NFL notebook
LaDainian Tomlinson was back at practice for the first time since spraining his right ankle during the opener, an encouraging sign for a Chargers team struggling to run the ball.
Tomlinson said yesterday he hopes he can play in Sunday night’s game at Pittsburgh, where the Chargers haven’t won since shocking the Steelers in the AFC championship game following the 1994 season.
Tomlinson missed the last two games with the ankle injury, an absence that coincided with the Chargers struggling not only in the running game, but when they had the ball inside the opponent’s 20.
Anderson in; Quinn out
With his first season in Cleveland already unraveling, Browns coach Eric Mangini benched Brady Quinn in favor of Derek Anderson, who rode a similar opportunity in 2007 to an appearance in the Pro Bowl. The Browns (0-3) have scored just one touchdown and 29 points in Quinn’s three starts, and Mangini has seen enough to believe Anderson deserves a chance to show what he can do . . . Cowboys left tackle Flozell Adams was fined by the NFL for the third straight week, the latest for kicking at Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers. Adams was docked $7,500. He was fined $5,000 for an unnecessary roughness penalty in the opener and $12,500 for two plays against the Giants. “He just wants to protect the quarterback,’’ coach Wade Phillips said . . . Michael Vick is back with © Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.




