Taking charge

New England Patriots (3-1) at San Diego Chargers (2-3), 8:15 p.m., Ch. 7; Line: Chargers by 5.

WHEN THE CHARGERS RUN
For whatever reason, LaDainian Tomlinson has not performed like LaDainian Tomlinson this season. He's been bothered by a cranky toe, and there is the real possibility that years of abuse are finally taking their toll on the 5-foot-9-inch, 221-pound bundle of energy. Tomlinson said he is close to returning to 100 percent, and if that's true, the Patriots could be in trouble. A healthy Tomlinson is one of the most destructive forces in the game. Tomlinson has deceptive strength, allowing him to bang between the tackles and deliver some of the league's most powerful stiff arms. His tremendous burst and low center of gravity allow him to avoid or deflect direct shots. Tomlinson has superior field vision. He finds every cutback lane and can slither through the tiniest cracks. Backup Darren Sproles has gone from special teams dynamo to reliable tailback. Sproles has quick feet, good vision, and breakaway speed. Massive left tackle Marcus McNeill has tremendous athleticism for a 6-7, 336-pound man. He delivers a solid initial punch, often stunning his initial defender before turning his attention to the linebackers. Left guard Kris Dielman takes excellent angles and will maul until the whistle blows. Center Nick Hardwick is a blue-collar beast. He lacks quickness but makes up for it with strength and grit. He's a master cut blocker, so Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork will have to protect his knees. Wilfork, a widebody who can anchor the run defense, bounced back with a solid performance against the 49ers. Wilfork and the bulky Ty Warren will use their girth and strength to tie up blockers and clog lanes, giving the linebackers the cushion the room they need to find Tomlinson and/or Sproles. The inside rotation of Jerod Mayo, Tedy Bruschi, and Gary Guyton is athletic and tough.
EDGE: Patriots

WHEN THE CHARGERS PASS
Fiery quarterback Philip Rivers leads this attack. He has lived in LaDainian Tominson's awesome shadow for years before emerging as the leader of the offense late last season, highlighted by his gutsy performance in the AFC title game despite having a torn ACL. Rivers has a good - not great - arm. He thrives in the intermediate and short passing games and will struggle when asked to pick up large chunks of real estate in short amounts of time. Rivers reads defenses quickly and will adjust accordingly. He rarely gets locked on one receiver. Rivers isn't nimble but has great pocket awareness and can buy time by scrambling. His accuracy suffers on the run but that's true of most quarterbacks. Rivers's confidence is off the charts. He's not shy about getting in a teammate's - or opponent's - face. Rivers has developed a nice rapport with receivers Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers. The 6-foot-5-inch Jackson has good speed and excellent hands. His height makes him a good red zone matchup against New England's smallish corners, Ellis Hobbs and Deltha O'Neal. Jackson is easily distracted, however, and doesn't always give maximum effort. Rodney Harrison's surly disposition might keep Jackson disinterested. Chambers has high-end speed, excellent hands, and a knack for making spectacular catches near the sideline and getting both feet down inbounds. Rivers's top option will always be tight end Antonio Gates. When healthy, the 6-4 Gates, who is still recovering from toe issues, is a game changer. He has the speed of a flanker and the size of a fullback. If he goes unchecked at the line, he's virtually unstoppable. Adalius Thomas has to smack Gates around to prevent him from dominating. Oh, did we mention Tomlinson and Sproles are phenomenal receivers out of the backfield?
EDGE: Chargers

WHEN THE PATRIOTS RUN
Laurence Maroney, who many thought was primed for a breakout 1,000-yard season, has been a disappointment. Maroney is running tentatively. Whether he is trying to protect a tender shoulder or simply lacks the vision to find creases, Maroney's lack of production is unacceptable. Last year, he averaged 4.5 yards per tote and generally dished out as much abuse as he took. The Patriots would love to see that guy reappear. Sammy Morris is running with more than he's displayed in the past. A slasher by nature, Morris can still exploit open lanes but has shown he's willing to slam between the tackles, too. Kevin Faulk continues to show why he is such an important cog in this offense. He has a quick first step, deceptive speed, and a nose for the sticks. LaMont Jordan, if he can just stay healthy, could be the final piece to this productive attack. Jordan is a pure bruiser. He'd rather run over you than around you, which is probably why he is always nicked up. Jordan is capable of providing the knockout blow after Maroney, Morris, and Faulk deliver the body blows. San Diego's main run stuffer is humongous nose tackle Jamal Williams (6 feet 3 inches, 348 pounds). A larger version of Vince Wilfork, Williams possesses an impressive combination of muscle and quickness. He uses his powerful arms to stack and shed blockers. He'll go helmet-to-helmet with Patriots center Dan Koppen (6-2, 296), who relies more on technique than strength. He takes excellent angles and rarely misses a block. If he gets help from guard Logan Mankins (New England's most evil offensive lineman - and that's a compliment), Koppen should be able to keep Williams at bay at least some of the time.
EDGE: Patriots

WHEN THE PATRIOTS PASS
Matt Cassel had a very productive day against the 49ers, but he'll need to be even better Sunday night. He has yet to show he can read through his progressions quickly enough to be a consistent threat in the passing game. He too often stares down his top target, allowing defenders to read his eyes and react. New England's passing game is all about finding and hitting the open man quickly. The faster Cassel learns to distribute the ball, the more proficient the aerial attack will be. Taking some shots downfield to Randy Moss opens up space underneath even if the connection fails. Sending Moss deep forces opponents into double coverage, because no safety can handle the gifted receiver without help. With Moss doubled, somebody else is open. Often times the open man is Wes Welker, the dependable little slot man who catches everything thrown his way. Cassel should look to Welker often, but not throw to him every time. It's time for Benjamin Watson to become a more active member of this attack. Watson has tremendous skills, including soft hands, quick feet, and strong legs. He can be a bear one-on-one. Remind you of any other tight ends playing this evening? The Chargers can collapse the pocket, with tackles Jamal Williams and Luis Castillo the main party crashers. Castillo is an underrated pass rusher. He may not put up huge sack numbers but he puts fear in the hearts of QBs, forcing quick, and often bad, decisions. Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie are exceptional cornerbacks. Jammer excels at press coverage and will hang with receivers downfield. Cromartie thinks like a receiver and will fight for every ball. He has excellent instincts and loves to jump routes.
EDGE: Patriots

CHARGERS' KEY TO VICTORY
1. Electric slide: Darren Sproles is a TD waiting to happen. The 5-6, 180-pound spark plug has awesome speed and surprising strength. Get him the ball.

2. Electric company: The pass rushers, including Jamal Williams, Luis Castillo, and Shaun Phillips, have to get in Matt Cassel's face and make him jittery.

3. Electric eye: Philip Rivers has to keep an eye on the receivers and the pass rush. With his ground game stalling, he can't afford sacks and interceptions.

PATRIOTS' KEYS TO VICTORY
1. The force is strong with this one: Randy Moss may go AWOL at times, but when he reappears, it's usually in the end zone. Get him the ball.

2. On the leader: Slamming LaDainian Tomlinson every chance you get is a must - whether he has the ball or not. Break his spirit and his will.

3. Great, kid. Don't get cocky: Matt Cassel needs to build on last week's solid outing. Stay within the game plan and don't take unnecessary chances.

Prediction: Patriots 26, Chargers 17