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The AFC West claim game continued for a second straight Wednesday and this one makes perfect sense.

The San Diego Chargers claimed tackle Jared Gaither off waivers from Kansas City. The Chiefs cut him Tuesday. Last week, it was the Chiefs claiming quarterback Kyle Orton off waivers from Denver.

As soon as Gaither was cut Tuesday, I thought it made perfect sense that he would end up in San Diego. The Chargers have lost six offensive linemen to injuries. To make room for Gaither, left tackle Marcus McNeill was put on the injured reserve with a neck injury he suffered against Oakland on Nov. 10. It had been expected for a while that McNeill likely wouldn’t return this year.

The San Diego Union Tribune reports the Chargers would like Brandyn Dombrowski to continue to replace McNeill. However, Dombrowski is dealing with a foot injury and he did not practice Wednesday.

Gaither can play both left and right tackle. At the very least, he will be a strong backup for the Chargers.

The Chargers may be finally regaining some healthy. The San Diego Union Tribune reported guards Louis Vasquez (ankle) and Tyronne Green (hand) practiced Wednesday for the first time in week as did starting receiver Malcom Floyd, who was out for several weeks with a hip injury.

The major injury issues for the San Diego Chargers along the offensive line are continuing. The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that key backup Scott Mruczkowski will be placed on the injured reserve after he suffered a concussion on Sunday at Chicago — the Chargers' fifth consecutive loss.

Standout guard Kris Dielman was put on the injured reserve last week with a concussion; Mruczkowski was playing for Dielman. The Chargers are also playing without starting offensive linemen Marcus McNeill and Louis Vasquez — and Vasquez's backup, Tyronne Green, is dealing with an injury, too.

San Diego signed three offensive linemen last week. It could now sign another one to replace Mruczkowski.

Receiver Malcom Floyd (hip) and linebacker Shaun Phillips (foot) remained out of practice. They’ve both missed several weeks. Running back Ryan Mathews (knee) was limited in practice Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Union-Tribune adds, quarterback Philip Rivers convened a short players-only talk on the field after Wednesday's practice.

SAN DIEGO -- A look at an entertaining, standings-changing Thursday night game:

What it means: The Raiders are in first place in the AFC West. They are 5-4 and snapped a two-game losing streak. San Diego has lost four consecutive games and now is 4-5. Kansas City is 4-4, and Denver is 3-5. The Chiefs host the Broncos on Sunday.

The QBs: Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer was mostly terrific as he threw for 299 yards. San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers had his moments but threw a key interception in the end zone late in the game. He has made a key mistake in every game during the Chargers’ losing streak.

Bush excels: Oakland needs to re-sign running back Michael Bush. He has been fantastic in two starts in place of star Darren McFadden, who is out with a foot injury. Bush finished with 157 yards on 30 carries after starting fast with 78 yards on 13 carries in the first quarter. He is a free agent at the end of the season.

Rookie receivers shine: Oakland rookie receiver Denarius Moore looks like a top target for Palmer. He had five catches for a game-high 123 yards, including two touchdowns. San Diego rookie receiver Vincent Brown had a touchdown pass on a spectacular catch and had another nice touchdown catch reversed. They both look like keepers.

Injuries pile up: Both teams came into this game banged up. The injuries mounted. Oakland lost receiver Jacoby Ford to a foot injury. San Diego saw left tackle Marcus McNeill (stinger), guard Louis Vasquez (ankle) and linebacker Takeo Spikes (concussion) leave the game. The Chargers were playing without three offensive linemen much of the game, and San Diego pass-rusher Antwan Barnes was injured late in the contest.

What’s next: The Raiders play at Minnesota on Nov. 20, and San Diego plays at Chicago in a game that matches up former AFC West adversaries Rivers and Jay Cutler.

SAN DIEGO — This is the last thing the Chargers’ battered offensive line needs.

Guard Louis Vasquez has left the game with an injury. He joins guard Kris Dielman (who is missing his third game with a concussion) and left tackle Marcus McNeill on the San Diego sideline. McNeill suffered a stinger early in Thursday's game against Oakland and he is doubtful to return.

There is no word on the extent of Vasquez's injury, but it looked like an ankle issue. Backup center Scott Mruczkowski is playing for Vasquez.

The Raiders have been harassing San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers all night.

Yet the Chargers got hot after Vasquez’s injury and just cut Oakland’s lead to 17-10 on a beautiful pass play from Rivers to rookie Vincent Brown.

SAN DIEGO -- If anything beneficial came out of the San Diego Chargers’ early-season stumbles in 2010, it was that the team that always seemed to be living dangerously had finally learned its lesson.

Starting slow can catch up to a team. In the three previous seasons under coach Norv Turner, the Chargers overcame slow starts with torrid finishes that resulted in AFC West championships. It didn’t happen last year. San Diego couldn’t overcome an early 2-5 hole and finished 9-7, allowing the upstart Kansas City Chiefs to steal the division title.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said earlier in this abbreviated training camp that the Chargers must learn from last year’s disappointment and find a way to finally start fast.

Turner is all for starting fast, and he said one emphasis during camp is working to fix what has made the Chargers vulnerable in recent seasons. San Diego's offense has often been sloppy early on, committing too many turnovers. Last season, the Chargers committed 18 turnovers in their first seven games.

“We’ve played good football, but the turnovers hurt us,” Turner said. “When we didn’t turn the ball over, we’d win. That’s what we’re working on. I think the key is not talking about the slow starts, but working on the reason why we started slow.”

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Getting special teams up to speed. The 2010 Chargers will be remembered for assembling perhaps the worst special-teams unit of all time. San Diego had the No. 1-ranked offense and No. 1-ranked defense in the NFL last year, yet it didn’t make the playoffs because of special teams, which cost the Chargers in every imaginable way. The Chargers have put a major emphasis on the unit during camp. Special-teams practice segments are long and spirited. New special-teams coach Rich Bisaccia is well-respected and determined to get his players on track.

“It is a major point of emphasis in this camp,” Turner said.

2. Get Ryan Mathews ready. This is a big camp for Mathews, the running back who was the No. 12 overall pick in 2010. He alarmed the team when he failed a conditioning test at the start of training camp. Teammates reportedly were surprised Mathews failed the test, and he admitted he should have worked out his legs more during the lockout. That is the last thing a team wants to hear from its rich 24-year-old tailback of the future. He is currently dealing with a minor leg injury that is expected to keep him out of the preseason opener against Seattle. Mathews had durability issues last year, although he flashed at times, and he must show during camp that he is ready to be a lead back and can stay healthy.

“Ryan has to get some carries,” Turner said. “We need to get him some work.”

Turner expects Mathews to continue to work in tandem with powerful veteran Mike Tolbert, who looks as fearsome as always. Tolbert is an underrated weapon. Look for him to see more action in all phases of the run game as Mathews tries to develop.

3. The veteran safeties. Oft-injured Bob Sanders looks good. It may be too much to ask for the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year to return to his peak form, considering he has played in nine games over the past three years, but Sanders looks primed to bounce back. He and fellow safety Eric Weddle, who last month signed a $40 million deal to stay in San Diego, seem to have a strong on-field connection. They should be fun to watch and should benefit from playing with each other.

“Bob has been amazing,” Weddle reports. “There’s no rust there.”

BIGGEST SURPRISE

The Chargers have their starting receivers together. That wasn’t expected.

The Chargers wanted to bring back No. 2 wideout Malcom Floyd, but they thought they would be outbid for Floyd's services. The market didn't develop as expected, though, so Floyd took a two-year deal that could be worth as much as $7 million to stay in San Diego.

That means the Chargers have No. 1 receiver Vincent Jackson (who held out for much of last season, and was given the franchise tag this year) and Floyd in the fold. Last year, because of a rash of injuries at the position, Rivers was throwing to street free agents at the end of the season. Having Jackson and Floyd at his disposal will be a treat for Rivers, who threw for 4,710 yards last season.

Add veteran Patrick Crayton and third-round possession receiver Vincent Brown, and the Chargers’ receiving corps is stronger than it was expected to be.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

The Chargers couldn’t come to a contract agreement with inside linebacker Kevin Burnett. He was a priority for the team, but Burnett ended up being the one who got away from the Chargers, who otherwise enjoyed a strong free-agent period.

In the end, Burnett wanted more than San Diego was willing to offer, and he ended up signing with Miami.

Burnett had a good season for the Chargers in 2010, with 95 tackles and six sacks, and San Diego wanted him back as part of its 3-4 defense. Now a young player probably will be inserted opposite free-agent signee Takeo Spikes on the inside. Right now, 2010 draft pick Donald Butler (who missed all of his rookie year with an injury) is getting those repetitions with the first team. Second-round pick Jonas Mouton will have a chance to impress in the preseason too, and the Chargers could look for a veteran if the youngsters show they are not ready.

OBSERVATION DECK

• New defensive coordinator Greg Manusky -- who replaced Ron Rivera, now the head coach in Carolina -- lets his presence be known. He is a high-energy coach who is not afraid to bark instructions constantly. No need to worry about the San Diego defense falling flat after being ranked No. 1 in the NFL last year.
• Spikes has looked good. He is 34, but he played for Manusky in San Francisco last year and has Manusky's trust. Spikes has never played for a winner and seems energized by being part of this roster.
• Rookie free-agent quarterback Scott Tolzien has looked good in camp. The Wisconsin product is a smart player who may be a nice developmental prospect.
• The Chargers are not overly concerned about the foot injury hampering star tight end Antonio Gates, who started camp on the physically unable to perform list because of the plantar fascia injury that ended his 2010 season prematurely. The team will be cautious, and Gates is expected to be ready for the season.
• Louis Vasquez and Tyronne Green continue to vie for the right guard spot. Vasquez had been the starter, but Green proved to be a worthy injury replacement for Vasquez and now is hoping for more playing time.
• Sixth-round pick Jordan Todman is running the ball well. He could make a contribution as a rookie replacement for the departed Darren Sproles.
• Cornerback Antoine Cason is going to take over punt returns now that Sproles is gone.
• Defensive tackle Antonio Garay doesn’t look like a one-year wonder. He is having a strong camp after a huge season in 2010.
• The Chargers have loved what they've seen from rookie cornerback Marcus Gilchrist so far. He may have a chance to contribute.
• Last year, Chargers camp was dampened by the holdouts of Jackson and left tackle Marcus McNeill. This year, there is contract harmony after several players received new deals. It wouldn't surprise me to see Tolbert, Cason and center Nick Hardwick also get new deals in the next year.

In addition to tight end Antonio Gates and receiver Malcom Floyd, here are San Diego’s other inactive players for Thursday night’s game against San Francisco: Larry English, Patrick Crayton, Darrell Stuckey, Tyrone Carter, Louis Vasquez and Travis Johnson. English has a foot injury.

The biggest hits are the loss of Gates and Floyd, even though both have long been dealing with injuries. This is Gates’ fourth missed game in the past six games with a nagging foot injury. Randy McMichael will start for the Chargers.

The Rivers-Gates combination has resulted in 10 touchdowns and a passer rating of 143.1 this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Rivers has completed 77 percent of his passes to tight ends this season and he is averaging 11.5 yards per attempt.

Meanwhile, San Diego made some roster moves near the bottom of the roster that could affect the special teams unit, which has settled down and has played well in recent weeks.

INDIANAPOLIS -- San Diego tight end Antonio Gates is active and is expected to start Sunday night against the Colts.

Gates has been dealing with a foot injury that kept him out of the past two games. He had played in 94 straight games.

Receivers Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee are also active. They have been dealing with hamstring injuries. They are expected to play a lot along with Vincent Jackson, who is making his season debut after holding out and serving three games on a roster-exemption list.

Rookie tailback Ryan Mathews will miss his second straight game with an ankle injury. His backup Mike Tolbert will start. He had 111 yards against Denver last week. Starting guard Louis Vasquez is out with a neck injury. He will be replaced by Tyronne Green.

» NFC Decisive Moments: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

After dominating on defense for three quarters, but undermining themselves with turnovers and special-teams gaffes, the San Diego Chargers caught fire in the fourth quarter Sunday against visiting New England.

The Chargers outscored the Patriots 17-3 in the first 10:59 of the quarter to cut the New England lead to 23-20. San Diego was, indeed, charging.

Then it gave itself real life when it stopped New England on its 47 with 1:55 remaining when the Patriots went for it on fourth-and-1 from their 49. The Chargers had everything going for themselves. They quickly got a first down at the 35, but two incompletions suddenly put the Chargers in a third-and-10 situation with 1:14 to go. Quarterback Philip Rivers hit tight end Antonio Gates --playing at about 65 percent with a toe injury that kept him out of practice all week -- for an 8-yard gain to make it fourth-and-2 from the 27.

It was time to kick a field goal. The Chargers felt good that new kicker Kris Brown -- who was playing for the injured Nate Kaeding -- was about to attempt a manageable 45-yarder to tie the score.

But it’s never that easy for San Diego, especially when it comes to special teams. Guard Louis Vasquez was called for a false start, adding to the Chargers’ maddening litany of special-teams issues.

Now, it was a 50-yarder. Tough; very tough.

And it was no good, as the ball bounced off the goal post, adding to the Chargers’ season-long misery. The Chargers did so much right in the sequence, but they made enough silly miscues to undo themselves again.

Oakland -- San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman is active and he is expected to play Sunday against the Raiders.

Merriman suffered a calf injury two weeks ago at Seattle and hasn’t played since. He was warming up on the field in the past hour and he looked to be moving well. The Chargers are thin at linebacker and will need Merriman to stay on the field.

Running back Mike Tolbert will start in place of rookie tailback Ryan Mathews again as Mathews is still coming back from an ankle sprain. Tolbert had 100 yards rushing last week.

Right guard Louis Vasquez is inactive for the second straight game because of a knee injury. He did practice Friday, giving the team hope he could play, but he will once again be replaced by Tyronne Green.

As expected, Oakland will be without running back Darren McFadden because of a hamstring injury. He was ruled out Friday. Michael Bush will make his first start of the season.

Guard Robert Gallery is out for the fourth straight game because of a hamstring injury. Oakland has activated No. 3 quarterback Kyle Boller. Thus, he is not the emergency quarterback and there are eight other inactive players.

SAN DIEGO -- Earlier in the day, San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman was warming up, looking as if he may play Sunday against Arizona.

However, Merriman is one of San Diego’s inactive players as was expected in the past few days. Merriman was listed as doubtful with a calf injury he suffered early last week in a loss at Seattle. His backup Larry English, a first-round pick in 2009, is out for four weeks after having foot surgery. Antwan Applewhite is starting at outside linebacker.

Right guard Louis Vasquez is out with a knee injury that may sideline him for two weeks. Tyronne Green will make his first start.

As expected, Arizona will be without receivers Steve Breaston and Early Doucet. Stephen Williams will start for Breaston.

What it means: The Chargers’ September woes continue. San Diego is now 6-8 in September under coach Norv Turner. After playing very well against Jacksonville, San Diego was sloppy at Seattle and the Chargers are now 1-2 and wondering why their early-season woes continue.

Injuries of note: Linebacker Shawne Merriman left with a calf injury and guard Louis Vasquez was carted off with a knee injury. If these two players miss an extend period of time, it could hurt San Diego.

Trending: San Diego is playing very poorly on special teams and is handing the ball over on offense. Seattle's Leon Washington had two returns for touchdowns, which was the difference in the game. San Diego has allowed three returns touchdowns in three games. The Chargers miss Kassim Osgood, now in Jacksonville, badly. After being sloppy with the ball early in last week’s game, San Diego committed five turnovers Sunday. If these two trends continue, the Chargers will have difficulty winning on a regular basis.

What’s next: San Diego plays a very winnable game Sunday when Arizona visits. The Chargers then go to Oakland in Week 5. San Diego has to get well in these two games or it could be in some trouble.

ESPN.com NFL Power Ranking (pre-camp): 10

SAN DIEGO -- Philip Rivers, with the benefit of solid protection, dropped back, scanned the field and let loose with what is very likely the NFL’s prettiest deep ball.

Galloping down the right sideline, Malcom Floyd skied high in double coverage and brought down a spectacular catch, breaking away from coverage and reaching the end zone. A large training camp crowd erupted. It was just another big play from the explosive San Diego Chargers offense during this camp.

The Chargers are not spending the early days of camp worrying about who isn't in attendance and how are they going to survive without them. Instead, the Chargers are acting like a team preparing for a Super Bowl run with the players who are in camp.

“We’re going every day and we’re going hard,” San Diego coach Norv Turner said. "Sure, we’d like everyone here, but they aren’t here and we feel good with what the guys who are here are doing. There is a calmness here.”

The Chargers could be excused if there was a sense of panic at camp. They are practicing without Pro Bowl receiver Vincent Jackson, left tackle Marcus McNeill and linebacker Shawne Merriman, all of whom are holding out. Jackson and McNeill are expected to hold out well into the season. Merriman’s status is less clear.

The attitude in San Diego is not one of a season that is about to be lost. Training camp is being used as a time to get everyone ready for a long run.

“I’m not going to say we don’t miss those guys, because we do,” Rivers said. “I miss throwing the ball to Vincent and I miss standing on the sidelines jawing with Marcus. Those are important guys. But at the same time, we are moving forward. We feel very comfortable with the guys who are here. We’re getting a lot done.”

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Do the Chargers have enough depth to prepare effectively without their veteran holdouts? It is only the first week, but there appears to be little doubt San Diego will leave training camp feeling good about the positions where players are holding out.

The key is San Diego’s tremendous depth. Chargers general manager A.J. Smith may get some grief for not giving in and signing the holdout veterans, but he also has his team in position to survive the losses. San Diego is deep at many key positions. Smith has been careful to mix proven veteran talent with intriguing young prospects.

Last year, the Chargers lost defensive tackle Jamal Williams for the entire season and center Nick Hardwick for virtually the entire regular season in Week 1. The Chargers plugged in people and went 13-3 in the regular season.

“We’ve been through this before in a lot of ways,” Turner said. “We feel good with the young players here.”

Jackson is being replaced by Legedu Naanee and Buster Davis, both of whom are having terrific camps. McNeill is being replaced by Brandyn Dombrowski. He was a valuable injury replacement at guard and right tackle last season. There is also veteran Tra Thomas, who can help as well. Merriman is being replaced by 2009 first-round pick Larry English, who was drafted to replace Merriman in case he departed through free agency. English appears to have made great strides this offseason after a lackluster rookie season.

2. Will Ryan Mathews be up for the challenge of replacing a legend? This is a landmark time in Chargers history. The team is moving away from the LaDainian Tomlinson era. He was cut in February after nine seasons in San Diego. Tomlinson had a Hall of Fame career, but he faltered the past two seasons.

While Tomlinson is still a respected figure in San Diego, it is clear that the Chargers are relieved to move on and help ignite the run game, which ranked No. 31 in the NFL last season.

It’s Mathews’ job in training camp to make the team feel comfortable that he is up to the task of bringing balance back to San Diego’s offense. Mathews was the No. 12 overall pick and people in the organization have been raving about him.

“He does not seem affected by having to replace LaDainian,” Rivers said. “He’s very humble and very confident. It doesn’t seem too big for him. We expect a very productive training camp from him.”

3. Is Antoine Cason the answer at right cornerback? While Antonio Cromartie is far from the legacy player Tomlinson was, he is a high-profile departure. He was traded to the Jets on the first day of the trading season. He is being replaced by Cason, San Diego’s first-round pick in 2008.

The Chargers are excited about the change. Cromartie had 10 interceptions in 2007, but he had a total of five in the next two seasons. Cromartie made many mental mistakes, he was poor against the run and he had some off-field concerns.

The Chargers believe they will be in better shape with Cason, who has been lauded for his intelligence and preparation. Cromartie may be a big name, but the Chargers believe Cason will continue to prove in camp that Cromartie isn’t a big loss.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

You would think that the Chargers would be nervous about not having Jackson, McNeill and Merriman in camp. It doesn’t seem like they miss them at all. Practices have been crisp and dynamic. Players are very confident and replacements for each absent player don’t appear to be intimidated at all. The Chargers will surely miss these guys on the field if it gets to that point, but there is no wallowing in the early stages of camp. This team means business.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Merriman needs to be in camp. He is holding out because he wants assurances that the Chargers won’t trade him. He has been upset that he was the subject of trade talk during the past year. The Chargers won’t give him those assurances, but Smith has said he has no current plans to deal Merriman. Merriman really has no leverage here. We all know he’s going to play this year. This is a huge season for the rest of his career. He has to prove he can be a dominant pass-rusher again as he enters the final year of his contract. He is just wasting time by not being at camp.

OBSERVATION DECK

• Quietly, many in San Diego think the offensive line is ready for a big season. The unit may be motivated by critical comments made by Tomlinson. Among his many excuses for his dramatic lack of production last season was the offensive line play. The line isn’t saying anything about it, but the word is this group is very inspired.
• The Chargers are excited about inside linebacker Brandon Siler. He came on strong last season and should have a big role on the defense this season.
• Look out for linebacker Antwan Applewhite. He was hurt last year, but the Chargers think he could be a secret weapon. He is a special-teams ace and could play a role as a pass-rusher. He is a fierce player.
• Turner is excited to have veteran tight end Randy McMichael. The two were together in Miami in 2002-03 and Turner thinks the veteran can help. Known as a good receiver, McMichael is an underrated blocker, Turner said. The Chargers are also high on backup tight end Kris Wilson.
• Undrafted rookie receiver Jeremy Williams from Tulane has had a good early camp and is the favorite to be the No. 5 receiver.
• While losing Rivers would be devastating, the Chargers have one of the best backups in the NFL in Billy Volek. The guy is a pro and has looked sharp.
• Expect big fullback Mike Tolbert to give San Diego a boost in the short-yardage game. The 5-foot-9, 243-pound Tolbert is a load.
• The Chargers were thrilled with the play of right guard Louis Vasquez last season as a rookie. The word is Vasquez is continuing to make strides and the Chargers think they have a real find.

The release of defensive tackle Jamal Williams after 12 seasons with the team headlines the list of offseason moves the Chargers made Thursday.

Williams’ release isn’t totally shocking. He was due a roster bonus Friday and is coming off a triceps surgery that kept him out of all but one game last season. Williams will be 34 next month and has been wearing down in recent seasons.

Williams’ situation is not unlike the recent release of running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Williams was a fan favorite and had a great career in San Diego, but he could no longer be counted on. Williams, 6-foot-3, 348 pounds, was a superstar in his prime. He anchored the San Diego defense and clogged the interior of the defensive line.

San Diego, though, will have to act quickly to replace Williams. San Diego missed Williams’ run-stuffing ability all season. It wouldn't be a surprise if the Chargers look at nose tackle with the No. 28 overall pick in the draft. Alabama’s Terrence Cody could be targeted as a replacement for Williams.

San Diego announced free agent special teams ace Kassim Osgood “definitely” will not be returning. Osgood wants a chance to play receiver and he should get that chance in free agency. San Diego was never interested in letting Osgood play on offense.

It also released backup running back Michael Bennett. Even though San Diego put the high tender on change-of-pace back Darren Sproles, still expect it to try to pick up at least two running backs this offseason.

San Diego agreed to a two-year deal with defensive tackle Antonio Garay. He was scheduled to be a restricted free agent.

The Chargers also announced that several players have had or will soon have surgeries to address 2009 health issues. They said every player will be ready for training camp in late July. Here is the team’s list of players who needed surgery:

Surgery update Injury Rehab Time (from date of surgery)

LB Kevin Burnett Neck 3-5 months

DE Luis Castillo Shoulder complete

DE Jacques Cesaire Elbow, Knee complete

C Nick Hardwick Shoulder complete

DE Vaughn Martin Ankle 12 weeks

G Scott Mruczkowski Elbow 2-4 weeks

WR Legedu Naanee Foot 12 weeks

P Mike Scifres Bilateral hernia 6-12 weeks

S C.J. Spillman Shoulder 3-4 months

G Louis Vasquez Knee 6-8 weeks

Posted by ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson

The San Diego Union Tribune is reporting that star running back LaDainian Tomlinson is back on the practice field.

The newspaper reported that Tomlinson appeared to moving around the field well. He has missed past two games with an ankle injury. They are the only two regular-season games Tomlinson has missed in his nine-season career.

I will check back later Wednesday when the Chargers release their practice participation list, which will reveal how much Tomlinson practiced. Tomlinson’s availability would spark the Chargers in a pivotal game at Pittsburgh on Sunday.

The newspaper reported that rookie guard Louis Vasquez was practicing Wednesday. He missed the past two games with a knee injury. Linebacker Shawne Merriman was not on the practice field Wednesday. His has missed significant parts of the past two games with a groin injury. Merriman could be held out of the Pittsburgh game to rest. The Chargers have a bye the next week.

	Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE
	San Diego running back Darren Sproles and the rest of the Chargers just couldn’t escape Ray Lewis and Baltimore’s red zone defense.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson

SAN DIEGO -- Last week, the Chargers won in the final seconds on a running play deep in enemy territory, salvaging a game in which they didn’t play very well.

Sunday, the Chargers lost in the final seconds on a running play deep in enemy territory to ruin a game in which they played very well.

It's shaping up to be another weird season in San Diego.

But don’t get on the Chargers for stumbling out of the gate after their 31-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in a physical, terrifically played game. This was a stiff test for San Diego, considering all of the firepower it had sitting on the bench with injuries. The Chargers would have had to play perfectly in key spots to beat the bruising Ravens.

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis made the perfect play, stealing the limelight from Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who played a brilliant game.

On a day when Rivers threw for a career-high 436 yards on 25-of-45 passing, the game came down to a running play.

On fourth down and 2 with 37 seconds remaining and San Diego at the Baltimore 15, coach Norv Turner called for a running play. In about the time it took Rivers to hand off the ball to Darren Sproles -- who started in place of LaDainian Tomlinson, who has an ankle injury -- Lewis had Sproles on the ground for a five-yard loss, securing a Baltimore victory.

“It was a great play,” Rivers said. “He made a great play.”

Last week, San Diego beat Oakland on a five-yard run by Sproles in the final seconds. The play was put in the Chargers' playbook just days before the opener.

Rivers said the play on Sunday, although it was an inside handoff to Sproles just like last week’s game-winner, was a "totally” different play. He said the goal was just to get a first down and give the Chargers a new set of downs.

“If Sproles broke it or got three yards, it would have been a perfect play,” Rivers said. "You can’t throw, throw, throw.”

The abrupt loss could cause some concern for San Diego because it is in the middle of a tough early stretch with several health issues. San Diego plays host to Miami next week before heading to Pittsburgh, where its season ended in January in the divisional playoffs.

In addition to Tomlinson, the Chargers played without center Nick Hardwick (ankle) and guard Louis Vasquez (knee) on offense against the Ravens, who offered the makeshift line a healthy dose of blitz packages. Defensively, the Chargers began life without defensive tackle Jamal Williams. He was put on injured reserve Saturday with a triceps injury.

If San Diego is going to avoid a third straight slow start under Norv Turner, it will have to do so in adverse conditions. San Diego began the 2007 season 5-5 and began last season 4-8. Winning streaks to end both seasons resulted in AFC West division titles.

Here are other key issues from Sunday’s game:

Red-zones woes: Rivers said while the Chargers’ final offensive play will be remembered for the loss, there were several other miscues that cost San Diego.

Many of the problems persisted in the red zone. The Chargers had no problem getting inside the Ravens’ 20-yard line. They just didn’t do much when they were in it. San Diego had to settle for four field goals after stalling in the red zone.

According to ESPN’s Stats and Information, Rivers’ passer rating was 39.6 in the red zone. It was 95.5 out of it. Rivers threw for 432 yards outside of the red zone and four inside of it.

The Chargers were called for delay of game twice inside the Ravens’ 10, including once at the Ravens’ 1. San Diego had to settle for field goals on both drives.

“When you do those things it makes it tough on you,” Turner said.

Those are simply inexcusable penalties. That has to be fixed.

The call at the end of the first half: It was the type of decision that will fuel talk radio until the kickoff of the Miami game next week.

With 10 seconds to go in the half and Baltimore leading 21-13, Turner opted to kick a field goal on third and goal from the five instead of taking one more shot for a touchdown that could have resulted in a tie score at the half.

Rivers defended his coach’s call. Baltimore was blitzing on nearly every play and had Rivers been sacked or forced into throwing an interception (he was picked off twice), the Chargers wouldn’t have gotten any points. So Turner chose to take the easy field goal and cut the lead to five points.

“You have to do that there,” Rivers said.

I see the reasoning, but offensive plays are at a premium in the NFL. I’m not a Turner basher (there’s enough of those), but he had a hot quarterback. You have to try to score there, even if it’s a totally safe play. I’m just not a big fan of taking the ball out of the hands of a talented player like Rivers.

Defensive breakdown: The Chargers have to tighten up their defense. Overall, it has been solid and it has had many key stops in the first two games.

But for the second straight game, it allowed a long touchdown on what appeared to be broken coverage.

Baltimore confused San Diego’s secondary on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to Kelley Washington late in the first half. Last week, Oakland took the lead with less than three minutes to go from 54 yards out on a broken defensive play on fourth down and 14.

With Williams out, the Chargers are going to have to get creative on defense. They can’t help the opponent with mental breakdowns. Defensive coordinator Ron Rivera has said concentration in the game will be a key this year, and it is already becoming one of the team’s biggest issues.

Merriman injured: San Diego star linebacker Shawne Merriman sat out the final two defensive series with a groin injury, he said.

“It tightened up on me and they wouldn’t let me play,” Merriman said. "It shouldn’t be a problem [for the Miami game].”

Merriman, who missed all but one game last season with a knee injury, had one assisted tackle. He said he is still a few weeks away from being at full strength. Merrirman got close to sacking Flacco once.

With the Chargers dealing with another early defeat and massive injury issues, the last thing this team needs is Merriman on the sideline in key situations.