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Chargers forced out of San Diego due to wildfires

Oct 28, 2007 - 10:56 AM Houston (3-4) at San Diego (3-3) Sunday 4:05 pm EDT

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- With deadly wildfires sweeping across Southern California, the San Diego Chargers will try to focus on football as they prepare for Sunday's contest against the Houston Texans.

After cancelling practice on Monday, the Chargers were forced out of San Diego due to the poor air quality. On Tuesday, they flew to the Arizona Cardinals' training facility in Phoenix, where they will spend the week.

The NFL has yet to comment about the possibility of shifting Sunday's game, which would not be unprecedented. In October 2000, the Chargers moved a Monday night home game to Tempe's Sun Devil Stadium because of wildfires.

Qualcomm Stadium is currently being used as an evacuation site. As many as 40 Chargers' players, coaches and staff needed to evaculate their families.

"What's most important is making sure our families are taken care of and that everyone has what they need out of their houses," Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said. "Once everybody is safe, we can start putting the focus on the week and the game."

San Diego has recovered from a 1-3 start with two straight victories to move within one-half game of first-place Kansas City (4-3) in the AFC West.

Two weeks ago, LaDainian Tomlinson broke out of his early-season slump, rushing for 198 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

The four rushing touchdowns, which matched a personal best, gave Tomlinson 106 for his career, tying him with Hall of Famer Jim Brown for fourth on the NFL's all-time list.

After a slow start, Tomlinson has climbed to seventh in the NFL in rushing with 527 yards. He led the NFL last season with 1,851 yards and set a league record with 31 touchdowns.

The Texans will try to rebound from a gut-wrenching 38-36 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Houston rallied from a 32-7 deficit behind backup Sage Rosenfels, who tied an NFL mark with four TD passes in the fourth quarter.

It was not enough as Rob Bironas kicked a league-record eight field goals for the Titans, including a 29-yarder as time expired.

Rosenfels replaced starer Matt Schaub, who suffered hip and lower leg injuries. Schaub is listed as day-to-day.