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The Chargers-Cowboys game last Sunday was the most-watched television program in the country last week, topping the charts with 24.1 million viewers, and ranks as CBS’ most-watched Sunday NFL telecast of the season.

The game drew a 35.8 rating and 63 share in San Diego, making it the top show in the market by far. That means that more than one-third of all San Diego homes were watching the game, and 63% of all households that were watching TV at the time were watching the game.

The game also ranked first in the Los Angeles and Orange County market. The game got a 13.0 rating and 32 share to rank first among all shows on TV last week in the country’s second-biggest market.

NFL games topped the local ratings in 28 NFL markets last week. For the season, NFL games top the local market ratings 88 percent of the time – the highest percentage ever after 14 weeks.

Injury update

Linebackers Shawne Merriman (foot) and Shaun Phillips (ankle) both played last week after very minimal practice, and they began this week on the sideline as well. They were two of six Chargers who didn’t work Wednesday. Also sidelined were cornerback Quentin Jammer (toe), defensive end Alfonso Boone (knee), center Nick Hardwick (ankle) and defensive end Travis Johnson (groin). Johnson has rarely practiced on Wednesday this season.

It doesn’t appear that Jammer is in jeopardy of missing Sunday’s game. Head Coach Norv Turner said Jammer’s toe was sore and “keeping him off it for a day was good.”

On a positive note, safety Eric Weddle (knee) fully participated and appears on track to return following a two-week absence. Weddle said he will wear a brace on the knee during the next couple games.

New strategy

Tight end Antonio Gates didn’t reach the 100-yard mark last week like he had in the previous two weeks, but he made his presence felt with a tie-breaking touchdown catch in the fourth quarter and a key grab on the game-clinching drive.

Teams have had a hard time finding a way to stop Gates this season, but Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis joked Wednesday that he thinks he’s discovered one.

“You’ve got to play maybe with 12 or 13 guys and make sure we get a guy forward and back and on each side of them,” Lewis said. “If they allow us to play with 13, we’ll be in good shape.”

Gates surpassed the 1,000-yard mark on the season last week and needs 64 yards Sunday to surpass his career high of 1,101 he established in 2005.

High praise

Cincinnati boasts one of the NFL’s top cornerback duos in Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall, a San Diego County native. Both the Bengals’ starters have five interceptions this season and have caught the eye of Norv Turner.

“They’re outstanding,” Turner said. “They’re both very good cover guys, very good tacklers. They understand the defense they’re playing and know when to be aggressive, know when to back off. The defense is very well coached and it’s going to be a challenge.”

Still streaking

Not only are the Chargers riding an NFL-record 16-game winning streak in the month of December, they’re also in the midst of one of best overall runs in franchise history. Their eight-game win streak is tied for the third longest in the team’s 50-year history. Three times in the last four years, the Bolts have fashioned a winning streak of at least seven games, including an 11-game streak that actually spanned the 2006-07 seasons. The franchise record for consecutive wins is 15 (1960-61).