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Chargers ride Tomlinson to OT win

Carlos Rogers and the Redskins had a tough time containing Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who ran for 147 of his 184 yards after halftime. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Joseph White Associated Press
Carlos Rogers and the Redskins had a tough time containing Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who ran for 147 of his 184 yards after halftime. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

LANDOVER, Md. – Instead of crowing about a victory over his former team, Marty Schottenheimer decided once and for all to proclaim LaDainian Tomlinson the greatest running back ever.

Who could blame him? Tomlinson tied the game with a 32-yard run late in the fourth quarter and won it with a 41-yard scamper on the second play of overtime. He ran for 147 for his 184 yards after halftime Sunday in the San Diego Chargers’ 23-17 victory over the Washington Redskins.

“I believe with a certainty, in my opinion, he is the finest running back I have ever seen in professional football,” Schottenheimer said. “And I know people say: ‘Well what about Jim Brown? And what about Gale Sayers?’ That’s all well and good, but I tell you what, in the era that we’re in now where you have defensive linemen that weigh 300 pounds and run 4.75, and these mammoth guys that are playing linebacker, I think with a certainty, in my opinion, he is the finest running back that I have ever seen.”

Whew! Well, the coach won’t get much argument from his players. Tomlinson is reason No. 1 the Chargers (7-4) overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, as well as three interceptions by quarterback Drew Brees. San Diego won its fourth straight and remained two games behind Denver in the AFC West.

“We found something that was working,” Brees said, “and we stuck with it.”

Tomlinson became the seventh player to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first five seasons.

The Redskins were distraught, their playoff hopes all but erased after losing a late fourth-quarter lead for the third straight week. The critical play this time was an obvious tackle-from-behind holding penalty on center Casey Rabach that forced kicker John Hall to try a 52-yard field goal – beyond his range when he was practicing before the game – with 30 seconds left. The attempt was wide right and a little short, Hall’s first miss of the season after a 9-for-9 start.

“That’s about three of the toughest losses I’ve been through,” Gibbs said. “This is going to be a real test for us. We’ll see what we’re made of here.”

The Redskins lost despite winning the turnover battle 3-0. They were tied for last in the league with a minus-13 differential entering the game, but Carlos Rogers, Shawn Springs and Walt Harris got the team’s first interceptions by cornerbacks this season.