Bolts to learn from experience, not rest on it

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Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson said Monday that he had a difficult time sleeping once he got home after a five-hour flight from Miami Sunday night. With his club suffering a disappointing road loss to the Dolphins, the two-time reigning NFL rushing champion was left scratching his head for answers.

“You try to look for answers to turn it around,” Tomlinson said. “The good thing is there is another week that we have. We’ve got a heck of a challenge this week. We can’t afford to go 2-4.”

The Chargers look to get back to even Sunday night when they host the defending AFC Champion New England Patriots. They find themselves in a similar position to the one they were in a year ago when they started 1-3, fought back to 5-5 in November and went on a six-game winning streak to finish the season.

Tomlinson went as far as calling Sunday’s game against New England a “must win.”

“It’s too tough of a road ahead,” Tomlinson said. “We can’t keep on doing this and saying this. Now it’s at a point where it’s becoming a must win for us if we’re going to do the things that we set out to do at the beginning of the year.”

While the Bolts will rely on that experience for confidence and assurance that it can be done, Head Coach Norv Turner has already warned his team to not think such a turnaround will magically happen.

“I’m going to be very careful about assuming that just because we were able to do it last year that it’s just going to happen,” Turner said. “If we’re going to do that, if we’re going to get back going the way we’re capable of going. We’re going to have to make that happen. It’s not just going to happen.”

Quarterback Philip Rivers vividly remembers the way his team fought back after their disappointing September last fall. He wishes his team wasn’t in the same situation but promises to take the same approach as he did a year ago.

“It wasn’t easy last year,” Rivers said. “Just because we did it doesn’t mean it was just a piece of cake. We fought like crazy to get to 5-5, than we won the last six. It was a tough road and it will be as tough or tougher this go around.”

Turner certainly believes that his team is physically and mentally capable of turning things around. When asked Monday to assess what he believes the team’s strengths are, he pointed to their character and resiliency.

“I know they’re disappointed,” Turner said. “I know you’re mad when this happens but I don’t see anyone pointing their finger. I don’t see anyone looking the other way. I don’t see anyone trying to get out of this deal. I think they’re looking forward to getting ready to play our next football game. We have a lot of season left and we’re getting ready to do the things that we’re capable of doing.”

As Rivers and Tomlinson talked about the sense of urgency surrounding Chargers Park, they also mentioned their gratitude over the fact that they’ll be at home this week and for five of their last eight games.

“The one thing that I always feel better in knowing is that when we play at home, most of the time we do start faster,” Tomlinson said. “We’re playing at home this week. We need our fans to get behind us. This one is big.”

Doug Benc, Getty Images North America

LaDainian Tomlinson recognizes what a crucial time of the season this is.

	Wednesday: Norv Turner Wednesdays press conference with Head Coach Norv Turner. Play
	Wednesday: LaDainian Tomlinson Wednesdays press conference with RB LaDainian Tomlinson Play
	Wednesday: Philip Rivers Wednesdays press conference with QB Philip Rivers. Play
	Wednesday: Shaun Phillips Wednesdays press conference with LB Shaun Phillips. Play