Battered Chargers Will Be Without Starting Center Until December

San Diego came into the 2009 season as one of the heavy favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Those expectations relied heavily on the ability of the Chargers' running-back tandem of LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles to dominate.

But two games into the season, Tomlinson's already dealing with injury, and San Diego is 30th in the league in yards rushing at 60.5 per game.

The situation doesn't appear to be on the verge of getting better, either -- Wednesday, the Chargers announced that starting center Nick Hardwick, a first-teamer on the San Diego offensive line since 2004, will be out for up to eight weeks after left ankle surgery.

Hardwick was injured in San Diego's 24-20 Week 1 win over Oakland when his left leg was rolled up on during a pass play. He spent several minutes on the ground before being carted off. Scott Mruczkowski, who's been with the Chargers since 2004 -- and started in Week 2 against Baltimore -- will likely stay in the lineup with Hardwick out.

The sudden loss of offensive clout is a major change for the Chargers. San Diego's finished in the top eight in points scored for every season since 2004, with Tomlinson leading the way. The 1,110 yards he rushed for last season were the lowest total of his career -- though he's well of that pace with 55 yards through two weeks this year.

Even with no semblance of a rushing attack, San Diego's managed to average 25 points per game thus far. With Philip Rivers at QB and a healthy complement of weapons, it's not unthinkable that the Chargers could keep up that pace. On the other hand, Rivers has been sacked five times already this season. And the lack of a ground threat cost San Diego at the end of its loss to Baltimore when, on a critical fourth-and-one, the Ravens stuffed Sproles for a five-yard loss to clinch a win.

San Diego signed Dennis Norman last week to backup Mruczkowski, and he'll likely hold that spot for the time being.