Tomlinson needs only 56 yards to overtake Jim Brown, Cleveland's leading rusher and one of the best players in NFL history, on the all-time rushing list. That it might happen on Brown’s old stomping ground makes it all the more special.
If the Chargers are starting to look like a world-beating side, the Browns are anything but. With Jamal Lewis injured, their hapless offense has no leader, and their quarterback situation is unenviable at best. They have gone from Brady Quinn, to Derek Anderson, and now back to Brady Quinn, in the desperate search for something, anything that inspires confidence. And after a faint glimmer of hope against the Lions, expectations came crashing back down to earth in a dismal performance against the Bengals, in which wide receiver Josh Cribbs looked better than Quinn passing the football.
In Week 13, they find themselves traveling to Cleveland for what is set to be a very cold and possibly snowy game against the Browns - not ideal for the high-octane Chargers offense. To make matters worse for the home side, Shaun Rogers has been placed on injured reserve, ruling him out for the rest of the year, and making their defense (already second worst in the league) even more exploitable. Expect LT, whose 2 touchdown performance last week helped the Chargers rout the Kansas City Chiefs 43-14, to have a field day. And if he does, fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium will witness history.
In an interview earlier in the week, LaDainian Tomlinson was asked how he felt about playing in such harsh conditions, and he didn’t seem overly concerned. And it’s no surprise, really. The Chargers are on fire, winning their last six games in increasingly convincing fashion. Last time these two sides met, LT rushed for 172 yards and 3 touchdowns, and he’s starting to get back to form this year after missing time with a number of niggling injuries earlier in the season.