Should the Los Angeles Chargers Run the Ball More?

With the Los Angeles Chargers defense sucking it up big time, should we run the football more?

If I want to find something good on this team at the moment, I can only look at one side of the ball. Let’s look at the offense again and this time around let’s talk about these running backs! Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler have been EATING!

We used to see Melvin Gordon shuffle his feet at the line of scrimmage and gain a couple yards over and over and over again. It still happens fro time to time, but he has been producing this year. He has been a threat in the passing game and he has been sprung for a number of big runs. He also has a nose for the end zone.

When we are in short yardage situations, I want him to ensure that he gets the first down by putting his head down and plowing his way through instead of trying to get cute.  There are times where I wonder if Austin Ekeler would spring certain runs for bigger gains as well. Gordon is missing the ability to make people miss in the open field.

Austin Ekeler is still the slippery runner and seems to gain a first down any time he touches the football. He may be slippery, but he also is a bowling ball. We wonder why he isn’t getting more touches, but know that there are only so many footballs to go around. Everyone and their mother wants him to become the starter, but he is in his best role at the moment.

Ekeler reminds me of Danny Woodhead with his ability in the passing game and his ability to make people miss, but also reminds me of Mike Tolbert because he is thick and low to the ground and is not very easy to bring down.

Will Ekeler be the same back as a starter, taking all the reps? We may find out when Melvin does come up for his new contract. That is likely another article that we can jump into as well.

With our defense struggling to slow anyone down, we may want to start pounding the football more and more to help run clock and keep our defense fresh. That could be our best bet at helping our defense until Joey Bosa comes back. That would take the ball out of Philip’s hands though and I am not sure if that is the best solution either.

Should we run more?