LT could miss Chargers game vs. Steelers due to groin injury

Talented but injury prone San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson may be forced to miss Sunday’s AFC playoff contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a groin injury.   He’ll undergo treatment this week but both LT and the Chargers are sounding pessimistic about his prospects.

Tomlinson injured his groin in the Chargers’ final regular season game and although he tried to play in the team’s playoff victory over Indianapolis it was apparent that he was far from 100%.  There have been conflicted reports about the severity of Tomlinson’s injury—the team has described it as a “strained groin muscle” while media reports have suggested that it could be a detached tendon.  LT deferred to the medical professionals when asked to clarify the severity of his situation on Monday:

"I won't because it is a medical issue and different doctors have their opinions. I’ll leave it at that."

LT said that if his treatment program continues to go well this week that he may test the injury and see if he could possibly play in Sunday’s contest:

"I'm pretty sure at some point I'll try it to see where I am. Then we'll see what happens. That's why we're leaving it as day to day and just see how it reacts."

He then sounded a more somber tone, suggesting that this may be the toughest injury he’s faced during his career:

"I don't know. It's tough. This is a tough injury. I would probably venture to say it's probably the toughest of my career. We'll see what happens."

If LT can’t go on Sunday, the Chargers will once again turn to their “finesse back” Darren Sproles who played exceptionally well against Indianapolis.  The versatile Sproles had 105 yards rushing with two TD’s including the game winner in OT, along with 45 yards receiving and 106 yards on kick returns as San Diego upset the Colts to advance to the conference semifinals in the “Steel City”.  Tomlinson praised Stoles for his effort:

"Anytime a guy gets an opportunity, you want him to do well, especially when it's one of your guys and you're all out for the same goal. We always talk about how we're going to need each other and it's not more important than it is now. We definitely need him."

The Chargers picked up well traveled veteran Michael Bennett late in the season to provide depth at running back, and also rookie Jacob Hester out of LSU on the roster at the position.