Charger Notebook : Center Macek Leads a Long List of Injuries After Loss to the Broncos

The Chargers paid for Sunday’s 12-0 loss to the Denver Broncos with much more than slippage in the standings.

Their injury list Monday was the longest it has been all season. The most notable name was center Don Macek, who has been fighting a bad shoulder for weeks. Macek may need surgery. If he does, the Chargers (2-3) will replace him with untested Dan Rosado.

Macek’s shoulder prevented him from practicing last week. He only practiced once the week before. Macek is playing in his 13th NFL season. Rosado is a second-year player who joined the Chargers during last year’s strike.

Cornerback Elvis Patterson (shoulder, neck and chest), linebacker Gary Plummer (shoulder), tight end Eric Sievers (neck), and defensive lineman Karl Wilson (hip) are all questionable for Sunday’s home game against New Orleans.

Cornerback Gill Byrd (ankle), wide receiver Anthony Miller (ankle), defensive end Tyrone Keys (knee) and linebacker Chuck Faucette (thigh contusion) are probable for the Saints’ game.

It appears Babe Laufenberg will remain the Chargers’ starting quarterback. At least for another week.

Laufenberg completed 11 of 21 passes for 104 yards against Denver. His fourth-quarter replacement, Mark Malone, was 7 of 14 for 82 yards. Malone threw one interception, Laufenberg none. The Chargers rank 27th out of 28 teams in passing.

“The quarterbacks did not play as inefficiently as the score would indicate,” Coach Al Saunders said. “There were several breakdowns offensively. We’re going into this week believing Babe is still our starter.”

Would Saunders like to see the front office trade for another quarterback?

“We’re always open to the idea that if anybody in any position could come in here and upgrade our team, we would certainly be happy to have him join us. I don’t believe there’s been any active work on the front office’s part to bring in another quarterback.”

After five weeks:

--No Charger is among the AFC’s top 20 receivers in total receptions.

--Charger defensive end Lee Williams is tied for fifth in AFC sacks with 4. New York Jet Mark Gastineau and Ram Kevin Greene are tied for the NFL lead with 7.

--Only Detroit (1,192) has gained fewer yards than the Chargers (1,237).

Charger Notes

Starting with Sunday, the Charger defense has produced 4, 3, 2 and 1 sacks, respectively, the last four games. . . . Three of the Chargers’ last six regular-season games have been against Denver. And the Chargers have lost all three by a combined score of 70-3.