Past tense, but now forgotten

Last season was . . . well, last season. Which is a long time ago. Or so say the Chargers every time they're asked if bad blood exists between them and the Patriots because of that playoff game in San Diego.

"Last year, we kind of really didn't respect them," said LaDainian Tomlinson, who was vocal in his criticism of Patriots coach Bill Belichick following that stunning defeat. "That has changed, obviously, because we haven't beaten them the last few times we've played them. So we have a lot of respect for them, but there's no bad blood."

Tomlinson took exception to the way some Patriots mimicked linebacker Shawne Merriman's "Lights Out" dance, but he refuses to get into what he considers ancient history.

"It has nothing to do with what happened on the field [after the game]. I'm talking about playing football. You're talking about something that happened after the game."

Added Marlon McCree, whose interception-turned-fumble was a pivotal turnover in last year's game: "I don't think there's too much bad blood. I think it's overrated a little bit."

And from fullback Lorenzo Neal, who counts former Chargers and current Patriots Junior Seau and Rodney Harrison as friends, there is this: "It's not like guys don't generally like each other. But it's football."

As speculation increases that backup quarterback Billy Volek will see action in place of Philip Rivers (knee injury), there has been wonderment as to just what sort of leader he is. Volek, now in his eighth season, doesn't deny that it's a different complexion than you get with Rivers. "Philip is very vocal on the field," said Volek, who has started 10 games in his career, all with Tennessee. "I'm a guy who is quiet, kind of like [Tomlinson]. I like to lead by example, but Philip is a lot more vocal than me and that's good. I think the leadership qualities that he has are very good." . . . Now that the Chargers have won eight in a row, the Good Ship Lollipop seems to have docked along the shores of San Diego. Their fans seem to have embraced the team, which is a far cry from Week 4 when it lost at home to lowly Kansas City, after which the press had a field day. Some players have expressed bitterness about a "bandwagon" mentality, but not all of them. Linebacker Stephen Cooper, for instance, can understand why such discontent percolated. "If you're 1-3 and you're not winning games, they should be [upset]. Why not? We're here to win games and we weren't doing that," Cooper said. "With the type of talent we have on this team, with the big-name guys, there's no reason we should start the season 1-3."

Few teams have drafted well as consistently as the Chargers, who could have as many as seven first-round picks in today's game - Tomlinson (2001), Rivers (2004), cornerback Quentin Jammer (2002), Merriman (2005), defensive end Luis Castillo (2005), cornerback Antonio Cromartie (2006), and wide receiver Buster Davis (2007). But one unheralded player who typifies San Diego's open-minded personnel decisions is backup safety Eric Weddle. At 5 feet 11 inches, Weddle played at the University of Utah and drew the interest of Chargers general manager A.J. Smith. So much, in fact, the Chargers worked a deal with the Bears to move up 25 spots in the second round to take him. Weddle has been a solid contributor all season. In Sunday's divisional playoff win at Indianapolis, Weddle was in the spotlight twice, first as the man cited for holding to nullify Cromartie's electrifying 89-yard interception return for a touchdown, next as the right man in the right spot to snare a Peyton Manning pass that deflected off the hands of the Colts' Kenton Keith . . . The Chargers will be playing in their fourth AFC Championship game. They won in 1994 at Pittsburgh, 17-13, but lost in 1981 to Cincinnati, and in 1980 to Oakland . . . Before beating Tennessee in the wild-card game, the Chargers had lost four straight in the postseason. One playoff game they definitely didn't lose, however, came in the 1963 AFL Championship game, a 51-10 thrashing of the Boston Patriots at Balboa Stadium. The Chargers ran up 610 yards that day, 206 by running back Keith Lincoln, and so overwhelming was it that the home team had scored three touchdowns on a mere 10 plays from scrimmage.

Last year, Tomlinson and his fellow Chargers didn't think they'd have a problem getting past New England in the divisional round. This year? "In my mind, it's like David and Goliath," said the NFL's leading rusher. Which prompted a reporter to ask if Tomlinson had brought along a slingshot. "No," he said. "I don't have a slingshot." . . . Cornerback Drayton Florence's view of today's game: "A lot of times you don't get a chance to redeem yourself. But we have a clean slate with them." . . . Though the Chargers beat the Colts last Sunday, a pair of impressive streaks came to an end for Tomlinson in the RCA Dome. He had not fumbled in 708 touches - the longest current stretch for an NFL back - when he coughed it up in the second quarter (the Chargers recovered). He also failed to record at least one 10-yard gain, which he had done in 29 straight games dating to 2006. . . . Tomlinson's only pass attempt of the season came way back in Week 1, though he made the best of it. It was a 17-yard touchdown strike to tight end Antonio Gates. Tomlinson has thrown for seven touchdowns in 11 pass attempts in his NFL career . . . Cromartie has shown flashes of brilliance with the football in his hands, whether returning interceptions or kickoffs. Is he a possible offensive weapon in waiting? "I'd love to, but that's a spring project," said coach Norv Turner. "Honestly, when you try to do this stuff quickly, it doesn't work out." . . .Who has played the most games in a Chargers uniform? Seau, perhaps? Maybe Russ Washington? Wrong. The answer is David Binn, the only member of the Chargers who played in the franchise's last AFC Championship appearance, Jan. 15, 1995. Back then he was a rookie out of the University of California, signed as an undrafted free agent to be the long snapper. He's been doing it flawlessly for 231 games since then, including playoffs, and so respected is he that Belichick extended to Binn a spot on the Pro Bowl roster last year as a "need" player. Binn and Tom Brady are both members of the San Mateo County Hall of Fame.