Chargers running back 
“I felt pretty good but I’m still working my way back,” Tomlinson said. “I wouldn’t say I was there. I’m a little rusty. I tripped and fell a couple times. I’ll play better.”
The way Sunday night’s game in Pittsburgh played out didn’t allow many opportunities for Tomlinson. The Chargers fell two touchdowns behind in the first quarter and were forced to throw the ball 36 times. That left LT with just 15 yards on seven carries.
“We got down so fast and we couldn’t run the ball,” Tomlinson said. “We weren’t able to stick to the game plan with what we wanted to do.”
The deficit as well as the Chargers’ inability to sustain drives on offense cost them opportunities to put the ball in the hands of their running backs. They were just 3-of-9 on third down Sunday, 0-for-4 in the first half.
“We have 15 plays through the first quarter and a half,” Head Coach Norv Turner said. “We had a couple situations where we dropped balls early that could have kept us in run down and distance situations.”
The Chargers were also facing a Pittsburgh defense that finish first in the NFL in both total yards allowed and rushing yards allowed a year ago. Tomlinson’s longest run went for five yards.
“Things I was seeing were there but there were certain times where I felt a little rusty, I wasn’t quite right on reads from just not being in there,” Tomlinson said. “The bye is coming at a good time.”
