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Long before Nick Hardwick was pounding a Titans lineman to the ground on a screen play or getting the Chargers in a perfect pass protection, the Pro Bowl center brought a smile to the face of running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

“We missed that guy,” Tomlinson said. “Just his presence and some of the things he says in the locker room to loosen everybody up, I can’t repeat it but you get the picture. We’ve missed him and we’re happy to have him back.”

Hardwick started Friday night in San Diego’s 42-17 win over Tennessee, his first action since suffering a severe ankle injury in the Chargers’ regular season opener at Oakland. He said he was “great” physically and even better mentally following his return.

“It just felt good to be part of this again, to be part of a group that’s been preparing the way they have,” Hardwick said. “It was a good night.”

Hardwick was part of an offensive performance that saw the Chargers total 425 yards Friday night. While Rivers again pointed out how much the team was disappointed to lose super sub Scott Mruczkowski, who filled brilliantly for Hardwick for 14 games before suffering a season ending injury last week, San Diego’s quarterback also spoke to what it meant to get Hardwick back.

“There is nobody that loves it any more, cares about it any more than he does,” Rivers said. “To be out for 15 weeks with the injury he had but to stay sharp mentally and into the weekly game plans, that says a lot about him. He had a lot of great energy. He cranks the tempo when he’s in there. He really gets guys going. It was great to see him back out there.”

Road warriors

One of the first things Head Coach Norv Turner praised his men for following Friday’s win was an accomplishment that the Chargers had never before reached. With the victory, San Diego finished 7-1 on the road this season for the first time in franchise history.

“We wanted to become a real good road team,” Turner said. “These guys have done a great job when we’ve asked them to prepare.”

Turner seemed particularly pleased with the way his team handled a long trip, one that surrounded the holiday and came just three days after beating the AFC North-leading Bengals.

“Week in and week out, we always overcome something and whether it be injuries or a short week, we’re good at it,” cornerback Quentin Jammer said. “I think it’s our focus that helps us. We’re prepared for whatever.”

Chopping wood

With one swoop of his right arm, linebacker Shaun Phillips changed another game Friday night. Early in the second quarter, the Titans were driving when Phillips caught Vince Young from behind at the end of a run and punch the ball away from the Tennessee quarterback. The Chargers recovered and scored moments later, marking a potential 14-point swing in a game that was 14-3 prior to Phillips’ strip.

“Huge play in the game,” linebacker Stephen Cooper said.

The strip was Phillips’ league-leading seventh forced fumble of the season. His “chop” has become almost trademark.

“It’s not something I practice,” Phillips said. “It just comes natural. I’ve just always believed that if we create turnovers, our offense gets a short field and has a great chance to score. I just want to keep the ball in the offense’s hands as much as possible so any time I get a chance to go for the ball I go for it.”

Airing it out

For the first time since the 2007 regular season opener, Tomlinson attempted a pass Friday night, although he didn’t have the same results as he did with the game-winning toss against the Bears. On the Chargers’ first drive of the game, Tomlinson ran wide and pulled the ball up, but with Tennessee covering well, the opportunity for success was slim.

“It took so long that I didn’t want to take a chance at getting intercepted so I threw it long,” Tomlinson said. “At that point I was thinking live to fight another down.”

He did just that. Two plays later, LT scored from a yard out. It was his 137^th rushing touchdown of the decade, passing Emmitt Smith for the most scores in a decade. Tomlinson entered the night tied with his good friend, and with next week’s game being played in 2010, Friday was his final opportunity to reach the milestone.

Homecoming King

Rivers grew up about two hours south of Nashville and bought roughly 70 tickets for Friday’s game. He put on a show for his family, tossing for 264 yards in a near perfect night.

“This is about as close as you can get,” Rivers said. “I had just about every family member on my side and my wife’s here. It did have a little bit of a like you’re in your own back yard to it.”

Rivers posted a 132.1 passer rating Friday, his eighth game over the 130 mark in the last two seasons. That’s the most in the NFL over that time period.

Quick hits

-Tackle Jon Runyan, who was drafted by the Houston Oilers and played for the franchise in Nashville, rotated series with Brandyn Dombrowski throughout the game.

“It was great,” Turner said. “Our plan was to have him play the third series. He needs to play. He hasn’t played in a while. Each week he’s gotten better in practice. I’d just like to have him ready to go play if he needs to.”

-With defensive end Jacques Cesaire (elbow) inactive, Antonio Garay made his Chargers debut Friday night. Garay played on defense and special teams.

-So many numbers could tell the offensive story from Friday, but one of the most impressive has to be the Chargers’ 8-of-11 conversion rate on third down. The Chargers gained 30 first downs against the Titans.

-On the flip side, Tennessee went just 2-of-8 on third down against San Diego’s stingy defense.

-Friday was Darren Sproles’ first three-touchdown game of his career.