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SAN DIEGO – Not that Jacob Hester’s statistical production Sunday wasn’t commendable, but no one’s giving the Chargers fullback an AFC Player of the Week award for 50 yards on eight touches.

Three years ago, those might’ve been figures that concerned Hester, who rushed for more than 1,100 yards as LSU’s primary back on its 2007 National Championship team. This year, devoted to his now full-time role as a lead blocker, the number that filled him with pride from the Cardinals game was the 172 rushing yards the three running backs gained.

“I don’t really care if I’m getting any rushing yards, but I care if those guys are getting it,” Hester said.

Head Coach Norv Turner specifically mentioned Hester when he assessed the team’s performance in the running game Monday, and Mike Tolbert, who ran for 100 yards for the first time in his career, concluded likewise.

“He’s just playing. It’s his third year in the system and he obviously knows what to do,” Tolbert said.

“He’s fearless and he’s going to go hit a 270-pound linebacker just like he’ll hit a 220-pound linebacker. I know that he’s going to put his head in the right place and that he’s going to make the blocks so I don’t have to worry about that guy.”

Hester and Tolbert each entered the NFL in 2008 after a productive college career at running back. Entering this season, Tolbert had 38 career carries. Hester had 40.

Their roles have veered some this season but they still lean on each other for critiques and evaluation.

“Being that we both came from the same mold, any time I ask for advice I usually try to ask Mike because he knows what I’m trying to get done and since he’s running the ball now he can tell me what he’s looking for me to do so we can help each other out,” Hester said. “Nobody ever gets mad. We just help each other get better so it’s a good crutch to lean on.”

SHUTDOWN CORNER: The Chargers won’t reinvent football strategy this week against the Oakland Raiders and elite cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.

A primary example for why interceptions aren’t the only measure of a corner’s success, Asomugha only has three since 2007. That’s because, since an eight-interception season in ’06, teams have stopped throwing toward him.

“Based on the way we’ve played against the Raiders, they know there are certain things we’re not going to try to do against Nnamdi,” Turner said. “It’s a risk-reward thing. You play the percentages and we’re not going to throw one out there that he has a 50-50 chance of getting.”

Asomugha was a young defensive back when Turner coached the Raiders in 2004-05, vacillating between safety and corner.

“At some point they made the decision to make him a press corner. Now he’s one of the better ones in the league,” Turner said.

Turner won’t enter the game with any presumptions about Oakland’s plan for Asomugha, whether they match their top corner against one receiver or keep him on one side of the field.

The Raiders are third in the NFL in pass defense, allowing 143.8 receiving yards per game. That presents a contrast to the Chargers’ pass offense, No. 3 in the league with 318.5 passing yards per game.

Oakland has had an above-average secondary for some time now. They stay aggressive with man coverage and do a nice job on underneath routes, Turner said.

“From a pass game standpoint, there’s not a whole lot of guys running open. They cover you,” Philip Rivers said. “Nnamdi has a great deal of respect around the league and certainly from us.”