Chased from their homes and practice fields by deadly wildfires, the San Diego Chargers will return home to play the Houston Texans at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday as scheduled. The game's date and time had been in doubt because Qualcomm was used as a major evacuation center during the wildfires that swept San Diego County. The stadium was to close as an evacuation center at noon Friday. "Early Friday morning the Chargers informed me that the NFL has decided to play Sunday's game as scheduled at Qualcomm Stadium," Mayor Jerry Sanders said in a press release. "The City will be able to provide sufficient public safety personnel to manage a professional football game without impeding ongoing wildfire recovery efforts."

Qualcomm Stadium would be available Sunday for the Chargers, the San Diego mayor's office said Thursday, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. "Should they decide to play in San Diego, the stadium will be ready on Sunday," said Fred Sainz, the mayor's spokesman, according to a report on the paper's Web site. "It's their decision to play in San Diego or not." The Chargers worked out, waited and wondered Thursday in Tempe, Ariz., where and when they will play their next game.

The Chargers expect to hear on Wednesday from Mayor Jerry Sanders whether they can play their scheduled game against the Houston Texans in Qualcomm Stadium, and they are narrowing down contingencies for playing elsewhere. ?The Chargers are working closely with Mayor Sanders and the fire and police departments to determine how best to deal with Sunday's scheduled NFL game at Qualcomm Stadium,? the team said in a statement. ?Protecting the public safety is the mayor's top goal, and the Chargers will continue to cooperate with the mayor to achieve this goal.? The Chargers arrived here last night for three days of practice in clean air in preparation for the game, wherever it is. ?Tell us where, and then under tough circumstances we'll go from there,? General Manager A.J. Smith said. It appears likely the Chargers will end up playing in Texas Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys if they can't play at home, sources said last night. The Cowboys have a bye Sunday.

Reigning MVP LaDainian Tomlinson was one of 40 members of the San Diego Chargers' organization who were forced to evacuate as wildfires burned in San Diego County, and the team will spend the rest of the week practicing in Arizona. The Chargers, who had just returned from their bye weekend, canceled practice Monday due to poor air quality and so the players could take care of their families, spokesman Bill Johnston said. The Chargers, scheduled to host Houston on Sunday, announced they will fly to Phoenix on Tuesday and practice at the Arizona Cardinals' headquarters in Tempe on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Chargers' Pro Bowl center Nick Hardwick is expected to be out three to four weeks with a sprained right foot. The prognosis was the best Hardwick could hope for, and since the Chargers have their bye this Sunday, that means he'll probably miss two or three games. "It's good news," said Hardwick, who was on crutches. Hardwick was hurt early in Sunday's 28-14 win over Oakland -- when LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 198 yards and four touchdowns -- and expected the worst. An MRI on Monday confirmed the initial diagnosis of a sprain.

The Miami Dolphins reportedly have traded wide receiver Chris Chambers to the San Diego Chargers for what it believed a second-round draft choice. According to FOXSports.com, Chambers confirmed the trade in an e-mail to FOXSports but declined further comment until speaking with Dolphins' coach Cam Cameron and general manager Randy Mueller. Chambers has 31 catches for 415 yards with no touchdowns this season.

LaDainian Tomlinson matched his career high with four touchdowns, rushing for 198 yards on 24 carries and leading the Chargers to their eighth straight win over the Raiders, 28-14, on Sunday. Tomlinson scored on runs of 3, 27, 13 and 41 yards to move into a tie with Jim Brown for fourth on the all-time rushing touchdowns list with 106. In the process, Tomlinson passed John Riggins, who had 104. The reigning league MVP scored for the final time with 2:43 left, thrilling the Raider-hating crowd, and silencing the thousands of Oakland fans in the stadium. It was a simple off-tackle play that Tomlinson broke to the outside. After racing into the end zone, he dropped the ball and raised both arms in the air.

General Manager A.J. Smith reiterated Monday that Michael Turner will remain a Charger through the 2007 season, the same thing he promised when he took Turner off the market in April. Teams such as Green Bay and Tampa Bay might be willing to give up draft picks and/or players for Turner's services, and fans lament that Smith will give away another talent (e.g. Drew Brees and Donnie Edwards) for no compensation in free agency. But Smith covets Turner not only for his contributions in situations such as Sunday's blowout victory at Denver, in which Turner ran 10 times for 147 yards and a touchdown, but also for insurance in case Tomlinson were to get hurt. ?The most important thing is this season,? Smith said.

This is supposed to be Michael Turner's steppingstone year, a pathway to greater riches. Until yesterday, however, he had hardly been used and had not been stellar when he had. But with runs of 49 and 74 yards, Turner made a case that he is still the league's best backup running back. ?Personally, you want to be playing well,? he said after carrying 10 times for 147 yards. ?Everyone was talking about, 'Is he still the same player?' You always want to have those games to get you going again.? Turner has 27 carries for 201 yards, a 7.4 average. Those are numbers that will certainly make another team wonder what he might get if he got 300 carries. ?That's why he's going to be a hard commodity to keep around here,? tackle Shane Olivea said. ?Right now we're going to enjoy having him on our side.?

Chargers rookie wide receiver Craig Davis could miss Sunday's game at Denver with a sprained ankle. Coach Norv Turner said Friday that Davis' availability will be a game-time decision. Davis is listed as questionable on the injury report. "It felt pretty good," Davis said. "We'll see." If Davis can't go, Malcom Floyd would replace him.