Do the Chargers have issues? After barely holding off the last-place Kansas City Chiefs, star running back LaDainian Tomlinson says he's concerned about the team's inconsistent season.
During a news conference Monday, Tomlinson, the two-time defending NFL rushing champion clearly is dissatisfied with the running game -- hinting there are issues the team is attempting to work through.
"That's tough to handle. I honestly believe certain things, when you start to discuss things like this, stay in house, that we discuss them among each other. There's reasons, but I'm not willing to talk about it to the media. That's something that has to be dealt with," he said.
Tomlinson was held to 78 yards on 22 carries in San Diego's 20-19 win over the Chiefs and failed to score a rushing touchdown for the fifth straight game. Although he was slowed for much of the season's first half by a sore big toe, Tomlinson went into the KC game saying he was the healthiest he's been all season. For the fifth straight game, he failed to score a rushing touchdown.
"I guess I'm really concerned about it because football to me is simple," he said. "I think in order to really be successful and to do what you want to do you have to be able to run the football. That's the way it's always been. Football is a running game… the proof is in the pudding, is the old saying."
While San Diego's passing game is flourishing behind Philip Rivers, its running game is ranked 25th in the NFL with only 96.1 yards per game.
Said coach Norv Turner: "I think we all want to run the ball better."
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"I think there is a conscious effort to try and figure out the problem and to try and get it going," Tomlinson said.
