NASHVILLE - Tennessee Titans backup quarterback Vince Young was sidelined for practice again Thursday because of an infected right thumb while starting cornerbacks Nick Harper and Cortland Finnegan also sat out for a second straight day.

Coach Jeff Fisher said Harper (ankle) and Finnegan (hamstring) each had a chance to practice Friday. Harper missed two games with an injured foot before starting in the 47-10 win at Detroit. Finnegan is tied for second in the NFL with five interceptions.

Young took antibiotics for an infection near the cuticle on his thumb after the Detroit game, but the infection spread. The 2006 Offensive Rookie of the Year lost his starting job after spraining his left knee in the season opener and prompted a police search for him a day later in an incident the Titans said was blown out of proportion.

Fisher said Young is improving. Asked if Young could be Kerry Collins' backup without practicing, Fisher said, "He has a good feel for this game plan."

The Titans' other quarterback is Chris Simms.

Other developments

NFL union seeks to block suspensions: A federal judge in Minneapolis will be asked to decide today whether five suspended NFL players deserve a chance to play this weekend.

At issue is whether the league had a duty to notify its players and their union that a dietary supplement the five took contained a banned ingredient. The NFL Players Association argues in a lawsuit filed Thursday that the NFL knew about the tainted supplement but failed to share that information with players whose careers were on the line.

The union filed the lawsuit to block the suspensions of five of the six players who were benched this week for violating the league's anti-doping policy. The union wants Kevin Williams and Pat Williams of the Minnesota Vikings, and Charles Grant, Deuce McAllister and Will Smith of the New Orleans Saints, to be eligible to play Sunday.

Jets DE Ellis charged with marijuana possession: New York defensive end Shaun Ellis was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, speeding and driving without insurance after being pulled over by police last weekend.

Ellis, a former Vol and the Jets' longest-tenured player, was stopped last Saturday in Hanover, N.J., a few miles from the team's training facility after speeding, the Daily Record of Morris County reported on its Web site Thursday.

Capt. Shawn Waldron, the information officer for the Hanover Township Police, wasn't available for comment Thursday night and wasn't due back at the station until Friday morning.

Ellis played the day after the arrest in New York's 34-17 loss to Denver, and a team spokesman confirmed that he will play Sunday at San Francisco.

"I apologize to my family, the fans and the organization," Ellis said in a statement issued by the team Thursday night. "As a captain, I set a poor and selfish example for my teammates as well as all NFL players. Although this is a pending legal matter, I understand that I have to be responsible for my actions."

This is believed to be Ellis' first offense, which means he won't be suspended by the league, but will be enrolled in the league's substance abuse program.

Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said in a statement that he and coach Eric Mangini both spoke to Ellis about the incident.

"He is disappointed with himself and has apologized for his actions," Tannenbaum said. "Personal conduct is important and an area that we stress to the entire organization.

"Shaun has been a leader on this team and I am confident that he will handle this in the appropriate fashion. The legal process will run its course and the league will handle this matter."

Ellis has enjoyed a resurgence this season with a team-leading seven sacks, his most in four years. 1/2

Briefly: Receiver Chris Hannon joined the Miami Dolphins off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers. ... The New Orleans Saints placed Kevin Kaesviharn on injured reserve, ending the safety's season. ... Antonio Pierce and the doctor who treated New York Giants teammate Plaxico Burress after he accidentally shot himself at a Manhattan nightclub will talk to investigators today.

Thursday's game

Chargers 34, Raiders 7 at San Diego: San Diego finally looked like world-beaters.

It's probably too late.

LaDainian Tomlinson scored on a 3-yard run against his favorite punching bag and Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes, including a 59-yarder to Vincent Jackson, to give the Chargers a victory against the Oakland Raiders on Thursday night.

It was San Diego's 11th straight win over their archrivals in a series dating to the birth of the AFL in 1960.

The Chargers (5-8) snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the second time in seven games.

Once considered favorites to reach the Super Bowl, they're still going to need a miracle to reach the playoffs. They trail Denver by 2 1/2 games in the AFC West, and the Broncos have four to play.