LT captures rushing title

Sunday, Dec 31, 2006
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

Add NFL rushing champion to the superlatives used to describe MVP candidate LaDainian Tomlinson.  With 66 yards Sunday, LT finished the year with a career-high 1,815 rushing yards, topping Kansas City’s Larry Johnson by 26 yards to claim his first rushing title of his career.  

Tomlinson rarely speaks about personal accomplishments, instead deferring to team goals, but following Sunday’s win over the Cardinals, it was obvious that LT took a good deal of pride in the feat.

“I think for me, you always kind of have that hanging over your head when you haven’t won the rushing title,” Tomlinson said.  “To win my first one feels real good because it’s another accomplishment.  This is special because this is what I do.  I’m a running back.  I think a lot of times with running backs you measure them by if they won the rushing title.  All the great ones pretty much have (won a title).  I think for me I’m very satisfied I’m able to win one.” 

As has been the case throughout the season, Tomlinson didn’t relish in the event by himself.  His offensive line also took great pride in his first rushing title. 

“We were very conscience of what we had to do to get him there,” guard Kris Dielman said.  “We were determined to make it happen because no one deserves good things more than him.  We’re all so happy for him.”

Another step

As the Chargers filed into the locker room following Sunday’s game, there were handshakes and congratulations exchanged, but the boisterous atmosphere that typically surrounds a victory was traded for one that was much more businesslike.

“We’re proud of what we accomplished today, but it’s just a start,” tight end Antonio Gates said.  “It feels good, but we’ve got a lot bigger plans.”

The victory allowed the Chargers to finish the regular season with 10-consecutive wins.  They became the first squad in team history to go 8-0 at home.  With 492 points, they broke the franchise’s single-season scoring record.  Yet player after player spoke of much loftier expectations.

“When you sit down at the beginning of the season, you put together a long list of goals,” fullback Lorenzo Neal said.  “We won our division.  We secured homefield advantage.  Now’s when we start to go after some of those bigger goals.  That’s what you play for.”

There was only one game Sunday that had possible playoff implications for the Chargers, and the score was left out of the rotation on the Qualcomm Stadium scoreboard.  The club opted not to show the status of the Ravens/Bills game, although the outcome didn’t matter thanks to the Chargers victory.

Grind it out

In the second half, everyone in the building knew the Chargers wanted to run the football to keep the clock running, and the Bolts were able to do so despite the predictability.  Michael Turner had nine carries for 40 yards in the final two quarters, and Neal added a 43 yard run. 

“Any time Lo Neal can get 40 yards down the field, something is going right,” Dielman said.  “He’s running over people and we’re smacking ‘em up front.  That shows you how determined we are.”

Neal’s long run came with 1:52 remaining in the game.  It was his longest rush since he scored a 74-yard touchdown in 1993, his rookie year with the Saints.

“I’ve been waiting for that for a long time,” Tomlinson said.  “He’s always talking about how much speed he has.  The funny thing is in the locker room Lorenzo said thatwhen he got through the hole he was thinking to himself, ‘How in the heck did I get out here?’  So that let’s you know that the guy is not used to being in the open field.”

Tomlinson also joked about Neal being chased down by fellow 36-year old Robert Griffith, Arizona’s free safety.

“He and Griff are two old veterans,” Tomlinson said.  “It was like watching two turtles racing.” 

Welcome back

After missing the last two games with a neck injury, wide receiver Eric Parker returned with a bang Sunday.  He led the team with five catches for 62 yards.

“He’s so dependable,” quarterback Philip Rivers said.  “We have a lot of those guys.  To me, from a quarterback’s standpoint, when you ask what qualities you want in a wide receiver, that’s the first one: dependability.  Knowing he’s going to be in the right spot every single time.  That’s all you can ask for and he is that guy. As you saw today, he made some big plays for us as he has all year.”

Record breaker

Kicker Nate Kaeding booted two field goals and three extra points Sunday to give him 136 points on the season, a new team record for kickers.  John Carney previously held the record with 135 points in 1994.  Kaeding also hit 58 PATs this season, which is also a new Chargers record. 

Linebacker Shawne Merriman had one sack today to finish the season with 17.0, tied with Leslie O’Neal (1992) and Steve DeLong (1969) for the second-most in a season in team history. 

Injuries

Rivers (foot) and defensive end Jacques Cesaire (knee) were the only injuries reported following Sunday’s game.