It appears Ryan Mathews' attempt to play Sunday against Tennessee has lost momentum.
The running back did not practice Wednesday. He practiced on a limited basis all last week. He broke his clavicle Aug. 9 on his first preseason carry of the year and his recovery timetable was 4-6 week.
Mathews was hoping to play Sunday, but the fact that he didn’t work at all Wednesday may not be a good sign. If he can’t play, the Chargers will likely go with Ronnie Brown, Le'Ron McClain and Curtis Brinkley. San Diego ran for just 32 yards on 20 carries against Oakland.
Mathews is needed back, but it is clear the team will not rush him back to the field.
San Diego tight end Antonio Gates didn’t practice Wednesday with sore ribs he injured Monday. He was able to finish the game. The plan is for Gates to practice Thursday, so he should be able to play Sunday unless there is a setback.
As expected, left tackle Jared Gaither is still not practicing. He has been out with a back injury for six weeks. His replacement, undrafted rookie left tackle Mike Harris, played well in his Gaither’s absence at Oakland.
In other AFC West news:
The Chargers still have several thousand tickets to sell in order to avoid a local television blackout against Tennessee in the Chargers’ home opener. The deadline is Thursday.
Oakland linebacker Rolando McClain (ankle) and backup running back Taiwan Jones (ribs) both did not practice Wednesday. McClain had a solid game against San Diego and Jones is the Raiders' backup running back and kick returner. Both would be missed if they can’t play Sunday at Miami.
Kansas City safety Kendrick Lewis made some progress by practicing on a limited basis. He has been out for nearly a month with a shoulder injury. This is a sign that Lewis may be able to play at some point soon. Starting cornerback Brandon Flowers remained limited. He practiced on a limited basis last week but he did not play against Atlanta. Rookie receiver/returner Devon Wylie did not practice with a hamstring injury.
Oakland coach Dennis Allen said receiver Jacoby Ford's surgery was to repair a Lisfranc injury in his left foot. He is expected to be out for a significant amount of time.