SAN DIEGO -- The prevalent feeling around Chargers Park is that the real Antonio Gates -- the dominating version -- is about to emerge after the perennial Pro Bowl tight end had his best game of the season last Sunday.

Gates caught six passes for 96 yards, both season-high totals, in the Chargers' loss to New Orleans. He also hauled in his fifth touchdown pass of the season and ran better than he has at any point this season.

"He really took off and played at a high level in the New Orleans game," Chargers coach Norv Turner said.

The staggering big toe injury Gates suffered last January is no longer a hindrance. Gates has been able to practice more regularly and feels he's close to regaining his previous All-Pro form.

"There's glimpses of it," Gates said Thursday. "I'm able to make plays that I wasn't able to make early in the year due to the injury and due to the surgery. I just feel the comfort level is coming back, physically and mentally. For most people who don't know, the mental part of it is just as important as the physical part of it, just knowing and feeling comfortable that you can do it.

"I'm to the point now where I feel like 'Hey, I can run. Throw me the ball. Throw it up. I can jump now.' And that's big."

Gates has caught 30 passes for 403 yards. Interestingly, his statistics stack up well against other NFL tight ends despite his health issues -- he also dealt with an early-season hip injury in addition to the toe issue.

At the midway point, Gates' reception total ranks fifth most among tight ends, and only 14 NFL players have scored more touchdowns.

"I thought he's progressed every week," Turner said. "He was outstanding in the game on Sunday. He moved the best he's moved and he changed directions the best he's done that."

Missing Merriman

Though it's clear the Chargers have badly missed injured linebacker Shawne Merriman, out for the season with a knee injury, neither Turner nor general manager A.J. Smith wants to use Merriman's absence as a reason for the dropoff in defensive production.

"Anytime you have a great player missing, it hurts," Smith said. "There's no question. That's a no-brainer to even say. However, he is gone. You do the best you can and take the players you have, and you go."

Said Turner: "Teams lose players. We lost a good player and we're working through it to make the adjustments."

Et cetera

Players held out of Thursday's practice included WR Chris Chambers (ankle), CB Antonio Cromartie (hip), WR Craig Davis (groin) and RBs Darren Sproles (ankle) and LaDainian Tomlinson (toe). … The players have the next three days off because of a bye on Sunday with the next practice slated for Monday.