updated 8:13 a.m. ET Aug. 23, 2008

SAN DIEGO - The lasting image of the San Diego Chargers’ season was star running back LaDainian Tomlinson on the sideline, huddled in a parka on a frigid afternoon in New England and his face hidden behind his tinted facemask.

The Chargers had reached the AFC championship game by upsetting the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, yet their best player couldn’t do anything to help them against the then-perfect Patriots.

Tomlinson carried only twice before aggravating his sprained left knee and being forced out of the game. What he didn’t know at the time was that the Chargers’ little white lie about the severity of his injury led to his otherwise impeccable reputation taking a hit from coast to coast.

Fast forward seven months to the heat of a San Diego summer, and Tomlinson and the Chargers are eager to advance deeper than they did last year.

The Chargers are considered Super Bowl-caliber yet again, and this time they’d like to prove it.

Tomlinson, the face of the franchise, seems more determined than ever.

Early in the second quarter of the AFC championship, it was announced in the press box that Tomlinson had a “sore knee” and “can return” — a not-so-isolated shenanigan practiced in the NFL. Pundits, including Deion Sanders, started criticizing him, especially since quarterback Philip Rivers was gamely playing on an injured right knee that required reconstructive surgery a few days later.

Tomlinson, a two-time NFL rushing champion plans to use the episode as motivation as he enters his eighth NFL season.

“Most definitely. But that’s all a part of it. As athletes and competitors ... we look for stuff like that. I know I do,” he said. “That’s something that has always pushed me throughout my whole career, not just the NFL but dating back to college and high school.”

The Chargers certainly are motivated after winning in the postseason for the first time in 13 years.

Generally considered to have the most-talented roster in the NFL, now it’s a matter of the Chargers taking advantage of their window of opportunity.

“I know we’ve still got a great group of guys that play at a high level. We’ve been fortunate enough to keep our core players. So we’ve just got to keep pushing at it,” Tomlinson said.

They plan to be a bit more modest about discussing their goals, apparently having learned the difference between hype and reality.

“There was so much hype last year, and so much expectation, and all training camp it was ’Super Bowl,’ and we weren’t afraid to talk about it,” Rivers said.

“I fell in that trap, too. Not that we weren’t focused, but it seemed like all the focus was on the ultimate goal. Subconsciously, we took some things for granted, maybe. Maybe we overlooked the meat and potatoes part of the deal, you know what I mean? We were looking ahead for the dessert.”

Last summer, the Chargers overlooked their playoff pratfall against New England and focused instead on their 14-2 regular-season record from 2006.

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