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Running back LaDainian Tomlinson knew it was coming. If San Diego kept relying solely on the arm of quarterback Philip Rivers to get them into the end zone, there was going to be some awfully loud squawking going on in town. So he was thrilled Monday night to finally touch that painted blue grass at Qualcomm Stadium, running in for two scores in the Chargers’ 48-29 win against the Jets.

“I almost forgot what it felt like,” Tomlinson said with a grin. “It was like, ‘Jeez, the next thing is the media is going to start getting on us about no rushing touchdowns.’ … I was happy to get a rushing touchdown to keep you guys off our backs.”

LaDainian, who had never started a pro season with three straight games without a touchdown, jumped over the line for a 2-yard score in the third quarter to give the Chargers a 38-14 advantage, and he added another pounding 2-yard run to make it 45-23. Still hampered by an injured big toe on his right foot, Tomlinson ran for only a 2.6-yard average on the night — 67 yards on 26 carries — but he got the work done in the red zone after some nice setup efforts by backup Darren Sproles (38 yards on five carries).

“Today was going to be one of those physical running days,” Tomlinson said. “Making one cut and going straight ahead is not a problem for me.”

Brett Favre played really bad for the Jets Monday night and when that happens, things can get pretty ugly. When Favre is playing well, he can make magic. But throughout his career, he mixes in the clunkers every now and then and that’s the Favre the Jets got on Monday night game. He looked so aged and slow and had no synchronization with his receivers in the Jets’ 48-29 loss.

Favre had a hard time shaking San Diego’s pressure up front. His second interception was way beyond Jerricho Cotchery and the Chargers only had to move 45 yards to turn the game into an embarrassing 31-14 at the half.

When the Jets traded for this “Hall of Famer”, they knew what they were getting: A star quarterback who can make every throw, but who when things aren’t going well tries to win games by himself, and bad things can happen.

It’s not unexpected that the Jets are 1-2 after playing the Dolphins, Patriots and Chargers. And with the softer part of their schedule coming up in the next six weeks, including games against the winless Chiefs and Rams and 1-2 Raiders, Monday night’s loss should not take them to a panic mode.

The opener shows up, and as the days get closer to the start of the Dolphins’ regular season, linebacker Joey Porter becomes more afraid he won’t be part of the team’s much-hyped New Beginning. He’s worried he’s closer to a career ending.

On Monday, the Dolphins spent some practice time working out for that opening game against the Jets. Porter missed the practice, again. He was visiting a doctor, again, trying to get a fix on a strange back ailment that has him, and the whole team, fearing he’s going to miss several games of this season, including the opener.

”He’s motivated, but he’s kind of upset that he can’t be there,” Said Jason Ferguson, a Dolphins defensive veteran. “And he’s worried he’s not going to be there that first day.”

The Dolphins are handling it by making plans for the extended absence of a player who has had trouble practicing on consecutive days and hasn’t been pain-free for almost a month. So on Monday, the Miami team put Charlie Anderson back in the starting weak-side linebacker spot. And they are experimenting with rookie defensive end Phillip Merling as the backup, a contingency that has the feel of a long-range answer to a long-range problem.

Meanwhile Porter is looking at a career that seems to be falling from his grasp even as he makes a courageous attempt to hold on. So Joey continues to search for a concrete answer to his mysterious back ailment. He has considered shots, surgery, anything to assure a part of Miami’s New Beginning. But unfortunately, it looks like the team will have to start without him.