{"id":73794,"date":"2019-09-26T22:45:58","date_gmt":"2019-09-27T02:45:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=73794"},"modified":"2021-03-13T11:44:56","modified_gmt":"2021-03-13T16:44:56","slug":"los-angeles-chargers-offense-after-halftime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2019\/09\/26\/los-angeles-chargers-offense-after-halftime\/","title":{"rendered":"Los Angeles Chargers Offense Has to Play Better After Halftime"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Chargers<\/a> aren\u2019t exactly strangers to slow starts. They\u2019re currently sitting at 1-2 as of this writing, which might have some fans concerned. Based on record alone, that wouldn\u2019t be cause for concern because they started 1-2 last year as well. What is cause for concern is the fact that the Los Angeles Chargers offense seems to be forgetting to come out of the locker room after halftime. They\u2019ve held a halftime lead in every game, only to blow it (though they did escape the Indianapolis Colts<\/a> in overtime despite that). What\u2019s the issue here? It\u2019s not exactly clear-cut, but the Chargers are going to have to figure it out.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Chargers Offense Struggling in Second Halves of Games<\/h2>\n

The Journey so Far<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at the scoring disparity here. In the first halves of games, the Chargers have outscored their opponents 44-19. They\u2019ve played solid football in those first halves, finishing drives and shutting down the opposing offense. But after halftime, they\u2019ve been outscored 45-10. That is unacceptable.<\/p>\n

While they escaped the Colts in overtime in Week 1, both of those other two games ended with the Chargers behind in the final few minutes, and quarterback Philip Rivers<\/a><\/strong> trying to lead them back \u2013 only to come up short. That\u2019s not particularly common for him to come up short two games in a row like that when it matters.<\/p>\n

Various Factors at Play<\/h3>\n

There are multiple things that go into an offense that plays quite well in one half suddenly disappearing in the next. And not a lot of it is even on Rivers. He hasn\u2019t been turning the ball over a ton \u2013 he only has two interceptions and one lost fumble through three games. Part of it is the offensive line; they\u2019ve been missing starter Russell Okung<\/a> <\/strong>for a while, and now they\u2019re at a point where they\u2019ve got a defensive lineman practicing at offensive tackle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s also been some issues at the receiver and tight end spots \u2013 both with injuries and ineffectiveness. Hunter Henry<\/strong><\/a> has been out, Mike Williams<\/a><\/strong> may not be at full strength, and Travis Benjamin<\/a> <\/strong>has been ineffective (only four catches in three games). And as spectacularly as Keenan Allen<\/strong><\/a> has been playing, he can\u2019t be the only target at receiver. So maybe it\u2019s just a matter of Williams and Henry getting to 100% again.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s still on the offense to finish drives in the second half. It\u2019s not even like they\u2019ve really been taking their foot off the gas pedal in terms of play calling. Those drives just keep fizzling out, whether it\u2019s the rare turnover or the backup kicker \/ punter Ty Long<\/a><\/strong> missing kicks repeatedly in Week 2. It\u2019s hard to know what the biggest issue at fault here is, but they have to find a way to score points in the second half \u2013 or they aren\u2019t going to win most games unless their defense bails them out.<\/p>\n

Gordon\u2019s Absence Not a Factor<\/h3>\n

Some may wonder if Melvin Gordon<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s absence would be making much of a difference. And to be fair, it is very likely that Gordon would not have fumbled on the goal line like Austin Ekeler<\/strong><\/a> did in Week 2. But in terms of general running efficiency, Gordon\u2019s absence hasn\u2019t really played a factor. Ekeler\u2019s averaged 4.2 yards per carry and has four total touchdowns. And while Justin Jackson<\/a><\/strong> has been playing second fiddle, he\u2019s averaged 7.9 yards per carry.<\/p>\n

So aside from that one fumble, it\u2019s hard to see Gordon\u2019s absence as being the problem, or even one of the problems. Anyway, he\u2019s ended his holdout<\/a>, so he\u2019ll be playing again soon. And while having him back certainly won\u2019t hurt, it\u2019s very unlikely to be a magic fix. As previously stated, when an offense does very well in one half and then doesn\u2019t do so well in the second half, there are probably a multitude of factors.<\/p>\n

Last Word<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s certainly reason to be concerned about the way the season has started for the Chargers, but as stated earlier, this isn\u2019t unfamiliar territory for them. They\u2019ve worked their way out of slow starts before. And for them, maybe the answer simply is everyone getting back to full strength. Time will tell if they can get their act back together fast enough, though. The AFC may be the less competitive of the two conferences right now, but that doesn\u2019t mean they won\u2019t have catching up to do.<\/p>\n

Main Photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>