EL SEGUNDO — Running back J.K. Dobbins declined to talk about his injured knee Thursday.
Coach Jim Harbaugh would only say that Dobbins looked “good” in practice.
Officially, the Chargers listed Dobbins as questionable to play in Saturday’s game against the New England Patriots. Dobbins has been sidelined for four weeks, placed on injured reserve because of an injury suffered in the first half of the Chargers’ loss Nov. 25 to the Baltimore Ravens.
Dobbins remained on injured reserve this week, although the Chargers opened his window to return to the active roster Monday. He could be activated Friday and be in the lineup for Saturday’s game, helping the Chargers defeat the Patriots and clinch an AFC wild-card berth with their 10th victory.
Or the Chargers could play it safe and wait to activate Dobbins, their leading rusher with 766 yards and eight touchdowns on 156 carries this season. The Chargers’ regular-season finale is either Jan. 4 or 5 against the Raiders in Las Vegas. The oddsmakers favor the Chargers (9-6) over the Patriots (3-12).
Given the significance of the Chargers’ game Saturday against the Patriots, and given the fact that running back Gus Edwards was ruled out of the game because of an ankle injury suffered during their victory Dec. 9 over the Denver Broncos, it would seem imperative to have their best running back on the field in Week 17.
If neither Dobbins nor Edwards can play, Harbaugh would turn to rookie Kimani Vidal and second-year running back Hassan Haskins to carry the ball in the most important game of the season for the Chargers. If the weather forecast becomes reality, the ground game could be extra important.
As of Thursday afternoon, Saturday’s forecast calls for a high of 42 degrees with a 75% chance of rain in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the suburban Boston site of Gillette Stadium.
Last season, the visiting Chargers hydroplaned their way to a 6-0 victory over the Patriots in a game in which their only scores came via two field goals from Cameron Dicker. Quarterback Justin Herbert completed only 22 of 37 passes for 212 yards and the Chargers rushed for just 29 yards.
Controlling the ball with an effective running game figures to be critical in the Chargers’ first cold-weather game of the season. It could become all the more significant if the rain arrives as scheduled and the passing game becomes all the more dicey with a slick football and a soggy field.
The Chargers did receive a dose of inclement weather earlier this week when a cool mist swept off the ocean during Tuesday’s practice. It was hardly enough to be called rain, though. The temperatures barely dipped below 60 degrees, hardly the stuff of a wintry afternoon in New England.
“Most all of us have played in those kinds of games or grew up in that kind of weather,” Harbaugh said. “Bottom line is these guys are young and they’re healthy and their heart pumps warm blood. It pumps it from the arteries to the veins to the tributaries to the capillaries throughout their whole body.”
Harbaugh paused.
“I might have gotten the order wrong,” he said, laughing. “It’s been well-established that I’m not a doctor. But I know it’s warm blood. Young, healthy, athletic guys are able to generate it.”
INJURY REPORT
Edwards, linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin) and right guard Trey Pipkins III (hip) were ruled out of Saturday’s game.
Dobbins, tight ends Will Dissly (shoulder) and Hayden Hurst (illness) and defensive back Elijah Molden (knee) were listed as questionable to play against the Patriots.