The euphoria of the San Diego Chargers' stunning win against the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts was replaced by reality yesterday.

While two-time NFL rushing champion LaDainian Tomlinson said he should be able to play in Sunday's AFC championship game, the Chargers know quarterback Philip Rivers will be gimpy with a sprained right knee if he's able to play against the undefeated New England Patriots.

Rivers was listed as questionable. He injured his medial collateral ligament when he landed awkwardly after completing a 56-yard screen pass to Darren Sproles for a touchdown on the final play of the third quarter in Sunday's 28-24 upset of the Colts.

Coach Norv Turner compared Rivers' situation with that of tight end Antonio Gates. Gates dislocated his left big toe in a wild-card win over Tennessee, sat out practice all week and then played against the Colts.

"Right now, it's probably questionable in terms of playing in the game, but he's got a chance," Turner said yesterday. "That will be a day-to-day thing and we'll monitor it as the week goes on."

Rivers was having tests on the knee and wasn't available to the media. He completed 14 of 19 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns against the Colts before leaving. Rivers went to the locker room during the game and returned to the sideline with a brace on the knee, but didn't get back in.

Billy Volek took over and led the go-ahead drive, scoring the winning touchdown on a 1-yard sneak.

The Chargers were without Tomlinson for a good deal of the Colts game after he hurt his left knee in the second quarter. He said he expects to play against the Patriots.

"It's nothing serious, just a hyperextension," Tomlinson said. "I think they've got me listed as questionable, but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to play. Obviously, I'm going to do all I can to practice."

COLTS

COACH DUNGY TO DECIDE ON FUTURE MONDAY

Either Tony Dungy remains torn over whether to return as Indianapolis coach or he should go into acting as his next career.

He was pretty convincing yesterday as a man who hasn't made up his mind.

"I still enjoy it very much. I love coming to work. I'm not burned out at all," Dungy said yesterday, a day after the Colts were eliminated in the NFL playoffs by San Diego. "So all those things are really, really positive, and if there's any place you want to work, it's here."

But there's also a flip side.

"We have some kids that I need to be a good dad to," he said. "I have to make sure that I have the energy and everything to devote to both of those jobs, and I don't want to short-change either one. I don't want to short-change the Colts and I certainly don't want to short-change my family."

Dungy said he would arrive at his decision by Monday.

MANNING FAMILY

FATHER ARCHIE CAN FOCUS ATTENTION ON ELI

As the NFL's first family of quarterbacks, the Mannings are anything but a house divided.

But the NFL's divisional playoffs created a formidable logistical challenge, one that had one Manning parent at the RCA Dome on Sunday and the other at Texas Stadium.

Father Archie was in Indianapolis watching son Peyton's Colts play San Diego; mother Olivia was in Dallas watching younger son Eli and the New York Giants play the Cowboys.

In an unlikely twist, Peyton and the defending Super Bowl champions lost, and Eli and the oft-maligned Giants won.

Archie, who watched the Giants game at Peyton's condominium in Indianapolis, is no stranger to such emotional spin cycles.

"It's bittersweet," he said in a telephone interview yesterday from his New Orleans home. "But we've had our good days. I look at the Colts game and we're disappointed. You say, 'We could have done this, could have done that.' But you've got to look over there and think those Chargers have had some disappointments, too."

Now Archie's undivided focus shifts to the Giants, who will play at Green Bay on Sunday in the NFC championship game.

"They're a blue-collar bunch, and they're playing hard," he said of New York.