San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and tight end Antonio Gates missed a second practice in a row yesterday as they continued to prepare for a home wild-card playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts tomorrow night.

It sounds as if Tomlinson, who has a strained groin, is in better shape than Gates, who has a sprained ankle.

"If we were playing today he probably wouldn't play," coach Norv Turner said about Gates, a Pro Bowl tight end.

And L.T.? "Yeah, I think he would," Turner said.

"Both of them are a lot better than they have been," Turner said. "It really will be a Saturday decision, how they feel. We'll get them out there and run around and see how they feel. I'm optimistic about both of them."

Tomlinson said he felt better than he did Sunday night, when he was hurt in San Diego's 52-21 win against Denver that clinched the AFC West Division for the Chargers (8-8).

By tomorrow night, "hopefully it will be good enough to be productive," Tomlinson said.

"I hope to play, but ultimately it's not really my decision," he added. "Game day, we'll see how coach feels and what he wants to do. But hopefully I'll be able to go."

The NFL has granted a second, final 24-hour extension of its television blackout deadline for Arizona's wild-card playoff game against the Falcons tomorrow.

The team has until 2:30 p.m. today to sell its remaining tickets. A sellout crowd is necessary for the NFL to lift its blackout of the home television market. The NFL already had extended the deadline 24 hours to 2:30 p.m. yesterday. In a news release, the team said 3,700 tickets remained.

Minnesota also was granted an extension.

The Vikings reported 8,000 tickets remaining at noon yesterday for their game Sunday against the Eagles. The NFL has granted an extension until 3:30 p.m. today to reach a virtual sellout, but the possibility of a local TV blackout looms.

The blackout would not only encompass the Twin Cities, but secondary markets in the region as well. It includes satellite, cable and over-the-air systems, so nobody in the area could watch the game unless they are in attendance at the Metrodome.

The vice president of sales and marketing said the team has hired extra holiday help to solicit potential buyers. The Vikings haven't had a game blacked out since 1997.