LINEBACKERS

(12-17) 04:00 PST San Diego - --

Pro Bowl inside linebacker Patrick Willis had surgery to insert a pin in his broken right hand Monday.

That didn't keep the 49ers' captain from starting Thursday's game against the Chargers, even if it meant playing with a bulky, black cast up to his forearm.

Willis made his 62nd consecutive start since the 49ers drafted him in 2007, keeping him as one of three members of his rookie class to never miss a start.

Inside linebacker Takeo Spikes also played with an oversized club/cast on his broken right hand, but he did not require surgery. The team's top-two tacklers were both injured during Sunday's 41-20 victory over Seattle.

Willis also broke his right hand halfway through his rookie year but never missed a game as he also played with a protective cast. Spikes had never played with a cast before Thursday.

Spikes' worst play was when he covered - actually, didn't cover - wide receiver Vincent Jackson on an 11-yard touchdown just before halftime. But then, Spikes would lose that mismatch with two healthy hands.

Willis had no trouble dropping Jacob Hester for an 8-yard loss on a first-quarter screen, but he could not get penetration on three blitzes on the game-opening drive.

Spikes finished with a team-high 12 tackles and Willis had eight.

E-mail David White at dwhite@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page B - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle