Chargers headed in right direction?

The Oakland Raiders seemed headed back in their not-so-glorious direction Sunday afternoon.

In the process, maybe the Chargers are headed back in the direction they have become accustomed to the past few years.

With the Chargers’ 28-14 win over Oakland, they not only moved into a first-place tie with Kansas City at 3-3; they also seemed to return to Charger football.

LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 198 yards and four touchdowns.
The defense held Oakland to 53 rushing yards and forced three turnovers.
Cornerbacks Drayton Florence and Antonio Cromartie recorded their first interceptions of the season (and Cromartie’s first of his career.)
The defense recorded a season-high six sacks.
Cory Withrow did a great job filling in at center for the injured Nick Hardwick.

These things aside, there are still question marks with the Chargers. Sure, they should win a weak AFC West, but how far can they go in the playoffs?

Undefeated teams in New England and Indianapolis both reloaded in the offseason. The Chargers stood pat, even though they hadn’t caught up with the Patriots or Colts at that time.

In the long run, the Chargers will likely pay for not upgrading their roster in the offseason. For now, they can enjoy the bye week before hosting Houston on Oct. 28.

They’ve come a long way in the last two weeks, but they still have a marathon to go in returning to one of the NFL’s elite teams.