Baker had surgery on Oct. 30 and is in his fifth week of recovery. Typically recovery takes 8-10 weeks, or six weeks at best.

Falcons coach Mike Smith wasn't quite ready to declare Baker set to go on Monday, but he acknowledged Baker has been doing more in practice. His progress will be monitored throughout the week.

"I know that he progressed quite a bit last week," Smith said. "I really think it's going to be a matter of how he gets out there, how he feels and how he moves around as the week progresses."

Baker missed one game and parts of two others in September because of a concussion, so he's played in only three full games this season. The Falcons are eager to get their first-round pick back not only to help them on this playoff push, but to get him more repetitions at the NFL level.

Veteran Todd Weiner has been starting at left tackle in his place.

"It would be best for Sam to play as many games as he can for us because this is a long-term process for the Atlanta Falcons and Sam Baker, and we want to give Sam as much experience as we can," Smith said. "We're not just looking in terms of 2008. We're looking to 2009 and beyond."

Jackson waits

Defensive tackle Grady Jackson is expected to find out today whether he won his appeal of his four-game suspension for violating the NFL doping policy.

Jackson was suspended for four games for taking a diuretic the league considers a masking agent. Jackson filed a class-action lawsuit against the manufacturer of the StarCaps supplement he claims caused him to test positive for the diuretic.

Jackson's appeal was heard on Nov. 21. He has been allowed to play, pending the outcome, but now the Falcons are down to their last four games of the regular season.

Smith didn't want to comment on Falcons' contingency plans. "It's all speculative," he said. But Kindal Moorehead and Jason Jefferson have seen their playing time increase in recent games.

Moorehead made a tackle for a loss on LaDainian Tomlinson in the second quarter at the goal line Sunday. That set up a safety by the Falcons defense on the ensuing play.

Douglas coachable

Harry Douglas got an earful from Smith after he muffed a punt in the first quarter to set up the Chargers' opening touchdown. He had been indecisive on the play, first letting the ball bounce, then fielding it at the last minute when he should have left it alone.

It was how he responded to that miscue in his fifth game as the Falcons' punt returner that ultimately made the bigger impact.

On the Chargers' next punt, Douglas returned the ball 32 yards to the Chargers' 46-yard line. That set up an 18-yard touchdown catch by Justin Peelle to give the Falcons their first lead, one they wouldn't lose.

"It's a learning process for Harry," Smith said. "And I know that Harry took a big step yesterday."

Notable

Michael Turner's fourth-quarter fumble broke a streak of 331 carries without losing the ball. It was his first fumble lost as a Falcon. ... Despite arriving at Flowery Branch at 2:45 a.m. from San Diego, 41 players reported Monday morning for voluntary workouts and film sessions. "To have those guys in here today is a tribute to how hard these guys are working," Smith said.