FOXBORO, Mass. — No LT. No TD.

If that seemed like a logical place to start the post-mortem, after the Chargers failed to score a touchdown in a game when LaDainian Tomlinson, their offensive motor and scoring machine, sputtered to the sidelines, well, the team insisted it was just a coincidence.

"It’s a crazy reason to think that [Tomlinson’s absence] is why we didn’t score," said Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, after his team settled for four field goals in its 21-12 loss to New England in Sunday’s AFC championship game.

Even Tomlinson, when asked point blank if his bum knee was the difference in the game, shook his head.

"No, I don’t," he said. "We've proved we've been able to score points without me."

But it certainly didn’t help that the Chargers running back – a two-time defending rushing champ, the man who scored 100 touchdowns in his career faster than anyone ever, and the man who set a single-season TD record in 2006 – went to the bench after San Diego's second offensive possession in the first quarter and never returned.

He had two carries for 5 yards, and one pass reception for 1 yard before the left knee he sprained against Indianapolis last week got the best of him again.

"I couldn’t explode," said Tomlinson. "It was wise to go with [backup] Michael [Turner].”

Coach Norv Turner bristled when he was asked why Tomlinson could practice most of the week, stay off the injury report, and yet leave after three plays.

"There's a difference when you lower your shoulder and run into a 300-pound guy," said Turner.

"He tried to go. He had pain in his knee, he couldn't push off of it."

"He’s a warrior," said linebacker Shawne Merriman. "If he’s not playing, it’s something pretty serious."

Tomlinson said, "My expectations were to play. I took a nick on it the same way it happened [at Indy]. I knew it would be tested [by New England]. If a guy is hurt, you'll see if he’s OK.

"Sometimes your body just tells you it's not happening. I wouldn't have been myself."

You had to read in between the lines to get a sense of Tomlinson's importance to the team, especially his value inside the Patriots’ 20-yard line, an area the Chargers reached three times, settling for short field goals on each drive.

"You feel helpless," said Tomlinson of his team’s red-zone failures. "You know that [the injury] contributed to them winning the game."

Tomlinson's versatility is key. He rushed for 15 touchdowns this year, caught passes for three more, and in the season opener threw an option pass for a TD, the seventh TD pass of his career.

"With LT in the game, it's truly run or pass," said Rivers, who played on his own banged-up knee, but managed to survive the 60 minutes. He said when undersized Darren Sproles or 237-pound Michael Turner is taking Tomlinson’s place, “It’s a little bit of a giveaway” what plays will be called.

The Chargers refused to use Tomlinson's injury as an excuse, but that didn't mean they didn't miss him.

"It’s unfortunate," said offensive tackle Marcus McNeil, speaking for an entire organization. "We would have loved to have him."