Tomlinson Leaves Jets Game With Illness

Literally.

The veteran running back, who spent his first nine NFL seasons with San Diego before leaving as a free agent for New York, got his first start of the season Sunday. He hung around as long as he could before leaving with the flu, and didn't play a role as the Jets rallied for a 27-21 victory.

"I woke up this morning feeling pretty bad, but was able to push through as long as I could," Tomlinson said. "I basically didn't have any energy and the flu really just took over."

Tomlinson finished with five rushes for 14 yards and three receptions for 37. He went over 600 career catches, but it was his backfield partner, Shonn Greene, who had the biggest impact with 112 yards rushing, averaging 5.6 yards a carry.

Jets coach Rex Ryan praised LT for even getting on the field.

"Before the game, he was ill, it looked like NASCAR coming in," Ryan said. "Like getting four tires and gas, they were all working on him."

Tomlinson said during the week he held no bitterness toward the Chargers, who had little interest in retaining him after the '09 season. The 2006 league MVP came to New York, had a solid season last year and has been a key figure in the locker room for his leadership.

"I wasn't going to treat it like a playoff game because both teams are going to continue to play the rest of their schedule," he said. "But I'd be lying if I said this didn't add some satisfaction. Just moving on, you never really get to close that chapter until you face them, and the win makes it even better."

Earlier, Jets starting linebacker David Harris returned in the third quarter after injuring his left ankle. Harris left late in the second quarter, did some drills on the sideline at halftime and got back on the field as the period wound down.

Rookie defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis also left with an ankle injury in the opening quarter. He didn't return.

San Diego left tackle Marcus McNeill and running back Ryan Mathews both returned late in the second quarter after leaving with injuries.

McNeill went down on a running play with an undisclosed injury, but eventually walked to the sideline and sat on the Chargers' bench. He was replaced by Brandyn Dombroski before coming back in for San Diego's third series of the half.

But McNeill sat out most of the second half and the Chargers refused to reveal the nature of his injury.

Early in the second period, Mathews went back to the locker room with a thumb injury, but he also came back on that third series.

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Jets’ Tomlinson to start versus Chargers

NFL.com Staff | Tags: LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets, Shonn Greene

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With LaDainian Tomlinson set to face the San Diego Chargers for the first time since leaving the team after the 2009 season, Jets coach Rex Ryan has decided to start the veteran running back. Whether this is an actual change in New York’s backfield or Ryan just giving a nod to the longtime Charger remains to be seen.

Neither L.T. nor his running mate Shonn Greene have been terribly effective running the football this year — something that doesn’t bode well against a San Diego defense that has been stingy against fantasy running backs. The difference is that Tomlinson is far and away a better option catching passes out of the backfield.

There’s nothing about the matchup that makes either Tomlinson or Greene particularly attractive. But with byes cutting into fantasy rosters all over the place, consider L.T. at a flex spot if you’re struggling to find someone to plug into your lineup.

– Marcas Grant

Posted in: Fantasy  

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Tomlinson: Jets bought into Ryan’s plan

Published: November 24th, 2010 | Tags: Fran Charles, LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets, NFL Total Access, Rex Ryan

One could argue the Jets have been successful in an area where many teams before them have failed: bringing in a collection of impressive individual pieces and making them work as a whole.

Over the last two seasons those pieces have included LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Cromartie, Santonio Holmes, Bart Scott, Braylon Edwards and Jim Leonhard, among others.

How have the Jets made it work?

During a sitdown with Fran Charles, Tomlinson answered that question in two words: Rex Ryan.

“One of the first things he talked about was everybody buying in and forgetting about individual success, and that it’s all about the team and the things we want to get accomplished here,” Tomlinson said. “Everybody bought in from day one, and I think you’re seeing the result of that.”

Posted in: NFL Network  

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