Projo Pats Blog

ON THE HOT SEAT: Hobbled by turf toe, Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson is having some of the toughest times of his stellar career. Last week he picked up 35 yards on 12 carries as the Chargers lost to the Dolphins, 17-10, and he failed to convert on a fourth and goal from the 1-yard line that could have made the difference in the outcome. (ESPN) For the season, L.T. is averaging 3.7 yards per carry, his lowest figure since his rookie season of 2001. And he's carrying the ball less, too, which means that Tomlinson is on pace through five games to finish with the fewest total yards of his career.

The negative numbers continue in the passing game, where Tomlinson has 15 catches for 80 yards through five games, for an average of 5.3 yards per catch, by far the lowest season average of his career. He's on pace to finish the season with 48 catches for 256 yards, both of which would be career lows. His four touchdowns (all on the ground) over five games puts him on pace for the lowest number of TDs since his rookie season.

Tomlinson would love to get on track against the Patriots, a team that he famously ripped after the Chargers' loss in the 2006 AFC Divisional Playoff. But the Patriots -- after being gashed by Tomlinson earlier in his career -- have done better against him lately, including the AFC Championship Game last year that he mostly sat out. Here is the history of Tomlinson's stats versus the Pats:

Oct. 14, 2001: 24 carries, 74 yards, 3 catches, 13 yards. 1 touchdown
Sept. 29, 2002: 27 carries, 217 yards, 4 catches, 20 yards. 2 touchdowns (second highest rushing yardage total of Tomlinson's career)
Oct. 2, 2005: 25 carries, 134 yards, 3 catches, 34 yards. 2 touchdowns
Jan. 14, 2007 (AFC Divisional Playoff): 23 carries, 123 yards, 2 catches, 64 yards. 2 touchdowns
Sept. 16, 2007: 18 carries, 43 yards, 4 catches, 15 yards. 0 touchdowns
Jan. 20, 2008 (AFC Championship Game): 2 carries, 5 yards, 1 catch, 1 yard. 0 touchdowns

THE TEAM THEY LOVE TO HATE: Chargers observers feel that focus and intensity will not be any problem this weekend. As Chris Jenkins writes in the San Diego Union Tribune: "More than any opponent in the NFL, including division rivals, no foe brings out the rage and fighting words in the Chargers like the Patriots."

BACK IN THE TOP 10: The Patriots are number nine in ESPN's latest power rankings, up four spots after slipping during their bye week. San Diego has fallen from eighth to 16th, while the top five -- Giants, Titans, Redskins, Cowboys and Steelers -- remains close to the same as last week's.

NOT THE RIGHT CHOICE: Wes Welker was once property of the Chargers, but general manager A.J. Smith decided that he should be cut because San Diego already had Tim Dwight and Eric Parker. (San Diego Union Tribune) Welker played one game for the Chargers, in 2004. Beginning in 2005, he has caught 235 passes for 2,547 yards and nine touchdowns, and of course is still going strong. From the start of the 2004 season on, Dwight and Parker combined for 195 catches, 2,647 yards and 13 touchdowns -- and both are out of football.

HE'S NOT GOOD AT RETURNING CALLS: Plaxico Burress, just off suspension for skipping Giants practice and then ignoring the team's attempts to contact him, is in trouble for dodging an agency that is trying to contact him about damage he did to a rental car. (New York Post) The president of Khoury Alternative Claims Management, Randy Harris, says Burress returned his rental car to Epic Car and Truck Rental after hours and without reporting the damage (close to $2,000 worth). "He's a bum," Harris concludes.

THIS STOCK IS WAY, WAY UP: While Burress has basically become everyone's whipping boy, quarterback Eli Manning is suddenly getting recognition as one of the best in the league. ESPN's Gregg Easterbrook goes so far as to say that Eli is now better than Peyton: "At the current rate, his career achievements will at least match, and perhaps surpass, his big brother's."

SHOOTING VICTIM SUES MARVIN HARRISON: The Colts wide receiver, who has not been charged in a North Philadelphia shooting that was allegedly committed with a gun registered to him, faces a civil suit from Dwight Dixon, the man who was the victim in the crime. (ESPN) Harrison has acknowledged to detectives that he was involved in a fight with Dixon prior to the shooting, while insisting that he had nothing to do with the crime.

WON'T MAKE HIM ANY HAPPIER: Steelers linebacker James Harrison has reportedly been fined $20,000 for ripping the officials' work in Pittsburgh's Sunday night victory at Jacksonville. (Fox Sports) Specifically, Harrison took issue with a roughing-the-passer call that followed his hit on David Garrard.

HEY, A BENGALS PLAYER IS IN TROUBLE! Little-known linebacker Darryl Blackstock has done his part to uphold the image of his franchise by getting suspended four games for using performance-enhancing drugs. (projo.com)

TOUGH BREAK FOR THE COWBOYS: Dallas has lost All Pro cornerback Terence Newman for this week's game at Arizona because of an abdominal irritation. (San Antonio Express-News) The Cardinals are a team that can put up the points, so you don't want to have less than full strength in the secondary.

MORE HAPPY NEWS: Jaguars receiver Matt Jones has entered an intervention program that will allow him to avoid trial for felony possession of cocaine. (The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas)

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