The San Diego Chargers were counted out of the AFC West before the 2016 season. Now, they will be without wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back Danny Woodhead for the remainder of the season. Both tore their ACLs. The Chargers season is looking like it will go down the drain.
Right? Wrong.
No Keenan Allen. No Danny Woodhead. No Problem.
The Chargers have played much better than people have said that they would. They even won a statement game against a Jacksonville Jaguars team that was poised to make a statement in the AFC this year. Not only did San Diego win, but they blew out the Jaguars. They dominated them in every aspect.
They may have lost their opening game against the Kansas City Chiefs, but they did hold a 21-3 lead over a team that won 11 straight games in 2015. Had they not blown that huge lead, they would be tied with the Denver Broncos for first place in the AFC West.
Running Game
A big part of the Chargers’ success is running back Melvin Gordon. The 2015 25th overall pick rushed for zero touchdowns during his rookie season. Through two games in 2016, he has rushed for 800 yards and three touchdowns. If he keeps rushing in this manner, he can finish the regular season with 24 rushing touchdowns. That number could increase if he records receiving touchdowns.
Rivers
Quarterback Philip Rivers is continuing to show that he could be a future Hall of Famer once his career is over. He has thrown for 463 yards and five touchdowns in two games. What’s even more impressive is that he has not thrown an interception this season, either. This comes even after the Chargers blew their 21-3 lead to the Chiefs.
Gates
San Diego will also need tight end Antonio Gates to step up his game from last season. The future Hall of Famer only had one touchdown reception in 2015. He caught a career-high 12 touchdowns in 2014. The team will need him to repeat that season. With Allen out, Rivers will be looking for Gates to be his main target.
Not only does the Chargers team have them looking good, but their schedule is in their favor for the most part. Eight of their last 14 opponents are teams that did not make the playoffs in 2015.
They will also be playing against an Indianapolis Colts team that has no luck other than Andrew Luck. They will face an Atlanta Falcons team that released their all-time leading receiver after a collapsing season. The Chargers will also face the New Orleans Saints, who are currently 0-2.
Some of the opponents do post a bit of a challenge. The Tennessee Titans have a stacked team with a rising quarterback in Marcus Mariota. They also have two-star running backs in Demarco Murray and Derrick Henry. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jameis Winston could possibly be a team that could shock some teams in 2016, as well.
Still, the Chargers have the team that can go up against any challenge they face. Not only that but they have shown that they can be trouble against some of the hottest teams in the league.
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