SAN DIEGO -- The mystery of whatever happened to the great LaDainian Tomlinson has officially been solved.

The Chargers' legendary running back is alive, well and once again churning up yardage, scoring touchdowns and moving up the record charts. Tomlinson had 198 yards and tied a career-high with four touchdowns as the Chargers ran over the Oakland Raiders 28-14 on Sunday before 67,523 fans at Qualcomm Stadium.

Tomlinson fell 2 yards short of his fifth-career 200-yard rushing game and scored four touchdowns for the fifth time of his career. He now has 106 rushing touchdowns, with his last one boosting him into a tie for fourth-place all-time with the distinguished Jim Brown.

"I actually saw that on the screen," said Tomlinson, as he walked along a corridor in the basement of the stadium. "I've gotten to know Jim Brown over the last year or so, and my feelings of him are that I look at him as a father figure. It's obviously a great feeling to be up there in the same breath and be tied with him on the list."

Tomlinson's performance also helped the Chargers move into a tie -- this one atop the AFC West with Kansas City at 3-3. It was the team's eighth straight victory over Oakland (2-3).

The victory also made it two consecutive strong winning efforts for the Chargers after a three-game losing skid had caused major consternation.

Being at .500 entering a bye week -- the Chargers next play Oct. 28 against Houston -- was a welcome sight to coach Norv Turner.

"I didn't think we would be 3-3 going into the bye," said Turner, who had a higher target in mind. "I didn't think that in August and I didn't think that a month ago, but we are.

"Where we are right now isn't the issue. It's where we're going. If we keep working to get better, working individually and collectively, we'll be where we want to be when it's over."

Tomlinson is certainly doing his part to spark the Chargers' October revival. He carried the ball 24 times while producing his sixth most productive career rushing effort. It included touchdown runs of 3, 27, 13 and 41 yards.

"We knew he was going to have a breakout game, but we just didn't want it to be against us," said Raiders middle linebacker Kirk Morrison, a former San Diego State standout. "He found a couple spots in our defense, a couple holes and he exploited them."

Big-play gains were also back in Tomlinson's arsenal as 146 of his yards came on just seven carries. He had three rushing gains of 20 or more yards after having just one such gain over the first five games.

"L.T. was outstanding," Turner said. "When you play a team like this, they're an eight-man front and there are some plays that don't look very good. It's tough going at times, but if you break one like he was able to do, then you're going to get a big play."

Tomlinson's first touchdown came on a 3-yard dive in which he narrowly got the ball across the goal line.

His second score was from 27 yards out, when he had an ocean's worth of space after blocks by guard Mike Goff and tackle Shane Olivea parted the Raiders' defense.

Tomlinson's third score came in the third quarter on a toss play in which Antonio Gates' block on cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha sprung him, and Oakland safety Stuart Schweigert was unable to prevent him from scoring on a 13-yard run.

His final score came on the Chargers' last drive of the contest when backup center Cory Withrow and Goff combined to spring Tomlinson toward the 41-yard run that sealed the outcome with 2:43 to play.

On that final dominating drive, the Chargers drove 85 yards on six plays with Tomlinson gaining 73 yards on four carries.

"That last drive, we said to each other in the huddle to leave it up to us, let's not leave it up to the defense, let's finish the game right here," Tomlinson said. "The offensive line was jacked up about it. Norv was putting it in our hands. That last drive was beautiful."

The Chargers' defense also did its part, limiting Oakland's league-leading rushing attack to 53 yards, sacking Daunte Culpepper six times and allowing just one offensive touchdown. Cornerbacks Drayton Florence and Antonio Cromartie each had interceptions of Culpepper.

The defense's best work of the contest came with the Chargers leading 14-7 just prior to halftime. The Raiders had first-and-goal from the 1 with 20 seconds left before Culpepper was sacked by Shawne Merriman (2 1/2 sacks) and then Shaun Phillips (two sacks).

Phillips forced a fumble that was recovered by defensive tackle Jamal Williams, successfully ensuring a seven-point halftime advantage.

"Bringing that into the half kind of propelled us," linebacker Matt Wilhelm said.

The rest of the high-flying was done by Tomlinson, and because of that the Chargers share the division lead instead of residing in last place.

"You look at and can be disgusted that we're not sitting here 5-1 with a big lead or be thankful that we are 3-3 and right there in the hunt, because it could be worse," quarterback Philip Rivers said.

Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.

TD maker

LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for four touchdowns against Oakland on Sunday and is now tied for fourth place on

the NFL's all-time rushing touchdowns list. Here's a list of the players who have rushed for 100 or more touchdowns:

Rank&nbspPlayer, Years&nbspTDs

1. Emmitt Smith, 1990-2004&nbsp164

2. Marcus Allen, 1982-97&nbsp123

3. Walter Payton, 1975-87&nbsp110

4t. Jim Brown, 1957-65&nbsp106

4t. LaDainian Tomlinson,2001-07&nbsp106

6. John Riggins, 1971-85&nbsp104

7. Marshall Faulk, 1994-2005&nbsp100

Chargers Postgame:

KEY STAT: 8

Consecutive Chargers' wins over the Raiders, who can't seem to stop LaDainian Tomlinson.

TURNING POINT

The end of the first half when Oakland reached the 1-yard line and failed to score after back-to-back sacks by Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips allowed the Chargers to reach halftime with a seven-point lead.

QUOTABLE

"If I would've known that, I would have done something about it a couple years ago. He's just a special player."

-- Chargers coach Norv Turner, who used to coach the Raiders, when asked why Oakland can't seem to stop LaDainian Tomlinson

NEXT GAME

Chargers vs. Houston, Oct. 28, 1:15 p.m.

-- QB Matt Schaub has been solid, but without star WR Andre Johnson (knee), the Texans have dropped three of four. Johnson's return date remains uncertain.

Who's hot

Shawne and Shaun

Linebackers Shawne Merriman (2 1/2) and Shaun Phillips, pictured, (two) are set loose and combine for 4 1/2 sacks. The two share the team lead with 5 1/2 each.

Who's not

Daunte Culpepper

What's with Bay Area quarterbacks? This veteran looked eerily like the redshirt freshman at the University of California by getting sacked on back-to-back plays near the end of the first half to ensure the Raiders didn't score a game-tying touchdown.

-- MIKE SULLIVAN

Report card

Quarterbacks -- B-minus

Philip Rivers was called on to throw just 21 times but completed two-thirds of those passes. He also hit Thomas Howard right in the numbers for a touchdown. Oops, Howard plays for the Raiders. That's the second time an opponent returned a Rivers interception for a score this season. Otherwise, Rivers again wasn't asked to do too much.

Running backs -- A

LaDainian Tomlinson continued his success against the Raiders and reacquainted himself with the end zone by rushing for four scores. His season rushing-yardage numbers (527) no longer look out of place. FB Lorenzo Neal had a solid blocking game.

Receivers -- B

TE Antonio Gates, due for a statistical game befitting a mere mortal, had just three receptions; his previous season low was six. Vincent Jackson was a nonfactor with one catch for 5 yards but did a good job as a blocker. Brittle Craig Davis (two catches) is ailing again after reinjuring his ankle. Malcom Floyd had a key third-down catch on the game-opening scoring drive.

Offensive line -- A

Cory Withrow stepped in for injured C Nick Hardwick and did a sensational job. And how about that show of confidence when his first snap upon entering was from the shotgun formation? G Mike Goff and T Shane Olivea made tremendous seal blocks on a Tomlinson touchdown run, and Oakland MLB Kirk Morrison will spend a few days wiping the tire tracks off his body after G Kris Dielman rolled over him. T Marcus McNeill also played well.

Defensive line -- A

So much for that league-leading Raiders' running game. LaMont Jordan (back) might have been ailing, but his stat line (18 carries, 42 yards) took the biggest beating after he was bottled up all game long. DE Igor Olshansky and DT Jamal Williams (key fumble recovery) were terrific, and DE Luis Castillo had a sack. Reserves Brandon McKinney, Jacques Cesaire and Ryon Bingham rotated in liberally and played well.

Linebackers -- A

OLBs Shawne Merriman (2 1/2 sacks, one pass deflection) and Shaun Phillips (nine tackles, two sacks) were outstanding and made an afternoon out of harassing Raiders QB Daunte Culpepper. Merriman also was credited with his second "Lights Out" dance of the season. ILB Matt Wilhelm made a play in the Raiders' offensive backfield -- those were the downfield Donnie Edwards detractors you heard gloating -- and ILB Stephen Cooper had seven tackles.

Secondary -- A

Expect the cornerbacks to submit a request to play against Culpepper more often. The corners had no interceptions entering the game, but both Drayton Florence and Antonio Cromartie picked off Culpepper passes. Remember how Quentin Jammer failed to tackle Kansas City WR Dwayne Bowe two Sundays earlier? His ability to keep Raiders WR Ronald Curry out of the end zone right before halftime proved big when Culpepper was sacked the next two plays and then turned the ball over.

Special teams -- B

The kickoff coverage remained solid as the Raiders averaged just 18.5 yards on four attempts. Darren Sproles broke loose on a 21-yard punt return but had just one chance (18 yards) on kickoff returns. K Nate Kaeding missed a 50-yard field goal, and P Mike Scifres averaged only 35.5 yards, though all four of his efforts were downed inside the Oakland 20-yard line.

Coaching -- A

No angry chants for former coach Marty Schottenheimer as Norv Turner had his team prepared well for a second consecutive week. The two-week philosophy of asking Rivers to do less and Tomlinson to do more was again a big hit. Ted Cottrell's defensive unit allowed just one Raiders offensive score and shut down Oakland's league-leading rushing attack.

-- Mike Sullivan