has already preannounced his retirement, so we only have a few years left of him in SD. If he continues to play beyond his current contract, it won't be here. 2006 was our best shot, but we were stuck with essentially a rookie QB while the rest of the team was shining. Morale is down and Norv is not a leader. Still, with the AFC west so weak we have a shot to be the best of the worst. The Chargers need a spark, the old LT, to get them going again. Rivers cannot carry this team to the playoffs, only LT can do it.
Sam wrote on Nov 8, 2008 11:29 AM:Dear Marty,
Will you please preside over my union to Drew Brees?
Love,
Jimbo
Rob C wrote on Nov 9, 2008 7:39 PM:For a couple of years it was LT then it became El Toe and from what I see of his attitude it is now El Me! He's healthy, he just can't do it anymore. He rarely uses a straight arm, he runs out of bounds to avoid hits, goes down on the first hit, misses or avoids blocking assignments etc. I believe this has caused the moral of the team to decline. After all he was supposed to be a star! Unfortunately I don't think the Chargers will ever win their division much less the conference as long as they use El Me as the starting RB. Chargers, Please get a running back!
Toilet Duck wrote on Nov 9, 2008 10:36 PM:Youre a 7-9 team at best.
So what if you win more games than us this year.
So freaking what?
Its about SBs and you failed to win one. Nobody cares about the past as of right now you arent much better than KC and Oakland. Todays game showed that. My team just isnt there yet but our defense manhandled Carolinas offense today as Delhomme didnt complete a pass in the 2nd half.
Were just not there yet.
Waiving Hall and making a few cuts will free up money to revamp the O and D lines which is long overdue.
This is anything but typical of how the Raider have operated the past few years.
But youre not a SB contender so why are you bragging?
You barely beat the lowly Chiefs at home today.
We beat them in KC.
Neither team is going anywher so unless you go to a SB, I could care less how you do.
You need to go to SBs to bother me as nobody cares about any other teams.
As of now, your team is a mess and in decline so I dont want to hear it.
The only reason Im here is because youre in the AFC west where even my team is still in it.
But we are rebuilding and you were supposed to be a SB contender.
You guys will NEVER win a SB.
Never!
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