CHARGER UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / T.J. SIMERS : Gary Plummer, Playing in Pain, Won’t Give Season the Thumb

How painful is linebacker Gary Plummer’s injured thumb?

“If it hurts just walking around,” Plummer said, “you make the call.”

Plummer continues to play for the Chargers, however. He fractured a bone in his thumb both vertically and horizontally while tackling Christian Okoye two weeks ago, and two pins have been implanted to stabilize it.

A soft cast covers his forearm and thumb.

“They assured me there is nothing I can do to structurally damage it,” Plummer said. “I have confidence in this medical staff.”

Plummer’s practice time has been limited, but last Sunday against the Raiders he took his full shift and participated on more than 30 plays.

“The days I don’t practice I do the treadmill and I feel have two heartbeats--one in my chest and one in my thumb,” he said. “You just develop during the season a tolerance for pain.

“It’s not being a hero. There’s this commitment you have to the team. You’re only playing 16 games; I could have gone on injured reserve, but that’s missing 25% of the season. You work so hard to just throw it away. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Plummer said he expects the pins in his thumb to be removed next week, and he intends to have the cast off by the time the Chargers receiver their bye (Nov. 3).

“It was much tougher playing this week against the Raiders than right after I did it against Kansas City,” Plummer said. “I already had taken that first hit against the Chiefs and my adrenaline was running. Against the Raiders I definitely went in their with some anxiety.”

Plummer’s most painful experience against the Raiders came on Henry Rolling’s fumble recovery and 53-yard return.

“We were tussling after the fumble recovery and I kinda just hit (guard) Steve Wisniewski in the stomach. It hurt, oh, yeah, and I think it hurt him, too. A good trade-off.”

The Chargers added guard Mike Zandofsky to the 47-man roster, re-signed linebacker Andy Katoa to the practice squad, and placed offensive lineman Eric Floyd on injured reserve.

loyd was injured in practice, although he looked just fine in the locker room. He hadn’t been on the team’s active roster for the past two games, and his name was not on the team’s injury report.

Defensive end Burt Grossman missed Thursday’s practice and returned Friday somewhat disappointed.

Said Grossman: “I thought I’d read somewhere: ‘Grossman did a disappearing act in practice yesterday, which reminds me of his pass rush this season.’ ”

Grossman has piled up one sack this season, and declined to explain his absence Thursday.

The statistics are startling: In the past three games, Pro Bowl wide receiver Anthony Miller has caught two passes for 13 yards.

“If they play the coverages that allow Anthony to get thrown to and we do all the things necessary we expect him to catch passes,” Henning said. “If they take him away then we’ll go to somebody else.”

You would figure that most opponents try to take away Jerry Rice on a weekly basis, but the 49ers’ wide receiver continues to catch passes. Why not Miller?

“He’s (Miller) involved on every pass route, and he did a good job of blocking last week on runs in his drection,” said Henning. “He doesn’t seem to be as fluid running right now as he has been in the past, and he hasn’t caught the ball as well.”