The San Diego Chargers haven't experienced anything but mediocrity since 2009.
With three nine win seasons, one eight win season, one seven win season, and last year's four win season, San Diego hasn't been able to take that next step to get back to what they were in 2009. What they also had back in 2009, which they don't have today, is LaDainian Tomlinson (his last season as a Charger) and a young Darren Sproles creating a duo who the NFL could not handle. Fortunately for them, they may have found a running back with a different style of running who's ready to take this team and put them on his shoulders.
On April 30 2015, the Chargers selected Melvin Gordon out of Wisconsin with the 15th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. It was the right pick, as Gordon was clearly the second best back in the draft class, only behind Todd Gurley and the Chargers had a clear hole at the running back position. In every year since LT left the Chargers, San Diego has struggled to establish a reliable running game. They had a good triplet going with Sproles, Ryan Matthews, and Mike Tolbert, but it didn't provide the same threat to opposing teams as having one dynamic back to give the ball to 20+ times a game.
For the next couple years SD would have Matthews has the number one tail back, which really didn't pan out well. He not only was the wrong back for the team's system, but he never really was productive enough. In his 5 years with the Chargers, the most rushing touchdowns he had on the year was 7. In retrospect, Gordon has already rushed for 9 touchdowns this season and we are only entering Week 10.
The point of this being since Tomlinson left San Diego, the Chargers haven't had a rushing attack that they had back in 2004-2009 with LT when they were winning 10+ games almost every season. Gordon, with his play this year, is making a strong case to be the next best running back in Chargers history. What makes this season more impressive is when you look at his struggles in his first season.
As a rookie Gordon was simply underutilized by San Diego's offense, and as a result, his productivity was close to zero. In his best game he rushed for 88 yards on 16 carries. There wasn't even one game where he had at least 20 carries. He didn't even get into the end zone in 14 games he played. Whether it was because Frank Reich was the offensive coordinator at the time or Gordon simply struggling to read defenses in his first season in the NFL, something needed to change.
Change is exactly what occurred as Ken Whisenhunt returned to the Chargers and as a result, the play-calling is slowly changing. In games where Gordon has rushed the ball more than 20 times, the Chargers are 4-1. While in games where he's rushed less than 20 times, San Diego is 0-4. The recipe for success for the Chargers has been made clear: put the ball in Gordon's hands more, Philip Rivers' hands less.
In the games where Rivers has thrown less, the Chargers have won this season. IThis is obvious as in those games the running game has been most successful, but the point being that the Chargers need make to make it a priority to establish the run and get Gordon involved. He's visibly the focal point of the offense and arguably the best player on the team. What he's done this year already is simply great.
Gordon is not only doing things on the ground but also in the air. In addition to his nine rushing touchdowns, he has 2 receiving touchdowns. He's rushed for over 100 yards in 3 games this year, but more importantly he has put points on the board with 3 games where he has rushed for two touchdowns. The key for his stellar play to continue is for San Diego to keep feeding him the ball.
Watching Gordon run is similar to watching Adrian Peterson run, but at a tad slower speed. Gordon simply resists going down as his strength is up their in the league in terms of running backs, and that is coupled with the speed he shows in the open field. He has the mindset of a work-horse and San Diego needs to make the change in their style of play and not rely so much on Rivers as they've done in the last couple years.
In fact, the Chargers need to take a note from the Vikings and focus their entire offense around Melvin Gordon. San Diego hasn't had a running back eclipse over 10 rushing touchdowns in a season since the LT days and the Wisconsin product can easily eclipse that mark. His future currently rests on the shoulders of the Chargers coaching staff. In addition, the future of the Chargers depends on Gordon and San Diego's utilization of him offensively. This team is a couple players away from turning into a 10+ win team, but that will only come with Melvin Gordon leading the way.
He may not do enough to reach 28 touchdowns like Tomlinson did in 2006, but Gordon has the skill set and motivation to become the future back for the Chargers.
