Chargers' Tomlinson breaks TD record

~ The star running back scored his 30th touchdown of the season in San Diego's 48-20 victory.

SAN DIEGO -- LaDainian Tomlinson broke Shaun Alexander's NFL single-season touchdown record of 28 when he scored three times Sunday in the San Diego Chargers' game against the Denver Broncos.

With the fans chanting for Tomlinson, the star running back took a handoff from Philip Rivers and scored on a 6-yard run with 3:57 left to tie it. After Denver fumbled, Tomlinson got No. 29 on a 7-yard run just 47 seconds later.

Tomlinson's teammates carried him to the sideline as he held the ball aloft in one hand and held up an index finger in the other. The crowd was chanting "L.T., L.T.," as he was mobbed by the other Chargers, who clinched the AFC West title with the 48-20 victory.

"Once I got over the pylon, my intial thought process was to bring every guy on the offensive unit over to share that moment," Tomlinson said. "When we're old and can't play this game anymore, them are the moments we are going to remember, that we'll be able to tell our kids, tell our grandchildren. We can talk about something special that we did. We made history today.

"There's no better feeling than to share it with the group of guys that's in that locker room."

Tomlinson has 26 TDs rushing and three receiving. He's also thrown for two touchdowns this year, but they don't count toward his personal scoring total.

"He is the finest running back to ever wear an NFL uniform," Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer said.

Tomlinson even received praise from other stadiums Sunday.

"I'm happy for him. He deserves it," Cardinals running back Edgerrin James said. "He's been ballin', man, and I like the way he represents the running backs."

Alexander set the record last season for Seattle.