Sportsnet is breaking down everything you need to know about each of the 32 teams—including why you should or shouldn’t be rooting for them this season—in the month leading up to NFL kickoff. Today, the San Diego Chargers.
Last year’s record: 9-7 (yet again)
Head coach: Mike McCoy
Core players: Philip Rivers (QB), Eric Weddle (S), Keenan Allen (WR), Melvin Gordon (RB), Antonio Gates (TE)
2015 is about… Getting one more damn win than last season. The Chargers held their playoff destiny in their hands in week 17 of 2014, and answered the call with just seven points in a loss to the Chiefs—the only consolation being that the Chiefs didn’t make the playoffs either. After two 9-7 seasons under McCoy, who revitalized Philip Rivers’s career, San Diego enters 2015 desperate to break through the double-digit-win ceiling and emerge as a power in the AFC West.
They lost… Well, Gates will miss the first four games of 2015 due to a PED suspension (more on that later). In terms of more permanent exits though, the Chargers didn’t lose any big names. The exit of safety Marcus Gilchrist might hurt a secondary that really came together during 2014—except that Pro Football Focus graded him as the least reliable part of that mix. Ryan Mathews couldn’t stay healthy, like, ever, so his exit can’t really be considered a huge void. And finally, Eddie Royal was one of Rivers’ frequent targets, but he didn’t offer a lot above replacement value for a slot receiver, and the hole in the offence will easily be upgraded by…
Yeah, but they got… Stevie Johnson, who is a lot like Royal—precise routes, good hands, not a sexy name but a reliable player—and is already becoming one of Rivers’s favourite targets, according to camp reports. A much sexier name is that of Melvin Gordon (well, the name itself isn’t sexy—in fact, Melvin might be the least sexy male name imaginable), who is as enticing a runner as the Chargers have had since LaDainian Tomlinson broke down. Gordon should preoccupy defences much more than the ugly committee of Ryan Mathews, Brendan Oliver, Danny Woodhead and Donald Brown did last season. Mark that down as a major upgrade.
Another possible breakthrough could come in the form of LB Jerry Attaochu, who was viewed as a wildcard in the 2014 draft. He could team with San Diego’s other enticing young Melvin, linebacker Melvin Ingram, to form a pass-rushing combo that could eventually rival the division-rival Chiefs’ combo of Justin Houston and Tamba Hali.
Growing from within: Anyone who plays fantasy football knows what’s coming here for the second year in a row: Get ready for Ladarius Green’s breakout. No, really. This time, he’ll break out—or at least, with Gates sidelined for the season’s first quarter, he’ll get every possible chance. Green is huge, athletic and creates mismatches all over the field, but he simply wasn’t used enough last season to justify the pre-season hype.
On the other side of the ball, the aforementioned Ingram got healthy in the second half of last season and the No. 18 overall pick in 2012 finally showed the league why he was drafted as one of the top rush linebackers in his class, with 29 tackles and four sacks in nine games. If he can take the next step, the Chargers could have a top-tier talent on their hands.
Why this team? Because the Chargers are plucky. They’re the little brother in their division. Denver has the unstoppable offence and the fearsome defensive line. The Chiefs have arguably the NFL’s most electric running back and a pass-rushing duo that makes quarterbacks quake in fear. The Chargers have… Philip Rivers, all chip-on-the-shoulder competitiveness; they have Antonio Gates, one of the NFL’s all-time greats who has never been to a Super Bowl; they have Keenan Allen, who looked like a legit No. 1 receiver as a rookie before taking a step back last season; they have a solid defence, a creative coach, a lot of young talent and they still don’t get respect. How could you not want these guys to smack the Broncos in the mouth and go on a little January run?
Why not? Because while it looks good on paper, it’s all pretty fragile. Allen is never going to athletically dominate, so good cornerbacks can shut him down, and Green—though it’s not his fault—hasn’t proved that he’s capable of being an every-down tight end yet. Ingram is prone to injuries, and so is middle linebacker Donald Butler, who is looked to as the defensive signal-caller. Stevie Johnson is old and Eric Weddle—the NFL’s best safety last year according to PFF—will turn 31 as the playoffs begin. Also, four games is a long time to go without a guy like this:
Perfect for fans of… Younger brothers who played a lot of sports against their older brothers—ie. folks who know what it’s like to be looking up to someone everyone assumes you simply can’t beat.
How much hope? 7/10. The Broncos are good but not unstoppable, and the Chargers have two rookies who could make immediate impacts. This team could quietly be excellent.
Will you be mocked for front-running? Nope. The Chargers are 5–1 to win a division with four teams in it. The Broncos are almost 1–2, and the Chiefs—who it can easily be argued got worse while the Chargers got better—are only 3.5–1.
A Meme To Remember: Philip Rivers is a meme unto himself. He talks awful trash without ever cursing. He is a baby-making machine. And he is perhaps the only quarterback alive who can challenge Peyton Manning for the title of
“Weirdest QB Faces.” What’s not to love?!
