Chargers News: Gordon Progressing, Breakout Game Expected Very Soon
When the San Diego Chargers moved up to draft Melvin Gordon in the 2015 draft, fans immediately expected the second coming of LaDainian Tomlinson. That was not the case at first as Gordon took time to develop his way of playing and his style.
That particular style was on full display on Sunday in Cincinnati as Gordon ran for 88 yards on 16 carries and also caught 1 pass for 10 yards. He had huge gains of 20, 26 and 27 yards on the day and constantly showed better vision and balance. Gordon has made adjustments every week and is getting better each game he plays.
His upside is tremendous and the Chargers are lucky to be able to bring him along slowly. Branden Oliver and Danny Woodhead are both respectable options at the running back position. Having them in the backfield with Gordon, allows the rookie to have slightly less pressure on his shoulders.
The progression Gordon is showing on the field is very nice to see. He has silenced any doubters of recent, and is sure to have a monster game eventually for the Bolts. His first half against the Bengals was very impressive, but with the team playing from behind in the second half his playing time was sparatic at best. Rightfully show as Gordon had a big fumble last week and coach McCoy surely doesn’t want to put him in that position again.
He watched most of the second half because the Chargers were playing from behind. In a perfect world the Chargers would have a big lead and would be able to just pound the ball with Gordon and company. That has not happened as of yet, as the Chargers have fallen behind early in both their games this 2015 season. Not the recipe Tom Telesco concocted when putting this team together.
It is still very early in the season to be discouraged about the teams play. The Bengals were a very formidable opponent and the Chargers were still very much in the game up until the end despite playing poorly most of the day. Encouraging sign for the potential of this team if they can ever put up a consistent four quarters of football. At 1-1 the world is not over for this team, but they clearly need some work. Melvin Gordon did provide a positive on the day and that is a great thing for the future of this team.
The glimpse we got of a dangerous Melvin Gordon is very exciting. He runs with authority and purpose. The burst and power combination he has is rare and with a few more key adjustments he could be a very special player for the Chargers. He is starting to display some vision now indicating the game is starting to slow down for him. That is a very positive sign as he will be needed for the Chargers to make a serious playoff push.
Adding a solid running game only make Philip Rivers a better player. Teams will evenually have to respect Gordon’s running ability and that will open up many passing lanes for Kennan Allen, Malcolm Floyd, Steven Johnson and Antonio Gates. The Chargers have a very high powered offense and with a solid running game they are very close to possessing a balanced offensive attack. Something the Chargers have not had for quite some time.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.