SAN DIEGO - After three games of this current NFL season, there was no reason for anybody to believe that the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson might win his second consecutive rushing title.

Remember those numbers that were attached to the reigning NFL MVP's name? They truly seemed out of place - just 130 rushing yards and a paltry 2.3 average per carry.

By contrast, four NFL running backs were already over 300 yards after three games, and Pittsburgh's Willie Parker had a whopping 238 more yards than Tomlinson.

Yet as the season enters its final week, there is Tomlinson at the top of the list with 1,418 yards. He enters Sunday's game at Oakland with a 102-yard lead over second-place Parker, who will miss the Steelers' final contest because of a broken leg.

Only Minnesota's Adrian Peterson (1,305 yards) and Philadelphia's Brian Westbrook (1,291) have a legitimate chance of keeping Tomlinson from winning the crown.

Tomlinson is no longer the frustrated player he was during the month of September. Four consecutive 100-yard games have boosted him into the rushing-yardage lead, and his once-sagging average now is a healthy 4.7.

So the subject matter revolves around his chances of winning another rushing title, something few people would have predicted just three short months ago.

"Early on, I kept on saying, 'It's a long season and we have a lot more games to play,' " Tomlinson said earlier this week. "My thinking has always been that it doesn't matter what happens in the beginning. You watch horses race, and it's always dramatic when that horse comes from the back and he's running and it's just exciting.

"So I always look at myself like that a lot of times from whatever position I might be in. If I'm way in the back, I always just feel like as the season goes on, I'm going to come running somewhere. I'm not surprised but it has been an up-and-down season. I guess it may have proved something to you guys (in the media). And maybe it proved something to some other people, but I'm not surprised that we're in this position."

Tomlinson says the Chargers' offensive linemen might want him to win the crown even more than he does.

The line drew some criticism early in the season when the holes weren't there, but it has played tremendous football during the past four weeks. During that span, Tomlinson has rushed for an average of 136.5 yards per game despite not playing in the second half against Detroit on Dec. 16 and getting just four second-half carries against Denver on Christmas Eve.

"We definitely want it," center Nick Hardwick said. "We've been working hard this year. We've been improving. We'll see how it goes. We'd like to get it. It would be a heck of an honor. It would be another accomplishment that he's got that we're kind of along for the ride."

The upcoming playoffs also make for some interesting decision-making for Chargers coach Norv Turner should the Chargers run up a big lead over the Raiders. Turner has to weigh keeping his star back healthy while giving him the opportunity to achieve another individual honor.

Tomlinson maintains he's fine with whatever Turner decides.

"I'm not going to try to worry about it or focus on it at all," Tomlinson said. "The first priority is to win the game. I don't want to get caught up in worrying about some rushing title more than trying to win a game."

The whole scenario is a welcome subject after that dreadful start. Turner professes that he's not the least bit stunned that Tomlinson is back atop the rushing race.

"It's easy to say now, but I would expect L.T. to be in the middle of the race for the rushing title every year," Turner said. "I've learned over the years not to get caught up over something that happens over a two- or three-week period."

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

Rushing for the crown

LaDainian Tomlinson is in position to win his second consecutive rushing title. Only three other players are within 200 yards of his league-leading rushing-yardage output.

Rank Player, Team Yards

1. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers 1,418

2. Willie Parker*, Pittsburgh 1,316

3. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota 1,305

4. Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia 1,291

* - will miss final game due to injury.