The Melvin Gordon Saga - Holdout Over

[richpjr]

Well ... this writer opines the Chargers' season is "playing into Melvin Gordon's hands." And after the last two losses, it's hard for me to disagree.

https://fansided.com/2019/09/24/char...-trade-update/

We are averaging 5.2 yards per carry, 5th best in the NFL. Gordon would not change anything.

[SDBORN]

We are averaging 5.2 yards per carry, 5th best in the NFL. Gordon would not change anything.

Agreed. We started last season 1-2 as well. Wasn't Gordon playing back then?

We have issues with coaching/scheming/discipline. Lots of self inflicted problems that can be corrected.

The one area where we would have benefited from Gordon is how disciplined he is at protecting the ball. But who is to say our YPC would have been as close with Gordon. So it's a give and take there at least. so to me it's a wash.

[Boltjolt]

3 TDs called back on ticky tack calls and we may be 3-0. Holding being called at an alarming rate this season. I'm fine with protecting players but why all the holding calls? Yes some are valid, and some are WTF!
PI getting out of hand too.

[Grinners]

We are averaging 5.2 yards per carry, 5th best in the NFL. Gordon would not change anything.

I disagree............. I think we would be running the ball more than we are now if Gordon was in the line up. More yards per game than we have now.

[jamrock]

Agreed. We started last season 1-2 as well. Wasn't Gordon playing back then?

We have issues with coaching/scheming/discipline. Lots of self inflicted problems that can be corrected.

The one area where we would have benefited from Gordon is how disciplined he is at protecting the ball. But who is to say our YPC would have been as close with Gordon. So it's a give and take there at least. so to me it's a wash.

our 2 losses last year were to the Rams and the Chiefs. Both Super Bowl caliber teams. This year our 2 losses are to Detroit and Houston. Not quite the same.

[Velo]

I am a big fan of Austin Ekeler. He is an overachiever to the Nth degree. Can't say enough about his character and work ethic. I may be off on this, but because of his size, it doesn't feel like he is as punishing of a runner as Gordon. MGIII last year ripped off a number of runs where he plowed through defenders. When a RB does that, it is physically and psychologically debilitating to defenders. I do think we are missing that in our run game without MGIII.

[Boltgang74]

Definitely!We need a bruiser back.

[richpjr]

our 2 losses last year were to the Rams and the Chiefs. Both Super Bowl caliber teams. This year our 2 losses are to Detroit and Houston. Not quite the same.

And we beat the Chiefs last year without Gordon using Ekeler and Jackson at ru nning back.

[SDBORN]

our 2 losses last year were to the Rams and the Chiefs. Both Super Bowl caliber teams. This year our 2 losses are to Detroit and Houston. Not quite the same.

Yet we beat the Chiefs without Gordon last year. This is what the Chargers identity is and has been for a long time now. They suck early in the season, dig a hole and hope to climb out.

So far Texans and lions both have 2 wins. So to this point in the season they're half a game to 1 game behind the Chiefs and Rams. That's all we know for now.

[like54ninjas]

I disagree............. I think we would be running the ball more than we are now if Gordon was in the line up. More yards per game than we have now.

Regardless of when MGIII finally reports, we need to run the ball more.
The miscues, penalties, and poor tackling should be easy fixes. So should the play calling as far as running the ball at 45%+ of the time as opposed to the 35% we have averaged through 3 games. It will make our Oline, WRs, and QB more effective.

[SDBORN]

I am a big fan of Austin Ekeler. He is an overachiever to the Nth degree. Can't say enough about his character and work ethic. I may be off on this, but because of his size, it doesn't feel like he is as punishing of a runner as Gordon. MGIII last year ripped off a number of runs where he plowed through defenders. When a RB does that, it is physically and psychologically debilitating to defenders. I do think we are missing that in our run game without MGIII.

Ekeler doesn't have MG size and discipline in protecting the ball, but he does have better burst and vision IMO and I also believe he is better at making guys miss and elusiveness in the open field. For every extra pickup of extra yards after contact, MG has also been brought down by shoe string tackles and apparent loss of balance plenty of times. How quickly we forget.
Both Ek and MG are great in the passing game. So for the most part it's a wash. MG struggled with ball security early on as the primary back as many do, so I hope ekler learns quickly to protect the rock.

So Both backs have their strengths and weaknesses. I definitely don't want us to overuse Ekler and think Jackson needs to get more touches. We need more balance until MG is back (if he ever is), and even if he does come back we need to keep it balanced by commitee.



P. S
Ekler and Jackson have both broken off some great runs called back by silly penalties or ticky tack calls.

[SDBORN]

Regardless of when MGIII finally reports, we need to run the ball more.
The miscues, penalties, and poor tackling should be easy fixes. So should the play calling as far as running the ball at 45%+ of the time as opposed to the 35% we have averaged through 3 games. It will make our Oline, WRs, and QB more effective.

I agree. If Rivers has to throw too many times a game, I don't like our chances in general. We definitely need to run more. And the stats show our run game has been a strength.