San Diego Chargers: With Ryan Matthews Sidelined, Running Game a Growing Concern

By Kris Knox
Senior Writer

Apparently, the San Diego Chargers had thoughts of riding their running game into the postseason this year.

Unfortunately, those plans may have went out the window last week, when starting running back Ryan Matthews suffered a broken collarbone in the team’s preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers.

The Chargers remain hopeful that Matthews will not miss more than a month and could be ready to return to the field in the first or second week of the regular season. However, outside opinions differ greatly, and suggest that Matthews’ recovery is more likely to take eight or nine weeks at best.

For now, the Chargers are forced to examine other options during Matthews’ recovery, however long it may be.

On Saturday night, against the visiting Dallas Cowboys, San Diego fans got a firsthand look at why the team’s current options may not suffice.

As a team, the Chargers rushed for just 53 yards on 26 attempts. Even more discouraging, only one back—fullback Le’Ron McClain with two carries for eight yards—managed to produce more than three yards per carry.

Offseason acquisition Ronnie Brown (six carries for 16 yards) was a disappointment on Saturday, as was former Chief Jackie Battle (four carries, 10 yards), though he did score on a two-yard touchdown run.

Seventh-round draft pick Edwin Baker showed some burst on a solid nine-yard run, but finished the game with only 12 yards on four carries, while backup fullback Jacob Hester rushed twice for five yards and a score.

Of course, the Chargers were going up against a much-improved Dallas defense (the Cowboys held the Raiders to just 89 yards in their preseason opener), but the team’s overall lack of production on the ground is cause for concern.

If Matthews cannot return to the field quickly, San Diego may be forced to rely on its passing game, as it has done in years past. However, that prospect comes with its own set of risks.

Against the Cowboys, starting quarterback Philip Rivers found holes in the Dallas secondary, completing 13 of 15 passes for 109 yards. However, he also threw two interceptions—including a poorly underthrown pass to Robert Meachem that was picked off by cornerback Brandon Carr—and failed to lead a successful scoring drive.

While Rivers undoubtedly has the confidence—and arguably, the ability—to put the Chargers offense on his shoulders early this season, San Diego simply cannot afford to become one-dimensional for any lengthy stretch.

In the always-unpredictable AFC West, a divisional title is anything but a guarantee. For the Chargers to be successful in 2012, it will likely require an offense that is efficient, aggressive and, perhaps most importantly, balanced—a task that may prove difficult with the team’s current patchwork backfield.

Follow Kris on Twitter: @Kris_Knox

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