LT has memories of playing in Oakland

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- LaDainian Tomlinson knows all about "The Black Hole."

The future Hall of Fame running back played in Oakland once a season while with the Chargers, and got a yearly dose of what it's like to experience the atmosphere at the venue now called O.co Coliseum.

"It is one of the toughest places to play and probably one of the weirdest places to play," Tomlinson said Thursday, "just because the fans are really into it. But it's Halloween every Sunday. Whenever you go there, people are dressed up and into it. Certainly, their team feeds off their crowd."

Tomlinson has several memorable moments there. Perhaps the top one was Oct. 20, 2002, when the Chargers and Raiders were playing in overtime.

"It was the first time we won in Oakland," Tomlinson said. "I happened to make the winning [19-yard] touchdown run, and when I got to the end zone, everybody piled on me. Pretty soon, they started throwing stuff at us -- beer bottles, everything.

"We hurried up and got off the field and celebrated in the locker room because we didn't want to celebrate on the field."

Mangold holding out hope

Nick Mangold still hasn't been ruled out for Sunday's game, but the center didn't practice, continuing to rehab his high ankle sprain. He hasn't shed his walking boot, but was moving around without a noticeable limp.

Mangold is hoping he'll be able to keep his 82-game regular-season streak intact. "I'm a competitor," he said. "I want to be out there and I want to be with my guys, so I'm going to hold out to the last moment possible."

Rex Ryan seems resigned to Mangold not playing. "I don't see it happening," he said. "We'll see."

Extra points

Special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff said of Raiders P Shane Lechler and K Sebastian Janikowski: "You look at their two guys, it's Mantle and Maris. They have the two big hitters."