After a disappointing 7-6 loss to
the Cleveland Browns today, the San Diego Chargers have now dropped 3 straight
games. They started the season off hot with a 3-1 record, but are now sitting at
3-4 and are desperately trying to figure out how to turn things around. They
had hoped to figure things out today against the lowly Cleveland Browns who
came into today’s game with a record of 1-6, but again they struggled with
turnovers and suffered their fourth loss of the season. Much of the blame for
the team’s recent struggles has been on Coach Norv Turner and quarterback
Philip Rivers. Rivers’ 9 interceptions on the season ranks third most in the
league and he is ranked 18th in quarterback rating. These numbers
show that he is simply not getting the job done, and it is time for a change. In
order to right the ship the Chargers need to throw the ball less and rely more
on their running game.
Ryan Mathews, the Chargers starting
running back, is finally healthy and starting to show his true value to the
team. Mathews was selected 12th overall in the 2010 NFL draft out of
Fresno State and was expected to play a huge role in the team’s offense. His
first two seasons were marred by injuries, and he never got a chance to show
what he can do. With health on his side now, Mathews has gotten his chance to
showcase his skills. On the season Mathews is averaging 4.5 yards per carry,
and over the last 3 games he has 336 total yards. Over the past decade the
Chargers were successful when they were running the ball productively with
LaDainian Tomlinson, but recently they have been trying to rely too much on
quarterback Philip Rivers. Putting too much of the load on Rivers has shown to
be unsuccessful. They need to go back to what has worked in the past and hand
the ball off to their stud running back. Not many players in the league have
the size, speed, and athleticism that Mathews possesses. He stands 6 feet
tall, weighs 218 pounds, and runs a 4.5 forty yard dash. Watching some of his
highlights in the following video you can see that he can be one of the best
running backs in the league.
Mathews, number 24, has all the
talent in the world and should be getting the ball 24-7! Please visit our
online store to purchase your very own Mathews “All Day” t-shirts as well as
many of our other fun football products. Go BOLTS! by: Mark Saverino
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