What the Chargers Look Like Without Ryan Mathews?

Ryan Mathews is sitting out practice today with some injury even though Mike McCoy had said that he was healthy to continue playing the game last week. He mentioned that he was able to get back in the game after the injury and did some good things:

“He came back in the game and played,” McCoy said. “You saw him do some good things in protection, things like that. He was back in the game.”

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Just stop talking about injuries when they are asked. This team has too much history trying to conceal injuries. I understand we don’t want to give other teams an advantage, but how much of an advantage is there when we see the practice reports and see who is in and out of games?

The history is ridoculous here: Jahleel Addae getting onto the field after clearly getting knocked out on his feet is one situation earlier this year. The Kris Dielman issue a few years back when he got onto the plane and has seizures. We had Philip Rivers suddenly showing up on the injury report ony after Antonio Gates mentioned an injury.

So Ryan Mathews WAS injured and that is why we didn’t run the ball in the 2nd half. Apparently, we don’t trust the other guys on the roster to run the ball. We don’t trust Donald Brown or Branden Oliver to pick up yards in the run game.

What was Donald Brown brought to this team for again? He definitely hasn’t done a thing for our run game when Ryan Mathews is out. When Ryan is out, this team has no run game. When Ryan is out, everything is on Philip’s shoulders and he better play like Peyton Manning. He better play better than Peyton this Sunday.

Just like last season, the Chargers don’t have a solution for when Ryan Mathews has to sit out. Danny Woodhead is not even an option for the team this year. For some reason we like to use Donald Brown over Branden Oliver as well.

Of the two backs, Oliver is the only back that has shown potential in picking up yards behind this offensive line. He should have received more touches and if Ryan is out he needs to receive more touches. He only received 3 carries in the game on Sunday against the Patriots, even when Ryan was out for most of the second half. Donald Brown received no carries.

Without Ryan on the field, this team gets pass happy. We become one dimensional. We better be really good at passing on Sunday against the Broncos with Mathews in question. The Broncos will know it is coming and will send them all out to kill Philip.